Crime
Tinubu Condemns ‘Heinous Attacks’ In Plateau, Orders Arrest Of Culprits
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday condemned the attack in Plateau State, describing it as heinous.
Gunmen had stormed the over 15 communities in the Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of the state on Christmas Eve, killing over 115 people.
Several houses were set ablaze by the attackers on Sunday night. The gun-wielding and blood-curling men also looted farm produce and destroyed properties as they butchered the residents. No group has claimed responsibility for the tragic attack.
Reacting to the incident, President Tinubu ordered security agencies to arrest the perpetrators of the attack.
“President Tinubu directs security agencies to immediately move in, scour every stretch of the zone, and apprehend the culprits,” the President said in a statement by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale.
The President also directed the “immediate mobilisation of relief resources for surviving victims of the primitive and cruel attacks as well as medical treatment for the wounded.”
“While condoling with the government and the people of Plateau State, President Tinubu assures Nigerians that these envoys of death, pain, and sorrow will not escape justice.”
‘Barbaric’
The attacks which started in the Bokkos area spilled into neighbouring Barkin Ladi where 30 people were found dead, according to local chairman Danjuma Dakil.
On Sunday, Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang condemned the violence, calling it “barbaric, brutal and unjustified.”
“Proactive measures will be taken by the government to curb ongoing attacks against innocent civilians,” said Gyang Bere, the governor’s spokesperson.
Gunfire could still be heard on late Monday afternoon, according to a source from the region, which is on the dividing line between Nigeria’s mostly Muslim north and mainly Christian south.
Markus Amorudu, a resident of Mushu village, said people were sleeping when shots rang out.
“We were scared because we weren’t expecting an attack. People hid, but the assailants captured many of us, some were killed, others wounded,” he told AFP.
Amnesty International criticised the government in the wake of the attacks, saying “the Nigerian authorities have been failing to end frequent deadly attacks on rural communities of Plateau state,” in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Northwest and central Nigeria have been long terrorised by bandit militias operating from bases deep in forests and raiding villages to loot and kidnap residents for ransom.
Competition for natural resources between nomadic herders and farmers, intensified by rapid population growth and climate pressures, has also exacerbated social tensions and sparked violence.
A jihadist conflict has raged in northeastern Nigeria since 2009, killing tens of thousands of people and displacing around two million, as Boko Haram battles for supremacy with rivals linked to the Islamic State group.
President Tinubu, a former Lagos governor elected in February in a highly contested ballot, has promised to attract more investment to Africa’s largest economy and most populous country in a bid to tackle its persistent security challenges.
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have rescued 75 civilians from Sambisa Forest in Borno State.
Addressing newsmen on Monday during the victims’ handover to the Borno State government in Maiduguri, the General Officer Commanding 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. W. Shaibu stated that the rescued individuals comprised seven adult males, 34 women, and 34 children.
The GOC, represented by the Deputy Theater Commander, Brig. Gen. A.L. Akpodu explained that the civilians were rescued during a clearance operation conducted by the 21 Special Armored Brigade and the 199 Special Forces Battalion under Operation Desert Sanity IV in Sambisa Forest.
“As part of our ongoing clearance efforts, troops of the 21 Special Armored Brigade and the 199 Special Forces Battalion recently carried out successful offensive operations in Sambisa Forest,” he said.
“Key terrorist enclaves in Ukuba, Ujimla, Sabil Huda, Garin, Fajula, and Gobara were cleared, leading to the rescue of 75 civilians, including seven adult males, 34 women, and 34 children,” he added.
He further noted that the military destroyed several insurgent facilities during the operation.
“The operation significantly degraded enemy capabilities by neutralising insurgents and destroying command and logistics bases, makeshift shelters, weapon caches, and IED-making materials,” he said.
The rescued civilians have received medical and psychological support and are now set to be handed over to the Borno State government.
Receiving the victims on behalf of the state government, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Zuwaira Gambo, commended the troops for their gallantry in the fight against insurgency.
“We are taking them to our rehabilitation centre, where they will receive livelihood support, counseling services, mental health and psychosocial support, and educational services for the children.
We will ensure they are well reintegrated before releasing them back into society,” she said.
Crime
Just In: FG freezes bank accounts of Simon Ekpa, 16 others for terrorism financing
The individuals and entities were recommended for designation by the Nigeria Sanctions Committee during a meeting that was held in Abuja on Thursday.
The federal government, on Thursday freezed the banks accounts of Simon Ekpa and 16 others for their “involvement in terrorism financing”.
According to the Daily Trust, the individuals and entities were recommended for designation by the Nigeria Sanctions Committee during a meeting that was held in Abuja on Thursday.
The outcome of the meeting, which was disclosed to journalists by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), stated that the development was by Section 54 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The anti-graft unit explained that the Attorney-General of the Federation, with the approval of the President, said that they must be thereupon designated to be listed on the Nigeria Sanctions List.
The headquarters of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) was stormed by military personnel on Thursday morning, causing chaos at the facility.
According to The Punch, eyewitness reports that the armed officers, dressed in military uniforms, arrived at the premises opposite MITV in Ikeja, Lagos, around 7:40 am.
Employees and other individuals present at the office were allegedly subjected to physical assault by the invaders.
At the time of this report, the motive behind the attack remains unclear.
Although the police have intervened, the armed personnel, reportedly led by a female officer, have refused to back down.
Air Force Personnel Assault Journalist, Seize Phone After Storming Ikeja Electric Office
Armed personnel from the Air Force Base in Ikeja, Lagos, reportedly assaulted a PUNCH Newspapers correspondent, Dare Olawin, during an incident at the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) headquarters on Thursday morning.
The attack occurred around 7:40 a.m. when the military officers stormed the DisCo’s office, located opposite MITV in Ikeja.
Olawin had arrived at the premises to join other journalists scheduled to travel to Adiyan, Ogun State, for the unveiling of a solar project.
According to eyewitnesses, the Air Force personnel spotted Olawin, a TVC cameraman, and another reporter inside a coaster bus.The journalists were forcibly removed, beaten, and made to sit on the ground.
The officers also confiscated Olawin’s Android phone, a small Itel phone, and a white power bank, threatening to shoot him if he spoke.
The military team, led by a female officer, reportedly took control of the IKEDC headquarters for over an hour and a half, assaulting staff and other individuals present.
They also blocked roads leading to the premises, preventing movement and allowing them to operate without interference.
Sources revealed that the attack was linked to the disconnection of electricity at the Air Force Base.
The officers later left the DisCo’s office, taking along engineers and drivers, whom they allegedly intended to force into reconnecting power to their barracks.
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