₦airaland Forum

Gunmen on Thursday evening killed at least 22 people in a raid on a gold mine near Sabuwar Tunga village in Dankurmi district of Maru local government area of Zamfara state.

Residents told Daily Trust that the armed men had earlier invaded a nearby village called Koda with the intent of rustling cattle but met fierce resistance.

The residents were said to have killed the leader of the bandits in shoot out and recovered all their rustled cattle.

The armed men organized themselves again and went to the gold mine near Sabuwar Tunga village.

They laid siege when most of the residents were attending a weekly market trading in Dankurmi community.

“They asked the traders who mostly sell soft drinks to come for a meeting and when about eight of them gathered for the purported meeting, they shot them in the head at close range,” a resident identified as Lawali told Daily Trust.

“They then proceeded to the mining pits and blocked all escape routes before they began shooting dead the artisanal miners at close range.”

The resident further explained that the armed men then marched to Sabuwar Tunga community and abducted more than 100 people, including nursing mothers and children.

A nursing mother who gave birth not more than two weeks ago was asked to give her baby over.

The baby was returned to the community but the mother was not spared in the abduction.

“The baby is being breastfed by another nursing woman. One sad and pitiful story about this nursing mother is that her husband was among those killed at the goldmine.

“It took more than 300 local vigilantes otherwise known as Yan Sakai hours to retrieve the remains of those killed because of the fear that the armed criminals might return,” said the source.

“As I’m talking to you know I’m just coming back from the funeral rite of the deceased. A headcount was conducted by the village head and other residents and it was found out that 105 residents are missing,” Lawali said.

The spokesman of the state police command SP Muhammad Shehu, could not be reached at the time of filing this report.

Southwest govs, monarchs back ban on open grazing, secure borders

*How Gambari, IGP, DSS DG’S absence nearly stalled Ibadan summit
*Miyeti Allah threatens to send southerners packing from North if govs insist on sacking herders

The Southwest governors and leading traditional rulers from the geopolitical zone spoke with one voice yesterday on the increasing rate of insecurity in the area.

They expressed total support for the ban on open grazing.

The stakeholders, who had an extraordinary meeting on the security challenge in the Southwest, also asked the federal government to secure Nigeria’s borders.

The meeting, which was hosted by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, was almost stalled by the absence of the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; and the Director-General of the Department of State Services.

They could not fly out of Abuja on account of bad weather.

In Bauchi, the local chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeder’s Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Sadiq Ibrahim Ahmed, warned that it would resist any attempt by southern governors to send Fulani herdsmen away from their territory.

The stakeholders at the Ibadan meeting in a three-point communiqué at the end of their deliberations, “supported the decision of the National Economic Council (NEC) on forest management,” and stressed the need for the federal authorities to fully secure and protect Nigeria’s borders.

They asked the media to “assist the country to end fake news.”

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum, who spoke at the end of the meeting, said although the meeting was at the instance of the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, the trio could not fly out of Abuja due to bad weather.

He said that the governors and the traditional rulers thereafter decided to meet to appraise the security situation in the zone.

The meeting, which was held at the Executive Council Chambers of the Governor’s office, Agodi, Ibadan, had in attendance five governors including the host, Governor Makinde; Governors Akeredolu of Ondo, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun and Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State.

The meeting also had in attendance the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Southwest, David Folawiyo, and security chiefs serving in Oyo State.

Others included the chairmen of Council of Traditional Rulers in each of the Southwest states and some first class monarchs.

According to Akeredolu, the meeting was held to find lasting solutions to the lingering security issues in the zone.

The meeting was also attended by Governors Mohammed Abubakar of Jigawa State and Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State.

It followed the Ondo State Government order that criminals occupying government forest reserves should quit immediately.

We’ll send Southerners packing from North if their govs insist on evicting herders – Miyeti Allah

The Bauchi State chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Sadiq Ibrahim Ahmed, vowed yesterday that the association would resist any attempt by Southern governors to evict herdsmen.

