Dead bodies recovered from Madamai and Abun communities
33 names of victims killed in Madamai and Abun communities in Mallagum District in Kaura local government area of Kaduna state on Sunday have so far been obtained by Middle Belt Times.
The list made available to MBT by the Catholic Priest of ST. Thomas Quasi Parish, Mallagum, Rev. Fr Cosmos Michael Magaji contained 33 names believed to have so far been identified by the communities. The victims are made up of 9 females, 23 males and one minor (female)
Commenting on the list, Rev. Fr Magaji said the attack was well coordinated.
“They rounded some houses. It was a well coordinated attack.” He said.
The victims are as follows;
Mrs Lami Yakubu Adakai
Mrs Fkorenc Yakubu Adakai
Danlami Adakai
Samaila Adakai
Garba Simon
Patrick Bala
Kato Achigaba
Andrew Lekwot
Lawrence Andrew
Victor Joseph
Philemon Akant Habiba
Sofio Bala Bwachat
Siman Zamani
Danjuma Yusuf
Friday Bulus
Eunice Ibrahim
Stephen Nkom
Yusuf Zuwahu
Genesis Danjuma
Bulus Markus
Ezekiel Bobai
Talatu Ezekiel
Bonat Francis
ThankGod Hananiya
Raymond La’aki
Musa Yashim
Janet Duniya
Paul Akwok
Yohanna Gagarau
Lucy Kambai
Faith Bala
Esther Luka
Philip Kambai
Middle Belt Times had earlier reported that 36 people were killed when terrorist herdsmen invaded the two communities on Sunday evening.
Madamai and Abun communities in Malagun District inKaura local government area of Kaduna state have continued to count their losses following Sunday evening Fulani terrorist herdsmen attack that left many dead.
As at the time of filling this report, MBT gathered from community sources that the death toll has risen to 36.
A Catholic Priest serving in the community who craved anonymity told MBT that more bodies were recovered later on Monday afternoon bringing the total to 36.
“After we recovered 30 bodies on Monday morning, later in the day 6 more were found including one that was burnt beyond recognition.”
“We have evacuated all the bodies for embalming with the exception of the one that was burnt beyond recognition.
A date for the mass burial will be fixed and communicated to the public.” He said.
The Kaduna state government has issued a statement condemning the attack and promised to bring the perpetrators to book.
The Senator representing Kaduna South Senatorial district, Danjuma La’ah, has revealed reasons he shed tears on different occasions on the floor of Upper Chambers while presenting motions on banditry attacks in his constituency.
The Federal lawmaker stated that some of his senatorial colleagues thought that banditry activities in Southern Kaduna seemed like a Southern Kaduna issue alone.
Speaking on the development in his senatorial district, the La’ah recalled how he told senators that one day, all the 109 Senators would encounter insecurity, in form of bandits, kidnapping insurgency and other forms of criminality, stressing that his words had become realities.
He said, “I have wept times without number, but I knew time shall come and time has come because while I was weeping in the chamber when presenting motions on banditry in Southern Kaduna, I said that one day somehow, that these things will affect every one of us.
“Because we were thinking that it was just meant for Southern Kaduna, but tell me which state in this country has not been affected by bandits?
“Bandits don’t have friends, they don’t know tribes; they don’t know religion. Whoever, you are and they found you, it’s about money.”
The lawmaker said after he presented a motion on insecurity in Southern Kaduna several times, he stopped talking, stating that if he continued based on what he knew, “heads would roll and the world will turn upside down. So, it is better I allow the sleeping dog lies.”
He said banditry activities in Southern Kaduna were not new, while he hoped that in the ongoing clampdown against criminal elements in the north, those who raised and trained bandits should drive them away.
He added, “All these things are not new. Bandits, Boko Haram and insurgents and my motion has all along not been changed from what it is. We can only pray. Those that raised them over there should be the same people that will come and drive them out of this place.”
