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Tag: Security

  • Police flood Jigawa, explain high security presence

    Police flood Jigawa, explain high security presence

    The Police have explained that the high security presence in Jigawa was to forestall breach of the peace during Saturday’s re-run election.

    According to the Commissioner of Police, Mr Effiom Ekot, the situation has nothing to do with Tuesday’s explosion in Dutse in which one person was injured.

    Ekot made this known in an interactive session with newsmen ahead of the assembly rerun election in five Local Government Areas.

    A device exploded at the popular Hakimi street in Dutse and injured a businessman, Mr Friday Frayo. Since then, military check points have sprung up along major routes in the state.

    “We want to raise the security conscious of our people and equally tell those who like to cause trouble in the state to know that we are on ground and will not tolerate any situation that causes apprehension.

    “I want to appeal to residents to remain calm. The increased police and military visibility is for the peace and good of all of us.

    “So people should cooperate with all security agencies to make sure that the state maintained its status of number one peaceful state in the country,” the CP said.

    He assured that “nobody is being harassed and nobody will be harassed. Those doing their legitimate businesses should continue to do that without any fear.

    “The check points were not because of the recent explosion, but for tomorrow’s election, so those doing legitimate businesses should not be afraid.”

    The police chief assured that the explosion was being investigated, adding that anyone found involved will be dealt with accordingly.

    He however said no arrest has been made by the command, but added that the police was on top of the situation.

    Meanwhile, Ekot had at a meeting with religious leaders alerted them to enjoin their followers to be security conscious and report any suspicious faces or movement to security agencies.

    He also advised them to take preventative measures at places of worship, including the screening of worshippers.

  • Plateau Assembly will remain sealed – CP

    Plateau Assembly will remain sealed – CP

    The  Commissioner of Police in Plateau, Mr. Batholemew Onyeka,  said that the state House of Assembly would remain sealed till security threats within and around the assembly complex were tackled.

    Onyeka stated this on Tuesday in Jos while addressing newsmen on why it was sealed by security personnel since April 5.

    The commissioner said that the command has intelligence report on impending attack on the complex that may lead to breakdown of law and order.

    He said that the command, through social media, got the information that Abok Ayuba, the former speaker impeached on Oct. 28, 2021, got judgment in his favour to be reinstated.

    “The members had an unrestricted and unfettered access to the assembly complex which is a clear testimony that the assembly was unsealed before that judgment was passed.

    “But we got information that some mischievous persons who, based on intelligence mobilised to ensure that they gain unrestricted access by all  means to the assembly complex.

    “I took the decision to seal the assembly complex to ensure that the State House of Assembly is safe and that neither life nor property is lost,”he said.

    Onyeka said that based on the intelligence at his disposal, he invited members of the assembly with their lawyers to his office.

    He said he advised the lawmakers to avoid anything that would lead to breakdown of law and order hence, the deployment of policemen to the complex.

    “It will be a negligence and dereliction of duty on my part as the commissioner of police if having gotten the intelligence and fails to do that for which I’m here to do.

    “The deployment of police personnel to the assembly wasn’t targeted at any group or persons but to maintain peace, protect lives and property.

    The commissioner appealed to the people of Plateau to avoid being used by any person or group of persons, to achieve their self-serving and selfish ambitions.

    He urged all law abiding citizens to go about their lawful businesses and the warring parties, to seek peaceful ways of settling their differences in accordance with the rule of law.

    Ayuba who was impeached was reinstated by the Plateau High Court on April 3.

    He resumed duty on Tuesday, April 4, and presided over the assembly plenary.

    Ayuba’s successor, Yakubu Sanda, and 12 others filed an appeal and stay of execution on April 4.

    Both Sanda and Ayuba are laying claims to the speakership of the assembly.

    Ayuba while relying on his reinstatement, Sanda is holding unto the stay of execution.

  • A nation that lost its way – By Owei Lakemfa

    A nation that lost its way – By Owei Lakemfa

    AS an aspirant in 2022, the President of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, made a pilgrimage to Keffi, Nasarawa State. He needed the blessings of one of the most consummate and influential law professors the country has ever produced: Onje Gye-Wado. The latter from 1999, was for four years, Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State. He was also former Law Dean of the Nasarawa State University, and Dean, Faculty of Law, Birmingham University.

    He agreed to support Maikyau provided he agrees to use his NBA Presidency to fight for a better country because he believes that lawyers should be the engine of change in society. This was no mere rhetoric because Gye-Wado not only passionately believes it, but lives it. He was one of the enthusiasts of the legendary former NBA President, Alao Aka-Bashorun who built the pro-people foundations of the association and made the NBA a body even military dictators had to contend with.