He said it would be tit for tat by the north should the herders be evicted from the south.

Speaking to The Nation yesterday, Ahmed said: ‘’Everyone has the right to live anywhere he or she wants.

“In fact, herdsmen, based on their activity of pastoralism, own every part of Nigeria. So why should anyone go against the constitution?

‘’If the southern governors insist on sending our people away, we will have no option than to send their people packing too.

“We are no fools. We are only studying the situation. We are all human beings.

“If the leaders want to cause problems, they should not forget about the ordinary citizens.

“For now, we will remain loyal and we will also educate our people on the need for peaceful cohabitation. We won’t act like the foolish governors.

“If the custodians of law say there is no law, then are we the ones to uphold the law? We are only trying to protect our integrity for now.

“Besides, we can survive on our own because we produce our own food. Aside former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the Southwest, who else can feed up to 100 people?”

Sadiq, who added that any killer herdsman arrested should be severely dealt with, said the association will never encourage any criminality by herdsmen in the South.

Never4getU:
Many people would agree that instead if forming alliance with her fellow brethren she prefers to romance the North in order to undermine her purported enemy.

Southwest should be a rallying allied of Southerners Nigeria due to her economic advantage prowess and given that both survive undet same airspace but reverse is the case.

This case played during Zik era, which is responsible for south second fiddle role we play in Nigeria union.

hotwax:
Many opinions have pointed out that Northern leaders are being diplomatic and civil for asking Northerners not to attack Yorubas. Atleast if you are aged over 15years. You would have learnt over the years that North is the hot bed of sectarian violence. Religion and ethnic cleansing is a commonplace in the north. Any cough in Yorubaland always lead to full blown massacre in the North.

But what changed this time around?

The number 1 reason is, Yorubas are getting tired of Nigeria and are becoming violent. Yorubas are getting tired of being accommodating, they have lost a lot (Lives and Properties) to being friendly host to other tribes. The level of fulani-hausa resentment is growing in Yoruba land. An average Yoruba man (Leave out the political class and their beneficiaries) want yorubas to leave Nigeria and start "Yoruba Nation".

In the past 10years, Odua nation was a poor selling brand among yorubas. But like Biafra people, Odua nation is getting popular among Yorubas both at home and in Diaspora. Many notable yoruba leaders are now publicly supporting Odua country. And this is becoming a shock to Northern leaders.

Northern leaders know that the unity of this country is at the most fragile point. Any attempt to avenge will cause more ripple effect and lead to full scale war. Some of us are aware of Yoruba secessionists who are preparing for militancy (Not Sunday Igboho gang). These set of people will take advantage of the situation and set the country on fire. Northerners know how brutal Yorubas can be. Ibadan attack was just a random burning of properties. But Ile-Ife was a massacre. Ile-Ife/Modakeke people have no joy when it comes to killing. These are just examples of what Yorubas are capable of.

Its a common knowledge even to the presidency that our law enforcement and military are overstretched or incapable. They are only trained to protect fulani interest and shoot at unarmed civilians. They have proven over and over that they cannot withstand an armed group e.g. Boko haram, Bandits, ESN, Sunday Igboho. Remember Yoruba-hausa clash in mile 12? When the police came to join hausas to shoot Yorubas. But the endsars protest that saw many police killed, many police stations burnt have shown Nigerian Nigerian police what bloody Yoruba civilian are capable of.

Fagba in Agege is also another example of what Yoruba tout are capable of. Next ethnic clash will be gory as Northern reliance on armed force for support will fail.

In addition, a civil war will end fulanization agenda. And fulanis are wise not to invest in any venture that can lead to them loosing power.

Nigeria unity is really very fragile now. God help us.

OyigboUpdate:
When IPOB contribute he spends with his concubines. Under ESMMM.
Chai our people are on a long thing.
They were to match on val day. And this is one of his concubines.

