Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has accused the Nigerian police of not being willing to arrest errant herdsmen in Ondo.
“Yes, you have criminal trespass. It should be treated by the state. All we had before Amotekun was the police that had the duty to arrest and were not prepared to make an arrest. Things are changing and have really changed in Ondo state,” said Mr Akeredolu. “Today, if you trespass on other people’s land, the Amotekun will go after you and arrest you. They pay compensation to the farmers, and when they fail, they are in court. It is the only way you can send signals to the people.”
The governor was quoted as saying this on Monday at the 27th Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja with the theme ‘Securing Our Future: The Fierce Urgency of Now’.
He pointed out that “when you commit a crime, and the hands of law don’t catch up with you, another person will repeat it.”
On open grazing, Mr Akeredolu said nomadic pastoralism was a culture that must be discouraged in the interest of those involved.
“Speaking for those of us who have put in place anti-open grazing law. We have our reasons, and we have no apologies,” the governor stated.
Mr Akeredolu, Governor Nasiru El-Rufai, and other panellists spoke at the summit centred on addressing the country’s protracted security challenges.
According to him, a nation with failed security and justice systems is set to fail.
“In Ondo state, we don’t have terrorism. Our problem is farmers and herders clashes and kidnapping for ransom. We have drug abuse and agitation for self-determination. We have always preached multi-level policing in Ondo state. We believe in layers of security,” he said.
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.
“A situation whereby the federal government through the heads of security institutions headed mostly by Northern Moslems had always blamed the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) for attacks on National institutions and officers in the South East but fails to apportion any blames for such kinds of attacks elsewhere like the Oyo and Lokoja prisons’ breaks shows an entrenched double standard and a certain kind of crude hatred of Igbo ethnicity by key officials of government. Besides, HURIWA has asked the president to order the immediate arrest of the Kaduna based Islamic Cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi and charge him to court of competent jurisdiction for violating the extant counter terror Act for supporting terrorists and Fulani bandits by once again threatening the end of Nigeria should President Buhari classify Fulani militia as terrorists. HURIWA in a statement said if the Federal government fails again to arrest Sheikh Gumi, then Nigerians should know that he is actually speaking the official position of key officials in government including heads of military institutions and the National Security Adviser who have all praised his role recently. HURIWA recalled that the controversial 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. Ahmad 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. HURIWA quoted Sheikh Gumi as saying thus: “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.”
But HURIWA queried the Federal government why the officials are pampering Gumi whose actions and statements are directly backing mass killers and terrorists but the central government is too quick to kidnap Nnamdi Kanu of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra from Kenya for trial for treasonable felony and is chasing Sunday Igboho of the Yoruba Nation separatist agitation.
HURIWA recalled that on April 5 2021, a total of 1,844 prisoners were freed when gunmen attacked a correctional facility in Owerri, an official has said. It was then automatically reported that the attack on the prison by armed men initially suspected to be members of the outlawed Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB).The group had been blamed by the Government for previous attacks on security officers and facilities in the South-east and South-south regions.The Nigerian Inspector General blamed the Eastern Security Network, the armed wing of the banned separatist group the Indigenous People of Biafra, are responsible for the attack.
HURIWA recalled that amongst a plethora of attacks targeted at National security assets which are blamed on IPOB without any shreds of forensic evidence, Another incident is the report Of Thursday 7th August 2021 in which Imo police through its commissioner Mr. Abattam who said, “On August 5, at 21:35 hours, bandits, in their numbers attacked and threw explosives and petrol bombs on top of the roof of Orsu Police Station damaging the roof and causing fire outbreak in the station which spread and affected some of the vehicles parked at the parking lot. The command’s tactical teams on ground engaged the bandits in a gun duel. The police blamed the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra for this and scores of attacks.
