₦airaland Forum

mu2sa2:
He's creative by conceptualising, designing and constructing the pot. He's better than those who are only good at cursing online or masturbating on nothing.

This is called Tinubunomics......man invented double compartment pot for dual cooking of rice and stew just to economise wastage of gas.....

Daughter draw picture of her Mom while in the shower....what's your observation?

helinues:
I have never seen people so disgusted with their own actions that they are never interested in taking responsibility for it

I still reacted to one of the thread just today on this forum, created by Ipob/Obidients member

Coalition Of Nigerian Activists Demand Release Of Social Critic "Ijele Speaks" After One-Year Detention As Health Deteriorates

The groups in media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, alleged that Ofoegbu's detention is an abuse of legal process, aimed at silencing dissenting voices.



A coalition of activists, human rights groups, and concerned citizens has called for the immediate release of Mr. Chizorom Harrison Ofoegbu, a digital content creator and social critic, who has been detained for over a year.

Ofoegbu, more commonly known as "Ijele Speaks" is being held at Ikoyi Correctional Centre in Lagos on allegations of threat to life, defamation, and cybercrime.

The groups in media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, alleged that Ofoegbu's detention is an abuse of legal process, aimed at silencing dissenting voices.

They claimed that the allegations against him are linked to his criticism of two influential religious figures, Evangelist Ebuka Obi and Rev. Prof. Victor Onukaogu.

"While we believe in the right of any citizen to seek redress through legal means, we are alarmed by the apparent abuse of legal processes to silence dissenting voices, particularly when such voices challenge the status quo or religious institutions," the coalition emphasised.

Pointing out to the dire medical condition of Ofoegbu, they declared that his health has deteriorated significantly, with him suffering from kidney failure and requiring specialised medical care.

"Despite his dire condition, he remains in detention without access to appropriate treatment, a situation that threatens not only his right to fair trial, but his very right to life," the groups pointed out.

In a various letters to the authorities including the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the National Human Rights Commission, and the National Headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the coalition appealed for immediate medical intervention to save his life.

They specifically called on the Attorney General of the Federation, the Minister of Justice, to: "ensure immediate medical intervention for Ofoegbu, review the legal proceedings surrounding his detention, and protect the rights of Nigerian youth and digital creators who speak truth to power."

"Freedom of expression is not a crime," the coalition emphasised. "Illness should not be a death sentence in prison. And justice delayed is justice denied."

They maintained, "this case is not just about one individual; it's about every young Nigerian who dares to speak freely and faces the risk of imprisonment or death for exercising a constitutionally protected right."

The coalition, however, urged media houses, human rights organisations, and civil society groups to amplify their call and ensure that Ofoegbu's case is not ignored.

The text of the media briefing was jointly signed by Mr. Abraham Daniel and Mr. Genesis Eririoma Hean for: Online Community of Irreligious People of Nigeria; Agena Robert Ande and Rex Elanu for Take It Back movement (TIB) and Gerald Katchy for INAHURAT.

"The Online Community of Irreligious People of Nigeria has gathered today, alongside, Take It Back Movement Abuja Chapter, Abuja based Activists, INAHURAT, Concerned citizens and members of the media, to draw national and international attention to the prolonged detention and life-threatening medical condition of Mr. Chizorom Harrison Ofoegbu, popularly known as Ijele Speaks."

Nigerian Authorities Help 2,553 Terrorists Avoid Prosecution by Deeming Them ‘Repentant’

The Nigerian authorities have released 2,163 former Boko Haram terrorists in nine years, and 390 more insurgents will increase this number to 2,553 in April.

These thousands who have engaged in acts of terror have found a path, made by the government, through which they can escape prosecution.

Sometimes described as ‘repentant terrorists’, the federal and state governments put these captured terrorists through a six-month Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) programme. Afterwards, the government certifies them repentant and release them into communities.

Media reports published on Thursday, some of which can be found here and here, disclosed Yobe State Government’s plans to receive and reintegrate 54 indigenes of the state who are part of a cohort of 390 former Boko Haram terrorists set to complete the deradicalisation programme between April 14 and 19.

FIJ understands that these repentant terrorists under the deradicalisation programme are able to evade prosecution because they ‘surrendered’ to the military.

The DRR programme is facilitated under the Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC), which the federal government launched in 2016 in response to the activities of insurgents in the northeast, especially Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

Further checks by FIJ showed that the initiative was designed to “encourage defection within the ranks of Boko Haram Islamic State of West Africa Province through the corridor of the opportunity offered by the DRR Programme as part of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s overall efforts to end the insurgency in the North East”.

The programme is a joint effort of stakeholders such as state governments, local leaders and the armed forces that offers a pathway for former insurgents and criminals, especially those who voluntarily defect, to be reintegrated into society.