Kaduna1stson:

Gjrich:
1. RUGA- We don't want open grazing anymore. Ranch your animals in the core North.
Since southerners didn't believe in the Taqqiya called RUGA which was a subtle way to covet southern communities in the long term you decided to surround them by taking over their forests, normally when people are attacked they run to the forests for cover and safety, but now when Fulani bandits attack them in their homes, if they run to the forests they become easy prey to the same Fulani attackers on jihad mission.

2. INLAND WATER BILL- Was another plan by this Govt to take over communities in the South whereby the Federal government owns every water body within a radius of 2km.
It means that even the borehole in your compound belongs to Federal Government which can order you to make it available to herders.

3. The third scheme is Visa free entry for all Africans, in reality with the current economic situation in the country, the only migrants who can move in droves to permanently settle in Nigeria are pastoral Fulanis from several African countries where Fulanis have gotten it hot due to their behaviour and messages have been sent to them to migrate to Nigeria which is now the official homeland of all Fulanis including from Ghana, Central African republic, Mali, Niger, Chad, Senegal and Gambia. To make it easier our national budget is being used to link Fulani dominated areas in Nigeria from Daura, Kebbi to Buhari's maternal hometown of Maradi in Niger Republic.
Imagine Yorubas going to Togo, Benin republic and the Caribbeans or Igbos going to Equitorial Guinea to ask all Yorubas and Igbos in these countries to migrate enmasse to Nigeria with a plan to resettle them in Kano, Jigawa or Katsina, inflicting untold hardship and killings to clear the path?


This is not correct, the state governors in the South East were busy quarreling amongst themselves, it's ESN that took care of banditry and it's easy because they are not under the control of government like Amotekun, and videos showing them in training in forest combat sent a clear message to the bandits, moreover, every Fulani knows that under equal playing field they are no match for the Igbos going back to 1966 and it's worse now that Hausas are being gradually distinguished from Fulani as 2 separate tribes exposing them as a minority tribe in Nigeria.
The only way to rapidly boost their populationis to invite foreigners.
Igbos no longer use the political conjunction Hausa-Fulani courtesy of the fervent preaching of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, it's either you are Fulani or you are Hausa or Yoruba or Ijaw etc

gidgiddy:

chukwuaustin:
she is her pres secretary... Kanu na Yahoo Yahoo freedom fighter

chukwuaustin:
she is her pres secretary... Kanu na Yahoo Yahoo freedom fighter

CSTRR:
What will Yorubas do now?

The All Progressives Congress is considering giving a joint ticket to former President Goodluck Jonathan and Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, for the 2023 presidential election.

Top sources within the party told SaharaReporters that Jonathan is being considered as a strong voice in the southern region, while El-Rufai is being packaged to represent northern interests and later become the president when the presidency is again zoned to the North.

"There are plans already to pair El-Rufai with Jonathan for 2023. We believe both forces are strong and have goodwill in their regions and are good for the party," one of the sources confirmed to SaharaReporters.

It was learnt that there had been pressure on Jonathan, to defect to the All Progressives Congress and run for president in 2023 on the ruling party's platform.

Some APC chieftains, including governors, had visited Jonathan at his Abuja residence last November on his 63rd birthday.

The APC team's visit was led by the Chairman Caretaker/Extraordinary National Convention Planning Committee, who is also the acting national chairman of the party, Governor Mai Mala Buni.

Other members of the delegation include David Umahi, Ebonyi State governor, who recently defected from the PDP to the APC; Atiku Bagudu, Kebbi State governor, who is also the chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum; Abubakar Badaru, Jigawa State governor; Chief Ken Nnamani, a former Senate President; and Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, ex-presidential liaison office to the National Assembly.

The APC leadership visit to Jonathan had generated speculations, which SaharaReporters have confirmed to be more than a friendly visit or a courtesy call on a former president.

