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Tag: bandits

  • ‘Islamisation’: Why DIA invited Commodore Kunle Olawunmi – DHQ

    ‘Islamisation’: Why DIA invited Commodore Kunle Olawunmi – DHQ

    The Defence Headquarters Abuja has disclosed the real reason the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) invited retired Commodor Kunle Olawunmi for recently appearing on Channels Television programme.

    This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Director Defence Information, Major General Benjamin Sawyerr on Saturday.

    He said,”The attention of the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has been drawn to an online news publication by Sahara Reporters alleging that the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) ordered the arrest of retired Cdre Kunle Olawunmi for recently appearing on Channels Television programme (Sunrise Daily).

    “The Armed Forces may not want to join issues with Sahara Reporters for the scandalous and malicious publication insinuating that it’s Agency has ordered the arrest of Cdre Olawunmi (rtd) for sharing his views on matters of defence and national security.

    “It is gratifying to state that the retired military officer who is on the military reserve list was only invited via SMS and voice by DIA to further furnish the AFN with relevant and pressing security information which he may be opportuned to have knowledge of as a Professor of Global Security Studies.

    “The said proposed meeting between DIA and the retired senior Navy officer was intended to get credible tips on boosting the fight against terrorism/insurgency, banditry and sundry crimes. He was not asked to come along with his international passport. This in no way constitute any form of arrest speculated by Sahara Reporters.

    “It is very sad that an online media like Sahara Reporters would capitalize on a proposed meeting between an agency and it’s stakeholder to paint the story in a manner intended to portray the military as draconic government agency acting in a crude manner.

    “The general public should please note that the AFN is a professional entity that will continue to be responsive to all credible information that will promote peace and unity of our dear country.”

    General Sawyerr recalled that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor has just completed his tour of the 6 Geo-Political Zones where he interacted with retired military officers with a view to rallying them to lend their support to the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

    “In this regard, I wish to use this medium to encourage the retired senior officer to come forward to give valuable information to the military authorities as a patriotic citizen who has served meritoriously in Nigerian Navy in various capacities before retirement,” he stressed.

  • Why Buhari is yet to proscribe bandits like Nnamdi Kanu– Presidency

    Why Buhari is yet to proscribe bandits like Nnamdi Kanu– Presidency

    The presidency has said that what the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has done to bandits is worse than declaring them terrorists.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu in an interview with BBC Pidgin on Saturday says President Muhammadu Buhari has not proscribed bandits like it did the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) because there is a subsisting shoot on sight order against armed bandits and other violent groups.

    “What the Buhari administration has done to the arms-wielding bandits is worse than being declared as terrorists. Do you know that there is a subsisting order by the President that any arms-wielding, AK-47 bandits should be shot on sight,” Mr Shehu said.

    Mr Shehu further argued that Mr Buhari regime was not giving bandits any form of preferential treatment as they are being killed in their hundreds.

    “I am saying yes, IPOB has been prescribed by law of the land. There is no shoot-on-sight order on IPOB. There is nothing to suggest that these bandits are treated preferentially,” he said.

    In recent months, bandits in coordinated attacks have killed and abducted hundreds of school children for ransom in Kaduna, Katsina, Niger and Zamfara State, forcing schools to shut down in some of these states.

    In July, bandits shot down a Nigerian Airforce jet, eliciting much condemnation from citizens who described their nefarious activities as act of terrorism.

    When further asked why bandits who have done more harm compared to the proscribed IPOB were still not declared terrorists by Mr Buhari regime, Mr Shehu said “Yes, we hear that a lot of times. But I want to say I disagree with that position.

    “The Nigerian Airforce is busy bombing locations in the forest, the military is there on the ground exchanging fire and taking them out in hundreds, that is certainly not treating people lightly.

    “Well, I am not suggesting bombing IPOB or anybody. I want to say that the entire weaponry is today targeted at these bandits and terrorists,” Mr Shehu said.

    Amnesty International had in 2016 reported how the Nigerian military extrajudicially killed at least 150 peaceful pro-Biafra protesters in South-East Nigeria.

    In 2017, Mr Buhari proscribed IPOB a terrorist group for calling for self determination. The leader of the group, Nnamdi Kanu, was recently abducted in Kenya and brought back to Nigeria to face trial.