Asked to speak on Constitution amendment, Senator La’ah disclosed that the Senate leadership intentionally refused him to be a member of the Constitution Review Committee chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, because they considered him too stubborn to be there.
He said, “I am not a member of the Constitution Review Committee. When the members were sent to the Constitution Review Committee, they didn’t want those of us they consider too stubborn to be there.
“What else will I say? I will not say what I don’t know. It’s good that people accuse me, if they don’t, then I am not a Senator because what affect one Senator affects all.”
In reaction to the mounting controversy over a “so called security guide from NYSC on parents to prepare money for kidnappers for their wards going for mobilization”, the leading civil rights advocacy group; Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has faulted unscrupulous individuals who are doing everything possible to discredit or even scrap one of the most successful public institutions; the National Youth Service Corps Scheme (NYSC).
In a statement signed by the National Coordinator; Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA expressed worries that a programme, which serves as a bridge between school and real-life of work is battling cocktails of lies, half-truths and speculations orchestrated to sow seeds of doubts and anxiety in the minds and hearts of Nigerians.
“On Thursday, September 23, 2021 a page purportedly containing the advice for the corps and staff on reaching out to the family and friends when plying such routes that the NYSC described as “high risk” had flooded the social media.
“The handbook, which is titled; “Security Awareness and Education Handbook For Corps Members and Staff,” on its page 56, purportedly advised both corps members and staff travelling on “high-risk” roads to alert their family members, friends and colleagues to have someone on hand to pay off the ransom that could be demanded in case they are kidnapped.
“Luckily, the proactive managers of the NYSC have also ably provided responses to this scandal by elements who are assiduously working behind the scenes to sacrifice NYSC to appease their instincts”.
Quoting a statement issued on Friday, which stated that ‘the attention of Management of the National Youth Service Corps has been drawn to a fake release making the rounds on the social media to the effect that Corps Members travelling on ‘high risk roads’ should alert their families, friends and colleagues in order to have somebody to pay off the ransom that could be demanded in the event of being kidnapped’, HURIWA was pleased that the NYSC had described the clause in circulation as the handiwork of mischief-makers.
Continuing, HURIWA enumerated the many lies about the NYSC recently and the responses the management has provided to them which in the rights group estimation are factual and correct. “In July 2021, the National Youth Service Corps, alleged that the reported story that 544 corps members were killed in the Northeast and Northwest in 2021 was nothing but junk journalism and blackmail by a section of the media.
“In the report, the NYSC was also accused of risking the lives of 9,100 corps members deployed to the seven states in the North-West region; where at least, 189 persons have been killed and 376 persons were abducted in Zamfara and Kaduna states alone.
“Reacting to two reports, the NYSC Director, Press and Public Relations; Adenike Adeyemi (Mrs), alleged that the unsubstantiated reports were published to create apprehension in the minds of parents, guardians and other stakeholders.
“Again, on August 5th 2021, the National Youth Service Corps described as untrue claims of COVID-19 positive corps members. The organisation said there were no COVID-19 positive corps members in any of the 37 NYSC orientation camps nationwide. The NYSC Director, Press and Public Relations; Adenike Adeyemi, made the clarification in a statement in Abuja wherein she clarified that there is no red alert in NYSC orientation camps, as all corps members, as well as camp officials admitted in the camps are COVID-19 negative.
“Also, there was a certain disturbing effort to spread some toxic rumours that the DG of NYSC was against Christian worships within the NYSC Camps. Ironically, the Director General, though a sound and good Moslem is married to a Roman Catholic Christian adherent and so cannot possibly be categorized as a hater of Christians”, HURIWA highlighted.
Furthermore, HURIWA asserted that that these regime of rumours targeted at the NYSC which are meant to sow a sort of anxiety in the minds and hearts of Nigerians are really not strange. This is because educational institutions and certificate-awarding professional bodies such as the NYSC have been platforms some politicians manipulate to forge certificates to meet essential conditions of qualification and eligibility to hold public office.
