₦airaland Forum

BENUE State Government has said it will organise another mass burial on Friday for the latest victims of suspected herdsmen attacks in the state.

The first mass burial was conducted on January 11 for 73 persons who lost their lives on new year day in two local government areas.

This second burial is for the 29 persons who were massacred Monday evening in an attack on Omusu village in Okpokwu Local Government Area of the state as fourteen of the victims are women while two were children.

The attackers had invaded the community after they reportedly lost their cattle and two herdsmen.

Governor Samuel Ortom who spoke on plans by the government to hold the second mass burial demanded the arrest and prosecution of the suspected herdsmen.

He made the call during an assessment tour of Omusu when he visited the village Tuesday to ascertain the level of destruction and provide immediate relief for the displaced.

Ortom described the attack as unfortunate, saying such barbaric acts were unacceptable in the 21st century.

He reiterated his call for the arrest of the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore whom he said were sponsoring the Fulani herdsmen militia and still moving freely in Abuja and giving directives to the mercenaries.

While directing the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to immediately provide relief materials for the displaced persons, Ortom appealed to the community not to embark on reprisals, stressing that the security agencies had been mobilised to forestall further attacks on the community.

The governor visited St. Mary’s Hospital, Okpokwu, where the injured were being treated and proceeded to the general hospital in the town where the bodies of dead victims had been deposited.

The governor had initially announced that 24 were killed in the Monday attack, only to get to the hospital where another three victims had died from their injuries.

Another two bodies were also discovered in the village, bringing the death toll to 29.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari says his party, the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), has tried its best in improving the security situation in Nigeria.

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Buhari stated this on Monday in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital while condoling with the victims of the State.

Taraba is one of the states which has witnessed series of clashes which has seen over 200 persons dead.

“Worst critics of APC will agree that we have tried in improving the security situation in the country, right from the Boko Haram attacks,” the president said in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu.

The president said he visited mainly to meet with representatives and traditional rulers appealing to them to pursue peace in their various chiefdoms and also extend his condolences to affected families.

“I came here mainly to have this forum with leaders, traditional rulers and the state government to extend my condolences to all those who have lost loved ones and properties.

“I am appealing to the traditional rulers not to give up in pursuing peace. The country has to be secured before you can manage the economy.”

The president was received by Governor Darius Ishaku and state’s lawmakers, led by the speaker.

Ishaku said the state was delighted to welcome the President in its trying time.

Ishaku said the state was contending with a different breed of herdsmen who are militias moving around with AK 47 rifles to remove anything in their way, unlike the known herdsmen who had cohabited with the people for decades without skirmishes.

“The problem is never between the locals. The local Fulani and other tribes blend without issues.

“We have a new breed and specie of herdsmen militias who move around with sophisticated weapons; they are poised to remove anything in their track.

“They must be arrested now before it degenerates to something we can not contend with,” Ishaku said.

Opinion leaders from various warring ethnic groups in the state insisted that justice and fairness must be seen to be taking their course and the rule of law allowed to prevail for peace to return.

The President was accompanied by Minister of Women Affairs Hajia Aisha Alhassan, Minister of Defence Manir Dan Ali, Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed, some Service Chiefs and National Assembly members from the state.

Attempt To Evict Ex-NIA DG, Dauda From Home Turns Residence To Armed Face-off Zone

AN attempt to evict the immediate past Acting Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Mohammed Dauda, from his residence has turned his home to a zone of armed face-off by three security forces.

Trouble started late Monday evening when the State Security Service (SSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) stormed the residence of the former NIA boss in an attempt to forcefully evict the former NIA boss from his official residence, News Express reports.

The SSS and the NIA meet firm resistance from armed men guiding the residence resulting in an armed face-off between the trio.

The siege is believed to be a fallout of an ongoing investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the House of Representatives over alleged attempts to siphon $44 million from the coffers of the NIA allegedly by the trio of Ambassador Babagana Kingibe; the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari; and the incumbent NIA DG, Abubakar Rufai Ahmed.

Ambassador Dauda had in a memo to the EFCC and the House of Representatives Committee on National Safety and Intelligence indicted the three aides of the president over sundry corrupt tendencies.

The memo seemed to have angered Kingibe who it was reported threatened to deal with the ex-NIA boss, which may have given rise to the invasion on Dauda’s residence.

