Crime
Kaduna bombing: ACF demands GOC’s removal
The ACF made the demand on Thursday as the Federal Government vowed to punish whoever was found culpable in the accidental bombing.
An air strike intended to flush out terrorists had on Sunday night accidentally hit civilians during a religious celebration at Tudun Biri.
The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu, during a visit to the victims of the bombing at Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital Kaduna on Thursday, said the government would get to the root of the incident.
He stated, “All measures will be taken to ensure that future occurrences are averted. The government will go to the root of the issue and anyone found culpable will be punished accordingly.”
Shettima disclosed that victims of the bombing would be taken care of under the Fulako Initiative of the President, which he described as a non-kinetic solution to the challenges in the North-West.
According to him, beneficiary states of the initiative include Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, and Kaduna. He added that for the purpose of equity and justice, Niger and Benue states were included.
Bombed community
According to Shettima, the Tudun Biri community will be the first community to be rebuilt under the new initiative.
He stated, “President Bola Tinubu sent us to commiserate with the people of Kaduna over the tragic incident. The calibre of people that are here with me is a testimony of how deeply touched the President is by the incident.
“The President was deeply touched by what happened. We would like to assure the people and the government of Kaduna State that the Federal Government will take measures to protect and preserve the interest of our nation.
“The victims will be well taken care of under the Fulako Initiative and this community will be the first to be rebuilt in the North-West zone.
Later on Thursday evening, the Vice-President, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, explained that the project, which would begin in January 2024, would include the building of houses, clinics, schools, veterinary clinics, empowerment initiatives, and solar energy, among others, in the Tudun Biri community.
He stated, “The President directed that the Pullako Initiative be kick-started here in Kaduna State. Tudun Biri will be the first beneficiary of that scheme. We are going to build houses that will complement the efforts of the Right Honorable Speaker.”
At the Sir Kashim Government House, Kaduna, where the Vice-President met with religious and traditional leaders, as well as some leaders of the affected community, Shettima stated, “The heart of the President is with the bereaved families. Rest assured that the Federal Government stands by the community affected and the government and people of Kaduna State on this unfortunate incident. The President called me more than 17 times on this matter when he was outside the country.
“As directed by Mr President, an investigation is being conducted with a view to preventing recurrence of the incident and we expect the report to be submitted very soon,” Shettima stated.
He commended the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, for bringing the religious leaders together under one umbrella, saying that “what binds us together as a prime supersedes what divides us. In this trying moment, he brought together the two heads.”
On his part, the governor commended the President for the high-powered delegation sent to commiserate with the people of the state and for responding to the call for an investigation into the matter.
“The Federal Government has responded positively by saying that there is going to be proper investigation, as soon as possible and the outcome will be made public to Nigerians,” he said.
Sani said the state government would ensure that the wounded were provided with proper medical care and cater for the orphans.
ACF on GOC
But the ACF, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad, called for the removal of some army officers in Kaduna to ensure thorough investigations.
It said, “The General Officer Commanding of One Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, along with his immediate subordinate officers should be redeployed to allow for unfettered investigations.
“As a trite principle of justice, One Division of the Nigerian Army must not and should not be allowed to investigate itself. An independent panel of investigators is clearly indicated. Further, the results of the investigations must be made public, issues that border on national security considerations excepted.
“The defence headquarters should retract its needless statement. The Ministry of Defence, and the Armed Forces in particular, should take steps to ensure that such incidents are avoided or contained to the barest minimum humanly possible.
“The Federal Government must take responsibility for full compensation to all victims of Tudun Biri. The gesture should also be extended to victims from all previous such incidents.”
The ACF pointed out that since the Sunday, December 3, 2023, incident, two significant events had occurred to warrant a reaction by the forum.
It welcomed the visit of the Minister of State (Defence) along with the Chief of Army Staff and other top government officials to the Tudun Biri Community on December 6, 2023, where the delegation also attended the funeral rites of some of the 126 victims of the incident.
