ANAMBRA GUBER: HURIWA ASKS PRESIDENT BUHARI, SOUTH EAST LEADERS TO PREVENT BLOODBATH

Civil rights advocacy group- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has appealed for the umpteenth time to President Muhammadu Buhari and the governors of the Igbo speaking States to take immediate action to forestall the massive BLOODBATH that may be unleashed should the Federal Government carry out its threats to carry out military action against groups standing in the way of the Anambra governorship election in less than two weeks away. 

HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) in a media statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director Miss Zainab Yusuf, said it was worried by the fact that up until now there are no signs that the political leaders of the South East including the Governors, National and state parliamentarians, traditional hierarchy, and cultural leaders have not activated dialogues mechanisms to mount effective pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari to opt for peaceful negotiations and stop his hardline and kinetic postures against members of the outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB). 

HURIWA lamented that the governors of the South East rather than being resolute ad committed towards finding lasting solutions in the uproar between the Proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra and the Federal government of President Muhammadu Buhari are behaving like giraffes by hiding their heads in the sands whilst Igboland is set ablaze. The Rights group regretted that the governors are not bothered about possible conflicts that may mar the Anambra governorship election but are deeply concerned about how to grab political power by all means by winning the Anambra governorship seat by hook or crook. 

HURIWA expressed consternation that since July that the leader of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (Ipob) was allegedly kidnapped by the Nigerian government from Kenya and brought back to Nigeria to continue his trial for alleged treasonable felony for his role in championing the campaign for self determination in the South East  of Nigeria,  the elected leaders of the Igbo speaking nationality have yet to concretely convinced the President to unban the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (Ipob) and remove the erroneous tag of being a terrorist group slammed on the self proclaimed unarmed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra. 

The Rights group said instead of opting for peaceful negotiations and the adoption of non kinetic steps by the federal government to douse the rising tension created by the detention of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (Ipob) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,  the Federal government and the South East governors have largely adopted bellicose and confrontational military strategies to confront a situation that could have been resolved through peaceful and constructive means. 

The Rights group said the recent moves by the federal government to Militarise Anambra state with the elections barely few days away and the threat to call out the people of the South East of Nigeria on a week-long sit-at-home protests made by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra is an unambiguous signal that the election in Anambra State would be characterised by BLOODBATH which is what the Rights group is asking all and sundry to avert. 

HURIWA recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered a massive deployment of security agents in Anambra State to ensure peaceful conduct of the November 6 governorship election in the state.

The National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, disclosed this to journalists after a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) at the State House, Abuja on Thursday just as he stated as follows: “Now the problem here is that in as much as the government wants to conduct peaceful elections, there are non-state actors who have been heating up the polity, who have made all kinds of attempts to stymie orderly elections for next month.

The president has directed that under no circumstances will anything be allowed to stop the elections from taking place successfully. The people have a right to vote, they have a right to select their leader, and no group or individual will be allowed to stimulate anarchy and chaos leading to murderous activities.

“The president has made it very clear that the armed forces, security agencies and law enforcement agencies must make sure that the elections take place, if it means overwhelming the entire environment with the presence of security agencies.”

HURIWA further recalled that the police had on 14 October announced it would deploy 34,587 personnel to Anambra to ensure peace during the poll even as earlier the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, had hinted that the federal government was considering imposing a state of emergency in the state to ensure peaceful conduct of the poll.

HURIWA recalled too that the Indigenous People of Biafra had declared a one week sit-at-home protest across the South-East states starting from November 5, the eve of the governorship election in Anambra State. IPOB’s Media and Public Secretary, Emma Powerful, in a statement on Saturday in Awka, the Anambra State capital, said the protest was aimed at prevailing on the Federal Government to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu. The group vowed that the protest would go on as planned if Kanu was not released before November 4.

Reacting against these warlike backdrops occasioned by the different threats from the President, his security Chiefs and then the Proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra not to allow the election in Anambra take place if its leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is still being kept in the dungeons of the Department of State Services up until the date of the Anambra governorship election, the Rights group has raised alarm of an impending genocide.

The HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has decried what it calls the CLOUDS OF UNCERTAINTY AND WAR that has beclouded the horizons in the South East of Nigeria and is therefore asking President Muhammadu Buhari to be a Statesman and not proceed to precipitate a genocide and BLOODBATH which is the consequence of his Presidential directive to the heads of the Armed Forces. 

