Category: Crime

The security threats in Katsina, President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state, are getting worse as nine out of the state’s 34 local government areas are currently under the control of bandits.

The Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Masari, on Thursday said although efforts were on to bring the cases of banditry to an end, activities of bandits were posing serious drawbacks to the government’s agricultural plans.

Masari stated this while speaking with State House Correspondents in Abuja after he met behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Certainly, there is going to be some issues, because in the entire state, the nine local governments are affected out of 34,” Masari said.

The governor said his government was making efforts to free some affected villages and areas bordering the forests, adding, however, that “there is going to be some drawbacks in some of the areas”.

The state has been under serious security threats following persistent attacks by bandits, despite assurances by government that it would not allow the situation to escalate.

The governor stressed that although the rainy season has set in and can pose a challenge to the fight against bandits, the government was determined to conquer them.

“You know, the North-Western and North-Central parts of the country where these bandits are is a vast forest area and unfriendly terrain, so especially now during the rainy season, moving with heavy military equipment can be very challenging because the soil is soft and the rains are heavy but it is doable. No situation is impossible especially to a willing and determined mind, so I do believe that we can conquer these bandits and stop them from hibernating into something else,” he said.

Masari assured that government is determined to contain the situation.

“Currently the military are in Katsina for their annual super camp, so over 2,000 of them are gathered in Katsina in order to really send a signal to the bandits that the military is ready and willing and they have the capacity to deal with the situation.

“The hope is that the military including the police and other security agencies have been given a marching order by the president to control the situation by all means and it is a task that must be done because we cannot allow the situation in the North-West to develop to a worrisome stage like it is in the North-East,” he said.

The Katsina State governor said people living in the rural communities would testify that actions are on-going and the displaced persons are being well taken care of.

He noted that state governments in the affected areas are waiting for the military to take total control of the forests and other affected areas before they can roll out their good plans for the people affected by banditry.

“First of all, in the aspect of non-kinetic measures, what we are waiting for is for the military to take total control of the land areas then the state and local governments will now move in; especially in the area of education, access and water supply then their means of livelihood, which is mainly agriculture and livestock.

“For us in Katsina, we have concluded all our designs but we cannot safely get access to where we can make reservations in terms of earth dams, we have already earmarked 30 areas in which we are going to reconstruct all the earth dams that are broken down and construct some that are new in order to provide watering points and again, we are reintroducing grazing points but as it is today, we cannot access the land.

“We have partners that are willing to join hands with us bit we have to get the land back in peace because nobody will go and invest where security is not very tight but with the current military operation going on, I am sure before the end of this rainy season we will have a very conducive atmosphere and free area that people can go back to their normal life,” he said.

The governor said criminal activities would not affect agricultural activities in Katsina State, adding that both government and farmers are expecting a bumper harvest this year.

He also said he was in the State House to bring Eid-El Kabir greetings to President Buhari, one of their own, on behalf of all citizens of Katsina, since due to the COVID-19 pandemic the president could not travel home for the Sallah festivities as he does every year. – Business Day.

Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, has urged the police panel probing embattled Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, to seize his phones and thoroughly analyse his oral and written communications on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, amongst others.

National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, made this known on Thursday in a chat with newsmen.

According to Onwubiko, the Special Investigation Panel headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike, should have seized the cop’s phones immediately the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, constituted the panel last week.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States issued an arrest warrant against Kyari for alleged collusion in a $1.1m fraud allegedly committed by money laundering suspect, Abass Ramon, aka Hushpuppi, and four others.

The IGP had subsequently suspended Kyari as former Head of the Police Intelligence Response Team and appointed DCP Tunji Disu as his replacement.

FBI Special Agent, Andrew Innocenti, in a document titled, ‘Criminal Complaint By Telephone Or Other Reliable Electronic Means’ filed before the United States District Court for the Central District of California, had alleged that Hushpuppi contracted the services of Kyari after a “co-conspirator,” Chibuzo Vincent allegedly threatened to expose the alleged $1.1m fraud committed against a Qatari businessman.

Innocenti, who said he ransacked the voice calls and WhatsApp conversations between Kyari and Hushpuppi had also alleged that the latter paid the police officer N8m or $20,600 for the arrest and detention of Vincent.

Kyari is presently facing the DIG Egbunike panel and has started presenting his defence to the SIP at the Force headquarters, Abuja. The panel is expected to probe Kyari and submit its findings to the IGP.

But in a chat, HURIWA noted that the panel should have started frisking the phones of Kyari for a thorough investigation since it was constituted last week.

The advocacy group said, “We in Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria will be shocked to find out that the telecommunications companies aren’t summoned by the IGP investigative panel to unravel the discussions held between the embattled DCP and Hushpuppi.

“Most likely, the police authority has had unlimited access to those facts which was the necessitating factor for the very prompt action by the IGP to replace him. Moreover, the FBI has possession of the transcripts of those transactions.

“But to be on the safe side, all those phones should have been seized since by the police unless they intend to undermine the transparency of the probe.”

