Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, at the early hours of Saturday killed over nine persons and injured scores in Ajimaka, a Tiv settlement in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. The killers who invaded the community at about 2:00am Saturday, started shooting sporadically and chanting war songs were allegedly carrying sophisticated weapons, The affected victims according to an eyewitness account are women and children while others scampered for safety in the village as well as calling for help from the neighbouring villages. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the Nasarawa, Command, ASP Ramhan Nansel said he has been receiving calls concerning the incident. According to the PPRO, the Command was yet to receive an official report on the incident adding however that as soon as the attack is confirmed, the command would as usual step up investigation to unravel the cause of the incident. Meanwhile he has appealed to the community in particular and the state at large not to take the law into their hands. Resting to the incident while speaking to Journalists on the incident, President, Tiv Development Association (TIDA) in Nasarawa state, Peter Ahemba who confirmed the incident in Lafia condemned the killings and described the dastardly act as unprovoked and unfortunate. The TIDA president regretted the attacks on Tiv people of the state, particularly those living at the border areas between Benue and Nasarawa states whom he said have become a recurrent decimal despite efforts by the Nasarawa state governor, Abdullahi Sule and his Benue counterpart, Samuel Ortom to ensure lasting peace. According to him, “Each time the suspected Fulani herdsmen have issues relating to implementation of the anti-open grazing law by the Benue state government, they turn back to attack our (Tiv) people in Nasarawa state. We are Tivs in Nasarawa state. We are peace-loving people. The Fulani herdsmen must stop attacking our people for things we do not know about” While lamenting the ugly development that has led to the displacement of thousands of Tiv farmers in the area, the TIDA President said the incident was coming at the time farmers were set to commence the current farming season. Ahemba who acknowledged the efforts by the Nasarawa state government at ensuring that peace and security is strengthened and maintained at the border areas of the state, appealed to the state government to direct the deployment of security operatives to the area to forestall reappraisal and the break down of law and order. He called on the Tiv people to remain calm and avoid taking laws into their hands despite the unprovoked attack as the state government was taking measures to restore normalcy.

An exclusive investigation by Vanguard on Saturday, into the attack by suspected hoodlums on the house of the Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, at Omuma in Oru East local government area of Imo State, revealed that an officer of the Imo state fire service, was shot dead by the hoodlums. Vanguard in Owerri, got the name of the officer, as Atenesuis Iheakor, a level eight officer. It was gathered that Iheakor is married with about five children. Details coming

The Imo State Police Command has confirmed that three security operatives lost their lives on Saturday when gunmen attacked the country home of the state governor, Hope Uzodinma. The Police Spokesperson in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, told The PUNCH in Owerri, the state capital, that a police sergeant and two personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were the casualties. Ikeokwu explained that while the gunmen killed one NSCDC operatives in the governor’s compound, another NSCDC personnel and a police sergeant were killed by the attackers while escaping from the compound. He said that the police sergeant and the NSCDC personnel were killed by the fleeing hoodlums at Mgbidi- Oguta junction. Ikeokwu also said two cars parked at the governor’s compound in Omuma in the Oru East Local Government Area of the state were burnt during the attack. The Police Spokesperson disclosed that the invaders threw petrol bombs inside the governor’s compound. Ikeokwu said, “I can confirm the attack on the governor’s house. The hoodlums attacked the governor’s house by throwing in petrol bomb as a result of which two cars were burnt but they were successfully repelled and none of the building was set ablaze. “However, one unarmed personnel of the NSCDC was killed in the process. The hoodlums while escaping also killed a Police Sergeant and another NSCDC personnel both in their private vehicles at Mgbidi junction.” Source The Punch

Following the attacks on the headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Service and the Nigeria Police in Imo State, Governor Hope Uzodinma said about 50 suspects have been arrested. Gunmen had invaded the two public facilities on April 5, razing down the institutions and freeing over 1,800 inmates. During the attack, one person suspected to be a fleeing inmate was hit by a bullet while carrying his travel bag. But speaking during a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa on Friday, the Imo State Governor said the arrested suspects are helping security agencies with useful statements. “As at the last count, we arrested almost 40 to 50 people, who also made useful statements and confessed to the crime,” he said. “I continue to tell you that this issue of banditry is something that we must all rise up as people to condemn and then support security agencies to be able to provide an enabling environment for people to go about their businesses, without fear of any molestation.” He also blamed the criminal activities happening across the country on opposition elements, insisting that they were funding criminals to discredit President Buhari’s administration. While condemning the recent attacks by armed bandits on communities, especially in the northern part of the country, Governor Uzodinma challenged the security agencies to urgently reveal the names of their sponsors. The Imo governor also condemned the call for secession, stressing that criminals particularly in Imo were a combination of individuals within and outside the state. He added, “What people are doing is to sponsor crisis to the extent that those funding banditry are politicians and I challenge and call on the security agencies to make their names available to the press because what they want to do is to distract a government that is focused.”

Ibe Pascal Arogorn, Owerri The Imo state commissioner for information and strategy, Declan Emelumba has said that security forces in the state repelled the attack on Imo gov’s country home. Crimefacts.news had reported how unknown gunmen set Hope Uzodinma’s country home on fire thereby killing two officers, many vehicles burnt. Emelumba in a statement on Saturday morning said the gallant security operatives on Saturday morning repelled an attack on the Omuma country home of the governor of Imo State, Sen Hope Uzodimma. He said, “At about 9am today, Saturday, April 24th, a group of hoodlums numbering about 15 driving in a motorcade of three vehicles accompanied by a tipper loaded with used tyres, stormed the country home of the governor in Omuma, Oru East LGA and attempted to burn down the house. “However, vigilant security operatives attached to the Governor’s house successfully repelled the attack and consequently minimised the damage they had planned to unleash. “In the cross fire that ensued a few casualties were recorded. Preliminary investigation suggests that the foiled attack may have been politically sponsored Speaking further, “The government has directed the relevant security agencies to expedite investigation on the incident and promptly apprehend the sponsors and their agents and bring them to justice, “the commissioner said.