Zamfara State governor, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, has ordered for the restoration of telecommunication services in the state capital of Gusau with immediate effect from Friday, October 1, 2021.
This was contained in a statement signed by the special adviser on public enlightenment, media and communications to the governor, Zailani Bappa.
He stated that the restoration of the service was imperative following the tremendous success recorded by the security operatives in the fight against banditry in Zamfara State.
Governor Matawalle further noted that the restoration of the telecommunication services would ease the hardship faced by both private and public sectors while reaffirming the government’s commitment in the protection of lives and properties in the state.
“The restoration of the service at the state capital becomes imperative following the tremendous success recorded in the fight against banditry in the state and to ease the hardship faced by both the private and public sectors of the state.
“Government finds it necessary to ease the tight measure after the recorded success desired of it which has no doubt destabilsed the syndicate of criminals terrorising the state leading to the successes recorded against them by the security operatives.
“Governor Matawalle promises that his administration will continue to monitor closely the unfolding developments and will announce further decisions of government on measurs being taken appropriately,” he stated.
The head of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis has condemned the spate of killings and kidnappings in Southern Kaduna and Northern Nigeria in general and called on President Buhari to guarantee the safety of all Nigerian citizens.
The Pope expressed his solidarity with Nigerians after 38 people were gruesomely murdered in villages in the North-Western state of Kaduna on Sunday 26th of September 2021.
“I pray for those who have died, for the injured and for the entire Nigerian population. Pope Francis said during his Wednesday’s General Audience at the Vatican City.
The head of the Catholic church described the attacks as senseless killings of Nigerians by suspected jihadists and noted that massacres were not only happening in southern Kaduna, but all over the country.
“I learnt with pain the news of the armed attacks that took place last Sunday against the villages of Madamai Abun in northern Nigeria…I hope that the country always guarantees the safety of all its citizens,” he said.
Ado Namarai during interrogation by the Katsina Police command
By
Hassan Michael
An arrested bandit by name Ado Namarai has Indicted the Kaduna state Governor Nasiru El-rufai during interrogation by the police. Ado Namarai 55, an indigene of Kaura Bugaje village in Jibia local government area of Katsina state told the police that he has killed not less than 4 people during kidnapping operations around Birnin Gwari axis of Kaduna state since he joined the kidnapping gangs he claimed to be Fulanis.
The bandit made the confession in a video posted by a Freelance Journalist named Muhammed Auwal Muasu on his Instagram page; @Hausaa_fulanii and obtained by MBT. During interrogation by the Katsina state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Gambo Isah, the bandit admitted to being part of a bandit gang operating in Kaduna state.
He told the police that prior to 4-5 years ago, he was a labourer who makes bed using raw materials from harvested maize sticks and some of his customers were bandits.
“Before I joined the kidnapping business, I was into local bed making, an improvised bed I make using sticks from harvested maize. Most times when the bandits come to buy my products, they offer me more than the cost price.
“One day, they told me that as an old man I deserve a better life and that was how they introduced me to crime.” Namarai said
in the 9 minutes video, Ado Namarai said he and his gangs were also into cattle rustling and armed robbery operations. He also confessed to killing some of their victims during kidnapping operations.
“We attacked some commuters along Mando-Buruku road and I opened fire. I killed four people and shot a fifth on the leg. We abducted ten people in total from the two vehicles and each of them paid N10 million in ransoms.” He said
At the nineth minutes of the video, the bandit speaking in Hausa language told the police that his gang members are in a place called Sabon Filli, a community along the Kaduna international airport.
“As I speak to you now, I am sure they may be watching, they are in Sabon Filli and they are well armed.
“They sometimes go into the village armed and collect goods without payment. Whenever any goods owner try to protest, they will shoot the person.
“El-rufai knows about the place. He concluded before the video ended.
As at the time of filling this report, MBT could not verify why the video ended at the mentioned of the name El-rufai or why the bandit who was obviously not under any compulsion mentioned the Governor’s name.
It would be recalled that a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Dr Obadiah Mailafia during an interview session with Nigerian info FM alleged that some repentant bandits commanders named certain Northern Governor of being Boko Haram commander.
