₦airaland Forum

Armed policemen in Lagos Tuesday invaded the office of Kings Communications Limited, publishers of MMS Plus newspaper, over a story exposing corruption and debts in the Dangote refinery.

The media outlet reported that the policemen arrested its Editor-in-Chief, Kingsley Anaroke, and the Editor of MMS Plus, Kenneth Jukpor, over a story published on the possible takeover of the Dangote refinery by AMCON owing to increasing debts.

“After several failed attempts to get the Editor to pull down the story, the Dangote spokesman instead of a rejoinder or the legal action which he threatened against our media house, he has resorted to bullying by sending four policemen to besiege the headquarters of Kings Communications Limited in Festac, Lagos since 7am,” The report states.

The original report ‘AMCON May Take Over Dangote Refinery As Liabilities Swell’, reported on Sunday, said Dangote Group’s debt profile was set to hit $8.4billion by 2025.

The report states that the company debt is currently at about $7 billion, with $700 million per annum set for debt servicing.

The refinery is projected to begin operations in 2025, though its completion date has been moved eight times.

The federal government has stepped in to ease founder Aliko Dangote’s financial woes.

Last week, the Federal Executive Council approved the acquisition of 20 per cent minority stakes ($2.76 billion) by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in the Dangote Refinery project.

OyigboUpdate:
Gidgiddy notasyouthink fenibak this is another user with another video of a man in front of the burning vehicle showing the victims and testifying it was done by IPOB for those who didn't sit at home.

I was not the one who posted thism oya deny 1, 2 ready go

Unknown gunmen attack another Police Station in Ebonyi, kill Policeman
Set ablaze office of DPO, Admin building

By Peter Okutu – Abakaliki

Another policeman has been reportedly killed by unknown gunmen in the State.

It was gathered that the incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday as the gunmen invaded Obiozara police station in Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi state.


The gunmen who invaded the station at about 3 am, set ablaze the office of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and the admin building.

A Source within the area noted that the main police station at the LGA was burnt down during #EndSARS protest as the gunmen now attacked the temporary police station being used for its office.

“I called one of the police officers who said they were attacked early this morning by 3 am, one Inspector was shot dead. That they burnt two offices, that of the DPO and the admin’s office.

“They had burnt the main office during EndSARS with some vehicles, they now relocated to another block around the station where this attack took place”, the source said

At the time of this report, it could not be ascertained if the gunmen carted away any rifle belonging to Nigeria police.

Police spokesman, Loveth Odah who confirmed the attack, said the gunmen invaded the station in their numbers.

This is coming five days after a Police officer was killed in another attack on Abaomege Police Station in Onicha Local Government Area of the state.

The Federal High Court in Abakaliki was attacked last week and set ablaze by unknown hoodlums.

Similarly, gunmen attacked a Police checkpoint in Afikpo and allegedly killed two soldiers on duty last week.

The motive for the attack on the Federal High Court, just like the attacks on security officials, is possibly to weaken state institutions that are in charge of law and order, so as to create fear and confusion.

Former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), might have ruled out a former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and a former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, from the 2023 presidential run, because they would be in their 70s by the next election.

Although IBB as Babangida is fondly called did not in any way mention their names as ineligible for the nation’s number one seat, he however suggested that individuals in their 60s should be the focus of Nigerians as potential presidential candidates in 2023.

By the next general election in 2023, Atiku, who is 75 this year would be 77, while Tinubu, who marked an official 68th birthday in March, would have turned 70 years.

Babangida, who himself will be 80 on August 17 this year, was confident that the nation is endowed with both human and natural resources, hinted at a few individuals, whom he said were in their 60s, had the capacity to become president and could effectively run the country.

Speaking in a sneak preview of a two-part series of an exclusive interview to be aired on the Arise News Channel this morning, focusing on the State of the Nation, IBB said one of the reasons Nigeria has refused to progress and achieve the dreams of the founding fathers was because Nigerians no longer believed in the future of their own country.

The former leader, who accused the Nigerian people of creating and at the same time, destroying their own country, identified bad leadership as yet a major reason for the socio-economic challenges facing Nigeria.

Talking about the presidential hopefuls he had in mind, IBB said they were persons in their 6os with contacts across the nation and who had been traversing the geo-political zones marketing their acceptability and capacity.

