Crime Facts

At Least 50 Persons Killed As Bandits Attack Zamfara Communities

Armed bandits have again invaded over six communities in Zamfara State leaving at least 50 persons dead and others wounded. The bandits carried out the attacks in over six communities in Magami Ward of Gusau Local Government Area and Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Wednesday. Most of the victims of the attack are members of the local vigilante group known as Yansakai keeping watch on their communities. The affected communities include Kangon farimana, Ruwan dawa, Yargada, Kunkelai, Yarzaiga, Yar doka Gobirawa, Bayan Banki, and Biyabiki in Gusau and Maru Local Government Areas of the State. The bandits stormed the communities early hours of Wednesday and started shooting sporadically in the air to scare the locals before unleashing mayhem. Members of the vigilante group who attempted to repel the attack were overpowered by the criminals. The exact figures of the casualties cannot be ascertained as at the time of filing this report but locals said at least 50 persons were killed during the simultaneous attacks. The state government delegation are expected to visit the affected communities today but they are still waiting for security clearance before proceeding on the journey as the communities are still hot zone. Police in the state have confirmed the incident but said troops could not reach out to the scene of the attack as they were not informed in good time due to a lack of mobile phone network in the affected areas. The police noted that troops attached to operation Puff Adder II stationed in Magami moved to the locations on foot with a view to forestalling further attacks on neighbouring communities and their response is being awaited to ascertain the level of damage done by the assailants.

Pantami: DSS disowns Amachree; says views expressed by former director personal

As many individuals and groups insist on the resignation of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, over his pro-Taliban links, the Department of State Services has disowned the view expressed by its former Director, Denise Amachree, on the intelligence the secret police reportedly handed the Buhari administration. Amachree, a former Assistant Director with the DSS had claimed that the secret police informed the Federal Government and the National Assembly of the past radical pro-Taliban views of Pantami before his confirmation as minister in 2019 Amachree also said the minister should resign as it was difficult to deradicalise someone of his kind. He said DSS had information on all individuals of interest, adding that the minister’s past extremist views were communicated to the Federal Government and the legislature. “There is no information that escapes the DSS. We have all of it, all. When I was working there, we keep a catalogue of anybody of interest that comes up to limelight in this country,” Amachree said. “During the vetting process for anybody to be appointed a minister or commissioner or anything, your name is sent to the DSS for vetting. They check your background up to the extent of your grandmother. ‘’They check your schools up to the extent of your primary school. And of course, they keep a tab on you online and offline. We get a lot from open source intelligence and I can tell you that in Pantami’s case, we have it.” But the DSS on Thursday distanced itself from the views expressed by the former director, claiming his views were personal opinions and did not represent those of the agency. The Spokesman for the DSS, Dr. Peter Afunanya, who issued the disclaimer, said Amachree spoke for himself and not the DSS. Afunanta said: “The opinions expressed by Mr Dennis Amachree on sundry national security issues are his personal positions and do not in anyway represent the stand of the Service (the Department of State Services)”. There have been growing pressures on Pantami to resign over his pro-Taliban views but the Federal Government is yet to react to the public opinion on the minister, who has revolutionised the communications industry and earned some applause in the process.

