Nigerian Court Declares Bandits as Terrorists, Directs FG to Publish Proscription on Official Gazette, Dailies

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has declared the activities of bandits in Nigeria as acts of terrorism.

In a landmark judgment on Thursday, the court said “Yan Bindiga group”, “Yan Ta’adda group” and others alike are active terrorists.

M. B. Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Federal Ministry of Justice, filed an ex-parte motion.

A supporting affidavit, filed by Aminu Kayode Alilu of the ministry, explained why the application was made.

The government told the court that bandits were responsible for several acts of criminality in different parts of the country.

The oath pointed out that Yan Bindiga, Yan Ta’adda and others were responsible for “wanton destruction of lives and properties in Nigeria, particularly in the Northwest and North-central states”.

It mentioned, “kidnappings for ransom, kidnapping for marriage, mass abductions of school children and other citizens, cattle rustling, enslavement, imprisonment, severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, other forms of sexual violence, attacks and killings”.

The government said the outlaws were carrying out “acts of terrorism that can lead to a breakdown of public order and safety and is a threat to national security and the corporate existence of Nigeria”.

In his pronouncement, Justice Taiwo proscribed Yan Bindiga, Yan Ta’adda and all bandit clusters “either in groups or as individuals by whatever names they are called”.

The judge directed the Federal Government to publish the proscription order in the official gazette and two national dailies.

[Daily Post]

BREAKING: Ten Killed, Many Injured As Terrorists Attack Plateau Community

Terrorists suspected to be Fulani herdsmen militias in the early hours of Friday November 26 launched a terror attack on Te’egbe community of Miango District in Bassa local government area of Plateau state, killing no fewer than ten people as well as injuring many, a community leader says.

The terrorists also destroyed several houses and burnt down food bans during the attack.

Davison Malison, Spokesman for the Irigwe Development Association confirmed the attack to Middle Belt Times, describing it as devastating.

“It is quite a sad development to the entire Rigwe nation that the marauders have continued the perpetration of their evils against the innocent Rigwe People.

“Just this week Tuesday, November 23, 2021 they ambushed and killed two persons at Ancha village of the same district and now a devastating one today.
Nothing short of ethnic cleansing could this be regarded as.

“Bassa DPO and other security personnel have been informed of the ugly incident and some have already reached the scene.

“This must not go quiet as usual, the perpetrators must be fished in order to face the wrath of law.” Malison said

Miango District has suffered repeated attacks by terrorist herdsmen in recent times with several communities destroyed and hundreds killed since July 2021.

Recall that on Tuesday, two Rigwe people were ambushed and killed in their farm by terrorists.

In all of these attacks, no one has been arrested to face trial by the security, Philemon Musa, a resident of Miango told MBT on telephone.

As at the time of filing this report, the dead bodies of the victims have been buried in a mass grave by the residents.

BREAKING: Kaduna Govt Announces Restoration Of Telecoms Network

Kaduna state government on Friday announced the restoration of telecommunication networks in the state.

In a statement issued by the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan at the NUJ Secretariat on Friday, the government regretted the inconveniences the shutdown may have caused the residents.

The statement reads in full;

My dear colleagues:

I am here to inform you that the Kaduna State Government has contacted the relevant federal agencies to effect the immediate restoration of telecommunication services which were suspended in some local government areas.

Security agencies had requested the shutdown in October 2021, among other measures, to assist ongoing operations against armed bandits and other criminals. The security agencies have now notified the government that telecoms services can be restored.

Along with the other measures in the security containment order, the telecoms shutdown had helped the security agencies to achieve some results, which the security forces will reel out soon. The prolonged application of this measure was always out of the question, due to its impact on the legitimate activities of citizens and businesses.

Residents are advised that the restoration of full services in the affected areas may unfold over a few days, as the service providers mobilise to power and boost their transmission systems accordingly.

The Kaduna State Government regrets the inconveniences residents of the affected LGAs may have encountered as a result of the shutdown. The state government wishes to commend the sacrifices made by residents while this temporary measure lasted.

Notwithstanding, the government wishes to reiterate that the other measures announced as part of the security containment orders remain in force. These include the prohibition of motorcycles all over the state, the ban on weekly markets, transportation of cattle, and the prohibition of sale of fuel in jerrycans in specified local government areas.

Thank you for your kind attention.

