Middle Belt Forum knocks FG over threat to declare state of emergency in Anambra

The National President of the Middle Belt Forum (MDF), Dr. Bitrus Pogu has said that the Federal Government’s threat to impose a state of emergency on Anambra State ahead of the coming governorship election is unacceptable and unconstitutional.

Dr. Pogu, who spoke to Vanguard on Wednesday in Makurdi, advised that if the security situation in the state was getting out of hand the election should be shifted to a later date after the situation had normalized.

Hear him: “My question is, the state of emergency the Federal Government is threatening to declare in the state is on what?

“You can declare an emergency on security or even on health, if for example there is a pandemic. So the state of emergency is on what?

If it is based on security, it is rather that they stop the election and push it forward because there cannot be a fair and free election in a state where the military or whatever is in control.

“That is unacceptable in a democratic process.

“So if it is because of insecurity, the only thing and the right thing to do is to stop the election till the place is stabilised so that all parties will have a sense of freedom to exercise their franchise to vote for whoever they want.

“But in a situation you have a militarised environment and all the military and the police are controlled by just one organ of government, that is the Federal Government, there can never be freedom for others to operate.

“So that is unacceptable. If they say the security situation is bad the election should be suspended till when the situation is normalised.

“But otherwise all other parties that are not with the Federal Government will be disadvantaged by any state of emergency if it is based on insecurity.

“But otherwise all other parties that are not with the Federal Government will be disadvantaged by any state of emergency if it is based on insecurity.

“As for the position of the constitution on the matter, if you recall, during the then President Obasanjo regime, such things were done in some states where governors were put aside.

“But the court ruled that it was undemocratic and unacceptable. So based on the judgement of the courts it is even not acceptable, not allowed.”

[Vanguard]

Bandits Kill 18 in Fresh Zamfara Attack

No fewer than 18 people have been killed by daredevil armed bandits during a Tuesday night attack in Kuryan Masari community in Kaura local government of Zamfara state, North West Nigeria.

The bandits invaded the community in their usual manner and began shooting sporadically. 18 vehicles including a police patrol vehicle were also destroyed during the attack.

The attack was revealed by Zamfara Activist, Yusuf Anka who tweeted about the ugly incident on his twitter handle, @ankabiy.

18 people have been killed last night in Kuryan Madaro of Zamfara by armed bandits burning down homes, businesses and 18 Vehicles including a police patrol vehicle.
The deaths and destructions are too many for the people.?

Yesterday’s attack is one of many attacks carried out by bandits in Zamfara since the Nigerian government announced the shutdown of telecommunication networks in the state, a decision many Nigerians including Anka have continued to question it’s sincerity of purpose in the ongoing military operations in the state.

Anambra Polls: FG Threatens to Impose State of Emergency to Tighten Security

The Federal Government has said it will impose a state of emergency on Anambra State to tighten security ahead of the November 6 governorship election in the state.

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, announced this on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Malami said the government will do everything possible to ensure the protection of lives and property adding that where there is evidence of failure of the state government to ensure democratic order and security of lives, the Federal Government will prevail and will not rule out the possibility of imposing a state of emergency.

This comes amidst the wave of insecurity ravaging the state and the south-east region in general.

In the last couple of weeks, at least 10 persons have been killed in various attacks across Anambra.

On Tuesday the South-East Governors Forum said the ‘Ebube Agu’ security outfit will be established in all five states before the end of the year.

The governors said this as part of their eight-point agenda during a meeting that took place at the Enugu State Government House.

“The meeting agreed that the South-East Ebube Agu security outfit be launched in all the southeast states and laws passed in various southeast states before the end of 2021,” the communique read.

The security outfit was established in April as part of plans to checkmate the rising unrest in the region.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum David Umahi, has decried the degeneration of what started as a cry against marginalisation into violence in the region.

He, however, described the agitations for Biafra as madness, saying that most elites in the region do not want it.

According to him, all they want is to be treated equally like other regions in the country.

“Every elite in the south-east is not desirous of Biafra. We don’t want Biafra. We only want to be treated equally like other regions in Nigeria,” Governor Umahi said Wednesday, on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

“So, this idea of Biafra, Biafra is madness”.

