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Tag: Herdsmen

  • Suspected herdsmen in military, customs camouflage launch fresh attacks on Igangan communities; kill Amotekun commander, three others

    Suspected herdsmen in military, customs camouflage launch fresh attacks on Igangan communities; kill Amotekun commander, three others

    Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen again struck late Friday night in Igangan, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo state killing four residents.

    The attack was however repelled by the swift response of local security operatives.

    The Commander of Amotekun Corps in Ibarapa Central simply identified as Muri was among the victims of the attack.

    The attackers were said to have stormed the town in two Hilux vans, an 18-seater Hummer bus, and a Toyota Sienna bus wearing military and customs camouflage.

    According to reports, the residents initially lowered their guards thinking the men were customs operatives in search of suspected smugglers.

    It was gathered that the suspected gunmen arrived in the community around 7 pm on Friday and attacked some areas.

    A resident said the attackers stormed the community in large number but could not give actual figure.

    The convener Igangan development advocate, Oladiran Oladokun confirmed the attack saying the incident was an attempt to invade the state through the axis, a border community but was resisted by the local security operatives.

    Oladokun said although, the suspected herders came in customs and military camouflage to deceive the people and change the narrative that it was security operatives who stormed the town in search of those who engage in smuggling activities, a practice that is alien to the people of the community.

    He expressed disappointment over inadequate security despite the recurrence of the attacks.

    A community leader, who spoke in confidence said: “Report reaching me reveals that around 8:00 pm people suspected to be herdsmen again invaded Igangan and shoot sporadically for over 30minutes. Some said they were Customs men as they wore Custom uniform but they were chased by local hunters after killing some people.

    “They also passed Igboora and continue shooting and it was reported people died in Igboora too including one Amotekun operative.

    “It was reported that the Commander of Amotekun in Ibarapa Central has been killed.”

    Contacted, an Amotekun operative in Igangan who craved anonymity explained that the quick intervention of the local security operatives forced the assailants to retreat but not without killing some residents as they escaped through Abeokuta axis.

    He said: “It is true. Around past 7 pm, we started hearing a noise around town that attackers have come again, and we quickly rushed out. They were shooting sporadically and heavily around AUD Quarters on their way to the town.

    “By the turning to Jabele hotel, they killed a man there. When they saw that we were coming after them there, they turned back and headed towards Tapa. When they got to Tapa, they killed another person.

    “When they got to Ayete, they killed one person, when they got to Igboora, they killed the Commander of Amotekun in Ibarapa Central named Muri.

    “They wore customs and military uniform as camouflage. They wore a fake uniform. In fact, they passed in front of Operation Burst operatives in Ofiki and those ones didn’t know they were assailants on a deadly mission.

    “We suspected them to be herdsmen with the way they operated and shot randomly while carrying out the attack.

  • Nnamdi Kanu: Apply same zeal on herdsmen terrorizing Nigeria- Ortom to FG

    Nnamdi Kanu: Apply same zeal on herdsmen terrorizing Nigeria- Ortom to FG

    The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has urged the Federal Government to use the same zeal that led to the apprehension of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, against “armed Fulani herdsmen” terrorizing Nigeria.

    Kanu who is agitating for the restoration of Biafra was allegedly arrested in Kenya and repatriated to Nigeria where he was arraigned in court on Tuesday.

    Reacting, Ortom pointed out that herdsmen who have claimed responsibility for killing many Nigerians deserve to be visited with the same capacity.

    “If the federal government has the capacity to arrest Nnamdi Kanu in a foreign land, they should exhibit the same zeal to arrest armed Fulani herdsmen who are terrorising our country. The herdsmen have claimed responsibility for the killing of many Nigerians,” he said in a tweet.

     

  • Herdsmen invade Kwara APC spokesman’s farm, several injured

    Herdsmen invade Kwara APC spokesman’s farm, several injured

    Alleged herdsmen, on Friday, invaded a farm belonging to the spokesman of the Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, at Offa in Offa Local Government Area of the State.

    One person was extremely injured in the attack which occurred at 1800hours on the farm located behind Offa University.

    The suspected herdsmen, according to the spokesman of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in the State, Babawale Zaid Afolabi, the herders, who migrated from Idanre in Osun State, sited the farmers at about 1800hours and launched the attack.

    TheNewsGuru learnt that the farmers repelled the attack and in the attempt to subdue the suspected herdsmen, one farmer, Yakub Salasi (27) sustained serious injuries.

    Others victims injured in the attack were later transferred to Abdulsalam Hospital, Offa for further treatment.

    The herdsmen, however, escaped from the scene, while the farmers alerted the Offa Civil Defence JTF division.

    While efforts are ongoing to capture the suspected herdsmen, most of their cows were injured and seized by the distressed farmers.

