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Tag: Zamfara

  • Ban on illegal mining: Zamfara gov orders security agents to shoot violators at sight

    Ban on illegal mining: Zamfara gov orders security agents to shoot violators at sight

    Zamfara’s Gov. Dauda Lawal issued a ban on illegal mining in the state on Saturday.

    He also ordered security agents to shoot violators of the order at sight.

    The governor’s media aide, Malam Suleiman Idris, quoted Lawal as saying in Gusau that the order was part of measures to restore law and order.

    The governor noted that illegal mining had fuelled banditry and other criminal activities in parts of Zamfara over the years.

    “Illegal mining is undeniably one of the driving forces behind the rampant banditry plaguing Zamfara.

    “We must take swift and decisive action to curb this menace and restore peace and security to our communities,’’ Idris quoted Lawal as saying.

    The governor ordered security agencies to take other stringent measures against those caught violating the order.

    According to him, it is time to end the destructive activity and implement measures to protect the safety and well-being of the people.

    “The directive is necessary to ensure the safety and security of people of Zamfara and deter potential wrongdoers.

    “It is also a swift action to enable government to be in total control of the state’s resources and block activities that endanger the lives and properties of the people,’’ the governor said.

  • VON Correspondent murdered in Zamfara

    VON Correspondent murdered in Zamfara

    The Zamfara Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), on Wednesday confirmed the murder of Alhaji Hamisu Danjibga, the state Correspondent of the Voice of Nigeria (VON).

    A statement issued in Gusau by the state NUJ Secretary, Ibrahim Ahmad, said that the body of the deceased was dumped in a soakaway by those who murdered him.

    “The discovery of his corpse was as result of unpleasant odor observed by children of an Islamic School behind his house in the evening of Wednesday Sept. 20, 2023.

    “After breaking the sockaway, the dead body was confirmed to be that of Danjibga by his family and some neighbors”, the statement said.

    It was   gathered that Danjibga had been missing for three days before his corpse was found.

    Sources said that the family was initially contacted to pay one million naira for his release, but the figure was raised by the faceless persons suspected to have murdered him.

    Findings also show that the police had arrested one person suspected of involvement in the killing of the veteran journalist.

    The NUJ extended its condolences to the deceased family, VON, and entire people of Zamfara.

    It urged security agencies to thoroughly investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to justice.

    The deceased has been buried in Gusau according to Islamic injunctions.

     

     

     

    NAN

  • Retaliation: Zamfara residents kidnap wives of bandits

    Retaliation: Zamfara residents kidnap wives of bandits

    Drama as residents of Birnin Magaji in Zamfara State abducted family members of bandits in a retaliation to a recent kidnapping in the area.

    It was reported that the bandits had kidnapped some community members while working in the farm.

    “The armed bandits invaded the farm and threatened the farmers before they took them away.

    “These days many people here cannot go to the farm and even in our home we are afraid they could come and abduct us for ransom.

    In a retaliation according to PR Nigeria, youths in the community intercepted wives of the bandits including a pregnant womam who were on transit.

    It further gathered that a negotiation is ongoing between the community leaders and bandits’ kingpins towards resolving the stalemate.

    It was not confirm if police are involved in the negotiations.

     

  • Leaked audio: PDP, APC bicker over Zamfara Election Petition Tribunal

    Leaked audio: PDP, APC bicker over Zamfara Election Petition Tribunal

    The Peoples  Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara has raised concern that the All Progressives Congress (APC) allegedly planned to influence in its favour the awaited outcome of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Sokoto.

    The Acting Chairman of the PDP in Zamfara, Alhaji Mukhtar Lugga, raised the concern while addressing reporters in Gusau on Tuesday.

    Lugga, who doubles as the Chief of Staff, Zamfara Government House, alleged that the APC’s plan to make the state ungovernable for the ruling party was leaked to the PDP by an APC member and an online journalist in the state.

    “The state APC has been blackmailing all the activities of the ruling party in the state. The APC does not want peace to reign in the state,“  he alleged.

    “The party in a widely circulated leaked audio recording, by the  its supporter, who is managing director of an online TV station, openly boasted how he was contacted by a former governor of the state, ” Lugga claimed.

    According to him, the former governor in question had reportedly contracted the journalist to bribe and influence members of the state House of Assembly to commence an impeachment proceedings against Gov. Dauda Lawal.

    “In the same vein, the audio clip revealed that its author made damning allegations against the justices presiding over the state election petition tribunal.

    “The journalist claimed that the justices had been induced to rule in APC’s favour the petition it filed against the PDP’s  Gov. Dauda Lawal’s election,” Lugga said.