In February, Brigadier General Yusuff Ali, the coordinator of OPSC, revealed that 2,190 repentant terrorists had been reintegrated through the initiative since its inception in 2016.

Of the 2,190 former terrorists, 2,163 were Nigerians and 27 were foreign nationals from Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic reported to have been repatriated to their respective countries.

He noted that 789 ex-combatants were undergoing rehabilitation, with 381 expected to graduate in 2025. Similarly, 825 repentant terrorists, 14 of whom were foreigners from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, were transferred to the DRR Camp to commence training between July and November.

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS HAVE SURRENDERED
As of 2023, 160,000 Boko Haram members have surrendered to the government and military.

General Christopher Musa, Chief of Defense Staff, also said that 129,417 Boko Haram terrorists and their family members surrendered to security forces between July 10 and December 9.

Of those who surrendered during that period, 30,426 were fighters, 36,774 were women and 62,265 were children.

Prominent Nigerian Islamic Cleric Ibrahim Jalo Jalingo Calls For Execution Of Those Who Leave Islam, Believe In More Than One God; Cites Quranic Verses


Sheikh Dr. Ibrahim Jalo Jalingo, the National Chairman of the Council of Ulama’Jibwis Nigeria, has called for the execution of those who leave Islam for another religion.

In a controversial post on his Facebook page on Thursday, Jalingo reignited a contentious debate on apostasy and religious conversion.

Jalingo, an outspoken cleric within the Islamic community, declared that "whoever changes his religion should be killed," citing a Hadith attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The statement was made in response to a criticism from a user identified as Masussuka, who had questioned the authenticity of the Hadith, claiming that it contradicts the Qur'an.

The Hadith in question, “Whoever changes his religion, then kill him,” has been a point of contention among Islamic scholars for centuries, with varying interpretations regarding its relevance and application in modern times.

In his post, Sheikh Jalingo responded by asserting that the Hadith does not contradict the teachings of the Qur'an.

He emphasised that the Qur'an, in verses such as Surah At-Tawbah (9:5) and Surah An-Nisa (4:89), explicitly permits the killing of polytheists and apostates.

According to Jalingo, these verses justify the execution of individuals who abandon Islam and convert to another religion.

"Only an ignorant person like Masussuka would claim that the Hadith 'Whoever changes his religion, kill him' contradicts the Qur'an," Jalingo said.

"In fact, the Qur'an itself not only permits the killing of those who commit apostasy but even allows the killing of all polytheists."

He further argued that the verse: “There is no compulsion in religion” (La ikraha fi al-deen) has been abrogated by the aforementioned verses, which he believes more clearly dictate the treatment of apostates.

Jalingo also referenced the principle of "naskh," or abrogation, within Qur'anic revelation to support his stance.

In a final critique of Masussuka, Jalingo dismissed his opponent as a "deeply ignorant and morally depraved individual," using derogatory language to further discredit the critic's position.

Jalingo’s statement has drawn the ire of religious leaders, while many Islamic scholars argued that such views promote intolerance and violence.

Many people have expressed concern against his stand about the implications of this rhetoric, particularly in a multi-religious society where freedom of belief is enshrined in both national and international law.

Others have called for greater emphasis on religious tolerance, peace, and coexistence in the face of rising global tensions between different faiths.

Tochi3:


..so this is how "it is confusing me" governor sold edolites into slavery..it is finished..

..I heard there more lukumi mixtures in edo..

Nigerian youths need capital not
N10,000 freebies – AfDB President

The President of the African Development Bank, AfDB, Akinwumi Adesina, says youths in Nigeria and 51 other African countries don’t need freebies under the guise of empowerment schemes but capital to fund their ideas and translate them into enduring wealth.

Adesina, who made this statement during an exclusive interview aired on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, said the “japa” syndrome among young people is a big loss for Nigeria.

The former Nigerian agriculture minister stated that Africa’s youth bulge is a demographic asset that must be transformed into an economic asset through rigorous investment in human capital development and financing.

“Young people don’t need freebies; they don’t need people saying, ‘I just want to give you an empowerment programme.’”

“They have skills, they have knowledge, they have entrepreneurship capacity, and they want to turn their ideas into great businesses.”

“What young people need is not those empowerment programmes; they need capital, they need you to put your money at risk on their behalf,” he added.

He decried the migration phenomenon known as “Japa” in Nigeria, saying it is a big loss for both Nigeria and the African continent.

The economist noted that Africa’s youth population is not a problem for the continent, much like the populations of India and China have not been a problem for them.

According to him, if young people in Africa are skilled, with good jobs and social protection, these factors will translate into prosperity for the continent, as the demographic has high purchasing power.

