Biafra Apparel: HURIWA Carpets Army For Brutalizing Actor Chiwetalu Agu

The alleged brutalization and physical harassment and torture of the popular Nollywoods Actor Mr Chinwetalu Agu over his recent viral photo of him putting on the clothes made from the flag of the defunct Biafra Republic has been described as animalistic, insensitive, irresponsible, irrational, despicable and reprehensible.
Canvassing immediate redress by the military high command, the prominent Civil society and pro-democracy group:- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) said it was illegal to harass, a law abiding citizen like Mr. Chinwetalu Agu who has deployed his monumental creative talents as an actor to mobilize the society and to advocate for an ethically sensitive and humane society, must not be allowed to be swept under the carpets of impunity.
“Where is that valid law within the federal Republic of Nigeria under constitutional democracy that denies the citizens their choice of apparel? Why is the flag of the defunct Biafra if turned into a clothe now made offensive and why is the Nigerian Army seeking to polarize the society and deepen the misperception that the military exercise in the South was meant to subject the citizens to ordeals of gross Human Rights Violations when this is not so? We condemn this overzealous tendencies of the military troop that undertook this abysmal and primitive act of humiliating a citizen for putting on his choice clothes when the primary duty of the Army is to protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria? In which way has Mr. Chinwetalu Agu disrespected any provisions of the law and assuming without conceding that the putting on of apparel displaying the flag of the defunct Biafra Republic is unlawful, are there no human rights and law based procedure for bringing him to justice without metting out such level of brutality despite his age and his immense contributions to the entertainment industry?” 

HURIWA spoke further: “We hereby appealed to the Chief of Army staff Lieutenant General Yahaya Faruk to arrest  and sanction the Soldiers captured on the viral video for harassing and torturing the elder statesman or alternatively, we urge the victim of this Human Rights violation to seek redress in the Court of law under section 6 of the Constitution”.
Specifically, section 6 states thus: “(1) The judicial powers of the Federation shall be vested in the courts to which this section relates, being courts established for the Federation. (2)  The judicial powers of a State shall be vested in the courts to which this section relates, being courts established, subject as provided by this Constitution, for a State. (3)  The courts to which this section relates, established by this Constitution for the Federation and for the States, specified in subsection (5) (a) to (1) of this section, shall be the only superior courts of record in Nigeria; and save as otherwise prescribed by the National Assembly or by the House of Assembly of a State, each court shall have all the powers of a superior court of record. (4)  Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this section shall be construed as precluding:- (a)                        the National Assembly or any House of Assembly from establishing courts, other than those to which this section relates, with subordinate jurisdiction to that of a High Court; (b)                        the National Assembly or any House of Assembly, which does not require it, from abolishing any court which it has power to establish or which it has brought into being.(5)  This section relates to:- (a)  the Supreme Court of Nigeria; (b)  the Court of Appeal; (c)   the Federal High Court; (d)  the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; (e)   a High Court of a State(f)   the Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja;(g)   a Sharia Court of Appeal of a State; (h)  the Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; (i)    a Customary Court of Appeal of a State;(j)    such other courts as may be authorised by law to exercise jurisdiction on matters with respect to which the National Assembly may make laws; and (k)  such other court as may be authorised by law to exercise jurisdiction at first instance or on appeal on matters with respect to which a House of Assembly may make laws.(6)  The judicial powers vested in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this section – (a)  shall extend, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this constitution, to all inherent powers and sanctions of a court of law(b)  shall extend, to all matters between persons, or between government or authority and to any persons in Nigeria, and to all actions and proceedings relating thereto, for the determination of any question as to the civil rights and obligations of that person; (c)   shall not except as otherwise provided by this Constitution, extend to any issue or question as to whether any act of omission by any authority or person or as to whether any law or any judicial decision is in conformity with the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy set out in Chapter II of this Constitution; (d)  shall not, as from the date when this section comes into force, extend to any action or proceedings relating to any existing law made on or after 15th January, 1966 for determining any issue or question as to the competence of any authority or person to make any such law.                     
HURIWA condemned the action of those soldiers because it violates section 42(1) which provides thus: “A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person:- a)    be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any executive or administrative action of the government, to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions are not made subject; or b)   be accorded either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any such executive or administrative action, any privilege or advantage that is not accorded to citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions.(2)                        No citizen of Nigeria shall be subjected to any disability or deprivation merely by reason of the circumstances of his birth.  Section 36. (1) In the determination of his civil rights and obligations, including any question or determination by or against any government or authority, a person shall be entitled to a fair hearing within a reasonable time by a court or other tribunal established by law and constituted in such manner as to secure its independence and impartiality.  Section 35.(1) Every person shall be entitled to his personal liberty and no person shall be deprived of such liberty save in the following cases and in accordance with a procedure permitted by law – a)    in execution of the sentence or order of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty; b)   by reason of his failure to comply with the order of a court or in order to secure the fulfilment of any obligation imposed upon him by law; c)    for the purpose of bringing him before a court in execution of the order of a court or upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed a criminal offence, or to such extent as may be reasonably necessary to prevent his committing a criminal offence; d)    in the case of a person who has not attained the age of eighteen years for the purpose of his education or welfare; e)    in the case of persons suffering from infectious or contagious disease, persons of unsound mind, persons addicted to drugs or alcohol or vagrants, for the purpose of their care or treatment or the protection of the community; or f)      for the purpose of preventing the unlawful entry of any person into Nigeria or of effecting the expulsion, extradition or other lawful removal from Nigeria of any person or the taking of proceedings relating thereto: Provided that a person who is charged with an offence and who has been detained in lawful custody awaiting trial shall not continue to be kept in such detention for a period longer than the maximum period of imprisonment prescribed for the offence. And Section 34. (1) Every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person, and accordingly – a)    no person shall be subject to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment; b)   no person shall he held in slavery or servitude; and c)    no person shall be required to perform forced of compulsory labour.” 
HURIWA cited news reports  that popular Nollywood actor, Chinwetalu Agu, was reportedly brutalized by Nigerian soldiers for wearing an outfit with colours of the Biafran flag.