“The visit was very appropriate and gave the Federal Government as well as the Nigerian Army a needed human face. The ACF considers the visit a welcome departure from earlier rather insipid response to the incident by officers of One Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna.
The forum stated that the COAS had announced a donation of N10m to the community, which the ACF considered as grossly inadequate, firmly believing that it was the Federal Government, not the Nigerian Army, that should take responsibility for full compensation for deaths and injuries to victims arising from the incident.
“Still, the ACF urges the army chief, as a sign of good faith, to follow up with additional steps to ameliorate the pains and suffering of the community. The plaintive Tudun Biri community must not be left alone in its recovery process,” it stated.
The forum further noted that the statement of the defence headquarters of the Armed Forces, released on December 5, 2023, was totally unnecessary.
It stated, “It was especially painful viewed, as it must be, against the human costs of the tragedy. The wounds of the injured were and are still fresh and many of the dead unburied at the time of the statement. For these reasons, authorities should not minimise or downplay the monumental tragedy that the incident represents.
“Indeed, the ACF considers the defence headquarters’ response as proving positive that the disaster was a consequence of an inexcusable and incompetent failure of intelligence,” it stated.
The forum drew particular attention to four specific issues in the defence headquarters’ reaction in the reference above, and they include “(i) that the military could deploy an unmanned aerial vehicle without proper ground assessment was a strategic error because it resulted in deaths and injuries to mostly children who were not even as little as carrying sticks and stones;
“(ii) the Defence Headquarters claimed a ‘threat’ was ‘eliminated’ but such threat was tragically a gathering of mostly children as obvious from video clips and photographs now trending on social media, of the before-and-after the Tudun Biri massacre;
“(iii) the Defence Headquarters asserted that the community ought to have informed the military about its activities, an assertion tantamount to a classic blame-the-victim strategy and typical gas-lighting of the victims of the incident. On the contrary, the usual practice is for communities to be informed about impending military operations.;
“and (iv) while it is entirely plausible that terrorists often disguise as civilians and entrench themselves in the civilian population, the Tudun Biri gathering was clearly that of innocent civilian citizens, and as obvious from photos of the before-and-after the incident.”
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters said on Thursday said the accidental bombing should not be given ethnic or religious coloration.
It also denied claims that the lack of synergy between the services in the military led to the bombing in Kaduna.
Addressing journalists at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba said a strong synergy existed between the Nigerian Navy, Air Force, and Army.
“Our operations in the country are joint, meaning that we are operating in a joint environment where you have the army, the Navy, and the Air Force. When we talk of cooperation, we have not had it better than this,” he stated.
He said, “The Armed Forces of Nigeria is a professional force. And within our ranks and files, we have members from every part of this country.
“So whatever group is coming up and saying whatever calculations that they have imagined in their minds, I can tell you that it is faulty, it is in error, and it is unpatriotic. At this time, when we are at war, it is not just the military that is at war. The whole country is at war.
“And that is why I have severally said on this platform that there are more people who know something than those who see and therefore know something, say something, and let us, the military, do something about it.
This came as the United States Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability on Thursday said the deployment of Artificial Intelligence would help the Nigerian military to reduce accidental bombings to the barest minimum.
The centre noted that the adoption of AI by the Nigerian military would not only improve its capabilities but would prevent the military from running afoul of international humanitarian law.
The centre’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Paul Dean, disclosed this during a roundtable meeting with select journalists in Abuja on Thursday.
According to a local source, the assailants stormed the community in the early hours of Sunday and unleashed terror.
Angered by the development, youths and women from the community took to major streets in Otukpo, including the palace of the Och’Idoma, to protest the killings.
As of the time of filing this report, the protesters had blocked all entrances into the ancient town, including the Enugu–Otukpo and Makurdi–Otukpo roads.
One of the protesters, who identified herself as Comfort Inalegwu, told our correspondent in a telephone interview on Sunday, “Some Fulani herdsmen, between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. today, attacked Nobi community in Otukpo, shooting sporadically, which made residents flee.