    The Acting PDP Chairman appealed to the security forces to investigate the author of leaked audio and ensure justice was served on whoever is found culpable.

    In a swift reaction, however, the Zamfara APC Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Yusuf Idris, said that PDP’s allegation was  a grand plot using an old friend to Gov. Lawal and a journalist to tarnish the good image of the APC in the state.

    Idris, in a statement issued to reporters late Tuesday, alleged that the said journalist in the concocted audio openly said he was a friend to the Gov. Lawal.

    According to him, it remains a public knowledge that Gov. Lawal single handedly financed the online media owner to achieve his various political missions when former Gov. Bello Matawalle was the Chief Executive of the state.

    “It is also on record that the operational vehicles of the medium were donated by Lawal and even the office accommodation that houses the medium is owned by Lawal and not any APC official.

    “It should be made categorically clear that the journalist and online media owner is neither a card carrying member nor a good supporter of the APC in the state.

    “He has never held a political office under the APC government and thus he couldn’t in anyway speak for or on behalf of the APC in Zamfara.

    “It is our strong believe, however, that having observed  the tribunal processes sent jitters to the PDP, hence it’s resorting to blackmail and name calling using a journalist,” Idris said.

    Idris urged all relevant security forces to uncover those behind the video and bring them to book.

    “The PDP failed to understand that the judiciary is an independent body and that no amount of intimidation or abuse will deter it from doing justice to all Nigerian citizens, irrespective of religious or political affiliation,” Idris noted.

    He, however, urged APC supporters in the state to remain calm “as we have confident in the Nigeria judiciary and that justice will be served to us and we are hoping to reclaim our stolen mandate,” Idris said.

    Recalled that a leaked audio recording went viral on Aug. 25 with the journalist claiming a former governor of Zamfara had contracted him to deliver N180 million (in hard currency) to members of the state House of Assembly, as bribe, to impeach Gov. Lawal.

    The said journalist also claimed in the audio that the judgment of the governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Sokoto had been influenced to favour the Zamfara APC.

  • Bandits demand N4 million to release abducted NYSC members in Zamfara state

    Bandits demand N4 million to release abducted NYSC members in Zamfara state

    Bandits who abducted more than eight National Youth Service Corps, (NYSC) members have demanded the sum of four million Naira as ransom to secure their freedom.

    It was gathered that the Corps members were kidnapped along a highway within Zamfara State last Friday.

    They were travelling in an Akwa Ibom Transport Company, AKTC bus from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital to Sokoto State, to take part in the mandatory National Service when the bandits attacked their vehicle and abducted them.

    The father of one of the kidnapped Corps members Emmanuel Eket said through a telephone interview that his daughter, Glory Thomas had been giving them updates on the latest development in the bandits’ camps.

    According to him, the bandits phoned with her number to inform him about the abduction of his daughter and asked him to pay N4 million ransom for the release of his daughter.

    “They called me with her number, demanding the sum of N4 million. They allowed me to speak with my daughter because I asked how they wanted us to pay and my daughter said we should contact the AKTC,” the man added.

    “Since that time, they have not called and I have not spoken with my daughter. I don’t know if they have released them but my daughter has not called me.”

    The Zamfara State Police Command is yet to comment on the abduction of the corp members in the state.

    However, a military source who preferred anonymity confirmed the kidnap, pointing out that a rescue team was currently combing the forest to rescue the victims unhurt.

  • NYSC confirms abduction of 8 corps members in Zamfara

    NYSC confirms abduction of 8 corps members in Zamfara

    The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, has confirmed the abduction of eight graduates travelling to Sokoto State for the Batch B stream 11 orientation camp.

    The NYSC director of press and public relations unit, Eddy Megwa, who confirmed the incident, said the victims were abducted by suspected bandits in Zamfara State while heading to their designated orientation camp in Sokoto.

    He said the prospective corps members were travelling in the night when the gunmen waylaid their vehicle.

    It was gathered that the victims were travelling in an Akwa Ibom Transport Company, AKTC bus from Uyo, to Sokoto state for their one-year national service when the incident happened.

    Three of the passengers in the bus reportedly escaped, while the remaining eight were captured by the gunmen.
    The NYSC spokesperson, however, revealed that the director-general of the corps, YD Ahmed, was in Zamfara to work with security agencies and secure their release.

    “It happened on Saturday, just before Gusau Road in Zamfara.
    “Two days ago when the director-general heard about it, he relocated to Zamfara to work with the security agencies trying to secure their release.
    “He’s also in touch with the families of the prospective corps members. We’re hoping that, in no time, they would be released.