HURIWA said members of the Armed Forces have in the recent times violated the fundamental human rights of the citizens during their previous internal military actions and have killed many innocent citizens without the killers ever been brought to justice. HURIWA said there is no guarantee that the armed forces that are now being given direct order to deploy and employ kinetic means to ensure that Anambra state governornorship election happen, won’t employ the use of extralegal killings of citizens. 

The Rights group wonders why despite all the appeals from peace loving groups in the organised civil society community and the traditional institutions in the South East of Nigeria advocating peaceful resolutions of all the contending issues between the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra and the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration, it would seem President Muhammadu Buhari has opted for only one option which is to deploy the full force of the armed forces to the South East of Nigeria. HURIWA has also appealed to the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra to avoid situations that will eventually throw the South East Region into avoidable and preventable war even as the Rights group warned against any plan to frustrate the holding of the Anambra governorship election. 

The Rights group maintained that  now that  the President has given specific directive to the Armed Forces not to allow any group to disrupt the Anambra governorship election and the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra has now ordered Civil peaceful protest of a sit-at-home order which as we have come to see it unfold have in the past led to many deaths and arson in the South East of Nigeria, it is certain that there would be BLOODBATH should the members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra physically attempts to prevent voters from reaching the polling stations in the Anambra state gubernatorial poll. 

North West Leads As 496 Civilians, 86 Security Operatives Killed In 1 Month

Almost five hundred civilians were killed as a result of various attacks by armed groups across the country last month of September 2021, as insecurity in the country worsened.

A report by West Africa Network for Peace Building (WANEP) released on Friday indicated that 944 Nigerians lost their lives, 496 of which were civilians. The North West geopolitical zone recorded the highest number of casualty.

A breakdown of the loss of lives across the zones indicated that, in North West, one person was killed in Jigawa, 84 in Kaduna, 4 in Kano, 5 in Katsina, 5 in Kebbi, 70 in Sokoto and 25 in Zamfara state.

In the North East, 13 persons were killed in Yobe, 12 in Borno, 7 in Adamawa and 4 in Bauchi State.

In North Central, 114 people were killed in Niger State, 18 in Kogi, 16 in Benue, 11 in Plateau, 10 in Federal Capital Territory and 9 in Kwara.

In the South East, 30 people were killed in Anambra, 16 in Imo, 5 in Ebonyi while 3 we’re killed in Enugu state.

In the South South, 30 people were killed in Delta State, 4 in Bayelsa, 1 in Akwa Ibom, 2 in Rivers and 3 lost their lives in Edo state.

In the South West, 8 people were killed in Lagos, 3 in Ogun and Osun states while 2 were killed in Ondo and 1 person lost his life in Oyo state within the same period.

According to the report, out of the number of civilians killed during the period 20 were females, while 18 were children.

365 people including 39 females and 98 children were also kidnapped across 26 states within the period.

The report indicated that suspected armed bandits killed 339 people in Zamfara, Kano, Kaduna and Niger States.

Suspected terrorists from Boko Haram and ISWAP ranks also killed 85 persons in Borno state, according to the report. Other criminal groups caused the death of 24 people within the same period.

The report indicated how banditry is taking leap ahead of insurgency as bandits killed 275 persons, with Boko Haram/ISWAP attacks causing the deaths of 22 deaths. Communal clashes caused 7 death while uncategorised armed violence led to the deaths of 106 people across the country.

Violent clashes also caused 13 deaths, Cult clashes claimed 12 lives, while one person was lost to violent demonstrations. The report indicated that 23 people were killed in culpable homicide.

Eight people were said to have been killed through extrajudicial killings while farmer/herders clashes claimed 39 lives, mob attacks led to the death of 26 people within the same period.

The Economist magazine yesterday painted a gloomy picture of the Nigerian intractable security challenge, in a piece titled “Insurgency, secessionism and banditry threaten Nigeria”.

The London publication said Nigeria is facing “its biggest test since the civil war 50 years ago”.

It lampooned the political and security leadership for inability to take the myriad of security threats bedevilling the country.

The publication alleged that the Nigerian army is populated “with corrupt generals and unable to protect the country from the mutating violence”.