It was gathered that the incident occurred in the Upper Iweka area of Anambra state.

According to an eye witness, the Nigerian soldiers had stopped the Nollywood actors, bringing him out of his vehicle for interrogation.

Recall that Chinwetalu Agu had recently rocked the Biafra flag attire in a post on social media.

Bandits Kill Eleven in Latest Katsina Attack

At least eleven persons have been reported killed after deadly armed bandits launched an attack on Yasore community in Batsari local government area of Katsina state, North West Nigeria.

The attack was made known by Activist Yusuf Anka who has been consistently reporting the activities of bandits in the North-West region of Nigeria.

According to a tweet put forward on his twitter handle, Anka reported that the bandits also injured ten villagers during the deadly attack. He further said that houses were destroyed by the bandits.

This attack is coming barely 24 hours after bandits killed 18 people in Kuryan Madaro communit in Kaura local government area of neighboring Zamfara state.

Katsina the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari has been under repeated armed bandits attack with almost a dozen local government area alleged to be under the control of the bandits despite ongoing military operations in the region.

Nigeria’s Police Inspector-General Brings Back Notorious Police Unit, SARS

The Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman has revived a notorious unit of the Nigeria Police Force, which was disbanded last year after #EndSARS protests, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). 

SARS was notorious for brutality, extrajudicial killings, and human rights abuses. 

In a statement obtained by SaharaReporters, the IGP was said to have released new terms and conditions on the operation of SARS officials. 

The Police Force also made phone numbers available for citizens to report harassment.

According to Baba Usman, SARS has been reformed and the new rules of engagement are stated below:

“No SARS personnel is allowed to interface in any civil matter.

“They are not allowed to interfere in cybercrime (yahoo yahoo).

“No SARS personnel is allowed to conduct a stop and search exercise unless there is a distress call from victims or members of the public.

“They are not allowed to be involved in commercial matters, debt recovery, (landlord vs tenant issues).

“They are not allowed to interfere in any social/relationship cases (marital matters, boyfriend/girlfriend relationship).

“They are strictly for armed robbery and kidnapping cases!”

Also, citizens are encouraged to report cases of harassment by any of its officials to the following office: DIG, Department of Operations:

08037025670, IGP X-SQUAD 0902 690 0729, 08078662130, 08174041000 – CALLS.

0903 227 8905 – SMS.

0903 562 1377 – WhatsApp

Last October, there were massive protests in some states tagged #EndSARS, largely organised by youths, to call for an end to police brutality. 

