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Fresh Violence Claims 66 Lives In Zamfara …As Gunmen Invade Kaduna, Kill Six …Herdsmen May Slaughter More -Taraba Govt
Fresh violence has reportedly claimed 66 lives in Zamfara State.
This was made known at the Senate plenary, yesterday, by the Senator representing Zamfara Central Senatorial District, Kabiru Marafa.
Mafara explained that no fewer than 66 persons were extra-judicially mowed down in Zamfara State by marauding gunmen.
This latest tragedy happened in the early hours of yesterday with women and children as major victims.
Marafa brought the sad development to the attention of the hallowed chambers through an adopted Order 43.
In his explanation, Marafa disclosed that young married women were brazenly separated from their husbands and raped with impunity.
“Mr. President, the killing took place in my senatorial district and even beyond in the state”, he alleged.
He claimed that local authorities with particular reference to the state government do not want the public to know about the lingering violence meted out to the people.
The lawmaker further accused the local media of being compromise with hush money against reporting the prevailing carnage and state of lawlessness.
Marafa also said unconfirmed reports of the number of casualties put the figure at 66 while the international media houses said it was 15.
The lawmaker said the situation required urgent response before the situation goes out of control.
He also spoke of the need to declare a state of emergency in the state, if the state of lawlessness persisted.
Meanwhile, Six persons have been killed and four others injured in the volatile Southern Kaduna region as gunmen unleash terror on the people of Bakin Kogi, Kanikon Chiefdom in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, yesterday.
The Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, Aliyu Mukhtar, confirmed the incidence.
He said four males and two females were killed during that attack
“There was attack at a mining site in the Bakin Kogi area in the early hours of yesterday, March 29, 2018) where six person were killed by some gunmen; four males and two females.
“A combined team of the police and the military are currently on manhunt for the perpetrators.
“We will not leave any stone unturned until the perpetrators are apprehended and brought to book.”
Similarly, Taraba State government, yesterday, raised the alarm that more people may be killed in the state by herdsmen in the coming days unless the Federal Government and the military changed their tactics. Government also lamented that the Federal Government and the military failed to act on series of information it promptly made available to them to avert previous attacks.
Senior Special Assistant to the Taraba Government on Media and Publicity, Mr. Bala Abu, said in a statement, yesterday, that there were documented evidence to prove that the Federal Government and its security agencies simply refused to act and save the lives of those lost to the attackers.
The statement also drew attention to the ongoing military operation in the state, codenamed “Ayem A’Kpatuma,” which is taking away knives and sticks from farmers but leaving herdsmen with AK-47 to attack their targets with ease.
It said further that the state governor had reasons to directly accuse the military in Taraba State of outright collusion with herdsmen against the people, which had made it possible for the militia to unleash maximum damage on their targets and escape arrest.
But the Defence Ministry denied all the allegations, saying it was yet to receive any petition from Taraba State against the military operations in the state. Col. Tukur Gusau, said: “Nigerians have been coming to report incidents against the military but we have been taking action against them but we have not received anything yet from Taraba.”
The military in-charge of security area did nothing. “The widely publicised report on social media and which was investigated and confirmed to the effect that a chopper dropped arms in a village near Wukari was simply downplayed by the security agencies.
Three persons were later arrested and one of them had 50 pieces of AK-47 guns in his possession. The man confessed that all their arms and ammunition had arrived Taraba State that they will launch an attack in 10 days.
“Despite all these efforts by the Taraba State Government to get the military to act, they never did. Since then, the arms and ammunition brought into the state have been deployed against the people in various communities in the state by the herdsmen.
“The present operation “Ayem Akpatuma” in the state has also been discriminatory. While every instrument including cutlasses and kitchen knives have been taken away from the people, the herdsmen have been left with AK-47 guns.
Also reacting to the development, Director of Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen. Texas Chukwu, denied receiving any letter of complaint against soldiers’ misconduct from Taraba State.
The statement The Taraba State government statement read in part: “Governor Darius Ishaku had reason to write the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on January 26, 2016 to complain about threat to peace and security in Taraba State.”
In that letter signed by Governor Ishaku, he lamented the “devastating effects of internal conflicts involving the Fulani and Tiv, which led to the sacking of 200 settlements in Gassol, Bali, Ibi, Donga and Gashaka Local Government Areas by herdsmen believed to have moved into the state from neighbouring countries.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.