President Muhammadu Buhari’s media aide Garba Shehu says he agrees with the UK-based publication, The Economist, that Nigeria’s insecurity has taken a turn for the worse since the ex-military dictator was elected as a civilian president in 2015.
“The Economist is also accurate to state that they (insecurity challenges) have come to a head under President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration,” the president’s media acknowledged in a statement reacting to the report.
The publication noted that under Mr Buhari, Nigeria had become a crime scene of destructive magnitude on the African continent, pointing out that terrorists and armed bandits are running wild because Mr Buhari is corrupt and lazy, failing to do anything but render lip service following every deadly attack.
“Yet they do so, because for so long, under previous administrations, whether military or democratic, tough decisions have been ducked, and challenges never fully met – with the effect of abetting these dangers and allowing them all to fester and grow,” the presidential spokesman claimed. “It is only the Buhari leadership which has sought – ever, in over one hundred years – to identify the root causes of the herder-farmer clashes and find durable solutions.”
In July, the bandits shut down a Nigerian Air Force jet in Zamfara and invaded the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna the following month.
Although Mr Buhari acknowledged bandits have been terrorising the country, his administration has been reluctant to declare bandits as terrorists because they have yet to declare a political or religious goal, a key requisite in designating a movement as terrorists under international regulations.
Islamic Cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi on Sunday warned that declaring bandits as terrorists will mark the end of Nigeria as a sovereign and united entity.
Mr Gumi, a retired army military officer and mufti, admitted that the devastation inflicted by rampaging bandits in Nigeria’s northwest amounts to terrorism, but President Muhammadu Buhari’s labelling them as such will invite additional consequences that will consume the entire country.
“The acts the bandits are committing now in NW have gradually over time become tantamount to terrorism because wherever innocent people are fatal victims it’s pure terrorism,” Mr Gumi said in a Facebook post on Sunday night.
The cleric warned that the moment bandits are designated as terrorists, “Islamic for that matter, the direct foreign Jihadist movements will set in in force.”
“Many teaming unemployed youths may find it palatable and attractive. Shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ plus AK47 against a ‘secular’ immoral society where impunity reigns are the magnet for extremists and downtrodden – the majority of our youth. Already these deadly terrorist groups are fighting for the soul of these bandits,” he said. “This will give criminality a spiritual cover and remove the stigma of discrediting them with such crimes since now they are fighting a ‘Jihad’ as they will claim.”
Mr Gumi said, since Boko Haram has already gripped the North-East, separatist agitators in the South-East and South-West will easily seize on the lawlessness sweeping the northern regions.
“NE is already and is still devastated by this madness for over 12 years. If we allow, terror, to set in into these raw naïve unexposed bandits, NW will be in ruins sooner than later.
“Already IPOB are destroying SE, and Igboho has set the ball of confusion rolling in SW. For those who want to destroy the NW, it’s a good recipe.
“Turn bandits into religious zealots. Tell me, what then remains of Nigeria?” Mr Gumi said.
The mufti also dismissed his critics as “illiterates” for their failure to see his position since he started holding talks with bandits in their hideouts and publicly advocating for a civil resolution to their deadly exploits.
Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina recently smalled Mr Gumi as a “terrorist lover” for his open association with bandits killing and abducting civilians across the North-West.
The bandits carried out abductions of schoolchildren that forced school closures in Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger and Zamfara. The Nigerian National Assembly also urged Mr Buhari to declare them terrorists.
In July, the bandits shut down a Nigerian Air Force jet in Zamfara and also raided Nigerians Defence Academy Kaduna the following month.
Although Mr Buhari acknowledged bandits have been terrorising the country, his administration has been reluctant to declare bandits as terrorists because they have yet to declare a political or religious goal, a key requisite in designating a movement as terrorists under international regulations.
See Mr Gumi’s full statement below:
Nobody doubts that sentimentalism today overrides sensibility in our polity. For the sake of posterity, some people will have to speak out. The acts the Bandits are committing now in NW have gradually over time become tantamount to terrorism because wherever innocent people are fatal victims it’s pure terrorism.
Yet, innocence these days is relative. We agreed if their children and women are also killed, they are guilty by association or collateral damage, so also the bandits may think the same way. It’s right for vigilantes to lynch Fulanis herdsmen or anyone that looks like them by profiling but wrong for the herdsmen to ransack villages in retribution. They are pushed to believe it is an existential war and in war, ethics are thrown to the winds.
Yet again, the only helpful part that is against Bandits is that no other than them are attracted to join them in the NW because of its ethnic tinge and coloration. However, the moment they are termed Terrorist – Islamic for that matter, the direct foreign Jihadist movements will set in in force. And many teaming unemployed youths may find it palatable and attractive.
Shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ plus AK47 against a ‘secular’ immoral society where impunity reigns are the magnet for extremists and downtrodden – the majority of our youth. Already these deadly terrorist groups are fighting for the soul of these bandits. This will give criminality a spiritual cover and remove the stigma of discrediting them with such crimes since now they are fighting a ‘Jihad’ as they will claim. In such a situation, does the larger society -as it is- has the moral high ground to fight back? This is the most probable consequence, the price of which is not worth it. Nothing stops the kinetic actions from going on without the controversy of semantics.
NE is already and is still devastated by this madness for over 12 years. If we allow, terror, to set in into these raw naïve unexposed bandits, NW will be in ruins sooner than later. Already IPOB are destroying SE, and Igboho has set the ball of confusion rolling in SW. For those who want to destroy the NW, it’s a good recipe. Turn bandits into religious zealots. Tell me, what then remains of Nigeria?
I have started to get these raw bandits out of their misadventure but unfortunately, I have few helpers and a mountain of antagonists. The psychology in fighting natives is to induce a motive for their struggle if they don’t have one already, a motive that is manageable, and it is so managed. Unfortunately, reactions to threat in our nation is always slow and incoherent.
I hope another Igbo clergy goes into the IPOB militants likewise and talk sense into them, and another Pastor of Oduduwa land talks against the Igboho secessionist tribal movement by way of sensitizing people to the values of a cohesive nationalism that will guaranty freedom, equality, and justice for all. Religious forces can permeate hardened hearts where secular forces cannot.
Regrettably, people just sit down in the comfort of their rooms or parlors and make useless passing comments that only add fuel to the inferno of ethnic jingoism and bigotry. In the 21st century, Nigeria is hijacked by semi-illiterates and half-baked tribal heroes that have nothing to offer besides promoting tribal xenophobia.
Nigeria has over 250 ethnic groupings, it’s not possible to divide such a nation into tribal enclaves. Nigeria is multi-religious, even with one same religion or sect there is no harmony and understanding that can build a prosperous unified nation where tranquility and development will flourish. We are tired of these bogus destructive fruitless slogans! Nigerians are in a daydream so long they act by Nerval impulses not by the dictates of their cerebral cortex. May Allah protect us all. Amin
Afenifere Group in the United Kingdom (UK) and Europe has faulted the Nigerian government for linking secessionist leader, Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho to terrorism. The group in a statement on Saturday, October 23, 2021 by its Secretary, Engr. Anthony Ajayi said the move has further exposed the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government of giving “skewed priority to issues of national importance”.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami, while reading out the findings of the Presidential Committee set up to investigate Sunday Igboho and the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu on Friday, October 22, 2021, linked Igboho to a Boko Haram sponsor, Surajo Muhammad, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in the United Arab Emirates for financing terrorism. The committee was made up of personnel of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Federal Ministry of Information, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA). The group accused the Nigerian Government of plotting to change the narratives against Igboho in their quest to silence him and other Nigerians for exercising their rights.
The group said, “The development is a sad one at this time of Nigeria’s history. Over these years, terrorists, Boko Haram, bandits, herdsmen and unknown gunmen have invaded Nigeria, killed hundreds of thousands of innocent citizens and are still killing daily yet none of them has been arrested and prosecuted. “Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has been holding meetings and making utterances against the Nigerian state for the bandits yet he has not been linked to terrorism nor arrested and prosecuted. “These are the same bandits who are carrying Ak-47s, submachine guns, general missile processor vehicles and anti-aircraft guns. These are the same bandits who have declared an Islamic state and are holding territories and collecting taxes in the North. These are the same bandits who attacked and killed Nigerian soldiers at the Nigerian Defence Academy. These are the same bandits who shoot down Air force jets. These are the same bandits who are kidnapping schoolchildren for ransom. These are the same bandits who bomb and destroy rail tracks and trains built with heavily borrowed funds. These are the same bandits who are killing and raping women in their homes and farms and sacking villages. Yet, Gumi is a free man in Nigeria while Igboho who only resisted herdsmen’s incessant attacks on his people, thereby agitating for self-rule because he had lost hope in Nigeria in 2020, is being linked to terrorism. “The United Arab Emirates has jailed a number of Northerners found to be financiers of Boko Haram and also published names of some sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria. Why has the government not investigated and prosecuted them？ “The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said publicly some days ago that terrorists who tried to overthrow him are in Northern Nigeria. Why did the government not set up a committee to investigate this？
The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said publicly some days ago that terrorists who tried to overthrow him are in Northern Nigeria. Why did the government not set up a committee to investigate this？ “Is the Nigerian government saying that because Igboho transferred over N12 million business money through a registered Bureau De Change operated by Surajo Muhammad, that made him a terrorist financier？ Is the Nigerian government also saying that anyone who had transferred money through Surajo Muhammad’s Bureau De Change firm is a terrorist financier？ “Injustice like this has been the bane of agitations for self-rule in Nigeria. The government needs to wake up to tackle the real problems of Nigeria because we do not see how Igboho constituted a threat to the country.
