Nigerian Newspapers
35 killed in fresh JTF, Boko Haram clash
Kano victims’ corpses detained over N10,000 morgue fee
Fresh Boko Haram attacks on security formations and the ensuing shootouts have left at least 35 persons dead and several others injured in Borno State, military officials said. Spokesman of the
Joint Task Force, JTF, Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa, said Boko Haram terrorists who had threatened to launch massive attacks as Ramadan ends lived out their threat by launching coordinated attacks on two towns.
He said the attacks took place in Bama and Malam Fatori, headquarters of Bama and Abadam local government areas respectively on Sunday.
Musa said the terrorists attempted to attack the Mobile Police, MOPOL, base with sophisticated weapons and Improvised Explosive Devises, IEDs. He said the terrorists were repelled by the JTF troops stationed in the towns.
“Boko Haram terrorists using sophisticated weapons and Improvised Explosive Devises launched attacks on Sunday at about 0645 hours on the MOPOL Base in two different council areas of the state.
“But the JTF troops successfully repelled the attacks,’’ Musa said. He said 17 suspected Boko Haram terrorists and one policeman were killed, while two soldiers were wounded during the crossfire.
Musa said that several items, including vehicles and weapons, were recovered from the terrorists by the JTF. “During the incident in Bama, troops recovered four Toyota Hilux Vans, 10 AK 47 rifles and magazines, two G3 rifles, 10×4 40mm bombs.
“Other weapons recovered from the terrorists include, three RPG tubes, 85 rounds of special ammunitions, three motorcycles, among others,’’ he said.
The JTF spokesman said another group of suspected Boko Haram terrorists launched an attack on the Multi National Joint Task Force (MJTF) location on the same day in Malam Fatori.
“Similarly at about 10a.m. on the same day, some Boko Haram terrorists armed with sophisticated weapons attacked a MJTF location at Malam Fatori in Abadam LGA. “The attack led to the death of two soldiers and 15 Boko Haram terrorists; the situation in both places has returned to normal,’’ he said.
He, however, reminded members of the public to assist security operatives with information to stop terrorism in the country.
In a related development, relations of victims of last week’s multiple bomb explosions that rocked Sabon Gari area of the Kano have accused the management of the Aminu Kano Specialist Hospital of holding on to the corpses over alleged non-payment of embalmment fee of N10,000.
It will be recalled that about 45 persons died when suspected Boko Haram terrorists detonated three explosives in the area inhabited mostly by non- indigenes.
The bereaved family members also alleged that the mortuary attendants of the hospital were also withholding the victim’s properties in their possession including GSM mobile set and wrist watches.
This development was revealed by some relations of the victims when the Federal Government’s delegation visited Kano yesterday to commiserate with the government and the people of the state over the incident. The Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi-led delegation held a brief ceremony at the headquarters of the Sabon Gari Police Division where he briefed elders and relations of the victims.
He said that President Goodluck Jonathan raised the delegation to visit Kano for on-the-spot assessment of the situation and also to sympathise with those affected. Some members of the bereaved families wept openly as they were overwhelmed by emotion.
One of them, a woman who lost her son, Olugbenga Omole, in the attack, said she had made several efforts to retrieve her son’s corpse from AKTH mortuary without success.
She said: “I have visited the mortuary several times for the purpose of collecting the body for burial but my request was refused because, according the mortuary attendants, an embalmment fee of N10,000 must be paid first before the corpses in the mortuary will be release to their persons.”
The woman also claimed that the mortuary officials insisted that the state government only undertook to offset the medical bills of those currently on admission for treatment and did not include embalmment fees for the dead bodies in the mortuary.
“So, before any of the corpses is release payment of N10,000 fee must be made.” This was corroborated by relations of other bomb victims who claimed that they also faced the same situation at the hospital. Our correspondent recalled that official record at the hospital showed that no fewer than 24 corpses were deposited in the AKTH mortuary, comprising 20 men and four women.
However, the delegation commended the Sabon Gari residents for their understanding, adding that the intention of the perpetrators of the attack was to trigger a religious war that could consume the country. “If they do this and you react they will see themselves as winning in their campaign but if you keep quiet by not reacting the way they expected, then we would surely see ourselves as winners,” Akinyemi stated.
He added that the Federal Government was working out measures that would offer adequate support to the victims and ensure adequate protection of lives and properties of Kano residents. The delegation chairman also assured the gathering that the President would be properly briefed on the Sabon Gari incident so that relief to victims would be prompt and immediate.
The former external affairs minister and members of the delegation consoled a Yoruba man who lost his only son undergoing his National Youth Service Corps scheme who was hit by the bomb in the Sabon Gari blasts.
AKTH Public Relations Officer, Aminu Inuwa, said he doubted the claim of the relations of the victims on the embalmment fee, stressing that expenses on the bomb victims had been shouldered by the state government.
“So we know where to channel the bills, what I suspect might have happened in relation to this case is that some might have come to collect their relations corpses without police clearance, and you know issues like this have their security implications,” he added. Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court, ICC, yesterday accused Boko Haram of carrying heinous crime against humanity.
The prosecutor of the ICC, Fatou Bensouda, said that after a preliminary investigation she believes that acts attributed to the sect are likely crimes against humanity.
“Information available provides a reasonable basis to believe that since July 2009 Boko Haram has launched a widespread and systematic attack that has resulted in the killing of more than 1,200 Christian and Muslim civilians in different locations throughout Nigeria,” Bensouda wrote in a report issued yesterday.
She said the potential crimes against humanity include murder and persecution. But she said she will only move to a full-fledged investigation after further study and depending on whether the Federal Government is willing and able to prosecute “those who appear to bear the greatest responsibility.”
Her report was based on evidence gathered through December 2012. Bensouda noted that while the military forces, deployed by government to counter insurgency in the north may also have violated human rights while conducting operations against Boko Haram, as of December 2012, there was no evidence they were targeting civilians.
ICC is the world’s permanent war crimes court, established in The Hague, Netherlands in 2002. The prosecutor’s office formally launched its investigation into the situation in Nigeria in November 2010.
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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