(Channels TV)

Insecurity in The South East: HURIWA Charges Governors on Pragmatic Solution, Not Utopia

Says Miyetti Allah should be classified as a terrorist group

Leading Civil Rights Advocacy group:- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has faulted the decisions reached at the Tuesday October 5th meeting of South East governors and leaders just as the Rights group dismissed the decisions as utopian and dishonest. The group has called for thorough investigation of the widespread claims that the Department of State Services may have a hand in the spate of attacks in the South East of Nigeria just as the Rights group said the story making the rounds that a DSS operative was shot dead by the police when the police confronted armed unknown gunmen.
HURIWA said that only pragmatic measures are required to bring to an end the rising security nightmares in the South East of Nigeria and the escalation of targeted killings and destruction of strategic national security assets. HURIWA regrets that Igbo political leaders are busy chasing shadows and failing to take deep measures to check the expanding frontiers of coordinated attacks against South East of Nigeria. 
“HURIWA is once more compelled to express resounding disappointment and shock at the clear absence of any pragmatic approaches by Igbo leaders and Governors but instead most of the decisions reached on Tuesday in Enugu are cosmetic, unrealistic and utopian. Wishing that there should be an end to sit-at-home order which has been violently enforced inspite of the denial of responsibility for issuing the order by the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) shows that these so –called political, religious and cultural leaders are living in the World of Utopia.”
“The most pragmatic approach is to negotiate an end to the tagging of IPOB as a terrorists group, instituting of constructive back channel dialogues with the detained leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his members, consider conditional release from incarceration of all prisoners of conscience belonging to IPOB including their leader and for government to realistically investigate the possibility that Miyetti Allah may have a hand in the activities of the so called unknown gunmen”. HURIWA said it is heartwarming that President Muhammadu Buhari has showed his readiness to mediate in the ongoing war between Ethiopia and Eritrea but the Rights group told President Muhammadu Buhari that since charity begins at home, he needs to initiate far reaching measures to negotiate a truce with agitators for self determination in Southern Nigeria. 
HURIWA wondered how the governors of the South East have failed to hire private forensic investigators from Europe to help unravel the identities of the funders of unknown gunmen and to ascertain the persons carrying out the killings, but the governors have continued to hold on to the lazy, infantile and highly unscientific conclusion that IPOB is behind the killings or the sit at home order even when IPOB through its spokesperson has consistently denied responsibility of his proscribed group in any of the crimes. The South East governors are also not willing to safeguard Igbo land from the activities of foreign killer squads unleashed on South East by enemies of Igbo land such as Miyetti Allah that is angry that Igbos are in support of law against open grazing and had rejected the setting up the RUGA Fulani as canvassed by President Buhari. HURIWA said if the central government wants an end to the insecurity,  then MIYETTI ALLAH CATTLE BREEDERS should be classified as a terrorist group and investigated for their alleged funding of the violence in the South East of Nigeria. 
“HURIWA thinks that Miyetti Allah cattle breeders’ organization is a bloody sponsor of terrorism in South East and the statement of its leader gloating over the recent attacks in the South East has indicted his association as the funders of the killings in South East but sadly the Federal government is protecting and pampering Miyetti Allah.
HURIWA recalled that Fulani herdsmen under the aegis of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore say despite their exit from the South-East and the implementation of the anti-open grazing law, the region has continued to witness insecurity.

The spokesman for the group, Saleh Alhassan, stated this during a chat with PUNCH Live on Tuesday, adding that the development was evidence that Fulani herders were never the problem. He said that there was no more open grazing in most parts of the South-East but only cattle trading, adding that the cows being sold in the South-East mostly belong to Igbo traders. Alhassan stated, “That nonsense you see in the South-East is a manifestation of frustration… They will continue burning their cities, killing themselves.“Now that the herders are not there, they are still killing themselves. Sometimes they wear Fulani attires to continue to commit heinous crimes.“Now that the herders are not there, are they having peace in the East?”

HURIWA said the gloating by the MIYETTI ALLAH CATTLE BREEDERS ASSOCIATION about the South East security crisis shows their involvement in sponsoring the terrorism in the South East just as the Rights group said any solution without classifying Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association as a terrorist group and the arrest and prosecution of their leaders will remain cosmetic and meaningless.  HURIWA said the South East governors should put on their thinking cap and wake up from their slumber and offer pragmatic and not utopian solutions. 
HURIWA recalled that Southeast governors rose from a meeting in Enugu, yesterday, and declared that they would do everything to end the ‘sit-at-home order of the proscribed Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
 
The declaration was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting with stakeholders and made available to newsmen.
 
The meeting was convened by the Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, and hosted by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.
 
Reading the communiqué, Umahi said the governours were worried by the spate of insecurity in the region and condemned the continued ‘sit-at-home order.
 
Umahi, also Chairman of Southeast Governors’ Forum, said the governors, Southeast leaders and security chiefs condemned the spate of killings in the region.
 
He assured that the regional security outfit put together by states in the region, ‘Ebubeagu’, would be launched to give it teeth and laws passed in all the states to that effect before the end of 2021.
 
“The governors and leaders of the southeast condemn killings in the region and have agreed to join hands with security agencies to stop the trend.
 
“We, as well, condemn the ‘sit-at-home order by IPOB issued mostly by our people in the Diaspora who do not feel the pains.
 
