The Senate on Wednesday called on the federal government and security agencies to intensify effort towards finding Major General Idris M. Alkali, who has disappeared since September 4th, and whose car was found two days after draining a Jos pond that has been tagged pond of death.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the Senate made the call after hearing a presentation by Senator Mohammed Hassan on the disappearance of the retired Army Major General.
Major General Alkali who was the immediate past Director of Administration of Nigerian Army was declared missing barely two months after his retirement.
On Monday, 4th September 2018, Alkali’s wife, Mrs. Salamatu Alkali alerted the Army authorities that her husband who had departed Abuja the previous day in the morning for Bauchi had not reached his destination, after informing her the previous day at about noon that he arrived Jos safely and would be passing through Du road to Bauchi.
TNG reports that was the last communication she had with her husband until this moment as his where about is presently unknown.
Following his disappearance, the Nigerian Army with the support of the Nigerian Police, Department of State Security, Fire Service and other security agencies embarked on intensive search vide tracking of his phone up to when it was switched off as well as relying on tip-offs.
Senator Hassan in his presentation acknowledged the thoroughness of the investigation of the Nigerian Army and other Security Agencies who narrowed their search to a pool of water in Lafande Community in Du District of Plateau State by using local divers from Wase and Taraba State to search the pond since the community claimed they did not have local divers.
Earlier efforts of the Army and other Security Agencies did not yield the desired result, hence the whole pond was drained amidst protest from local women from the community who attempted to stop the Army from draining the water on the pretense that it was their only source of drinking water.
The Senate confirmed that after two days of draining of the pond, a bus was found in the pond alleged to belong to a young man that had earlier disappeared along that road, while on 29th September, 2018 at about 6:00pm a Toyota car with Registration Number MUN 670 AA belonging to Maj. Gen IM Alkali was pulled out of the water with some of his belongings without any trace of his person, while another car (Rover) was recovered from the pond whose owner disappeared in 2013.
The Senate also “Acknowledges with serious concern the reported disappearance of numerous commuters along the DU axis fin the past few years, especially Bauchi on-ward bound travelers and the need to address same urgently.
“This incident raises some pertinent questions: why did the people from Du Community refused to assist the Security Agencies during the search; why did the people (women) try to prevent the Army from draining the water; why didn’t the community raise a formal complaint from the local government to the state government about the draining of the water; who were those spreading false information about the circumstances of the disappearance of Maj. General IM Alkali and what were their motives”.
The Senate, therefore, accordingly resolves to urge the Federal Government to setup an investigate Panel of enquiries to examine and determine the remote and immediate circumstances surrounding the dumping of cars in the ponds in DU District, and identify and interrogate possible suspects in this dastardly not and ensure that the perpetrators face the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrence to other criminally minded persons in the strongest possible terms.
The Senate condemned the act and urged all the surrounding communities (DU axis) to cooperate with Security Agencies to uncover this crime and criminality; and urged the Security Agencies to intensify effort towards finding Maj. Gen IM Alkali.
Tag: Jos
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Jos pond of death: Senate urges FG, security agencies to find Alkali
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Buratai sccuses Plateau elders, elites of culpability in Jos violence
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai has held Plateau State elders and elite culpable for stoking the incessant and repeated violent clashes and their escalation in the state.
This is coming as two soldiers have been sentenced by the General Court Martial (GCM) of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army sitting in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, to 10 years in prison for abduction and extorting the sum of N1 million from a businessman.
The Head of the court,Brig. Gen. Olusegun Adesina while delivered his judgment, said the action of the errant soldiers was unlawful and against the ethics of armed forces
Buratai, who was represented by the Commander, Special Task Force (STF) code named Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Major-General Augustine Agundu stated this at the burial ceremony of the three soldiers that were recently killed in Barkin Ladi area of the state on September 6, 2018.
He revealed that the body language of the elite and elders, their actions and inactions, have emboldened the youths to maim and kill innocent passers-by at their whims and caprices.
