TheNewsGuru

Tag: Residents

  • Residents block Kaduna-Abuja highway, protest incessant abductions

    Residents block Kaduna-Abuja highway, protest incessant abductions

    Residents angered by incessant abductions and bandit attacks have blocked the Gonin Gora end of the Abuja-Kaduna Highway in Chikun Local Government area of Kaduna State in protest.

    The protest follows the recent abduction of four people in Ungwan Auta in Gonin Gora by bandits on Saturday night.

    The protesters, in their numbers, barricaded the busy road with stones and wood, insisting that nobody will pass until the state Governor Nasir El-Rufai addresses them.

    They also prevented the convoy of a top military officer from passing through the road.

    Gonin Gora, like some other communities in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State have been experiencing incessant attacks and kidnappings by bandits, a situation which many of the residents described as worrisome.

    Kaduna State government on Friday said a total number of 323 people were killed by bandits in Kaduna State between January and March 2021.

    The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, who presented the figures during the state security report meeting explained that of the 323 people killed by bandits during the period under review, 292 were males and 20 were females.

    He added that a total of 949 people were kidnapped by bandits during the period, while Kaduna Central senatorial district accounted for 236 deaths within Birnin Gwari, Chikun, Igabi, and Kajuru Local Government Areas.

  • VIDEO: Residents flee Geidam, acting IGP’s hometown in Yobe State after Boko Haram’s invasion

    VIDEO: Residents flee Geidam, acting IGP’s hometown in Yobe State after Boko Haram’s invasion

    A video has emerged online showing residents of Giedam, a community in Geidam local government of Yobe State in their numbers fleeing for their lives after Boko Haram’s attack and invasion of the community.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG gathered that Geidam is the hometown of the acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Usman Alkali Baba.

    The military had said that it repelled the attack, killing over 20 insurgents and recovered a vehicle and arms.

    But the residents said the insurgents hoisted their flags in parts of the community, engaging in house-to-house preaching of their ideologies.

    After being under Boko Haram siege for over 48 hours, scores of residents, including women and children fled the community on Sunday.

    Watch video below:

    https://twitter.com/incaseJackstrik/status/1386423803392237568?s=20

  • 18 Borno residents killed in Boko Haram’s latest attack – Governor Zulum

    18 Borno residents killed in Boko Haram’s latest attack – Governor Zulum

    Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, says 18 residents were killed and 21 others injured when Boko Haram insurgents attacked Damasak town.

    He confirmed the figures from residents who witnessed the attack and saw several properties destroyed when he visited the town, the governor’s media aide, Isa Gusau, said in a statement on Friday.

    The governor who was in Damasak on Thursday and spent the night had interactions with soldiers and others security forces involved in the counter-insurgency operations in the town.

    He also sympathised with the residents and assessed the level of destruction caused by the insurgents, noting that Tuesday’s attack on Damasak was the sixth in two weeks.

    According to the statement, thousands of residents who had fled to border communities in the Niger Republic returned on Friday while residents to the governor that the insurgents attacked the town with three gun trucks.

    The UN humanitarian hub, private residential houses, a police station, the palace of the district head, a primary healthcare centre, and a GSM Village were among property destroyed.

    Governor Zulum assured the residents of robust measures to avert future insurgent attacks on Damasak, saying he has directed the strengthening of agricultural activities in the town.

    As part of the measures, he held an operational meeting with soldiers and other security forces after which he presented 12 security vehicles, including an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and 11 patrol vehicles.

    The governor travelled to Damasak along with the lawmaker representing Borno North, Senator Abubakar Kyari, who hails from the town, as well as some government officials.

    Damasak, the headquarter of Mobbar Local Government Area in northern Borno, is located on the fringes of Lake Chad and shares a border with communities in the Niger Republic.

    The town used to be a producer and exporter of vegetables to target markets within Nigeria and neighbouring countries before Boko Haram occupied it in 2014 as one of their caliphates.

  • Insecurity: Zamfara Government releases number of residents killed, abducted by bandits since 2011

    Insecurity: Zamfara Government releases number of residents killed, abducted by bandits since 2011

    No fewer than 2,619 people have been killed in various attacks by bandits in Zamfara, authorities in the state have said.

    The Commissioner of Information in Zamfara, Ibrahim Dosara, noted that the deaths were recorded in the state between 2011 and 2019.

