At least 20 fishermen were killed accidentally in a Nigerian military strike on a jihadist camp in northeast Nigeria, two security sources and locals told AFP.
A Nigerian fighter jet early on Sunday bombarded Kwatar Daban Masara in Lake Chad, which straddles Nigeria and neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, the sources said.
The area is a bastion for the IS-affiliated Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The reports of casualties came less than two weeks after officials say another airstrike on a village killed nine civilians in Nigeria’s northeast where the military is battling a 12-year Islamist insurgency.
ISWAP recently lifted a ban on fishermen in its territory, allowing them to move in and fish in the freshwater lake for a fee. That led to an influx of fisherman who had abandoned the area.
“Any fisherman that goes to that area does so at his own risk because it is an enemy territory and there is no way of differentiating them from the terrorists,” one local intelligence source said.
“From the information we have been receiving the death toll is much higher than 20.”
Local fisherman Labo Sani told AFP by telephone that the jet strike hit Kwatar Daban Masara at around 6 am (0500 GMT), killing around 20 fishermen.
Kwatar Daban Masara which is on the shores of the lake is the “gateway to ISWAP’s camps on several islands” and a supply route for the jihadists, said Sani from nearby Daban Masara.
Another fisherman, Sallau Arzika, said the fighter jet struck the village “killing many of our people who are there for fishing”.
“The initial death toll was around 20, but the figure has been increasing with the deaths of many of the injured,” Arzika said.
News of the incident was slow the emerge due to limited telecommunications in the region.
A Nigerian air force spokesman did not immediately respond to a message seeking confirmation or comment.
The intelligence source who works with anti-jihadist militia in the region said the strike was based on “credible information” of a gathering of ISWAP fighters in the village since Wednesday.
He said aerial surveillance and reports from other sources revealed terrorists were amassing in Kwatar Daban Masara and it was obvious they were planning an attack, the source said.
‘Preemptive strike’
According to another security source, the village was subjected to surveillance in the past 10 days after scores of men suspected to be foreign fighters arrived in several vehicles and were ferried to camps inside the lake.
“It was a preemptive strike to destroy whatever plans the terrorists were making,” said the security source.
“You don’t expect an innocent civilian to be at that location and whoever is found is certainly part of the terrorists,” he said.
On September 16 a Nigerian airstrike on a village in nearby Yobe state killed at least nine civilian residents, according to officials.
The Nigerian air force said at the time its fighter jet was pursuing a group of jihadists in the area and it was investigating the incident.
Since 2009, Nigeria’s armed forces have battled a grinding jihadist insurrection in the northeast that has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced nearly two million from their homes.
The conflict spilled into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a regional military coalition to end the violence.
In January 2017 at least 112 people were killed when a fighter jet struck a camp housing 40,000 people displaced by violence in Rann near the border with Cameroon.
The Nigerian military blamed “lack of appropriate marking of the area” for the bombardment in a report it issued six months later.
In July 2019 at least 13 civilians were killed when a Nigerian fighter jet hit Gajiganna village, 50 kilometres from Borno state capital Maiduguri, as it targeted fleeing jihadists after they attacked a nearby base.
Gunshots from security agents rented the air in Gwarinpa Estate along the Kubwa Expressway in Abuja on Tuesday, as members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) otherwise known as Shi’ites and security agents clashed.
Six persons were reportedly killed in the incident while many sustained injuries.
Joint security operatives were said to have opened fire on members of the sect when they were about to round off their Arbaeen Symbolic Trek.
The incident, which occurred at the Gwarinpa gate near Galadimawa when the gun-wielding security agents arrived at the scene, threw the trek into confusion as people scampered for safety.
Two people were also said to be shot at a new generation bank inside the estate.
The Secretary of Academic Forum of IMN, Abdullahi Musa, also confirmed the incident when contacted by SaharaReporters.
“They are just shooting people. As I am talking to you now, six people have been killed. They even carried some dead bodies away,” he said.
Members of the sect had on Tuesday morning come out in continuation of their procession to mark the fortieth day of the murder of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad who was killed on 10th Muharram.
The protesters in their numbers hoisted two flags, one red and the other black, with the chanting songs.
In a brave and swift move, the Senator representing Southern Kaduna Senatorial Zone of kaduna State in the National Assembly, Senator Danjuma La’ah has stopped the mass burial of the 36 people killed in Madamai and Abun communities in Mallagum in Kaura local government area of Kaduna state on Sunday 26th September 2021 insisting that they all deserve benefitting burial as human beings and not just thrown away like dogs.
To ensure this, the Senator immediately paid over a Million Naira for the purchase of caskets and preparation of the bodies for a proper burial. He also pleaded with the Kafanchan Catholic Diocese through the Catholic Priest of Mallagum, Rev Fr. Cosmos Magaji to fix a date and conduct mass for the final interments of all the victims.
Senator Laah also thanked the Chairman-elect of Kaura local government, Hon Siman and his team, who assisted in the exercise to evacuate those that were injured.
The Senator also made arrangements for those that were wounded during the massacre to be admitted in JUTH Jos for immediate medical attention, and promised to settle all medicals bills involved.
He conderm the wanton unprovoked killings of the people of Southern Kaduna and insist that it has to stop because his people would no longer fold their hands and be killed like chickens everyday.
The two terms Senator also prayed for the souls of the departed to find eternal rest with the Saints.
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.