HURIWA however said the federal government’s show of shameless double standard was manifested when On the 13th September 2021 , Gunmen attacked Kabba Correctional Centre in the early hours of Monday, freeing 240 inmates and killing two security operatives.The custodial facility was said to have had 294 inmates as of the time of attack. The Rights group said the President of Nigeria and heads of security institutions did not blame any group for the attack and for over a Month not a suspect is under arrest. The spokesman for the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) in the state, Mr. Olanrewaju Anjorin, confirmed the incident, saying: “Yes. It has been confirmed that the attack actually happened. And right now, the comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) and other top officers are assessing the situation.”
HURIWA then recalled that last week the Oyo prison with over 1,000 inmates experienced a massive prison break with all the prisoners escaping even as experts alleged that armed Fulani attackers were responsible and their target was the detained Oyo based Blind Fulani warlord Wakili blamed for the killings of Yoruba farmers for which Sunday Igboho mobilised his supporters to chase the armed Fulani militia away and the leader of the Fulani gangs was arrested and detained in prison. HURIWA then said the federal government failed to blame any particular group for the Oyo prison break even when the Fulani terrorists are blamed by most experts. The Rights group said these signals of double standards by the current government in favour of Fulani terrorists is provocative, vexatious, treasonous, unconstitutional and illegal just as the Rights group urge Nigerians to speak out in condemnation of the open practice of double standards by the federal government in Abuja now.
There was pandemonium in Obada Oko in Ewekoro local government area of Ogun State following the kidnapping of three worshippers in a Cherubim and Seraphim Church, along Railway station in the early hours of Sunday.
The victims, according to a source, who pleaded anonymity, included; Ifeoluwa Alani-Bello, Adebare Oduntan and Mary Oliyide were said to have been taken away by unknown gunmen while holding a vigil in the aforementioned church.
It was gathered that the abductors had demanded for ransom of N6 million before they can be released.
According to the source, “the incident took place at Cherubim & Seraphim Church, Ona-Ara, Oju-Irin in Obada Oko in the early hours of today (Sunday) during a night vigil held by the said church”.
Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ogun State command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the state command anti-kidnapping unit has been dispatched to the area to partner with the Obada Oko Division of the police to rescue the victims
He added that, it should also be noted that the police had also warned members of the public from having vigil and religious activities in areas considered to be isolated and that if at all such places of worship want to have programme, they should inform the police so that police patrol could be extended to such area and adequate security provided.
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
Terrorists suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on Sunday evening attacked Jankasa community in Zangon Kataf local government area of Kaduna state, Northwest Nigeria killing two people.
The attackers invaded the community at about 4:30pm Nigerian time and began shooting sporadically as villagers scamper for safety, a source told Middle Belt Times on telephone.
“They came in shooting anyhow, it is Sunday evening and people were relaxing when they came.
“So far I saw two dead bodies while two other people were seriously injured and have been taken to the hospital.” He said.
Jankasa is neighboring Mallagum District where 38 villagers were massacred on September 26 by suspected Fulani terrorists in Madamai and Abun communities.
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.
Terror group suspected to be Fulani terrorists operating in Kaduna on Saturday attacked traveling Southern Kaduna traditional dancers who were returning from a function in Kaduna, killing one, injuring five others and abducting many.
The attack took place along Mararaban Rido while the dancers were en-route Southern Kaduna having performed in a function in Kaduna city.
An eyewitness who craved anonymity told Middle Belt Times that the attackers were heavily armed and opened fire upon sighting the vehicle conveying the dancers.
“The attack took place around 5pm, just after Mararaban Rido, the gunmen opened fire on the vehicle, the occupants of the vehicles were mostly traditional dancers who had earlier performed at a function organized by a Catholic Priest in Kaduna.
“The driver was killed on the spot, while five others were injured. They also kidnapped seven people and went away with them” He said.
MBT also confirmed that the five persons who sustained gunshots injuries during the attack are currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital in kaduna.
Mararaban Rido and environs have been hotspots for kidnappings and other terrorists activities lately. It would be recalled that over one hundred students of the Bethel Baptist High School situated in the area were kindappeed on July 5.
