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Tag: Zamfara

  • Troops slaughter 78 bandits, recover 16 rifles in Zamfara

    Troops of the Nigerian military under the Operation Hadarin Daji have reportedly shot and killed 78 bandits in various operations carried out in Zamfara State forests in the last two months.
    The operations also led to the liberation of over 50 kidnap victims as well as the recovery of 16 AK-47 rifles, one machine gun, 14 Dane guns, two pump action rifles, three pistols and 2,437 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.
    The acting Director, Defence Information, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, revealed these at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
    He noted that the arrested bandits were currently undergoing preliminary investigation, after which they would be handed over to the proper prosecuting agencies.
    Nwachukwu said, “The Operation Hadarin Daji was launched to effectively tackle the spate of security challenges confronting some states in the north-western part of the country.
    “In the last two months, since the commencement of the joint operation, the troops have in series of encounters rescued over 50 kidnapped victims and neutralised about 78 bandits from various fortified enclaves in Zamfara and contiguous states.
    “Over 25 suspected bandits have been arrested and 14 motorcycles used by them were also recovered. The bandits are currently undergoing preliminary investigation, after which they will be handed over to the appropriate prosecuting agencies.
    “On the realisation that bandits were generating financial resources through cattle rustling, the troops also embarked on anti-cattle rustling operations, which led to the interception and stalling of cattle rustling activities. This culminated in the recovery of 2,278 cows, which had been duly returned to their respective owners.”
    Speaking on the Operation Thunder Strike, which was launched to tackle kidnappings along the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway, the defence spokesman said six kidnappers were killed by the troops, while 14 others were arrested.
    Nwachukwu said, “Troops were able to identify a number of black spots along the Abuja-Kaduna highway, such as Jere, Katare, Rijana, Kurmi-Karshi, Gidan-Mamman Black-gold and Gidan-Guza, where criminals unleash attacks on unsuspecting road users.
    “This operation led to the interception and arrest of 14 suspected kidnappers, while six bandits were neutralised.
    “The troops also discovered a group of bandits dressed in military camouflage. The troops engaged them in a fire fight and neutralised the bandits. The troops have so far recovered a total of 38 firearms comprising 11 AK-47 rifles, one semi-automatic rifle and two locally-made pistols, among others.”
     

  • PDP knocks APC for approaching Supreme Court to reverse judgement on Zamfara

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has described as blasphemous the demand made by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the Supreme Court to reverse its judgment on the Zamfara State elections.
    The main opposition party also said the move was an attempt to blackmail and set a land mine for the apex court, with intent to ambush and destroy the integrity of the court.
    Recall that the APC had approached the Supreme Court pleading with the court to reverse its decision quashing the validity of its victory in all elective positions in the last general election and awarding same to the PDP.
    In a statement Monday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP added that the motive of the APC was to sequester the institution of the judiciary and foist a totalitarian order on the polity.
    “It is also instructive to note that by asking the Supreme Court to embark on a journey to nowhere, the APC clearly sought to subvert our democratic system and surreptitiously force on Nigerians, a system that is completely alien to our constitutional democracy and outside the confines and dictates of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
    “APC’s demand is a direct threat to our democracy, peace and stability of our nation and shows its unwillingness, as a party, to abide by the rule of law.
    “It also exposes APC’s penchant for sowing crisis in our nation; a situation that should be condemned by all”, the party said.
    The PDP commended the Supreme Court for refusing to succumb to the pressure by the APC to review and reverse its lawful and well-founded judgment.
    The party said by its action, the Supreme Court has once again saved the nation from a huge constitutional crisis that could have devastated the nation’s constitutional democracy and corporate existence.
    The party urged well-meaning Nigerians, institutions of democracy, as well as the security agencies to be cautious of the APC, saying that the ruling party has shown that it is not committed to the unity and stability of the nation.