“At least 16 people were killed this morning during the attack. I lost my sister and two of her children in the attack. The Fulani entered her house and shot them. Their corpses are now at the morgue of Otukpo General Hospital.”
Inalegwu, who said several people were also injured during the attack, threatened that women would continue to protest and ensure that elections were not held in the area unless the government stopped the incessant killings of innocent people in Idoma land.
She added that many people were still missing as of the time she spoke with our correspondent.
The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, could not be reached for comment as of the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the killings, describing them as “not only a breach of peace, but also a barbaric and inhuman assault on the sanctity of life and the collective soul of the people of Benue State.”
The statement read in part, “The suspected armed herders reportedly invaded Akpachi Village in Akpa, Otukpo Local Government Area, between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. while residents were asleep. The attackers killed scores of people, while many others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
“These acts of mindless bloodshed are a direct attempt to sabotage the progress of our state.”
Alia, who expressed sadness over the attack, said, he “shares in the grief and anger of the people of Otukpo and the entire Benue South Senatorial District,” saying, ‘Your lives are precious, and I can assure you that your ancestral lands will not be surrendered to fear.’”
The governor said the people of the state had consistently demonstrated remarkable restraint and commitment to peace but warned that such restraint must never be mistaken for weakness.
While consoling the people of Otukpo, the governor said, “My government stands firmly with you, and we will not allow our communities to be turned into killing fields.”
He directed all security agencies operating in the state to liaise with their counterparts in neighbouring states and to “swing into action” with renewed vigour by intensifying surveillance and patrols across the affected communities and border areas.
He also called on security agencies to ensure the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators and to deploy additional personnel and resources to protect vulnerable communities and prevent further attacks.
While calling on Benue residents to remain vigilant, the governor urged every citizen to cooperate with the police and military by providing timely and credible intelligence, saying, “Security is a collective responsibility, and your information is a vital tool in our defence.”
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, could not be reached as of the time of filing this report.
The Enugu State Police Command has launched a manhunt for the driver and conductor of a Mitsubishi L300 commercial bus over their alleged involvement in the assault of police officers, attempted murder, dangerous driving, and the temporary snatching of a police rifle.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, the incident occurred at about 1:20 p.m. on July 9, 2026, at All Saints Roundabout along Abakaliki Road, Enugu.
The police said the Command’s Control Room received reports that the driver and conductor had assaulted a traffic police officer on duty. Operatives of the Distress Response Squad (DRS) were subsequently deployed and intercepted the commercial bus.
However, the suspects allegedly refused to submit to arrest. Police said the driver initially slowed down as if to stop before suddenly accelerating in an attempt to escape, knocking down one of the operatives in the process.
According to the statement, the officer’s AK-47 rifle became entangled with the moving vehicle and was dragged away as the bus sped off.
The police said that during a pursuit, the suspects threw the rifle out of the vehicle at IMT Bus Stop along Abakaliki Road before fleeing. The weapon was immediately recovered intact with its ammunition.
Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has ordered a comprehensive investigation and intensified efforts to arrest and prosecute the fleeing suspects.
He also urged the driver and conductor to voluntarily report to the police for investigation, warning that all lawful measures were being deployed to apprehend them.
The commissioner further appealed to members of the public to disregard what he described as misleading narratives surrounding the incident and cautioned against assaulting or obstructing police officers in the lawful discharge of their duties, stressing that such acts are criminal offences that would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
Okwudili Ndiwe, popularly known as Derico Nwamama, was a notorious Nigerian armed robber and serial killer who terrorized parts of Anambra State, particularly Onitsha and its environs, between 2000 and 2001. He became one of Nigeria’s most feared criminals because of his gang’s involvement in armed robberies, killings, and attacks on police officers and civilians. Reports from the time attributed more than 100 civilian deaths and the killing of numerous police officers to his gang, though some figures vary by source.
Derico reportedly began as a street urchin and pickpocket before graduating to violent armed robbery. His activities created widespread fear across southeastern Nigeria, leading traders and residents to demand stronger action against criminal gangs.