Mailafia was invited by the Nigerian Services the DSS for questioning over the allegations.
The former Oxford trained Central Banker died under very controversial circumstances on the 19th of September 2021 with many Nigerians of the opinion that he may have been killed.
Kaduna state since 2015 has become the epicenter of kidnappings and attacks on communities which many blamed on Fulani herdsmen militias.
last Sunday, 38 people were killed by gunmen suspected to be Fulani terrorists in Madamai and Abun communities in Mallagum district of Kaura local government area of the the state. They were buried yesterday in a well publicised mass burial attended by dignitaries from Southern Kaduna.
When contacted, the Katsina state police public relations officer, Gambo Isah who interrogated the bandit for comments on the matter, he said he cannot comment on it.
“I cannot comment on the matter.” Isah said via a telephone conversation with MBT reporter
An excavator covering the bodies of the 38 victims of Fulani terrorists in Mallagum, Kaura LGA of Kaduna state
While Nigeria claims to be celebrating 61 years of ‘Independence’ from her formal colonial masters, Britain, the people of Southern Kaduna are mourning the gruesome and barbaric massacre of her citizens by Fulani terrorists.
Bodies of the victims loaded into a truck for evacuation
Caskets being arranged in the mass grave
A view of the loaded caskets
Truck load of Caskets containing bodiesRelatives and well wishers wailing at the arrival of the bodiesRelatives and well wishers wailing at the arrival of the bodies
Gumi during a visit to bandits camp in Northern Nigeria
Controversial Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said bandits terrorising the country love those who show them respect and understanding.
According to People’s Gazette, Gumi said this while fielding questions from students during a lecture at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria on Wednesday.
The cleric who has been visiting the gunmen in the forest in an attempt to negotiate a peace deal with them says his interaction with them have been easy because he always “goes through the door.”
“I go through the door, not the window. If you go through the door, you will go in and come back safely,” he said.
Gumi said if the bandits were given a listening ear, their resolve would be softened and would become more amenable to abandoning their violent ways.
When asked why the bandits had not kidnapped him despite his numerous visits to their den, Gumi said, “When we meet them, we don’t speak, we give them the microphone to speak even for one hour. When we first approached them, we saw that they were holding their warrant, ready to fire. By the time we finish our meeting, they will hand in their weapons and we will be taking pictures.
“So this is the power of human interaction which is what we are here to study as social scientists. That is the approach.”
The preacher said he had been able to gain the bandits’ sympathy because he “treats them as human beings and respects them.”
“That is the respect I give them. I say come, come and sit with me. Come and sit down. I want to hear from you. With that respect, the Fulani man, you can get him.
“So don’t be surprised, if you are nice to him, if you are ready to listen to him, if you are trying to understand his problem, if you put your legs in his own shoes, he will listen to you, you will go to the forest and return safely insha Allahu,” Gumi assured
It was a moment of grief, tears and sorrow in Southern Kaduna as the 38 victims of last Sunday’s terrorist herdsmen attack in Madamai and Abun communities in Mallagum district were laid to rest.
The occasion which was held at the the Government secondary school Mallagum was graced by sons and daughters of Southern Kaduna from all walks of life. Dignitaries such as the Senator Representing Southern Kaduna Senatorial zone, Danjuma La’ah, Member Representing Jama’a/Sanga Federal constituency, Nicholas Sarkin-noma, the Bishop of Kafanchan Diocese, Bishop Julius Yakubu Kundi, The General Overseer, Good News Power Base Church Kafanchan, Apostle Emmanuel Bako Ego, The Kaduna state CAN Chairman, Rev. Joseph Hayab, the President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, Hon. Jonathan Asake, his Executives and many others.
The Catholic Bishop of Kafanchan Diocese, Bishop Julius Yakubu Kundi in his homily admonished the Southern Kaduna people to defend themselves against those he called aggressors, likening their aggression to the persecution that befell the Christians in Rome during the reign of Emperor Nero.