“But much as Nigerian politicians dread the disgraceful outcomes of certificate forgery upon discovery, the habit is still pervasively endemic in the polity. The hapless ones have been caught, time and time again. But others have escaped or still dodging the eagle eyes of the law and have continued to roam the corridors of power with mercurial elegance”.
While noting that certificate forgery has become an unfairly massive trend among some Nigerian politicians, HURIWA explained that they always get caught, especially when NYSC is factored into the forgery racket, as it has always refused to bulge to inducements.
“That is the mystery and credibility of NYSC which dubious characters today are finding it extremely difficult to penetrate or manipulate to their favour. And there are many such veiled violators of the sanctity of the NYSC in the corridors of power who are dead scared of the next action which might consume and throw them out of their juicy positions. So, they have waged war against NYSC’s continued existence.
“If Nigerians recollect vividly, about five months ago, a member of the Federal House Representatives; Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante from Rivers state, backed by co-travelers moved to cause a scrapping of the NYSC scheme citing spurious, hollow and comedic reasons for the action.
“Nigerians rose in unanimous uproar and objections. Abiante’s dream to edge the NYSC out of relevance and save the scheme’s certificate forgers from any nightmare, crashed after the obnoxious bill reached the second reading.
However, HURIWA observed that some political elements are still very energetic, tireless and have continued to explore unimaginable fields in the desire to conquer at all cost. Therefore, the rights group is of the firm belief that the whole drama of the spread of fake news and rumors exudes with manifestation the orchestrated plots, and a carefully crafted agenda in the aggressive pursuit of the destruction of the shadows of NYSC scheme in order to cripple it’s efficacy or render it legally impotent requirement in public service.
“The high and mighty who did not participate in the NYSC scheme, and haunted by the phobia of Kemi Adeosun’s fate befalling them in the nearest future and possibly, send them packing from public office are leaving nothing to chance. They are still assiduously working behind the scenes to sacrifice NYSC to appease their instincts and protect their offices.
“Incidentally, the incumbent NYSC Director-General; Brigadier Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim is more determined than any of his predecessors in fighting the menace of fake NYSC certificates. He actually started fighting this forgery syndicate about two years back by blocking fake results holders from being called to orientation camp, after flushing out internal collaborators”.
Beyond this, HURIWA identified that though the task of galvanizing the interest of the youths and strategically re-channel them to national pursuits that will culminate in development and national integration, thus setting the pace for a violence free Nigeria is arguably complex and challenging, Brig. Gen. Ibrahim has remained focused in actualising his vision for the scheme’s mandate through his policies.
“Since assuming office on the 19th day of May, 2019, he has proactively steered the national integration and youth development visions of the founding fathers of the NYSC scheme through pro-activeness, passion, motivation, teamwork, communication, objectives and fashioning out new vistas of engagement through encouraging innovation and creativity to reach a desired goal.
“His vision and ambition aimed at repositioning the scheme for continued relevance of the scheme in developing the Nigerian youths and in bridging the inter-ethnic and religious divides in Nigeria had informed his decision to initiate a five-point policy thrust upon assumption of office.
“Based on his five policy thrust, the Director General has continued to advance his commitment to addressing the challenges of relevance of the NYSC in a fast-changing world, which include inadequate motivation and welfare for Corps Members and staff of the Scheme; and unemployment among the youths after the mandatory one year national service”, HURIWA asserted.
Conclusively, HURIWA called on those who want the NYSC scheme dead to turn a new leaf as Nigerians will never allow anyone who is afraid of the successes of the NYSC to kill the scheme.
COMRADE EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO: NATIONAL COORDINATOR; HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA). SEPTEMBER 27TH 2021.
No fewer than 30 people have been confirmed killed during a Sunday evening attack in Madamai and Abun communities under Malagun in Kaura local government area of Kaduna state, sources told MBT.