Dauda was said to have earlier in the day left the house to an unknown destination, shortly before the arrival of the combined operatives while his domestic staffs were still being held hostages in the blockade which started on Monday and is still in progress as at press time.

The building located at No 3, Osaro Lane, off Osaro Close, Maitama in Abuja attracted onlookers and news men when the drama began but they were chased away by the operatives of the SSS and NIA.

The comments of the SSS on the siege was not available as at press time because it has no known spokesperson since September 2016 when Marilyn Ogar left the service while Kingibe, Kyari and Dauda were not reachable for their reaction.

THREE members of the Civilian JTF were killed and 17 other persons injured in a bomb explosion detonated by a suicide bomber in Maiduguri, the Borno Capital.

The attack which occurred late Monday night has a male suicide bomber, reportedly riding a bicycle with the explosives strapped to his body at Muna Datti area.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Joseph Kwaji confirmed this Tuesday morning.

“Scene visited by EOD and patrol teams. The death and injured were evacuated to UMTH Maiduguri. Normalcy has been restored,” Kwaji said.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has divulged why he is not always in a hurry to visit violence-hit areas.

Speaking on Monday during his visit to Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, the president said he has always observe situation of things before he visits such areas.

He said his visit to is to assess the situation in the state and condole with victims of violence.

The state which has witnessed series of violence has about 200 people believed to have been killed in communal disputes including herders/farmers clashes.

“I am here (Taraba) to meet with the leadership of the state, to offer my condolences to those who lost loved ones and properties in violence.

“People, sometimes expect me to rush out to the fields, to go and make noise.

“But I have my ways of gathering intelligence. I get to know what is happening across the country without necessarily going to those areas.

“I will be going to Benue and Zamfara after I return from Ghana to also condole with the people,” Buhari said.

He urged traditional rulers in the state to step up activities in their various chiefdoms to foster peaceful coexistence among their subjects and to remain vigilant at all times.

The president was received by Governor Darius Ishaku and state’s lawmakers, led by the speaker.

Ishaku said the state was delighted to welcome the President in its trying time.

Ishaku said the state was contending with a different breed of herdsmen who are militias moving around with AK 47 rifles to remove anything in their way, unlike the known herdsmen who had cohabited with the people for decades without skirmishes.

“The problem is never between the locals. The local Fulani and other tribes blend without issues.

“We have a new breed and specie of herdsmen militias who move around with sophisticated weapons; they are poised to remove anything in their track.

“They must be arrested now before it degenerates to something we can not contend with,” Ishaku said.

Opinion leaders from various warring ethnic groups in the state insisted that justice and fairness must be seen to be taking their course and the rule of law allowed to prevail for peace to return.

The President was accompanied by Minister of Women Affairs Hajia Aisha Alhassan, Minister of Defence Manir Dan Ali, Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed, some Service Chiefs and National Assembly members from the state.

AYO Fayose, Ekiti State Governor has reacted to the scheduled visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to some states of the federation which have come under attacks ranging from terrorist attacks, criminal activities, communal clashes and kidnappings among others.

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Fayose said the president’s visit to the affected states was because of “the negative reactions of Nigerians, especially on Social Media and the effects on the President’s reelection bid that necessitated his hurried visit to Taraba State today, and planned visits to Benue, Zamfara, Yobe and Rivers States.”

Fayose, in a statement issued on Monday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said it was the height of cruelty that the same President, who promised to lead from the front in the fight against Boko Haram, could not visit Dapchi, Yobe State where 110 school girls were abducted by the insurgents but went on merrymaking in Kano.

“On January 9 and 12, this year, 88 victims of herdsmen attacks were given mass burial in Taraba State. Also on January 11, 2018, another 73 persons killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Benue State were buried in a mass grave in Makurdi, the state capital.

“Meaning that in Taraba and Benue States alone, 161 Nigerians were given mass burial within three days! This never caught the attention of our President. Rather, it was a visit to Nasarawa, a neighboring State to Benue that was important to him.

“To further demonstrate his lack of compassion for Nigerians, while the entire nation, especially parents of the 110 abducted school girls in Dapchi, Yobe State are still in anguish, President Buhari went to Kano last Saturday to attend a social function, thus sparking negative reactions from Nigerians.