    Gye-Wado is not just full of law and enthusiasm for the Nigerian people, he is also passionate about football. He helped develop the sport in the country at various levels, including being at a time, Member of the Nigeria Football Association, NFA.

    What many may not know about the quiet Professor Gye-Wado is his reach in the Labour Movement. When the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, moved its headquarters from Lagos to Abuja in 2002, my colleague, Chris Uyot who was in charge of information, and I travelled to see Gye-Wado in Keffi, not just to inform him we had moved to Abuja, but primarily to drink from his ever-flowing fountain of knowledge.

    When in 2004, the Labour Party, then known as the Party for Social Democracy, PSD, ran into leadership problems, it was to Gye-Wado the NLC leadership turned to for assistance. Congress approached him to become the party chairman and steer it along the pro-masses lines for which it was established. Although he eventually did not become the chair, but it was an indication how high the Labour Movement held Gye-Wado.

    But Prof is like a rich orange tree many want to pluck from; unfortunately, these included terrorists and bandits who made some attempts to kidnap him. On Good Friday, April 7, 2023 Gye-Wado was in his village, Gwagi, Rinza near Wamba in the Wamba Local Government Area of Nasarawa State to observe the Easter period. Bandits broke into his home and abducted him. They are demanding a N70 million ransom. The kidnappers must think his richness in humanism means he is financially rich. We all should rally round the family and support all efforts to get this consummate humanist released.

    The attack on Gye-Wado is not isolated. It is part of the lawlessness that pervades the country, especially the North-Central. A combination of terrorists, bandits, local and foreign armed militias have turned the region into killing fields.

    Three days before Gye-Wado’s kidnap, armed men invaded Umuogidi Village in the Enetekpa Adoka District of Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State and killed three persons. The next day when the people gathered to bury the dead, it turned out to be a trap. The criminals descended on the mourners and massacred 51 of them. This case is not just about the massacres but the cynical way of getting the people to gather for burial and then opening fire on them. It is the Islamic State, ISIS, template of triggering off a small bomb, and when a crowd gathers to rescue the victims, a bigger bomb is set off. This is to ensure maximum casualty.

    This same Good Friday Gye-Wado was abducted, bandits attacked internally displaced persons, IDPs, at their shelter in the LGEA Primary School, Mgban, Nyiev Council Ward, Guma Local Government of Benue State killing at least 43 persons, including pregnant women and children, with scores injured and several people missing. If the goal of the attackers is not genocide, why after forcing people off their ancestral lands, would they still massacre them in the IDP camps?

    Earlier on Monday in the region, bandits who had abducted 60 persons in the Adunu and Kwagana communities in the Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State, executed five of the hostages, including a serving police officer, and his retired colleague, Moses Tanko alias Arada System. They were executed following the two communities inability to meet a Sunday, April 2, 2023 deadline that they pay N100 million ransom. After the executions, the bandits sent three women who they had raped for about two weeks, to take the news back to the communities and warn them against further delay of the ransom.

    In March, 2023 alone, at least 26 violent crimes were visited on the people of the region. In Benue State in the past 40 days, alleged herders have killed over 157 persons: 41 in Kwande; 8 in Gwer West; Agatu, 4; Guma 10; Mgban 43 and 51 in Umuogidi. These are mainly terrorist acts perpetuated, especially by foreign armed groups who seize villages, settle in, and rename them without any known challenge from the Nigerian Armed Forces, or order from His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces that the invaders be flushed out.

    These acts of genocide have been brought several times to his attention, including by Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom. But he has not ordered the military to take back these dozens of villages and towns, and return the victims who are forced to live in Internally Displaced Peoples camps. This may stem from President Buhari’s insistence that the on-going massacres in Benue and Plateau states are not armed invasions by local and foreign armed militia, but merely “inter-communal conflicts”. This claim, he repeated in his Saturday April 8, 2023 reaction to the unconscionable massacres in Umuogidi.

    The Vanguard Newspapers in June 30, 2018 reported that as at five years ago, these ethnic militias had invaded, seized and renamed over 54 communities in Plateau State alone! Are these “communal” clashes?

    Since they have been unchallenged over the years, these bandits and terrorists have spread their crimes against humanity to Niger State where towns have been sacked and citizens forced to live in IDP camps or flee to safer areas, including Abuja. In March, 2023, bandits in the state killed six and abducted 50 in Rafi and killed 15, including four soldiers in Munya with 15 held hostage.