Punch

Enugu chapter of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo has condemned recent invasion, wanton destruction of lives and property including farmlands by Fulani herdsmen in Enugu communities.

In a statement signed by Prof. Fred Odo Eze, President, and Dcn. Malachy Chuma Ochie, Secretary, Ohanaeze noted that the attack on Okpokwu-Mgbuji community in Isi-Uzo LG of Enugu State is the latest in the long list of carnage, mayhem, premeditated but unprovoked attacks by Fulani herdsmen in various communities in Enugu State.

“This latest carnage, which occurred in the dead hours of Sunday, August 1, 2021 left 8 persons dead, including a pregnant woman; and several others still missing as at the time of this press release.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu State unequivocally condemns this attack on the peaceful Mgbuji Community. This deliberate mass murder by these marauding herdsmen cannot be justified by any stretch of the imagination.

“We, therefore, condemn this attack in its totality as barbaric, provocative and a clear assault on the accommodative spirit of Ndi-Enugu State. We can no longer tolerate the intentional decimation of our people by Fulani herdsmen or any other group for that matter; not today, tomorrow or ever.

“This must stop. We, therefore call on all the Security Agencies and other critical stakeholders in the State to urgently identify and bring the culprits to book.

“We wish to thank His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Dr. Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi, for his prompt response to this security emergency; and his appeal for calm in the affected community and the entire Enugu State.
“We are aware that the Governor has at various times reached out to the leadership of Miyetti Allah in Enugu State with appeals to rein-in their men so that we can all live in peace.

“Regrettably, despite these peace initiatives and engagements by the Governor, we have had repeated cases of killings by Fulani herdsmen in Enugu State including Uzo-Uwani, Nkanu-East, Awgu, Udi and Enugu-East LGAs.
“We wish to warn that the peaceful disposition of the Governor and indeed the people of Enugu State should not be taken for granted or interpreted as a sign of weakness as no one has the monopoly of Violence.

Enough is enough!!!

A Press release by International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Nigeria) says no fewer than 43,000 Christians were killed from July 2009 to July 2021; a period of twelve years.

The figure arises from the total jihadist killing of not less than 72,000 defenseless citizens. 

The killings is believed to have emanated from the propagation of radical Islamism in Nigeria.

The total number of moderate Muslims killed by Jihadists in the same pas 12 years is put at 29,000.

The 43,000 Christian deaths occurred following systematic and coordinated attacks majorly targeted at Christians by radical Islamists or Islamic Jihadists and their collaborators (‘esprit de jihad’) in the Nigerian security forces.

The Nigerian Jihadists also sparsely and collaterally target moderate Muslims as collateral mistakes or punishments of those collaborating with the ‘unbelievers’ or in revenge for state actor attacks against their targets, or  for purpose of enforcement of Islamic Sharia law or code.

The report further stated that the Islamic Jihadists and their ‘esprit de jihad’ in the Nigerian security forces have been responsible for at least 18,500 Christian deaths arising from enforced disappearances, or those abducted and most unlikely to return alive. 

“The 18,500 jihadist captivity slain Christians are out of estimated 26,000 of such deaths since 2009, put by a UN Agency in 2019 at “22,500”.

“Generally speaking, the total number of defenseless Nigerians abducted by the Jihadists since 2009 is put at 36,000, out of which 18,500 are Christians who are most unlikely to return alive.
“
While most of the Muslims abducted by Jihadists in Nigeria are later released unconditionally to their families, most of their Christian counterparts are killed in captivity or forcefully converted to Islam.

“A typical case in point was the abduction of 276 Chibok Girls by BH on 14-15 April, 2014. Apart from 217 of them belonging to the Church of Brethren in Nigeria (EYN), they are still held and have been forcefully converted to Islam and married off by the Jihadists.

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law is a leading research and investigative rights group since 2008 and has monitored, investigated, documented and exposed religious persecution and other forms of religious violence by state and non state actors across Nigeria and beyond since 2010.
“Intersociety is also a strong exponent of international religious freedom and belief and has globally provided researched, investigated and reliable data on situation of Christians in Nigeria and beyond.

“We have also severally risen in strong defense and spoken out in favor of the persecuted minority Muslims especially the Shiites or Islamic Movement in Nigeria or IMN. Our data are gathered through verified information from the victims, eyewitnesses’ accounts, interviews, media tracking and analysis, credible local and international reports, state actor sources, etc. 

 ENDS

Obinna Uchendu
Abakaliki

The Ebonyi State Police Command yesterday said that the command have arrested a 33 year old man, one Mr. Martin Odanwu for allegedly killing his eleven year old stepson, Destiny.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Loverth Odah who confirmed the arrest said that Mr. Odanwu was said to have beaten the boy to death for being outside home at odd hour.

According to her, the incident occurred at Amaofia Ngbo, Ohaukwu local government area of the state.

She noted that the suspect who was arrested by the Ohaukwu police command was thereafter brought to the State Police headquarters in Abakaliki where he is currently being detained.

