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Tag: Zamfara

  • Banditry: Presidency commences screening of mining operators in Zamfara

    The Presidency is demanding details of all those licensed to do mining operations in Zamfara State and the pattern of illegal mining.

    The screening according to presidential sources is for the purpose of tackling the crises in the state.

    Tasked with providing the required information are the Mining Cadastral Office (MCO) and other relevant government agencies.

    Already, the Federal Government has ordered cessation of mining activities and ordered in the military as part of measures to tackle widespread banditry in the state.

    Sources in Abuja said that the various security agencies’ reports on Zamfara State are being taken together for special analysis.

    Page 23 of the 100-page “Roadmap for the Growth and Development of the Nigerian Mining Industry” published by the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development states that cumulative mineral licenses granted to various enterprises operating in Zamfara State was 206 as at 2015 but the number is believed to have increased within the past three years.

    The publication notes five categories of those involved in mining activities in Nigeria, starting with the majors or international firms, Junior Explorers, Small-scale miners and the overlapping hordes of Artisanal Miners who operate without mining licence and the Illegal Miners, a group that includes Nigerians and numerous non-Nigerians.

    The document, on page 40, identifies $27 billion as annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) target for Nigeria’s mining sector by 2025.

    Stressing that any firm that begins mining solid minerals with its Exploration Licence and without a Mining Lease is an illegal miner, the Director-General of MCO, Mr. Obadiah Simon Nkom several categories of people doing mining activities tend to cluster around areas covered by a firm with valid Mining Lease, adding that a specialized unit under the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development works with other security agencies in efforts to ensure peace and order.

    Although the MCO’s Director-General, Mr. Nkom, a mining engineer, declined to disclose the number of licensed firms and when its database on mining operations and relevant recommendations would be forwarded to the Presidency, he emphasized that there is much cause to be optimistic about the Federal Government’s determination to restore normalcy in the state.

    He said:”MCO’s statutory focus is on leases while bodies like the Mines Inspectorate Unit under the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development focuses on how to maintain law and order in mining activities.

    “Mechanized mining is great, but because we have over-depended on oil for a long time, we need to grow our solid minerals sector gradually and it may take a while to see results; the most important thing is that we all owe this country a duty to make things work,” said Nkom who was formerly MCO’s Director of Concession.

    According to Nkom who is also the President of Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), the Federal Government is serious about its intention to boost mining and develop it into a multi-billion dollar revenue earner for Nigeria as part of the steps towards actualizing the lofty objectives of the Economic Recovery and Growth Programme.

    “It is very important for all of us, including the mass media and all stakeholders to discharge their responsibilities with patriotism towards moving this nation forward,” he said , adding that the prevailing situation and the security strategies being implemented by the Federal Government do not favour much disclosures about mining and other issues in Zamfara State at the moment.

    Emphasizing that mining has a long gestation period, he stated that the MCO is being repositioned towards boosting Nigeria’s revenue potentials from mining, Nkom said that new strategies are being implemented to attract more domestic and international investors into the sector.

    Responding to inquiries about the much-delayed Baba-Tsauni mechanized project in which a Nigerian company, Iron Ore Mining Nigeria Limited which holds the Mining Lease is bringing in Germany-based parent company of Julius Berger Plc as Technical operator with a target of generating 8, 000 employment for Nigerians, Nkom stated that he feels constrained to respond because the matter is in court.

    “We carry out our statutory responsibilities without political or any other sentiments and we comply with all legal processes; the MCO has not lost cases in court over the years and we are prepared to abide by the outcome of any pending legal matter,’ he added.

    Nkom said that his priorities for attracting foreign investors include putting all lease applications and other mining processes online so that mining firms across the world can develop more interest in Nigeria’s mining sector.

    “Also, a prototype has been developed and within the next few months, MCO would physically establish a presence in each of the nation’s six geo-political zones instead of having a single office located in Abuja as part of measures towards making MCO more accessible to prospective miners in Nigeria.

    “MCO aims for maximum transparency in the best interest of Nigeria; anything outside the law is not acceptable and we are working with Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and others; you do not need to know anybody or come from some particular state or political party; if your application reaches us before that of Dangote, yours takes precedence,” Nkom said.

    The Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office (MCO) was established under the Mining and Minerals Act (2007) as an autonomous· body· for administering mining titles also has capacity to supply useful information and recommendations on illegal mining operations.