  • Supreme Court rejects APC's suit to review Zamfara judgement

    Supreme Court rejects APC's suit to review Zamfara judgement

    The Supreme Court has rejected an application by the All Progressives Congress asking it to review its last judgment in which it voided the party’s participation in the last elections in Zamfara State.
    A five-man panel of the court, led by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, in a ruling on Monday morning, struck out the application, argued by senior lawyer Robert Clarke (SAN).
    In an unprecedented judicial pronouncement last May, the Supreme Court awarded governorship, National Assembly and state Assembly elective posts to the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), by nullifying the participation of the candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2019 General Elections.
    It then declared the party with the second highest votes as winners of the elections, making the PDP candidates beneficiaries by default.
    The APC members had been locked in judicial dispute over the legality of the primaries conducted.
    Since the verdict, the APC had nursed hopes that its members could salvage something from the electoral ruins. On June 24, the state chairman, Alhaji Lawali Liman said the branch was trying to ensure that candidates who were selected unopposed were removed from Supreme Court list.
    “We held a meeting recently with the party’s National Chairman in Abuja who informed me that our party has a window to challenge the action of the INEC following the Supreme Court ruling that nullified our election in the state.
    “Since the matter taken to the court centred on irregularities of primaries, we had 13 candidates for the state House of Assembly, three for the Senate and two for the House of Representatives”
    “These were those who contested unopposed and the primaries did not affect them.
    “INEC was too hasty to declare the party with the second highest votes because the exact directive of the Supreme Court was that the next party with the ‘requisite spread should be declared and by these, our issues were not taken into consideration,” Liman said.

  • Bandits commanders agree to suspend attacks in Zamfara

    Bandits commanders in Birnin-Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara, on Friday agreed to suspend attacks on the people at a dialogue meeting with the state government and security officials.
    The bandits also said that the coast is now clear for all those displaced by the attacks to return home.
    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agreement was reached at the palace of the Emir of Birnin-Magaji.
    Present at the meeting were the state Commissioner of Police, bandits commanders, leaders of Fulani, Civilian Joint Task Force and local vigilantes known as “Yansakai”.
    The meeting, chaired by Police Commissioner Usman Nagogo, was also attended by Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security Matters, Abubakar Dauran and National leaders of Miyetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN).
    The bandits’ commanders at the meeting were: Ardo Nashawari, Audu Karki and Muhammad Bello, while the leaders of civilian JTF and vigilantes were Malam Garba Nasarawa-Godal and Alhaji Shuaibu Aliyu.
    Speaking on behalf of the bandits, Nashawari, said with the suspension of the attacks, farmers were now free to return to their farms and other residents free to go about their normal businessess.
    Nashawari added, “We believe with this dialogue,the Fulani can now go to markets, they can move freely without any hitch.”
    The Civilian JTF leader, Alhaji Shuaibu Aliyu, urged the government to ensure immediate disarming of the bandits.
    “On behalf of the entire members of Civilian JTF and Vigilance Group Birnin-Magaji Local Government Area, we commend the state government for this dialogue, we abide by it,” he said.
    On his part, the commissioner of police described the meeting as “fruitful” and restated the commitment of the command to rid the state of banditry, kidnapping and other crimes.
    “We are impressed with the comments of the warring factions, both of them have accepted the dialogue”, Nagogo said.
    The National President of MACBAN, Alhaji Ardo Kiruwa, described the dialogue as “succeeding”, noting that most of the markets that were hitherto closed due to insecurity, have been opened.
    “We were told that the Fulani were seen in Shinkafi market yesterday”, he added.
    Kiruwa called on the Fulani to cooperate with government and security agencies in order to maintain peace and stability in the state.
    Also, Dauran, the special adviser on security, thanked the people of the state for their support and cooperation toward ensuring that the dialogue succeeded.
    He cautioned against politicising the state government’s efforts at tackling the security challenges in the state.
    “We are aware that some people are using politics to challenge the government’s efforts in this regard”, he noted.
    The Emir of Birnin-Magaji, Alhaji Hussaini Maude-Dan’Ali, thanked the state government for initiating the dialogue and urged all parties to adhere to all the agreements reached during the dialogue.
    “We are happy with the outcome of this meeting, we are going to continue to support government towards ensuring the success of this dialogue”, the emir said.

  • Security Challenges: Speaker Gbajabiamila visits Zamfara on Sunday

    Security Challenges: Speaker Gbajabiamila visits Zamfara on Sunday

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila will on Sunday July 14, 2019 visit Zamfara State as part of his efforts to assess security challenges in some states across the country.
    During the visit, the Speaker is expected to travel to some specific Local Government Areas in the state that are most affected by activities of bandits and kidnappers.
    The Speaker, who will be in company of some members of the House, will also meet specific individuals such as government officials, including the state governor, community and religious leaders.
    The Speaker’s visit would afford him the opportunity to see the situation on ground, return to the House and together with members make necessary recommendations to the Executive arm of government.
    It is expected that the Executive arm will leverage on the assessment of the House on the security situations in the affected states and take further action.
    After his emergence as Number 4 Citizen, Speaker Gbajabiamila promised to visit the states that have been facing security challenges.
    This is in line with the Speaker’s campaign slogan themed ‘Nation Building: A Joint Task.’
    After Zamfara State, the Speaker will also visit other states such as Katsina, Borno, Taraba, Adamawa, Benue, among others.