Boko Haram behind Abuja-Kaduna highway attacks — Intelligence source

The recent wave of attacks on travellers along the beleaguered Abuja-Kaduna highway were carried out by Boko Haram terrorists. This is according to a report by Daily Nigerian Newspaper.

Recall that on Sunday, the terrorists abducted an unspecified number of passengers and killed a prominent Zamfara politician, Alhaji Sagir Hamidu, at a point called Kurmin Kare along the highway.

The terrorists returned on Monday at Gidan Bussa and almost the same time to abduct dozens more.

A top intelligence source in Abuja told DAILY NIGERIAN on the condition of anonymity that the recent attacks were carried out by Boko Haram terrorists, who are now setting up camps in Kaduna and Niger forests.

“Based on an intercepted intel, the Boko Haram terrorists are behind these recent attacks at Kurmin Kare area along Abuja-Kaduna highway.

“They are also the ones who are abducting people around Mashegu and Shiroro in Niger State. They are trying to establish themselves around the area, so they embark on abductions to raise money for logistics.

“You know they under heavy bombardment in their enclaves in Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Chikun, Igabi and other places. So after fleeing from these locations, they now camped at some points not more than 50 to 60 kilometers away from Abuja-Kaduna highway.

“From these points, they use motorcycles to travel. There is a stream along the road where they keep the motorcycles and travel on foot through a thick forest to perpetrate the attacks,” said the source.

According to him, security agencies as well as Niger and Kaduna State Governments have been alerted of the development and efforts to decimate them.

He also said that the Boko Haram terrorists are now working in concert with bandits to abduct and attack people.

Spokesman for the Kaduna State Police Command, Mohammed Jalige, could not be reached for comment at the time of filing this report.

Credit: Daily Nigerian

Terrorists Kill Two Rigwe People in Plateau

Terrorists suspected to be Fulani herdsmen militias on Tuesday 23, November killed two people in Ancha village of Miango District, Rigwe Chiefdom, Bassa local government area of Plateau State, North Central Nigeria.

The deceased persons were ambushed and killed while working on their farmland, a spokesman for the Irigwe development association says.

Davidson Malison, spokesman of the Irigwe development association confirmed the attack to Middle Belt Times.

He said the latest killings is a confirmation that Irigwe land is still not safe for the people to go about their legitimate productive activities.

He also said that the divisional police officer (DPO) of Bassa was on his way coming to the scene of the attack.

The name names of those killed are as follows;
1. Daniel James-32 years old
2. Zakwe Deba-35 years old

“The entire Rigwe nation is saddened by this unfortunate development and call for more proactive measures by security personnel and Government in ending this bloodletting in the land.

“These atrocities being committed by Fulani militia have had a gross negative effects on our people and it must be stopped.” Malison said

BREAKING: Mother, Wife Of Notorious Bandit Trapped As Air Force Bombs Militants In Sokoto

By

Abubakar Auwal

The wife and mother of Bokkolo, a notorious bandit, were reportedly trapped when fighter jets bombarded his residence in Sokoto State.

Nigerian fighter jets were said to have killed several bandits and their relatives.

A resident, who confirmed the bombardment of Bokkolo’s residence said, many of his lieutenants were killed in the house.

“But we are not sure whether he is among the dead, but his wife and mother were at home during the raid,” the source said.

The gunmen were dislodged in a sustained air raid, which commenced on Friday.

Some of them were said to have fled to Tsabre, Sarkin Darai and Tiɗibale which are between Goronyo and Unguwan Lalle in Sokoto, in the heat of the raid.

According to the locals, some of the bandits were seen with gunshot injuries in these three villages.

The raid was part of the joint operation, comprising Nigeria Army, Air Force, Police, DSS, among others.

A senior army officer confided in Daily Trust that the operation is being led by the General Officer Commanding 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Sokoto.

According to him, hundreds of bandits were killed around Isa and Sabon Birni areas and the operation went as far as Nigerien border.

He added that all their hideouts and residences in the forests were bombarded.

Another source, told us that most of the areas bombarded were under the control of the notorious bandits’ leader, Turji, but there was no report on his death or that of any of his relatives at the time of filing this report.

We learnt that four vigilantes who were part of the operation lost their lives in the fight.

“The whole of that axis is now militarized. We have not witnessed an operation of this magnitude since the advent of banditry in Sokoto. And it is succeeding,” the resident said.

Also speaking, the member representing Sabon Birni North, Aminu Almustapha Gobir, corroborated that, the operation was the first of its kind in that area, adding that it is recording tremendous successes.