Adesina further emphasized that in a world of rising tariffs, it is crucial for Africa to build consumption as part of its Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

Ruling House Rejects Lagos Commissioner’s Installation Of Abule Ado Monarch, Files Contempt Of Court Notice

Sanusi Olawunmi Family had previously raised concerns over what they described as the unlawful imposition of Mr. Aro as the monarch, despite the ongoing legal dispute and a court order explicitly barring any such installation.

The Sanusi Olawunmi Family of Abule Ado has issued a formal notice of contempt of court to Mr. Suleiman Surajudeen Aro for allegedly parading himself as the Oba of Abule Ado, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos State, in defiance of a subsisting court order.

In the contempt notice dated April 8, 2025, Mr. Aro was cautioned that unless he immediately complies with the order of the court issued by Hon. Justice M.O. Dawodu on January 15, 2025, directing that status quo be maintained, he risks being held in contempt of court. This charge could result in imprisonment.


This warning was contained in Form 48, titled; "Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Court Order" and signed by Assistant Court Registrar Adeleye Ademola on behalf of the Registrar.

Sanusi Olawunmi Family had previously raised concerns over what they described as the unlawful imposition of Mr. Aro as the monarch, despite the ongoing legal dispute and a court order explicitly barring any such installation.

The case, filed in the Ikeja Judicial Division of the Lagos State High Court with Suit No: ID/2044GCMW/2024, was brought by Alhaji Rafiu Owolabi Tesilimi, Alhaji Taiwo Hassan Tesilimi, and others.

The claimants requested that the Sanusi Olawunmi Family be recognised as a legitimate ruling house alongside the Ado Family, based on the native law and customs of the Abule Ado community.

They are seeking a declaration affirming the Sanusi Olawunmi Family’s right to present the next Oba of Ado/Odan village and an injunction restraining any party—including the Ado Family—from presenting or nominating a candidate to the Lagos State Government or its relevant agencies for approval.

The writ, prepared by M.B. Jimoh-Akogun of M.B. Jimoh-Akogun & Co., also sought to bar any candidate from being recognized or approved pending the final resolution of the matter.

Meanwhile, in an ex parte order issued on January 15, 2025, the court directed that the status quo be maintained pending the hearing of an interlocutory injunction filed on October 11, 2024.

SaharaReporters gathered that the case was initially adjourned to March 11, 2025, and further adjourned to May 19, 2025, for a hearing.

The suit names defendants as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State, Mr. Lawal Pedro; the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Kayode Bolaji-Roberts; the Chairman of Amuwo-Odofin Local Government, Hon. Valentine Buraimoh; Mr. Suleiman Surajudeen Aro; and others.

Legal representatives from both parties; L.A. Yusuf for the claimants and E.O. Adetunji, A.O. Ladipo, and F.O. Lawal for the defendants—had reportedly agreed to maintain the status quo pending a final ruling by the court.

However, despite the pendency of the court order, Mr. Aro presented himself. He was reportedly installed as the Oba of Abule Ado by the Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

He reportedly did this in conjunction with the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Chairman, an action said to have been carried out without Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu's knowledge or approval.

Fearing deportation, migrants in US send more money home

Central American migrants in the United States sent home around 20 percent more in remittances in the first quarter of 2025, official data showed this week, a trend economists said reflected their fear of deportation by President Donald Trump’s administration.

Nearly one-quarter of the GDP of impoverished Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua is made up of money sent from US-based migrants to relatives in their homelands.

Guatemala’s central bank said this week it had recorded $5.64 billion in remittances in the first quarter, a 20.5 percent increase over the same period in 2024.

Honduras’s central bank, for its part, said the country received $2.62 billion, a 24 percent increase on the first quarter of 2024.

El Salvador and Nicaragua do not yet have complete data for the first quarter, but in January and February, remittances to both countries increased by 14.2 percent and 22.6 percent respectively, compared to the same months in 2024.

El Salvador received $1.4 billion and Nicaragua $909 million in the first two months of 2025, according to their central banks.

In Nicaragua, the figure includes remittances not only from the United States, but also from Costa Rica ($68.2 million) and Spain ($48.6 million).

The president of Guatemala’s central bank, Alvaro Gonzalez, attributed the increase in remittances to migrants’ fear of being deported from the United States.

Guatemalan economic analyst Erick Coyoy took a similar view, telling local media that the surge was “an anticipated reaction by migrants to the perceived risk of deportation.”

It is unclear, however, whether they sent more money home to ensure that, if deported, they would be able to access their savings or whether it was to help their relatives benefit from their situation in the United States while they can.

Trump returned to the White House in January on a promise to conduct the biggest wave of migrant deportations in US history.

U.S. court summons Davido to New York for stealing 2024 soundtrack, failing to pay $45,000 debt

Davido was sued alongside Emmerson Amidu Bockarie, professionally known as Emmerson, featured on the musician’s song.