“Apparently, it was the negative reactions of Nigerians, especially on Social Media and the effects on the President’s reelection bid that necessitated his hurried visit to Taraba State today, and planned visits to Benue, Zamfara, Yobe and Rivers States.

“I am sure the people of Taraba State won’t be hoodwinked by the President’s cosmetic sympathy, show of concern and crocodile tears, which he never bordered to shed when hundreds of indigenes of the State were being killed by suspected herdsmen,” Fayose said.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari will commence an on the spot assessment of terrorist attacks, criminal activities, communal clashes and kidnappings in some states of the federation.

This will see him visiting Taraba, Benue, Yobe, Zamfara and Rivers States.

This is coming days after Nigerians blasted the president for attending a wedding ceremony last weekend in Kano State while states with security issues were left unattended to.

A statement issued by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity said his principal will begin his visit from today, March 5, 2018 with Yobe being his first destination.

“From today, March 5, he will visit Taraba, and subsequently Benue, Yobe, Zamfara and Rivers States.

“President Buhari has been receiving daily briefings, and has been in constant touch with the Governors, and has been updated with situation reports,” the statement said.

The statement concluded that the President called on all Nigerians, especially those in the affected areas to cooperate fully with the Security Agencies to enable them curb the spate of crimes, bring those responsible to justice and prevent further occurrences.

THE missing school girls who were allegedly abducted by Boko Haram terrorists from their school on February 19, in Dapchi of Yobe State are in safe hands.

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This was the submission of a human rights activist, Mrs. Aisha Wakil, who is also fondly called Mama Boko Haram, in a video published by News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Wakil was a member of the Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges Committee in the northern region, set up during the President Goodluck Jonathan era.

She is said to have communication links with the terrorist as she is being respected by some leaders of the sect.

Wakil had, at various times, participated and played key roles in negotiations between the military authorities and Boko Haram insurgents’ commanders, which facilitated the release of numerous abductees from the terrorists’ captivity.

She submitted that a faction of the terrorist group had contacted her, confirming to her that they have the missing schoolgirls in their custody.

In the interview published by the News Agency, Wakil that the girls were safe, healthy and in good condition.

“They are even the ones that called me, and said ‘Mama, we heard what you have said;’ and told me that they are with the girls and they are going to release them.

“I begged of them and said ‘please, let this not be another 1,000-plus days of Chibok girls,’ and they laughed and said no.

“I asked them whether I could come and stay with them (girls) for two days, but they did not say anything.

“I can assure Nigerians that so far they are with my son Habib and his friends; Habib is a nice guy, he is very nice boy. He will not harm them, he will not touch them, and he will not kill them.

“He is going to listen to us, and so far, he has indicated interest that he loves peace. And I love them for that and believe what they said on this.

“They will definitely give us the girls. All I am begging Nigerians is to calm down, be prayerful, everything will be over by God’s grace.”

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It also argued that the memo purportedly giving an approval to the AGF’s request for the proscription of IPOB was signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Abba Kyari, instead of President Muhammadu Buhari himself as stipulated by law.

THE interdicted Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), yesterday filed an application at the Court of Appeal seeking to upturn its proscription and declaration as a terrorist organisation.

The group was legally proscribed last year by Justice Adamu Kafarati of the Federal High Court, in an ex-parte application filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

On January 18, Justice Kafarati rejected a motion by IPOB, seeking among others, the reversal of the order.

But on Thursday (1/3/2018) the outlawed organisation urged the Court of Appeal to set aside the entire decision by the Federal High Court, including the order proscribing it and declaring it a terrorist group.

The application was filed by their lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor.

In the appeal which has five grounds, the group argued that the mandatory statutory condition requiring the President’s approval, under Section 2 (1) (C) of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013, was not met.

It also argued that the memo purportedly giving an approval to the AGF’s request for the proscription of IPOB was signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Abba Kyari, instead of President Muhammadu Buhari himself as stipulated by law.

“The trial judge erred in law, when he ruled that the mandatory statutory condition requiring president’s approval, under Section 2 (1) (C) of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013, was satisfied, on the authority of the Memo of the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation to the President dated September 15, 2017, thereby occasioning a miscarriage of justice.

