security

Just In: Gunmen abduct Imo ex-speaker, 4 others

Bandits kidnap over 20 women in Zamfara
| anaben

Former Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Lawman Duruji has been kidnapped by gunmen.

Also abducted was the wife of Frank Onwumere, an erstwhile Chairman of Okigwe Local Government Area of the state.

Onwumere’s wife was abducted on Sunday while, according to a source, Duruji was abducted on Saturday while returning from a function.
Ezzybee, a businessman in Owerri, was also kidnapped.

Reports have it that Ezzybee was abducted while going to watch a football match.

The gunmen were also said to have seized an unidentified persons at Okwelle junction in Onuimo Local Government Area, Amaraku in Isiala Mbano L.G.A, as well as Ubomiri in Mbaitoli council area of the state.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Micheal Abattam, confirmed the incident while assuring that the command was on the trail of the kidnappers.

He revealed that the person who was kidnapped at Ubomiri had been rescued by the police.

Two shot dead by soldiers in Ogun Community

Bandits attack community, kill men, abduct wife and two children

Bandits kidnap over 20 women in Zamfara
| anaben

Makurdi community under Malumfashi LGA of Katsina State was reportedly attacked by bandits on Tuesday night. Two people were killed in the attack while a woman and her two children were abducted.

According to a source, the bandits were not fewer than ten in number.

The source said they “stormed the resident of Alhaji Magaji Mallaha Makurdi, shooting sporadically into the air before he was eventually killed by one of the bullets which hit him in between his eyes and nose.”

The source also revealed that the bandits shot and killed a health worker, identified as Zaharadini on their way from the deceased’s house.

Zaharadini had run from Safana LGA for fear of bandits and was returning to his Makurdi residence between 10-11 pm when he met his death.

Confirming the attack, one of the sons of the deceased, Bishir Magaji said, “I called on the attention of the police immediately I started hearing gunshot to notify them of the development but they only arrived after the bandits had finished their operation and left.


“The bandits shot and killed my father and went away with my father’s wife and two of my siblings.

“They also killed one Zaharadini, a health worker who came from Safana to seek refuge in our community because of the terror of bandits there.”

Magaji has however confirmed the release of his abducted sister on Wednesday. His stepmother and her baby, who is about a year old, are still in the hands of the bandits.

Efforts to reach the police spokesman in the state, SP. Isah Gambo has not been responded to as calls put through to his phone number were not answered at the time of filing this report.


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/01/bandits-strike-malumfashi-community-kill-two-men-abduct-wife-two-children/

Police rescue pregnant women, children, over 50 others from Zamfara bandits[photos]

South West govs counter Buhari on state police, insist on Amotekun

| anaben

President Muhammadu Buhari has again emphasised his opposition to state governments having their own police. The President disclosed in an interview with Channels Television aired last night.

“State police is not an option,” he said responding to the question on the topic.

His remark is targeted against push from most quarters in the country to decentralise policing, a desire that has already led to the setting up of regional security outfits by some state governments.

According to proponents of federalism, in a true federal structure, states should control their own security agencies to complement that of the Federal Government, just as many, including governors, have called for state policing as a way to contain insecurity across the country.

The President referred to the likelihood for governors to abuse their powers whileagainst state police.

“Find out the relationship between local government and the governors. Are the third tier of government getting what they are supposed to get constitutionally? Let the people in local government tell you the truth about the fight between local governments and the governors,” he said.

The president’s opposition to state policing is not unprecedented. In 2019, the President had admitted that state policing was a good initiative but expressed fear that the governors might be unable to pay the officers’ salaries.

“How many states are able to pay their workers in time? And you add the police to them? Can the states be able to shoulder the burden of the police? You cannot just give someone guns and ammunition, train him and refuse to pay him, you know what will eventually happen.”

HOWEVER, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has accused President Buhari of being unconcerned about the state of insecurity in the country. He insisted that the President’s statement that ‘state police is not an option’ indicates that the situation may not be about to change.

He said: “Watching President Buhari was a ‘gratuitous waste of time’ because there was nothing new coming from him. From the economy, to insecurity, killing of innocent farmers by terrorists (which some erroneously term farmer/herder clashes) and other sundry issues, President Buhari again repeated the impotent argument regarding killing of farmers by terrorists, reminding Nigerians of grazing routes.