The attackers suspected to be Fulani terrorists invaded the communities at about 6pm Nigerian time and began shooting sporadically at the villagers.
A Catholic Priest serving in the community, who spoke to MBT on telephone but craved anonymity confirmed the attack, saying “it was a massacre against the natives”.
“The Herdsmen came in in large numbers and began shooting at anything on sight.
“As at this morning we have counted 30 dead bodies mostly women and children, 3 still missing while 5 are receiving treatment in the hospital.” He said.
The Priest also confirmed that at least 20 houses were burnt during the 2 hours attack.
“When they came in, they first went to houses of people they know usually help in coordinating local security in the communities and killed them alongside their families before proceeding to other areas.
“The attackers obviously had a prior knowledge of who and who to kill before coming.” He said.
It would be recalled that few weeks ago, a similar attack took place in Madamai leading to the death of some villagers and destruction of houses.
In March 2014, over 200 people were killed by suspected herdsmen when 3 villages were attacked by suspected herdsmen in Bondong district of Kaura local government area of Kaduna state.
Southern Kaduna has been the epicenter of terrorist herdsmen attacks which intensified awhe APC led government took over power in 2015.
The Kaduna state government has been criticized for its poor handling of the violence including payment of compensation to the killer herdsmen in 2016.
Reports reaching MBT confirmed that bandits over the weekend attacked a Nigerian security base in Sokoto, killing at least 17 security forces consisting of 9 soldiers, 5 Mopols and 3 Civil Defense members, according to BBC Hausa.
The attack was believed to have been carried out by Bandit commander, Kachalla Turji.
Sources in Zamfara said that Turji has moved his bandit camp from Fakai in Zurmi of Zamfara to East of Isa, Tozai in Sokoto over continued air raids by the Nigerian Airforce from Katsina, The new camp is lessthan 45KM away from the attacked military formation.
This attack according to sources is to eliminate all forms of military presence from their new operational base in sokoto.
“the bandits encircled a primary school where the military resides before shooting sporadically, many soldiers escaped with gun shots to basira in Niger Reublic.” A Zamfara resident told MBT
According to this source the bandits set ablaze a military vehicle, took away another vehicle, military patrol motorcycles and many arms belonging to the military.
MBT also gathered that soldiers in Basira, Guidan Roumji in Niger Republic have rescued 9 Nigerian Soldiers who escaped the bandit attack from Gatawa forest in Sokoto.
The latest attack by Kachalla Turji and his gang further raises questions on the effectiveness of the ongoing military operations in the North-West where the military claims to be dealing a serious blow on the bandits yet the bandits keep launching attacks on villagers and even military formations.
Bandits feeling the heat of the ban on the sale of petrol in jerrycans are now making use of camels, according to locals.
Over the last one week, the police made multiple arrests of persons reportedly smuggling petrol to bandits in the forests.
At least three North West governors imposed a ban on the sale of petrol in jerrycans to check the activities of bandits.
A resident of Sokoto, who pleaded anonymity, told Daily Trust that bandits fleeing Sokoto from the neighbouring Zamfara are now regrouping in Isa forest in Sokoto on the invitation of a notorious bandit leader known as Turji.
He said there are currently over 20 groups of bandits in the area and they all came on camels because they could not fuel their motorcycles.
The source added that the bandits were using the same camels to attack their communities and kidnap people.
Commissioner for Carriers and Security Matters, Colonel Garba Moyi (retd), said there was no evidence that bandits were regrouping in the area.
Meanwhile, the District Head of Isa, Alhaji Nasir Ahmad, has sworn with the Holy Qur’an that he is not aiding banditry in the area.
The palace of the district head and the residence of Moyi were attacked last Monday by some angry mob who accused them of shielding bandits.
The traditional ruler reportedly stood up at the Juma’at mosque shortly before the congregational prayer and swore that he was not in anyway aiding banditry.
