ACF Calls for a Total Purge of Banditry and Terrorism In Nigeria

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has issued a strong appeal to the Federal Government, urging them to completely eliminate the issues of banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism within the country. This call to action comes in response to the recent abduction of female students at the Federal University Gusau in Zamfara State.

In a statement released on Sunday by Professor Tukur Muhammad Baba, the spokesperson for the ACF, the forum expressed deep concern over the abduction incident. While official details about the attack remain limited, eyewitness accounts indicate that it was a well-coordinated assault carried out by both bandits and terrorists.

The ACF highlighted that the female students were specifically targeted, and the criminals were well-prepared, managing to escape with an as-yet-unknown number of victims despite efforts by the Nigerian Army.

The forum vehemently condemned these abductions and called upon the Federal Government to do everything in its power to secure the safe release of the kidnapped students.

Furthermore, the ACF urged the Federal Government to overhaul Nigeria’s security apparatus and develop comprehensive, multifaceted strategies to address security threats affecting schools and communities across the nation. These strategies, according to the ACF, should be aimed at eradicating the scourge of banditry and terrorism on a nationwide scale.

Wave of Terror Strikes Northern Nigeria: Gunmen kill 14, Kidnap 60 In Attacks

In a series of tragic events in northern Nigeria, gunmen carried out attacks that resulted in the loss of 14 lives and the abduction of around 60 individuals. On Sunday, in Zamfara state, northwest Nigeria, eight people lost their lives in two separate communities. This distressing incident occurred just days after armed individuals abducted numerous individuals from a local university in the same state.

In another disturbing incident, suspected Islamist insurgents ambushed a convoy of vehicles under military escort in the northeast region of the country. This attack led to the tragic deaths of two soldiers and four civilians. The attackers also set fire to five vehicles and made off with one truck.

President Bola Tinubu has yet to outline a comprehensive strategy to address the pervasive insecurity plaguing the nation. Meanwhile, his economic reforms, which included the removal of a costly fuel subsidy and the freeing of the naira currency, have resulted in a higher cost of living, causing frustration among citizens.

Residents reported that on Sunday morning, gunmen attempted to attack an army base in the rural Magami community of Zamfara but were repelled. Zamfara has been severely affected by the disturbing trend of kidnappings for ransom by armed groups referred to locally as “bandits.”

The attackers, organized into three groups, targeted both the army base and the communities of Magami and Kabasa. Their assault involved motorcycles, firearms, and other weapons, with indiscriminate gunfire causing chaos and fear. Tragically, the majority of the victims were women and children.

During the attacks, at least four people lost their lives, and numerous others were kidnapped, according to witnesses and residents. Regrettably, both the police and the army have not provided official statements or responses to these distressing incidents.

These attacks in the northwest region are emblematic of the prevailing insecurity issues in Nigeria. In addition to such incidents, Islamist insurgents continue to carry out deadly attacks in the northeast, while gangs and separatist groups target security forces and government installations in the southeast. Tragic clashes between farmers and herders persist, claiming additional lives and exacerbating the nation’s security challenges.

Why I Refused N20m Bribe – Jos Kidney Harvest Victim’s Husband

In this interview, a Jos-based businessman, Busari Kamaru, tells James Abraham how his wife’s kidney was allegedly harvested by a fake doctor during a surgical operation

What is your name?

My name is Busari Kamaru. I’m a resident of Rikos community in the Jos North Local Government of Plateau State.

How old are you?

I’m 51 years old.

What do you do for a living?

I’m a businessman and I do car repairs as well.

You are currently at the centre of a controversy surrounding an alleged harvesting of your wife’s kidney by a fake doctor during a surgical operation. How did it actually happen?

What is happening at the moment to my wife could be traced to 26th January 2018. On that faithful morning, my wife had severe abdominal pain and stomach ache. She wanted to go and pay for my son’s school fees that same day. Seeing that she was in pain, I offered to take her to one hospital so that they would just do scanning to know what the problem was, because I don’t like just buying drugs to treat something whose cause has not been determined. So, I took her to this Murna Clinic and Hospital within the community. There, I met Dr Noah Kekere, who is in charge of the hospital. He told me he was going to conduct a scan on my wife which I agreed to. My wife proceeded into his office, and then he conducted the scan and told me that my wife had appendicitis and that he will have to do an operation on her that same day. I refused because I was not prepared for anything operation. The man told me that the appendicitis was about to burst and that he needed to conduct the operation, if not, we may lose my wife. I told him that my wife had never complained about any stomach pain and that this one just happened that morning.