Specifically on the importance of leadership in nation-building and where he thought the likes of Atiku and Tinubu no longer fit the bill, IBB said: “If you get a good leadership that links with the people and tries to talk with the people; not talking on top of the people, then we would be okay.
“I have started visualising a good Nigerian leader. That is, a person, who travels across the country and has a friend virtually everywhere he travels to and he knows at least one person that he can communicate with.

“That is a person, who is very verse in economics and is also a good politician, who should be able to talk to Nigerians and so on. I have seen one, or two or three of such persons already in his sixties.”
But when asked if the person could emerge victorious in the 2023 presidential election, the Minna-born former military leader said, “I believe so if we can get him.”

Responding to a question on whether or not he still believed in the future of Nigeria, the former military president, who turns 80 on August 17, 2021, said: “I do believe in the future of Nigeria, but Nigerians don’t believe in the future of their country. They created and they destroyed.”

Reiterating his belief in the future of Nigeria and urging Nigerians to remain patriotic, Babangida, who claimed to feeling good as he was about to turn 80 years, with gratitude to God for sparing his life, advised Nigerians to go for the person that has what it takes to transform the country when the time comes.

IBB served as head of state between 1985 and 1993. Born in Niger State, he received military training in Nigeria, India, Great Britain, and the United States. He rose through the ranks and was known for his courage, having also played a major role in suppressing an attempted coup in 1976, when he walked into a rebel-held radio station unarmed.

After Murtala Mohammed became the military head of state in 1975, Babangida joined his Supreme Military Council, and as military president after taking over power on August 27, 1985, he introduced economic policies such as the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), that altered the course of the nation and liberalise the economy.

At 80 on the 17th, Babangida is one of the leaders like Muhammadu Buhari who have dominated Nigeria’s political space since 1966.

Rochas Okorocha, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, says there is a vacuum in Nigeria.

Under President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime, wanton violence and disregard for human rights have plummeted.

Mr Okorocha, a senator representing Imo West, stated this at a one-day summit and award recognition programme of the Nigerian Diaspora Youth Ambassador (NDYA) on Thursday in Abuja.

Addressing Nigerian youths, the former Imo governor stated, “You are the very group of people we have been waiting for to correct our mistakes and build a Nigeria of our collective dreams.

“There is a vacuum in Nigeria, and this nation is waiting for youths to rewrite the history of Nigeria. If youths can come together to say we want to take the presidency, no matter what, they will do it because they stand to succeed in unity.’’

Mr Okorocha urged the youths to be focused and take action ahead of the 2023 election. With the unemployment rate skyrocketing, the senator urged them not to wait for white-collar works.

“If you must succeed, you must do teamwork like the lion to bring down the elephant called leadership. United, you can achieve anything, just like the lion that has its strength in unity,” said Mr Okorocha, prepping them up for the 2023 presidency. “Don’t give up. Continue to persist, and you can take the presidency in 2023.”

Similarly, the Senate Chief Whip of Orji Kalu, represented by his aide Obasi Igbokwe, noted that the national assembly identified with the youths.

Also speaking at the event, Almustapha Abdulahi, the former National Youths Council of Nigeria’s president, encouraged youths to be dogged, love one another and reject things that would cause division among them.

Security agents operating in no fewer than 15 vehicles, including an Armoured Personnel Carrier, burnt down a hotel, a residential house and about 15 shops in Orlu, Imo State, on Sunday.

The incidents happened at Okporo and Obor communities carved out of Umutanze in the Orlu Local Government Area of the state.

Community sources told our correspondent that the security agents, who came for the operation, supervised the burning of the hotel before they left.

Our correspondent gathered that the Ezeacho Hotel is owned by a businessman, Chinonso Uba.

The hotel is located on the Okporo Mgbidi Road behind St Damian’s Hospital mortuary, Okporo.

Two persons were said to have lost their lives during the operation, while some guests were also arrested.

The hotelier’s country home in the Obor community was also burnt.

While the reason for the burning of the hotel, house and shops had not been ascertained as of press time, our correspondent gathered that the hotelier’s mother, Mrs Dorathy Uba, is a popular politician in the local government area.

A source in the area told our correspondent that the hotelier lived with his family in the hotel.

PUNCH Metro could not ascertain if the hotelier was among the persons arrested by the security agents.

A source, who witnessed the operation, said, “The hotel is on the Okporo-Mgbidi Road behind St Damian Hospital mortuary, Okporo. The owner of the hotel is Chinonso Uba. I know him very well. He lives with his family in the hotel. The hotel is a storey building.