  • Zamfara ALGON accuses State Govt. of denying LGs funds

    Zamfara ALGON accuses State Govt. of denying LGs funds

    Zamfara chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has accused the State Government of denying Local Governments in the state of their funds remitted from the federation account in spite of the Presidential order that such funds be sent directly to the councils’ accounts.
    Addressing a press conference in Gusau, Spokesman of the association in the state and Chairman of Maradun Local Government, Alhaji Ahmed Abubakar, alleged that the state government had totally violated the presidential order.
    “We were shocked to be told by the state government representatives at the routine monthly Joint Account(JAC) meeting that after the usual local government staff salaries and other mandatory deductions, they were directed to only give each Chairman N5 million to run the Council for the next 30 days.
    “We pointed out to them that this is a violation of the new order but they refused to listen to us.
    “This confirmed our suspicion that there are attempts by the PDP-led government in the state to sack all the 14 local government chairmen because we do not belong to the same party.
    “The state government is also trying to pitch the workers against us by saying we refused to pay salaries which is why we ran to the the press to pre-empt them,” he said.
    He said that all the council chairmen who were voted under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) would drag the state government to court for any further attempt to deny them their funds.
    “We have since drawn out our priority areas on the various projects we want to execute to the benefit of our electorate which have been approved by the state House of Assembly, therefore no one has the right to decide on how we should spend these funds.
    “The state government can monitor the councils’ expenditures through its machinery but it has no power to withhold our money,” the ALGON spokesman said.
    Reacting to the allegations, the Director-General, Press Affairs to the State Governor, Alhaji Yusuf Idris, said “the ALGON members were invited to the routine JAC meeting but they decided to boycott the process’’.
    “It is just that the council chairmen have ill motives because the Executive Governor, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, has no hand in the meeting except that he will ensure that only the right things that are in the best interest of the people of the state are done.
    “The statutory deductions are normal because they cut across payments of salaries of local government staff, primary school teachers, Mass Education Board, pensions, emirates and for training.
    “The chairmen did not even enter the meeting;the attendance register is there to confirm this, so they refused to participate in the meeting, how can they make claims on something that did not happen.
    “They should go back and perfect their plans before meeting with the press or they come along and join hands with the people oriented government of the day so that we can move the state forward.
    “Governor Matawalle has said several times that his administration will carry everyone along by giving equal opportunity to all in order to take the state to greater heights.” Idris said.

  • Kidnapping: Zamfara initiates peace accord with bandits, secures release of another 26 captives

    Kidnapping: Zamfara initiates peace accord with bandits, secures release of another 26 captives

    Mr Usman Nagogo, the Commissioner of Police in Zamfara, has assured that another 26 captives would be released by bandits following a peace accord dialogue.
    Nagogo made this known on Monday while addressing newsmen in Gusau.
    He said the peace accord committee instituted by government had already succeeded in securing the freedom of 51 captives through negotiations from the areas of Dansadau, Kaura Namoda and Shinkafi in less than a week.
    “We have our contact committee that are discussing with the bandits and the reports we are receiving is encouraging; very soon the captives will regain their freedom,” he said.
    He said the next step for the dialogue after securing release of all the captives was to start disarmament and collection of all riffles and other sophisticated weapons from the hands of both local militants and bandits.
    He commended the National Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, who was about to bring two riffles surrendered by one person to the command, saying that his commitment to success of the dialogue deserved appreciation.
    He also expressed appreciation to the two warring parties for keeping to the peace accord and enjoined them to sustain the tempo.
    Nagogo equally urged newsmen to continue to report facts with unbiased mind and sense of professionalism.
     

  • 11 abductees regain freedom in Zamfara

    11 abductees regain freedom in Zamfara

    Eleven abductees including three children, have regained their freedom in Zamfara.
    The children whom are aged between one and seven years have, alongside five men and three women, been handed over to Gov.Bello Matawalle on Sunday in Gusau.
    This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Director-General, Press Affairs to the governor, Alhaji Yusuf Idris, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gusau on Sunday.
    Idris said the eleven victims released were earlier abducted by bandits in Shinkafi and Jangeru in Shinkafi Local Government Area, and Aljimma Fulani village of Maru Local Government Area.
    He said, while receiving the rescued victims from the Commissioner of Police at the Government House, Gusau, Gov. Matawalle expressed optimism in the peace process recently initiated by his administration which was yielding positive results and ending security challenges in the state.
    “The governor also expressed happiness that in the past three days, he has not received any report of kidnapping, Cattle rustling or bandits attack in any part of the state unlike in the past when such reports came several times in a day,” the director-general said.
    He said the governor then commended the efforts of security agencies, especially the police, in tackling banditry in the state, and assured of his continued support for them to rid the state of all forms of criminality.
    Earlier while handing over the rescued persons to the governor, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Usman Nagogo, reiterated his commitment to the peace process which was recently initiated by the governor.
    Nagogo said the victims had been in captivity for over two months and that during the rescue operation, the bandits also released one Abubakar Halliru, an indigene of Gwaronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
    NAN reports that the governor had directed the government house clinic to take care of all the medical needs of the victims before the state government would finally reunite them with their respective families.
    NAN also reports that with the release of the 11 persons, the police have rescued a total of 51 abductees from repentant bandits between Thursday and Sunday under the governor’s peace and reconciliation initiative.