“Many bandits have been killed and some have fled with gunshot injuries,” he said.

Another resident said locals were aiding the operation by reporting movement of the fleeing bandits.

[Sun]

BREAKING:‘Many kidnapped’ as terrorists open fire on travelers along Abuja-Kaduna road

Terrorists have reportedly kidnapped an unspecified number of travelers along the dreaded Abuja-Kaduna expressway on Sunday 21st November, 2021

DAILY NIGERIAN gathered that dozens of terrorists, often referred to as bandits, opened fire sporadically on commuters around 4pm, forcing many drivers to lose control.

Sources told DAILY NIGERIAN that many passengers who attempted to run were fired at, while those who cooperated were shepherded into the bush.

A survivor who preferred not to be named told Daily Nigerian reporter that the incident occurred around Rijana area.

“The kidnappers took advantage of the damage on the road, which forced on and off-coming motorists to move slowly on a single lane,” he said.

Spokesman for the Kaduna State Police Command Mohammed Jalige did not respond to our reporter’s call.

Credit: Daily Nigerian

U.S Encouraging Impunity, Lawlessness In Nigeria, Says Revd. Para-Mallam

Global Mission Leader and renowned peace advocate, Revd. Gideon Para-Mallam has accused the government of the United States of America (USA) of encouraging impunity and lawlessness which is perpetrated against the Nigerian people, by the current dispensation in the country.

The cleric, who was reacting to the recent removal of Nigeria from the list of countries of particular concern in the area of religious persecution, contended that the US government is comfortably adopting hypocritical policies anchored on what is referred to as softball diplomacy which is akin to playing the ostrich.

According to Para-Mallam, to have stooped so, the US has allowed herself to be blinded by the culture of denialism when it comes to religious persecution by the present government in Nigeria.

The cleric who is also the President/CEO of The Para-Mallam Peace Foundation, further slammed the US saying it seems there exists a disturbing strange relationship between the US Government with the Nigerian Government. “This relationship does not always favor the peace-loving people of Nigeria.

This re lationship as demonstrated by this policy of removing Nigeria from the CPC list will not serve in the interest of the Nigerian people in the long run but only US strategic interests.

“Such pandering in massaging the political ego of the Nigerian power elite suits the Nigerian government but hurts its people both in the short and long term,” Para-Mallam stressed. He stated that government should exist for its people as is the case even in the US.

His words: “It is so strange the US Government is encouraging in Nigeria what she won’t dare encourage in the US. With brutal killings going on with so much impunity in Nigeria, yet the US State department removed Nigeria’s name from the CPC Watch list.

“With so many Christian girls in Boko Haram’s captivity – Leah Sharibu with hundred others serving as slaves, forcibly converted, sexually abused yet Nigeria was removed from that list?

What about those innocent Christian girls particularly in Maguzawa dominated Christian communities in Northern Nigeria who have been forcibly kidnapped, converted, and married off as minors and underage, yet the US State Department sees nothing wrong with such?

“What about Nigeria’s inability to manage our diversity with the current government running what is mostly an exclusive instead of an inclusive government yet the US government sees nothing wrong with all these? “I stand for peacebuilding that is predicated on justice for all I will continue to advocate for peaceful resolution of our challenges in Nigeria but nurturing systemic structures of social injustice hurts us all.

Therefore, to me, removing Nigeria from the CPC list is a hypocritical and tacit way of encouraging the present impunity and lawlessness. I pray this will not result in more killings in Nigeria,” Oars-Mallam lamented.

The peace advocate further pointed out that it beats the imagination that with all that is going on in Nigeria regarding the persecution of Christians, Nigeria which became a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) lists as it affects religious freedoms,

in December 2020, could be so hastily removed in less than one year. He also noted that Nigeria was interestingly removed from the CPC list but Boko and ISWAP were named in the entities of particular concern list.

This, Para-Mallam further pointed out, clearly shows that the Department of State recognizes the significant challenge of religious freedom in Nigeria insisting that religious persecution in Nigeria has multifaceted dimensions yet Nigeria was not even in the Special Watch List (SWL).

He continued: “I wish to ask: What has changed in Nigeria? Have the mass kidnappings and mass killing of Christians stopped? Have the ongoing attacks which led thousands to become Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from several Christian communities stopped?

