Crime
Sit-at-Home: Police, Others must take up Challenge with IPOB Gunmen – Ohanaeze backs Mbah
The Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has again thrown its weight behind Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State on his vow to end the regular sit-at-home being ordered by a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
The five South-East States have been contending with the Monday sit-at-home being ordered by the Simon Ekpa controlled IPOB faction. This week, he ordered a one week sit-at-home.
But Mbah, since he was sworn-in, had declared that sit-at-home was over in Enugu State.
The Governor has also met with President Bola Tinubu, during which he appealed for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release.
However, on Wednesday, there was tension in Enugu, following reports that gunmen were moving from one area to another enforcing the sit-at-home.
The State government and the police had disowned the reports, attributing it to actions of mischief makers.
In a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike urged the security agencies to redouble their efforts in winning the confidence of the residents.
Okwu, who said the Governor had worked his talks by providing more logistics to the police, noted that the security agencies owed a duty to ensure that hoodlums did not gain upper hand in the State.
He said, “We want to commend the Governor of Enugu State for his steadfastness towards ending the perennial sit-at-home which has done more harm than good.
“We, the Ohanaeze youths have been in the forefront demanding for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, but we have always said that sit-at-home will not bring Kanu out.
“Governor Peter Mbah showed leadership by meeting with President Tinubu over Kanu’s incarceration and we are sure the Tinubu government will give the request a positive consideration once his cabinet is formed.
“The Governor has also provided more operational vehicles for the police to aid their rapid response.
“Ohanaeze youths applaud the governor for being firm and unshaken in his ban of sit-at-home.”
Okwu expressed worry that security agencies were not living up to expectations.
“However, we are calling on the police and other security agencies to rise up to the challenge. If they were proactive, the confusion witnessed on Wednesday would not happen.
“But the security agencies were nowhere to be found at the strategic locations until news of reported attacks spread across the State. This should not be.
“Considering the high concentration of various security wings within the Enugu metropolis, their presence should have been felt in most of the strategic locations early in the morning.
“We, therefore, call on them to join hands with the Governor in his vow to secure the people of Enugu State. There is no doubt that Governor Peter Mbah is prepared, in a hurry to develop Enugu State, he should be given all the support,” Okwu stated.
The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed that 10 of the 15 National Youth Service Corps members abducted by suspected bandits along the Aloma–Egane Expressway in Ofu Local Government Area have been rescued.
Commissioner of Police Naziru Bello Kankarofi said security operatives are combing surrounding forests and intensifying efforts to free the remaining victims.
He dismissed reports that the 10 rescued corps members were among the 11 persons freed during a joint security operation last week, clarifying that those earlier rescued were other travellers caught up in the same kidnapping incident.
The commissioner added that several suspects have been arrested in connection with the attack.
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Suspected terrorists killed four people, abducted four others and injured several more in an attack on Gorau town in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Wednesday night.
The attackers invaded the community around 9pm and shot 11 residents, according to the village head, Alhaji Aliyu Magaji Na-Batsami. Seven of those shot survived and were rushed to hospital for treatment, while four died instantly.
The assault came barely six days after a boat accident claimed 65 lives in the same community. Na-Batsami said the terrorists specifically targeted families of the boat mishap victims over the N1 million relief money donated by the Sokoto State Government to each bereaved family. He said the bandits went from house to house searching for the cash.
Bashir Usman Gorau, the member representing Gada/Goronyo Federal Constituency, confirmed the incident and offered condolences to the affected families.
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai, were unsuccessful as calls were not returned at the time of filing this report.
At least 24 bandits were killed on Tuesday after Nigerian Army soldiers, Department of State Services (DSS) operatives and members of the Katsina Community Watch Corps foiled a planned mass abduction in Gidan Bawa village, Kandarawa Ward, Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State.
According to a security source, the operation was launched following sustained intelligence that about 40 gunmen loyal to notorious bandit kingpin Isiya Kwashen Garwa planned to invade the community and abduct residents, particularly women and children. The plot was reportedly intended to mirror the recent mass abduction of residents in Woro community, Kwara State, in a bid to embarrass the government.
Acting on the tip-off, DSS operatives mobilised the Community Watch Corps and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) from Guga camp. The joint team ambushed the bandits as they moved to carry out the attack.
The source said the operatives neutralised 24 of the gunmen and rescued villagers who had already been abducted. Nineteen stolen cattle were also recovered during the raid.
Efforts are ongoing to track down the remaining bandits who fled the scene.
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