According to him, “OPSH effectively came into force on January 21, 2010 but the crisis on the Plateau State has lingered prior to the establishment of the operation in 2000/2001 with vulnerable persons bearing the brunt of the crises. In recent times the bane of the crises has revolve around total act of criminality by some unguided and irate youths mostly under the influence of hard substances.
“It is evident that these youths are supported by a section of the elites and elders bearing their inability to encourage them to eschew violence resulting in the absence of any tangible progress towards peace.
“The actions or inactions of the elders can be classified as one of the contributory sources that has rather emboldened the youths to maim and kill innocent passers-by at their whims and caprices. Human dignity has lost its value on the Plateau. The troops of OPSH like all service personnel are officially detailed to Plateau State to perform the duties upon which they swore on oath to serve the nation.”
Buratai said that in recent past, the mere presence of troops serves as a deterrent to the warring parties to toe the path of law and order, but unfortunately service personnel are increasingly becoming victims of internal strife and most often their success stories go unnoticed.
“It is evident that there exist armed ethnic militia groups sponsored or supported by some elite and elders who deploy the misguided youths into committing the worst of heinous crimes. There is certainly no constitutional provision that allows civilians to bear fire arms but their possession has become a well sort-out vocation here in the Plateau.
“The DHQ Special Force (SF) Team was deployed to OPSH on June 25 2018 as a result of the growing insecurity and lawlessness in some communities of Barkin Ladi LGA in Plateau State. Indeed, their deployment in OPSH greatly assisted in bringing normalcy to the area as well as creating an enabling environment for people to go about their normal lives.”
He said the avoidable incident of September 6, 2018 led to the death of the gallant soldiers who battled the armed militias in order to save the communities that were under attack.
“This is why we are gathered here this morning to pay our tributes to these gallant heroes who died in the search for peace on the Plateau. It is with grief-stricken heart and profound sense of loss of these soldiers, who are fathers and husbands that I commiserate with the families over the tragic loss of our dear soldiers.
“The DHQ SF Team, OPSH and the Armed Forces of Nigeria have lost one of their fearless SF soldiers that exhibited courage and steadfastness even unto death and in the search for peace on the Plateau.
“Also yesterday at the OPSH headquarters, General Agundu disclosed, while parading 27 persons including two women allegedly arrested in connection with the recent violence in Jos.”
He said though 72 persons were arrested, after investigations, about 30 of them confessed to the crime, of which the 27 were paraded, warning that it would no longer tolerate any further attempt to attack the troops.
Agundu in his capacity as the commander of OPSH also condemned what he described as the conspiracy of silence among the elders and elite going on in the state. “But they keep quiet. If they want to stop this act of violence and criminality, they can do so within a twinkle of an eye.”
He also dismissed what he described as “media hype” about fake soldiers, saying there is no fake soldier going from door to door. “The dexterity my men exhibited was what marveled the criminals.”
He however, admitted that there were some criminals in black attires perpetrating violence that have been arrested as you can see them here, but they are not soldiers.
Meanwhile, two soldiers have been sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment by the General Court Martial (GCM) of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army sitting in Maiduguri for abduction and extorting the sum of N1 million from a businessman.
The Head of the court, Brig. Gen. Olusegun Adesina while delivered his judgment said the actions of errant soldiers was unlawful and against the ethics of armed forces.
He said the duo standing trial on a three- count charge, abducted one Alhaji Hassan on November 19, 2017 at his residents in Ruwan Shanfi area of Maiduguri to unknown location, forcefully demanded and received the sum of N1 million from him after they threatened him that he was Boko Haram
sponsor.
The soldiers confessed that on the said date, they stormed the victim’s house with an Honda 1998 Model and dragged the victim out and forcefully took him to Railway Area of Maiduguri, where he was threatened and tagged as Boko Haram sponsor and asked to N3 million for his freedom.
However, the victim begged his abductors and paid N1 million. -
![TNG INVESTIGATION[Day 4: Plateau bloodbath] Different strokes: For Dalo, life goes on in IDP camp](https://thenewsguru.ng/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_20180725_161216-scaled.jpg)
TNG INVESTIGATION[Day 4: Plateau bloodbath] Different strokes: For Dalo, life goes on in IDP camp
By Adebayo Animasaun
The Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Geosciences, Anguldi-Zawan, Jos South LGA, and seven others scattered in the three most affected local governments in Plateau State are not just reminiscent of the traumatised in the society but also a place where one finds fun loving and very sociable souls, who often get out of their shells to enjoy the good side of life.