The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan has given Nigerian singer, David ‘Davido’ Adeleke, 21 days to appear before it to answer charges of intellectual property theft, according to legal filings sighted by Peoples Gazette.

The lawsuit was filed by a group of four Nigerian artistes, Martins Chukwuka Emmanuel, Abel Great Umaru, Kelvin Ayodele Campbell and David Ovhioghena Umaru, who accused Davido of stealing their 2022 song ‘Work’, which he allegedly used to create his own soundtrack titled ‘Strawberry on Ice’ in 2024.

Davido was sued alongside Emmerson Amidu Bockarie, professionally known as Emmerson, featured on the musician’s song, Carlos Jenkins, Matthew Quinney, Marques Miles II and Wynn Records, the music agency responsible for publishing and distributing the “Strawberry on Ice.’’

According to the legal filings, the matter started in January 2022 when the plaintiffs, in good faith, gave Davido the demo of ‘Work’ as part of a potential collaboration between parties, prompted by the group’s search for a major breakthrough in the music industry.

However, the plaintiffs claimed instead of working with the group, Davido, without permission, took the song to Emmerson, who proceeded to steal and sample individual recorded instrumental and vocal elements of the ‘Work’ to create their own version “Strawberry on Ice.’’

To resolve the issue amicably, the plaintiffs immediately reached out to Davido and were finally able to get hold of their Grammy-nominated musician after several months and he subsequently entered an agreement with the group to pay a lump sum of $45,000 in settlement on March 14, 2025, court documents showed.

Davido also agreed to give the plaintiffs 40 per cent of royalties for the underlying composition of “Strawberry on Ice” and 20 per cent royalties for sound recording of the song. However, Davido failed to fulfill the terms of the agreement despite promising to pay before a March 24 deadline agreed upon by all parties.

Davido’s actions prompted the plaintiffs to file a lawsuit against the singer alongside his co-defendants in New York on April 4.

In their filings, the plaintiffs are asking the court to rule that Davido and his co-defendants infringed on the intellectual property of “’Work.’’ They are also seeking $150,000 in damages and the transfer of 40 per cent of “Strawberry on Ice” compositional copyright and 20 per cent in sound recording copyright of the song to plaintiffs.

The plaintiffs also asked the court to ban the singer and other defendants in the case from further infringing group’s copyrights, or from participating in actions that would infringe the plaintiffs’ future copyrights.

Davido did not return a request seeking comments from The Gazette on Wednesday while a representative for Wynn Records also declined comments.

LegendHero:
You no sabi those one, even if you give them 5000 appointments, they will still embark on campaign of calumny.

The only good thing is that they are not important politically. Most presidential candidate won’t even bother to campaign in their region in the future.

I am also surprised they got 16 appointments. Me wey been dey think say na only 5 appointment them get.

What comes to your mind when you see this type of weather?

yarimo:
Ukachukwu is coming SOLUDO get ready to hand over

Tinubu approves establishment of 8,800 health centers across Nigeria


—As Shettima demands more private sector engagement In healthcare reforms
—Commissions Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa Trauma Centre in Ogun

President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of over 8,800 new Primary Healthcare Centres across the country and the upgrade of existing tertiary institutions to handle trauma, oncology, and infectious disease control.

This was disclosed on Saturday by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, when he commissioned the Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa Trauma Centre in Sagamu, Ogun State.

The Vice President at the occasion, called for increased private sector participation in the ongoing reforms in the health sector and healthcare development across Nigeria.

He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing critical deficits in the health sector through strategic partnerships and investments, noting however that the private sector has a very crucial role to play because the “government alone cannot shoulder this burden.”


Senator Shettima explained that the Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa Trauma Centre is a vital addition to the nation’s emergency care infrastructure and a symbol of the government’s dedication to saving lives.

He revealed that President Tinubu approved a “comprehensive Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, including the creation of over 8,800 new Primary Healthcare Centres across the country and the upgrade of existing tertiary institutions to handle trauma, oncology, and infectious disease control.

“In a nation facing rising urbanisation, motorisation, and industrial risks, trauma care is no longer optional—it is essential,” VP Shettima added, describing the facility as “a lifeline and a symbol of preparedness in a nation that cares.”

He commended the Adegunwa family’s initiative, urging more philanthropists and corporate organisations to “rise beyond personal achievement and invest in nation-building.”

Describing the initiative as a model of private sector contribution to public health, Shettima said, “This centre is more than a birthday gift; it is a gift to humanity. It is a lifeline—a sanctuary where the wounded can find healing, and where families in despair can find hope”.

The facility built by the Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa Foundation within the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital aligns with the Federal Government’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative aimed at overhauling Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system.