“It appears the continued killings in some localities of Nigeria, particularly, in the North, and more specifically in President Buhari’s home state of Katsina, may not matter to him, hence, the need to have a security system that feeds on local intelligence and nuances, which the federal police cannot adequately provide.

“To him, it appears that continuing the same process while expecting a different output and outcome is the best way to go. We ask, is he comfortable with the killings in the land while the status quo persists?

“To further dwell on the entire interview would be to waste valuable time. But we implore Nigerians not to relent because hope is on the way and, like one writer said, hope is better served as breakfast and not dinner, as the APC regime of President Buhari is doing, promising El Dorado in the dying days of its tenure.”

The argument over state police was revisited following Tuesday’s drama between the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and a police officer, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Abimbola Oyewole, who publicly defied the governor’s orders to vacate the estate.

Yesterday, Southwest governors described the public altercation as a threat against representative democracy. They also accused the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) and some elements in the Presidency of blatant abuse of the rule of law.

The Ondo State governor and Chairman of Southwest Governors’ Forum, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), in a statement signed and made available to journalists in Akure, yesterday, asked the police authorities to investigate the matter.

“We are in possession of a video, which has gone viral on the social media concerning the disgraceful exchange between a police officer, a CSP, and the governor of Lagos, the supposed Chief Security Officer of the state, at the Magodo Residential Estate.

“The content of the video is very disconcerting, and this is being charitable. The utter disrespect, which underlines the response of the officer to the governor establishes, beyond doubt, the impracticability of the current system, dubiously christened ‘Federalism.’

“An arrangement, which compels the governor to seek clarifications on security issues in his jurisdiction from totally extraneous bodies or persons, is a sure recipe for anarchy. We condemn, very strongly, this brazen assault on decency. We call on the IG to explain the justification for this intrusion. This is not acceptable.

“Unequivocally, we condemn, in very clear terms, the role of the AGF, Malami in this act of gross moral turpitude. We, on our part, will continue to interrogate the current system, which treats elected representatives of the people as mere prefects, while appointed office holders ride rough shod over them as Lords of the Manor.

“We stand by our brother, the governor of Lagos. We advise him to deploy the regional security outfit in the state to protect the life and property of the people,” the statement read in part.

In response, Malami confirmed that policemen sent to Magodo Phase 2 Estate area of Lagos State were there on his orders, while he condemned the criticism of the Southwest governors, saying nothing was unruly about the operation and the police officers’ presence at the estate.

This was disclosed in a statement by Malami’s Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Umar Gwandu.

He said: “The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice takes exception to the Southwest governors’ unjustifiable insinuation of impunity against the AGF over execution of a judgment of the Supreme Court.

“The role of the executive is, in this respect, simply to aide the maintenance of law and order in due compliance with rule of law arising from giving effect to the judgment of the apex court.

“Let it be known that the issue is regarding a Supreme Court judgment that was delivered in 2012, long before the coming of President Buhari’s administration at a time when Malami was not a Minister.

“The Office of the AGF would appreciate if the coalition of the governors will help to unravel the circumstances preventing the Lagos State government from enforcing the court order despite several attempts from 2012 to 2015 and so-called settlement initiative started in 2016.”

Some other groups have expressed displeasure at the Magodo incident. Chairman of Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), Wale Oshun, said: “It has been there for a long time, which shows that our security system is faulty.”

The Director General of Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, Seye Oyeleye, said: “Obviously, we run a supposed federation. The Inspector General of Police sent police officers to the territory of the governor without consulting the supposed Chief Security Officer.

“It shows how warped our federalism is. It shows that we are living in lies. The opponents of state police do talk about abuse of governors. What happened is a classic example of abuse of the police by the Federal Government.”

The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, through his media aide, Kehinde Aderemi, said: “Magodo event has truly shown the deficit of the present system of government. That is why the need for effective policing in the state is urgent.

“State police is a content of true federalism. It is long overdue, we can never make any meaningful progress as a nation unless we go back to regionalism where each region was allowed to develop at its pace.”

FORMER National Chairman of the defunct United Progressives Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie, said the country urgently needed constitutional reforms that would review the nation’s security management to save the country.

He described the country as sliding downward and wouldn’t progress if the state chief security officers continued to not control the police and checkmate disobedience of the police to elected chief executive of states.

