Declaring Bandits As Terrorists Will Cause More Problems, Won’t Change Anything— Sheikh Gumi

Kaduna-based controversial Islamic scholar, Ahmad Gumi has said designating bandits as terrorists will result in more violence in the country. 

He also said it cannot solve the insecurity problems, adding that banditry is a part of socio-economic challenges confronting Nigeria. 

Gumi said bandits are herdsmen, and thus labelling them as terrorists is just a decision taken for political expediency. 

The Islamic teacher said all these in a statement issued by his Media Consultant and the Dan-Iyan Fika, Malam Tukur Mamu. 

He said, “I think the federal government has succumbed to media blackmail by a section of the country. It will not have any practical value because even before the declaration, they are being fought and treated as terrorists.”

He continued, “So it’s just a nomenclature which I believe will not change the dynamics on the ground.

“If you can remember IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) was also declared a terrorist organization, the declaration was even backed by the order of the Court but as you can see even the international community did not recognise FG’s declaration of IPOB. So it has failed to be effective or to achieve the desired results.

“They have not been banned from travelling to other countries while their citizenship remains intact, it has not been denounced. So what type of declaration is that? 

“I sincerely hope that Nigerians will not take the herdsmen as terrorists but should regard the criminality of the few among them against innocent people as acts of terrorism just as we see IPOB and their attacks on security agencies and other northern citizens as acts of terrorism. Very few herdsmen are bandits if you go through their population.

“I hope this declaration will not give the license to people to be profiling herdsmen in general as terrorists and taking the law into their hands against them. 

“It will cause more mayhem. The declaration will not change anything, it will not change the dynamics. Already the military is engaging them. It didn’t stop them from kidnappings and killings. The declaration will not end their aggression against the society.

“The Fulani banditry is a socio-economic problem. We have seen it, we interacted widely with them. We told the federal government the way out.

“It can only be won through engagement, dialogue and justice. That is why today there is relative peace in the Niger Delta because government has accepted the painful reality of rehabilitating and empowering them.

“There has to be equitable distribution of wealth in Nigeria and justice for everyone. People don’t want to accept it, before the issue of banditry that now affects all of us, the Fulanis have suffered so much.

”They have lost their legitimate means of livelihood, I mean their cows through cattle rustling and extortion by security agencies. That has to be addressed as a means of genuine reconciliation and integration. They should have a sense of belonging.”

[Saharareporters]

Nigerian Court Declares Bandits as Terrorists, Directs FG to Publish Proscription on Official Gazette, Dailies

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has declared the activities of bandits in Nigeria as acts of terrorism.

In a landmark judgment on Thursday, the court said “Yan Bindiga group”, “Yan Ta’adda group” and others alike are active terrorists.

M. B. Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Federal Ministry of Justice, filed an ex-parte motion.

A supporting affidavit, filed by Aminu Kayode Alilu of the ministry, explained why the application was made.

The government told the court that bandits were responsible for several acts of criminality in different parts of the country.

The oath pointed out that Yan Bindiga, Yan Ta’adda and others were responsible for “wanton destruction of lives and properties in Nigeria, particularly in the Northwest and North-central states”.

It mentioned, “kidnappings for ransom, kidnapping for marriage, mass abductions of school children and other citizens, cattle rustling, enslavement, imprisonment, severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, other forms of sexual violence, attacks and killings”.

The government said the outlaws were carrying out “acts of terrorism that can lead to a breakdown of public order and safety and is a threat to national security and the corporate existence of Nigeria”.

In his pronouncement, Justice Taiwo proscribed Yan Bindiga, Yan Ta’adda and all bandit clusters “either in groups or as individuals by whatever names they are called”.

The judge directed the Federal Government to publish the proscription order in the official gazette and two national dailies.

[Daily Post]

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