BREAKING: Ten Killed, Many Injured As Terrorists Attack Plateau Community

Terrorists suspected to be Fulani herdsmen militias in the early hours of Friday November 26 launched a terror attack on Te’egbe community of Miango District in Bassa local government area of Plateau state, killing no fewer than ten people as well as injuring many, a community leader says.

The terrorists also destroyed several houses and burnt down food bans during the attack.

Davison Malison, Spokesman for the Irigwe Development Association confirmed the attack to Middle Belt Times, describing it as devastating.

“It is quite a sad development to the entire Rigwe nation that the marauders have continued the perpetration of their evils against the innocent Rigwe People.

“Just this week Tuesday, November 23, 2021 they ambushed and killed two persons at Ancha village of the same district and now a devastating one today.
Nothing short of ethnic cleansing could this be regarded as.

“Bassa DPO and other security personnel have been informed of the ugly incident and some have already reached the scene.

“This must not go quiet as usual, the perpetrators must be fished in order to face the wrath of law.” Malison said

Miango District has suffered repeated attacks by terrorist herdsmen in recent times with several communities destroyed and hundreds killed since July 2021.

Recall that on Tuesday, two Rigwe people were ambushed and killed in their farm by terrorists.

In all of these attacks, no one has been arrested to face trial by the security, Philemon Musa, a resident of Miango told MBT on telephone.

As at the time of filing this report, the dead bodies of the victims have been buried in a mass grave by the residents.

BREAKING: Kaduna Govt Announces Restoration Of Telecoms Network

Kaduna state government on Friday announced the restoration of telecommunication networks in the state.

In a statement issued by the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan at the NUJ Secretariat on Friday, the government regretted the inconveniences the shutdown may have caused the residents.

The statement reads in full;

My dear colleagues:

I am here to inform you that the Kaduna State Government has contacted the relevant federal agencies to effect the immediate restoration of telecommunication services which were suspended in some local government areas.

Security agencies had requested the shutdown in October 2021, among other measures, to assist ongoing operations against armed bandits and other criminals. The security agencies have now notified the government that telecoms services can be restored.

Along with the other measures in the security containment order, the telecoms shutdown had helped the security agencies to achieve some results, which the security forces will reel out soon. The prolonged application of this measure was always out of the question, due to its impact on the legitimate activities of citizens and businesses.

Residents are advised that the restoration of full services in the affected areas may unfold over a few days, as the service providers mobilise to power and boost their transmission systems accordingly.

The Kaduna State Government regrets the inconveniences residents of the affected LGAs may have encountered as a result of the shutdown. The state government wishes to commend the sacrifices made by residents while this temporary measure lasted.

Notwithstanding, the government wishes to reiterate that the other measures announced as part of the security containment orders remain in force. These include the prohibition of motorcycles all over the state, the ban on weekly markets, transportation of cattle, and the prohibition of sale of fuel in jerrycans in specified local government areas.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Boko Haram behind Abuja-Kaduna highway attacks — Intelligence source

The recent wave of attacks on travellers along the beleaguered Abuja-Kaduna highway were carried out by Boko Haram terrorists. This is according to a report by Daily Nigerian Newspaper.

Recall that on Sunday, the terrorists abducted an unspecified number of passengers and killed a prominent Zamfara politician, Alhaji Sagir Hamidu, at a point called Kurmin Kare along the highway.

The terrorists returned on Monday at Gidan Bussa and almost the same time to abduct dozens more.

A top intelligence source in Abuja told DAILY NIGERIAN on the condition of anonymity that the recent attacks were carried out by Boko Haram terrorists, who are now setting up camps in Kaduna and Niger forests.

“Based on an intercepted intel, the Boko Haram terrorists are behind these recent attacks at Kurmin Kare area along Abuja-Kaduna highway.

“They are also the ones who are abducting people around Mashegu and Shiroro in Niger State. They are trying to establish themselves around the area, so they embark on abductions to raise money for logistics.