“Here before us are victims of terrorism. This service was organised to strengthen us to stand firm and defend our land against the killers.” Bishop Kundi said
The Bishop who gave a clear illustration of the Sunday 26th September attack, described how 38 innocent villagers were massacred unprovoked and 20 houses burnt by attackers identified as Fulanis. Bishop Kundi further called on the government to live up to it’s expectations.
“Our government needs to be be put on the red alert, that with what is happening, this country is raising a traumatized and a militant generation who may be devoid of human tolerance and interethnic friendship.” He said
In his message, the Chairman Christian Association of Nigeria, Kaduna state chapter, Rev Joseph Hayab said that the senatorial district was tired of writing press statements and organising press conferences.
The Senator representing Southern Kaduna Senatorial District, Senator Danjuma La’ah, advised Southern Kaduna people to defend themselves against those he called terrorist herdsmen.
The President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, Hon Asake called on the federal government to declare bandits as terrorists. Asake noted that the so-called bandits had in the past brought down a fighter jet. “What else does the government want?.
“While they are using terrorists to supplant people of our community, we have always known their agenda. It is to weaken us and take over our ancestral lands and bring in foreign people. He said.
Asake further said that the herdsmen were attacking the people of Southern Kaduna because of the protection they were enjoying from the present government of the day.
“The present leadership of Southern Kaduna and their elites will write and keep all the atrocities meted out to them for their children to know the kind of injustices perpetrated against their parents.’ Asake said.
The victims were eventually laid to rest after the ceremony amidst tears and anguish from their loved ones and the entire communities affected.
Nigeria’s foremost Civil Society group, The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria-HURIWA has decried what it described as the Federal government’s deliberately hasty, panic move’ to shutdown telecommunications network in some Northwestern states of the country.
In a statement signed by it’s national coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the Civil Rights crusader said it is unfair and unpatriotic for the Federal government to continue to approve telecommunications network shutdown for states in the troubled North-West region when it is obvious that the shutdown has so far not affected the terrorists and their nefarious activities but only further compound the suffering on Nigerians and make operations more difficult for our troops executing the war against terrorist elements in the region.
The group said the minister of Telecommunications and digital economy Sheikh Ibrahim Pantami has by this grossly incompetent measure demonstrated that he is unaware of what the right steps are to contain the rising terrorists attacks in the North West affecting mostly Christians and Hausa people just as the dominant members if the terror groups unleashing the unprecedented violence are Fulani herdsmen sharing same Ethno-religious affiliation with the controversial minister who had been caught expressing solidarity with Al-Qaeda terrorists. The Rights group thinks what is going on in the North West is a genocide of Northern Christians and Indigenous native Hausas.
HURIWA made references to a dailytrust publication of Tuesday September 14th which quoted a military source attributing the attack on a forward Operation base of troops fighting terrorists in the North-West to lack of communication between troops due to the network jam in the region. A dozen troops were eventually killed by the terrorists during the attack.
“While the jamming of GSM in Zamfara has gone a long way in taming the bandits, it also has a negative effect on troops because communication among them was also extremely restricted,” the source said.
“Most of the foot soldiers relied on normal phone networks instead of any of the specialised communication gadgets that should be deployed during operations such as the one going on in the North West.
“Only the top commanders have military radio or walkie-talkie, meaning those in the frontlines would only use their personal mobile phones which are no longer accessible.
“The bandits took advantage of this and attacked them at their forward operation base. As you can see, the attack was launched on Saturday but it only came to the fore days after,” he said. Another source said there was the need to deploy specialised communication gadgets for the troops.
“The ban on communication in Zamfara and parts of Katsina is not bad in its entirety but the military high command should have taken note of the adverse effect on troops.”
In the same publication, Dailytrust also reported how the terrorists operating in the North-West states now use thuraya satellite phones to bypass the ban on telecommunications network in the region.
HURIWA also decried the increase in frequency of attacks and killings of innocent Nigerians in the North-West since the so called telecommunication network jam came to effect, questioning it’s sincerity of purpose.
From various news paper publications, online and offline, over 300 Nigerians have been killed by terrorists across the Northwest since the telecommunications shut down began, hundreds have been abducted in the same vein.
This is an indication that the network shutdown has failed to achieve it’s purpose and therefore should be reviewed.