“If I have ever facilitated any attack on my community or inform bandits about military movement or any subject in my domain, may God not allow me to witness another week,” he said.
In a video clip of the traditional ruler which has gone viral on social media platforms, the Sarkin Gobir Isa, said he is more pained about the attack on his community than anybody in the area.
HURIWA Urges States to Stop Funding Support For Police And to Create Quasi Policing Body For Anti-Open Grazing Law
Angered by the report that as more southern states move to checkmate rising attacks of farmers by armed Fulani herdsmen with the enactment of anti-open grazing law, there is reportedly what is graphically described as palpable conspiratorial silence from the police hierarchy over its willingness to prosecute violators of the law, a call has gone to the Inspector General of Police Alhaji Usman Alkali Baba to order the state commands of the Nigerian Police Force to enforce the anti-open grazing laws in the states in which the states Houses of Assembly had passed the law or he quits as the lawfully recognised Inspector General of Police of the Federal Republic of Nigeria so he can head the FULANI POLICE FORCE.
Making the demand is the nation’s prominent Civil Rights Advocacy Group- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) which expressed the importance of the holder of the office of the Inspector General of Police to comply totally with the constitutional mandates that his office confers on him or he will be inducted into the National Hall of Shame and infamy as someone who used his office to serve the selfish, clandestine and parochial interest of the armed Terrorists and Fulani herdsmen who have vowed to disobey the lawfully passed legislation in some States in Nigeria which outlaws open grazing of Livestock of all genre. HURIWA condemned the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami for constituting himself into a cog in the wheel of the progressive enforcement of the lawfully passed legislation against open grazing of cattle just as the Rights group said the ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION by demonstrated this deep level of loyalty to Fulani herdsmen should resign forthwith.
Besides, the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has asked the States that enacted the legislation against open grazing of Livestock to set up a State wide armed vigilantes to carry out the enforcement of the provisions of the law because the law is constitutionally guaranteed under section 4(7) which authorises States Houses of Assembly to make laws for the good governance and security of the good people of their States. HURIWA said the states can actually take steps to enforce laws made in their States if Kano State can set up ISLAMIC POLICE which contravenes sections 10 and 214 of the Nigerian constitution so why are the states waiting for the unwilling IGP who is a willing tool of the oppressors in Abuja to ask their men to respect the law of Nigeria.
Specifically, Section 4 subsection 7 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 (as amended) provides that: “Section 4(7) The House of Assembly of a State shall have power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the State or any part thereof with respect to the following matters, that is to say:-
(a) any matter not included in the Exclusive Legislative List set out in Part I of the Second Schedule to this Constitution.
(b) any matter included in the Concurrent Legislative List set out in the first column of Part II of the Second Schedule to this Constitution to the extent prescribed in the second column opposite thereto; and
(c) any other matter with respect to which it is empowered to make laws in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.
HURIWA submits that similarly, Section 214. (1) establishes the Police as the policing institution of all parts of Nigeria and not for Fulani herdsmen. Section 214(1) states thus: “There shall be a police force for Nigeria, which shall be known as the Nigeria Police Force, and subject to the provisions of this section no other police force shall be established for the Federation or any part thereof”.
HURIWA stated thus: “The findings made recently by a respected newspaper in Nigeria that the policemen are careful over these new state laws which implies that the police operatives paid with tax payer’s money belonging to the good citizens of Nigerians have been brainwashed by some Fulani Ethnic warlords embedded within the Abuja’s Seat of Power not to enforce the laws passed by the different States against public grazing of Livestock.”
HURIWA stated further: “This is a very dangerous threat to Nigeria’s national security and it is even worst because the persons being misused to undermine the security of some states in the Federal Republic of Nigeria are policemen who according to the clear provisions of the constitution are bound to implement lawfully passed laws in all states of the federation and the Ethnic interest of the holder of the office of President should not matter in the enforcement of the laws of Nigeria”.