Biafra: Publish names of those that asked for money, IPOB tells FG

The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has reacted to the allegation by the Prediency that the renewed agitation for self determination in the South East was because the federal government had refused to share money to those behind the agitation. Recall the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, Wednesday, April 21, shrugged off threats of Nigeria’s balkanisation by advocates of Biafra and Oduduwa Republics, saying that President Muhammadu Buhari cannot be bullied into giving in to their demands. “President Buhari will pay no one. He is not going to pay and now it is clear that having ignored all of that, reasonable opinions are coming from those states and from those regions,” Garba Shehu disclosed. Reacting, the IPOB’s media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful in a statement signed on Thursday, begged the federal government to “publish names of those that requested money to drop the quest for Biafran restoration”. The statement partly read; “The attention of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great and indomitable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been drawn over the ranting, derogatory, irresponsible and highly provocative remarks by the Presidency through Garba Shehu that the renewed agitation for self determination in the South East was because the federal government had refused to share money to those behind the agitation. Shehu went further in his vituperation and threatened military action to crush those he referred to as ‘the animals disturbing the peace of South East’. “We therefore, challenge Shehu to mention those the federal government has been paying in the South East to drop the agitation for self determination. If he fails to disclose the identifies of the beneficiaries and evidence of such payments, we will take it to be one of the shameless lies which have become the trademark of the Muhamnadu Buhari-led federal government. “Without speaking for other proponents of self determination, we know that the federal government of Nigeria has been making frantic but fruitless efforts to induce the leadership of IPOB with money to possibly drop the quest for Biafran restoration. “Federal government has severally but without success, attempted to buy over our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, making him some irresistible offers. But if there were any parading self as Igbo leader that acepted their offer, we can assure them that such cannot peneterate IPOB. IPOB is not, has never been, and will never be interested in the crumbs from federal government of Nigeria. “We also wish to remind the Presidency that only a certified and unconscionable moron will ever equate money to the motive behind the growing agitation for self determination across Nigeria. If money is what we want, we know what to do to get more money. How many times in the past did our leader reject your financial inducements? If you know those people that asked Buhari for money, we are begging you to please publish their names. As a people, Biafrans are enterprising and we don’t think we are behind any region in terms of affluence and economic security despite the oppressive policies of this 97 percent versus 5 percent government targeted against our hardworking illustrious sons and daughters and the monopolistic tendencies of the Fulani. “Our aim for Biafra agitation is freedom! We are tired of sharing a geographical space with terrorists. We are tired of being ruled by government officials who dine and wine with terrorists but brutalise and kill law abiding freedom fighters. We are tired of being ruled by a government that pays ransom to bandits, frees terrorists but jails unarmed protesters. We are tired of oppressive government that promotes nepotism and injustice. “Nothing can change our resolve to free Biafra from the Nigeria. No amount of propaganda by government can make us change our mind. In case Shehu and his Presidency don’t know, Biafra is more imminent than they think. The night is far spent, and the new dawn is almost here with the Rising Sun of our great nation at the threshold! “The threat by the Presidency to order military operation to crush the animals disturbing the peace in South East, has simply confirmed our alarm all the while of those sponsoring the escalating insecurity in the zone to provide an excuse for another military operation to kill more innocent Biafrans. It’s only unfortunate that the political elite for their selfish interests have failed to realise this. “But we ask the Presidency to first crush the bandits and terrorists overrunning the entire North and middle Belt before embarking on any military operation in the South East, otherwise they may have to prepare very well.”

Buhari approves appointment of 18 judges for appeal court

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of 18 new justices for the court of appeal. The National Judicial Council (NJC) chaired by Ibrahim Muhammad, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), had in March recommended the justices to the president for elevation. In a letter addressed to the CJN, Ibrahim Gambari, chief of staff to the president, disclosed that Buhari has given his approval. “l am pleased to advise you that, pursuant to section 237 & Section 238 of the 1999 Constitution, his excellency, Mr President has approved the appointment of the following jurists as Justices of the court of appeal, subject to their official seniority at the bench,” the letter reads. “Kindly advise the newly appointed Justices of the Court of Appeal accordingly and, also, extend to their lordships, our best wishes on their appointment. Please accept the assurances of my highest regards.” The judges are: Bature Isah Gafai Muhammad Ibrahim Sirajo Waziri Abdul-Azeez Yusuf Alhaji Bashir Usman A. Musale Jauro Ibrahim Wakili Abba Bello Mohammed Mohammed Danjuma Danlami Zama Senchi Mohammed Lawal Abubakar Hassan Muslim Sule Amadi Kenneth Ikechukwu Peter Oyinkenimiemi Affen Sybil Onyeji Nwaka Gbagi Olasumbo Olanrewaju Goodluck Banjoko Adebukunola Adeoti Ibironke Olabode Abimbola Adegbehingbe Bola Samuel Ademola

Gunmen Kill Traditional Ruler, 3 Others In Benue

Gunmen on Wednesday killed a traditional ruler, Chief Hyacinth Ajon and three other people in separate incidents in two Local Government Area of Benue State. The deceased traditional monarch was said to have been killed alongside one, Benjamin Anakula in Tse Zoola community of Makurdi LGA while two others whose names were not given were also killed in Guma area of the state. Eldest man in the community, Aho Zoola, alleged that gunmen suspected to be herders attacked the villagers at about 2:00am, shot sporadically and killed the two people. Zoola according to the report of one of Governor Samuel Ortom’s media aide, narrated that the attack on their rural abode came to them as a surprise because they never had any issues with herders. The media aide, Jimmin Geoffrey, had stated that the governor was returning from a burial in the area when he had a stop over to sympathise with the villagers who are already displaced from their homes and assured them that he would do everything possible to get security agencies to the area. Similarly, the Chairman of Guma LGA, Caleb Aba, told newsmen in Makurdi by telephone that the two other people were killed on Wednesday in Mbayer-Yandev council ward of Guma. Aba however fingered suspected herders behind the killings in his domain.

