₦airaland Forum

No fewer than eleven people have been reportedly abducted and one injured by bandits who attacked Angwar Maji community at Jere town in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna state.

The community is located close to the Abuja-Kaduna highway and Kaduna- Bwari Road.

The attack is yet to be confirmed by the police authorities in Kaduna State, but a resident of the community told Channels Television that the bandits attacked the community in the late hours of Sunday night, just a day after the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali, announced the deployment of additional troops to the Abuja-Kaduna highway and surrounding communities.

The source said the bandits, who were in large numbers, invaded the community at about 11 pm and immediately opened fire before moving from house to house to kidnap the residents.

According to the locals, some women whose husbands were about to be taken away attempted to resist the attackers, and in the process, one of the women was injured.

Four of the victims were said to have escaped from the kidnappers and later returned to the town Monday.

JNI, which is the umbrella body of northern Muslims, is headed by Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto.

According to the group, the essence of government and governance is solely to protect the five principal cardinal rights of the human race, the most important of which is life.

The religious body was reacting to the killings and terrorist attacks under the Muhammadu Buhari-led government, particularly the recent attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train.

SaharaReporters had reported how terrorists bombed the Abuja-Kaduna train en route Rigasa destination with hundreds of passengers on-board.

During the attack, many passengers were kidnapped, others shot dead and unascertained number of the passengers also sustained various degrees of injury.

JNI in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Aliyu said terrorists in the country were becoming bolder and more belligerent by the day, adding that they now operated as they wished.

The statement read, “The well-orchestrated incident remains highly condemnable, reprehensible and upsetting to every rational mind. Any government that is incapable of protecting the lives of its citizens has lost the moral justification of being there in the first place; this is enunciated in section 33(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“It appears that the continuous callous acts of mayhem, killings and arson happening almost on daily or weekly bases around us; either within communities and/or on the roads we ply, has automatically reset our human psyche that we now have accepted such dastardly acts as part of our lives, to the extent that we no longer feel it.

“The humanity in us is slowly being eroded thereby making us adapt to the new normal within which we unfortunately found ourselves. In Islam and by all global standards, the essence of government and governance is solely to protect the five principal cardinal rights of the human race, the most important of which is life.

“Terrorists are now becoming bolder and more belligerent by the day. They operate in any area of their choice(s) at any time they so wish. They even operate for up to 8 hours non-stop (as it was reported to have happened in Niger state last Monday), without any fear of being confronted or apprehended.

“Most communities are now under the bandits’ absolute control with taxes being paid to bandits–some parts of Borno, Katsina, Zamfara, Niger, Sokoto states and some others yet to be disclosed to the public.

“In fact, terrorists do what they wish knowing that there is no gun power or authority that will defy them. With all the reported resources allocated to relevant security agencies; intelligent gathering mechanism, military arsenal and tact, can’t the government provide any convincing justification on why the security situation in the country continues to deteriorate?

“Why are attacks experienced all over the place and continuing unabated without any deterrence?”

The group added that as part of efforts to tackle insecurity in Nigeria, the war on illicit drugs should be placed on the front burner “as it is the elixir that spurs criminals to action.”

Sacked Chief Imam of National Assembly Mosque Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters in Abuja, Sheikh Nuru Khalid, has been appointed by the Committee of a new Jum’mat Mosque behind the Central Bank Nigeria (CBN) Quarters, Abuja, The Nation has learnt.

He is to lead the congregation with effect from Friday, April 8.

Khalid was sacked hours ago by the mosque’s Steering Committee for criticising President Muhammadu Buhari over last Monday night’s attack on an Abuja-Kaduna train.

During his sermon, he flayed the government over its failure to tame the escalating insecurity and killings in the country.

He however described the termination of his appointment by the mosque’s management committee as a necessary price he had to pay for identifying with the suffering masses and speaking truth to power.

Khalid said: “By the Grace of Almighty Allah, I will be leading my new congregation this Friday, because as clerics we need a platform to operate.

“There’s a Jum’mat mosque we built behind the CBN Quarters, in Abuja; I will now be leading the congregation there.”

Kinematics:
And you think you've made sense

garfield1:
I dont know about the north but akamkpa LGA in cross river is the biggest in terms of land area in the south.the largest ward in Nigeria is now tudun wada/kabong.it has 187 polling units and many LGAs have less units.Rigasa in Kaduna,gama in kano,worji in rivers a and ugborodo in delta are also worthy of mention...

Cc mynd44

Fergie001
Nowenuse
Helinues
Kyase
Ceaseless
Passing shot
Jrusky

fergie001:
Maybe in the North not in the South.

The only States I believe could be flipped in 2023 will likely be Ebonyi or CRS. I don't think there will be upset anywhere else in the South.

