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Fresh Herdsmen Attack Claims 16 In Benue …49 Corpses For Mass Burial, Thursday

Published

8 years ago

January 8, 2018

Suspected herdsmen last Saturday killed 16 persons including a village head in a fresh attack on Tse Akambo, Ts Vii and Tse Agwe community in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The state Governor, Mr Samuel Ortom confirmed the renewed killings to newsmen shortly after an emergency meeting with the joint socio-cultural groups in the state, yesterday.
“Two days back, four persons were killed in Guma Local Government and this has continued,” he said.
Ortom commended the heavy presence of the police as well as the military in the state in a bid to prevent a re-occurrence of such incident.
He, however, lamented that more than 40,000 people have been displaced for fear of unprovoked attacks.
“We appreciate the fact that now we have the massive presence of the police, we have an additional deployment of the military.
“They are on ground and deployment is being done; we are also providing logistics to ensure that these do not continue. As at now, over 40,000 people have been displaced and we are still counting.”
“At the moment, there is mass movement of the people in the affected communities including women and children.
The situation is quite pathetic because the entire area is like a war zone. “So far the corpses of some persons including that of the community head have been retrieved by the fleeing community members.
“The fact is that much more must have been killed but we will confirm that in the coming days as more bodies are recovered from the affected communities.”
The police, in its statement, indicated that among those killed in the attack were 70-year-old Kwaghve Baki and seven-year-old Suushater Kwaghve. “As we speak a Mobile Police detachment led by the Area Commander in Katsina-Ala local government has been deployed to Logo to forestall further attacks.”
“The state government will make coffins for the about 49 dead bodies, 39 from Guma and 10 from Logo LGAs, which have been deposited at various mortuaries”, he stated.
In a related development, some northern elders, yesterday, disowned their Chairman, Chief Paul Unongo, on his position that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is the chief financier of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, frontally opposed to anti-open grazing legislation in Benue.
A member of the NEF, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, told newsmen, in a telephone interview, that the forum of northern leaders had not met for a long time and had never taken any position on the killings in Benue and many other parts of Nigeria.
Yerima, who heads in the youth wing of the northern group, said it was wrong for Unongo to speak on crucial national issues without seeking the position of the apex body, saying that his latest position on Atiku was strictly his personal opinion and had nothing to do whatsoever with NEF.
“Our position is that wherever people have committed criminal activity such as the killings in Benue, Rivers, Kaduna and Kwara, it should be given the proper name of criminality and reduced to religious or tribal thing,” Yerima cautioned.
“Criminality has no colouration and nobody should change pure criminality to the colouration of ‘Fulani herdsmen’ or religious inclination.
The NEF Chairman, Unongo, had accused Atiku of being the chief financier and most influential member of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, the apex body of herdsmen in Nigeria.
Six days after suspected herdsmen struck in six communities in Benue State, leaving about 50 persons dead, Governor Samuel Ortom, yesterday, announced that unclaimed bodies of about 49 victims of the massacre, kept in morgues across the state, would be given mass burial.
According to Ortom, the authorities was taking the step because the bodies were already decomposing. The governor, who spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting, held at the Government House, Makurdi, said three days of mourning would be observed in the state ahead of the mass burial.
Meanwhile, a community head and 15 others have been reportedly killed by suspected herdsmen in fresh attacks on Tse Akombo, Tse Vii and Tse Agule communities in Logo local government area of the state. Ortom told the stakeholders that the attack on communities in the state had made him to reconcile with former Governor Gabriel Suswam in his quest to finding solution.
He further stated that he has decided to withdraw from all political activities pending when the attacks on Benue by herdsmen were over and normalcy returned to every nook and cranny of the state. According to him, for the first time after his election in 2015, he had to pick his phone and put calls across to Suswam and former Senate President David Mark to seek their inputs on how to solve the problem of herdsmen invasion.
‘’I saw this problem as a problem for all Benue sons and daughters beyond party lines, which is why l decided to put sentiment aside, reconciled with relevant stakeholders and sit with them to brainstorm with a view to find lasting solution”, he said
‘’I cannot be a leader over dead people. 2019 is in God’s hand. This time, there is need for synergy, cooperation and unity among every Benue people across party lines. Therefore, I have reconcile with them, let them join me to push this fight away from Benue’’, Ortom.
He appealed to all Benue sons and daughters to team up with his administration irrespective of their tribe, religion and political affiliation to bring to an end the incessant attacks on Benue communities and gruesome killings of Benue people by herdsmen.
Ortom stated that additional securitymen had been deployed to Benue even as the Deputy Inspector General of Police ((DIG) Habila Joshak had also arrived the state with a chopper for surveillance, adding that a special anti-terrorist force of the police whose operation would be beyond the shores of Benue would be arriving the state yesterday.
In the latest attack,in the state, which reportedly killed 16, invaders, who, it was learnt, also razed the affected communities, left many with injuries while scores were missing or unaccounted for.
However, the state Police Command, in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent, ASP, Moses Yamu, confirmed the death of 10 persons in the fresh attack. Our correspondent gathered from a resident that “the communities came under heavy attack by well armed herdsmen who stormed the communities late Friday night and operated till the early hours of yesterday.
Meanwhile, following the recent killings in parts of Benue and Rivers States,the Inspector General,Ibrahim Idris,has deployed additional five units of Police Mobile Force,PMF, Police Special Forces, Police Aerial Surveillance Helicopters and Special Police Joint Intelligence and Investigation Teams to Benue and Rivers States respectively.
This was even as he placed Commissioners of Police and police personnel in the affected states on red-alert and direct 24-hours crime prevention and visibility patrols throughout the country.
A statement last Saturday, by the Force Public Relations Officer,Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintendent of Police,CSP,said the IGP also ordered supervising Assistant Inspectors General of Police and their personnel to be on red-alert with immediate effect to nip in the bud and prevent further attacks on innocent Nigerians by suspected herdsmen and other criminal elements in the mentioned states.
“To this end, the Deputy Inspector General of Police Operations has been dispatched by the IGP to Benue State to muster, coordinate and supervise the implementation of the new security strategies put in place by the Force to put an immediate end to the senseless killings and violence unleashed on innocent Nigerians by suspected herdsmen and other criminal elements in the two states,” the statement emphasised.
It read further:”Police Aerial Surveillance Helicopters, Five (5) Units of Police Mobile Force; Police Special Forces have been deployed along with additional conventional Police Personnel, the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Police Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD) and Special Police Joint Intelligence and Investigation Teams to Benue and Rivers State to work with the Police Personnel on the ground.
“Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID) Personnel. This is to bring new impetus to the efforts of the Force to nip in the bud further attacks in the mentioned states.
“ In Benue State, Eight (8) suspected herdsmen arrested at the scene of the killings are currently being prosecuted, Six (6) of them were remanded to Prison custody while the other two (2) suspects arrested at a different scene of crime are being arraigned in court.
“The Assistant Inspector General of Police in Zone 4 Makurdi and Zone 6 Calabar have been mandated by the Inspector General of Police to convey Stakeholders meetings in the affected states and also supervise the Police investigation and intelligence teams, and other Police Special Squads deployed by the IGP to the two states.”
“While the Nigeria Police Force deeply commiserates with the Governments and People of Benue and Rivers States over the recent killings, the Force calls for calm and support for the police personnel deployed to sustain the normalcy that has been restored in the affected states. “