Okorie insisted that state police and community policing was the country’s best bet to go in the effort to keep Nigeria united and on the path of continued development.

He said: “That is an outright disobedience to persons described by the Constitution as Chief Security Officers of their states. Some of us have repeatedly, over the years said state police and community policing is a sure way of taking security to the grassroots and that is one of the ways every citizen can be made to feel that he is part of the security architecture.

“That call has become more stringent under the Buhari administration and for reasons that have not been explained to anybody’s satisfaction, the government has paid deaf ears to this call. So what has happened in Lagos is just a similar thing to what is happening in other parts of the country. There is no way our security problem can be solved with this type of lacuna in our Constitution.”

The Director-General of Rivers State Neighbourhood Watch Agency, Dr. Mike Chukwuma, also expressed displeasure over the insubordination at Magodo estate.

Chukwuma, a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, in a telephone interview with The Guardian, disclosed that Nigeria is being unserious about the issue of democracy.

The DG described the Magodo incident as a shameful one, saying that it was an imposition of might against the wishes of citizens and government.

“There is no situation that is not abused. The difference is our ability to learn from our mistakes. People have been arguing that state policing would be abused but is the federal police not being abused? Is federal police not being wrongly used?

“As an insider who has been in the police from the scratch till when I retired after 35 years, the near solution to our security woes is state police.”

ALSO speaking, two lawyers, Jiti Ogunye and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), said the Magodo incident was a rule of law catastrophe, which can be solved only by restructuring.

Ogunye said: “The AGF and IGP’s agents cannot invade the estate in the pretext of enforcing a Supreme Court judgment. They are not Sheriffs of Court empowered to do so. If Lagos government disobeyed the court, redress venue is still the court, not office of IGP or AGF. What the duo and the police are doing in that estate is blatant illegality. It has no other name.”

Adegboruwa said only restructuring can save Nigeria. He quoted Section 215 of the Constitution that proves that Nigeria runs a unitary state and not a federal structure.

“The 1999 Constitution tells a lie against the people of Nigeria when it claims that we are running a federation but strips the governor of powers over security. In the final analysis, only restructuring can save this nation. Those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable!”

You Went to Lagos to Open Your Legs Like Lekki Toll Gate – Prince Kpokpogri blasts Tonto Dikeh

Police rescue pregnant women, children, over 50 others from Zamfara bandits[photos]

| anaben

The Zamfara State Police Command said, on Tuesday, that it has rescued 97 kidnap victims during the onslaught against bandits in the state.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Ayuba Elkanah, said this while briefing newsmen in Gusau.

According to him, among the victims were seven pregnant women, 19 babies aged between two to seven months, and 16 children, aged two to seven years.

Elkanah said the landmark achievement were recorded by the joint Tactical operatives in Shinkafi and Tsafe LGAs of the state.

According to him, “the rescue followed an extensive pressure mounted as a result of the ongoing Military operation around the camp of a notorious bandit’s kingpin known as Bello Turji that covers Shinkafi, Zurmi and Birnin Magaji Local Government areas.

“On January 3, Police Tactical operatives deployed at Shinkafi axis received an intelligence report that, some kidnapped victims were seen stranded in the bush.

“The Police operatives in collaboration with genuine repentant bandits and vigilante swung into action and rescued 68 victims from the forest.

“The victims were in captivity for over three months and they include 33 male adult, seven male children, three female children and 25 women including pregnant/nursing mothers.

“The victims were captured from Magarya, Maradun, Gusau of Zamfara State and Sabon Birni LGA in Sokoto State.

“Similarly, on Monday, January 3, Police Tactical operatives deployed in Tsafe axis acted on intelligence report and stormed Kunchin Kalgo forest in Tsafe LGA and rescued 29 kidnapped victims.

“The victims were abducted from three villages namely Adarawa, Gana and Bayawuri in Rijiya District of Gusau LGA over 60 days ago.

“They include 25 female including pregnant/nursing mothers and four male children. The victims were said to have been abducted by a bandits’ kingpin, Ado Aleru.

“All the rescued victims are currently receiving medical treatment from the joint medical teams of the State Government and the Police.

“They will be debriefed and handed over to the State Government before being reunited with their families,” CP Elkanah stated.

