Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has said some persons working with bandits have confessed that they are being sponsored by politicians.
The governor, who said this in an interview with Lagos-based RadioNow, did not disclose identities of the politicians exposed by the bandits.
He also spoke on how some key political figures worked against the amnesty programme of his administration.
“After we initiated the dialogue, you know it was supposed to be a collective effort — between the government, the people of the state and other political gladiators. Unfortunately, when the government is trying to make sure we have peace, some political elites are thinking they don’t want us to succeed.”
“So they’ve been making so many unprecedented comments about the dialogue issues and the reconciliation. And some of them that have connections with the criminals have been telling them all sorts of things so that they shouldn’t believe the government’s amnesty and reconciliation.
“We have some records. Some of the informants that were arrested, we have over 2000 informants under the custody of security agencies, and some of them have opened up and indicted so many people. They said some of the politicians are the ones funding them, telling them the state and federal government are not serious on what we promise to them.”
At least 5 people have been confirmed killed in an explosion at the Kubwa Village Market in Abuja. The explosion occurred when a kerosene tank exploded with the woman and her child confirmed dead around 7:30 PM on Friday.
The Police Command in Niger on Thursday confirmed the abduction of four women by gunmen at Haske Dabara community, Agwan Gwari Kwamba of Suleja Local Government Area of the state.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Monday Kuryas, confirmed the incident in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna.
“Yes it has happened at about 1 a.m. last night and already anti-kidnapping team, the army and vigilante had been deployed to rescue the victims.
“We will do everything humanly possible to apprehend all those miscreants undermining the peaceful coexistence among residents.
“I am appealing to residents, especially rural dwellers, to come forward with credible information on movement of strange faces among them to the nearest security personnel for necessary security action”, he said.
The commissioner solicited more working support by coming forward with intelligence information that could aid the security personnel deployed across the state in the ongoing fight against kidnapping, banditry and other criminal elements in the state.
An eyewitness said the gunmen entered the community at about 12.46 a.m. with gunshots that scared the residents.
Terrorists suspected to be ISWAP group on Tuesday evening abducted several passengers aboard 8 passenger vehicles along the dreaded Maiduguri-Damaturu express way after laying ambush on the road.
Vanguard news reported that the incident took place close to crossing point of terrorists near a bridge between Tamsu Kawu and Ndamdu town at about 3PM.
Vanguard also reported that most of the victims were freed by the terrorists after reciting some verses from the holy Qur’an confirming their Muslim identities. Three victims suspected to be Christians due to their inability to recite verses from the Qur’an were held by the terrorists.
Tamsu Kawu is just about 80km drive from Maiduguri and located north west, which has hitherto been razed down, before the former governor Kashim Shettima spent millions of naira, reconstructed and resettled it.
One of the victims who is a retired Director in the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources in Borno State confirmed that attack to vanguard under condition of anonymity.
He said, “it was when I was interrogated and the terrorists learnt that I was a diabetic patient, coupled with my old age that saved me, as the Commander of the terrorists told his members to allow me join those who were set free at about 7pm.”
He revealed that the terrorists during interrogations told them that they were among those who participated in the bloody killing of leader of Boko Haram sect, late Abubakar Shekau, adding that, they are members of the ISWAP group who are determined to protect the rights of innocent civilians.
“I have to thank Allah (God) for saving us from the hands of terrorists today.
“Our vehicle came into road ambush where several passengers and motorists aboard 8 different vehicles were abducted and taken to a nearby river at about 3PM
“After series of interrogations, many of us were released accept three persons who were detained for reason not based known to us.
“The terrorsists after interrogating us said that they were amongst those who killed Abubakar Shekau. They also said that they are out to protect all innocent civilians, accept those who chose to follow different faith or identified as infidels. ” he said.
The freed victim however said that he has since been reunited with his family, after the incident which lasted for about four hours.
Fulanis have spread into multiple villages in Kwara, with their population gradually outnumbering indigenes, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has cried out.
Mr AbdulRazaq, who spoke in an interview with Vanguard, attributed the influx of Fulanis to the ban on open grazing imposed by Southern governors.
The governor claimed that the open grazing ban had further heightened Kwara’s security challenges.
“Security challenges are huge, especially with insecurity in the North-West and the declaration by Southern Governors to ban open grazing,” said the Kwara governor. “Once they pronounced it and set a date, we saw a migration of herdsmen coming in, to the extent that if you go to Kwara South, Kwara North now, in some villages, the Fulani have moved in. They are more in population than the indigenes.”
Mr AbdulRazaq argued that legislation enforcing the ban could not be adopted, explaining that open grazing is a constitutional right enshrined in the constitution.
His comments came as Southern governors like Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, Nyesom Wike of Rivers, among others, continue to sign the anti-open grazing law in their respective states.
The 17 southern governors had met on three different occasions this year in Lagos, Asaba and Enugu, agreeing to enact the anti-open grazing laws to tackle worsening insecurity.
However, justice minister Abubakar Malami said the southern governors’’ open grazing ban is illegal.