  • Troops kill six bandits, arrest informants in Zamfara

    The Nigerian Army on Monday said troops deployed to the northwest on operation Habin Kunama III have neutralized six bandits and arrested 18 informants including a district head while on clearance operations.

    Its Acting Director of Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa said in a statement that weapons were also recovered from the bandits.

    Col. Musa said: “Troops on Operation HABIN KUNAMA III, based on credible intelligence about bandits’ movements in Kirsa and Sunke in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State, have on the 20th of April 2019 continued with the clearance operation into the hinterland to clear the brigands.

    “Consequently, the troops made contact and engaged the bandits in a fierce shoot out at the bushes of Kirsa and Sunke villages which resulted in the extermination of six (6) criminals, the recovery of two AK 47 Riffles and two motorcycles.

    “Similarly, at the general areas of Doka and Mutu villages in Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara State, troops on clearance operation also had a serious encounter on the 20th of April 2019 with a group of well- armed bandits which lasted for about two hours.

    “The brigands were armed with sophisticated automatic weapons, were overpowered by troops, forcing survivors among them to abandon their camps and logistics which were destroyed by the troops.

    “Additionally, 18 suspected informants and errand men to the bandits including the village Heads of Doka and Mutu villages were arrested.

    “The Force Commander (FC) Major General Hakeem Oladapo Otiki reiterated the resolve of troops to tackle the menace of armed banditry and other forms of criminality in Zamfara and the contiguous states of Kebbi, Katsina and Sokoto.

    “He enjoined members of the public to continue cooperating with the troops and other security agencies by providing information that will assist in dealing with bandits/banditry activities in the States.”

  • Zamfara Emirs make U-turn, apologise to NAF over killings allegations

    The Chairman, Zamfara State Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Attahiru Ahmad, has apologized to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) over its recent allegations that innocent citizens were killed in the state during air strikes by personnel of the Air Force.

    The Chairman Council of Chiefs, who is also the Emir of Anka, made the apology when a seven-man high powered investigation team led by AVM Idi Lubo visited him at his palace in Anka on Saturday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the traditional rulers had, a fortnight ago, alleged that air strikes on suspected bandits camps hit at and killed innocent citizens in some parts of the state.

    The emirs spoke at a press briefing through the Emir of Bungudu, Alhaji Hassan Attahiru.

    This followed an emergency meeting they held in reaction to an earlier accusation by the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mansur Dan Ali, that some high ranking traditional rulers were conniving with the bandits.

    The Emir of Bungudu also followed up the claim with the release of the names of some persons who were killed in the air strikes.

    The Emir of Anka, however, said “the council regrets the embarrassment caused by the press briefing because it was not targeted at the Air Force or the army but at our own son, the Minister of Defence, who wrongly accused us of complicity in the bandits activities in the state.

    “l apologize over whatever embarrassment the statement may have caused and from now, we have drawn a line, there won’t be anything like that again, and I want to appeal that care should be applied while tracking the bandits and when they run from your fire power into the community, the land army should take over so as to avoid killing the innocent.

    “Out of the 17 emirate councils that we have in the state, mistakes occurred in only four and the submissions we made were gathered in the last two years, l also want to state that nothing happened on innocent citizens in the last six months in the state,” he said.

    While speaking on the list of killed persons that was later released by the Emir of Bungudu, the Chairman of the Council of Chiefs said: “The Emir of Bungudu is not the spokesman of the council even though he read our press briefing that day.

    “The list of victims that he released to the press on a later day did not emanate from me nor was I aware of it as the Chairman, l will only take responsibility because l am the Chairman”.

    He then assured that the traditional council would continue to support security agencies in the fight against armed banditry in the state and urged the army to go and occupy deserted villages where some of the bandits were hiding.

    Earlier, leader of the team, AVM Idi Lubo, said the team was in the state to investigate the true position of the allegations in order to avoid future occurrance.

    “We have also come with condolence letter from the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar, in case some innocent people were killed in our encounter with bandits.”

    NAN reports that the team was taken round stakeholders by the Commander of the 207 Quick Response Group in the state, Squadron Leader Sunkanmi Thomas.