“You know they under heavy bombardment in their enclaves in Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Chikun, Igabi and other places. So after fleeing from these locations, they now camped at some points not more than 50 to 60 kilometers away from Abuja-Kaduna highway.

“From these points, they use motorcycles to travel. There is a stream along the road where they keep the motorcycles and travel on foot through a thick forest to perpetrate the attacks,” said the source.

According to him, security agencies as well as Niger and Kaduna State Governments have been alerted of the development and efforts to decimate them.

He also said that the Boko Haram terrorists are now working in concert with bandits to abduct and attack people.

Spokesman for the Kaduna State Police Command, Mohammed Jalige, could not be reached for comment at the time of filing this report.

Credit: Daily Nigerian

Militants blow up another Agip facility in Rivers, demand justice

The new militant group in Rivers State, Bayan-Men, has attacked another oil facility belonging to the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) at Obosi area of Omoku, Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area.

The attack came following the expiration of the 24-hour ultimatum the group gave to Agip to address its demands.

It was gathered that the violent agitators blew up Onosi-Ogu Manifold owned by the firm at Obosi, causing an explosion that rocked the area.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said that Agip had yet to put out the fire of the last week’s attack on its facility.

The militant group, in a statement, took responsibility for the attack saying it was fighting for justice against the Omoku people.

The statement signed by its Commander, General Agaba, threatened to carry out more attacks on Agip facilities if the firm fails to directly engage the communities of Omoku.

Agaba in the statement said: “The action we carried out yesterday (Tuesday) as a result of Agip’s failure to comply with the 24 hours ultimatum we gave to them to engage our people on how to commence dealing directly with individual communities other than through individuals.

“We are not criminals, we are intellectuals. The fact is that when a man is pushed to the wall, he bounces back with double force. We are giving Agip another seven days to open windows of negotiation with the 27 communities of Omoku clan.

“This meeting will involve the chiefs of these communities, the CDC (Community Development Committee) chairmen of the Communities and the Youths Presidents of the 27 communities. That is how we want it.

“We don’t want it in anybody’s parlour, we want it at the Civic Centre where everybody will come. The reason we want to soft-pedal now is because the appeals from different quarters and our Nchaka festival that is coming up in Sunday. We don’t want anything to affect our festival,” the group said.

He regretted the interference of the military in the development, saying that the group was interested in justice for their people.

Agaba said: “We are surprised at the level of interference by the military and DSS who are in charge of the federal government facility. They are supposed to maintain law and order.

“The Federal Government had advised them (Agip) to deal with the different communities independently. Why are the security men taking side with the company?

“They come, take money and subvert justice. What we want is Justice. You can’t come to my community and take the land and leave me hungry. We have heard that Agip has sent military to put out the fire but they have not been able to do that. It is now or never,” he said.

When contacted, the spokesperson, Joint Task Force (JTF), Maj. Victor Olukoya, said he would only talk about the incident in his office if our correspondent could visit him.

When pressed further, he said: “The way you are trying to do your job is the way I am trying to do mine. Come to my office so that we can talk about it”.

(The Nation)

How the El-Rufai Government is using Aruwan to clampdown on SOKAPU

By George Makeri

After a couple of hours at a court sitting yesterday 23 November 2021, Luka Binniyat is kept in prison custody for another two weeks. This development has shown that the El-Rufai Government is indeed using Samaila Aruwan to hit hard at SOKAPU.

The magistrate, overwhelmed by the force of Binniyat’s lawyer’s argument, insisted he needed time to collate on the issues before deciding the bail application. Meanwhile, Binniyat is to remain in prison custody.

Witnesses at the court yesterday, claimed the turnout was massive and Luka was in fine spirit. Some persons expressed skepticism the magistrate was independent, claiming the magistrate was acting by orders from above to elongate Binniyat’s stay in prison custody. Others, however, are optimistic no matter how long they detain Binniyat, good will eventually triumph over evil and Binniyat will come out stronger and better.

