Boko Haram, bandits moving to dislodge Buhari from Aso Rock: Afenifere

The ongoing rampage by armed bandits and Boko Haram insurgents, especially against police stations and military bases across the country, has overwhelmed the Buhari administration, Afenifere said on Wednesday.

The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group cited how Boko Haram terrorists set up camps in villages in Kuje, Abuja, and took over about 500 communities in Niger.

Peoples Gazette had previously reported how Boko Haram took over parts of Niger and imposed VAT and income tax on residents of communities in Shiroro.

The group in a statement by its spokesperson, Jare Ajayi, recalled that Nasarawa Governor Abdullah Sule once said Boko Haram had taken over parts of his state.

“He even went further to remind the federal government and security agencies that Nasarawa is very close to Aso Rock, the country’s seat of power,” the group said.

Afenifere said aside from Boko Haram setting up camps in Niger and Nasarawa, bandits had overran large cache of lands in Zamfara, Borno, Kaduna, Benue and Yobe.

“Zamfara, Borno, Kaduna, Benue, Yobe have cache of lands where bandits have established themselves from which they unleash terror on the people and government interests.

“In the South West, Ibadan to Ijebu-Ode highway, parts of Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun and Osun States posted cases of armed attacks and abductions almost on a daily basis. The same way it is happening in Edo State among others,” the group said.

According to the group, the frequent killings by unknown gunmen, and the effectiveness of the ‘stay-at-home’ order by IPOB, had consigned the Buhari regime to “feebleness”.

Afenifere said Mr Buhari was “very much aware of the challenges” but lacked the political “will and determination to confront the challenges headlong.”

According to the statement, the Buhari regime’s failure to act decisively on insecurity, “has imperiled the social and economic activities in various parts of the country.”

Afenifere said the incessant incidents of insecurity across the country were portrayals of the Buhari regime’s failure in its primary responsibility of protecting Nigerians.

The group said urgent steps were required to stop terrorists and bandits from gaining ground, and “prevent the country from going into smithereens.”

[Gazette]

Four pro-Iranian fighters killed, others wounded by Israeli strikes in Syria

t least four Iranian-backed militia have been killed and seven others wounded by Israeli strikes, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The rights group which monitors violence in the war-torn country, said the dead were all Syrian nationals working for Iranian militias and the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah.

The SOHR’s account was, however, different from that of the state-run Syrian News Agency (SANA) that a Syrian soldier was killed and three others wounded.

The Syrian TV reported that shortly after midnight Thursday, Israeli strikes hit the eastern countryside of Homs, targeting a communications tower and surrounding points.

An Israeli military spokesperson said they won’t comment on “reports in foreign media.”

Israeli strikes in Syria are seen as attempts to prevent Iran, one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s main allies, from building up its military influence in the region.

[NAN/Gazette]

Gunmen kill baptist pastor, one other in Kaduna

Gunmen have reportedly killed a Baptist pastor and one other on Monday evening in Lisuru Gida, Ikulu Chiefdom, Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

A resident who pleaded anonymity confirmed the incident to The PUNCH yesterday, saying the gunmen opened fire at the duo on their way home from their farms around 6pm.

The source described the suspects as Fulani herdsmen, adding that the community has been under threat.

“The Fulani have turned our farms into grazing fields and we have been living under security threats.

“Neighbouring communities have always always been suspicious of the local Fulani who we see as our neighbour,” the source said.

He said normalcy has returned to the community while calling on the government to redouble its effort in ensuring that the perpetrators of this dastardly act are apprehended.

Meanwhile, effort to get across to the state police spokesperson, Mohammed Jalige to comment on the incident prove abortive as of the time of filing this report.

[PUNCH]

Use corps members to fight Boko Haram, others who can’t fight should work without pay – Fayemi

Dr Kayode Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State and the Chairman, Nigerian Governor’s Forum (NGF), has said the security situation in the country requires concerted effort to address it.

Fayemi while speaking at an event in Ibadan said the present situation in the country didn’t warrant politics of blame and opportunistic opposition, but “it is time to build a nation and not to fritter it away.”

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Fayemi stressed that Nigeria is in need of patriotic statesmen and women and not rumour mongers, ethnic crisis entrepreneurs, provincial men of little minds who see everything from the prism of ethnic and religious conspiracy.

According to him, one way to bring the current wave of insecurity to a halt is to recruit a large number of people to join the police and the military, on a short service or otherwise.

He pointed out that one of the cheapest and fastest ways to handle this was to amend the law setting up the Nation Youths Service Corps (NYSC).

The Governor explained that the existing orientation camps can be used to train willing and able graduates to reflate the security personnel under a special arrangement that will be worked out.

He said corps members who cannot join the military services can serve in their community without pay.