    A caveat on these serious crimes statistics is that they are conservative as they reflect only verifiable ones, crimes the victims report or those that got media attention.

    The nation has lost its way. I do not have faith in the out-going government; the hope is that the in-coming administration will change the security narrative.

  • Election: Heavy security presence in Ibadan as voters troop to polling centres

    Election: Heavy security presence in Ibadan as voters troop to polling centres

    There was heavy security presence within Ibadan metropolis on Saturday, as voters trooped to the polling centres to exercise their franchise.

    A correspondent visited some areas within the city, including Eleyele, Ososami, Oke-Ado, Ring Road and Iyaganku, among others, to observe the turn out and compliance by the electorate.

    NAN observed that as at 8.00 a.m, electoral officials had been at their duty posts, arranging their materials and awaiting the arrival of the voters.

    Similarly, heavy presence of security personnel were also seen around the city, with mostly soldiers mounting road blocks and enforcing restriction of vehicular movements.

    The soldiers also mounted road blocks around Mobil roundabout, Akinyemi area and in front of the police headquarters at Eleyele, stopping vehicles who were not on election duties and forcing them out of their vehicles to sit down and observe the goings-on.

    Officials of INEC, corps members and unarmed policemen were also seen moving in various chartered buses to various polling units as early as 6.55 a.m.

    Some of the voters, who spoke with NAN, said that they had to walk to their polling units since there was a restriction on vehicular movement.

    One of the voters, simply identified as Mrs Lawson, said she was going to exercise her civic right, stressing “it will be unfair not to partake in the electoral process.”

    Another voter, Mrs Tosin Adeleye, who said she had to trek more than 40 minutes to her polling unit, however, expressed her dissatisfaction with the treatment by security personnel.

    “Although when I showed them my voter card, they allowed me to pass, nevertheless, they have to take it easy with people so that they don’t feel intimidated.

    “But, for now, the situation is good and I pray it is maintained so we can cast our votes and go back home in peace,” she said.

    At New Adeoyo road, a voter, Alhaji Mohammed AbdulAzeez, commended the security situation around the area, attributing it to the tension recorded in the build-up to the election.

    “We can all see the tension on Thursday when political parties attacked and killed their supporters. So I think the mobilisation of security is a welcome development and I want to believe this will encouraged the electorate to come out to cast their votes and return home safely.

  • Analysis: How Nigerians defied several obstacles to vote

    Analysis: How Nigerians defied several obstacles to vote

    Nigerians on Saturday displayed sheer patriotism and courage as they defied several obstacles to choose their next president and representatives at the National Assembly.

    In more than 60 per cent of polling units across the country, election officials and materials came late, but citizens remained resolutely patient and ensured that they contributed to the history of electing the president of their choice.

    Accreditation and voting in some polling units commenced after the official closing time of 2:30pm and continued late into the night without adequate provision of power. Phone torchlights and car headlamps became the alternative source of power in these polling units.

    There was also a heavy downpour of rain in some places like Delta and Edo states, but it could not stop the exercise from holding. Photos and videos emerged showing Nigerians maintaining queues under the rain, with or without umbrellas to insist on their right to vote.

    Political thugs also reportedly invaded some polling units to disrupt the voting process. Ballot boxes were destroyed, others carted away and some BVAS machines were seized.

    A young lady identified as Efidi Jennifer, has been hailed as a hero after she returned with a plastered face and blood-stained shirt to cast her vote following an attack by hoodlums at her polling unit in Surulere, Lagos which left her with injuries close to the eye.

    Voters in some parts of Lagos state also faced intimidation and ethnic discrimination from political thugs who prevented non-indigenes of the state and non-supporters of the All Progressives Party (APC) from voting.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), postponed elections in 141 polling units in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State where voting was also disrupted, after ad-hoc staff expressed apprehension about going back to conduct the election.

    Counting and collation of election results are expected to continue for a couple of days before a winner is announced.

  • Nigerian army releases hotlines to public ahead of election

    Nigerian army releases hotlines to public ahead of election

    The Nigerian Army (NA) has approved a list of Hotlines to report any suspicious act of violence by unscrupulous persons during the forthcoming general election.

    The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Nwachukwu said the hotlines were to afford members of the public, the opportunity to support the efforts of security agencies in ensuring peaceful elections across the country.

    He said the hotlines were also released to report the conduct of troops deployed to provide security during the election.

    This, according to him, is part of Nigerian army’s move to support the police, which is the lead security agency, to ensure  successful conduct of free, fair and peaceful elections.