“But many of its soldiers are ‘ghosts’ who exist only on the payroll, and much of its equipment is stolen and sold to insurgents.”

“The police are understaffed, demoralised and poorly trained. Many supplement their low pay by robbing the public they have sworn to protect,” it said.

In a swift reaction to the publication, spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said the report was crafted to denigrate, demonize and destabilize the Nigerian Government. He said the report contained some unimaginable slurs targeted at the Nigerian military and the Nigerian Army in particular.

According to him, “Even as the real intention of the otherwise respected Economist magazine in publishing such toxic concoctions weaved up as report on Nigerian Government’s response to the multi-faceted security challenges assailing the country is yet to be unraveled, the source of the article is very clear.

“It is one of those deliberate falsehood and noxious narratives orchestrated by a network of detractors and coven of dark forces working very hard to adorn the Nigerian Army in an unfitting garb of infamy.’’

The army spokesman added that, the vile report which the Economist chose to offer its platform for publication, spared no effort in trying to vilify and rubbish the image, character and reputational standing of the Nigerian Army, but failed woefully.

“As a professional, hard-fighting and globally respected institution that has continued to occupy deserved glorious position in the comity of global defence forces, the Nigerian Army is certainly not what the so-called report by the Economist tried to characterize it.

“Even more ludicrous was the embellishments of the said report by the notorious unprofessional media outlets that were quick to republish the obvious falsehood.

“How is it conceivable that an international magazine worth its name and professional reputation would agree to lend its medium for a hatchet job of an article without as much as committing little effort to finding out the real truth about the Nigerian Army?

“How is it imaginable that the Nigerian Army that has distinguished itself as a worthy contributor to global peace and security through regional, continental and international peace keeping and peace support operations would be characterized as “Mighty on paper”?

“How can the Nigerian Army that has restored democracies, brought peace to troubled lands and stabilized the sub-region through the dint of hard work, commitment to duty, discipline and professionalism be so denigrated?

“Is it the ‘ghost soldiers’ of the Nigerian Army that have weathered the storm of terrorism and insurgency of Boko Haram and Islamic State of West African Province Terrorists (ISWAP) in the north eastern part of the country and parts of the Lake Chad region?

“In case the Economist magazine and those who fed it all the lies it published do not know, the Nigerian Army working in a joint environment, has been able to stop ISWAP, a very formidable international terrorist organization in its tracks, in spite of all the obstacles, including arm sale blackouts on its way.

“The Economist and its ilk ought to have known that the Nigerian Army has long distinguished itself as a professional force that does not toy with accountability nor shirk from its statutory responsibility of defending Nigeria from external aggression or internal insurrection.

“Is it not curious that an otherwise respected international magazine could so easily be sucked in by the antics of conflict merchants and agents provocateurs who are uncomfortable with the steadfastness, patriotism, unwavering commitment, sacrifice, ruggedness and resoluteness of the Nigerian Army in stamping out terrorism, banditry and other violent crimes assailing the country and the West African sub-region?”, he argued.

[Dailytrust]

Foreign mercenaries invade Nigeria, free Fulani leader Wakili from Oyo Prison

Hired Fulani mercenaries have been fingered as being responsible for Friday night’s attack on Abolongo correctional facility, Oyo town in Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria.

The gunmen arrived in their numbers around 11pm and started shooting sporadically. They then released inmates who fled to their various destinations.

It is understood that there was a bit of panic around the prison vicinity, as residents thought it was a robbery attempt.

The Nigeria Correctional Services (NCS), Oyo state Command, on Saturday morning confirmed the attack on the prison, stating that it is assessing the situation.

Now, fresh information coming in says the attack was planned and carried out by invading bandits.

According to Sahara Reporters, the gunmen carried out the attack specifically to free Iskilu Wakili, a prominent Fulani man accused of being among those behind most kidnappings and mindless killings in Ibarapa axis of Oyo State. Wakili, who has sight problem, was arrested by the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) in March. He was immediately handed over to the Police, and has since been in custody.

Information has it that gunmen struck on Wednesday on Oyo-Ogbomosho Road. And these invaders who attacked Abolongo prison are believed to be same terrorists who struck three days ago on Oyo-Ogbomosho road.

[PoliticsNg]

Nigeria Not Expected To Deploy Super Tucano To South-East – US Warns Buhari Government

The United States has said the Nigerian government is expected to deploy the Super Tucano aircraft only in the northern part of the country where Boko Haram terrorists have engaged in a decade-long insurgency, killing thousands and displacing millions.