  • Niger State senator clears air on alleged N110m ransom payment to bandits

    Niger State senator clears air on alleged N110m ransom payment to bandits

    No ransom was paid to secure the release of the abducted students of the Islamic seminary in Niger State.

    This is according to the lawmaker representing Niger East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Mohammed Musa.

    Gunmen had on May 30 stormed their school in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State and whisked away 93 children.

    Three months later, the schoolchildren were freed, although the gunmen were said to have demanded a ransom of ₦110 million and threatened to kill the victims.

    However, the Senator who spoke during an interview on a monitored Channels Television programme said the Niger State Government has repeatedly said it would never pay ransom to the bandits.

    “The Niger State Government has made it very categorically clear and one of the policies of the state government His Excellency initiated, there is no payment of ransom for whatever reasons,” Senator Musa said, dispelling reports that ₦110 million was paid to the bandits.

    “I so much agree with him (Governor Abubakar Bello) because the more you give the ransom, the more the trade will continue because they have turned it into a trade. When they approached the government asking for ransom, the government felt it cannot go against its policy.”

    The lawmaker explained that although the government didn’t pay a dime to the abductors, the distraught parents however took up the initiative of selling their possessions to secure the release of their children.

    While noting that the government wasn’t aware when they parted with some sums to the bandits, one of the parents that took the money was held back alongside the children.

    According to the lawmaker, the state government got wind of the information when 13 of the kidnapped children escaped from their abductors.

    He added, “After they escaped, these people opened a new request. They now asked for more of the ransom and the state government insisted that they are not going to pay a kobo.

    “These people now complained that they are feeding these children, they have spent so much of their money but the policy of the government is that no ransom will be given.

    “They pleaded, the parents pleaded. I don’t know the number of calls Mr Governor was receiving from these parents but I have received so many calls appealing that we should do something about it.”

  • Bandits kill one, kidnap seven in Zamfara over refusal to pay levies

    Bandits kill one, kidnap seven in Zamfara over refusal to pay levies

    Armed bandits have killed one person and abducted seven others in Dadah, Tukurawa and Gandamasu in Zurmi local government area of Zamfara State.

    According to reports, the bandits attacked the villages on Thursday night over the villagers’ failure to pay levies imposed by the hoodlums.

    Zurmi is one of the local government areas in the state worst-hit by banditry. It shares boundaries with Jibia local government of Katsina.

    Some of its communities touch the dreaded Rugu forest where bandits have established fortresses.

    In Thursday’s night attack, a youth leader in the area, Abdullahi Yusuf, said one person was killed while seven people were abducted in Dadah village.

    “Four of those abducted were women. What we have found out is that some of the villages did not pay levies imposed by the bandits, which led to the attacks,” he added.

    He said the people of Gidan Zago had paid N800,000 imposed on them while those of Tsakauna agreed to work on the bandits’ farmlands.

    Mr Yusuf said the bandits have now imposed N9 million on Takurawa, N2 million on Dadah and N2.5 million on Gidan Shaho.

    He added that from what their organisation found out, the villagers have agreed to pay the money.

    People of Kurunkudu village in Bakura local government area have also been reportedly paid the bandits N200,000 as levy.

  • Bandits free 100 Islamiyya students three months after abduction

    Bandits free 100 Islamiyya students three months after abduction

    Gunmen have freed around 100 pupils kidnapped from an Islamic seminary in Niger State nearly three months ago, the school’s head teacher said on Thursday.

    The head teacher, Abubakar Alhassan, did not, however, say if any ransom was paid.

    He did not give any details about how the pupils were released.

    Heavily armed criminals snatched 136 pupils from the seminary in Tegina on May 30. Six of them died in captivity and another 15 escaped in June.

    The Northwest and central parts of the country have seen a surge in attacks, looting and mass abductions by bandits. But the bandits this year began targeting schoolchildren and students, demanding more ransom.

    Gunmen who kidnapped more than 100 students from a Baptist high school in Kaduna State released 15 more of those hostages after collecting ransom, a representative of the families said on Sunday.

    Around 1,000 students have been kidnapped since December after gunmen started to hit schools. Most have been released after negotiations, but scores are still being held in forest camps.

  • DHQ: CCTV operators, military personnel not asleep when bandits attacked NDA

    DHQ: CCTV operators, military personnel not asleep when bandits attacked NDA

    The Defence Headquarters on Wednesday refuted claims that military personnel monitoring the closed-circuit television at the Nigerian Defence Academy were fast asleep when the attack on the facility happened.

