The Ebonyi government says it will offer amnesty to bandits and other criminals who are willing to repent and lay down their arms. Uchenna Orji, the state commissioner for information and orientation, stated this on Friday. Stakeholders have expressed different views on whether there should be negotiations with bandits or if they should be granted amnesty. In February, President Muhammadu Buhari said his government will not grant amnesty to criminals, adding that it will continue to deal with insurgents, bandits, kidnappers and other criminals who constitute a threat. According to NAN, Orji, however, said Dave Umahi, governor of Ebonyi, will use any legitimate means to see to the protection of lives and property of residents of the state. He said repentant criminals will be rehabilitated and reintegrated into the society. “The governor’s take is that of amnesty and offering the olive branch to them,” Orji said. “So, if they can surrender and lay down their arms, government is ready to get them profiled, rehabilitated and engaged in life transforming empowerment programmes. “The EndSARS N3 billion empowerment programme is not only for those who were involved in the protest; it is also for idle youths and women. “If this category of people can remember God, humanity and the wonderful strides, selfless and passionate work of our governor, I can tell you that he will develop a programme that will give an immediate intervention.” The commissioner further said the security meetings convened recently by the governor were designed to find solution to the challenges affecting the state. “The engagement is also aimed at enhancing effective policing of our communities in order to ensure timely alert about security threats and breaches to relevant agencies,” he said. “The truth is that these bandits and hoodlums are not totally outsiders. “From the history of those already arrested, we have a lot of engagement to do with some of our youths, who have been involved in banditry in the state.”

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday regretted that despite his shoot-at-sight order on non-state actors bearing AK-47, smuggling of arms and other contraband still thrives in the country, saying that people are merciless towards the nation. He spoke Friday at the presidential villa, Abuja during the 6th regular meeting with the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), led by Professor Doyin Salami. The president decried the situation in which some unscrupulous people tried to undermine every policy of the government, irrespective of the good it was meant to achieve for the country. A statement issued by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity) quoted him as saying: “Some people are mercilessly against this country,” the President said. “We closed the borders to control the smuggling of petroleum products, and check the influx of smuggled goods, arms and ammunition. That was when the Comptroller General of Customs called me, saying 40 tankers laden with petrol had been impounded. I told him to sell the fuel, sell the trucks, and put the money in the treasury. “They still brought arms and ammunition into the country, brought in rice in vehicles and motorcycles. I said shoot anyone found illegally with AK-47, yet they haven’t stopped. People must show consideration for their own country.” President Buhari assured that his administration will focus on the greater development of irrigation facilities in the country, and encourage more people into agriculture. He said agriculture was a good way for the country to overcome economic challenges confronting it, stressing: “We need to go back to the land. Technology is doing away with petroleum, but we are lucky we have other resources; Gas, vast arable land, which we are not using enough.” The President was responding to disclosure by Prof Salami, in his presentation, that only 2 per cent of land under cultivation is irrigated, recommending that apart from government efforts, incentives are needed for private people to enter the sector. On the security challenges, which PEAC said was having great repercussions on the economy, President Buhari charged leadership at every level to go back to the basics, noting that a bottom-up approach was necessary, from ward to local council, states, and federal. PEAC submitted that the global economy has continued to improve as COVID infections drop and the roll-out of vaccination intensifies, adding that the Nigerian economy, though out of recession, remains fragile with inflation rising, unemployment high, and external account weak. Policy, the economic advisory body said, “must urgently address the challenges of rising prices.” Among other issues recommended by PEAC are; decisive end to all forms of insecurity in the country, mobilization of resources for investment, hastened implementation of agricultural reform policies, the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) as a basis for revitalizing the industry, poverty reduction, employment generation, and incentives for private investment in irrigation, to promote all-year-round farming.

The Nigerian army says 11 members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) were killed, following an attack on the police command in Imo state. Mohammed Yerima, army spokesman, disclosed this in a statement on Friday. TheCable had earlier reported that security operatives foiled an attack on a police station in Imo state. According to Yerima, officers of the army and air force were reinforced to the police command during the attack which occurred on Thursday. “A gang of IPOB/ESN terrorists mounted in vehicles on Thursday, 6 May 2021, stormed Orlu town with intention to attack the compound housing the Area Command and Police Station in Orlu LGA of Imo State,” the statement read. “The attackers were resisted by vigilant police personnel at the Area Command and were completely obliterated when a reinforcement team of the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force arrived the scene. “The assailants who have been on the radar of the Joint Technical Intelligence Team were said to have come from a Forest Camp in Ideato North LGA of Imo State from where they mobilised and planned the failed attack. “Following the encounter, eleven IPOB/ESN Terrorists were neutralised while four AK47, one G3 and one Pump Action Rifles as well as a Berretta Pistol, charms and assorted ammunitions were recovered. All the seven Operational Vehicles used for the attack were demobilised and as such the remaining terrorists escaped on foot with fatal injuries. There were no casualties on the side of the security forces.” While calling for the cooperation of Imo residents, the army urged them to be on the lookout for “strange persons with gunshot injuries and report same to the nearest security agency for the safety of their communities”. “The Nigerian Army remains committed to a united Nigeria that is safe for all law abiding citizens and will continue to support the Police in maintaining internal security,” Yerima added.