According to Punch, the US Principal Deputy National Security Advisor, Jonathan Finer, at an event attended by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, said the terms of the agreement during the sale of the 12 Tucano aircraft were explicit.

Reacting to a question on whether the Tucano fighter planes might be deployed against secessionists in the South-East, Finer said the planes were an important platform for security, particularly in the North, expressing pleasure over the conclusion of the deal.

Finer said, “We are pleased to deepen our security cooperation with the Nigerian government. I think we made it very clear our expectations about this platform where it would be used and in the right way and we are always raising concerns when we have them and that it’s true with all our security partners around the world.

“This is an important platform for security, particularly in the North and we are pleased the transaction is finally concluded.”

The Federal Government had proscribed the Indigenous People of Biafra in the South-East and despite public outcry, designated the agitation group as terrorists, fuelling fears that the Super Tucano might be deployed to harass the residents.

On Wednesday, it had also been reported that the military had not been able to deploy the Tucano planes to crush the bandits in the North-West because the agreement signed with the United States was that the aircraft, bought from the US, would be deployed against terrorists and not bandits.

This implies that the fighter planes have only been deployed to fight Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East.

It was gathered that the complaints by the service chiefs led to the recent recommendation to by the Senate and the House of Representatives that bandits should be designated as terrorists, so the planes could be deployed against the bandits.

The Federal Government had ordered 12 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to aid its war against Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East. The aircraft were said to have cost $423million.

On July 22, 2021, the Nigerian Air Force said in a statement by its spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, that the first batch of six of the Tucano aircraft arrived at Kano at about 12:34pm.

Also, on October 18, 2021, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the remaining six had been received and had been deployed to the North-East.

[Saharareporters]

BREAKING: Gunmen storm Oyo prison, free over 1,000 prisoners

Not less than a thousand prisoners have reportedly escaped from the Abolongo prison in Oyo town after some gunmen attacked the correctional centre and freed all inmates.

A TVC News report said that the gunmen arrived in their numbers around 11:00 O’clock last night (Saturday, October 22, 2021) and started shooting sporadically, and released the inmates who fled to their various destinations.

“A source told TVC News that there was a little bit of panic around the prison vicinity during the time of the escape, as residents around thought it was a robbery attempt,” the report said.

As at the time of this report, the Oyo state police command was yet to release an official statement to ascertain the actual number of the escapees.

[News Express]

Bandits kidnap youth corpers on way to NYSC camps

The Police Command in Zamfara on Friday confirmed that bandits had abducted two prospective corps members deployed from Benue to Kebbi and Sokoto states.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mohammed Shehu, disclosed this in a statement in Gusau, Zamfara.

Shehu said the Zamfara Police Command had received report of their abduction from the State Coordinator, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Zamfara State, Namalam Taura, in Gusau.

According to the PPRO, the report indicated that two prospective corps members deployed from Benue to Kebbi and Sokoto states were among the victims abducted along Tsafe  – Gusau road on Tuesday Oct. 19, 2021 at about 22.30 hours.

Shehu said the command received the report on Friday, October 22, 2021 when the Commissioner of Police, Ayuba Elkanah, visited the Orientation Camp at Tsafe, Tsafe Local Government Area.

He said that Elkanah had visited the NYSC orientation camp to assess the existing security emplacement to ensure safety and security of the prospective corps members arriving at the camp for the two weeks orientation exercise.

“It could be recalled that on Oct. 19, 2021, at about 2230 hours, a vehicle with registration number GBK 339 ZY was blocked by armed bandits along Tsafe-Gusau road while travelling from Benue to Sokoto State.

“The vehicle was attacked while passing through Wanzamai Village in Tsafe LGA.

“And that resulted to the abduction of some passengers whose identities and number remained unknown,” Shehu said.

He said that the Command had commenced investigation into the incident with a view to establishing the actual number of persons abducted.

He said the command had deployed a team of security forces on search and rescue operation to rescue the victims.

Shehu said that CP Elkanah assured the NYSC coordinator and the corps members of police commitment to safeguard their lives.

The commissioner, however, enjoined them to be security conscious and restrict their movement while in the camp.