They also demanded that SARS, a police unit, notorious for human rights abuses, extrajudicial killings, and other atrocities should be disbanded.

But during the protests against police brutality, the Nigeria police unleashed more terror on peaceful protesters in many parts of the country, including at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, the epicentre of the struggle. 

The repressive regime of Muhammadu Buhari was forced to disband SARS. 

It thereafter introduced the Special Weapons and Tactics Team, which many Nigerians described as not different from the disbanded SARS. 

Meanwhile, the police inspector General, Baba Usman once said the disbandment of SARS had created a vacuum in policing the country.

He added that the morale of police officers in the country had been low since the #EndSARS protests in October 2020.

[Saharareporters]

JUST IN: Bandit Who Indicted El-rufai Makes U-turn, Says “That was not what I meant” During fresh Interrogation

A new twist has emerged in the interrogation of Ado Namarai, an arrested bandit from Katsina state who was part of a deadly bandits gang operating in Kaduna state, North-West Nigeria.

Middle Belt Times on Saturday exclusively reported that the bandit during interrogation indicted the Kaduna state Governor for “knowing about the place” where the bandits operate in a village called Sabon Filli in Giwa local government area of Kaduna state.

In a new video obtained by MBT, the bandit was seen speaking during a fresh Interrogation organized by the Katsina state police command where he was asked to clarify on his comment indicting El-rufai during his previous interrogation. The bandit speaking in Hausa language then said he didn’t mean that the governor was supporting the bandits activities.

The reason why I said El-rufai knows about the place is because last year, over a year and some months ago, I did 28 of the Ramadan fasting there in Sabon Filli before I came back here to Katsina and did the 29th and since then God hasn’t given me the grace to return there.

Certainly the reason why I said El-rufai knows where the bandits are is because, if El-rufai wants to work sincerely because of God like the Katsina state Governor is doing, he would have done so.

An airplane came to Sabon Filli and was releasing bombs, there were 4 Hilux vehicles on the ground, I was in my farm working that day. The aeroplane was shot and it managed to return back to the airport.

I hid in my farm and saw when one of the Hilux driver was shot, the others turned and left. This battle went on from 8am to 4pm. After the battle, the Hilux was burnt by the bandits. If you go there now you will see the burnt Hilux.

That is just what I meant by saying El-rufai knows about the place where the bandits are, because in his position as governor, he has the capacity to send in security to clear the place.

Am sure where he is seated now, in my own thinking, he is aware and sees everything that is happening

It would be recalled that Middle Belt Times on Saturday placed a call to the Katsina state police PRO, Gambo Isah to comment on the bandit’s indictment of El-rufai but he refused saying;

I cannot comment on the matter

As at the time of filing this report, MBT could not ascertain why a fresh interrogation was organized for the arrested bandit and under which circumstances he was brought to talk to the press.

Kaduna state has been ravaged by insecurity in the last decade with the situation becoming worse since the coming of the current APC administration in 2015. Several communities have been sacked by rampaging Fulani herdsmen and bandits while thousands have been killed along the line.

It would also be recalled that in 2016 the Kaduna state Governor during an interview session on Channels TV, confessed to offering the herdsmen carrying out killings of genocidal proportion in Southern Kaduna monetary compensation to stop the killings in the region, an action that further intensified the killings in the area.

Last Thursday, 38 victims of Fulani terrorists attack in Madamai and Abun communities were laid to rest during a mass burial covered by MBT.

Middle Belt Forum knocks FG over threat to declare state of emergency in Anambra

The National President of the Middle Belt Forum (MDF), Dr. Bitrus Pogu has said that the Federal Government’s threat to impose a state of emergency on Anambra State ahead of the coming governorship election is unacceptable and unconstitutional.

Dr. Pogu, who spoke to Vanguard on Wednesday in Makurdi, advised that if the security situation in the state was getting out of hand the election should be shifted to a later date after the situation had normalized.

Hear him: “My question is, the state of emergency the Federal Government is threatening to declare in the state is on what?

“You can declare an emergency on security or even on health, if for example there is a pandemic. So the state of emergency is on what?

If it is based on security, it is rather that they stop the election and push it forward because there cannot be a fair and free election in a state where the military or whatever is in control.

“That is unacceptable in a democratic process.