“It is disgraceful that Nigeria Police Force is now an institution led by Ethnic warlords who are affiliates of Fulani herders because investigation showed that herders still graze their animals openly in many states that have enacted the anti-open grazing law without being intercepted by law enforcement agents”, HURIWA affirms.
“Reports say in Abia State where Governor Okezie Ikpeazu signed the anti-open grazing law on June 29, 2018, open grazing of cattle, sheep and goats were still practiced following its poor implementation. The Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, however, stated that the enforcement of the law is vested in the hands of security agencies, particularly the police.”
HURIWA said the decision made specifically on May 11, 2021, by the governors of the 17 southern states, after a meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, was constitutionally guaranteed and protected given that the Governors resolved to ban open grazing and the movement of cattle by foot in order to curb clashes between farmers and herders in the region.
“The governors had observed that the incursion of armed herders, criminals and bandits in the southern part of the country has created a severe security challenge, such that citizens were no longer able to live their normal lives, including pursuing various productive activities, leading to threats to the food supply, general security and sometimes death. Consequently, they resolved that open grazing of cattle should be banned across southern Nigeria via a law enacted by the state Houses of Assembly not later than September 1, this year,” HURIWA added.
The Rights group citing media reports recalled that earlier before the resolution was made by the Governors of Southern States of Nigeria, five southern states comprising Ekiti, Ebonyi, Abia, Oyo and Bayelsa had enacted anti-open grazing laws. However, the resolution prompted six more states in the region to follow suit. These include Rivers, Ondo, Enugu, Akwa-Ibom, Osun and Lagos states. This brings the total number of states in the South that has so far prohibited open grazing in their jurisdictions via legislation to 11.Additionally, Delta and Ogun states Houses of Assembly have passed the bill but their governors were yet to give their assent, while in Anambra State, the bill has scaled through the first reading.
HURIWA said the disobedience by the Inspector General of Police Alhaji Usman Alkali Baba to the laws passed by different states against open grazing of cattle amounts to sabotage and endangers the National Security even as the Rights group asked the concerned States to cut off all forms of partnership funding supports with and to the current distorted structure of the police since it is now clear that the Nigerian Police Force has become the Fulani Police force and thereafter the States should set up armed vigilantes to carry out the enforcement of the anti-open grazing law just as the AMOTEKUN SECURITY NETWORK is doing lawfully in some States of the South West States of Nigeria.
“It is basic and constitutionally binding that the Nigerian Police Force is empowered by the Constitution to carry out the fundamental functions as observed by experts as follows: the Prevention And Detection Of Crimes
This role of prevention and detection is one of the statutory functions of the Nigerian Police Force. The Nigerian police Force in as part of the larger bodies of the law enforcement agencies in the country, do place its priority in the prevention and detection of crime,secondly, the Protection Of Lives And Properties
Another functions of the Nigerian Police Force is to protect lives and properties. As the law enforcement agency, the Nigerian Police is saddles with the responsibility of ensuring that the lives and properties of Nigerian citizens are protected within their individual domain; thirdly, the duty of Preservation Of Law And Order
Nigerian Police Force is empowered through the instructions from the directive of the appointing authority to ensure that, there is public order and safety in Nigeria. The Nigerian Police Force must of necessity be ready to carry out the Performance Of Such Military Responsibility Required Of Police Force
Another function of the Nigerian Police is that, it undertakes some of the military responsibilities which may be required of the Police Force by law as part of its functions”.
HURIWA is therefore appealing to the Southern Nigeria states to defend the Constitution by compelling the Nigerian Police Force to carry out their duties and pressures can be mounted if the states cuts off all funding components they give to the police, set up state vigilantes and institute a legal challenge to force the Council of State to sack the IGP just as HURIWA asked the States to stop funding the Police Trust Fund for now.