    A Fulani man, Alhaji Sabo Yaro, who intervened in the matter, promised to assist security agents in fishing out the suspects.

     

  • El-Rufai sacks 99 political appointees

    El-Rufai sacks 99 political appointees

    Governor Nasir El’ Rufai of Kaduna State has said the government sacked 99 political appointees as part of its right sizing.
    El-Rufai, who made the disclosure at news briefing, said that the government was yet to disengage any state civil servant in the state.
    The governor explained that the disengaged political appointees constituted 30 per cent of political office holders in the state.
    The governor disclosed that only agencies connected to the local government system had disengaged staff and these included the 23 local government councils, SUBEB and the Primary Health Care Board.
    ‘’So far, 99 political appointees have lost their jobs but we have not commenced rightsizing of civil servants. We want to be fair with regards to civil servants.
    “We had earlier promised that before we reduce the size of the civil service, we will start with political appointees and we have done that,’’ he said.
    The governor, who spoke in Hausa, said the rightsizing of civil servants would still go on as planned because of dwindling revenues that accrued to the state government from the Federation account.
    El’ Rufai explained that the rightsizing commenced with political appointees because their details were clearly known, making it easier to disengage them.
    “However, civil servants with question data have to be given a chance to clear the doubts before any action is taken on them,’’ he clarified.
    The governor said his administration employed 11,000 more workers in the health sector, Kaduna State University as well as primary and secondary school teachers across the state.
    The governor disclosed that it was a fallacy to allege that the salaries of political appointees accounted for the bloated personnel cost of Kaduna state government.
    “In March 2021, the salaries of these political appointees amounted to N259 million , while civil servants were paid N3.13 billion, aside from costs related to state contributions to pension, accrued rights and other personnel costs.
    “So, it is false to insinuate that political appointees are the ones that guzzle most of the state’s resources,’’ he said.
    Justifying the rightsizing of the public service, he said that all states and the Federal Government were affected by this shortfall of revenue and some states had even reverted to paying the old monthly minimum wage of N18,000.
    ‘’Kaduna state cannot continue to use 84 per cent to 96 per cent of its revenues to pay salaries of less than one per cent of the population.
    The rest of our people, all 99 per cent of them, need better schools, hospitals, water supply, roads, markets and support for agriculture to make a living outside government,’’ he argued.
    The governor, however, promised that Kaduna state would not reverse the N30,000 minimum wage that it had started paying.
    “We are the first government, Federal or state, to pay the minimum wage.
    “We will retain the minimum wage of N30,000 and the consequential adjustments that gave most of our civil servants a 66 per cent salary increase.
    “We will also retain the minimum pension of N30,000 monthly.
    “The unified Local Government Service continues to pay the minimum wage, even though they varied the consequential adjustments for their workers below the level for state civil servants,’’ he added.
    The governor also promised that the state would still fund free education from primary 1 to the SS3.
    According to him, we have directed our Ministry of Education to find ways of ensuring that we sponsor students for WAEC exams, the same way that we sponsor them for NECO.
    El’ Rufai emphasised that basic education remained a priority for Kaduna state government because “we see it as the bedrock for equality of opportunity”.
  • Amotekun arrests two bandits, recovers AK-47, others in Oyo

    Amotekun arrests two bandits, recovers AK-47, others in Oyo

    THE Oyo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun, has arrested two bandits of Fulani extraction with assorted firearms in the Ibarapa area of the state.

    The media unit of Amotekun in the state said in a statement on Thursday that the bandits were arrested with one AK-47 rifle, one pump action and a double-barrel gun at Lanlate.

    The Commandant of Amotekun in Oyo State, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (retd), when contacted, confirmed the arrest to our correspondent.

    He said, “We have handed them over to the DSS (Department of State Services) yesterday (Wednesday).”

    The statement by Amotekun media unit read, “Oyo State Security Network Agency Amotekun corps, on Thursday arrested two suspected bandits with AK-47 rifle; Pump Action and a double barrel gun.

    “The suspected hoodlums; Mumini Saliu (45) and Ibrahim Suleiman (25), who are Fulani, were apprehended by Amotekun operatives of Ibarapa East Local Government Area Command at Alapa village, Lanlate.

    “The operatives recovered 82 rounds of 7.62 ammunition and seven cartridges amongst other dangerous weapons. The suspected bandits have been handed over to the Director of State Security Services, Oyo State Command for further investigation.”

    Lanlate is one of the communities in Ibarapaland. The area is constantly in the news for criminal attacks by herdsmen.

    Igangan, which is another town in Ibarapa, was invaded by suspected herdsmen on Sunday, June 6, where many residents were killed.

  • Suspected herdsmen kill AAU graduate in Edo

    Suspected herdsmen kill AAU graduate in Edo

    Tragedy struck Monday morning as a graduate of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, was reportedly killed by suspected herdsmen.