  • 40 kidnap victims regain freedom in Zamfara

    The Zamfara Police Command has secured the release of no fewer than 40 people being held in various hideouts by volunteer vigilante groups and bandits in the state.
    Their rescue followed reconciliation and peace agreement processes jointly put in place by the Zamfara State Government and the Police Command in the State
    The agreement led to the freeing of no fewer than 40 kidnap victims from their captors between Thursday and Friday in the state.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Bello Matawalle as part of the agreement, had extended an amnesty offer to bandits in the state to surrender their weapons and embrace peace.
    The Police Command also followed the pledge by asking all repentant bandits who had innocent persons in their captivity to release them in furtherance of the peace treaty.
    This led to the rescue of initial 25 persons of Fulani extraction comprising men, women and children who were initially held by volunteer vigilante groups.
    The 25 victims had been released by their captors in Dansadau Emirate of Maru Local Government Area of the state where they were detained by vigilantes since April 9, this year.
    Another 15 persons comprising 13 males and two females were rescued by the police from the hands of bandits operating in the bushes of Shinkafi Local Government Area of the state.
    This was confirmed to journalists by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Mohammed Shehu.
    He said, “Today being 5th of July 2019, the Commissioner of police Zamfara State Command, CP Usman Nagogo, has once again perfected the release of fifteen (15) kidnapped victims from the hands of armed bandits in Shinkafi LGA.
    “It will be recalled that yesterday 25 Fulani’s abducted by YANSAKAI volunteer group since on the 9th of April, 2019 were successfully released to the Commissioner of Police who later handed them over to the state executive governor,” the PPRO stated.
    In his response to the development, the National Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Mohammed Kiruwa applauded the efforts of the state government and Police Command for the initiative.
    He expressed confidence that all victims under the captivity of the bandits would soon be released to the government in order to reunite them with their relations.
    While receiving the kidnapped victims from the Commissioner of Police, Matawalle commended the commissioner for his dedication and total commitment towards ensuring peace in Zamfara.
    He also described the release of the kidnapped persons as a sign that the peace process was succeeding and urged for continued support and prayers from the people of the state.
    The governor directed the Government House Clinic to check the medical statuses of the victims and said the state government would organise a ceremony that would bring the Fulani, vigilante members and other people to witness the handing over of the victims to their respective families to further demonstrate that the peace process was working.
    NAN gathered that one of the rescued victims, Haruna Na-Hantsi wa a national of the neighbouring state of Maradi in Niger Republic.
    Another victim, Ibrahim Mohammed Moriki, a Community Health Worker attached to Kuturu Primary Healthcare Center said he was kidnapped by bandits over 20 days ago while some of those rescued along with him had spent more than two months in the hands of the bandits before he joined them.
    He informed the governor that they were released from a village called Kagara in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State before they were brought to the Gusau Government House.

  • We are ready to challenge INEC on Supreme Court ruling in Zamfara – APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara said it will challenge the Independent National Electoral Commission over some elective posts gifted to the Peoples Democratic Party, following the Supreme Court ruling on the APC primaries.

    The state Chairman of the party, Alhaji Lawali Liman, disclosed this at a press briefing held at the party’s state Secretariat in Gusau, on Wednesday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that all elective positions from the 2019 general elections in the state were earlier declared for the APC until a Supreme Court ruling nullified them all.

    The court declared the parties with the second highest votes in the elections as winners.

    “We held a meeting recently with the party’s National Chairman in Abuja who informed me that our party has a window to challenge the action of the INEC following the Supreme Court ruling that nullified our election in the state.

    “Since the matter taken to the court centred on irregularities of primaries, we had 13 candidates for the state House of Assembly, three for the Senate and two for the House of Representatives”

    “These were those who contested unopposed and the primaries did not affect them.

    “INEC was too hasty to declare the party with the second highest votes because the exact directive of the Supreme Court was that the next party with the ‘requisite spread should be declared and by these, our issues were not taken into consideration,” he said.

    Liman said that the APC was looking into the matter with a view to seeking redress.