    It also said a board of enquiry has been constituted to ascertain the incidents that led to the security breach.

    The DHQ disclosed this in a statement by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Benjamin Sawyerr.

    Dispelling the claim in a statement, the DHQ said the military personnel are trained and dedicated to their duties.

    It reads, “The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to a news publication by an online news media claiming that personnel on duty at the Nigerian Defence Academy CCTV monitoring room were sleeping when bandits attacked the officers’ residential quarters leading to the death of two officers and the abduction of one other officer.

    “The Nigerian Armed Forces wishes to state categorically that the allegation is untrue and hence challenge the (name withheld) to publish forthwith a verifiable proof of personnel sleeping during the incident.

    “It is therefore imperative to caution the media to guide against being used as a propaganda tool by enemies of our dear country.

    …should not consciously or unconsciously collaborate with these unscrupulous elements to spread unverified stories on the unfortunate event that occurred at NDA Kaduna while tarnishing the good image and reputation of personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the eyes of the civil populace.

    “It is perhaps important to mention that the AFN as a professional force consists of highly trained personnel who are dedicated to their duties of protecting lives and property of all Nigerians.

    “Let me use this opportunity, to reiterate that the NDA authorities, acting on the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff has constituted a board of enquiry to ascertain the remote and immediate cause(s) of the breach of security with a view to sanctioning any personnel found culpable and also prevent future occurrence.

    “Let me also assure (Nigerians) that we shall continue to update the general public as events unfold as we are all aware the search and rescue of the abducted officer are still on. Troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria will continue with its operations to ensure all those involved in the dastardly act are brought to justice.”

  • Attack on NDA: Death toll rises to three; Major Datong kidnapped by bandits found dead [Photos of slain officers]

    Attack on NDA: Death toll rises to three; Major Datong kidnapped by bandits found dead [Photos of slain officers]

    The military officer Major Christopher Datong abducted yesterday at Nigerian Defence Academy, Afaka in Kaduna has been murdered.

    This development brings the number of officers killed by the bandits in the ugly incident to three.

    Recall TheNewsGuru (TNG) had earlier reported how the murdering bandits shot Lieutenant Commander Wulah and Flight Lieutenant Okoronkwo while Major Datong is still missing.

    Flight Lieutenant Okoronkwo
    Flight Lieutenant Okoronkwo
    Flight Lieutenant Okoronkeo
    Flight Lieutenant Okoronkwo

    For Major Datung, his body was reportedly found on Tuesday evening, hours after he was captured by bandits.

    Datong and his wife

    One of the photographs circulating in the social media showed the officer with his pregnant wife.

     

    The abductors reportedly demanded N200 million to set him free.

    Datong who was from Pankshin in Plateau state, was born 4 January, 1978.

     

     

    The security breach of the Nigerian Defence Academy has been highly condemned by concerned Nigerians and perceived as pointer to the failure of the country’s security architecture.

    NDA’s Public Relations Officer, Major Bashir Muhd Jajira, who reported the attack earlier said two soldiers were killed..

    A statement sent by Jajira said:

    “The security architecture of the Nigerian Defence Academy was compromised early this morning by unknown gunmen who gained access into the residential area within the Academy in Afaka. During the unfortunate incident, we lost two personnel and one was abducted.

    “The Academy in collaboration with the 1Division Nigerian Army and Air Training Command as well as other security agencies in Kaduna state has since commenced pursuit of the unknown gunmen within the general area with a view to tracking them and rescue the abducted personnel.

    “The NDA community and Cadets are safe in the Academy. We assure the general public that these unknown gunmen would soon be apprehended and the abducted personnel rescued.”

    Speaker of Kaduna State House of Assembly, Alhaji Yusuf Zailani, has described the invasion as an assault on the country’s territorial integrity

    Zailani, who stated this in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ibrahim Danfulani, in Kaduna, on Tuesday, said that the incident must be treated with all seriousness and thoroughly investigated.

    The speaker described NDA as the premier training citadel for members of Nigeria’s armed forces and pride to the country and Africa.

    He said the attack on such an institution was unacceptable and must be investigated by the military hierarchy.

    “It is disheartening and unfortunate for such an attack to have taken place, catching those in charge of its internal security off-guard,” Zailani said.