    The AAU graduate, Miss Ella Williams, was reportedly gunned down by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.

    The tragic incident which allegedly occurred on Monday, along the kidnapper-infested Benin-Auchi highway, was made known by a Facebook user, Asomba Andrew Egbuonu.

    Egbuonu said Ella Williams who graduated with a Masters of Science degree in Architecture, met her death while travelling from Benin, to pick up her call up letter at the University’s main campus in Ekpoma, in preparation for the compulsory one year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), programme.

    He reported further that the herdsmen opened fire on the bus she was travelling in, killing her on the spot, while other passengers in the bus were abducted and taken into the thick forest by the hoodlums.

    Asomba Andrew Egbuonu wrote on his Facebook page: “I received the devastating news of the demise of a young lady and a promising future of the Nigerian nation, Miss Ella Williams, in the hands of blood-thirsty and heartless herdsmen on the Benin–Ekpoma Road in Edo State.

    “Miss Williams who has just graduated with a Masters in Architecture from Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma was said to have travelled from her Benin base to pick up her Call-up.

    “She never made it back as her vehicle was attacked by murderous marauders who ambushed vehicles by opening fire on them with their small arms (aka AK47 Assault guns) killing her on the spot. What a country where human lives have no value, especially to these emotion-less invaders”, Egbuonu added.

    “All over Nigeria, criminals and kidnappers plan and find ways of stopping vehicle before kidnappings their victims.

    “This appears to be too much work for these roaming marauders who prefer to use their bullets indiscriminately to stop vehicles on highways, killing the drivers and any other unfortunate passengers, before kidnapping the leftover survivors and herding them into our vast ungoverned bushes and forests.

    “That this modus operandi has been used repeatedly with almost no consequence for these criminals is unacceptable. The Nigerian government under the watch of our President cannot continue to claim helplessness and reign as Nigeria’s best are wasted all over Nigeria.

    “Miss Williams is gone, lost to a nation in need of her brightest and best. Her parents are heartbroken; her friends and colleagues in deep shock; her killers are out there still demanding and waiting to collect ransom from the surviving passengers from last week’s murderous and senseless kidnapping; and the Nigerian State moves on as it is business as usual to our rulers.”

    It is pertinent to recall that quite a number of commuters have been killed and many others injured along the Benin-Auchi highway, by suspected herdsmen and kidnappers who operate unhindered almost on a daily basis.

  • Igangan killings: It’ll never happen again, Makinde vows for the umpteenth time

    Igangan killings: It’ll never happen again, Makinde vows for the umpteenth time

    Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Tuesday, said that people of Ibarapa geo-political zone should hold him responsible for the recent attack that occurred in Iganga.

    Igangan is one of the towns in Ibarapa North local Government Area of the state.

    Recall that the latest attack was the killing of scores of Igangan residents between Saturday and Sunday.

    But, Makinde, who visited the town two days after the incident, advised people of the zone to hold him accountable for what happened.

    Makinde, who spoke during a visit to the town on Tuesday, declared that he was the one to be held responsible for what happened.

    He, however, promised that such thing will not happen again.

    “Once again, I beg of you; give us the opportunity to come back and rebuild things and put a more solid architecture such that you will be able to go to farms and do whatever you want to do without fear.

    “But I should be held accountable. I am responsible for this and will do everything within my power to make sure that it will not happen again.”

    Makinde, while speaking further, maintained that he would empower local security guards and vigilantes in order to secure the area.

    “I have told your chairman that all the vigilantes and security guards, the government will be responsible for them. This is your government, please give me the opportunity to do the needful so that a meeting like this would not come up again.

    “I urge you to give me that chance to make the issue of insecurity here become a thing of the past. Don’t take laws into your hands. We have identified where there are hitches. We are supposed to be going to our farms by now because of the favourable weather. But hold me accountable, I have nowhere to go.

    “I believe there are some certain things we put in place, which we think would work but unfortunately, they did not work. Please, give me some time, everything will be resolved.”

  • Alleged plot to invade South-West: We are ready to confront herdsmen – Hunters

    Alleged plot to invade South-West: We are ready to confront herdsmen – Hunters

    AGAINST the backdrop of alleged planned invasion of the six Yoruba states in the South-West by foreign herders, the Soludero Hunters Association on Thursday dared them to carry out attacks in the region and face the consequences.

    Speaking through their leader, Oba Nureni Ajijola Anabi, the hunters, who are domiciled in Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo and Lagos states, declared that they were battle-ready for the herders.

    Chairman of Amotekun Corps in Oyo State, General Ajibola Togun (retd) had, on Wednesday, raised the alarm about imminent invasion of the South-West by foreign herdsmen of Tuareg extraction. Togun, who spoke while delivering a lecture at the Institute of Peace, Conflict and Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan, cautioned residents in the region to be security conscious, charging them not to be caught off guard in case of any security breach.