“We as Yoruba people have our values. We are the Omoluabis. We do not compromise values. Our values do not include violence or killing people. “We are not in support of secession from Nigeria. We want to further protect our values through a restructured Nigeria.”
The Sokoto State government has urged the Nigerian Government to lift the suspension of mobile phone services in the state.
In September, the government shut down telecommunications services in 14 of the 23 local government areas of the state, to block the communication channels used by killer bandits.
The state government has however written to the Nigerian Government after a security council meeting on the terror attack on Goronyo market which left 43 people dead last week.
This was disclosed in a press statement on Saturday and signed by Malam Mohammed Bello, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Abdullahi Tambuwal.
This came after Tambuwal received a delegation from the North Eastern Governors Forum who was in Sokoto on Saturday to offer their condolences to the people of the state over the recent terror attack at Goronyo market.
The statement noted that the North-East Governors Forum (NEGF) were represented by the governors of Borno and Gombe states, Prof. Babagana Aymara Zulum and Alhaji Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya respectively.
Governor Tambuwal explained that the suspension of the blockage became necessary because of concerns expressed by security outfits in the state that the blockage was seriously affecting the smooth conduct of their work.
The state government has already forwarded a letter to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Pantami to review the network blockage, the statement said.
Three officers have been shot dead inside a Police station at Unwana, Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
A source told Daily Trust that the deceased officers were a constable and two inspectors.
A resident of Uwana, who did not want to be named, said the gunmen were masked.
He said one of the attackers was killed during the attack, which occurred in the wee hours of Sunday.
He said: “They killed 3 policemen; one constable and two inspectors and the police killed one of the gunmen.
“Nobody knows the identity of the gunmen but the body of the slain officers have been taken to the mortuary.
“The incident happened around 2am; nobody can tell the route the hoodlums came from. All we heard were gunshots for about 10 minutes. At the moment, there is no information to know if they destroyed or stole anything from the police station.
“The men were masked, but the one killed had his face unveiled by the police to ascertain his identity. The deceased hoodlum had red clothes tied around his waist.”
When contacted the state commissioner of Police, Mr. Aliyu Garba, neither denied nor confirmed the report.
He referred our correspondent to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Loveth Odah, who did not respond to the inquiry.
Daily Trust gathered that some elected political officers holders like the council chairperson, Barr. Mrs. Obiageri Oke-Enyim, councilors and coordinators from the LGA visited the station before noon to assess the situation.
The attacks on police stations in Ebonyi is gradually becoming a weekly affair in the state.
Daily Trust reported that yet to be identified hoodlums had last week attacked Ohankwu Police station in Ohankwu local government area of the state and killed a police sergeant.
Suspected militants of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have been blamed for the attacks but they have denied this.
Almost five hundred civilians were killed as a result of various attacks by armed groups across the country last month of September 2021, as insecurity in the country worsened.
A report by West Africa Network for Peace Building (WANEP) released on Friday indicated that 944 Nigerians lost their lives, 496 of which were civilians. The North West geopolitical zone recorded the highest number of casualty.
A breakdown of the loss of lives across the zones indicated that, in North West, one person was killed in Jigawa, 84 in Kaduna, 4 in Kano, 5 in Katsina, 5 in Kebbi, 70 in Sokoto and 25 in Zamfara state.
In the North East, 13 persons were killed in Yobe, 12 in Borno, 7 in Adamawa and 4 in Bauchi State.
In North Central, 114 people were killed in Niger State, 18 in Kogi, 16 in Benue, 11 in Plateau, 10 in Federal Capital Territory and 9 in Kwara.
In the South East, 30 people were killed in Anambra, 16 in Imo, 5 in Ebonyi while 3 we’re killed in Enugu state.
In the South South, 30 people were killed in Delta State, 4 in Bayelsa, 1 in Akwa Ibom, 2 in Rivers and 3 lost their lives in Edo state.
In the South West, 8 people were killed in Lagos, 3 in Ogun and Osun states while 2 were killed in Ondo and 1 person lost his life in Oyo state within the same period.
According to the report, out of the number of civilians killed during the period 20 were females, while 18 were children.