Emmanuel Dalo Photo: Adebayo Animasaun Worthy of note and emulation is Dalo Emmanuel, a 13-year-old boy who seems to have seen it all in terms of life’s challenges. Tough as life may seem in the camp, Dalo, it does appear, has moved on and decided to build a new life.
When TNG crew visited the camp, most of the campers admitted that though the violence that engulfed the area brought them to ground zero, they were willing to take a second shot at life.
In this report, Dalo’s narrative gives clear insights into the world of children and other dependants living in IDP camps.
The dreadful day:
Bold, friendly, hilarious are the few terms that can best describe young Dalo, who warmed up to the TNG crew, and spoke freely of his ordeals when the killer herdsmen invaded, ransacked, and killed several persons in their village in Ex-land, Gashish district.
Shortly before meeting TNG, Dalo was doing what he loved doing best – playing football with some of his new found friends. He and about six others were enjoying the game when his father, Emmanuel Dido introduced him to our correspondent.
An interview session with the father was nearly completed at the point. The father had only asked Dalo to express his feelings on the death of his sister, and young Dalo caught TNG’s attention with his fluent English and very clear thoughts.
He started, “My name is Dalo Emmanuel, I am from Ex-land. We were planning to leave home for our church’s concert on the day they [killer herdsmen] attacked our village. A sad message came from one of our neighbours that a Berom woman was killed in her farm. So we were instructed to stay at home for a while so that we won’t fall victim of the attacks.”
After waiting for some hours, Dalo said his family headed for the church, stressing that they saw nothing on the road signalling danger was ahead.
He continued; “We got church and started the service. It was when we started the prayer session that some of the youths in the community came to us and said they had caught the person who killed the woman in the farm. Immediately they made the disclosure, we were all advised to go home. And we left church.
“About 10 minutes after we arrived home, we started hearing gunshots everywhere. Unfortunately, my aunt had also just sent my sister, Anatu, on an errand to give our neighbour their tray.”
Anatu had not returned from that errand when the shooting started. And she never made it back. She was trapped at the neighbour’s residence and was attacked alongside the neighbours”.
In an emotion-laden voice, Dalo continued: “At home, we locked ourselves inside. Soon, the Fulanis started burning cars in front of our house. The fire spread to our apartment and we had to soak our blanket in water to cover our body just to survive. It was God that saved us.”
“But the Fulanis gained access to our neighbour’s house and killed my sister. Our neigbour, Mrs Janet, was breastfeeding her baby. They cut the baby, and shot my sister and one of my cousins who accompanied her while she went on the errand.
“There was another young girl who survived after being shot. Her name is Hashda. They asked her to run after she was shot and she made it to grandmother’s house where she got first aid treatment before being taken to the Jos University Teaching Hospital. Since that incident, I have not gone to school even though it was not burnt.
‘Life in captivity’
The living condition in the IDP camps is pitiable. From an environment littered with faeces and other stinking waste materials to poorly prepared meals, it is obvious that the welfare of the campers is not getting the utmost attention from government.
The camp administrator, Mr. Alfred Gyang, who did not mince words in highlighting the poor state of things, called on government and its numerous agencies to come to their aid.
Gyang said, “The challenges are enormous. I must acknowledge efforts of the host communities who have been of tremendous assistance to us.The World Health Organization (WHO) is supplying us water in partnership with Plateau State Water Board. They come to supply water in tanks but it doesn’t last more than two days. Being an IDP camp, the rate of consumption is very high. Even if they come twice in a day, people will still need to eat, wash and do some other domestic chores that will make us run out of supply.
“On another hand, the space here is small and can’t be very conducive. The campers defecate around, so we can’t open windows. We are trying to manage and control the situation. People have tried to come in to provide industrial fans because it’s very stuffy when you go in. But we are just managing the situation for now.”