“He (Chinonso) is from the Obor community. Obor was created from Umutanze. Two persons were killed in the hotel during the operation. Chinonso lives with family in the hotel. His mother is a popular politician in the area. Her name is Mrs Dorathy Uba. The security agents cordoned off the area and made sure that the hotel was completely burnt.

“The stern looking security agents also went to the hotelier’s village house at Obor community and set it ablaze. They also burnt no fewer than 15 shops, where caskets were being sold opposite the hospital.”

When contacted, the police spokesperson in the state, Michael Abattam, said he would get a feedback and revert to our correspondent, but he had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

But a police source confirmed the operation and said the command was committed to securing the state.

The fighter jet was brought down by men of Kachalla’s gang near Kabaru village...

A notorious terror kingpin operating around the Dansadau axis of the vast Kuyambana Forest, Ali Kachalla, was the one responsible for the recent shooting down of a Nigeria Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet, Daily Trust can report.

When the military jet was downed through the use of heavy artillery power on June 18, no details were available about the incident from both official and unofficial sources and nothing much came out since then.

While the action was expectedly attributed to bandits, the catchword for the armed criminals controlling large swathes of rural Zamfara, Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto and Kebbi States, it was unclear who among the several kingpins straddling the area were responsible for downing the aircraft.

But talking to locals, security personnel and other persons with the understanding of happenings in the areas troubled by rural banditry, Daily Trust gathered that Ali Kachalla, a shrewd terrorist with hideout in Kuyambana was the mastermind of the monumental operation.

Kachalla, originally a chieftaincy title in the Kanuri language, is widely used as an honorific for bandits’ leaders in the North-West.

The fighter jet was brought down by men of Kachalla’s gang near Kabaru village, located some 15 km west of Dansadau town.

Spokesperson for the NAF, Edward Gabkwet, in a statement released at the time said the aircraft was attacked while returning from an air interdiction mission between the boundaries of Zamfara and Kaduna States.

While nothing was heard or seen of the ill-fated aircraft, the Air Force released pictures of the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo, who successfully ejected from the aircraft.

Daily Trust later exclusively reported how Dairo ran for his life and was saved by locals who ferried him to Dansadau from where he was evacuated by an Air Force helicopter.

Shooting down the NAF jet might be Kachalla’s most daring exploit yet, but for residents in the troubled Dansadau district, his name has been on their lips especially in recent times. He has carried out series of brutal attacks on communities in the district and is known to take special interest in ambushing military personnel.

Unveiling Ali Kachalla

Ali Kachalla, is a young bandits’ leader controlling over 200 armed men in Kuyambana Forest. The forest straddles Zamfara, Kebbi Kaduna and Niger States.

Those who know him said he was born in Madada, a hamlet near Dansadau to a family of herders. He is said to be in his early 30s.

Kachalla’s current base is located along the bank of a river called River Goron Dutse, which is about 25 km south of Dansadau town, one source familiar with the area, told Daily Trust.

Goron Dutse River is situated across the Kaduna – Zamfara boundary, with parts of it in Kaduna State and the other part in Zamfara State.

“His settlement consisting of several strings of thatched huts is on Birnin Gwari side of the river. But, his large herd of cattle being manned by his heavily armed boys is based in Zamfara State,” a source in the area who craved for anonymity told one of our reporters.

“As I’m talking to you his boys can be found in Dandalla, Madada and Gobirawa Kwacha communities. The villages are all situated southeast of Dansadau town. They are all being controlled by the armed men,” the source explained.

Kachalla’s men are described as “fearless fighters” and have been laying ambush for security operatives for quite a long time. His boys said to outnumber most of those in other gangs in the area.

In recent times, Kachalla has stepped up attacks on Dansadau town to protest the blocking of supplies to him from the town and the villagers’ help in the escape of the military pilot who he wanted to capture alive. In one of the attacks, his men set an Armoured Personnel Carrier ablaze, after chasing security forces deployed to the town.

“Dansadau community has drawn the ire of Kachalla and his boys after local traders were blocked from selling food to him,” one source said. “There are some unscrupulous elements among the local traders who still take bread, soft drinks and other groceries to the bandits in the forest.”

The residents of the community recently protested against the business transactions and blocked every move by the traders to deal with the bandits.

Security operatives in collaboration with other residents have stepped up efforts to arrest suspected informants. Last week, Daily Trust reported how 22 suspected informants were rounded up from the town with one of them setting himself ablaze.

