Kidnapping
Former Nigerian soldier who trains ESN militants arrested in Abuja
The police have arrested a dismissed army lance corporal allegedly responsible for training and recruiting people into the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the militant arm of the outlawed pro-Biafra group, IPOB, according to a report. He was arrested a few days after a top commander of the terror group, Awurum Eze, was arrested in Aba, Abia State. The group is alleged to have been responsible for killings of security agents and destruction of public properties in the South-east and South-south zones. They have, however, denied the allegations. According to sources, the 32 years old dismissed soldier, whose name was given as Livinus Owalum-Barnabas, was arrested on Sunday, at Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT by men of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT). The e...
Edwin Clark cautions against agitation for Nigeria’s break-up
YouTube An elder statesman and former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, has cautioned against calls for secession in some parts of the country. Clark told journalists in Abuja yesterday that the calls for secession in some quarters are not the solution to the country’s problems. The South-south leader explained that he did not believe in Nigeria’s break-up in spite of rising insecurity and economic challenges in the country. Clark argued that instead of breaking up Nigeria and beating war drums, efforts should be made to develop workable strategies to solve the problem of insecurity and other challenges making lives unbearable for Nigerians. “Nigeria will remain one. Some of us do not believe in the call for secession. Where do we go to? Who are we leaving the country for? Who ow...
Nigerian farmers raise alarm as insecurity threatens food availability
Some concerned parties in the agriculture sector have appealed to the federal government to intensify efforts in curbing banditry, kidnapping and terrorism, as these can threaten food security. The parties made the appeal in separate interviews with newsmen on Friday in Abuja. They noted that the recent increase in kidnapping and banditry had made a lot of farmers run from their farmlands in search of safe hideouts. The Executive Secretary, National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), Paul Ikonne, said there was a need to urgently address the insecurity challenges in the country in order to overcome the challenge of food shortage. Ikonne noted that dialogue remained critical in addressing issues of insecurity and herders, adding that a peaceful dialogue between farmers and her...
Plateau governor mourns ex-CDS Dogonyaro
Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau, has expressed sadness over the death of the former Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Joshua Dogonyaro, at the age of 80. Lalong in a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr. Makut Macham, described his death as a great loss to the nation. He described Dogonyaro as a patriotic and loyal military officer, who served Nigeria with courage, dignity and selflessness, in several commands in his military career, saying he accomplished his assignments with tremendous success. He lauded his outstanding leadership skills in International peace keeping as Field Commander in Liberia, for the Economic Community of West Africa States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), saying Nigeria’s contribution during his tenure remained a reference point in the Nigerian A...
NMA: Worsening insecurity affecting healthcare delivery
File Photo The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), has raised the alarm over the poor delivery of healthcare services, as a result of the worsening state of insecurity in the country. This was contained in a communique signed by President of the NMA, Prof. Innocent Ujah and the Secretary General, Dr. Philips Ekpe, issued at the end of the NMA’s Annual General Conference and Delegates Meeting held in Jos, and made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja. The NMA urged the Federal Government to renew efforts to quickly bring what was described as a “humanitarian disaster” under control, and appealed to all citizens to jettison dangerous unpatriotic and tendencies. The communique reads in part: “The Conference is saddened by the worsening spate of killings, maiming, kidnapping, banditry, a...
Senator Buhari: Nigeria needs restructuring, not secession
National Insight Sen. Abdulfatai Buhari (APC – Oyo North) says Nigeria needs restructuring to resolve its myriads of problems, not secession. Buhari who disclose this to newsmen in Ibadan on Wednesday said that secession would only lead to “war within war.” Newsmen report that Buhari is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport. “I don’t believe in secession; restructuring, I believe in it so much. “Yoruba Presidency I am 100 percent, I believe in what is called rotational, it’s just fairness. “If you say democracy is a game of number, I agree, but there is what is called a situation for the right place and where you find yourself. “Secession does not bring peace, but war within war,’’ he said. The lawmaker, who expressed strong support for restructuring, added that a better Nigeria...