I would love to go through life with Yinka Odumakin again if there’s reincarnation, says wife

Wife of the the speokesperson of the Yoruba sociocultural group, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, Dr Joe-Okei Odumakin, has said that she would love to go through her life with the deceased activist if there is reincarnation. She said this at the lying-in-state and day of tribute held for him at the Police College, Ikeja. She described her late husband as an encyclopedia of positive activism while noting that it is difficult to speak about him having known him for three decades. She, however, stated that the encomiums showered on the deceased would serve as a soothing balm, assuring that his ideals will live forever. “If there is a reincarnation, I want to go through my life with you again. It is extremely difficult to talk about Comrade Yinka Odumakin having known him for three decades. “He is an encyclopedia of positive activism. He was a great live wire. “We spent 24 years together. Comrade was very selfless. The week before going to the hospital, he told me his itinerary but the physiotherapist said his oxygen was low. But, he still went ahead with his itinerary for the Nigerian course. “All that had been said about him would always remain as soothing balm. One thing that is assuring is that his ideals will live forever,” she stated.

Part of Delta Police Headquarters gutted by fire

DELTA State Police Headquarters, Asaba, was Thursday gutted by fire as police officers and visitors scampered for safety. Vanguard gathered that the incident was caused by an electrical spark which occurred at the Command control engine room, causing damages to some gadgets and part of the building housing the unit, especially the roof. However, the cause of the spark was not known as at press time, but a dependable source said some brave police officers made effort to rescue some vital documents from the unit and other offices sharing the building with it. The source who pleaded anonymity, however, said men of the fire service came in as soon they were alerted to put out the fire. Saying that no life was lost, the source said normalcy has since been restored. The Acting Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Bright Edafe in a statement confirming the incident said; “today 22nd April 2021, at about 1445 hours, there was a fire outbreak at the command control engine room. “The command wishes to state that the fire outbreak affected only a part of the control room. Fire service was called immediately, and their timely intervention saved the situation. “Presently fire has been put out. Cause of fire incident not yet known but suspected to be as a result of electrical spark from the communication engine room. “Meanwhile investigation into the incident has commenced. The Commissioner of Police urge members of the public to ignore any rumor contrary to the actual fact stated above”.

Gunmen kidnap ’18 passengers’ in Ibarapa, Oyo state

Eighteen passengers travelling along Eruwa/Igbo-Ora road, Ibarapa area of Oyo state, were allegedly kidnapped by gunmen on Thursday. Although information on the kidnap is still sketchy, Olatunji Badmus, a member of the local vigilante in Ibarapa area told TheCable that the group had been alerted over the incident. “We are still waiting for further directives. We were only told to be prepared because some gunmen kidnapped 18 passengers travelling along Igbo-Ora road. I don’t have more detail for now, police should have the detail because they have been briefed,” he said. Effort to get confirmation from Adewale Osifeso, the police public relations officer at the state command, was not fruitful as he did not respond to calls or reply to a text message sent to his mobile telephone line.

Insecurity: Nigeria will be worst hit by Chad president’s death, says defence minister

The Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd.), on Thursday, said the Federal Government knew that the killing of Chad’s President, Idriss Deby, was capable of causing security problems for Nigeria and other neighbouring countries. He said the government has therefore decided to beef up security at the country’s borders to stop the influx of refugees. Magashi spoke at the Presidential Villa, Abuja during the weekly briefing organised by the presidential communication team. He said, “When we heard of this unfortunate killing of the Chadian President, we knew that problem is bound to be replicated among neigbouring countries and Nigeria will be most hit by his absence. “If there is insecurity in Chad, there will be a lot of problems. But thank God, we have a lot of military activities with the Chadian, Niger, Cameroon, we have all that military concern. ” So, in the name of that multinational Joint Task Force, all these countries, including Chad, are contributing soldiers for the operation. “We hope that very soon, we will find a secure way for the continuation of the activities we are supposed to be doing. “The problem is now going to be aggravated because we are not sure the direction in which that country is going to face. “But I assure you that we are mindful of our borders, we are mindful of the development, and politically, the government is putting its head together to see how best they can restore the peace in that country. “So security-wise, we are beefing up all borders to ensure that refugees do not flow into a country.”