“The Administration is investing in a National Health Insurance Scheme that leaves no Nigerian behind, and a Digital Health Information Management System that ensures data drives diagnosis and delivery,” the Vice President stated.

The commissioning ceremony coincided with the 80th birthday celebration of Alhaji Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa, a former chairman of Sterling Bank Plc and CEO of Essay Holdings Limited, the parent company of Rite Foods Limited.
In his remarks, the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, described the celebrant, Adegunwa, as “a philanthropist, entrepreneur and an astute businessman,” who even at the age of 80 has achieved greatness at all times.

Noting that the gathering was not only to honour Adegunwa but to also celebrate a legacy, a milestone and the father of modern philanthropy, Governor Abiodun expressed delight in commissioning the Trauma Centre donated by Pa Adegunwa to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital.

The Governor said it is a monumental facility established for the benefit of humanity and the betterment of mankind.

“In 2019 when I assumed office, this university was on its knees. It was like a ghost town; nobody came here for medical attention. It was one of the worst places I visited in my first term in office. In line with the recommendation of the committee we set up, we constituted the hospital governing board which did not exist for many years. I want to thank the Chief Medical Director for the great job she has done and the achievement that we are seeing today,” he stated.

Governor Abiodun thanked Vice President Shettima, who he described as a friend and a leader, saying it is gratifying to celebrate great leaders while they are still alive, thereby motivating others to do more.

Also, the donor and celebrant, Asiwaju Adebola Adegunwa, thanked the governor and all those who made the project a reality, noting that he is reminded by a passage in the Quran which enjoins everyone to spend from that which has been provided for them before it no longer exists.

He said right from his 56th birthday he had made a promise to give back to his community and impact as many lives as possible.

“Olabisi Onabanjo University holds a special place in my heart. On February 21, 1979, when the institution was still known as Obafemi Awolowo College of Health and Science, a group of six distinguished people visited my office to seek support for the institution.

“That meeting led to the establishment of a modern audio centre which I donated in celebration of my 58th birthday on April 4, 1995, and today, it’s still me with pride here with the current Chief Medical Director of the same hospital, Dr. Oluwabunmi Fatungase, among many who benefited from the medical facility during her medical training,” he explained.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Board of Management, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Dr Kunle Hassan, said the trauma centre was designed to provide emergency medical care, management of trauma-related cases and significantly enhance the hospital’s capacity to deliver quality healthcare services to the people.

Hassan pledged that the management of the hospital would ensure effective utilisation of the facility and its maintenance so that it will continue to serve the community for generations to come.

He expressed profound gratitude to the donor, Chief Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa, his foundation and members of his family for the remarkable gift.

“We had a budget of N800 million and instead of N800 million, he (Adegunwa) spent over N2 billion to build and equip the facility,” he said.

On his part, Oba Babatunde Adéwálé Àjàyí, the Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland, while commending Chief Adegunwa for his selfless service to humanity, advocated for more federal presence in Remoland.

“Mr. Vice President, please convey to Mr. President, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, our best wishes and let me note that we have a way of communicating privately but sometimes we say certain things publicly so that our people will know that we are trying.

“We need a lot of federal presence in Remoland. As of today, there is no single federal university or federal polytechnic in Remoland,” the traditional ruler said.

PressMyButton:
Go to the United States and insult Trump or criticize him if dem born una well.

Untold story of how villagers identified some of them as kidnappers before lynching

•Kidnappers fed a newborn baby to their dogs in the presence of the kidnapped mother

WHAT occurred at Uromi, headquarters of Esan North East Local Government Area in Edo State on Thursday, March 27, could have befallen any other community in the heartbeat of the nation, given the prevailing circumstances, tension, and anger over the hair-raising operations of suspected herders in combination with abductors.

More than 24 other communities in Edo Central, Edo North, and Edo South senatorial districts have been sacked and under siege by criminally-minded herders from northern Nigeria.

The same could also have arisen in over 30 communities in Delta and Bayelsa States, where the residents, especially farmers, are terrified to go to farms because of some brazen Fulani herders who invade their farms, uproot crops they planted and feed their cows, rape women, and take the villagers hostage for ransom.

A few months ago, bewildered women stormed the palace of the Onojie of Uromi to vent their anger at the rising cases of kidnappings and killings.

The situation became so frightening in January that the Onojie of Uzea, Esan North East local government area, HRH Solomon Itoya Iluobe, declared that he did not want to see any Hausa/Fulani in their forests because of their atrocities.

”Our women go to their farms, they rape them, and at times they even set them ablaze. I have paid ransom three times to Fulani herdsmen; they kidnapped my elder sister, and they have also kidnapped two people from this place. Even last month, I paid a ransom.

“To even sleep in this place is by the grace of God Almighty. To access this road, you need security, which is a problem.

