1,773 killed by armed herdsmen in Benue, LG chiefs, tribal leaders cry out

Chairmen of 14 Local Government Areas in Benue State that have been ravaged by herdsmen attacks alongside leaders of the three main tribes in the state, under the aegis of Mzough U Tiv, Ochetoha K’Idoma and Onmi’Nyi Igede have raised the alarm over the ceaseless activities of armed herdsmen across the state, saying over 1,773 have been killed in the state by the marauders between 2018 and 2021.

The leaders at a joint press briefing, yesterday, in Makurdi called for the deployment of personnel of the Special Forces to the border communities of the state to check the marauders’ unhindered access into the state, especially as the dry season sets in.

Chairman of Ukum LGA, Mr. Steve Ayua, who addressed newsmen, said: “The attacks have led to the destruction of properties worth billions of Naira in over 200 wards and communities in the state.

“The herders come under the guise of cattle grazing and turn our farms into killing fields. 21 out of the 23 LGAs of Benue State have suffered one form of herders’ attacks or the other.

“It is on record that open grazing has led to the invasion of farming communities by Fulani herdsmen leading to massive killings and maiming of people, including children, raping of women, destruction of properties, loss of livelihoods and displacement of persons.”

“Between January 11, 2018, and now, armed herdsmen have killed 1,773 people, those traced and accounted for in Benue State. The killers no longer come with cows. They carry AK47.

“The negative impact of open grazing which often results in attacks has adversely affected the local economy as farmers are prevented from accessing their farms and local markets are also deserted for fear of imminent invasion by the killers.

“The continued rise in the attacks by Fulani herdsmen has also led to mass displacement of persons leading to desertion of farm lands. Over 1.5 million people have been displaced in the state. Some of the displaced persons are currently living in Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps and others are living in host communities or with their relatives in townships.

“Farmers who have attempted to go back to farm their land are either killed or maimed by herdsmen. This sad development is leading to food insecurity and poverty in the state.

“The latest of the callous and inhuman atrocities came in the morning of November 13, 2021, when some gunmen invaded a community in Mbayatyo, Mbater council ward of Logo LGA killing scores of mourners at a wake for one of their departed relatives.

“What could be worse than the killing of bereaved people mourning the death of a loved one? While we condemn the act in strong terms, we call on the security formations, who have been making efforts to curtail the heightened insecurity in the Sankera axis and other parts of Benue State to arrest perpetrators of the heinous crime and bring them to justice.”

Credit: Vanguard

Nigerian Troops Eliminate over 50 ISWAP Terrorists on Ferocious Offensive

Troops of Joint Task Force, North East(NE) Operation HADIN KAI(OPHK) have neutralized over 50 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and destroyed several of their combat equipment in a fierce counter offensive in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.

In the counter offensive, troops eliminated top commanders of ISWAP as well as foot soldiers. The gallant troops also unleashed massive destruction on the terrorists’ Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle and several Gun Trucks.

It would be recalled, that 115 Task Force Battalion had an encounter with ISWAP terrorists in Askira Uba on 13 November 2021, during which the troops aggressively defended their location and followed up with a ferocious counter attack. Unfortunately, the Commander 28 Task Force Brigade along side three of his soldiers paid the supreme price, as they reinforced troops to defend the location.

While the battle raged, the gallant troops of 25 Task Force Brigade, supported by Air Component of OPHK engaged the terrorists in a hot pursuit. Troops made contact with the fleeing terrorists at Leho village within Askira Uba LGA and in the encounter that ensued, troops eliminated scores of terrorists and destroyed their combat equipment.

The equipment destroyed by troops include, an MRAP vehicle and 11 Gun Trucks. The troops also recovered large cache of arms and ammunition viz., Five Gun Trucks, two Anti Aircraft Guns, five AK 47 rifles, one HK Machine Gun and one HK Machine Gun links.

Relatedly, troops of 115 Task Force Battalion conducted a dawn exploitation towards Leho village and environs, where they discovered 3 corpses of the fleeing terrorists and also recovered 2,560 rounds of 7.62mm Special and 29 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition abandoned by the terrorists.