Meanwhile, effort to get details from the NYSC was not successful due to suspension of mobile network in Tsafe local government area.

(NAN)

NRC Announces Resumption Of Abuja-Kaduna Train Services

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced the resumption of the Abuja-Kaduna Train Services (AKTS).

This is coming 24 hours after an attack on a section of the 186-kilometer railway track led the corporation to suspend its services.

In a statement on Friday night, NRC announced the resumption of operations.

Daily Trust learnt that this was sequel to the fixing of the damaged portions of the railways.

“The Board and Management of the Nigerian railway corporation (NRC) hereby inform the general public, particularly our valued passengers that Abuja – Kaduna Train Services (AKTS) resume tomorrow, Saturday, 23rd October, 2021 as follows,” the statement read.

“From, IDU, Abuja (AK3) at 0950am. From RIGASA, Kaduna (KA4) at 1035am. Subsequent trains services continue. NRC, once again sincerely apologises for the inconvenience.”

[Dailytrust]

Teenage ‘Bandit’ Who ‘Murdered Two Persons’ Arrested In Katsina

The Katsina State Police Command has arrested a teenager over his alleged involvement in banditry.

The boy aged 14 was paraded at the command headquarters.

According to Isah Gambo, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, the minor confessed to killing two persons during one of his operations.

Gambo said the boy confessed taking part in the operation at Mallamawa in Jibia Local Government Area of the state where the persons were killed.

“The boy has confessed to us that he has participated in several attacks on villages within and outside the state where he said he could remember killing two people in Mallamawa.”

“The boy has confessed to us that he has participated in several attacks on villages within and outside the state where he said he could remember killing two people in Mallamawa.”

“He also participated in attacks on Dankulumbo and Kukar Babangida, all in Jibia local government area. He has also rustled an unspecified number of animals during several attacks,” Gambo said.

He added that the boy said he was trained as a bandit, kidnapper and cattle rustler.

The boy reportedly said he regretted his actions and wanted to be reformed.

Katsina is one of the North West States where there is a high level of insecurity.

[DailyTrust]

Secretaries of State, Defense Seek Dismissal of Nigerian Separatists’ Suit

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin asked a court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a Nigerian separatist group over the sale of aircraft the plaintiffs say will be used to persecute its supporters.

The two officials, who are the defendants in the case, said a federal court in Washington has no jurisdiction to address the claim brought by the Indigenous People of Biafra, or IPOB, according to their motion submitted Oct. 18.

IPOB filed a complaint against the senior members of President Joe Biden’s cabinet in August, asking a judge to compel them to reverse the recently completed sale of a dozen A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to Nigeria’s air force. The secessionist movement’s complaint argued that the planes will be deployed against their sympathizers.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, which proscribed IPOB as a terrorist organization in 2017, accuses the group of waging a violent campaign against state personnel and assets. IPOB says it’s a peaceful movement working to establish an independent nation in southeastern Nigeria that will defend the Igbo ethnic group against discrimination by the federal government.

IPOB’s complaint said Blinken and Austin violated laws intended to protect civilians from harm caused by U.S. weapons in the possession of foreign security forces.

“It would be inappropriate for the court to weigh in on a sensitive foreign affairs matter,” the U.S. officials said in their response requesting the dismissal of the case.

[Bloomberg]

Gunmen Set Imo Police Station Ablaze, Free Suspects

Gunmen on Thursday night set ablaze the Isiala Mbano Local Government Area Divisional Police Headquarters in Imo State, situated at Umuelemai.

According to Punch, the attackers invaded the station and also set some suspects free during a heavy rainfall.The gunmen struck around 7pm.

Fleeing gunmen had on March 19, set the same Divisional Police Headquarters on fire.

Apart from freeing suspects in detention, the attackers kidnapped one of the female cops on duty on that day.
On arrival on Thursday, the hoodlums opened fire on the government facility before setting it on fire.

The cops on duty were said to have fled, making the attackers have a field day.

An indigene of the area told Punch that the hoodlums shot repeatedly at the police station.

He said “The gunshots were terrifying. We were terribly tense owing to the gunshots. They supervised the burning of the place before living.”

The police spokesperson in the state, Mike Abattam, had yet to confirm the attack but a senior official who pleaded anonymity confirmed the incident and disclosed that the authorities had commenced an investigation in the latest onslaught.

(Saharareporters)