“I, as Onojie of Uzea, no longer want Fulani in my forests. They will kidnap us, keep us in our land, and we will pay a ransom. We are tired. I do not have a hand in Fulani, and anybody who has a hand in their staying in our forests should tell them to leave Uzea. We need security here so that one day we will not wake up and discover that we only have two people remaining in the Uzea Kingdom.”

Some weeks ago in Bayelsa State, where the deputy governor confirmed that several local governments were under siege by herders, mothers protested the destruction of their farmlands and rape by the prowling cattlemen.

In Delta, Edo, and Bayelsa States, the situation is as if herders plotted and intensified their operations in the first three months of this year to make life unbearable for the people, who have cried hoarse about their nightmares with the federal and state governments doing little to protect the citizens.

We are hunters, not terrorists — Survivors
However, last week’s incident in Uromi was ill-fated. A raging mob roasted alive 16 out of 27 persons of Hausa origin who identified themselves as hunters and were traveling from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to the northern part of the country for the Salah celebration on the supposition that they were kidnappers after finding a cache of arms and ammunition with them.

Some people argued that it was a transferred hostility. Two survivors of the Uromi attack who narrated their near-death experience said they were hunters from Kano State.

They said the rifles recovered by the vigilante group were hunting rifles, claiming they had licenses; however, the vigilante cluster accused them of being terrorists and lynched 16 of them, while five others escaped.

Concerned citizens have also pointed out that the people lynched were Hausa indigenes and not Fulani herders, who the Uromi people claimed were attacking farmers and kidnapping villagers for ransom. Eyewitnesses said more than 20 persons were in the trailer, but some Uromi indigenes helped some of them to escape lynching.

The whereabouts of arms, ammunition, and cash allegedly found are unknown
There is a controversy over the whereabouts of the arms and ammunition found with the victims, but what they saw with them were Dane guns.

A villager said the guns were with the police, but the police public relations officer said everything that has to do with the case has been transferred to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID).
The whereabouts of the supposed cash found in the trailer remain unknown.

Ubiaja indigene sighted victims transferring weapons into a waiting trailer – Ben
Some locals who disputed the claim of the Hausa victims said some kidnappers also have dogs with them in their hideouts in the forests, but the way the victims behaved created room for suspicion from the point they were sighted loading their consignments into a waiting truck, along the road between Onicha-Ugbo in Delta State and Ubiaja in Edo State.

A non-indigene who lives in Uromi, Ben (surname withheld), gave a peek into what happened. His words: “I condemn the act of jungle justice, which is not in line with our constitutional provision of how offenders of any form of crime can be tried.”

“However, those persons are presumed to be kidnappers because information available showed that if you are passing through here to the east, you will move from Uromi to Ubiaja, Ewato, and Ewohinmi, down to Onicha-Ugbo, and there is a forest and a river.

“That place has been a flashpoint; they (herders and kidnappers) have laid siege on that part of the road for the past months, and it was at that spot that an indigene of Ubiaja moving towards Ubiaja from the Onicha-Ugbo axis saw these men carrying their arms from one person to another and into the trailer with Dangote inscribed on it.

“He quickly drove to town and alerted the vigilante men at Ubiaja, who waited for the truck. On getting to Ubiaja, the trailer did not stop for the vigilante, so the vigilante at Ubiaja sent a distress call to those in Uromi, and they mounted surveillance.

“The vigilantes in Uromi were able to use a tipper with a full trip of sand to stop the trailer, and at the point of questioning them, one of them stabbed the vigilante with a dagger, which was how the thing escalated. It is regrettable the way they were handled, but they caused the provocation, and their movement was suspicious.”

What gave them away— Prince Olumese, native
Corroborating the claim, Prince Eugene Olumese said the victims could have also camouflaged as hunters because “there are hunters that carry dogs and Dane guns.”

“From the environment I grew up in, Lagos and Ogun states, we used to see hunters in the bushes, irrespective of what tribe they were; some of them even have huts in the bushes. But even at that, were these people hunters? It could be. Are they kidnappers? It still could be, but some reasons will make you say these people are likely to be kidnappers or hunters.

“They covered themselves with a tarpaulin in a truck filled with palm kernel shells, which means they did not want anybody to know that people were there. Why? Hunters should walk freely in towns; there was something spectacular, and they also had plenty of money. New currency notes—look at it, hunters with new currency notes!

“Many trucks drove through Uromi that day without anybody searching. This truck was carrying palm kernel shells. You can imagine what it took them to search and discover human beings and then guns, money, Dane guns, and dogs, so these people (vigilantes) were working on a tip-off.

“There are videos and write-ups in social media by Uromi indigenes saying these things are happening; they kidnap poor men, they kidnap our women, they rape our women, and they insert sticks into their private parts.