In a separate operation, troops have also recovered one AK 47 rifle and uncovered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) during a patrol in Karawa village and Baga Fish Dam area respectively. The IED has been safely detonated by a team of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya has led a team of top brass of the Nigerian Army to pay a condolence visit to the family of the late Commander 28 Task Force Brigade, Brig Gen Dzarma Zirkusu on Sunday 14 November 2021, where he commiserated with families of the fallen heroes. He has also urged the good people of the NE to continue to support the ongoing counter insurgency operations, while reaffirming troops’ renewed operational readiness to aggressively confront the criminal elements.

ONYEMA NWACHUKWU
Brigadier General
Director Army Public Relations
15 November 2021

Lady, 5 others bag 141 years imprisonment for drug trafficking in Edo, Ogun

A 25-year-old lady, Chioma Okocha and five men: Ndubuisi John, Haruna Aliyu, Saddam Abdullahi, Bashir Usman, and Usman Ibrahim have been sentenced to a total of 141 years imprisonment for trafficking in Cocaine and Cannabis Sativa by Federal High Courts sitting in Benin, Edo and Abeokuta, Ogun state respectively.

Chioma Okocha was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in jail by Justice AC Obiozor of the Federal High Court, Benin for trafficking 200grams of crack cocaine following her arrest in the Edo state capital on 24th September, 2021 by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA and her subsequent arraignment in suit no. FHC/B/136c/2021. The convict pleaded guilty to a one-count charge when her case came up in court on Monday 15th November.

The judge however granted her the option of paying N2million fine or spend 15 years in jail effective from 24th September when she was arrested while trying to deliver 200grams of Crack Cocaine to a customer at an eatery in Benin city.

The five men: Ndubuisi John; Haruna Aliyu; Saddam Abdullahi; Bashir Usman, and Usman Ibrahim were also convicted and sentenced to 126 years imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Abeokuta presided over by Justice Ogunremi Omowunmi Oguntoyinbo in suit no. FHC/AB/105c/2021.

The convicts were arrested on 14th of September 2021 along Lagos -Ibadan expressway conveying 46 bags of Cannabis Sativa weighing 552 kilograms in a truck and subsequently charged on three counts of transportation, possession and dealing in the illicit drug.

In her judgment delivered on 9th November, Justice Oguntoyinbo sentenced the 1st, 2nd and 3rd accused persons to 30 years imprisonment each while the driver of the truck bagged 21 years and the motor boy/driver’s assistant 15 years in jail.

While Ndubuisi, Haruna and Saddam were sentenced to 10 years on each count charge, Bashir got seven years on each count charge and Usman 5 years on each count charge. The jail terms are to run concurrently.

FEMI BABAFEMI
Director, Media & Advocacy
NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja
Tuesday, 16th November 2021

Lekki Tollgate incident was a massacre — Lagos #ENDSARS Panel

The just concluded Lagos #EndSARS Panel of Inquiry has described the October 20, 2020 incident at the Lekki toll gate as a massacre.

The panel of inquiry also stated that contrary to Governor Sanwo-Olu’s claim that he didn’t invite soldiers to the toll gate, the governor actually invited the Nigerian soldiers who carried out a massacre against unarmed and peaceful protesters during the October 20th, 2020 EndSARS protest at the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos.

“The panel found that there was an invitation of the Nigerian Army to Lagos State made by the Lagos State government through the governor,” the just-released panel’s report stated unequivocally,

“before the hierarchy of the Nigerian Army deployed its soldiers to the Lekki Toll Gate on the night of October 20.”

Mr Sanwo-Olu had claimed that he knew nothing about how Nigerian soldiers were mobilised to the tollgate. He had repeatedly deflected any blame of what happened at the Lekki tollgate to the Nigerian Army, playing the victim that he had no control over the military force that invaded the tollgate and killed the protesters without any provocations.

The report submitted to the Lagos government on November 15, over one year after the #EndSARS protesters were massacred, pointed out that the soldiers and police shot, injured and killed protesters holding national flags and singing the national anthem at the Lekki tollgate.

Information minister Lai Mohammed had also denied any protesters’ killing on the night of October 20, 2020, accusing the peaceful demonstrators of orchestrating anarchy.

#EndSARS, a nationwide protest against police brutality championed by young Nigerians, ended on a sad note as Nigerian soldiers shot and killed protesters waving the national flag and singing the national anthem.

Credit: Gazette