It was learnt that the visit was a continuation of the APC scheme to woo Jonathan to the party by a caucus in the party that feels more comfortable to have the ex-President in power than the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu.

Buni had denied that the APC was looking in the direction of Jonathan, saying, "Those peddling such information, they are afraid.

"Even if someone wants to base assumption on our recent visit to him during his birthday, we were there because of his capacity as a former President of Nigeria.

"Again, even if there is nothing when we are talking of peaceful coexistence, we must give credit to former President Jonathan on the issue of peace; how he accepted defeat in 2015 and resigned to fate. That has qualified him to be a statesman, and he is now among our fathers."

On whether the APC would accept Jonathan should he indicate interest, Buni had said, "Even in America where we got this democracy, I've not seen where people are being confined to a limit."

Sources, however, told SaharaReporters that Jonathan had surprised the northern elite and the APC northern cabals by his disposition to the Muhammadu Buhari presidency despite all the dirt and campaign of calumny thrown at him and the PDP before the 2015 presidential election, which gave Buhari an unprecedented victory over an incumbent.

It was learnt that some APC cabal had also been impressed that despite the Buhari government's glaring failure, Jonathan had not openly criticised his successor or his administration, much unlike ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Obasanjo had written open letters condemning the Buhari government and also verbally berated it at any opportunity.

SaharaReporters learnt from sources that the establishment of almajiri schools by Jonathan to reduce a large number of out-of-school children in the North also scored the former president good points in the eyes of the northern cabal in the APC, especially with most of it now rotting away even under a northerner as president.

"They see Jonathan as a safe option given the bias Buhari has also shown. The northern elites are afraid that when power returns to the South, the North may get a dose of how Buhari treated the South in terms of key appointments. The choice of El-Rufai is only natural. He has always been seen as a good northern candidate for the presidency," a source said.

Recall that El-Rufai had thrown his weight behind having Nigeria's next president emerge from the southern part of the country.

In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service last August, El-Rufai said, "The southern part of the country is supposed to produce the president come 2023; I don't support a northerner to vie for the seat after President Muhammadu Buhari, based on Nigeria's political arrangement."

Though El-Rufai described the power shift arrangement among the country's various regions as unconstitutional, he said it was a political design that must be respected.

"I believe that (there is) no developed country across the world that considers leadership based on where someone comes from. However, in Nigerian politics, there is an arrangement that we all believe in rotational leadership. We are aware of that, anyone who denies that is wrong," the governor said.

As the APC mull over the Jonathan-Elrufai ticket, there are concerns on the position of the All Progressives Congress national leader and a former governor of State, Bola Tinubu, who is reportedly eyeing the presidency.

Tinubu was considered Buhari's running mate ahead of the 2015 presidential election before some voices in the party and elder statesmen discouraged the APC from going with a Muslim-Muslim ticket, hence the choice of Prof Yemi Osinbajo, who was singlehandedly picked by the former Lagos State governor.

Tinubu had supported Buhari to win presidential elections in 2015 and 2019, believing that Buhari would return the favour after the expiration of his tenure in office when power would be expected to shift to the South.

SaharaReporters gathered that Jonathan was considered a better option than Tinubu because of the latter's "unpredictability".

A source said, "Even among Yoruba people, Tinubu has enemies. Many people want to reduce his power and influence in the South-West; many do not like him in the North. They cannot predict Tinubu the way they can predict Jonathan. With the presidency, Tinubu will become very powerful and no one can predict what he will do with such powers.

"That is why the strategy being employed by those in support of Tinubu is to first unite people, particularly in the South-West, behind him. They know the challenge before him and understand that it will be much harder to convince other regions to support him without his region solidly behind him.

"As for Jonathan, he has been there before, so it is easy to know the kind of presidency he will produce. Jonathan cannot also spend more than four years in power since he has spent four years already, a fact that is also not lost on those scheming to have him run for the APC.