“No doubt Muslim communities have also come under attack by the Bandits but that, unfortunately, is a strange scenario of Muslims attacking and killing Muslims.

As a Peace Advocate and crusader for social justice, I am completely opposed to Muslims being killed also, just as I am opposed to the killing of Christians. Therefore, I have always wondered and asked myself, how does the killing of Muslims cancel the fact that Christians are being killed or suggest in any way that they are not being persecuted?”

“It is untrue and deceitful to make the world believe that Christians are not being persecuted in Nigeria. Many Christians in States such as Benue, Plateau, Yobe, Borno, Niger, and Southern Kaduna are systematically being uprooted from their ancestral homelands.

Should this be taking place in a country that is supposedly multi-religious, multiethnic, and multicultural?” Para-allam asked.

[New Telegraph]

BREAKING: Niger State Government Bans Sales of Motorcycles in the State

The Niger state government on Saturday 20th November, 2021 announced a ban on sales of motorcycles in the state following growing terrorists activities ravaging the state.

In a statement signed by the information officer, office of the Secretary to the State government (SSG), Lawal Tanko, the government said the step becomes necessary ‘following the incessant security challenges in some parts of the state’.

Following the incessant security challenges in some parts of Niger State and coupled with the demands of motorcycles as ransom by bandits and kidnappers, the State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has directed the immediate ban on the sales of motorcycles across the State.

A statement issued by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane revealed that the category of motorcycles affected by the ban includes any motorcycles (Bajaj, Boxer, Qiujeng, Honda ACE, Jingchen, etc) with engine capacity from 185 Cubic Centimetres ( cc) and above remained banned from selling to the public.

The SSG further explained that the State Government rolled out this additional measure which is aimed at eradicating the activities of criminals and the unleashing of mayhem by bandits and kidnappers on innocent citizens in the State.

He stated Government has condemned in strong terms the degree of carnage and pandemonium bandits and kidnappers are causing to some parts of the State and reiterated its continued determination to rid the State of any security threat.

According to the SSG “Government is aware of the inconveniences the measure would cause the people, but the decision was taken in the overall interest of the State and appealed to the dealers of motorcycles across the State to cooperate with the directive”.

Ahmed Matane appealed to the people of the State to cooperate with the security agencies on the security measures being put in place to put an end to the activities of some criminal elements, as it is for the benefit of all and sundry.

The SSG disclosed that Government has also ordered security agencies in the State to ensure effective and strict compliance/enforcement of this directive.

In the same vein, the SSG has reaffirmed that the activities of commercial motorcycle riders popularly known as Okada or Kabu-kabu and operation of illegal garages remained banned in Minna metropolis and environs.

It would be recalled that the State Government had earlier restricted the movements of all motorcycles from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am and the restriction order is still enforced.

Boko Haram kidnap 22 girls in Rafi, Niger for marriage

Gunmen suspected to be members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect have allegedly kidnapped a total of 22 girls in Kurebe community in Rafi local government area of Niger State on Thursday.

It was learnt the gunmen stormed the community and whisked the girls between 14 and 17 years purportedly to marry them.

DAILY POST gathered that before the abduction, the suspected sect members had informed the community to withdraw the girls from school as they (gunmen) would be coming for them.

Confirming the incident, a source from the area who would not want the name to be mentioned on prints expressed shock over the development, ” they actually carried out their threat without any resistance or any security check”.

According to the source, the group leader simply known as Malam Sadiku has been freely preaching weird Islamic ideology for several months in the area, despite reporting the development to relevant authorities with no action taken.

It would be recalled that the Niger State governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, had earlier raised the alarm on several occasions that an Islamic group whose mode of operation is similar to Boko Haram had hoist its flag in Kaure a village close to Kurebe.

Similarly, armed bandits had purportedly abducted one Anthony, a Patent Medicine dealer around Maikunkrle, a suburb of Minna, Bosso local government area of the state.

An eyewitness said the bandits invaded the area and only ferried Anthony away from his house in an operation which lasted only 10 minutes about 9 pm in the area.

DAILY POST further learnt that the bandits entered through the thick forest of Kampala axis shooting randomly and scaring the people before taking their target away.

The abduction was the first incident reported around Minna, the Niger State capital.

These abductions are coming less than two days after armed bandits attacked a village in Munya Local Government Area, killing one person and kidnapping abou seventy others in the dead hours of the night.

However, the state Police Public Relations Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, could not be reached for confirmation.

[Dailypost]