The Police boss, however, commended governor of the state, Bello Matawalle for his continuous support and assistance of to the police and other security agencies.

He noted that the kind gesture had gone a long way in making security operatives more effective and efficient in the discharge of their duties.

Lecturer hides in ceiling as wife, daughters kidnapped in Zamfara

Lecturer hides in ceiling as wife, daughters kidnapped in Zamfara

Bandits kidnap over 20 women in Zamfara
| anaben

A wife and two daughters of a lecturer with the Federal College of Education Technical, Gusau were reportedly kidnapped by bandits in Zamfara state on Friday. 

Reports have it that the wife, Binta Umar Jabaka and the two daughters, Maryam Abdurrazak and Hafsat Abdurrazak were abducted in their house, at Mareri suburb at around 1am. 

One of the college staff, Mohammad Lawal , revealed that the bandits intended to kidnap the lecturer.


According to him, ” they searched the house for one hour but the lecturer hid in the ceiling. “

‘The gunmen jumped over the wall and entered into Dr Abdurrazak’s residence in order to kidnap him but he escaped through the ceiling”.

“They searched the house for over an hour looking for him, but when they could not find him, they abducted his wife, Binta and his two daughters, Maryam and Hafsat”.

“The bandits had called Dr Abdurrazak this afternoon and told him that, they were holding his wife and two children.”

“They called him this afternoon and told him that, his wife and two daughters are in their hands but they did not specifically tell him the money he is to pay  as ransom”. 

The Police PPRO in the state,SP Mohammed Shehu has confirmed the incident .

“The Command has since drafted its Tactical operatives to pursue the bandits in order to rescue the victims ,” he said. 

Bandits kidnap over 20 women in Zamfara

Police kill 38 bandits, lose 5 officers

Police kill 38 bandits, lose 5 officers
| anaben

The Katsina State Police Command has announced that it has lost five of its officers in different operations across the state, while 38 bandits have been killed in the state. 

Speaking at a press conference ,the Commissioner of Police, Sanusi Buba who was represented by the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Gambo Isah, said even in the face of challenges of the period, the Command has recorded tremendous successes against banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and other forms of crime in the state. 

He said in the year 2021, crime rate in the state reduced as compared with the previous years.

“In the course of this campaign, thirty-eight (38) bandits were neutralized in various gun battles while five (5) police officers paid the supreme price.

“The Command arrested 999 suspects in connection with 608 reported cases. While a total number of 874 arrested suspects are undergoing prosecution in various competent Courts of Law in the State,” he said.

“A total number of 157 suspected Armed Robbers were arrested and 145 of them were charged to court while 12 are under investigation.

“Sixty-five suspected kidnappers were also arrested and 63 have been charged to court while two are under investigation,” he said.

He also said that the police had succeeded in arresting 244 suspected cattle rustlers, of which 230 suspects have been charged to court while 14 are still under investigation.

He also boasted that 1,243 domestic animals were recovered which consist of 867 cows, 352 sheep, 24 goats and one donkey were recovered from the hoodlums.

“246 suspects were arrested in 195 reported cases of rape and unnatural offence adding that 63 victims were rescued in four reported cases of Human Trafficking which were transferred to NAPTIP office in Kano State.”

“215 kidnapped victims were also rescued from suspected bandits/kidnappers during the period under review.

“Some of the items recovered during the year include 20 suspected stolen motor vehicles; 18 stolen/bandits’ motorcycles; 4 General Purpose Machine Guns; 44 AK 47 riffles; 1 LAR riffle; 1 G3 Rifle; 20 Locally made guns; 689 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition of AK 47 rifle and 109 Anti Air-Craft ammunition (AA).”

In appreciation, the Commissioner thanked the Inspector General of Police, IGP Alkali Usman Baba, “for his undaunted support to the Command, without which these quantum of successes would not have been achieved. I wish to also extend my sincere appreciation to him for my elevation to the next rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG). It is no doubt that to whom much is given, much is expected. I will surely reciprocate with continues hard work and dedication to duty”.

Similarly; the Commissioner thanked members of the press for immensely cooperating and partnering with the command.