“A cursory look at the Memo of the Attorney General of the Federation dated 15th day of September 2017, addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, being relied upon or referred to by the learned trial judge, as constituting the mandatory President’s approval granted before an application Exparte for the proscription of the appellant’s activities and its designation as terrorist organisation, was made to the court, shows that it is a mere memo from the Attorney General of the Federation to the President requesting for the said President’s approval, prescribed under Section 2 (1)(C) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013, and not the mandatory President’s approval envisaged under the Act.

“The purported President’s approval dated the September 18, 2017 addressed to the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation & Minister of Justice, captioned “Approval of the President, Commander-In-chief of the Armed Forces for the declaration/proscription of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a Terrorist Organization pursuant to section 2(I) (A) (B) & (C) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013”, was signed by ABBA KYARI, designated as Chief of Staff to the President, and was not signed by the President as required under Section 2 (1)(C) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013.

“Under Section 40 of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013, which deals with the interpretation of words or phrases, the word “President” as used in the Act, refers and only means the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and acts specified under the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act to be done by the President must be done by the President himself, the Act does not provide for this specialised power to be delegated to any officer, staff or personnel of the President to act, on behalf of the President.

“The important condition that the President will have to give his approval was neither satisfied by the Attorney General’s memo of September 15, 2017 nor corrected by the purported approval signed by the Chief of Staff to the President.

“There was no valid approval given by the President in the Memo, in satisfaction of the mandatory requirement under section 2 (1)(C) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013,” it said.

The appellant argued in the second ground of appeal that “the learned trial judge erred in law, when upon his formulation of issues arising for determination in the ruling delivered on the January 18, 2018, and in consideration therefore, arrived on findings of facts that were grossly faulted by non-evaluation of affidavit evidence placed before the court, and recondite issues of law set out for the trial court’s determination, by the appellant; thereby occasioning a miscarriage of justice.”

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has said that contrary to speculations in some quarters that corruption has grown to its worst in the country, his administration is winning the war against the dishonest or fraudulent conduct typically involving bribery.

Buhari stated this on Thursday (1/03/2018) at a meeting with a Qatari business delegation led by the former Emir, Sheikh Hamad Al-Thani, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the president said while the war against anti-graft was on his administration was being guided by the rule of law.

He described the Federal Government’s economic agenda as one designed to move the country from over-reliance on crude oil and food importation.

The president said the policy has, in the past two years turned Nigeria into one of the most attractive investment destinations in Africa.

“My administration’s economic agenda has always been to move away from over-reliance on crude oil and food importation.

“Nigeria is a blessed country. We have fertile land. We have a young and energetic population and we have a very strong legal and regulatory system that protects capital and investments, both local and foreign.

“As you are aware, Nigeria just exited its worst recession in more than two decades. We have more than doubled our foreign reserves.

“We are winning the war against corruption. We are developing our infrastructure and we are enforcing the rule of law.

“As a result of this, we are seeing significant growth in the non-oil sector which is creating thousands of jobs across the country,” he said.

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SENATOR Dino Melaye (Kogi West) was on Thursday arraigned before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja for misinformation.

Melaye, arraigned on two count charges of giving false information about an assassination attempt on his life to the police in April 2017 pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The office of the Attorney General of the Federation filed the charges, marked CR/106/18 on January 31, 2018.

He was accused of falsely incriminating the Chief of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Mr. Edward Onoja David, in the said assassination attempt.

The offences were said to be punishable under sections 140 and 393 of the Peal Code Law, Cap. 89, Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963.

The lawmaker was granted bail after a plea application filed earlier by his lawyer, Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN).

The bail application, though was opposed by Mr. Shuaibu Labaran, the prosecuting counsel, the judge, Justice Olasunbo Goodluck, dismissed the opposition which she ruled was based on inadmissible affidavit evidence.

She therefore granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N100,000 with one surety who must be a federal civil servant of at least Grade Level 14 in any federal parastatal or establishment.

The surety must also provide proof to be a resident of the Federal Capital Territory.

HUMAN Rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has declared support for the third force movement of Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo named Coalition for Nigeria (CN).

Falana pledged his support to the coalition on Wednesday (28/02/2018) while speaking at the ongoing 40th anniversary celebration of the Nigera Labour Congress (NLC), in Abuja.

The lawyer while revealing that the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) recovered N750 billion loots in two years thus tasked the NLC to monitor the usage of the money by the Federal Government.

He said the third force suggested by former President Olusegun Obasanjo should be a party of the working class that would protect the interest of Nigerians.