The PPRO said that the State Commissioner of Police, CP Aliyu Garba has ordered full investigation into the killing.

According to her, “on 27 July, 2021, one Chijioke from Umuogudu Akpu, Okposhi Eshi in Ngbo, Ohaukwu local government and one Ekene Ituma of the same address went to the police station in Ohaukwu and reported that around 1:30 am, they heard the voice of a woman crying”.

“When they went to know what happened, they saw a lifeless boy by name Edeh Destiny of 11 years on the ground. When they asked the woman, she said the boy was beaten to death by her husband; Martin Odanwu, 33, of Amaofia Ngbo”.

“I asked her why the man beat the child to death, she responded by saying that trouble started when the man went to the market to buy things and on his way coming, he saw the children and started quarreling with them why they were outside by that time and caught Destiny and beat him to death”.

“Ohaukwu Police Division has arrested the suspect and handed him over to the Police Command Headquarters. As I am talking to you, Martin Odanwu is in the cell. The Commissioner of police has ordered full scale investigation into the matter to unravel the circumstances behind the killing”. ENDS

Suspected armed herdsmen invaded Mgbuji community in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State and killed eight people, injured others and kidnapped many, while farmlands were also destroyed.

There are rising fears in the community that casualties may rise in coming days due to the level of injuries sustained by some of the villagers who were caught in the attacks.

A villager, Chinaza Akan, who witnessed the incident, said one of the casualties was a pregnant woman whose stomach was said to have been ripped open and the foetus removed, while others were people who went for a marriage event.

Some villagers told Daily Sun that the armed herdsmen invaded the community on Sunday afternoon, through the border with a Benue State community and attacked several farm settlers and other unlucky people caught in the farm.

The Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Eha-Amufu, Rt. Rev. Daniel Nkemjika Olinya, who confirmed the development, painted a horrible and gory picture of the inhumane actions of the herdsmen.
He registered his concerns that herdsmen attacks in farm settlements in the affected Mgbuji community and its neighbours have been on the rise and the government has not done enough to end the attacks.

Bishop Olinya further confirmed that the police came on Monday, 24 hours after the attacks, with the intention of taking away the corpses, but the community members resisted them because they have not released other corpses in their custody for burial.

The community members alleged that the police asked them to sign an undertaking before they could release the corpses to the family members for burial.

But the undertaking, as gathered, was not favourable to the community, hence they withheld their signature.

He said part of the undertaking was that they would allocate land to the Fulani people, accept and live together with them whenever they return to the community, and was unacceptable to the community members.

So, the corpses are still with the police.

He called on the Enugu State Government to take action on the armed herdsmen. (SUN)

The Police Command in Oyo State says it has arrested the alleged kidnapper of the wife of an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in the state, Mrs Juliet Salawu.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suspected kidnapper was among the suspects presented on Monday at the Police Command Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan.

Other suspects were also presented by the command for various offences ranging from kidnapping, car theft and armed robbery, among others.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mrs Ngozi Onadeko, said the arrests were achieved through the command’s purpose-driven intelligence and the gallantry of the officers.

Onadeko said that the command had waged war against any form of criminality in the state through sophisticated mechanisms and the deployment of more arms and ammunitions.

She,however, warned criminally minded individuals to leave Oyo State or face the unpalatable consequences.

Onadeko urged the people of the state not to relent in providing useful information that would assist the command in further nipping crimes in the bud.

In an interview with one of the suspected kidnappers, he said that they did it to have money.

He said that they collected over N3 million as ransom from the relatives of the victim before releasing her after eight days in captivity.

NAN reports that exhibits recovered from the suspects included two motorcycles, three vehicles, charms, mobile phones, jewellery, an axe and a machete, among others.

The Commissioner of Police in Plateau, Mr. Edward Egbuka, has said that 17 people were killed and 85 buildings burnt in the recent attacks in Bassa and Riyom Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

Egbuka disclosed this on Monday while briefing newsmen at the end of an emergency state security meeting held at the Government House, Jos.

He said there were attacks in Jebbu Miango in Bassa LGA where five people were killed on July 31 and 12 others killed on Aug. 1 at Tambora in Riyom LGA.

“There were attacks specifically at Jebbu Miango on Saturday night, July 31 in which five people were killed and about 85 buildings burnt.

“The next morning, the attacks continued at Tambora in Riyom LGA where 12 people were killed and some houses destroyed,” he said.

The police commissioner disclosed that some security personnel were also killed in the attacks.

He said that Gov. Simon Lalong has given order for security personnel in the state to ensure that the situation was brought under control and to fish out the attackers.

“His excellency (the governor) has read a riot act to us that we should move out and within two weeks bring to book all those that have perpetrated the attacks. This would be done ,” he said.

He warned that instigators of reprisal attacks would not be spared saying, “human life is sacrosanct, nobody can take it at will. There is a government on ground and lawlessness would not be accepted,” he said.

Earlier in his remarks, the governor had said that the meeting was convened to quickly address the security situation
and chart strategies to nip crises in the bud. (NAN)