“Sometimes, even when ransoms were paid, they would hold the person who came to pay the ransom and release the one who was held before. These things kept happening again and again, yet nothing was done on these cries, and if anything was done, it was not to the satisfaction of the Uromi indigenes.

“Though it is not right that they took the law into their hands, something triggered the anger. You can imagine that when people are arrested in the act and taken to the appropriate authorities, especially the police, and in a few days to months, you see the same people walking freely.

“Your life is at risk, especially those who keep watch over the town, whom we call vigilantes, because these people will come after them. This was why they mobbed them to death, which is inappropriate. We are unhappy about it. But a situation that was not remedied caused it to happen.”

Why did they hide in the trailer? Okojie, native queries
Another indigene, Brown Okojie, said, “We see trucks pass through here, and you would see the boys who we call aboki standing on the top of the trucks; they hang their Dane guns on their shoulders, and you would see the dogs they carry, but these, they were hiding in the Dangote truck. why?”

A week before that incident, five kidnappers were arrested in the forest, and they were taken to the police station in Uromi, which transferred them to the state police headquarters in Benin City. But shockingly, the following Monday, the same people were released back to the community, thereby putting the lives of those who apprehended them at risk.

Okojie revealed: “A day before the incident, N25 million was paid as ransom to the herders to release a husband and his wife, but they still killed them and left their bodies along the Ubiaja Road.

“That same day, a lady went to pay N5 million to bail her sister from the herdsmen in Uromi; they collected the money, released the initial victim, and then kept her. Now, we are looking for money to release her. As we speak, people who are victims of kidnapping are still with their captors, these Fulani herdsmen.

Fulani herdsmen fed a newborn baby to their dog in the mother’s presence
“Early this year, a pregnant woman was in labor, and the husband had no choice but to carry her around midnight to the hospital. On their way to the hospital, herdsmen kidnapped them. The woman was in labor throughout that night until morning, and she gave birth to a baby boy in their presence.

“The Fulani herdsmen gave that baby boy to their dog because they move with the dogs; the woman said she watched her baby being eaten alive by the dogs. She is still living with the trauma, so you cannot just say that because those victims were with dogs, it made them hunters. After this incident, they still asked for ransom before they were released. They did that to show their level of harshness.”

He said a few days before the incident, about 12 children were going to school together in a community in Ewohi, cows emerged from the bush, the children ran, and a three-year-old child who could not run was trampled upon, killed by the cows, and nothing happened

They are not hunters — Ordia
Ordia, who has been involved in negotiating the release of a kidnapped person, said, “It is not a good experience at all. About two months ago, a very close friend of mine was kidnapped, and the members of our association had to rally round, levied ourselves, including church and family members, and raised N3 million before they released him.”

I am not particularly pleased with how the authorities and media have handled this matter, that they are hunters traveling from Port Harcourt to Obajana and Kano State, as the case may be. Port Harcourt is a riverine area, so where were they hunting? I believe that these guys were not hunters.”

Villagers identified some of them as kidnappers before the lynching

A source told Saturday Vanguard: “What provoked the mob to lynch the 16 persons was when villagers who claimed to have been abducted in the past past came to the scene, and identified some of them as those that kidnapped them.”

“Some of them also identified some items found with them as property they stole from them during their kidnap.

“If they were hunters , why were they not with dried meat and any other things that would show they were hunters? They use the weapons they carry to hunt and kill their fellow human beings, not animals.

“Is it the bags of rice that the vigilantes saw with them that were their proof of being hunters when we already knew they took off from their hideout in the thick forest between Onicha- Ugbo and Ubiaja.”’

Okpbholo’s intervention after dismantling Obaseki’s ESSN
When Governor Monday Okpebholo visited Uromi on March 28, a day after the incident, Hausa people residing in the community and some natives staged parallel protests.

Both sides almost clashed before security agents shot to disperse them, after which the governor came down from his vehicle to address them.

The women’s protest on social media, purporting that they barricaded Okpebholo’s entourage, was an old video.

The protesting women, however, said they were worried that the state government had stopped the local vigilante protecting them in Uromi, and “Now, it is operation secure yourself.”

Former governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki, had set up the Edo State Security Network (ESSN), mainly vigilante members. Many of them registered with the state government with their arms.

Some were trained by the security forces at the Mobile Police Training School in Ogida Barracks, Benin City, and the government deployed them across senatorial districts, local government areas, and communities. They worked with the local vigilantes and hunters in the communities.

They also mounted roadblocks at the flashpoints around the highways and communities, and at times, jointly searched the forests with government security agencies to checkmate kidnappers and their activities.

When Governor Okpebholo assumed office, he appointed Friday Ibadin, a retired commissioner of police, and changed the name to Edo State Security Corps. Ibadin recalled the personnel and ordered them to submit their guns and appear for profiling, which is what he has been doing for the past three months. The governor suspended him soon after the Uromi incident.