365 people including 39 females and 98 children were also kidnapped across 26 states within the period.
The report indicated that suspected armed bandits killed 339 people in Zamfara, Kano, Kaduna and Niger States.
Suspected terrorists from Boko Haram and ISWAP ranks also killed 85 persons in Borno state, according to the report. Other criminal groups caused the death of 24 people within the same period.
The report indicated how banditry is taking leap ahead of insurgency as bandits killed 275 persons, with Boko Haram/ISWAP attacks causing the deaths of 22 deaths. Communal clashes caused 7 death while uncategorised armed violence led to the deaths of 106 people across the country.
Violent clashes also caused 13 deaths, Cult clashes claimed 12 lives, while one person was lost to violent demonstrations. The report indicated that 23 people were killed in culpable homicide.
Eight people were said to have been killed through extrajudicial killings while farmer/herders clashes claimed 39 lives, mob attacks led to the death of 26 people within the same period.
The Economist magazine yesterday painted a gloomy picture of the Nigerian intractable security challenge, in a piece titled “Insurgency, secessionism and banditry threaten Nigeria”.
The London publication said Nigeria is facing “its biggest test since the civil war 50 years ago”.
It lampooned the political and security leadership for inability to take the myriad of security threats bedevilling the country.
The publication alleged that the Nigerian army is populated “with corrupt generals and unable to protect the country from the mutating violence”.
“But many of its soldiers are ‘ghosts’ who exist only on the payroll, and much of its equipment is stolen and sold to insurgents.”
“The police are understaffed, demoralised and poorly trained. Many supplement their low pay by robbing the public they have sworn to protect,” it said.
In a swift reaction to the publication, spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said the report was crafted to denigrate, demonize and destabilize the Nigerian Government. He said the report contained some unimaginable slurs targeted at the Nigerian military and the Nigerian Army in particular.
According to him, “Even as the real intention of the otherwise respected Economist magazine in publishing such toxic concoctions weaved up as report on Nigerian Government’s response to the multi-faceted security challenges assailing the country is yet to be unraveled, the source of the article is very clear.
“It is one of those deliberate falsehood and noxious narratives orchestrated by a network of detractors and coven of dark forces working very hard to adorn the Nigerian Army in an unfitting garb of infamy.’’
The army spokesman added that, the vile report which the Economist chose to offer its platform for publication, spared no effort in trying to vilify and rubbish the image, character and reputational standing of the Nigerian Army, but failed woefully.
“As a professional, hard-fighting and globally respected institution that has continued to occupy deserved glorious position in the comity of global defence forces, the Nigerian Army is certainly not what the so-called report by the Economist tried to characterize it.
“Even more ludicrous was the embellishments of the said report by the notorious unprofessional media outlets that were quick to republish the obvious falsehood.
“How is it conceivable that an international magazine worth its name and professional reputation would agree to lend its medium for a hatchet job of an article without as much as committing little effort to finding out the real truth about the Nigerian Army?
“How is it imaginable that the Nigerian Army that has distinguished itself as a worthy contributor to global peace and security through regional, continental and international peace keeping and peace support operations would be characterized as “Mighty on paper”?
“How can the Nigerian Army that has restored democracies, brought peace to troubled lands and stabilized the sub-region through the dint of hard work, commitment to duty, discipline and professionalism be so denigrated?
“Is it the ‘ghost soldiers’ of the Nigerian Army that have weathered the storm of terrorism and insurgency of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West African Province Terrorists (ISWAP) in the north eastern part of the country and parts of the Lake Chad region?
“In case the Economist magazine and those who fed it all the lies it published do not know, the Nigerian Army working in a joint environment, has been able to stop ISWAP, a very formidable international terrorist organization in its tracks, in spite of all the obstacles, including arm sale blackouts on its way.
“The Economist and its ilk ought to have known that the Nigerian Army has long distinguished itself as a professional force that does not toy with accountability nor shirk from its statutory responsibility of defending Nigeria from external aggression or internal insurrection.
“Is it not curious that an otherwise respected international magazine could so easily be sucked in by the antics of conflict merchants and agents provocateurs who are uncomfortable with the steadfastness, patriotism, unwavering commitment, sacrifice, ruggedness and resoluteness of the Nigerian Army in stamping out terrorism, banditry and other violent crimes assailing the country and the West African sub-region?”, he argued.
Hired Fulani mercenaries have been fingered as being responsible for Friday night’s attack on Abolongo correctional facility, Oyo town in Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria.
The gunmen arrived in their numbers around 11pm and started shooting sporadically. They then released inmates who fled to their various destinations.