At that moment I did not know what to do again, especially as the man said the appendix might burst if we did not do something urgent.

So, I excused myself and rushed outside the hospital to call my friends and my sister to inform them about the situation. They unanimously advised that I should just go ahead with the operation. I did not know what he had told my wife…when I entered the office my wife started crying saying, ‘’haba, because of how much? Let him just do it now”. Because of the way the doctor explained a lot of things, he said to me in my dialect that is Yoruba language. And I said no problem. Let him just go ahead. He charged us N160, 000. I told him that I don’t have that money and he asked for now much I could afford, and I told him N80, 000 and we agreed to carry out the surgery. He asked me to go and get the money so that before he completes the surgery. He told me the operation would start around 12noon. I called my mother and my wife’s mother before the operation. My mother came and I went into town to go and get the balance of N40, 000. I brought the money around after 12 and they had already wheeled my wife into the operation theatre. Around 5 pm that same day, the man called me that I should enter the theatre and see what was happening. What they were doing. When I entered the theatre, I saw my wife with all her intestines left outside. I ran outside because I could not bear to look at the scene. So, around 8 pm, they brought my wife outside and pushed her inside the ward. We spent a week at the Murna Clinic and Hospital. After the surgery, my wife could not stand up very well for almost four months and before he discharged us, he said I should be buying swan water for my wife to be drinking every morning. So, that is how I continued buying swan water for my wife for almost four months. After about six months, my wife started complaining again about the same abdominal pain on the right side. She complained that there is something like a wound she was feeling inside her stomach. So, I took her back to the hospital. My wife went back to the Murna clinic and hospital and laid her complaint. Another scan was conducted, and this time, he prescribed some drugs which I paid N17, 350 to buy that fateful day. I will never forget that day. After that, my wife came back home and she was relieved for almost one week, but about two to three weeks later, the stomach pain started again. She managed the pain for about one month before she went back again. This time, we decided go to the General Hospital for us to know what is happening. On getting there, they told my wife that her right side kidney is no more there and that it has been removed. My wife came back and told me.

I was shocked because my wife who has four children has never undergone any operation even during childbirth. Who could have removed her kidney? Murna Hospital was the only health facility that had carried operation on her because of stomach pain. So, we decided to go back to the hospital where the operation was conducted.

So, when we got there, at the reception, they informed us that doctor Kekere was in the theatre. I kept on shouting at the hospital. I then called a friend who said I should leave the hospital and report the matter to the police station.

What happened next?

That is how I went to the police station in the community. I met the DPO and narrated everything to him. The DPO gave me a DCO and two inspectors to go and invite the doctor. When the doctor arrived, they showed him the results that my wife did at the Jos University Teaching Hospital which showed that she had no right kidney. Doctor Kekere acknowledged that the result showed that there is no right-side kidney. He said maybe my wife was born with one kidney. We asked how he knew she was born with one kidney. He now said that we needed to conduct CT scan again. He argued that if we conduct a CT scan, it will show us whether my wife was born with one kidney or the kidney was removed. So, we went to Fertile Ground Hospital to do the CT scan. He recommended Fertile Ground and we took my wife there. After the scan, a lady came out and met my wife saying, “Madam, who did this to you. Why did you allow them to remove your Kidney? My wife said she did not permit anyone to remove her kidney; she told her doctor kekere operated on her for appendicitis and that she was not aware if her kidney was removed or not. We confronted the doctor and he could not give any explanation but kept shouting. That is when the police officer introduced himself and asked the lady saying “we came here to verify a lot of things, we want to know whether this woman is with one kidney? The lady replied and said that “this woman was never born with one kidney”. So, the police officer now asked her “how do you know that?” She explained that based on their scan, the other kidney was removed. On getting to the police station, they gathered there, trying to negotiate with me.

It was the said doctor and I said no to any form of negotiation. I told them I will not say anything yet because my wife has a family and I have a family, and we need to consult them first whether they are going to agree on the negotiations because I’m not agreeing with all the things they were telling me.

What were they telling you on the negotiation?