  • Banditry: Zamfara Govt denies knowledge of killing of innocent citizens

    …as NAF commences investigations into alleged killing

    Zamfara State Government has denied official knowledge of innocent citizens allegedly being killed during air strikes on suspected bandits camps by the air component of Operation Sharan Daji.

    The denial was made by the Secretary to the Government, Prof. Abdullahi Shinkafi when he received a high powered investigation team from the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) headquarters in Gusau on Friday.

    “The report making rounds in some media outlets that civilians were killed during air strikes by personnel of the NAF in some parts of the state is not the official position of the state government.

    “l did not receive any official report to this effect, but only got to know about it in the media.

    “Instances of collateral damage are not supposed to go public but should be discussed in order to avoid future occurrence,” he said.

    The SSG said the information was “an observation from the Council of Chiefs which needs to be substantiated.

    “It is an observation by a group of stakeholders that needs to be ascertained,” the SSG maintained.

    He said, “this is not the time to share blames but we must all come together to cooperate with the security agencies to see an end to the problem of armed banditry and other security challenges facing the state.”

    Prof. Shinkafi who said that the bandits now occupied very large portion of the state in the deep forest, also explained that they smartly used their informers to evade arrival of security men at their identified locations.

    He advised communities in the state to stop concealing the bandits but rather give credible information to the security so that they would be stopped from executing mayhem on them.

    He assured that the state government would continue to facilitate all the needs of the security agencies so that they could succeed.

    Earlier, the leader of the delegation, AVM Idi Lubo, said members were in the state to investigate the report that innocent civilians were killed by NAF personnel who were alleged to have been striking the wrong targets in the fight against bandits.

    “l want to make it clear that in the Air Force, especially during armed conflicts, we work under the guidance of certain rules of engagement and precision before moving against suspected targets.

    “We are here to ascertain the veracity of the allegations because when people we are trying to protect rise against us, it is not a good development, especially when we know that these pilots and other personnel put their own lives in the line.

    “The NAF is deploying all latest technology in order to be certain of existing suspicious threats before we strike.

    “We will visit the said attacked communities and sympathize with the people if the allegations are true because as humans we cannot be completely right at all times.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state’s Council of Chiefs, a fortnight ago, alleged that the air component of the on-going Operation Sharan Daji in the state shelled wrong targets and killed innocent people.

  • Banditry: NAF dares Zamfara monarchs to show pictures, corpses of dead civilians

    Banditry: NAF dares Zamfara monarchs to show pictures, corpses of dead civilians

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has reacted to allegations that its stings against rampaging bandits in Zamfara were on innocent civilians, challenging anyone with evidence that civilians were targeted during its recent strikes to produce evidence.

    Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, made the request in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

    Daramola said the NAF finds it mischievous that anyone would spread such deliberate misinformation whilst the Service is doing its best to effectively respond to the challenges facing the good people of Zamfara and its environs.

    He was reacting to some reports insinuating that the recent air strikes conducted by its Air Task Force for Operation DIRAN MIKIYA killed only innocent civilians in the areas attacked and not bandits.

    “The attention of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has been drawn to some media reports insinuating that the recent air strikes conducted by its Air Task Force for Operation DIRAN MIKIYA killed only innocent civilians in the areas attacked and not bandits,” the statement read.

    “The NAF finds such reports rather ridiculous because most of the locations attacked are within the Rugu, Sububu and Kagara Forests general area, which are known bandits hideouts that have been attacked in the past, without any outcry.

    “Besides, the NAF target selection process for air operations is particularly rigorous and methodical in order to ensure proper target identification and thereby prevent strikes on wrong locations.”

    According to him, the locations attacked from April 8 to 11 are selected based on human intelligence (HUMINT) reports obtained from security agencies and other government sources, traditional and community leaders as well as reliable, vetted informants.

    “In addition, NAF also has Special Forces (SF) personnel operating in some of the areas attacked, who provided additional intelligence.

    “These were all further confirmed by days of detailed day and night Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions to ensure proper targeting for avoidance of collateral damage,” he said.

    The spokesman said to further ensure this, as standard practice, NAF attack aircraft on air interdiction missions were accompanied by ISR platforms that guided them to designated targets.

    According to him, NAF pilots, by training and in line with extant Rules of Engagement (ROEs) for the operation, do not attack any location if it is observed that non-combatants, especially women and children, are present.