“The meeting resolved that governors and people of the southeast will do everything within the law to ensure that there is no further sit-at-home and people are allowed to move about freely,’’ Umahi said.
 

How Terrorists Who Declared Ceasefire On Abductions Gunned Down ’30 Bandits’ In Kaduna

A clash between terrorists belonging to the Ansaru group and bandits has reportedly claimed the lives of at least 30 bandits around the Damari axis of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Multiple sources confirmed to Daily Trust that the two criminal groups started a battle for supremacy last week.

The report came three weeks after terrorists fleeing military onslaught in Zamfara State took refuge in Saulawa and Damari villages of Birnin Gwari LGA, where they hoisted their flag.

Following telecommunication shutdown in some LGAs of Kaduna, including Birnin Gwari, a resident, Samaila Yakubu, who spoke with Daily Trust from Zaria, said the crisis between the two criminal groups followed an order by the terrorists.

He said the terrorists had restricted bandits from abduction and invasion of communities.

Yakubu said the bandits had resisted the law, which led to a wrangle that claimed the lives of four bandits and one member of Ansaru group last Tuesday.

He said a tit-for-tat attack had ensued between the two groups which climaxed with the killing of about 30 bandits last week.

Also corroborating the incident, Hassan Ibrahim from Giwa LGA, said the terrorists had warned bandits to desist from rampant abductions, adding that the warning had not been heeded by the bandits which led to the clash.

Ibrahim said, “The killings between the two groups are ongoing but abductions are on a decline. The focus of the terrorists is now on how to get fuel and money from travellers.

“Two days ago, they ambushed my nephew along the Birnin Gwari- Zaria road on a motorcycle and they emptied his fuel tank.

“They then collected his phone and money he had on him and set him free. I believe the new security measures are working,” he said.

When contacted, Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, asked for time to clarify the situation from the DPO in charge of the area but hours later, he did not respond to calls to his phone.

(Dailytrust)

Panic As Bandits ‘Set Up Camps’ In FCT

There is panic in some rural communities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) following reports that fleeing bandits from the North are setting up camps in forests of the territory.

Daily Trust gathered from some locals that the bandits have set up camps around Zukpatu, Gadoro, Achimbi, Pesu, Duda, Pani, Gaube and New Gwombe communities in Kuje Area Area Council.

Most of the communities share boundaries with Nasarawa State.

Daily Trust reports that Kuje has over 400 communities not connected with any road network.

It was further gathered that the bandits are taking advantage of the rocky hinterlands to establish their bases.

According to some villagers, who spoke with our reporter, although the bandits have not started attacking them, they have been warning them against exposing their hideouts to security agents.

A resident of Gaube, who simply identified himself as Ibrahim, said the setting up of the camps by the bandits had caused panic, adding that residents, especially, farmers, now went to their farms in fear.

Ibrahim said, “Whenever the bandits come across locals in the farms or streams, they only caution us not to report to security agents their locations.”

He further said the bandits sometimes gave money to residents to buy them foodstuff and other items.

A rescued kidnap victim in Pegi axis of Kuje, who preferred anonymity, while lamenting his experience in the hands of the bandits, said they had set up camps at the bases of rocky hills.

He said, “Government needs to do something quickly before the situation gets out of hand because of what I saw. I wonder how these criminals were able to get to such places with arms.”

A resident of Gwombe who gave his name simply as Alhassan said bandits had taken over the forest around the community.

Alhassan said, “I think since they attacked and kidnapped some people in our village early this year, they don’t attack our people again, except that they send our people they come across on errands and warn them against telling security agents of their hideout.”

A traditional ruler in the FCT, who preferred anonymity, said the setting up of camps by bandits in some forests in rural communities posed serious threat to lives and property.

He recalled how bandits attacked commuters and villagers on the Gaube-Kuje road last year, which informed the setting up of a joint task force around the community.

He said, “But today, the task force has left the area and the kidnappers have returned, picking people around Gaube axis.”

The chief further said hunters and farmers usually came across the bandits but they were afraid of exposing them.

He, therefore, appealed to the federal government to take immediate action, while collaborating with traditional rulers in order to tackle insecurity in the territory.

The spokesperson of the FCT Police Command, DSP Adeh Josephine, asked our reporter to give her time to make enquiry about the development.

(DAILYTRUST)

SHOCKING: Senate confirms Buhari’s EFCC board nominee who started school before birth

The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of the nominees for the Secretary and Board members of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission submitted by the President Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

One of them was Alhaji Yahaya Muhammad who was said to have started his primary school before he was born.

The Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, however, cleared the nominee and others in the report presented by Senator Suleiman Kwari (Kaduna North).

Earlier, Senator Hassan Hadejia from Jigawa North East, had said the Curriculum Vitae submitted by Muhammad indicated that he started school before he was born.