The North is a different game but Generally Speaking, since the President's election comes first it will decide a lot.

fergie001:
With what I have read,

36 States of the Federation, APC wins.

That's wonderful!

PlayMaker14:
Buhari has already anointed Mai Mala Buni as the APC VP candidate, this means that either Rotimi Amaechi or Yemi Osibande will get the nod and blessings from Baba Lifeless.


I only pity one Iragbiji urinating machine.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met with Service Chiefs in Abuja over the Kaduna train incident which occurred on Monday and directed the immediate conclusion of all the processes for the implementation of the integrated security surveillance and monitoring solution for the Abuja to Kaduna railway line.

The President also said the solution should be extended to cover the Lagos-Ibadan railway line.

This is according to a statement signed by presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu.

According to the statement, the President also directed the Nigerian Railway Corporation management to speedily repair the damaged lines and resume normal service without delay.

“Additionally, the President charged the law enforcement chiefs to bring back all passengers kidnapped and ensure that each of the callous terrorists are hunted down and made to face justice for their heinous acts as no one or group should be allowed to make the country prostrate,” the statement added.

“President Buhari reiterated his earlier directive that the military should deal ruthlessly with terrorists. He asked them to be more decisive and not spare anyone unlawfully wielding the AK 47 weapon.”

“No one should be allowed to hold the country to ransom,” said the President, as quoted in the statement.

He condemned the bombing of the passenger train, describing it as a “matter of grave concern.”

According to the President, “like most Nigerians, I am deeply pained by its occurrence, the second of its type, which has resulted in the death of a yet to be determined number of passengers and others who suffered injuries.

“The attack on the train, a safe means of transport to many, is callous; and our thoughts are with the families of the deceased and prayers for the injured,” he said.

Terrorists have attacked Gidan train Station along the Abuja-Kaduna rail track.

Sources say the terrorists may have planted IEDs on the tracks forcing the train heading to Abuja from Kaduna to a stop.

This is the second attack within 24 hours along the same axis.

At least seven persons were killed when terrorists attacked a train at Dutse village on Monday.

'I Have Not Seen The Banners You Are Seeing’, Amaechi Mums On Presidential Ambition.

The United States on Friday said it was designating six Nigerians for their support of the terrorist group, Boko Haram.

This is according to a statement signed by US Department of State spokesperson, Ned Price.

“The United States is designating six individuals for their support of the terrorist group Boko Haram,” the statement said.

“The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has added Nigerian nationals Abdurrahman Ado Musa, Salihu Yusuf Adamu, Bashir Ali Yusuf, Muhammed Ibrahim Isa, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan, and Surajo Abubakar Muhammad to the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons, pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Boko Haram.

“Today’s action follows the United Arab Emirates’ prosecutions, convictions, and designations of these individuals for supporting terrorism.

“The Department of State designated Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist organization on November 14, 2013.

“The Nigeria-based group is responsible for numerous attacks in the northern and northeastern regions of the country as well as in the Lake Chad Basin in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger that have killed thousands of people since 2009.”

The Cross River State Government received only about 15 per cent of its statutory allocation from the Federation Account in March.

Figures released show that out of the state’s gross allocation of N2.22bn, only N34.9m was received by the state as N2.18bn was deducted to service debts incurred by previous administration.

A statement titled, “Cross River gets N34 Million from FAAC for March” said that this is coming after the state received a meager N170m in February.

It read, “For a second successive month, Cross River State’s allocation from Federal Allocation is in the negative.

“Figures just released shows that the state’s net statutory allocation for the month of March is N34,960,344.53.

“While the state earned a gross statutory allocation of N2,222,635,051.79, a whopping  N2,187,674,707.27, was deducted at source to service debts incurred by previous administrations.

“This leaves the state with a paltry thirty four million naira as allocation from federal allocation for the month of March.

“This is coming on the heels of a similar abysmal figure of one hundred and seventy one million naira allocation for the month of February, 2022. Financial analysts believe that it is nothing short of a miracle that the state has not ground to a halt.”

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Government has received a total inflow of N2,886,631,784.67 as federal allocation for the month of March.

A statement from the state Ministry of Finance quoted the Press Secretary, Babatunde Abdulrasheed, as explaining that the March allocation showed an improvement over what was received by the state in February.

He however said that the figure showed a downward trend on the expected revenue for both the state government and the 16 local government councils in the state.

It said the local government councils were forced to source for extra funds to pay full monthly salary to their workers.

EXCLUSIVE: Again, Aso Rock Cabal Asks Jonathan To Prepare For Ruling APC Presidential Ticket, Rejects Tinubu, Osinbajo.