    Addressing a press conference on Friday in Kaduna State, he disclosed that the bandits also abducted 1,190 people from various parts of Zamfara in the last eight years.

    Dosara stated that over 100,000 people were displaced from their ancestral homes as a result of bandits’ activities, while 14,378 livestock were rustled within the period.

    He added that since 2011, the Zamfara State government has spent the sum of N970 million on payment of ransom to bandits to secure the release of kidnapped victims.

    The commissioner lamented that there were more than 100 different camps and over 30,000 bandits operating across Zamfara State and beyond.

    He, however, said the state government’s amnesty programme for bandits would continue in order to secure its people.

    According to Dosara, Zamfara lacks enough security forces from the Federal Government to secure the lives and properties of the people in the state.

    In spite of this, he believes the attacks by bandits in Zamfara have drastically reduced since the inception of the Bello Matawalle administration in 2019.

    The commissioner said the government has put practicable measures in place, such as the peace and reconciliation process and the amnesty programme, to tackle the security challenges in the state.

    He revealed that through the dialogue and peace process of the government, over 62 bandits have surrendered their arms – a development that has led to the release of over 2,000 kidnapped victims with the help of repentant bandits.

    Giving a background of the genesis of rural banditry in Zamfara, Dosara said it started with a conflict between the Fulani and Hausa communities in the state.

    He decried that the recent upsurge in occasional attacks and kidnappings in some parts of the state were being masterminded by some conflict entrepreneurs and informants who connived with the recalcitrant bandits to commit heinous acts.

  • ‘Okowa stop the killings,’ residents of two Delta communities protest against Fulani herdsmen

    ‘Okowa stop the killings,’ residents of two Delta communities protest against Fulani herdsmen

    Angry residents in Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State on Thursday staged protests over alleged killings perpetuated by Fulani herdsmen.

    The protesters were joined by farmers and indigenes from the Delta State University community and others from neighbouring Obiaruku community in Ukwauni Local Government Area of the state.

    Taking to the streets, they condemned killings, maiming and raping of farmers in the area chanting “enough is enough.”

    The protests, TheNewsGuru.com, TNG gathered was fueled over the recent killing of a farmer, his son and some relatives while returning from his farm in Abraka/Benin Road by Oghonogbo farm settlement junction allegedly by Fulani herdsmen. The tragic incident according to reports happened on Sunday.

    According to reports, the late farmer, identified as Egba was also a staff of Delta Staff University, Abraka, attached to the Physical Planning unit.

    The aggrieved protesters in their hundreds carrying placards that read ‘Okowa stop Fulani Herdsmen’, ‘Okowa stop the killings now’, ‘Stop killer herdsmen now, Okowa come to our aide,’ ‘Okowa we say no to Fulani killer herdsmen now’ and ‘Okowa your people are dying,’ mounted road blocks for over three hours at the popular Benin junction in Abraka on the ever busy Abraka-Agbor road.

    The angry farmers chanted songs like ‘Buhari must go’, ‘Okowa must act now’, ‘We don’t want Fulani herdsmen again,’ ‘Fulani herdsmen must leave our bushes,’ etc.

    The Chairman of the association of farmers in Abraka/Obiaruku communities, Idigun Duke, a native of Urhuoka-Abraka, who spoke with Oasis Magazine said the attack on farmers seems to have gone out of hand.

    His words: “The protest today is all about the killing of our farmers inside the bush and raping and killing our women. Someone will go to farm and won’t come back home. We have written a petition to the governor and protested to the Delta State House of Assembly. The lawmakers asked us to write a petition to the governor which we did. The governor asked us to forward the petition to Commissioner of Police which we also did. But, no one wants to help us.

    “They said we should live together that Aboki are our friends. But now, friend dey kill friend. They will root our cassava and give to their cows to eat. Our farmers no more go to farms again. We want to see our governor. Let him come and address us.

    “A farmer was killed on Sunday with his two children. They also carried a vigilante into the bush till now they are still looking for him. Another vigilante was shot on his stomach. He is at the hospital for medical attention.”

    According to him, the number of farmers so far killed is uncountable.

    Continuing, he said that they are all hungry, adding that “an hungry man is an angry man.”

    “The whole farmers are now hungry because we no more go the farm. Even if you go the cassava has been eaten by cows and we are not given compensation.