According to the attorney general of the federation, the controversies surrounding open grazing are a constitutional matter that amending the constitution will address.
He advised the 17 southern governors to approach the National Assembly for the needed backing to effect the ban on open grazing.
A notorious bandits’ leader, Dogo Gide has been reportedly killed in his hideout by some of his men who collaborated with another notorious bandits’ group led by late Damina.
He was being treated for gunshot injuries earlier sustained in a battle at Kuya Bana forest of Zamfara State.
According to a source, Dogo Gide’s death has become a great advantage in the fight against armed banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling in Nigeria.
Recalled that Dogo Gide had been terrorising many communities in Zamfara, Niger, Kaduna, katsina and Kebbi States over the years.
He killed another notorious bandits’ leader, Buharin Daji some years ago.
“At the height of his notoriety he controlled several hundred of heavily armed men and has camps in Kuya Bana forest, Zamfara State, Goron Dutse forest, Dogon Gona forest in Birnin Gwari and Shiroro LGAs, respectively in Kaduna/Niger States and Kafarma forest.
“Dogo Gide was the brain behind the kidnap of one hundred and twenty six students of Bethel Baptist Secondary School, Maraban Damishi, chukun Local Gvernment Area of Kaduna State on 5th July 2021, where over thirty students and several staff of Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri were abducted about four months ago”
“They regained their freedom after several millions of naira was paid as ransom by the parents and well wishers of the abductees.
“The present disagreement between different factions of the bandits is a welcome development and is coming on the heels of relentless clampdown on armed bandits by our gallant security forces. Several of the most notorious armed bandits’ leaders have either been killed or arrested by the security forces,” the source said.
Challenges Military Chiefs to show Remains of Terrorists Killed By Soldiers in the Northwest
“A situation whereby Nigerians are taken for granted by the heads of the security architectures who are all of the same Northern Moslem extractions and we are told that the armed forces are waging military actions targeted at eradicating the terrorists in the North West who are mostly Fulani by ethnicity same as the heads of the security institutions under Muhammadu Buhari who appointed only his kinsmen into those strategic national institutions but in actual fact these same terrorists that the government has refused to classify appropriately as terrorists but prefers to call them bandits are still carrying out massive attacks on soft and military targets”.
“HURIWA as well as millions of rational Nigerians are not convinced that the armed forces headed by persons of same section of Nigeria and same religion are actually carrying out any military actions targeted at eradicating the terrorists in the North West”.
“Few days ago, the newspapers reported that no fewer than 20 operatives of Nigeria security agencies were butchered in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State and bodies set ablaze by the notorious bandits operating in the state.”
HURIWA said It was gathered that the security operatives were sent to a village where bandits have been ravaging for a long time without any security stoppage. It was gathered that bandits ambushed the security operatives, killed scores of them and set the corpses on fire in the early hours of Friday.Among the victims was Alhaji Shehu Mallami, a resident of the community. When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Mr. Aminu Mary confirmed the incident, saying that the state commandant of the corps had already left to the scene to ascertain what really happened.”
HURIWA said the above factual accounts makes it necessary that the heads of the security agencies must transparently show clear evidence that the terrorists in the North West are actually been targeted in series of alleged military actions because the military is often in a hurry to display corpses of Igbo boys murdered by soldiers in alleged military shootouts but the same soldiers have never displayed the corpses of the terrorists in the North West therefore creating doubts in the minds of discerning Nigerians that any military actions are going on in the North West.
Specifically, the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) carpeted the minister of Defence for providing defense for the terrorists in the North West on why the government has yet to classify them as terrorists whereas the same government did not waste anytime in classifying the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra as a terrorist group.
HURIWA recalled that the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (Rtd), said that the need to follow due process was responsible for the delay in declaring bandits as terrorists.
Magashi, who stated this on Friday, in Maiduguri, while fielding questions from newsmen, added that there was a procedure that needed to be observed before such a declaration.
“We are not declaring them terrorists because there is a procedure for doing that.
“When the procedure is followed, they will be classified as terrorists. We are waiting for the procedure to be completed,” NAN quoted him as saying.
Magashi who was in Maiduguri with the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor and Service Chiefs on an assessment visit of the fight against insurgency in the North east, expressed satisfaction with the successes so far recorded.
HURIWA however accused the federal government of pampering the terrorists in the North West only because they are of same ethnic Fulani and Muslims with the President and virtually all the heads of the internal security architectures in the Country under President Muhammadu Buhari since 2015.
HURIWA said: “The undue zest exhibited with respect to dealing with IPOB members in Orlu and Ihiala, should therefore be extended to the north-western states. To do otherwise would give the impression that the Federal Government is applying double standards. Such practice would also give impetus to the conspiracy theorists of a hidden agenda, as the majority of the security heads are from the north-west zone, where palliatives instead of ammunition are being offered to bandits.The Federal Government must therefore do everything to avoid giving the impression that crime pays in certain parts of the country. The consequences could be very devastating in the long run. Nation
The perception out there is that while the president is soft both in words and actions against the armed herdsmen that have been wreaking havoc in several rural communities across the country, he has been vehement and trident in condemning separatist groups, like IPOB. While the president is entitled to his private idiosyncrasies, he must exercise due diligence in matters of national importance and public perception.
