News
Gunmen Massacre 35 In Zamfara …As Sporadic Gunshots Rattle Maiduguri Residents
Suspected gunmen have killed at least 35 people in attacks on three villages in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Residents told newsmen that motorbike riding gang of armed men arrived, firing at farmers in Kwallido, Tungar Kahau and Gidan Wawa villages.
The communities are located 20Km West of Shinkafi town and are not far apart.
A resident, Sani Aliyu, said that the bandits chased the farmers on motorbikes into their houses and shot them dead, adding that most of them were killed on their farmlands.
“I’m just coming back from the funeral prayers of the victims. The gunmen shot 12 dead in Gidan Wawa, 22 in Tungar Kahau, 1 in Kwallido.
The armed men arrived on motorbikes, shooting people who were working on their farms,” he said.
The spokesman of the state police command, SP Muhammad Shehu could not be reached for comments at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, some residents in the outskirts of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, yesterday witnessed some skirmishes following indiscriminate shooting by some soldiers.
The situation forced many women, children and elderly people in Damboa road and Polo general area to scamper for safety.
Residents said they started hearing gunshots at about 3 p.m., though unsure if soldiers were test-firing equipment.
A Civilian Joint Task Force member, Haruna Kachala said that the gunshots came from the soldiers stationed at the state hotel along Damboa road bye- pass while on their way to relieve their colleagues at Molai general area.
Kachala said “Initially, we thought the military were test firing their equipment, but when the other troops at Molai general responded to the fire, residents ran helter-skelter.”
Bukar Mala, a resident in Damboa road said they fled for safety when they heard continuous shootings from the two different locations.
A combined team of hunters, civilian Joint Task Force and the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad, led by Governor Babagana Umara, quickly moved to the scene to assess the situation.
Umara told newsmen that there was no course for alarm, stressing that his government would ensure that peace and security returned to all parts of the state.
“We are yet to ascertain what exactly happened, but it was not Boko Haram attack as earlier speculated.
“We shall equip and strengthen the security agencies to improve on emergency response, to address issues like this,” he said.
He advised residents in the state to shun rumour mongering that could cause unnecessary fear.
Also in another development, many are feared dead in Jauro-Sabai, a suburb of Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, as rampaging herdsmen are reported to have invaded the area shooting. residents of Nukai, ATC, Kasuwan Bera, and Jauro-Sabai have reportedly fled the area, as rattling gunshots continue to rend the air.
Barnabas Francis, a resident of Kasuwan Bera, who spoke to our correspondent on telephone: “Jalingo is on fire. Fulani herdsmen are on the rampage firing gunshots randomly here.
“We’re on the run. Some of our relations who escaped from Jauro-Sabai reported that many houses in the area have been razed, and from here we can see thick smoke billowing.”
Ishaku Danzumi, who also spoke with our correspondent, said, “Fulani herdsmen in droves have invaded ATC and Jauro-Sabai.
They are firing shots everywhere. Only God can save us tonight. However, Police in Taraba could not categorically state the situation, as David Misal, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), said the command has responded to a distress call from Yelwan-Tau, a community around ATC.
“I can’t confirm anything to you now, what I know for now is that we got a distress call from Yelwan-Tau and our men have been dispatched to tackle whatever security challenge in the area. So as it is, I can’t tell you anything about the impact or casualty issues, for now, please,” Misal said.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.