    “The issue is that we have always been against night travel. It is risky and wrong.
    “Their call-up letter specifically says that they should rest and continue the next day once it gets dark during their trips. Times are bad. Even we as officers, stop our trips once it’s 6pm.

    “We feel so bad for what the corps members are going through. We assure the public that, with the DG’s intervention, we will secure their release,” Mr Megwa said.

  • Zamfara: Bandits attack LGA headquarters, kill one, Abduct Emir’s son, 6 others

    Zamfara: Bandits attack LGA headquarters, kill one, Abduct Emir’s son, 6 others

    Armed bandits on Monday, attacked the headquarters of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, killed one person and abducting 7 others.

    A resident of Bungudu town, Ishaq Bungudu said that the armed bandits stormed the town with deadly weapons, shooting sporadically and killed one person in the process.

    According to him, 7 other persons were abducted, including the son of the Emir of Bungudu Abdulrahman Hassan and the Former State Programme Officer of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Abubakar S/Fada Bungudu

    Ishaq Bungudu lamented while speaking to channels television that the incessant attacks on the local government headquarters by the armed bandits, despite being the closest local government to the state capital Gusau.

    He urged the State Governor Dauda Lawal to, as a matter of urgency appoint security aides.

    “We are being attacked almost on daily basis now, despite being close to Gusau, the state capital, we don’t know what is going on, government is not saying anything, he does not even have security aide since he was sworn-in.”

    “He should appoint security aide so that people will know who to call during distress times, we don’t even know what to do now, the bandits will just enter the middle of the town and kill people, it is really disturbing.”

    Bungudu also attributed the incessant attacks on the local government headquarters and neighboring communities to a bandits enclave located around one community at an outskirts of the town but questioned why security agencies have not been able to dislodge the bandits and destroy the hideout.

    “You know there is one bandits enclave when you pass Nahuche community to Karakai, they have a hideout there and the security agents are aware, I don’t know why they have not scattered that place and dislodge them.”

    Efforts to reach the Zamfara State Police Command spokesperson ASP Yazid Abubakar was not successful as he was not responding to several phone calls put across to him

     

  • Court restores Mahdi Gusau as Zamfara deputy governor

    Court restores Mahdi Gusau as Zamfara deputy governor

    A Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, on Wednesday, gave an order restoring Mr Mahdi  Gusau as the deputy governor of Zamfara following his impeachment by the state’s House of Assembly on Feb. 23, 2022, inspite of a subsisting court order.

    Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgement, also set aside all the steps and actions taken by the House of Assembly, former Gov. Bello Matawalle and the state’s chief judge in the purported impeachment of Gusau during the pendency of the suit in court.

    Justice Ekwo, who held that the act of the then assembly’s speaker, ex-governor, chief judge and indeed others was an aberration and cannot be allowed to stand, decsribed it as “null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”

    “I agree with the learned silk for the plaintiff/applicant that the court must protect its dignity by reprimanding the 5th, 6th and 7th defendants (speaker, governor and chief judge) and undoing the steps, acts or proceedings taken in the impeachment while this suit was pending,” he said.

    The judge also held that contrary to the argument of counsel to 5th to 38th defendants, he did not see in any of the judicial authorities cited and relied upon by the lawyer that authorises any litigant to take extra-judicial action when a case was pending in court.

    “Once parties have turned their dispute over to the court for determination, the right to resort to self-help ends.

    “So, It is not permissible for one of the parties to take any step of complete helplessness, or which may give the impression that the court Is being used as a mere subterfuge, to tie the result of litigation and the appropriate order of court before acting further,” he said, citing a previous case.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Matawalle, the three state’s senators, members of House of Representatives and that of House of Assembly had all defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC) on June 29, 2021.

    Following their defection, the PDP and Gusau, the then deputy governor, who did not cross carpeted along with them, had in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/650/2021, asked the court to declare their seats vacant having abandoned the party through which they got into the positions of power.

    The plaintiffs had sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC, President of the Senate, House of Representatives Speaker and House of Assembly Speaker as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.

    Also joined in the suit are Zamfara State Governor, Chief Judge, Bello Matawalle, the three senators, House of Representatives members and all members of the state’s House of Assembly as 6th to 38th defendants respectively.

    They sought an order of mandatory injunction compelling INEC to accept the list of the PDP candidates issued for the purpose of holding and occupying the office of governor, the state and federal lawmakers.

    They also sought for an order for INEC  to issue certificates of return to each of the said candidates for the purpose of holding and occupying the said offices purportedly occupied by members of the APC “in defiance of the decision of the Supreme Court in SC. 377/2019: APC v. Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa and others for the unspent electoral term of office of May 29, 2019 to May 28, 2013.”