Corroborating the director’s position, a camper said, “This camp is not conducive; they are treating us like slaves. When we came here newly, they fed us in the morning, afternoon and evening. But the story has changed. What we now get is just two square meals. Most times, we take breakfast by 12:30pm and dinner at 9pm.The environment is dirty and stinking.”
The campers also accused the camp management of pilfering donated items meant for them.
Photo: Adebayo Animasaun “Children in the camps are shortchanged by the mismanagement in camps,” Dalo told TNG. “I don’t sleep in the camp because the whole place is smelling. Everyday, I go to my aunt’s house. I eat and do every other thing here but I go to my aunty’s house to sleep.
“It’s only recently that they started giving us drugs. The drugs they have are even for adults; they don’t have drugs for us.”
Another camper, Janet, who is eight years old, said there is a lot of helplessness in the camp. “People are subjected to serious pains whenever they are sick,” she said.
To buttress little Janet’s point, the camp administrator confirmed that the campers were not served food with balanced diet hence their fragile health conditions.
“We have challenges with proteinous food stuffs; what we have in store is basically carbohydrate food. These include garri, maize and rice. We have lots of children here and a lot of them are malnourished.
“We have limited toilet because this place was built by Geosciences for their national secretariat. Currently, there are only three toilets for men and women. You know a camp where you have 2,674 displaced people, there are times you have six people who want to go to the toilet at the same time. The distress could best be imagined,” Gyang said.
Living above bondage
Nathaniel and Sam playing board game Photo: Adebayo Animasaun For Dalo and some other children in the camp, however, the travails of the dastardly crisis cannot stop them from reaching for the stars.
Photo: Adebayo Animasaun According to statistics made available to TNG by the administrator, Mr. Gyang, the Geosciences camp has a total of 1,593 children and youths (ages 0-18 years). Except for the infants in camp, an interaction by TNG with most of the children showed they all still have lofty dreams and ambitions in life.
“I love to be a doctor. I hate the sight of pains and helplessness that people are subjected to whenever they are sick. I’ve seen quite a lot especially in this camp and that has strengthened me to pursue my ambition with more vigour,” Janet said.
Despite all the challenges, a typical afternoon in the Geosciences camp is also full of life with children engaged in different activities.
Photo: Adebayo Animasaun The campers, especially the children and teenagers have invented their style of fun with the available resources at their disposal. Indeed, their countenances reflect the immense hope they yet have that the future is bright when they eventually depart the camp.
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Untold tales of the 2018 Plateau bloodbath…and after
Recall Saturday, June, 23; 2018; 15 Berom communities came under heavy attack by suspected killer herdsmen, leaving on its trail over 200 deaths and a colossal humanitarian and environmental crisis.
Then followed several misleading reports on the incident – the Nigeria police and community leaders gave different figures on the death toll; illustrative photos used by several media organisations, bloggers to depict the crisis were mostly false.
In fact, a front line online news site had to sack one of its staffers over a false story credited to Miyetti Allah on the mayhem in Plateau.
Amid the several misleading reports on the mass murder, which further heightened the tension in the country, Plateau State Governor, Solomon Lalong also imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in the affected local government council to avert further bloodshed while the federal government had to scale up military presence in the “war zone”.
Stories that came from the area were scaring. For one, the zone had become highly militarised and at the same time deserted by the inhabitants who could not be sure what next would happen. Fear was visible.
Despite the precarious situation, TheNewsGuru’s youthful Adebayo Animasaun, would not be deterred by the several gory tales from ‘Gashish’. Armed with a good knowledge of the terrain, having had an NYSC tenure there, he left his comfort zone in Lagos for the troubled Plateau, with the mission to thoroughly investigate some of the reports on the gruesome killings, especially as regards thoughts of victims; gathering precise visual footage of the incident; evaluating the overall impact the mayhem had on the people and also reflect on the steps taken by the state government in managing the crisis. And ye, tell how the legendary temperate Plateau has become volatile.