It is understood that there was a bit of panic around the prison vicinity, as residents thought it was a robbery attempt.
The Nigeria Correctional Services (NCS), Oyo state Command, on Saturday morning confirmed the attack on the prison, stating that it is assessing the situation.
Now, fresh information coming in says the attack was planned and carried out by invading bandits.
According to Sahara Reporters, the gunmen carried out the attack specifically to free Iskilu Wakili, a prominent Fulani man accused of being among those behind most kidnappings and mindless killings in Ibarapa axis of Oyo State. Wakili, who has sight problem, was arrested by the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) in March. He was immediately handed over to the Police, and has since been in custody.
Information has it that gunmen struck on Wednesday on Oyo-Ogbomosho Road. And these invaders who attacked Abolongo prison are believed to be same terrorists who struck three days ago on Oyo-Ogbomosho road.
The United States has said the Nigerian government is expected to deploy the Super Tucano aircraft only in the northern part of the country where Boko Haram terrorists have engaged in a decade-long insurgency, killing thousands and displacing millions.
According to Punch, the US Principal Deputy National Security Advisor, Jonathan Finer, at an event attended by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, said the terms of the agreement during the sale of the 12 Tucano aircraft were explicit.
Reacting to a question on whether the Tucano fighter planes might be deployed against secessionists in the South-East, Finer said the planes were an important platform for security, particularly in the North, expressing pleasure over the conclusion of the deal.
Finer said, “We are pleased to deepen our security cooperation with the Nigerian government. I think we made it very clear our expectations about this platform where it would be used and in the right way and we are always raising concerns when we have them and that it’s true with all our security partners around the world.
“This is an important platform for security, particularly in the North and we are pleased the transaction is finally concluded.”
The Federal Government had proscribed the Indigenous People of Biafra in the South-East and despite public outcry, designated the agitation group as terrorists, fuelling fears that the Super Tucano might be deployed to harass the residents.
On Wednesday, it had also been reported that the military had not been able to deploy the Tucano planes to crush the bandits in the North-West because the agreement signed with the United States was that the aircraft, bought from the US, would be deployed against terrorists and not bandits.
This implies that the fighter planes have only been deployed to fight Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East.
It was gathered that the complaints by the service chiefs led to the recent recommendation to by the Senate and the House of Representatives that bandits should be designated as terrorists, so the planes could be deployed against the bandits.
The Federal Government had ordered 12 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to aid its war against Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East. The aircraft were said to have cost $423million.
On July 22, 2021, the Nigerian Air Force said in a statement by its spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, that the first batch of six of the Tucano aircraft arrived at Kano at about 12:34pm.
Also, on October 18, 2021, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the remaining six had been received and had been deployed to the North-East.
Aliyu Na Idris, a 26-year-old man from Kaduna State, has become a social media sensation for putting himself up for sale in Kano.
Idris, who claimed to be a tailor, has been roaming the streets of Kano State carrying a placard that reads “This man is for sale for N20 million.”
It was gathered that the young man has been on the streets for five days looking for who will buy him.
In an encounter with Daily Trust, he said he had decided to sell himself due to hardship.
He said his family was aware that he had offered himself for sale, adding that he had initially presented himself for sale in Kaduna but when he could not get a serious buyer, he decided to try Kano State with the hope that someone will pay the required price.
“Even though many people have offered me various prices of N10m, N5m and N300,000 in Kano, I refused because the amount is less than what I expected,” he said.
The young man said he was operating a tailoring business which failed due to the financial crisis and as such, he lost his customers and became financially handicapped.
He explained that he had no money to survive, not to talk of investing in another business, hence, he decided to present himself for sale at N20m only.
When asked what he intends to do with the money, he said, “I will give my parents N10m; I will give N5m as tax to the state where I was bought, the person who helped in advertising me will be rewarded with N2m while the remaining N3m will be kept for me under the care of the person who buys me for my daily upkeep.”
He further stated that he knows that he would lose his freedom after being purchased but he’s not worried as he has made up his mind to do the bidding of his master.
He said if nobody buys him in Kano, he would move to another state to sell himself.
Not less than a thousand prisoners have reportedly escaped from the Abolongo prison in Oyo town after some gunmen attacked the correctional centre and freed all inmates.
A TVC News report said that the gunmen arrived in their numbers around 11:00 O’clock last night (Saturday, October 22, 2021) and started shooting sporadically, and released the inmates who fled to their various destinations.
“A source told TVC News that there was a little bit of panic around the prison vicinity during the time of the escape, as residents around thought it was a robbery attempt,” the report said.
As at the time of this report, the Oyo state police command was yet to release an official statement to ascertain the actual number of the escapees.