Armed bandits have allegedly killed no fewer than 30 persons in Kachiwe village, Sarkin Pawa in Munya Local Government Area of Niger State.
DAILY POST gathered that the gunmen stormed the village and other neighbouring communities from their hideouts in the dreaded Barnin Gwari forest in Kaduna State on Tuesday.
When contacted, the Secretary to the Niger State Government, Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, confirmed the attack.
Although, he did not disclose the number of those that lost their lives, he, however, explained that the state government is not resting on its oars in its effort to rid the state of crime and criminality.
Matane appealed to people of the state to provide security agencies with credible information to enable them win in the fight against banditry, kidnapping and other criminalities facing the state.
Also, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Monday Bala Kuryas confirmed the incident.
Kuryas revealed that investigation has already started on the matter to enable the command track down the perpetrators of the criminal act.
The state Police boss stated, “A team of policemen has been despatched to the area to safeguard lives and property of people of Sarkin Pawa. Efforts are also on to track those involved in the criminal act.”
He said three people lost their lives in an attack earlier on Kagara Rafi Local Government Council of the state.
Bandits on Tuesday night killed at least 20 people and abducted several others in Gatawa, a village in Sabon Birni local government area of Sokoto State.
The agrarian community was considered to be one of the few secure villages in the eastern part of the state where bandits have been very active.
The deadly attack came barely 24 hours after another in Gangara, in the same local government area.
A local resident, Bashir Gobir, said his younger sister was among those kidnapped.
An anonymous source said the attack was one of the most horrendous.
“They came on motorcycles as usual and started shooting sporadically. They went from house to house checking for food and other things but they also killed 20 people during the attack,” he said.
Mr Gobir said he did not know how many people were killed in the attack.
“The terrorists raided Gatawa yesterday night. They stole almost everything of value in the village, killed many and abducted several others. My sister, Rahila Galadima, was one of the women taken away by the bandits,” Mr Gobir said.
When contacted, the police spokesperson in Sokoto, Sanusi Abubakar, said he was attending a meeting and promised to call back.
He, however, did not call back or respond to an SMS sent to him.
Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview, a member representing Sabon Birni South at the Sokoto House of Assembly, Saidu Ibrahim, said the attacks have become unbearable.
“What is happening is very disheartening. I’ know many people who have been killed and wounded in this attack (Gangara one).”
The Senate has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare bandits as terrorists.
It also advised the president to wage total war against the bandits, including bombing all their locations to annihilate and eliminate them.
The Red Chamber also asked Buhari to declare all the known leadership of the bandits wanted and track them wherever they are for arrest and prosecution.
The resolutions followed a motion by Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir (Sokoto East) and eight others.Gobir noted that Sokoto East Senatorial District has now become a safe haven for bandits due to the current onslaught against them in Zamfara State.
He recalled the killing of 21 security personnel last Saturday in Dama and Gangara and yet to be ascertained number of civilians from the neighbouring villages by rampaging bandits.
The gruesome murder, the lawmaker said, portrayed the seriousness of the problem which he said requires concerted and urgent action by the declaration of total war on banditry.
He expressed worry that losing such a number of trained officers would further deplete the numerical strength of the security personnel in the country, thereby jeopardizing the security architecture of the country.
He also lamented that most of the bandits have now relocated to Sabon Birni and Isa local government areas due to the sustained military operations at the Zamfara axis.
The lawmaker said while the crackdown on the bandits was taking place in Zamfara State, no concrete measures have been taken in Sokoto State, leaving it totally exposed to the activities of the bandits.
According to him, the present military onslaught on the bandits is not well coordinated because it is only being orchestrated in Zamfara State instead of all the front line states ravaged by banditry. ,
‘The operation should be holistic instead of restrictive in order to produce effective and the desired results,” he said.
The Senate observed a minute of silence in honour of the fallen heroes and civilians who lost their lives in the unwholesome activities of the bandits.
The Red Chamber also directed the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and other relevant federal government agencies to as a matter of urgency give all the necessary support to the victims of the menace of banditry in Sokoto and other parts of the country.