    They also sought an order compelling the defendants to swear in Gusau as governor on PDP’s platform to complete the tenure of office, among others.

    The FHC had, on July 19, 2021, restrained the House of Assembly from proceeding with its planned impeachment of Gusau as deputy governor.

    The court gave the order following an ex parte application brought by the PDP’s lawyer, Ogwu Onoja, in which he canvassed that the House of Assembly, Matawalle and others were planning to impeach Gusau who refused to defect to APC.

    Despite the order of the court, Gusau was impeached by the House of Assembly after receiving the report of the investigative panel constituted by the chief judge, Kulu Aliyu.

    The plaintiffs, however, filed a motion on notice seeking an order restoring the status quo of Gusau wholly to the position as at July 8, 2021 when this suit was commenced, irrespective of the merits as might be ultimately decided in the case, and in particular setting aside all the steps taken by the defendants in furtherance of the purported impeachment proceedings.

    The suit was filed on July 8, 2021, the plaintiffs amended the originating summons.

  • Zamfara: Police returns ex-gov Matawalle’s vehicles

    Zamfara: Police returns ex-gov Matawalle’s vehicles

    Zamfara state police Command on Saturday said it had returned all vehicles seized from former governor of the state, Bello Matawalle.

    The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Yazid Abubakar confirmed the development on Saturday via telephone conversation with News Agency of Nigeria.

    Abubakar said the vehicles were returned in compliance with the order of Federal High Court sitting in Gusau.

    The court, presided by Justice Aminu Bappah-Aliyu had on June 15, ordered all security agencies that removed the vehicles from Matawalle’s houses in Gusau and Maradun, to return them within 48 hours.

    Recall that security operatives removed the vehicles from the two houses on the order of the State government.

    The court gave all parties involved in the invasion of the former governor’s houses 48 hours to comply with the order.

    “Yes, the police command has complied with the court order as regards to returning of all vehicles belonging to the former governor, Bello Matawalle.

    “We have returned all the vehicles to the premises of Federal High Court, Gusau, as I speak to you now, no single vehicle is in police custody,” Abubakar said.

    The court also gave an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents in the suit filed by Matawalle from taking any further action in connection with the matter.

    The respondents include the Inspector-General of Police, Nigeria Police Force and Commissioner of Police, Zamfara.

    Others are the Department of State Services (DSS) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).

    The court further ordered the security agencies to stay away from all actions, pending the hearing and determination of the matter before it.

     

  • Zamfara in panic mode as bandits abduct 30 girls kill many

    Zamfara in panic mode as bandits abduct 30 girls kill many

    … bandits vow to make life miserable for local farmers in 2023

    Bandits at the weekend, invaded communities in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State killing many locals and abducted no fewer than 30 girls.

    A survivor told the BBC Hausa Service in an interview monitored on Sunday, that one of the abducted girls who managed to escape from captivity, returned with only her head scarf.

    The bandits attacked Sakkida and Jambako communities on Saturday afternoon, killed over 20 villagers at Sakkida and injured others.

    According to a villager who survived the attack, We woke up peacefully, there was rain and some locals had prepared to go to the farm. Suddenly there was report that the terrorists have attacked a neighboring village, Sakkida. “

    The local vigilante, JTF called the people of Janbako and sought help. Our volunteers and other community members took up arms and. headed to the village. “

    ” There was a hill before you reach the village. Not knowing that the terrorists had laid ambush behind the hills, they opened fire on our people. Today in Jambako, 22 people were buried .”

    “Security operatives were called but they replied that they cannot be able to come immediately because their armoured personnel carrier was not on the ground. They only had Hilux. The security operatives tried, they chased the terrorists. When they came back, they came with motorcycles that belonged to the terrorists,” he alleged.

    ” Many people were injured, some were shot, others were hit with machetes. In Janbako, there was no any security operative stationed there to provide security,” he alleged.

    Another local told journalists that girls were abducted in Gora village while picking fuel wood in the bush at Daggera, adding that last week the terrorists killed 3 locals and abducted another 3.

    Now they’ve abducted our girls, over 30. They send a message that this year if we want to cultivate our farms in Daggera, we must have a truce with them. We’ve been doing that with them, we can’t even count the number of times we entered into such agreement. We don’t know what to do,”he said.

    He said the girls were abducted on Saturday at about noon, adding that among them one was seen running back with only her head scarf.

    He alleged that security operatives were yet to go on search and rescue of the abducted Zamfara girls.

    According to the BBC Hausa Service, the police in Zamfara confirmed the incident but had no details.

    Vanguard