    While commending security personnel for making efforts to decimate bandits and insurgents nationwide, he said that they should not let the NDA incident demoralise them.

    “I sincerely commiserate with the families of those who lost their lives.

    “I am, however, pleased that the NDA authorities have given assurance that the assailants are being trailed and that they will be apprehended,” the speaker added.

  • JUST IN: Military commence pursuit of bandits who invaded Defence Academy, killed two personnel

    JUST IN: Military commence pursuit of bandits who invaded Defence Academy, killed two personnel

    The military has confirmed the attack on Nigerian Defence Academy, Afaka which led to the death of two personnel on Tuesday morning in Kaduna State.

    Reacting to the statement, the Academy Public Relations Officer, Major Bashir Muhd Jajira, however, said the Academy in collaboration with the 1Division Nigerian Army and Air Training Command as well as other security agencies in Kaduna state has since commenced pursuit of the unknown gunmen within the general area with a view to tracking them and rescue the abducted personnel.

    Read the statement: “The security architecture of the Nigerian Defence Academy was compromised early this morning by unknown gunmen who gained access into the residential area within the Academy in Afaka. During the unfortunate incident, we lost two personnel and one was abducted.

    The Academy in collaboration with the 1Division Nigerian Army and Air Training Command as well as other security agencies in Kaduna state has since commenced pursuit of the unknown gunmen within the general area with a view to tracking them and rescue the abducted personnel.

    The NDA community and Cadets are safe in the Academy. We assure the general public that this unknown gunmen would soon be apprehended and the abducted personnel rescued.

    Bashir Muhd Jajira

    Major

    Academy Public Relations Officer

    24 August 2021

  • BREAKING: Bandits storm Nigerian Defence Academy, kill naval officer, kidnap two Majors

    BREAKING: Bandits storm Nigerian Defence Academy, kill naval officer, kidnap two Majors

    Bandits have invaded the Afaka barracks of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna, killing a naval officer.

    The bandits were also said to have also kidnapped two majors.

    It was gathered that the bandits who attacked the barracks around 1am on Tuesday are still be inside the academy.

    The incident according to a report published in Daily Trust, troubled the military quarters.

    The newspaper claimed sources within the barracks told stated that security has been beefed up within and around the barracks to stop the bandits from escaping with the officers.

    “It was a terrible experience, the bandits took advantage of the time when most people had gone to bed to attack the barracks.”

    “Right now, the whole barracks is under lock and key and security has been beefed up so that the bandits cannot leave the barracks because it is believed that they are still within,” the source said.

    One of the officers who was injured in the attack is currently being treated at a hospital within the barracks.

    The source said that there are, however, fears that the bandits may decide to kill the officers in a bid to escape.

  • District head, 75 others kidnapped as bandits attack Zamfara communities

    District head, 75 others kidnapped as bandits attack Zamfara communities

    Unidentified gunmen kidnapped at least 75 people from a village in northwest Nigeria, residents said on Saturday, the latest in a slew of abductions that have plagued the country.

    The spate of kidnappings has thwarted all security forces’ efforts to stem the crimes, often carried out for ransom, and posed a challenge to the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “The number of people kidnapped from (the village of) Rini must be more than seventy five,” said Aliyu Tungar-Rini, a resident of the community in northwest, Zamfara in Nigeria.

    Similarly, bandits invaded another community, Adabka situated in Bukkuyum Local government area on Saturday about 12 pm and operated till around 4 pm before whisking away the district head of the community, Alhaji Nafiu Shehu.

    In Rini Village, Habu Abubakar, who is a resident, said more than 75 people were kidnapped by the gunmen, who he said came wearing black clothes on more than 50 motorbikes.

    My shop was looted and I was left with a few things,” he said.

    A police spokesman confirmed the abduction but declined to provide details.

    They abducted my uncle, I narrowly escaped death,” said Mohammed Dan Auwal, another resident.

    He described the attack starting Friday afternoon and lasting until the early hours of Saturday, as the kidnappers went from house to house snatching children and the elderly.

    On the other side, it was gathered that nobody was killed during the attack in Adabka.

    A source said that the mobile police unit that was stationed in the community was moved out of the community last week which gave the bandits opportunity to enter the area.

    Adabka is about 165 kilometers from the state capital, Gusau.

    The police in Zamfara are yet to confirm the latest incidents.