“You have sincerely and passionately displayed fraternity and collaboration towards strengthening the relative peace and security in the state through your fair and balanced reportage of the Command activities,” he said

Bandits kidnap over 20 women in Zamfara

Abducted Ekiti traditional chief, 2 others freed after N4m ransom

Bandits kidnap over 20 women in Zamfara
| anaben

A traditional Chief in Ijan  Ekiti , Gbonyin Local Government area of Ekiti State, Chief Emmanuel Obafemi and two other kidnapped cocoa merchants have been freed after paying the sum of N4 million as ransom.

They were released along Ikere road on Wednesday and have joined their families.

Obafemi, who was kidnapped last Thursday on his farm located along Ado-Ijan road, was taken to an  unknown destination.

The two cocoa merchants, who are residents of a farmstead called Ilupeju-Ijan were abducted on Saturday along Ijan-Ise road.

A family source who spoke to journalists in Ado Ekiti yesterday, said, “I can confirm to you that Chief Obafemi paid N2milliom while the two other cocoa merchants paid another  N2million making a total of N4m before they were released around 3am today (yesterday)”.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Sunday Abutu, confirmed the release of the abductees, saying they had since rejoined with their families.

According to him, “They were released around 3am this morning. They are now with their families safe and sound. But let me say that the release was as a result of the hardwork put up by the combined forces of police, Amotekun Corps and local hunters, who combed the forest in search of the abductees.

“We assure Ekiti residents of their safety always while urging them to always avail us of useful information that can help in safeguarding the lives and property of our citizens”.

Save Nigeria from Buhari now, PDP Reps’ caucus cries out

If anything should happen to Igboho, we will hold FG responsible —- Lawyer

Alleged elimination of Igboho: I was quoted out of context — Spokesman
| anaben

Lawyer to the Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemi, popularly called Sunday Igboho, Yomi Alliyu, SAN, yesterday, has dismissed a social media report of an alleged plan to eliminate the activist in Benin Republic prison. He said that it’s the Federal Government of Nigeria led by President Muhammadu Buhari that is keeping Igboho in prison and not the Benin Republic Government.

He strictly warned those “flying the kite” to stop spreading such speculations. He was certain that Igboho would regain freedom soon.

Alliyu, in a chat with vanguard, said: “I don’t have knowledge of a threat to his life. I speak with his wife regularly but I don’t have such knowledge of plans to eliminate him.

“We have persuaded his boys and Yoruba youths not to take laws into their hands. We told them that if they start killing and burning, they will be killing their kith and kin. We urged them to keep their cool. However, if anybody is flying such a kite to know the feelings of what will happen if Sunday Igboho is murdered in prison, I advise that such a person should have a rethink.

“I don’t think anyone is planning that except the enemies of this government. The only way this Government can wash its hands off this evil intention is to release Sunday Igboho now because they (FG) are the ones keeping him in prison and not the Benin Republic Government.

“If anything should happen to Sunday Igboho, we will hold the Federal Government responsible. That is why we have been appealing to Yoruba youths not to take laws into their hands because we are optimistic that Sunday Igboho will be freed and that the alleged plan to kill him is a mere rumour. I don’t see any threat to his life.”

Alleged elimination of Igboho: I was quoted out of context — Spokesman

We shall assist citizens to acquire arms for self-defence ― Masari

We shall assist citizens to acquire arms for self-defence ― Masari
| anaben

The Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari, has urged citizens residing in the state to arm themselves so as to protect themselves from incessant attacks by bandits now bedevilling the Northwest region of Nigeria. 

According to BBC Hausa, Masari said there were not up to 3000 police operatives in Katsina State. He promised that the government would assist citizens who would want to acquire arms so as to contribute in restoring the security situation  

According to him, “security is everybody’s affair, irrespective of political difference.What the public should know is that in Katsina; you don’t have 3000 police. Therefore,we are calling on whoever wants to protect himself and his family to acquire arms.”

He said; “the religion of Islam has allowed a person to protect himself and his property and family.

“If you die in the course of protecting yourself, you die a martyr. The annoying fact is that bandits have access to guns and good people don’t have access to these guns with which they can use to protect themselves and their families.

We will assist those who want to bring in arms because there is need for the people of Katsina to support the security agents,” he said.

The Governor, however, criticised the activities of vigilantes, saying “we do not trust the activities of vigilantes because they are leaving their places of origin to other towns.

“We prefer people defending their places of origin themselves,” he said.

Gunmen Kidnap Wife, Children Of Katsina Lawmaker