News
50 Feared Dead As Shiites, Soldiers Clash …Police Arrest 400 Shiites, Recover Petrol Bombs
The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) has alleged that about 50 of its members were killed, last Monday, along the Nyanya-Keffi expressway by officials of the Nigerian Army.
A member of the group, Mohammed Gamara, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, said that about 200 others were injured.
“So far, I don’t have the exact number of the casualties and the martyrs but if we say they are more than 50, killed by the Nigerian Army, I don’t think I will be exaggerating,” Gamara said.
The sect members were said to have clashed with the security operatives while they embarked on a march in Abuja.
The incident led to a gridlock which lasted for hours along the Nyanya-Keffi expressway, forcing many to make their way by foot.
The Army is, however, yet to react to the allegations.
It also comes about 24 hours after members of the sect held a similar march along the Nyaya/Mararaba axis of Nasarawa State, on their way to Abuja.
Last Saturday, three members of the sect were killed after a clash with troops of the Nigerian Army.
According to a statement by the Commander of the Army headquarters Garrison, Maj-Gen James Myam, the clash occurred on Saturday afternoon at Zuba bridge in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
He explained that the sect members, who were supposedly in a procession, set up an illegal roadblock along the route, which the convoy of the troops attempted to clear.
While doing so, Myam said some members of the group attacked the troops who were escorting missiles and ammunition from Abuja to the Army Central Ammunition Depot in Kaduna State.
In defence, the troops opened fire on the IMN members which resulted in the killing of three of them.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has announced that only three members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) or Shi’ite sect, died, last Monday, at the Kugbo/Karu bridge junction during an encounter with troops in Abuja.
In a statement made available to newsmen, yesterday, the Army said four soldiers sustained injuries during the encounter.
The statement stated that the victims were killed after the sect members attacked troops deployed to the checkpoint at the junction at about 3:p.m.
The statement reads: “The sect in massive numbers forced their way into the troops’ checkpoint after overrunning the Police Force.
“The police withdrew back to own troops’ position to joined efforts to repel them.
“They fired weapons, throwing bottle canisters with fuel, large stones, catapults with dangerous objects and other dangerous items at troops, causing bodily harm and stopping motorist movement, breaking their windscreen and causing heavy traffic.
“However, troops repelled the attack in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force to stop the situation from further deteriorating.”
The statement, however, said normalcy had been restored in the general area and there was now free flow of traffic.
It called on members of the public living within Abuja and environs to go about their normal activities without fear of molestation.
“The Nigerian Army will not deter in carrying out its constitutional roles and also safeguarding law-abiding citizens,” the statement added.
However, as the protest embarked upon by the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), otherwise known as Shi’ites over the continuous detention of their leader, Ibraheem el-Zakzaky entered third day, the Nigeria Police, yesterday, beefed up security around the entrance to the State House.
The Shiites, who arrived Abuja, the State Capital Territory, last Saturday in their numbers, are demanding for the release of their leader, el-Zakzaky who has been in detention over one year despite court rulings that he should be released.
Because of the panic the presence of the Islamic group has generated at the nation’s capital, the Nigeria Police now stationed its officers opposite the Fire Service, the entrance to the State House, before the barricade mounted by the combined team of operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS), the Police and the Army.
Occupants of vehicles going into the Villa were thoroughly screened before they were allowed to drive in.
From the Secretariat to the entrances to State House and the National Assembly, security was also beefed up with additional armed mobile police officers mounting surveillance.
The presence of the Shiites made some workers to close early on Monday and those leaving at the troubled zones had to close late to allow traffic mounted by the army to reduce.
As at the time of filing this report, it was reliably gathered that members of the movement have started gathering towards the Mararaba, Nyanya axis.
Meanwhile, the FCT Police Command said it has arrested 400 members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) following yesterday’s clashes in the city centre.
The Commissioner of Police for the FCT, Bala Ciroma at a press briefing, added that 31 bottles of petrol bombs and other dangerous weapons were also recovered from two of the suspects at different areas of the capital city.
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.