“By available statistics, we need minimum of 200,000 personnel to boost the fighting power of our men.

“This number is very large and a potential financial and logistic nightmare, yet we cannot delay any further.

“The ungoverned spaces needed to be closed up quickly by motivated men with the singular objective to save the nation.That takes us to the number two issue of financing and arming large recruitment.

“With this, we can use the existing orientation camps to train willing and able graduates to reflate the security personnel under a special arrangement that will be worked out.

“That way, the fund that is currently deployed to the NYSC can be used with just some additional funding, which could be sourced through a national emergency fund for the next five to 10 years.

“Those who cannot join the military services can serve in their community without pay, if we must still retain the NYSC for everyone.

“To incentivise those who may volunteer to serve, they will have a separate certificate and medal of honour in addition to having priority for military, paramilitary and civil or public service recruitment after service.

“We also need to encourage investment in the real sectors that can engage people and reduce unemployment, which is a major source of insecurity,” the NGF chairman added.

Fayemi, however, said he has confidence that though, the situation might look helpless, sooner than later, the security situation would see a significant improvement and that Nigeria would come out stronger from this moment of national distress.

[DAILYPOST]

BREAKING: Gunmen Kidnap Catholic Priest In Abia Amid Military Operation ‘New Dawn’

The Reverend Father of the Catholic Church, Umuahia, Abia State, has been abducted by some yet-to-be-identified gunmen.

He was kidnapped along Enyiukwu Road Ohokobe Afaraukwu community, Ibeku in Umuahia North LGA of Abia State.

According to Daily Trust, eyewitnesses said the kidnappers intercepted the clergy who had just concluded a morning mass at St Gabriel, Okpururie, Afaraukwu, forced him out of his Toyota Corolla into their jeep and sped away.

Chimezie, who hails from Enugu State, was ordained a priest earlier this year.

The attack is coming amid the Nigerian Army’s Operation Golden Dawn which is supposed to tackle criminals and criminalities in the South-East region.

[Saharareporters]

More Than 50 Gunmen Invade Nasarawa Government Building, Tie Down Security Operatives

No fewer than 50 gunmen invaded the Nasarawa State Local Government Service Commission, making away with a safe box full of valuables, and an AK-47 rifle belonging to an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Sun reports that the Permanent Secretary of the Commission, Rammatu Julde, disclosed this on Tuesday in Lafia, the state capital.

Jude said the gunmen stormed the premises in the early hours of Monday at 2am, gained access through the main gate linking the offices of the Local Government Commission and the Civil Service Commission, and operated without intervention by security agencies.

“They launched the attack in the early hours of Monday at exactly 2am. During the operation, they tied down two officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps who were guarding the premises with a rope and collected one AK-47 rifle in their possession,” Julde reported.

“They also attempted to take away our 150 KVA generator, but they could not succeed; however, they took away the safe box where valuable documents of the Commission were kept. We are presently doing stock-taking to know what other items were carted away,” she added.

The Commission’s secretary clarified that no life was lost during the attack but appealed to the NSCDC to carry out a detailed investigation into the incident in order to be sure that there was no conspiracy between its officers and the unidentified gunmen.

The unidentified gunmen also invaded the State Civil Service Commission which shares a fence with the Local Government Service Commission and carted away two LED 32-inch televisions.

Reacting, Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC Jerry Victor, explained that, “The gunmen launched an attack on the premises on Monday morning and unfortunately carried out their plans without any hindrance.

“Two of our officers who were securing the premises were tied down with ropes and they collected e Ak-47 rifle from them. The officers have been detained at our Command headquarters here in Lafia and investigation is currently ongoing.”

The incident occurred three months after a group of armed men raided the State Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning in Lafia, making away with cash, also without interventions by authorities.

[Sun/SR]

Nigerian Soldiers Burnt Over 80 Houses In Our Community — Imo Residents

Residents of Izombe in the Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State have lamented the havoc allegedly wreaked on their community by soldiers of the Nigerian Army.

The distraught indigenes told Punch that the value of properties destroyed by soldiers in their community was not less than N1billion.

According to them, soldiers who were on a reprisal attack burnt no fewer than 80 houses, many cars and economic trees.

The soldiers attached to the 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze, Owerri, reportedly clashed with the youths of the community.

In the process, a youth was killed, two soldiers murdered, their vehicle burnt and three rifles snatched.

In a revenge mission, the army invaded the community in many vehicles, including Armoured Personnel Carriers and allegedly destroyed many properties.

The development caused the indigenes of the community, especially women and children, to flee the area.

A community leader, Chinedu Nnadi, had said the damage the army had done to the community would not be addressed in the next 30 years.

Nnadi, who is the pastor in charge of He Reigns Chapel, Owerri, said the people had become refugees in neighbouring communities.