Edo: Police arrest 54 suspects for various crimes
The Police Command in Edo said on Monday that it had arrested 54 suspects for various crimes and offences in the last one week. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, SP Kontongs Bello, made the disclosure in a statement made available to newsmen in Benin. Bello said the suspects were arrested within the last one week in various parts of the state. He explained that they were arrested for crimes ranging from alleged kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, murder, rape to break-in and arson. The PPRO reteirated the command’s resolve to rid the state of every crime and criminality. According to him, the Edo Commissioner for Police, Phillip Ogbadu, has given assurance to residents of the state that the command will not relent in its efforts to make the state crime free. He als...
Afenifere: We’ll not support military takeover
Pan-Yoruba sociocultural group, Afenifere, has said it is against military takeover of any kind. In a statement, National Publicity Secretary of the group, Comrade Jare Ajayi, described military intervention in government as a curse. He said the recent clamour for change in the country was borne out of frustration over the state of the nation. Ajayi said, “Going by what the nation went through under the military, we will certainly not support another military rule in Nigeria under any guise. “It is on record for example that apart from the general abridgement of the rights of Nigerians under the military, members of the the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) masterminded by Afenifere suffered greatly. “It is on record that we lost a lot of patriotic Nigerians all because they were prot...
House asks federal government to suspend upcoming census exercise
Following the ravaging insecurity in the country, the House of Representatives yesterday called on the federal government to suspend the upcoming census exercise until security improved. The House also said it will be counter-productive and a waste of scarce financial resources to conduct such exercise amidst the economic recession. The call was made on the heel of a motion under matters of urgent public importance titled “Call on the federal government of Nigeria to Suspend the Proposed 2021 Population and Housing Census to be conducted by the National Population Commission” sponsored by Shelia Barwa Bell. Moving the motion, Bell said that the state of insecurity would not guarantee accuracy if the census was conducted now, arguing that many Nigerians have fled their homes and villages. H...
Kaduna: Bandits kill 323, kidnap 949 in three months
No fewer than 323 persons were killed and 949 kidnapped by bandits in the last three months across Kaduna State. This was even as the military troops neutralised 64 bandits and arrested several gunrunners during the period under review. This was disclosed on Friday by the State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, while giving security situation in the State for the first quarter of 2021. According to Aruwan, “The report covers banditry, kidnapping, cattle-rustling, attacks, and reprisal attacks. “The report also includes the aerial missions conducted over identified bandit hideouts and locations across the State, during which multiple scores of bandits were engaged and neutralised, with their camps destroyed. “Deaths linked to banditry, violent attacks, comm...
NOA urges all leaders to de-escalate tension, preach peace
File Photo Responding to the spike in violent crimes and insecurity across Nigeria, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has urged political, ethnic and religious leaders to take deliberate steps to de-escalate tensions and promote peace, unity and tolerance among the citizens. In a letter of appeal signed by the Director General of NOA, Dr Garba Abari, the agency said the present situation called for leaders across political, religious, traditional, professional and the social landscape to do all within their powers to arrest the situation to avoid further deterioration. The letter reads in part: ‘At these very challenging times, all the nation and its citizens need are deeper reflection and sobriety in what we do and say, as truly, the forces of disunity and national disintegration are ...
Pastor Enenche: Nigerian security chiefs now supervising mass killings, insecurity
Renowned gospel preacher, Pastor Paul Enenche, has decried the wave of killings and general insecurity in the land, saying that Security chiefs now supervising mass killings, insecurity in the country. Worried by the spate of violent attacks in different parts of the country during a prayer session in his church, Enenche accused the leadership of the country of complacency in the face of the worsening insecurity. The cleric in a viral video on Facebook monitored by in Abia cautioned those in authority to stop the flow of blood in the land or brace up for God’s wrath. Lamenting the inability of the country’s leadership to stem the tide of disturbing insecurity in Nigeria, the cleric declared that Nigeria is infested with weak and inept leadership. The cleric who was livid with the casualty ...