After spending seven days [23rd-30th July, 2018] as an undercover reporter in one of the deadliest zones, Gashish District in Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area, Animasaun was able to chronicle the footprints of untold tales of the bloodbath in Plateau. It was in Gashish, that the highest death record was taken during the herdsmen attack on the 23rd and 24th of June, 2018.
During his stay, he found and interacted with the victims to assess their loss; spent hours in different Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs camps, to evaluate government’s intervention and also visited some of the perilous villages – burnt buildings of what used to be homes to many affected families. He also engaged some of the clergymen in the community, who revealed to TNG that the economic activities have been paralysed.
What TheNewsGuru, TNG, has packaged here is a compendium for the government, NGOs, other international organisations; aid workers and the globally concerned audience on the killings and crisis in Plateau.
The reports will be published on TNG website, www.thenewsguru.ng in five series between Sunday, 13th through Friday 15th, 2018.
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Jos Market fire: I’m devastated by the scale of losses – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday consoled victims of the Jos market fire which destroyed more than 200 shops.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President said he was devastated by the scale of economic losses suffered by hard-working and ordinary Nigerians who believe in self-reliance to support themselves.
“Trading and agriculture remain the mainstay of these hardworking businessmen and women and every democratic leader would genuinely feel the pains of the victims of this fire disaster.
“With profound sense of empathy, I am touched by the large-scale economic losses suffered by the victims of this fire disaster. The role of these enterprising Nigerians in the economy of our country cannot be underestimated,” the President said.
Buhari said he was worried that the latest fire disaster at the Jos market was the third in less than 10 years.
“As you count your losses, I send you my heartfelt commiserations over this devastating disaster. I am confident that your enterprising spirit would help you rebuild your lives. May God replenish you with more prosperity,” he said.
The President also appealed to the local authorities concerned to take every necessary measure to forestall frequent fire incidents.
He said the incidents were taking a heavy toll on people’s means of livelihood and the intervention of all three tiers of government would go a long way to alleviating the hardships.
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[In pictures] Jos Terminus market on fire
Traders at Jos Terminus market on Saturday counted their losses after a midnight fire gutted the market.
The chairman of Traders Association in Plateau, Alhaji Abdulrahman Yusuf, told journalists in Jos that over 270 shops with properties worth millions of naira were destroyed.
Below are some of the photographs taken at the scene of the fire incident courtesy NAN and twitter:
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Panic as fire guts Terminus Market in Jos
Traders at Jos main market on Saturday counted their losses after a midnight fire gutted the market.
Alhaji Abdulrahman Yusuf, the chairman of Traders Association in Plateau, told newsmen in Jos that over 270 shops with properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed.
“We have one trader in this market that lost goods worth over N20 million.
“So, it’s a huge loss and it’s quite devastating, ” he lamented.
Yusuf called on government to come to the aid of the traders, to enable them bounce back to business.
The market which was in 2001 razed by fire, now has petty traders with make-shift shops as occupants.
Mr Adie Undie, the Plateau Police Commissioner, told newsmen that the fire started around 1:30a.m, and the cause was yet to be ascertained.
“This incident happened around 1:30.a.m and our men and that of the Department of Fire Service responded promptly.
“The nature of the market really hindered the men of the fire service from accessing it with ease, but they did their best.
“My officers were able to cordon the arena and ensure hoodlums didn’t take undue advantage of the situation to loot, ” he said.
The commissioner said he would liaise with relevant authorities to unravel the cause of the fire.
He said his men would remain at the scene to ensure miscreants do not take undue advantage to loot.
Philip Nyam, the Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) Chairman of Jos North Local Government Area, described the incident as unfortunate.
He commiserated with the affected traders and promised government support.
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Buhari visits Jos, promises to wipe out unemployment, hunger
President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration will soon address unemployment among Nigerian youth and tackle hunger in the country using agriculture.
Mr. Buhari stated this on Thursday at a town hall meeting in Jos on the first day of his two-day visit to Plateau State.
“We can’t overcome unemployment and hunger if we don’t eat what we produce from our farms,” he said. “Everywhere I went on state visits, Kano, Nasarawa and Taraba states, I have seen teeming unemployed youth.”