A double standard arises in politics when the treatment of the same political matters between two or more parties (such as the response to a public crisis or the allocation of funding) is handled differently. This could occur because of the nature of political relationships between those tasked with these matters, the degree of reward or power that stands to be gained/lost, or the personal biases/prejudices of politicians.
Double standard policies can include situations when a country’s or commentator’s assessment of the same phenomenon, process or event in international relations depends on their relationship with or attitude to the parties involved.”
Most Rev. Jonas-Benson Okoye, the Auxiliary Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Awka said on Saturday that the Nov. 6 governorship election in Anambra must hold.
He said he took the position because the alternative was to have a Constitutional crisis in the state.
“Many are trying to frustrate preparations for the election; this is a sign that if we don’t vote, they will destroy us and our faith.
“We can’t get justice or freedom by sitting at home; the only thing to do to save the situation is to come out next Saturday with your Permanent Voter Cards to vote for the right candidate,’’ he said.
Okoye made his views known when he spoke at the funeral Mass for Chief Julius Odinigwe, a staunch member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church Enugu-Ukwu in Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.
He called on eligible members of the church and people of Anambra to go out and cast their votes on Election Day.
The bishop said his message to further awaken the people on the need to ensure the governorship election held became necessary to avert the Constitutional crisis that could follow the disruption of the exercise.
He admonished voters to choose a candidate that would save the people and not entertain fears to cast their votes.
Okoye, described late Odinigwe as a man who spent his life expanding the Christian faith.
He empathised with his family and prayed to God for eternal repose of his soul.
In the Requiem Mass sermon, Rev. Fr. Chidi Ozumba from SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church Nise, Anambra, reminded the congregation of the inevitability of death for all mortals, and tasked every individual to renew their relationship with God.
Odinigwe who died at the age of 81 years was retired civil servant, a devout Catholic and major contributor to the socio-economic development of Enugu-Ukwu, his community.
He was survived by Mrs Maria Odinigwe, his widow, sons, daughters and grandchildren.
At least 20 personnel comprising of the Nigerian security and civil defence corps (NSCDC) and local vigilantes have been reportedly killed in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, North West Nigeria and their bodies set ablaze by daredevil bandits operating in the state.
Dailypost gathered that the slain security personnel were deployed to a village where bandits have been ravaging for a long time unabated.
It was gathered that the daredevil bandits ambushed the security operatives, killed scores of them and set the corpses on fire in the early hours of Friday.
Among the victims was Alhaji Shehu Mallami, a prominent resident of the community.
The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in the state, Mr. Aminu Mary confirmed the incident, saying that the state commandant of the corps had already left to the scene to ascertain what really happened.
Security operstives in Zamfara have been targeted by bandits operating in the state lately. In September, bandits attacked a military base in the state and killed 12 military personnel mostly men if the Nigerian navy.
The Nigerian government in August sanctioned a network shutdown to curtail the activities of the bandits operating in the state but the move hasn’t yielded the expected results as the bandits have continued to launch attacks against both civilians and military targets.
A company of soldiers was recently deployed to the area, following reported attacks on the villagers by gunmen.
The troops, working under the army’s operation Safe Haven (OPSH), had in the past two months stopped the attackers from invading the villagers.
Insiders knowledgeable about the operation told TheCable that the attackers had written to the villages, asking them to inform the troops to leave their location as they planned to attack the community.
“We strategically put our troops in a border area between the village and the mountains from which their attackers come from,” one of the sources said.
“Many times, they have tried to jump on the village but they were stopped by the troops in heavy crossfires. In the past one month, we’ve had gunfights with them and lost two of our soldiers.
“Just a few days ago, the villagers brought a note from the attackers, asking the troops to leave that location so that they could attack. In fact, they threatened that if our soldiers didn’t leave, they would be the first to be attacked.”
Military sources said the development had already been communicated to the operation’s headquarters.
TheCable understands that part of what was sought from the headquarters is a reinforcement to avoid a situation where troops are overwhelmed when the attackers strike.
‘WE TRIED BROKERING PEACE THROUGH DIALOGUE’
Some army commanders in the area were said to have earlier attempted to broker peace between the attackers and the villagers, TheCable was informed.
One of the leaders of the attackers, sources said, was invited for a dialogue when some farmers were killed on their farmlands.
“Because they can’t enter into the village and launch an attack, as soldiers won’t allow them, they now wait for some farmers to enter their farmland and from there they go to attack them,” a source explained.
“It could be difficult to ask soldiers to now follow each villager to the farm, so we thought we could broker peace through dialogue with those guys.
“We made a call through, and an agreement was reached that they won’t attack the villagers again. Then at least, we had about three weeks gone and there was no attack on any farmer.
“It was shocking to see their latest threat, but our troops are on standby and we won’t allow them to take over that village.”
Onyema Nwachukwu, the army spokesperson, was not immediately available to comment on the development.