Again, members of the Aso Rock cabal have promised former President Goodluck Jonathan the 2023 presidential ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), SaharaReporters has gathered.

The cabal comprising some members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s extended family and friends are the powers behind the throne.

This group is said to have the ear of the President, influence policy-making and determine those who get major appointments.


Sources said the cabal members also warned the President against handing over to the vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and Bola Tinubu, national leader of the party.


“Buhari’s cabal members have asked Jonathan to prepare for the party’s ticket. They said they don’t want Tinubu or Osibanjo,” a presidential source told SaharaReporters.


At the moment, the top contenders for the presidency in the APC are the Tinubu, Osinbajo and Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State.


A former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has also voiced his intention to join the presidential race.


Tinubu and Umahi have openly declared their intention to contest the coveted seat after their separate meetings with Buhari.


For Osinbajo, he has neither declared interest nor said a word on the matter, even though groups loyal to him have been clamouring for his candidacy.


Others who have presidential ambitions in the APC but have yet to declare include the Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi; and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.


SaharaReporters further learnt that Jonathan had been under pressure to defect to the APC by the cabal.


The former President was said to have surprised the northern elite and the cabal by his disposition to the Buhari presidency despite all the dirt and campaign of calumny thrown at him and the PDP before the 2015 presidential election, which gave Buhari an unprecedented victory over an incumbent.


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


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


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

LegendHero:
Only that DailyPost did not complete the statement of Bagudu on consensus.

Below is the full statement!

Let’s see how it goes on Saturday. On Adamu, CPC faction already ditched him and he wasn’t among accredited chairmanship aspirant for the congress. Let’s see how it plays out.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked 20 members of the Cross River State House of Assembly for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had instituted a suit against the lawmakers over their defection to the APC.

The affected lawmakers are Michael Etaba, Legor Idagbor, Eteng Jonah William, Joseph A. Bassey, Odey Peter Agbe, Okon E. Ephraim, Regina L. Anyogo, Matthew S. Olory, Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, Ogbor Ogbor Udop, and Ekpe Charles Okon.

Others are Hillary Ekpang Bisong, Francis B. Asuquo, Elvert Ayambem, Davis Etta, Sunday U. Achunekan, Cynthia Nkasi, Edward Ajang, Chris Nja-Mbu Ogar, and Maria Akwaji.

In opposing the suit, Mike Ozekhome, counsel to the 4th-25th defendants, had challenged the court’s jurisdiction to hear the suit.

He submitted that the cause of action arose in Calabar and that the matter should be transferred to the high court in Calabar.

In his judgement, the Presiding Judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, held that “there is nothing against the law that the suit be heard by this court”.

He said the 4-25th defendants are joined with other defendants who have their offices in Abuja.

Furthermore, in their defence, the lawmakers had argued that there was rancor in the PDP which led to their expulsion from the party.

However, the judge held that the defendants had intentions to mislead the court. He said he found gaps and loopholes in their defence as they tried to twist events to suit their own narratives.

Taiwo noted that they not only defect loudly but “took pictures of their defection and were received by the officials of the 26th defendant.

“The is no doubt that the defendants can belong to or join any political association and assembly as they are free to do so. However, the truth must be told.

“I consider the attempts of the 6th – 25th defendants to justify their defection, feeble in the circumstances of this case.”

Taiwo noted that the public voted for the lawmakers through the plaintiff who sponsored them and they were not voted for as independent candidates.

“They had a vehicle which conveyed them and that vehicle belongs to the plaintiff. They cannot abandon the vehicle,” he held.

He stated that politicians treat citizens that elected them into power as if they do not matter when they assume office, adding that a day will come when elected officers must resign their post if they migrate to another party or seek the permission of the people for permission before they decamp.

seunmsg:
[s]
A judgement was delivered in Cross River state and the only thing that came to this one’s head is to shout Tinubu. What has Tinubu got to do with this? Is Tinubu now APC or did the Cross River lawmakers decamp to Tinubu Urchins Party?

I know wailing doesn’t require so much sense like that but abeg, make una dey apply small small sense once in a while[/s].

seunmsg:
The judgement will be appealed and the lawmakers will maintain their seats till the end of their tenure.

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday, sacked 20 members of the Cross River State House of Assembly that defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.

The court, in a judgement that was delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, held that the lawmakers, having abandoned the political party that sponsored them to power, ought to vacate their seats.

The judgement followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021, which was filed by the PDP.

Details Shortly…

No fewer than twenty persons have been killed by bandits in Ganar-Kiyawa village of Adabka District, Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State

The latest attack happened on Sunday morning at about 8:30 am when the gunmen stormed the community and started shooting sporadically, killing 20 persons including the village head.