The death of Buharin Daji and rise of Ali Kachalla

When the notorious bandit, Buharin Daji, was killed by fellow outlaws in March 2018, a few of his lieutenants rose from his shadows to pick up the gauntlet. Among the Buharin Daji associates who would rise to notoriety were his assailant, Dogo Gide and Ali Kachalla.

Sources said though the two are good friends, they keep separate gangs with Gide marauding through the forests from one place to another while Kachalla remains sedentary on the edge of Zamfara.

Aside from benefitting from members of the old Buharin Daji group, Kachalla also cultivated his men, breaking the barrier into non-Fulani communities.

“There are many youths of Hausa extraction who have gone to join his group, including many residents of Dansadau town; they are with him in the forest,” our source disclosed.

While Kachalla may appear invincible, he is said to have suffered losses a few times in the hands of security forces and in at least one clash with a renowned Ansaru leader in the North-West, Mallam Abba, where Kachalla lost about 30 men.

Shadowy hardliner

Despite his rise to prominence as a result of the men and arms cache he controls, Ali Kachalla remains a shadowy figure, making it difficult to get any picture or video clip of him.

While some bandits’ leaders are known to interact with locals and even visit markets in some areas, Kachalla and most key bandits operating around Kuyambana stay away from any form of direct interaction with the outside world.

“He is a very tough person, a hardliner,” one villager said. “I have met his uncle, Kachalla Sale. The latter had been to Gusau and even Kaduna on peace dialogues but Ali (Kachalla) did not attend any of those sittings.

“This is not to say only Kachalla and his boys are operating in Dansadau district. There are other bandits’ leaders like Dogo Gide, Sani Mochoko, Sani Buta, Danmakaranta, Damina and the rest,” one source said, but multiple sources said Kachalla is perhaps the fiercest currently, overshadowing his old friend, Gide.

Action an affront, treat them as terrorists – Expert

Executive Director of Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Idayat Hassan, said the downing of the military jet reveals the vulnerability of the military planes and infrastructure in Nigeria.

“The terrorist organised the attack to intimidate and coerce Nigeria to comply with their demands. It was an attack showing they are powerful. But thankfully, the airman escaped; otherwise, there would have been intense publicity for the bandits and diminishing citizens’ trust in the state.”

The CDD executive director, who has researched the insecurity in the northern states, said “It is frightening that the terrorists possess such potent weaponry to bring down a military jet”.

She said the success of the attack could make them more daring to carry out other attacks.

“This attack could also cement Ali Kachalla as a leader of leaders amongst the bandits while giving other bandits the impetus to down more military planes. These terrorist strategies are adaptive; previously, they create bunkers and taught their wards how to dive and protect cows during an airstrike.

“Bringing down a military jet signifies a complete change in strategy and the government must treat them as terrorists. Nigeria must accept that it is facing a non-international armed conflict again in the North West and must go ahead to prosecute and deal with these terrorists accordingly. A situation where a group of people can hold Nigeria and her people to ransom is not welcome. Nigeria, at this point, should become more worried about the unification of these terror groups with ISWAP and other jihadi groups” she said.

How he can be tackled – Security analyst

A security analyst, Kabiru Adamu, described the attack as ominous, with implications on local security and international relations, including aviation. He expressed surprise that the military which last year announced that it had knowledge of the bandits amassing military-grade weapons did not take action to avert the use of the weapons on its troops.

On how to tackle Kachalla, Adamu said, “There are three things that are absolutely important. Let me start with intelligence; intelligence is very important as it will tell you what, where, how, when and who.

“All of these will be answered by intelligence operatives and the knowledge will be used in carrying out a precision attack against him. That brings me to the second point, which is precision attack. We have tactical units within all our armed security departments. When the US extracted its citizen that was abducted in Niger and brought him to Sokoto, it was with a tactical unit. So why do we have tactical units and they are unable to perform tactical assignments?”

Adamu canvassed for proper kitting of the tactical squads with specialised weapons, vehicles and other tools to enable them to deliver on their assignment.

“There are a lot of concerns among Nigerians at the moment about the incident and we are comity of nations, no country in the world will hear something like this and it will not affect how they relate with us.”

The security analyst further disclosed that if the gunmen can shoot down a military jet, commercial flights could also be at risk.

“So, there are certain countries that will not like this development, analyse it and probably tell their companies not to take the route and that will have a negative impact on Nigeria.

“There are so many implications on that development, if it is easy for the military to say our jet was shot down, what is important is to say how it was shot down and if they know what weapon was used in shooting it down. It will help a lot to bring down the current tension in the minds of a lot of Nigerians.”