You will recall that Binniyat was picked on the 4 November 2021 by members of the State Investigation Bureau (SIB) on the orders of the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samaila Aruwan. Aruwan claimed Luka’s publication on Epoch Times, citing the Zone 3 Senator Danjuma Laah that he(Aruwan) is being used by the Kaduna State Government to cover up the ongoing massacres against the Southern Kaduna people by calling it a communal clash, was injurious to him and has endangered members of his family.

Interestingly, Aruwan is indeed being used to describe plain massacres against the Southern Kaduna people by murderous Fulani herdsmen Terrorists as communal clash.

How do you describe nocturnal invasion into a sleeping town by mercenaries of herdsmen Terrorists who were never residents in the areas they invade as communal clash? Communal clash largely has to do with neighbours of largely residents and not mercenaries of killer herdsmen terrorists who are complete aliens to the areas they invade leaving largely women and children killed in their sleep. Thus despite the alleged denial by Senator Danjuma Laah, it still does not negate Binniyat’s fact that the State Government is running a massive disinformation and misinformation campaigns to shield the true nature of the attacks against the Southern Kaduna people using a Southern Kaduna son (Aruwan) to give credence to the campaigns.

Though they make the Binniyat ordeal look like a misunderstanding between two brothers with one using the advantage of having the instruments of state at his disposal to use, it is infact a deliberate El-Rufai Government clampdown on SOKAPU, using Aruwan still as a front, because Binniyat is the sole scribe cum spokesperson of SOKAPU, risking it all to enter dangerous terrains of most attacked villages to get first hand information and reporting to the world. This efficiency and effectiveness of Binniyat is what the Kaduna State Government took out of circulation using the same Samaila Aruwan to give it credence and shield them from their true intention.

The instruments of state has long been reduced into personal tools for personal squabbles by the El-Rufai Government. Meanwhile, kidnappers keep kidnapping along the Kaduna Abuja road as both 21 and 22 November got some persons killed including a high profile personality, while alot more got Kidnapped. Southern Kaduna, to this day, remains an abatoir of human slaughter with no single arrest, while the El-Rufai Government is interested in elongating Luka Binniyat’s stay in prison.

Terrorists Kill Two Rigwe People in Plateau

Terrorists suspected to be Fulani herdsmen militias on Tuesday 23, November killed two people in Ancha village of Miango District, Rigwe Chiefdom, Bassa local government area of Plateau State, North Central Nigeria.

The deceased persons were ambushed and killed while working on their farmland, a spokesman for the Irigwe development association says.

Davidson Malison, spokesman of the Irigwe development association confirmed the attack to Middle Belt Times.

He said the latest killings is a confirmation that Irigwe land is still not safe for the people to go about their legitimate productive activities.

He also said that the divisional police officer (DPO) of Bassa was on his way coming to the scene of the attack.

The name names of those killed are as follows;
1. Daniel James-32 years old
2. Zakwe Deba-35 years old

“The entire Rigwe nation is saddened by this unfortunate development and call for more proactive measures by security personnel and Government in ending this bloodletting in the land.

“These atrocities being committed by Fulani militia have had a gross negative effects on our people and it must be stopped.” Malison said

BREAKING: Mother, Wife Of Notorious Bandit Trapped As Air Force Bombs Militants In Sokoto

By

Abubakar Auwal

The wife and mother of Bokkolo, a notorious bandit, were reportedly trapped when fighter jets bombarded his residence in Sokoto State.

Nigerian fighter jets were said to have killed several bandits and their relatives.

A resident, who confirmed the bombardment of Bokkolo’s residence said, many of his lieutenants were killed in the house.

“But we are not sure whether he is among the dead, but his wife and mother were at home during the raid,” the source said.

The gunmen were dislodged in a sustained air raid, which commenced on Friday.

Some of them were said to have fled to Tsabre, Sarkin Darai and Tiɗibale which are between Goronyo and Unguwan Lalle in Sokoto, in the heat of the raid.

According to the locals, some of the bandits were seen with gunshot injuries in these three villages.