    “We don’t know if we have a governor because if we do, he must come to address us here. We don’t want the DPO and we won’t leave here until we see the governor.

    “Our demand is that they should go and clear the bush immediately so farmers can start going to their farms and come back home,” he said.

  • Water sells for N250 per jerry can as massive water shortage hits FCT; residents lament

    Water sells for N250 per jerry can as massive water shortage hits FCT; residents lament

    By Emman Ovuakporie

    The Federal Capital Territory, FCT and its satellite towns , has been hit by a massive shortage of water causing residents to lament as they wait endlessly for water board to restore water.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports the incident has led to untold hardship as residents have to pay as much as N250 per Jerry can of water.

    In a statement issued by the Water Board on Wednesday, the board made a passionate appeal to residents to bear with management pending when repairs must have been effected at the Usama Dam.

    Residents in Kubwa and adjoining satellite towns of Bwari, Dede, Dutse, Kaigini and other towns had to queue to buy water or patronise hawkers popularly known as ‘mairuwa’ to get water.

    The water shortage started last week Thursday when taps suddenly dried up.

    Read statement below:

  • Delta LG poll: Residents obey restricted movement order

    Delta LG poll: Residents obey restricted movement order

    Residents of Delta on Saturday obeyed the restricted vehicular movement order imposed by government as Local Government election holds across the state.

    The restricted vehicular movement lasts from 12 a.m to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that markets, filling stations, shops, motor parks and other business organisation were closed in Asaba, Ughelli, Sapele, Agbor and other parts of the state.

    However, few motor parks opened for vehicles travelling outside the state as early as 5.30 a.m.to be able to leave the state before daybreak as there was light traffic in some major roads in Warri metropolis.

    Some of the commercial drivers complained that the restriction order had actuall affected their work for the day.

    A bus driver at the popular Koka Park in Asaba, Mr Ben Ike, said he had spent hours without having any passenger.

    ”I came out here as early as 6:30 a.m. to enable me beat the restriction order, but here I am and there are no passengers,” he said.

    Meanwhile, some residents of Asaba and environs told NAN that they were not aware of the local government poll.

    Mrs Agnes Afam, a business centre operator, said, “I never knew today is election. I only came out to discover that today election.”

    Sunday Ugwu, a carpenter who lives on Ibusa Road, said that he was not aware that there was an election, and as such, would not go to vote.

    Others have also complained that their polling units were far from their homes and would not participate in the election as a result.

    Mr Okechukwu Onu told NAN that he lived around ULO Ibusa Road and his polling unit was at the College of Education, Asaba, a distance he considered too far.

    “I advise the people in charge of elections to bring polling units closer to us. I cannot go all the way to that place to cast my vote ” he said.

    Anothe resident, Mary Uke, said that if the polling unit was close to her, she would go and vote.

    “Considering the situation we are in right now, I cannot spend up to N1000 to and fro the polling station to cast my vote.

    “Eeven when the politicians are voted in they will not remember us,” she added.

     

  • Ekiti tells residents to use personal savings for pilgrimage, as government withdraws sponsorship

    Ekiti tells residents to use personal savings for pilgrimage, as government withdraws sponsorship

    The Ekiti State Government has advocated more private sponsorship of pilgrims to Mecca and Jerusalem, following government’s withdrawal from bankrolling the activity, according to remarks by the Deputy Governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi.

    Speaking on Tuesday, at a meeting with members of the State Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board, led by its Chairman, Alhaji Babatunde Onipede, in Ado-Ekiti, Egbeyemi noted that both the federal and state governments had stopped sponsoring pilgrims on holy pilgrimages, to save funds for development purposes.

    He told the board members, who visited him to familiarise themselves with his office, which supervises the Board in the state, that individuals interested in performing pilgrimage should do so through private savings, in view of the government’s withdrawal of sponsorship.

    “Both the Federal Government and the State Government have said they will not spend their money on pilgrimages again, and that is why there was no budgetary allocation to it.

    “Anybody wishing to perform his religious obligation of going to the Holy Lands must do so with his own personal savings, and that was what I told the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) when their executives made a similar request, because we must be fair to all,” Egbeyemi said.

    The deputy governor, however, said that the board’s demand for office furniture and utility vehicles were legitimate and would be looked into accordingly, stressing that the state government was ready to assist the board in the performance of its statutory duties.