A man, Kennedy Ike, whose house and that of his two children were razed during the operation, said his life had been “made miserable”.

The army spokesperson for the 34 artillery brigade, Obinze, Owerri, Joseph Akuga, said the military hierarchy in the state would address the press on the issue.

[Saharareporters]

How El-Rufai Created A Territory In Kaduna And Appointed Son’s Friend As Administrator

Muhammad Hafiz Bayero, a bosom friend of Bello El-Rufai, eldest son of the Governor of Kaduna State, is the administrator of Kaduna Capital Territory.

The territory is one of the three that came into existence under the administration of the incumbent governor of the state.

While announcing the appointment of Bayero, Muyiwa Adekeye, spokesman of the governor, said the law creating metropolitan authorities to manage Kaduna, Kafanchan and Zaria as organic cities had been passed.

He also announced the appointments of two other administrators who are on the same rank with Bayero.

They are Balaraba Aliyu-Inuwa, Administrator, Zaria Metropolitan Authority, and Phoebe Sukai Yayi, Administrator, Kafanchan Municipal Authority.

Sukai, a senior civil servant, served as the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education.

Bayero had earlier served as the governor’s Special Adviser on Inter-Governmental Relations.

As special adviser, he was responsible for maintaining the Kaduna State government’s relations with other arms of government, investors and development partners, operating out of the federal capital, Abuja.

He was later appointed Managing Director of Kaduna Market Development Agency.
He joined El-Rufai’s government in June 2015 as Special Assistant-Job Creation. He is part of the founding team of the Kaduna Investment Promotion Agency (KADIPA).

28-year-old Khalil Nur Khalil has just been appointed as the Executive Secretary of KADIPA.

Khalil, a first-class graduate from the Eastern Mediterranean University, Cyprus, holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics.

[Dailytrust]

Bandits demand N50m for 3 kidnapped students of Kaduna seminary

Gunmen, who kidnapped three students of St. Albert the Great Institute of Philosophy in Kagoma Chiefdom, Jema’a Local Government Area of the state, are demanding N50 million ransom to free them.

Mr. J.F. Dabo, an assistant to the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) told P.M.News on Tuesday.

He said the bandits have contacted the father of one of the three captives to make the demand.

The Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige had debunked earlier reports that scores of students were captured by the gunmen on Monday evening.

“Three seminarians were kidnapped by suspected kidnappers on Monday evening,’’ he said.

According to him, the Commissioner of Police, in the state has directed the deployment of more police personnel to cordon the nearby bushes with a view to rescuing the victims.

“All efforts are on high gear for their rescue,’’ Jalige said.

Dabo, who is also the National President of Catholic Youth In Politics Forum, also confirmed that three students were kidnapped.

He said five students were initially taken by the eight attackers, said to be Fulani militiamen.

But they dropped two of the captives on their way out of the school. One of them had a cut on his head and was bleeding.

Dabo said the attack happened at about 7pm after mass at the chapel.

‘They met five stragglers at the chapel, when hundreds of others had departed to their hostels or the dining hall.

“They probably targeted the mass at the chapel. But they came after it ended. The situation could have been worse”.

He also disclosed that one of the three captives is asthmatic.

St. Albert the Great Institute of Philosophy, a seminary is owned by the Catholic Church. It is also called St Albert The Great Institute of Higher Education.

[PMNews]

El-Rufai sacks chief of staff after calling Lamido Sanusi ‘former Emir of Kano’

overnor Nasir El-Rufai has replaced his chief of staff weeks after he addressed Lamido Sanusi as a “former Emir of Kano.” 

Muhammad Sani Abdullahi introduced Mr Sanusi as former emir while speaking at the Kaduna Investment Summit in September. Mr Sanusi, who was dethroned by Abdulahi Ganduje following corruption allegations in March 2019, took umbrage at the description, saying he was not a former emir.

“When I listened to the chief of staff…I will call him former chief of staff…you will understand why I call you ‘former’ later,” Mr Sanusi said when he took the microphone at the event. “Next time don’t call me ‘former Emir.’ There is nothing like that.” A video of the exchanges has drawn social media comments since Mr Sani Abdullahi was removed from office.

Mr Sani Abdullahi, who has served as Mr El-Rufai’s chief of staff since 2019, was removed on Monday when Mr El-Rufai conducted a cabinet reshuffle. He was subsequently deployed to the ministry of planning and budget where he would be commissioner.

It was not immediately clear whether or not Mr Sani Abdullahi’s removal as chief of staff was instigated by Mr Sanusi, who has remained politically influential and good friends with Mr El-Rufai. A spokesman for the governor did not immediately return a request seeking comments on Tuesday afternoon. 

[Gazette]