“So if it is because of insecurity, the only thing and the right thing to do is to stop the election till the place is stabilised so that all parties will have a sense of freedom to exercise their franchise to vote for whoever they want.

“But in a situation you have a militarised environment and all the military and the police are controlled by just one organ of government, that is the Federal Government, there can never be freedom for others to operate.

“So that is unacceptable. If they say the security situation is bad the election should be suspended till when the situation is normalised.

“But otherwise all other parties that are not with the Federal Government will be disadvantaged by any state of emergency if it is based on insecurity.

“But otherwise all other parties that are not with the Federal Government will be disadvantaged by any state of emergency if it is based on insecurity.

“As for the position of the constitution on the matter, if you recall, during the then President Obasanjo regime, such things were done in some states where governors were put aside.

“But the court ruled that it was undemocratic and unacceptable. So based on the judgement of the courts it is even not acceptable, not allowed.”

[Vanguard]

Bandits Kill 18 in Fresh Zamfara Attack

No fewer than 18 people have been killed by daredevil armed bandits during a Tuesday night attack in Kuryan Masari community in Kaura local government of Zamfara state, North West Nigeria.

The bandits invaded the community in their usual manner and began shooting sporadically. 18 vehicles including a police patrol vehicle were also destroyed during the attack.

The attack was revealed by Zamfara Activist, Yusuf Anka who tweeted about the ugly incident on his twitter handle, @ankabiy.

18 people have been killed last night in Kuryan Madaro of Zamfara by armed bandits burning down homes, businesses and 18 Vehicles including a police patrol vehicle.
The deaths and destructions are too many for the people.?

Yesterday’s attack is one of many attacks carried out by bandits in Zamfara since the Nigerian government announced the shutdown of telecommunication networks in the state, a decision many Nigerians including Anka have continued to question it’s sincerity of purpose in the ongoing military operations in the state.

Anambra Polls: FG Threatens to Impose State of Emergency to Tighten Security

The Federal Government has said it will impose a state of emergency on Anambra State to tighten security ahead of the November 6 governorship election in the state.

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, announced this on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Malami said the government will do everything possible to ensure the protection of lives and property adding that where there is evidence of failure of the state government to ensure democratic order and security of lives, the Federal Government will prevail and will not rule out the possibility of imposing a state of emergency.

This comes amidst the wave of insecurity ravaging the state and the south-east region in general.

In the last couple of weeks, at least 10 persons have been killed in various attacks across Anambra.

On Tuesday the South-East Governors Forum said the ‘Ebube Agu’ security outfit will be established in all five states before the end of the year.

The governors said this as part of their eight-point agenda during a meeting that took place at the Enugu State Government House.

“The meeting agreed that the South-East Ebube Agu security outfit be launched in all the southeast states and laws passed in various southeast states before the end of 2021,” the communique read.

The security outfit was established in April as part of plans to checkmate the rising unrest in the region.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum David Umahi, has decried the degeneration of what started as a cry against marginalisation into violence in the region.

He, however, described the agitations for Biafra as madness, saying that most elites in the region do not want it.

According to him, all they want is to be treated equally like other regions in the country.

“Every elite in the south-east is not desirous of Biafra. We don’t want Biafra. We only want to be treated equally like other regions in Nigeria,” Governor Umahi said Wednesday, on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

“So, this idea of Biafra, Biafra is madness”.

(Channels TV)

Insecurity in The South East: HURIWA Charges Governors on Pragmatic Solution, Not Utopia