    Egbeyemi also expressed satisfaction with the peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians in the state, which made them to live together as brothers and sisters.

    Speaking earlier, Onipede expressed gratitude to Gov. Kayode Fayemi and the deputy governor, for finding him and other members of the board worthy of being appointed to serve.

    Onipede revealed that the board was not run properly during the last administration, hence the need to draw the attention of the present administration to the situation for assistance.

    “It was not functioning as a board during the Fayose administration; it was just lying fallow there and was not run like a board.

    “In Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, we don’t have utility vehicles. Our utility vehicle in Saudi Arabia has been grounded since 2018,” he said.

    Onipede said the board also needed furniture and more funds for the smooth running of the office, for quality service delivery.

  • TRENDING: Orlu residents in Imo cry out over soldiers’ invasion, shootings; three feared dead [DISTURBING VIDEOS]

    TRENDING: Orlu residents in Imo cry out over soldiers’ invasion, shootings; three feared dead [DISTURBING VIDEOS]

    A community in Imo State, Orlu is reportedly under siege by operatives of the Nigerian Army based on residents’ reports on social media on Monday.

    There are reports of heavy shootings and some residents have been allegedly hit by stray bullets.

    The situation in the community, as well as the circumstances that led to the shootings, appeared hazy, for now.

    https://twitter.com/AfamDeluxo/status/1353765577265967104?s=20

    According to some residents, there was a military operation in the community, as a result of a clash between the army and some youth believed to be members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

    Some residents of Orlu have been capturing scenes of the crisis with their phones and uploading clips on social media.

    A video posted on Twitter, Monday afternoon, showed soldiers taking positions in a calmed street and firing gunshots.

    Some military trucks are seen, in another video, being driven through a street.

    A woman’s voice could be heard from the background of the video crying.

    “Oh my God, look at them, look at them. Oh, Jesus, I want to go home. I want to go home,” the woman, apparently frightened, cried.

    Another video showed flames of fire engulfing a building, while a corpse is seen close by at a veranda of what looks like a shop.

    “This is what is happening in Orlu,” said a man’s voice in a video. He was secretly filming the scenes of the military operation.

    “The army are shooting sporadically. They are just shooting at any vehicle that is moving, although I can’t get everything from where I am right now.

    “Orlu is in a total mess,” he said.

    The police spokesperson in the state, Ikeokwu Orlando, confirmed that a military operation was going on in Orlu, but said he did not have details of what was happening.

    Meanwhile, the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodima, was holding an emergency Security Council meeting as of 4:30p.m over the situation in Orlu.

    The Commissioner for Information in the state, Declan Emelumba, said the government would issue a statement after the security meeting.

  • Ebonyi residents uncover body of new born baby in refuse dump

    Ebonyi residents uncover body of new born baby in refuse dump

    Residents of Igweogbuofia Street, Kpirikpiri in Abakaliki metropolis of Ebonyi, have called on relevant authorities to evacuate the remains of a dead baby found at a refuse dump in the area.

    The residents made the call on Wednesday, during their separate interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki, while expressing worry over the incident.

    One of the residents in the area, Mrs Chinwe Madu, alleged that the act was not committed in the area.

    According to Madu, an unsuspected member of the public must have committed the act elsewhere and dumped the body in the street to avoid being identified.

    “This evil was not committed in this area rather the perpetrator, chose to dump the baby’s body here to cover up his or her act,” Madu said.

    Another resident, who gave his name as Mr Uguru, expressed worry over the act and called on authorities to investigate the development.

    Mrs Ogechi Nwaedu, who expressed dismay at the development, also called for evacuation of the body to avoid any health implications of the decomposing body.

    When contacted, the Environmental Health Officer, State Ministry of Environment, Mr Sunday Nwonu, said that the ministry would be working with the Nigeria Police Command in the state to evacuate the body.

    “We do not have rights to go and bury the baby because police need to be aware.

    “Whatever we are doing is with the authority of the police,” Nwonu said.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Loveth Odah, said that she had not been briefed over the matter by the Division Police Officer in charge of the area.

    “The DPO of the area has not briefed us on the matter because he told me he was still on it,” Odah said.

    NAN reports that the lifeless body of a new born baby was found in a sack at a refuse dump.