In July 2001, he was captured by the Bakassi Boys after the group was invited to help tackle violent crime in Anambra State. Rather than being handed over to the police for trial, he was publicly executed by beheading in Onitsha, an act that drew both public approval from some residents and strong condemnation from human rights organizations because it was an extrajudicial killing.
Derico’s story remains one of the most infamous episodes in Nigeria’s criminal history and is often cited in discussions about crime, vigilantism, and the rule of law in the country.
Derico’s reign of terror lasted only about a year (2000–2001), but it left a lasting mark on Anambra State. Some accounts are well documented, while others have become part of local folklore, so it’s important to distinguish between verified facts and widely repeated stories.
Some of his most notorious escapades include:
The Upper Iweka luxury bus massacre (December 2000): This is considered his most infamous crime. His gang reportedly stopped a Lagos-bound luxury bus at Upper Iweka in Onitsha, robbed the passengers, and then executed most of them. Reports say about 55 of the 59 passengers were killed, with only a handful surviving.
Repeated bank robberies: Derico’s gang carried out daring raids on banks in Onitsha, escaping with millions of naira at a time when police struggled to stop them.
Killing of police officers: He was blamed for the deaths of around 25 police officers, often attacking patrol teams and police checkpoints. His gang became notorious for directly confronting law enforcement rather than avoiding them.
The killing of Chiejina: According to widely circulated accounts, Derico was once allied with another feared criminal, Chiejina. After Chiejina allegedly murdered Derico’s father, Derico tracked him down and shot him dead, ending his rival’s reign before becoming the dominant crime boss himself. This story is widely recounted but is based largely on historical narratives rather than court records.
Control through fear: Traders, transporters, and residents in Onitsha, Nkpor, Nnewi, Ihiala, and nearby towns reportedly lived in fear of his gang. Some accounts claim he would send advance warnings before attacks to demonstrate that security agencies could not stop him.
His downfall came in July 2001 when the Bakassi Boys captured him near the Niger Bridge after an intelligence-led operation. Six days later, he was publicly beheaded in Onitsha without trial, an extrajudicial execution that was celebrated by many residents but condemned by human rights groups.
He was beheaded by Bakassi at the public square at Ochanja Market Onitsha on July 9, 2001.
Crime
Traditional rulers indispensable partners in community policing, security management – CP Giwa
The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Mamman Giwa, says traditional rulers remain indispensable partners in community policing and grassroots security management.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Command’s Spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, on Saturday in Enugu after the commissioner’s stakeholders’ engagement visit to the leadership of Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council on Friday.
The commissioner noted that traditional rulers are indispensable and imperative in grassroots security matters due to their closeness to the people and understanding of the security dynamics within their communities.
He emphasised that the command would continue to leverage their support in intelligence gathering, crime prevention, conflict resolution, and the prompt reporting of suspicious activities.
According to him, the command is reaffirming its commitment to strengthening collaboration with the traditional institution in the fight against crime and criminality across the state.
Responding to questions from the traditional rulers, the commissioner pledged to continue to accord them due respect and recognition as custodians of peace and order in their communities.
He appreciated their continued support in promoting peace and security across the state.
The state police boss urged them to sustain their partnership with the police by encouraging residents to remain law-abiding and security-conscious.
Speaking, the Council, led by its Chairman, Igwe Samuel Asadu, appreciated the commissioner for the visit and commended his pragmatic leadership in combating crime and enhancing public safety in the state.
Describing him as “God-sent,” the traditional rulers offered him their royal blessings and prayed for his continued success.
They reaffirmed the council’s commitment to supporting police initiatives that promote peace and security across the state.
Also present at the engagement were the Council’s Deputy Chairman, Igwe Julius Nnaji; the Council’s Public Relations Officer, Igwe Emmanuel Ugwu; and Chairmen of the various Local Government Traditional Rulers’ Councils.