Featured

INEC To Unveil New Party Registration Portal As Applications Hit 129

Published

4 days ago

July 11, 2025

The Tide

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it has now received a total of 129 applications from associations seeking registration as political parties.

The update was provided during the commission’s regular weekly meeting held in Abuja, yesterday.

According to a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, seven new applications were submitted within the past week, adding to the previous number.

“At its regular weekly meeting held today, Thursday 10th July 2025, the commission received a further update on additional requests from associations seeking registration as political parties.

“Since last week, seven more applications have been received, bringing the total number so far to 129. All the requests are being processed,” the commission stated.

The commission revealed the introduction of a new digital platform for political party registration. The platform is part of the Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System and aims to streamline the registration process.

Olumekun disclosed that final testing of the portal would be completed within the next week.

“INEC also plans to release comprehensive guidelines to help associations file their applications using the new system.

“Unlike the manual method used in previous registration, the Commission is introducing a political party registration portal, which is a module in our Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System.

“This will make the process faster and seamless. In the next week, the commission will conclude the final testing of the portal before deployment.

“Thereafter, the next step for associations that meet the requirements to proceed to the application stage will be announced. The commission will also issue guidelines to facilitate the filing of applications using the PFRAS,” the statement added.

In the meantime, the list of new associations that have submitted applications has been made available to the public on INEC’s website and other official platforms.

Featured

Tinubu Signs Four Tax Reform Bills Into Law …Says Nigeria Open For Business

Published

3 weeks ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.

The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.

They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.

The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.

The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.

The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.

“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.

Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.

Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”

Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”

He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.

“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.

According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”

He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.

The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.

However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.

At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.

They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.

After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.

By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.

In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.

“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.

“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.

He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.

The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.

“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”

Featured

Senate Issues 10-Day Ultimatum As NNPCL Dodges ?210trn Audit Hearing

Published

3 weeks ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.

Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.

However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.

Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.

A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.

It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.

The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.

“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.

“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”

But lawmakers rejected the request.

The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.

“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.

“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.

Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.

Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.

The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.

Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.

Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”

Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.

The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.

Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.

The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.