    However, Ajijola said hunters and other local security agents were up to the task and ready to checkmate the intruders, just as he implored Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to provide logistics such as vehicles, equipment and motorcycles.

    According to him, “we have been spending our money since we started monitoring our forests. There were times we were hindered due to lack of equipment; we are capable of checking these attackers if only the state government can empower us.

    “We too are aware that these aliens are in our forests. We have heard about them but we have not seen them. We can go inside the forest where they are to smoke them out and send them back to their countries, but are we going to trek to the far distance where they are hiding? We are limited by equipment and funds.

    “Even, the state police command can attest to the fact that we have arrested several suspects and handed them over to the police. Apart from herders, we have arrested these hoodlums disturbing people within Ibadan metropolis.”

  • Fulani herdsmen poised to strike in Southwest, Kunle Togun, Ex DMI boss now Amotekun bigwig warns

    Fulani herdsmen poised to strike in Southwest, Kunle Togun, Ex DMI boss now Amotekun bigwig warns

    Chairman Oyo State Security Network codenamed Amotekun Corps, General Kunle Togun (rtd) has warned Yoruba people to be security conscious because the foreign Fulani herdsmen in their midst are poised to make the big strike, any time.

    Togun, a former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI) and former Deputy Director-General of State Security Service (SSS), advised people to be prepared to defend themselves.

    According to the Oyo Amotekun boss, the foreigners have been penetrating localities in the region to monitor the environment over the years to pave way for the big strike.

    The strike, according to intelligence report, he said will be aided by local collaborators based on the belief God has given them Nigeria, especially, the Southwest as inheritance.

    Togun spoke after a lecture he delivered at an event staged by the Institute of Peace and Strategic Studies Student Association (IPSSSA) University of Ibadan.

    His lecture was entitled: “Security Challenges, The significance of regional security dimensions.”

    He said:“The foreign Fulani herdsmen have invaded South West. There is nowhere in the South West that they are not. They are there.

    “They are the Okada riders. They are the ones using wheelbarrows to sell carrots and other things. I said they are foot soldiers.

    “They said they have come in to take the inheritance given to them by Allah and that is Nigerian land, particularly South West.

    “So, they will still strike. I am not just screaming aloud. So, everybody has to be ready.

    “It is only a foolish soldier that would say he wants to die for his country. His death cannot help his country. You are to stay alive to help your country.

    “When as a soldier, you are sent to capture a particular place, they did not send you to go and die. If he gets there and scared them and the people run away, he has done what he supposed to do.

    “But if he was shot at and he fired back, he did not shoot to kill anybody, but to defend himself and keep himself alive, so that he can help his country.

    “For over 10 years, I have been saying it that the 10 local government areas of Oke-Ogun and the three local government areas of Ibarapa, both in Oyo State, have been saturated by these foreign Fulanis.

    “After that, they brought in their children, selling pepper, tomatoes, carrots and so on with wheelbarrows.

    “All of us are looking at them. You cannot say Amotekun will do everything. Members of the public must help with credible information.

    “My advice to the Federal Government is that they should support regional security outfits.”

    “Before Amotekun took off, this problem has been there. They have invaded all Yorubaland. These people are just starting the plans they already had on ground, not that they are just coming in.

    “And these foreign Fulani are still coming in. They have saturated already Yorubaland before Amotekun was established.”

    General Togun for many years have been drumming about the dangers of the foreign Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria, who invade farms and allow their animals to eat up crops and who also are ready to kill when the farmers complain.

  • 16 feared killed in renewed attacks on Plateau villages

    16 feared killed in renewed attacks on Plateau villages

    Sixteen persons have been reported killed in two separate attacks in Jos North and Riyom Local Government Areas of Plateau State by men suspected to be herders.

    According to reports, the attack in Dong village of Jos North occurred at about 8.00 p.m. on Sunday as the village came under siege with sporadic gunshots.

    The Village Head, Daniel Choji who confirmed the development said the attackers came under the cover of darkness to unleash terror on the community. He said the attack left eight persons dead comprising of five females, two males, and an infant.

    In another attack in Kwi village of Riyom Local Government area just about a kilometre distance to the Yakubu Gowon Airport, the attackers invaded the community on Sunday night leaving eight people dead and one injured.

    The member representing the Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Timothy Dantong confirmed that four males and four females were killed in the attack.

    He described the attack as barbaric, senseless and inhuman. He also called on security operatives to live up to their responsibilities by responding to distress calls earlier and ensure that perpetrators of the heinous acts are apprehended accordingly.

    Confirming the attacks in a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Gabriel Ubah said the command received a distress call from the community and responded with the deployment of a combined team of security personnel an Assistant Commissioner of Police to repel the attackers.

    He added that security personnel have been deployed to the affected areas to forestall the breakdown of law and order.