The raid was part of the joint operation, comprising Nigeria Army, Air Force, Police, DSS, among others.

A senior army officer confided in Daily Trust that the operation is being led by the General Officer Commanding 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Sokoto.

According to him, hundreds of bandits were killed around Isa and Sabon Birni areas and the operation went as far as Nigerien border.

He added that all their hideouts and residences in the forests were bombarded.

Another source, told us that most of the areas bombarded were under the control of the notorious bandits’ leader, Turji, but there was no report on his death or that of any of his relatives at the time of filing this report.

We learnt that four vigilantes who were part of the operation lost their lives in the fight.

“The whole of that axis is now militarized. We have not witnessed an operation of this magnitude since the advent of banditry in Sokoto. And it is succeeding,” the resident said.

Also speaking, the member representing Sabon Birni North, Aminu Almustapha Gobir, corroborated that, the operation was the first of its kind in that area, adding that it is recording tremendous successes.

“Many bandits have been killed and some have fled with gunshot injuries,” he said.

Another resident said locals were aiding the operation by reporting movement of the fleeing bandits.

[Sun]

BREAKING:‘Many kidnapped’ as terrorists open fire on travelers along Abuja-Kaduna road

Terrorists have reportedly kidnapped an unspecified number of travelers along the dreaded Abuja-Kaduna expressway on Sunday 21st November, 2021

DAILY NIGERIAN gathered that dozens of terrorists, often referred to as bandits, opened fire sporadically on commuters around 4pm, forcing many drivers to lose control.

Sources told DAILY NIGERIAN that many passengers who attempted to run were fired at, while those who cooperated were shepherded into the bush.

A survivor who preferred not to be named told Daily Nigerian reporter that the incident occurred around Rijana area.

“The kidnappers took advantage of the damage on the road, which forced on and off-coming motorists to move slowly on a single lane,” he said.

Spokesman for the Kaduna State Police Command Mohammed Jalige did not respond to our reporter’s call.

Credit: Daily Nigerian

U.S Encouraging Impunity, Lawlessness In Nigeria, Says Revd. Para-Mallam

Global Mission Leader and renowned peace advocate, Revd. Gideon Para-Mallam has accused the government of the United States of America (USA) of encouraging impunity and lawlessness which is perpetrated against the Nigerian people, by the current dispensation in the country.

The cleric, who was reacting to the recent removal of Nigeria from the list of countries of particular concern in the area of religious persecution, contended that the US government is comfortably adopting hypocritical policies anchored on what is referred to as softball diplomacy which is akin to playing the ostrich.

According to Para-Mallam, to have stooped so, the US has allowed herself to be blinded by the culture of denialism when it comes to religious persecution by the present government in Nigeria.

The cleric who is also the President/CEO of The Para-Mallam Peace Foundation, further slammed the US saying it seems there exists a disturbing strange relationship between the US Government with the Nigerian Government. “This relationship does not always favor the peace-loving people of Nigeria.

This re lationship as demonstrated by this policy of removing Nigeria from the CPC list will not serve in the interest of the Nigerian people in the long run but only US strategic interests.

“Such pandering in massaging the political ego of the Nigerian power elite suits the Nigerian government but hurts its people both in the short and long term,” Para-Mallam stressed. He stated that government should exist for its people as is the case even in the US.

His words: “It is so strange the US Government is encouraging in Nigeria what she won’t dare encourage in the US. With brutal killings going on with so much impunity in Nigeria, yet the US State department removed Nigeria’s name from the CPC Watch list.

“With so many Christian girls in Boko Haram’s captivity – Leah Sharibu with hundred others serving as slaves, forcibly converted, sexually abused yet Nigeria was removed from that list?

What about those innocent Christian girls particularly in Maguzawa dominated Christian communities in Northern Nigeria who have been forcibly kidnapped, converted, and married off as minors and underage, yet the US State Department sees nothing wrong with such?