Channels Television gathered that the bandits also attacked some surrounding villages, looted shops, and carted away some valuables

A source from the area who pleaded anonymity said that communities under Adabka ward have been witnessing a series of attacks and abductions from the bandits.

Bandits Attack Anytime
“Today’s (Sunday) attack was a major one; they have been coming almost on daily basis to abduct people, major women, and children,” the source told Channels Television.

He said residents of Ganar Kiyawa have been sleeping in the bush for the fear of being attacked by the bandits in their homes.

When asked about the response of security agencies, he said the military was only stationed at Adabka and Gwashi town, leaving other villages vulnerable to bandits’ attack

“The security agencies are not enough to mount all the villages around. We only have a military presence in two major places, Adabka town, and Gwashi. All other villages around are left uncovered by the security agencies so these people (bandits) can just go out anytime they wish to and attack people,” he explained.

Police authorities in the state are yet to confirm the latest attack.

■ South East govs, pro-Biafra groups must dialogue –Nzuko Umunna

From Magnus Eze, Enugu and Stanley Uzoaru,Owerri

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) yesterday, said it was open for truce if the new Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo kept to his words by paving way for peace without endangering any of their members.

This is as a leading Igbo Think-Tank, Nzuko Umunna blamed the frosty relationship between the South East Governors’ Forum (SEGF) and IPOB for the increasing wave of crisis in the region.

Responding to a call by Soludo on IPOB/ESN to sheathe their swords during his inaugural speech at Awka, the state capital on Thursday, the pro-Biafra group urged Soludo not to endanger or spill innocent Igbo blood during his tenure.

In a statement by spokesman of the group, Emma Powerful, he advised Soludo not to toe the line of his predecessors whom he claimed disrespected and betrayed so many innocent youths from the South East leading to extra-judicial killings and wanton destruction of their homes.

He said: “We wish to assure South East and South South governors that IPOB members are human beings and we don’t have plans to suffer our people but any of them who decide to approach us with harsh manner will receive us with harsh manner.”

Powerful assured Soludo that as long as he kept to his promise, IPOB will never fight him or let him down.

He asserted that IPOB would not accept or succumb to any threats or humiliation, urging Soludo to do away with politicians who would like to advise him to kill IPOB members in Anambra State.

“We were here when he came and we would be here when he would be leaving. His predecessor, former governor Willie Obiano allowed himself to be used by Fulani people and allowed them to kill his people at Nkpor in 2016 during our annual remembrance of our fallen heroes and heroines who paid the ultimate price for our freedom between 1967 and 1970. We won’t accept such to happen again with our members and citizens of Biafra nation.

“IPOB is a peaceful movement only seeking freedom of their people and nothing will make us to stop unless they give us a date for referendum to ascertain where everybody wants to belong, either in Nigeria or elsewhere.

“We are ready to work with any government who wishes to give our people peace. If you dare us, you will regret it. We are peaceful and cannot jeopardise his government.”

Nzuko Umunna said Soludo’s call was not only timely but very apposite, calling that the faceoff between the South East Governors and the IPOB/ESN be resolved on a roundtable and as soon as possible, in the interest of peace and security in the zone.

The group noted that renegades, mischief-makers, external operators, sundry troublemakers, and other who were bent on causing serious security concerns in the South East had capitalized on the coldness between the SEGF and the IPOB/ESN to launch persistent assaults on the security of the zone while conveniently letting IPOB/ESN take the flack.

Executive Secretary of Nzuko Umunna, Ngozi Odumuko, in a statement said: “Reportedly over 5000 Igbo youths are languishing in various detention facilities across the nation without any authorizing court orders and without any formal charges except the vague and omnibus one of being suspected to be a member of IPOB/ESN. Many were reportedly taken from their homes or business premises and have been languishing in detention without even a chance of having a day in court.

“This call for a dialogue will pave the way for resolving a whole lot of issues. The innocent ones will be identified and saved from languishing in detention. The genuine self-determination groups will be identified and through dialogue properly and gainfully redirected; the renegades, mischief makers, purveyors of heinous acts of arson and brigandage, and their ilk would be fully identified and dealt with decisively so that peace and security will return to the South East zone.

“We fully identify with this call and will do our quota, if needed, to see to the fruition of this noble process. We urge the other governors in the South East to immediately identify with and adopt this call as their general position.”

“Other religious groups have commenced political sensitisation by creating political departments or directorate among themselves to promote their own. You should create a political wing among yourself so that it will further gear your participation in politics, it will be a good platform to support your brothers who are vying for political positions.

“There is a need for us to act toward our prayers, the emergence of a good leader but we need to partake in political activities. Almighty Allah answers our prayer through our actions so while praying let us act towards it.