Ex DG: DSS informed FG of Pantami’s extremist views before ministerial appointment

Former Assistant Director with the Department of State Services, Dennis Amachree, has said the secret police informed the Federal Government and the National Assembly of the past radical pro-Taliban views of embattled Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami before his confirmation as minister in 2019. This came as the Federal Executive Council, FEC, said the alleged link of the minister with Al-Qaeda and Taliban some years ago was not discussed at its meeting yesterday. These came on a day the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, at plenary, moved for the immediate resignation or sack of the minister for showing sympathy to the deadly activities of insurgents. Amachree, who spoke while featuring on PUNCH Online interview programme, The Roundtable, yesterday, however, said the minister must have been confirmed by the National Assembly due to a lot of factors, including federal character balancing. Pantami, a former director-general with the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, is the only member of the Federal Executive Council from Gombe State. Amachree also said the minister should resign as it was difficult to deradicalise someone of his kind. He said DSS had information on all individuals of interest, adding that the minister’s past extremist views were communicated to the Federal Government and the legislature. He said: “There is no information that escapes the DSS. We have all of it, all. When I was working there, we keep a catalogue of anybody of interest that comes up to limelight in this country. “During the vetting process for anybody to be appointed a minister or commissioner or anything, your name is sent to the DSS for vetting. They check your background up to the extent of your grandmother. ‘’They check your schools up to the extent of your primary school. And of course, they keep a tab on you online and offline. We get a lot from open source intelligence and I can tell you that in Pantami’s case, we have it. “But there is a political angle to it. When somebody is being appointed, if the security agencies see that there is something wrong with his name, they will send it to the appointing agency. ‘’The appointing agency will now decide amongst other variables either religious variable, federal character balancing variable, or political variable and say that, ‘Oh, yes, we know that this guy has this and that but let’s appoint him. “So, the political decision is not taken by the SSS. Even when you go to the Senate for confirmation, there is party by party and you can see that there are some political candidates that the opposition party will say that this one will not be appointed but because he belongs to that party, they will appoint him. ‘’So, these are political and federal balancing where they will say that there is nobody from this place that has been appointed, so let’s appoint him.” The ex-DSS director, who disclosed that the United States was gathering information on the communications minister, said: “He (Pantami) has just submitted his name into US database. The cataloguing of people is not automatic, it comes in drips and drops. ‘’Now, people are talking about him and that has come to the attention of the United States Embassy in Nigeria already. Now, they will do a deeper dive into his background. They will catalogue him and now they will start watching him and if it comes to a very critical level, they will place him on a no-fly zone.” Also yesterday the Federal Executive Council, FEC, said the minister’s alleged link with Al-Qaeda and Taliban some years ago was not discussed at its meeting. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who briefed State House correspondents at the end of the council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the issue was not raised at the meeting. Pantami was not physically present at the meeting but attended virtually from his office. Fielding questions on whether the council discussed the matter and government was comfortable with its burden on its image, Alhaji Mohammed said: “I’m not going to go into the issue of whether government is comfortable or not. I will answer your question directly. It was not discussed at the council meeting.” Pantami, who had been embroiled in controversies over his previous comments endorsing both terrorists organizations has, however, announced that he had renounced the views. He said during his daily Ramadan lecture at Annor Mosque in Abuja last Saturday that he now knew better about some of the comments he made in the past. Pantami had posited that the campaign against him was politically motivated, saying “for 15 years, I have moved round the country while educating people about the dangers of terrorism. ‘’I have traveled to Katsina, Gombe, Borno, Kano states and Difa in Niger Republic to preach against terrorism. “I have engaged those with Boko Haram ideologies in different places. I have been writing pamphlets in Hausa, English and Arabic. I have managed to bring back several young persons who have derailed from the right path. “Some of the comments I made some years ago that are generating controversies now were based on my understanding of religious issues at the time, and I have changed several positions taken in the past, based on new evidence and maturity. “I was young when I made some of the comments; I was in university, some of the comments were made when I was a teenager. “I started preaching when I was 13, many scholars and individuals did not understand some of international events and, therefore, took some positions based on their understanding, some have come to change their positions later.” Meanwhile, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, yesterday called for the immediate resignation or sack of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami for showing sympathy to the deadly activities of insurgents. Relying under matters of privilege, Elumelu