    Recalled that the Nigerian army had earlier produced and circulated Codes of Conduct and Rules of Engagement for Operation Safe Conduct to its formations and Units.

    The manual is to provide guidance and ensure that troops operate within the provisions of the law.

    “Members of the general public are please enjoined to call the phone numbers below in their various states including the Federal Capital Territory Abuja to report any security breach during the elections:

    ABIA STATE 08031113129

    ADAMAWA STATE 08022750987

    AKWA-IBOM STATE 07034470916

    ANAMBRA STATE 07035891185

    BAUCHI STATE 08128063675

    BAYELSA STATE 08033241005

    BENUE STATE 08080754339

    BORNO STATE 09099616160, 08086987079

    CROSS RIVER STATE 08037084192

    DELTA STATE 07035070797

    EBONYI STATE  08158274048

    EDO STATE  09066325953

    EKITI STATE  08037851448

    ENUGU STATE 09032102212, 08023097458

    GOMBE STATE  07063908779, 08082557782

    IMO STATE  07034907427

    JIGAWA STATE  07017791414, 08100144363

    KADUNA STATE 07031544227, 08028580978, 08035242633

    KANO STATE  08038432656

    KATSINA STATE 08108854061, 09012998054

    KEBBI STATE  09130213661

    KOGI STATE  08033217964

    KWARA STATE  09060001270

    LAGOS STATE 08034025825, 08023190487, 09024409000 08033709434

    NASSARAWA STATE 09051009404

    NIGER STATE  07031346425

    OGUN STATE  09116589494

    ONDO STATE  08036130535

    OSUN STATE  09019683922

    OYO STATE  07047703000

    PLATEAU STATE  08037116395, 07031260622

    RIVERS STATE  08064274222

    SOKOTO STATE  07069084570, 07052693532, 08136913284

    TARABA STATE  08136728969, 08060902363

    YOBE STATE  08061397656

    ZAMFARA STATE  08140075541

    FCT  09114913164, 08186690471, 08079153860, 08034276240, 08164304255, 09159793968.

  • 2023 polls: We are good to go on all fronts – CDS, Irabor

    2023 polls: We are good to go on all fronts – CDS, Irabor

    The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor has reassured Nigerians that the armed forces and other security agencies are ready to provide safe and secure environment for the 2023 general elections.

    Irabor gave the assurance while briefing newsmen shortly after meeting with service chiefs and heads of security agencies on Monday in Abuja.

    The closed-door meeting was attended by Service Chiefs, Inspector-General of Police, Directors General of Department of State Services (DSS) and National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI).

    He said the purpose of the meeting was to review security arrangements for the elections and develop action plans to ensure that the exercise hold under a peaceful atmosphere.

    “We have just finished the meeting. The service chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, the DSS, represented by the Director of Operations, the DG, NIA and the CDI.

    “Looking at the security for the elections and as you know, the police is the lead agency for elections security, we have compared notes and assessed the entire situation and we are good to go.

    “The assessment is that we are set on all fronts.

    “We got representation from the Independent National Electoral Commission, who of course you have interacted with, and has also told Nigerians and the world that they are ready for this election.

    “By and large, we are good to go and I like to use this opportunity to assure Nigerians that on the security front, we are good to go on all fronts,” he said.

    Irabor also gave assurance that the security agencies would cover every part of the country to ensure peaceful elections, so that all eligible Nigerians exercise their franchise.

    He added that contingency actions had been taken to address areas with peculiar security challenges.

    The CDS warned those that intend to cause trouble during the elections to have a have rethink, “because they will have a bloody nose”.

  • INEC requires 13,000 security personnel for elections in Enugu State – REC

    INEC requires 13,000 security personnel for elections in Enugu State – REC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it requires no fewer than 13,000 security personnel for the general elections in Enugu State.

    Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state disclosed this on Monday in Enugu.

    Newsmen reports that INEC has fixed Saturday, February 25, for Presidential and National Assembly elections and March 11, for Governorship and State Assembly elections.

    Chukwu said that the Inter-agency Consultation Committee on Election Security was working to mobilise and deploy the required number of security personnel to ensure hitch-free elections in the state.

    He said that the security personnel would be deployed to the 4,145 polling units, 260 Registration Area Centres and collation centres across the 17 council areas in the state.

    The REC revealed that security had been beefed up at local government offices of the commission, adding that deployment of non-sensitive materials had commenced ahead of the elections.

    “We are working ahead of the commission’s schedule and ensuring practical proactive implementation of all timelines of INEC in the state.