Says Miyetti Allah should be classified as a terrorist group

Leading Civil Rights Advocacy group:- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has faulted the decisions reached at the Tuesday October 5th meeting of South East governors and leaders just as the Rights group dismissed the decisions as utopian and dishonest. The group has called for thorough investigation of the widespread claims that the Department of State Services may have a hand in the spate of attacks in the South East of Nigeria just as the Rights group said the story making the rounds that a DSS operative was shot dead by the police when the police confronted armed unknown gunmen.
HURIWA said that only pragmatic measures are required to bring to an end the rising security nightmares in the South East of Nigeria and the escalation of targeted killings and destruction of strategic national security assets. HURIWA regrets that Igbo political leaders are busy chasing shadows and failing to take deep measures to check the expanding frontiers of coordinated attacks against South East of Nigeria. 
“HURIWA is once more compelled to express resounding disappointment and shock at the clear absence of any pragmatic approaches by Igbo leaders and Governors but instead most of the decisions reached on Tuesday in Enugu are cosmetic, unrealistic and utopian. Wishing that there should be an end to sit-at-home order which has been violently enforced inspite of the denial of responsibility for issuing the order by the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) shows that these so –called political, religious and cultural leaders are living in the World of Utopia.”
“The most pragmatic approach is to negotiate an end to the tagging of IPOB as a terrorists group, instituting of constructive back channel dialogues with the detained leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his members, consider conditional release from incarceration of all prisoners of conscience belonging to IPOB including their leader and for government to realistically investigate the possibility that Miyetti Allah may have a hand in the activities of the so called unknown gunmen”. HURIWA said it is heartwarming that President Muhammadu Buhari has showed his readiness to mediate in the ongoing war between Ethiopia and Eritrea but the Rights group told President Muhammadu Buhari that since charity begins at home, he needs to initiate far reaching measures to negotiate a truce with agitators for self determination in Southern Nigeria. 
HURIWA wondered how the governors of the South East have failed to hire private forensic investigators from Europe to help unravel the identities of the funders of unknown gunmen and to ascertain the persons carrying out the killings, but the governors have continued to hold on to the lazy, infantile and highly unscientific conclusion that IPOB is behind the killings or the sit at home order even when IPOB through its spokesperson has consistently denied responsibility of his proscribed group in any of the crimes. The South East governors are also not willing to safeguard Igbo land from the activities of foreign killer squads unleashed on South East by enemies of Igbo land such as Miyetti Allah that is angry that Igbos are in support of law against open grazing and had rejected the setting up the RUGA Fulani as canvassed by President Buhari. HURIWA said if the central government wants an end to the insecurity,  then MIYETTI ALLAH CATTLE BREEDERS should be classified as a terrorist group and investigated for their alleged funding of the violence in the South East of Nigeria. 
“HURIWA thinks that Miyetti Allah cattle breeders’ organization is a bloody sponsor of terrorism in South East and the statement of its leader gloating over the recent attacks in the South East has indicted his association as the funders of the killings in South East but sadly the Federal government is protecting and pampering Miyetti Allah.
HURIWA recalled that Fulani herdsmen under the aegis of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore say despite their exit from the South-East and the implementation of the anti-open grazing law, the region has continued to witness insecurity.

The spokesman for the group, Saleh Alhassan, stated this during a chat with PUNCH Live on Tuesday, adding that the development was evidence that Fulani herders were never the problem. He said that there was no more open grazing in most parts of the South-East but only cattle trading, adding that the cows being sold in the South-East mostly belong to Igbo traders. Alhassan stated, “That nonsense you see in the South-East is a manifestation of frustration… They will continue burning their cities, killing themselves.“Now that the herders are not there, they are still killing themselves. Sometimes they wear Fulani attires to continue to commit heinous crimes.“Now that the herders are not there, are they having peace in the East?”

HURIWA said the gloating by the MIYETTI ALLAH CATTLE BREEDERS ASSOCIATION about the South East security crisis shows their involvement in sponsoring the terrorism in the South East just as the Rights group said any solution without classifying Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association as a terrorist group and the arrest and prosecution of their leaders will remain cosmetic and meaningless.  HURIWA said the South East governors should put on their thinking cap and wake up from their slumber and offer pragmatic and not utopian solutions. 
HURIWA recalled that Southeast governors rose from a meeting in Enugu, yesterday, and declared that they would do everything to end the ‘sit-at-home order of the proscribed Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
 
The declaration was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting with stakeholders and made available to newsmen.
 
The meeting was convened by the Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, and hosted by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.
 
Reading the communiqué, Umahi said the governours were worried by the spate of insecurity in the region and condemned the continued ‘sit-at-home order.
 
Umahi, also Chairman of Southeast Governors’ Forum, said the governors, Southeast leaders and security chiefs condemned the spate of killings in the region.
 
He assured that the regional security outfit put together by states in the region, ‘Ebubeagu’, would be launched to give it teeth and laws passed in all the states to that effect before the end of 2021.
 
“The governors and leaders of the southeast condemn killings in the region and have agreed to join hands with security agencies to stop the trend.
 
“We, as well, condemn the ‘sit-at-home order by IPOB issued mostly by our people in the Diaspora who do not feel the pains.
 