I went to the DPO of Nasarawa Gwom community to complain. His name is Timothy. The DPO called me the following morning that he wanted to see me personally. On getting there, the man told me that since yesterday till this morning, some people have been calling him for negotiation. But he did not know what to tell them because they are offering him a certain amount of money.

He asked me what my position on the matter is because they calculated the time they removed my wife’s kidney, they said it was sold at a 6 million naira then. But now, it is worth 20 million. They said if they want to pay the money for the kidney, it will be 20 million naira. I said “look officer, I am not the type of person anyone can buy with money. Let this man come out and own up to me that he removed my wife’s kidney. What do you want me to do?” But the man (Doctor Noah Kekere started begging me, saying that the deed had been done and that I should just temper Justice with Mercy. He asked what I want him to do for me. I told him that I don’t need anything from him except to return my wife’s kidney from wherever he took it to.

The Commissioner of Police asked him if he will take my wife abroad to replace her kidney, but he couldn’t say any word. He started saying “Jesus Christ”. So, he was taken to the guard room and detained.

How long have you been married to your wife?

We have been married since the 26th November, 2005. She has four children.

How Is she doing now?

She is presently in my house. She is forty-five years now and we need help to save her life because the pain is still there. They have been telling me that only three teaching hospitals in Nigeria can help us. It’s either UCH Ibadan, or Lagos University Teaching Hospital or University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Nsukka, Enugu State. So, I’m considering taking her to Ibadan first for proper treatment.

Have you been treated personally at the Murna Hospital where your wife’s kidney was alleged removed?

No, no, I’ve never been there. It was my mother that used to go to the hospital. My mother convinced me that the man is a good doctor and that people have been talking about the man that he is a very nice person.

How have you been able to handle the issue in the community?

The Yanshanu Community chairman called me. That is Alhaji Jamilu Baba. He started investigating this issue because everybody was shocked because we took this doctor as a good man in the community. Nobody knows he wasn’t a qualified doctor until now. Anybody with small headache runs to the hospital and he cures them even without any payment. Even newborn babies were delivered in the hospital. So, nobody suspected that this man was never a doctor. It has been happening also that after operation, people will die in the hospital and nobody ever suspected this man.

Are you satisfied with the way the police is handling the matter?

For now I will say I am satisfied, especially with the Nasarrawa Police station. The DPO of Nassarawa is a man of God. He tried his best and refused to compromise. He was offered a lot of money to kill the case but he refused. That is why the matter was taken to the Commissioner of Police. And the Commissioner of Police is also trying his best. He doesn’t want to compromise because he was totally angry.

So what are your demands?

I want justice. This man has been collecting money from me for the past five years now, every month. And I have been spending money on my wife. Now that I have discovered that this is a problem of kidney, where will I get money to take care of my wife? Every day, I wake up with fears of losing my wife. I don’t know what to do. Where do I get money to take care of this woman? We are talking about huge sums of money for another kidney. Where do I get money to take her abroad for treatment? I don’t have such amount of money. They were calling millions of naira. Where do I get it from? Do you know that last year when I called this man (so called doctor) and told him enough is enough; I will take my wife to another hospital, this same man discouraged me and told me that he was going to conduct another operation on my wife?

SOURCE: Punch

Civil Rights Group Condemns killing Of Security Operatives In Imo

The Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS), a civil rights organisation has described as tragic, the events that unfolded in Ehime Mbano in Imo State, where dedicated security personnel were killed by unknown assailants.

CEHRAWS, in statement signed by Okoye Chuka Peter, its executive director, and made available to BusinessDay in Aba, frowned at violence and called for swift justice for the perpetrators.

It extended its heartfelt condolences to the families affected by the horrifying murder of the security personnel on duty in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo State.

CEHRAWS however, said that it found itself compelled to address the distressing state-sponsored mass atrocity that followed, camouflaged as a reprisal attack.

“This approach, rooted in retaliation, stands as a deeply disturbing and primitive means of enforcing law and order. CEHRAWS categorically condemns such actions, recognising that they not only violate human rights, but also exacerbate the cycle of violence and mistrust within the region,” it said.

Drawing attention to a different response in Niger State, where a comparable incident occurred, CEHRAWS commends the governor’s proactive measures to protect the citizens, following an attack on a military jet, allegedly by bandits.