“The solution is for us to reorganise the Labour Party so that it will not be a dumping ground for the disgruntled elements of the ruling class.

“This is because General Obasanjo said neither APC (All Progressives Congress) or the PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) has a solution to the country’s problems.

“Therefore, there is a need for a Third Force.

“That Third Force must not be by the disgruntled people, but of the Nigerian working people.

“The NLC has a role to play to protect the interest of the Nigerian people.

“That is why whenever there is a problem in the country, people will be asking where is NLC.

“If you say you are fighting corruption, we have nothing to lose but to join them to expose themselves.



“The EFCC in the last two and half years recovered N750 billion.

“NLC must find out what will they do with the money.

“I told government publicly that what they are doing by saying they are fighting corruption is a tip of the iceberg, the real corruption is not being fought.

“I wrote a letter to the Minister of Finance and I itemised how this country can recover about $200 billion and therefore they don’t need to go anywhere to borrow money, but what the Minister did was to write me back to acknowledge receiving the letter and that it is receiving attention.

“And up till now, that letter is receiving attention.

“In 2006, the then CBN Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, gave $7 billion to 14 banks and those banks have not paid back the money.

“Also in 2008, the CBN governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido, gave to six banks N600 billion and up till now, the money has not been returned.

“You cannot say we are broke.

“Pay back this money.

“You also remember the N100 million that was released for the revive of the textile industry, but still these textile companies are still moribund.

“Where is the money?

“Also in the last 10 years, over N400 billion was released for agriculture, but yet we are hungry,” he said.

Falana pointed out that Nigeria does not need to borrow from China or from any other source as it has enough to meet up with ‎its financial obligation.

Proffering solutions to the problems, he advised the NLC to put in place mechanism to revive the labour party to bring succour to the Nigerian people.

On the issue of herdsmen, Falana said the only way out of the crisis is for the ranches to be located across the country.

THE ruling All Progressive Congress, (APC) has welcomed the existence of the newly launched Coalition for Nigeria Movement.

The ruling party also said the movement is never a threat to its own existence, noting that the only threat it can begin to worry about lies with the Nigerian people.

The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, stated this on Wednesday while reacting to the official flag off of the group in Abuja.

“The prospect of a coalition does not threaten the APC at all. The only threat we can begin to worry about lies with the Nigerian people.

“If it is about competition for power, how many political parties do we have? That is enough reason for us to worry about competition. If another coalition is set up for the purpose of winning power good luck to them, that is the essence of constitutional democracy, a multi-party system thrives in that kind of situation.

“So, we don’t feel any threat, we don’t feel concerned they are welcome to the field,” he was quoted by PUNCH Newspaper to have said.

FORMER President, Olusegun Obasanjo has formally registered as a member of the newly launched Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM).

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The organization was endorsed by the former Nigerian leader in his last week’s highly critical epistle he wrote to the president.

Obasanjo who had accused the president of underperformance in his letter advised him not to seek reelection in the coming presidential poll.

He had called for the establishment of a third force to unseat the present administration while noting that the two major political parties in the country have failed Nigerians.

“We need a Coalition for Nigeria. Such a Movement at this juncture needs not be a political party but one to which all well-meaning Nigerians can belong. That Movement must be a coalition for democracy, good governance, social and economic wellbeing and progress; a coalition to salvage and redeem our country,” Obasanjo said last week.

The former leader, however, was conspicuously absent at the launch of the movement yesterday.

Kehinde Akinyemi, his spokesman said Obasanjo was absent because he returned to Nigeria late from Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia where he attended the AU summit.

“He will register tomorrow (today) in Abeokuta, Ogun State,” he said.

The former president on Thursday, stormed the Secretariat of the Ogun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oke – Ilewo, Abeokuta, the state capital.

Accompanying him amid retinue of armed security Operatives, are politicians including former governors, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Donald Duke(Cross Rivers), former minister, Mrs Dupe Adelaja, opinion leaders and hundreds of enthusiastic residents desirous of registering their membership CNM.

While registering his membership Obasanjo declared that it has become imperative for the nation to “rethink and retool the way” things are done today if the country hoped to witness true development, unity, cooperation and unity.

The ex–President said Nigeria must change for better, adding that the real change must be brought about by the nation’s youth and women who were often the direct victims of things that weren’t working well.