“What about Nigeria’s inability to manage our diversity with the current government running what is mostly an exclusive instead of an inclusive government yet the US government sees nothing wrong with all these? “I stand for peacebuilding that is predicated on justice for all I will continue to advocate for peaceful resolution of our challenges in Nigeria but nurturing systemic structures of social injustice hurts us all.

Therefore, to me, removing Nigeria from the CPC list is a hypocritical and tacit way of encouraging the present impunity and lawlessness. I pray this will not result in more killings in Nigeria,” Oars-Mallam lamented.

The peace advocate further pointed out that it beats the imagination that with all that is going on in Nigeria regarding the persecution of Christians, Nigeria which became a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) lists as it affects religious freedoms,

in December 2020, could be so hastily removed in less than one year. He also noted that Nigeria was interestingly removed from the CPC list but Boko and ISWAP were named in the entities of particular concern list.

This, Para-Mallam further pointed out, clearly shows that the Department of State recognizes the significant challenge of religious freedom in Nigeria insisting that religious persecution in Nigeria has multifaceted dimensions yet Nigeria was not even in the Special Watch List (SWL).

He continued: “I wish to ask: What has changed in Nigeria? Have the mass kidnappings and mass killing of Christians stopped? Have the ongoing attacks which led thousands to become Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from several Christian communities stopped?

“No doubt Muslim communities have also come under attack by the Bandits but that, unfortunately, is a strange scenario of Muslims attacking and killing Muslims.

As a Peace Advocate and crusader for social justice, I am completely opposed to Muslims being killed also, just as I am opposed to the killing of Christians. Therefore, I have always wondered and asked myself, how does the killing of Muslims cancel the fact that Christians are being killed or suggest in any way that they are not being persecuted?”

“It is untrue and deceitful to make the world believe that Christians are not being persecuted in Nigeria. Many Christians in States such as Benue, Plateau, Yobe, Borno, Niger, and Southern Kaduna are systematically being uprooted from their ancestral homelands.

Should this be taking place in a country that is supposedly multi-religious, multiethnic, and multicultural?” Para-allam asked.

[New Telegraph]

BREAKING: Niger State Government Bans Sales of Motorcycles in the State

The Niger state government on Saturday 20th November, 2021 announced a ban on sales of motorcycles in the state following growing terrorists activities ravaging the state.

In a statement signed by the information officer, office of the Secretary to the State government (SSG), Lawal Tanko, the government said the step becomes necessary ‘following the incessant security challenges in some parts of the state’.

Following the incessant security challenges in some parts of Niger State and coupled with the demands of motorcycles as ransom by bandits and kidnappers, the State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has directed the immediate ban on the sales of motorcycles across the State.

A statement issued by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane revealed that the category of motorcycles affected by the ban includes any motorcycles (Bajaj, Boxer, Qiujeng, Honda ACE, Jingchen, etc) with engine capacity from 185 Cubic Centimetres ( cc) and above remained banned from selling to the public.

The SSG further explained that the State Government rolled out this additional measure which is aimed at eradicating the activities of criminals and the unleashing of mayhem by bandits and kidnappers on innocent citizens in the State.

He stated Government has condemned in strong terms the degree of carnage and pandemonium bandits and kidnappers are causing to some parts of the State and reiterated its continued determination to rid the State of any security threat.

According to the SSG “Government is aware of the inconveniences the measure would cause the people, but the decision was taken in the overall interest of the State and appealed to the dealers of motorcycles across the State to cooperate with the directive”.

Ahmed Matane appealed to the people of the State to cooperate with the security agencies on the security measures being put in place to put an end to the activities of some criminal elements, as it is for the benefit of all and sundry.

The SSG disclosed that Government has also ordered security agencies in the State to ensure effective and strict compliance/enforcement of this directive.

In the same vein, the SSG has reaffirmed that the activities of commercial motorcycle riders popularly known as Okada or Kabu-kabu and operation of illegal garages remained banned in Minna metropolis and environs.

It would be recalled that the State Government had earlier restricted the movements of all motorcycles from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am and the restriction order is still enforced.