He commended the Plateau State Government for keying into agricultural policies of the federal government.
He said the federal government will refund money spent by the Plateau State Government on federal roads.
“I hereby direct the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing as well as other relevant agencies to expedite action towards the refund of such funds to the Plateau State Government.”
Speaking on his administration efforts in fighting corruption, Mr. Buhari said plans are on to reclaim landed properties corruptly acquired by government officials.
Responding to alleged marginalisation of women in his appointments, the president assured Nigerian women of full participation in governance under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Governor Simon Lalong had during an address told President Buhari that his administration was focused on security and welfare of citizens.
He said his administration had made judicious use of the bailout funds given the state, revived moribund industries and fully paid salaries of civil servants and pension.
“Plateau State remains one of the few states in the country that has paid workers salaries and pension up to date,” the governor said.
Mr. Lalong said his administration spent N46 billion on urban roads across the three senatorial districts of the state, some of which were commissioned by the president.
The governor faulted claims that the federal government had abandoned the recently abducted Dapchi schoolgirls.
“It is not true that President Buhari is not concerned about the abduction of Dapchi schoolgirls. We are all witnesses to the fact that President Buhari has deployed more securities to Yobe with the aim of rescuing the abducted girls.
“The Dapchi schoolgirls’ abduction incident is an unfortunate situation, no one will wish that such a thing happen anywhere.”
He called on Nigerians with useful information toward rescuing the abducted schoolgirls to assist security operatives.
During interactions, Plateau stakeholders requested Mr. Buhari to help resettle internally displaced persons still at camps across the state.
The traditional ruler of Jos, Jacob Buba, at his palace appealed to Mr. Buhari to consider establishment of state police to curtail insecurities in Nigeria.
Mr. Buba who is the chairman council of chiefs of the state, also suggested devolution of powers to lower tiers of governments.
A large crowd besieged the state government house trying to catch a glimpse of President Buhari. They overpowered security operatives at the gate and forced their way into the government house premises.
At the town hall meeting were the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh; former deputy senate president, Ibrahim Mantu; former deputy governor of Plateau, Jethro Akun; former minister of state for information, Ibrahim Nakande, religious and opinion leaders.
The state visit by President Buhari ends Friday morning, with the commissioning of newly procured tractors for farmers.
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Tight security in Jos as Buhari visits Plateau
Security has been tightened up in most parts of Jos, Plateau State, ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s two-day working visit to the North-Central State.
Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria, who went round the city, observed heavy security presence with fierce-looking armed personnel in areas considered as flash points.
TheNewsGuru learnt that armoured tanks were positioned around many roundabouts in the city centre, while various teams of security personnel in siren-blaring vehicles were seen patrolling the city.
Mr Terna Tyopev, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), who spoke to NAN, said that the strategy was to ensure “visibility policing” and facilitate quick response to distress calls.
“The heavy presence of the security personnel is deterrent in nature; it will create fear among members of the public, particularly those with evil intention,” he said.
Buhari, who is visiting Plateau for the first time since he became President in 2015, is expected to inaugurate some road projects and also launch the state’s tractor ownership scheme.
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2 kids die, 98 injured in school bus accident in Jos
Two pupils of Our Lady of Fatima School, Kuru, near Jos in Plateau, lost their lives in an accident involving their school bus on Monday.
According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), an official of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) at the site of the incident, confirmed that the early morning accident, which occurred around Mararaba-Jama’a road, was as a result of brake failure.
“A total of 10o children and seven staff were in the bus; two children were killed instantly, while those injured have been taken to hospitals,” the official said.
According to the official, one boy and one girl lost their lives.
He added that 18 kids were taken to Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, Jos, 76 to the Plateau Specialist Hospital, Jos while four others were rushed to Bukuru Specialist Hospital.
Meanwhile, Gov. Simon Lalong has visited some of the injured children taken to Plateau Specialist Hospital.
Lalong, who visited the children on their individual beds, spoke to them in whispers, urging them to be strong.
Mr Yakub Dati, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, later told NAN that the governor had promised to pay the medical bills of those involved in the accident.