    “We have continued to have constant meetings and engagement with stakeholders to ensure secured, free, fair and credible elections in Enugu state.

    “We are ready to ensure that 2023 elections will be the best in the state especially with the use of technology,” he said.

  • Gunmen storm Delta Community, kill three, behead one

    Gunmen storm Delta Community, kill three, behead one

    There are indications that Gunmen that stormed Ase-Omuku community in Ndokwa East Local Government Area in Delta state on Wednesday reportedly cut-off Chief Okwudili Obi while killing three others including a 13-year-old boy, a policeman, and a Major of the Nigerian Army.

    This was made known by the Youth President of Ase-Omuku Community, Victor Enebeli, who happens to be the younger brother to one of the persons killed by the gunmen.

    Enebili narrated the incident to pressmen in Delta state.

    According to Enebeli, the gunmen stormed the community in the morning before carrying out the dastardly act.

    “At 11 am on Wednesday, 08/02/2023, the gunmen went to the house of one of our leaders at Umutu because he was their prime target. They could not get him because he was not at home; at about 3 am, some dissident community members led the gunmen into the community and started shooting for almost one hour, killing a community Chief Okwudili Obi and cutting off his head. They also killed one other young man, a stray bullet hit a young boy of 13 years killing the boy while his mother is in the hospital.”

    Enebeli commended the military officers at Sterling Energy Exploration and Production Company (SEEPCO) for prompt intervention to chase the gunmen out of the community.

    He said: “As the gunmen were running out of the community, they shot a policeman dead at Ashaka and also shot two soldiers and a Major in Kwale.

    He added: “Three other injured persons whom the gunmen shot thinking they were dead are in the hospital. The gunmen actually went to Breman Hospital by Kwale roundabout to kill the injured people who were receiving treatment there to remove all witnesses, unknown to them there was a soldier checkpoint there, and they shot the Major and another soldier.

    “The Major has been confirmed dead. The gunmen’s vehicle developed a fault at Ashaka and they abandoned it.”

    Describing the incident as barbaric and inhuman, Enebeli noted that, irrespective of differences among the indigenes of Ase Umoku community, it should not lead to the killing of fellow indigenes.

    He said the relevant authorities including the Nigeria Police and Nigerian Army were already informed and are aware of the incident.

    A source in the community urged the Delta State Government and its security outfit Operation Delta Hawk to commence a thorough investigation into the incident and arrest persons involved in the senseless killing and beheading of Chief Okwudili Obi.

    The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe confirmed the report over the phone when reached but refused to give details concerning the incident.

    “Confirmed. No details for now,” he said.

  • IG sets up team to identify, mitigate threats to election security

    IG sets up team to identify, mitigate threats to election security

    The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Usman Baba, has approved the setting up of an Election Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Team ahead of the general elections.

    The Force Public Relations, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He said members of the team would be deployed across states of the federation to identify, analyse and mitigate threats to security during the elections.

    Adejobi said the team would carry out on-the-spot assessment and appraisal of the security emplacements ahead of the general elections.

    He said the setting up of the team was in furtherance of the I-G’s drive for safe, secured and credible general elections.

    The spokesman added that it was also to ensure adequate security coverage before, during and after the elections.

    The team is headed by AIG Garba Umar, Vice President INTERPOL and Head of National Crime Bureau.

    The police spokesman said the team consists of experienced and seasoned police officers with vast knowledge in election security management.

    He said that Umar would be assisted by AIG Habu Sani, the Force Secretary, Mr Basil Idegwu, Commissioner of Police, Election Monitoring and the Force Public Relations Officer.

    Others include seven CPs, 15 Deputy Commissioners of Police, 30 Assistant Commissioners of Police, 30 Chief Superintendents of Police and 16 Strategic Officers of other ranks.

    He said the I-G had reiterated the commitment of the police to ensure that the elections were safe, secure, credible and in line with global best practices.

    “The I-G tasked the team to, among other things, ensure the propriety of deployments, give real-time coverage of the electoral process, and safeguard against hostile external and internal influence.

    “You are to use the INTERPOL, anti-cybercrime and intelligence tools and assets of the Nigeria Police Force,” he said.

    Adejobi said the I-G had reaffirmed the establishment and viability of the Electoral Offences Desks domiciled at Criminal Investigation Departments (SCID) of all commands across the nation.

    He said the desk would be headed by the Assistant Commissioners of Police in charge of the SCID.

    Adejobi said the responsibility of desk was to collate, investigate and prosecute all matters relating to electoral offences nationwide.