    “In such cases, the pilots would rather return to Base with their munitions unexpended. Consequently, it is inconceivable that the NAF would attack locations where innocent civilians reside.

    “In view of the foregoing, the NAF finds it rather mischievous that anyone would spread such deliberate misinformation whilst the Service is doing its best to effectively respond to the challenges facing the good people of Zamfara and its environs.

    “Rather than making such spurious and unsubstantiated allegations, NAF requests that anyone with evidence to the effect that innocent civilians were targeted by the NAF air strikes should produce such evidence,” he said.

  • Banditry: NAF’s airstrike operations killing ‘innocent’ citizens – Zamfara monarchs

    Zamfara Council of Chiefs on Thursday said many innocent villagers have been killed in misdirected air strikes by the military in the ongoing fight against bandits in the state.

    The Emir of Bungudu, Alhaji Hassan Attahiru made the disclosure at the end of an emergency meeting of the council, on Thursday in Gusau.

    “The Council noted that airstrikes undertaken by the military do not hit the main camps of the bandits.

    “Reports from Mutu in Gusau and Tsafe Local government areas, Tangaram in Anka local government and Dumburum in Zurmi local area among others are that the areas shelled were not the actual hideouts of the bandits and the victims were innocent civilians.”

    The council said that efforts to end banditry in the state would only be achieved “if the main camps of the bandits are taken over and security personnel stationed there for a considerable period of time.

    “This will deprive the bandits territory, mobility and supply routes, thus securing all surrounding areas.”

    On the recent allegation of connivance with bandits by some traditional rulers made by Defence Minister, Mansur Dan’Ali, the council challenged the minister to immediately name the traditional rulers or withdraw the statement.

    “Failure to do this will make his statement false and an attempt to tarnish the image of the traditional rulers and thereby making them scapegoats for the inability of the military and other security forces to end the scourge.”

    The council maintained that the traditional rulers had always cooperated with government and security agencies in providing information on location, routes and names of persons engaged in such criminal activities.

    “Unfortunately, the military and other security agencies have failed to be on top of the situation.

    “We will not shield anyone and we will want any suspect however highly placed to be arrested and prosecuted, ” the council maintained.

    Recall that the state government had late last year suspended seven district heads with one other still on the run over alleged conspiracy with bandits in the state.

    The meeting, chaired by council Chairman and Emir of Anka,Alhaji Ahmad Muhammad, was attended by all the emirs in the state.

  • ALGON wants civilian JTF armed to fight bandits in Zamfara

    ALGON wants civilian JTF armed to fight bandits in Zamfara

    The Zamfara chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), has urged the Nigeria Police Force to permit the Civilian Joint Task (CJTF), to carry rifles to ease the fight against bandits in the northwastern state.

     

    Its chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Umar, made the appeal on Wednsday in Guau,

     

    during a Stakeholders Security Town Hall Meeting with the acting IGP, Mohammed Adamu.

    He said that members of the CJTF, who were recently recruited by the state government to complement the effort of security agents, were conversant with the terrain of their respective areas and could identify most of the criminals operating around them.

    Represented by the Chairman of Zurmi Local Government Area, Dr Auwal Moriki, the ALGON boss regretted that the military had written to the state government requesting the withdrawal of the JTF.

    “We believe that withdrawing the CJTF is not advisable because we have seen how determined these youths are, in the fight against the bandits. We are confident that having received training from the armed forces, they can do the job.

    “If they can be closely supervised by the Police while they handle the weapons, the challenges will certainly be surmounted and we are confident that this can be achieved,” he said.

    Also commenting on the matter, the representative of the CJTF, Mr. Ibrahim Muhammed, commended members of the CJTF for their bravery, but acknowledged that there were some bad eggs among the security agents.

    “One of the major challenges we realised is that Police prosecutors often drop charges against hardened criminals that had confessed to committing attrocities, when they get to the courts.

    “Ultimately, such criminals are set free and they return to threaten those they suspect reported them.

    “We are ever ready to do our best to curb the activities of these terror groups, but we need your support, prayers and the cooperation of the security agents we work with,” he said.

    Also contributing, the representative of the Council of Ulama in the state, Dr Aliyu Jangebe, called on leaders to be just and fair to all citizens, while citizens must pray for the leaders.