“The meeting resolved that governors and people of the southeast will do everything within the law to ensure that there is no further sit-at-home and people are allowed to move about freely,’’ Umahi said.
 

How Terrorists Who Declared Ceasefire On Abductions Gunned Down ’30 Bandits’ In Kaduna

A clash between terrorists belonging to the Ansaru group and bandits has reportedly claimed the lives of at least 30 bandits around the Damari axis of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Multiple sources confirmed to Daily Trust that the two criminal groups started a battle for supremacy last week.

The report came three weeks after terrorists fleeing military onslaught in Zamfara State took refuge in Saulawa and Damari villages of Birnin Gwari LGA, where they hoisted their flag.

Following telecommunication shutdown in some LGAs of Kaduna, including Birnin Gwari, a resident, Samaila Yakubu, who spoke with Daily Trust from Zaria, said the crisis between the two criminal groups followed an order by the terrorists.

He said the terrorists had restricted bandits from abduction and invasion of communities.

Yakubu said the bandits had resisted the law, which led to a wrangle that claimed the lives of four bandits and one member of Ansaru group last Tuesday.

He said a tit-for-tat attack had ensued between the two groups which climaxed with the killing of about 30 bandits last week.

Also corroborating the incident, Hassan Ibrahim from Giwa LGA, said the terrorists had warned bandits to desist from rampant abductions, adding that the warning had not been heeded by the bandits which led to the clash.

Ibrahim said, “The killings between the two groups are ongoing but abductions are on a decline. The focus of the terrorists is now on how to get fuel and money from travellers.

“Two days ago, they ambushed my nephew along the Birnin Gwari- Zaria road on a motorcycle and they emptied his fuel tank.

“They then collected his phone and money he had on him and set him free. I believe the new security measures are working,” he said.

When contacted, Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, asked for time to clarify the situation from the DPO in charge of the area but hours later, he did not respond to calls to his phone.

(Dailytrust)

Panic As Bandits ‘Set Up Camps’ In FCT

There is panic in some rural communities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) following reports that fleeing bandits from the North are setting up camps in forests of the territory.

Daily Trust gathered from some locals that the bandits have set up camps around Zukpatu, Gadoro, Achimbi, Pesu, Duda, Pani, Gaube and New Gwombe communities in Kuje Area Area Council.

Most of the communities share boundaries with Nasarawa State.

Daily Trust reports that Kuje has over 400 communities not connected with any road network.

It was further gathered that the bandits are taking advantage of the rocky hinterlands to establish their bases.

According to some villagers, who spoke with our reporter, although the bandits have not started attacking them, they have been warning them against exposing their hideouts to security agents.

A resident of Gaube, who simply identified himself as Ibrahim, said the setting up of the camps by the bandits had caused panic, adding that residents, especially, farmers, now went to their farms in fear.

Ibrahim said, “Whenever the bandits come across locals in the farms or streams, they only caution us not to report to security agents their locations.”

He further said the bandits sometimes gave money to residents to buy them foodstuff and other items.

A rescued kidnap victim in Pegi axis of Kuje, who preferred anonymity, while lamenting his experience in the hands of the bandits, said they had set up camps at the bases of rocky hills.

He said, “Government needs to do something quickly before the situation gets out of hand because of what I saw. I wonder how these criminals were able to get to such places with arms.”

A resident of Gwombe who gave his name simply as Alhassan said bandits had taken over the forest around the community.

Alhassan said, “I think since they attacked and kidnapped some people in our village early this year, they don’t attack our people again, except that they send our people they come across on errands and warn them against telling security agents of their hideout.”

A traditional ruler in the FCT, who preferred anonymity, said the setting up of camps by bandits in some forests in rural communities posed serious threat to lives and property.

He recalled how bandits attacked commuters and villagers on the Gaube-Kuje road last year, which informed the setting up of a joint task force around the community.

He said, “But today, the task force has left the area and the kidnappers have returned, picking people around Gaube axis.”

The chief further said hunters and farmers usually came across the bandits but they were afraid of exposing them.

He, therefore, appealed to the federal government to take immediate action, while collaborating with traditional rulers in order to tackle insecurity in the territory.

The spokesperson of the FCT Police Command, DSP Adeh Josephine, asked our reporter to give her time to make enquiry about the development.

(DAILYTRUST)