Hadejia said, “Let me bring to the notice of the House, certain discrepancies in the report that are contradictory especially with regards to one of the nominee, Alhaji Yahaya Muhammad on page 8.

The nominee, according to the record before us, started his primary school before he was born.  There is also an overlap in the sequence of his educational experience because here, he was born on 29th September, 1969 and he started his Central Primary school in 1968.

“He was in Borno Teachers College from 1975 and 1988 while simultaneously he was in the College of Administration Studies from 1980 to 1981.

If these are typographical errors Mr (Senate) President, maybe we should have them corrected for the sake of our record.

The Senate, however, confirmed the appointment of Muhammad.

Also, George Ekungu from Cross River State was confirmed as Secretary of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Also confirmed by the red chamber are Luqman Muhammed (Edo); Anumba Adaeze (Enugu); Alhaji Kola Adesina (Kwara) and Alhaji Yahaya Muhammad (Yobe) as board members of the EFCC.

Kwari had told the senators that the nominees were thoroughly screened and found worthy of holding the positions.

The Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, who presided over the plenary, congratulated the nominees.

(Punch)

Fulani Jihadists Have Murdered Over 4,000 Christians Within 270 days in Nigeria-NGO

Human rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) has accused the Nigerian Muslim Jihadists of killing 4,400 Christians in the past nine months of 2021, a period of 270 days.

In a statement jointly signed by its Principal Officers: Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chinwe Umeche Esq., Obianuju Igboeli Esq., Chidimma Udegbunam, Esq., Intersociety also said that no fewer than 20 Christian clerics have also been killed or abducted by them within the period.

Condemning the raging and untamed anti-Christian genocidal killings and property violence, intersociety explained that the number of Christian worship centres severely attacked by the jihadists since January 2021 has risen to between 350 and 400, adding that not less than 3,500 traveller and sedentary Christians have also been abducted in the nine months of 2021 gone by; with several dozens of them feared killed in captivity.

Speaking on the perpetrators, Intersociety observed that the genocidal violent attacks against Christians in Nigeria have been elevated to a state policy-with the key perpetrators drawn from state actors (jihad enablers and perpetrators in the Government of Nigeria and its security forces) and non state actors (state protected armed jihadists).

It also explained that the non-state actor Jihadists are further divided into ‘international’ and ‘local’ wings.

“The local wing is comprised of Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and Jihadist Fulani Bandits. The Fulani Herdsmen were infiltrated, armed with sophisticated with weapons and radicalized in early 2000s by the country’s leading radical Muslims to perpetrate religio-sectarian mayhem in Plateau State (2001, 2004, 2007 and 2008) and Southern Kaduna and Benue State (from 2010 and upwards).

“In 2011, the group began to be transformed into instruments for jihad and politico-religious violence. By early 2016, the religious terror group fully transformed into Jihadist killer group and was massively deployed and used to unleash religious violence, hiding under the cover of cattle grazing and rural grazing routes and networks; through which they moved and occupied native farmlands and properties of the country’s indigenous Christians.

“The Fulani Bandits, originally called ‘Zamfara Bandits’, on their part, were raised in 2011 in Maradun, Zamfara State to counter the growing radical influence of the indigenous Hausa ‘Yankasai Vigilante’. The Jihadist group was initially infiltrated and hijacked by financiers of Zamafara illegal mining fields and later by leading Northern radical Muslim leaders including political office holders and senior security personnel.

The international wing of Nigerian Jihadist groups is comprised of Boko Haram and ISWAP and a litany of other internationally affiliated Jihadist group including Ansaru or Movement for the Emancipation of Black Muslims in West Africa. While Fulani herdsmen and Fulani bandits are made up of local terrorists, the Nigerian Government allowed alien Fulanis and acutely illiterate armed Hausa urchins, the Boko Haram, ISWAP, Ansaru and others made up of Kanuris, Bagara/Shuwa Arabs and Maghreb Muslim Jihadists and handful of armed, indoctrinated and radicalized Fulanis and Hausa urchins.

Intersociety alleged that in the past nine months of 2021, Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen were responsible for death of not less than 2,540 Christians, having between 1st January and 18th August 2021 killed 2,259 of them.

It also alleged that the Fulani Bandits, accounted for not less 600 Christian deaths and have targeted and killed Christians majorly in Niger, Kebbi, Taraba and Adamawa States as well as in Southern Kaduna where they killed jointly with Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen.

It also noted that the Jihadist Fulani Bandits accounted for most of the indigenous Hausa Muslim deaths in the Muslim dominated areas of Sokoto, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Northern Kaduna and Zamfara states.

It said ISWAP and other foreign affiliated Jihadists also accounted for more than 680 Christian deaths while Northern Muslim dominated and controlled security forces such as Nigerian Army and Nigeria Police Force accounted for the remaining 680 civilian Christian deaths.

(Daily Nigeria)