    “We may have individually or collectively offended God and we need to seek His forgiveness and help for us to see the end of this problem,” he advised.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the meeting was attended by traditional and community leaders, as well as herders and farmers.

  • NAF destroys bandits’ logistics Base in Zamfara

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says the Air Task Force (ATF) for Operation DIRAN MIKIYA has successfully destroyed a bandits’ logistics base at Ajia in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara.

    Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja.

    He said the ATF also neutralised dozens of the bandits at Ajia and Wonaka in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara.

    Daramola explained that the operation was executed sequel to Human Intelligence (HUMINT) reports indicating that the bandits were using a compound within Ajia as a logistics store to support their operations.

    “Consequently, the ATF dispatched a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet, supported by an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform, to attack the compound scoring accurate strikes on the target and causing it to erupt into flames, which engulfed the structures and resulted in the neutralisation of some of the bandits,” he said.

    The spokesman said few survivors, seen fleeing the vicinity of the target area, were taken out in follow-on attacks while others, who managed to escape the area, were tracked to Wonaka and equally neutralised.

    “Independent HUMINT sources subsequently confirmed that more than 25 bandits were neutralised in the attacks on the two locations.

    “The NAF, working in close coordination with sister Services and other security agencies, will sustain its operations to neutralise the bandits and deny them freedom of action in the North West,” he said.

  • Bandits kill 50 civilian JTF, others in Zamfara

    No fewer than 50 persons, including members of Civilian Joint Task Force(CJTF) were killed in Zamfara by bandits on Tuesday, Speaker of the Zamfara State House Assembly, Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji, stated on Friday.

    Rikiji, who revealed this during a condolence visit to Kaura Namoda emirate, attributed the incidence to CJTF confrontation with bandits in a community in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of the state.

    The Speaker, who led the state government delegation on the visit, decried the worsening security situation in the state.

    “We were told that the members of Civilian JTF have mobilised people from Sakajiki community in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area and confronted the bandits in the forest which led to the killing of over 50 persons including members of CJTF,” he said.

    Rikiji, who is the Chairman of the State Government Relief and Damage Assessment Committee, described the act of the CJTF as unprofessional, saying ”confronting the bandits is not the duty of CJTF members.

    “Their duty is to support security personnel to carryout operations not to lead operations; only security agents have the right to organise operation to confront bandits,” he added.

    He urged traditional rulers in the state to caution CJTF members in their respective domain to avoid taking laws into their hands.

    “This is the directive from governor Abdul’aziz Yari that CJTF members should not confront bandits again; let them cooperate with the security personnel.

    “We have already received the list of the number of the deceased and other affected victims from the local government Chairman aimed at assisting them.

    “The state government would provide assistance to the families of the deceased and other victims of the incident very soon,” he added.

    Responding, the emir of Kaura Namoda, Alhaji Muhammad Asha, thanked the state government for the gesture and assured of his palace’s continued support and cooperation with government to address the problem.

    He said the emirate had embarked on special prayers to seek Allah’s intervention over the security challenges in the state.

    “We have already mobilised our Imams of Jumu’at Mosque and Ulamas to offer special prayers in this regard during Jumu’at prayers,” the emir said.

    The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Lawal Abdullahi, thanked the state government for the assistance to the victims.

    Abdullahi assured of the council’s continued support to the state and federal government in fighting insecurity in the area and the state.

  • Zamfara govt imposes curfew on all 14 LGAs

    Zamfara govt imposes curfew on all 14 LGAs

    Zamfara state government on Wednesday imposed curfew on all the fourteen local governments from 7 pm to 7am.

    Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Bello Dankande Gamji, announced the decision in Gusau.

    The commissioner explained the curfew became unavoidable in view of the security threat bedeviling the state.

    He lamented a woman and her child were abducted recently when she boarded a tricycle to her home.

    Dankande, who was flanked by the Commissioner of Police Celestine Okoye, warned the police will be spread in all nooks and crannies of the metropolis enforce the curfew and arrest defaulters.

    He further revealed most of the crimes committed were organised and perpetrated with some commercial motorcycle riders and tricycle operators.

    “We know that the action could be considered harsh or hard on our people but such measures are must be taken in order to safeguard our people, protect lives and property, ensure that peace prevail in all corners of our state,” Dankande explained.