The Okpebholo government took a hard stance against kidnapping by demolishing properties linked to criminal activities, including those of suspected informants and kidnappers, and has vowed to continue this crackdown until kidnapping ends in the state.

These actions were taken based on a new anti-kidnapping law in the state. According to the new law passed by the Edo State House of Assembly and signed by the governor, any house found to be used for kidnapping activities will be demolished to serve as a deterrent to others.

Under the new law, a landlord “must profile a person before giving out their house to him or her for rent.”
The government intensified its crackdown on individuals aiding kidnappers, as the state’s task force demolished several properties within the Edo Central and Edo North senatorial districts.

The measures seemed to be yielding results as collaborators were already allegedly fleeing their areas, abandoning their properties for fear of being demolished until the March 27 tragedy.

We Can Sneak Into Uromi Community Edo And Take Revenge – Families Of Slain Hunters In Kano Threaten Reprisal

The hunters, who were reportedly travelling from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to Kano State for the Sallah celebration, were intercepted and lynched by vigilantes at Goodwill Junction, along Old Ilushi Road, on suspicion of being kidnappers.

The families and colleagues of 16 hunters lynched in Uromi, Edo State, have issued a stern warning, threatening to "take the law into their own hands" if the government fails to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the killings.

The hunters, who were reportedly travelling from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to Kano State for the Sallah celebration, were intercepted and lynched by vigilantes at Goodwill Junction, along Old Ilushi Road, on suspicion of being kidnappers.

The gruesome killing has sparked nationwide outrage and condemnation.

The majority of the victims hailed from Toranke, in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State, where mourning has turned to anger and demands for justice.

In interviews with The PUNCH, community leaders, families, and friends of the victims called for swift government action. Alhaji Musa Dogo, a community leader and hunter, said, “We cannot allow this to go unanswered. If the government does not arrest and publicly prosecute those responsible, we will take matters into our own hands. We know how to track down those who commit evil.”

Another hunter, Bala Danburan, echoed the sentiment, vowing, “We know how to sneak into Uromi and take revenge ourselves if justice is not served. This is not a threat; it is a promise.”

The hunters also called for the case to be transferred to a Kano court to ensure transparency and fairness. They referenced a precedent in which the Kano State Government handed over a suspect to Bayelsa State for trial.

Alhaji Usman Bako, another resident of Bunkure, lamented the killing and criticised the government for what he described as neglect of local security outfits like hunters, who have played critical roles in fighting insecurity in rural areas. “If this continues, we may be forced to withdraw from joint operations,” he warned.

Malam Sani Umar, who lost his younger brother Yahaya in the attack, said the family had been left in pain and despair. “Yahaya left behind four children and a wife. He believed in justice, but now he’s been killed unjustly.”

In a tearful interview, Hafsat Ibrahim, mother of another victim, Nasiru, demanded justice and compensation. “He was the backbone of our family… The killers must be punished according to Islamic rites, and the government should compensate us,” she said.

Although governors of Kano and Edo states recently paid condolence visits to the grieving community, victims’ families insist that visits are not enough. “We need real action. We need arrests. We need to see prosecution,” said Sani Umar.

SaharaReporters had reported that the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Abuja, issued a stern warning against any group planning reprisals over the recent killings in Uromi, Edo State, stating that security agencies would clamp down on those fuelling tensions.

Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, had claimed that political leaders from Edo and Kano states had already "resolved" the crisis.
He had said the Edo State government had reached out to the affected families in Kano to douse tensions.

“At the political level, everything has been settled. Anybody or group trying to cause panic or issue threats will be investigated and dealt with accordingly,” Kangye declared.

The military general also pushed back against widespread concerns that security forces relaxed their operations against violent herdsmen, terrorists, and bandits across the country.

“The military is still very much in the fight. We have neutralised many of them and will continue our onslaught against them and their leaders,” Kangye insisted.

The military’s assurances come amid growing fears of reprisal attacks following the Edo killings, with tensions still high despite political leaders' interventions.

Recall that Operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) also arrested two principal suspects involved in the killing of 16 Nigerians of northern extraction last week.

According to a statement by Fred Itua, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, the arrests were made by DSS operatives in Uromi based on credible intelligence.

"Operatives of the DSS have apprehended two principal suspects involved in the killing of 16 Nigerians in Uromi. The arrest was made following credible intelligence, and security forces are intensifying efforts to track down other individuals connected to the crime," Itua stated.

However, the arrested suspects had been transferred to Abuja for further interrogation and prosecution by relevant authorities.

On the issue of compensation for the victims’ families, Itua clarified that discussions between the Edo and Kano State governments were still ongoing to determine the appropriate form of compensation.