Bandits are now using the network service of Niger Republic to coordinate attacks, according to Aminu Almustapha Gobir, member representing Sabon Birni North Constituency in the Sokoto House of Assembly.
As part of measures to check banditry, the Nigerian government had shut down telecommunication services in three states – Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsina.
This had reportedly cut off communication between bandits and their informants.
But as a means of circumventing the security measure, bandits have now resorted to using the telecom service of the neighbouring country which shares border with Nigeria through Sokoto.
Gobir said he received a threat from one of the bandits who using Nigerien network service.
“The bandit was threatening to lead his gang to attack me and my community,” he told Daily Trust.
Gobir also confirmed the attack on a military base in Sabo Birni Local Government area of the state.
Daily Trust had reported how bandits raided the military base, killing security personnel and setting patrol vans on fire.
“It is true that they attacked a military base at Dama and killed about 12 of them while many are still missing.”
“This is why I faulted the government for shutting GSM network in the eastern part of the state without a serious military operation taking place there.
“The bandits are now using Nigerien network to communicate within themselves and perpetrate their heinous activities in the area.
“I expect our Governor to provide Divisional Police Officers and the military deployed to Sokoto East with Thuraya phone which could enable them to communicate within themselves and with their superior officers if they need help since there is no GSM network.
“This is what the Governor of Zamfara did and it’s paying off positively,” he said
The spokesman of the 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major Yahaya Ngulde, could not be reached for comment as at the time of filing this report.
But the Police Public Relation Officer, ASP Sanusi Abubakar, said he was not aware of the attack on the military base.
He did not also comment on the use of Nigerien telecoms service.
However, the Commissioner for Carriers and Security Matters, Colonel Garba Moyi (rtd), confirmed the attack on the military base but that he was not sure on the number of death.
On the bandits using foreign networks to coordinate attacks, he said that could be possible because of the proximity with Niger Republic.
A dusk-to-dawn curfew has been placed on Ado Local Government Area of Benue State following brewing crisis among some villagers in the area.
The Chairman of Ado LGA, James Oche, announced the curfew at the weekend while urging security operatives to clamp down on offenders of the directive.
Oche based his action on the recent frenzied development among youths and the brewing tension in Agila district as well as its escalation to Apa ward in Ado Local Government Area.An official of the LG council told Daily Trust on phone that the brewing crisis was not unconnected with the age-long royal and non-royal palaver bedeviling the people of Agila district in Ado.
The official said the stereotyping of certain people in the area allegedly belonging to the non-royal class by those who claimed to have royal status had in the past created bitter rivalry which led to lost of lives and property.Meanwhile the council chairman in a statement indicated that the curfew was declared after consultation with the Ado Divisional Police Officer, Wards and Clan Heads, “to place a 6pm to 6am curfew in Agila District to take immediate effect from Saturday the 25th Day of September and to be in force till further notice.”He said, “The premises of Akpa Ofu Unazi and Jesus Cottage all of Apa Ward are sealed forthwith till further notice.
“That all gatherings of whatever sort or clustering for whatever purpose are hereby banned except with the permission of the Chairman first sought and obtained.
“That a 6pm to 6am curfew is hereby declared in the whole of Agila district.“That the Police, the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards and other Enforcement Agencies are by this notice directed to enforce these directives decisively.
“That all immigrants to Apa Ward within the last two months should immediately turn themselves in to the office of the ward head within the next seven days to report their presence or risk being arrested and dealt with appropriately.
“That all those harbouring persons not hitherto known to the communities must account for them when need be and all those whose premises are used for illegal congregation shall be arrested/prosecuted in accordance with the relevant state laws on criminality and such houses shall be destroyed.
“That violators will be brought to book in the manner most consistent with legal prescriptions as applicable, as there would be house-to-house arrest of violators.
He added that all travelers and transporters should take note that vehicular/motorcycle movement after 6pm to 6am to and fro Apa and Akpoge Ogbilolo are banned and violators would be treated in like manner as other violators.