Others are: the Council’s former Chairman, Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu, and its First Grand Patron, Igwe Abel Nwobodo.
The engagement underscores the commissioner’s commitment to sustained collaboration with critical stakeholders to advance community policing, public trust-building, proactive crime prevention, and the maintenance of law and order.
Onanuga disclosed this in a post on his X handle, saying, “Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies.”
He later revealed that eight suspected kidnappers were arrested during the operation and are currently in the custody of the Department of State Services, while several others were neutralised.
He also dismissed reports that the victims were freed through a prisoner exchange, stating that there was “no quid pro quo” because one of the terrorist kingpins whose release had been demanded by the kidnappers remains on trial for alleged terrorism-related offences.
The announcement caps months of denials, protests and false alarms since gunmen stormed three schools in the area on May 15, abducting 46 pupils, students and teachers.
Here is how the 56-day saga unfolded.
May 15: The attack
Armed men numbering in the dozens, some dressed in military fatigues and riding motorcycles, stormed three schools in the Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area, near Ogbomoso — Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School.
They opened fire before seizing pupils, students and teachers, including a toddler aged two. At least one person was killed during the raid.
Governor Seyi Makinde later confirmed that seven students were abducted from Community Grammar School, while 18 children and seven teachers were taken from Baptist Nursery and Primary.
In total, 39 pupils and seven teachers — 46 victims — were confirmed abducted, including the school principal, Folawe Alamu.
President Bola Tinubu condemned the attack as barbaric and vowed a rescue operation, with the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, dispatching more detectives to Oyo State to lead a technology-driven operation.
Late May: The beheading of Michael Oyedokun
Mathematics teacher Michael Oyedokun was beheaded by his captors in a video that sparked nationwide condemnation and hardened public anger toward the government’s handling of the crisis. The killing was reportedly intended to deter security operatives closing in on the kidnappers’ camp.
Tinubu approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State and directed a specialised rescue unit to intensify operations.
Around this time, reports emerged that the kidnappers had opened communication channels with the state government, demanding the release of two detained Boko Haram/Ansaru commanders, Mahmud Usman (“Abu Bara’a”) and his deputy Abubakar Abba, as a condition for freeing the victims.
June 1: NUT declares indefinite strike
The Nigeria Union of Teachers ordered all public primary and secondary school teachers in Oyo State to withdraw services indefinitely, demanding the government secure the victims’ release before schools reopened. Solidarity rallies followed across state capitals on June 2.
Early-mid June: Fake “release” claims proliferate
At least three separate waves of misinformation falsely claimed the victims had been freed.. Oyo Police and the state government repeatedly and firmly debunked each claim, while fact-checkers (Africa Check) intervened publicly.
Late June: Ransom allegations, pressure campaigns
Social media activist VeryDarkMan (Martins Otse) led protests to the Oyo governor’s office. The Oyo government, through Commissioner for Information Dotun Oyelade, repeatedly denied any ransom payment. Civil society groups, including Socialist Labour, accused the government of complacency and demanded accountability.
July 2: NUT suspends strike
After roughly a month of industrial action, the NUT called off its strike, citing government assurances that efforts to secure the victims’ release were intensifying, and citing concern for pupils’ lost academic time.
July 8-9: Defence minister confirms standoff over use of force
Defence Minister Christopher Musa disclosed that the kidnappers had threatened to kill the captives if security forces attempted a forceful rescue, explaining the extended timeline and the shift toward a negotiated approach. Army Chief Waidi Shaibu said troops were making “tremendous progress” and had identified associates of the kidnappers.
July 10: Freedom, at last
Onanuga announced that all the kidnapped pupils and teachers had been rescued by security agencies, bringing the 56-day ordeal to an end.
He disclosed that eight suspected kidnappers were arrested during the operation and are currently in DSS custody, while some others were neutralised.
While the victims’ rescue brings an end to the 56-day ordeal, security agencies are expected to provide a comprehensive account of the operation, including details of the arrests and the circumstances surrounding the rescue.
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