“This responsible leadership prioritised the safety and well-being of the people, emphasising dialogue and conflict resolution over vengeful actions.

“CEHRAWS earnestly calls upon the Governor of Imo State to emulate the responsible and compassionate leadership demonstrated by his counterpart in Niger State, as the chief security officer of his state.

“Rather than allowing the aggrieved security agents to resort to reprisal attacks that target innocent civilians of the said community,” the group said.

They implored the governor to prioritise the protection of his constituents and the restoration of peace within the affected community.

It also advocated for a transparent and impartial investigation into the events that transpired in Ehime Mbano.

The group observed that primary goal of security operatives should be the swift apprehension and just prosecution of those responsible for the murder of their colleagues and not retaliation, which it noted was the path toward enduring peace and stability within the cherished South-East region.

“CEHRAWS remains resolute in its commitment to advocating for human rights, justice, and an inclusive society for all,” it said.

The group called on all stakeholders, including government authorities, civil society organisations, and concerned citizens, to join it in condemning violence, safeguarding human rights, and nurturing an environment of peace and reconciliation in the South-East.

SOURCE: BusinessDay

Bandits Arrested With Rocket Launcher In Yobe

The Yobe State Police Command said it has arrested a bandit in possession of a rocket launcher.

The spokesman of the command, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, who disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen, said the suspect was arrested by men of the Karasuwa Division.

The statement reads in part: “The 35-year-old suspect, Hassan Abubakar, of Danbaza, Zamfara State, later implicated one Abubakar Shehu, aka Kurma, aged 32, of Bare-Bari Maradun.

“The first suspect was arrested driving a Toyota Hiace in Karasuwa based on a tip-off while on a mission to collect an RPMG. He was intercepted after collecting the gun.

“The suspects and their accomplices operate in conveying firearms to bandits across the Northern states of Zamfara, Kano, Niger, Kaduna and Yobe.”

He added that, “The first suspect confessed that the second suspect was the courier to bandits in Zamfara and was trailed and arrested by detectives in Maradun LGA. An investigation is ongoing with the cooperation of the suspects.”

SOURCE: DailyTrust

One Dies, Pastor ‘Badly Injured’ As Herders Attack Farmers in Nasarawa State

An argument between locals and herders has reportedly claimed the life of one person while a pastor in charge of a Baptist Church has been badly injured in Nasarawa state.

An investigation by our correspondent shows that the unfortunate incident occurred on Monday morning at Boher village, under the Ningo/Boher electoral ward of Akwanga Local Government Area of the state.

The account of an eyewitness revealed that the incident was due to an argument over the herders passing through the Ningo community square with their cows and the youths accosted them. Due to that, a fight ensued between the locals and herders.

A source who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent, “The herders were coming from Keffi axis and passing through Boher village square, then some youths asked them why they passed through the village square. Three herders told them they weren’t grazing but just passing by.

“When the argument went hotter, two of the herders left with their cows, and one of them who stayed behind was involved in a very fierce argument with the youths. The reverend in charge of the Baptist Church Boher tried to intervene but suddenly, the herder brought out a sword and inflicted a deep cut on the reverend’s head.

“So when the reverend fell faced down with blood gushing out, the youths shouted thinking he was dead and more villagers especially youths ran out in their number and pounced on the herder with machete and killed him instantly,” the source stated.

It was gathered that one of the youths of Boher village, shortly before the crisis, on request offered one of the three herders some drinking water and they exchanged pleasantries, but then the unfortunate incident later happened.

Youth leader of the Ningo/Boher electoral ward, Steven Bello, who confirmed the development, expressed regret about the incident, as he called on both his people and herders, not to take laws into their hands.

Bello, who appealed for calm, appreciated the traditional ruler of Mada nation, Samson Gamu Yare; the Security operatives and the chairman of Akwanga Local Government Area for their swift response to nip the situation in the bud.

Daily Trust Sunday reports that at the time of filling this report, the reverend is still receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital, while the dead herder was buried according to Islamic rites at the Muslim cemetery in Akwanga, in the presence of his relatives.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Nasarawa state command DSP Nansel Ramhan, told our correspondent that he was in a workshop, saying “I have not been briefed. So, I can’t comment on it for now”.

SOURCE: DailyTrust