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Nigeria Records 1,460 Deaths In 330 Bandits’ Attacks …As Bandits Set Catholic Priest, Vehicle Ablaze In Taraba
The Federal Government, yesterday, said that about 330 attacks by bandits and 1,460 deaths were recorded within the last seven months in the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Special Services, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr Amina Shamaki, made this known at the opening of Federal and States Security Administrators’ meeting in Birnin Kebbi.
The permanent secretary, however, said that the attacks have been on the decline.
She noted that the North-West which was one of the most peaceful zones of the country had in the last few years, witnessed attacks by bandits.
Shamaki said the security situation in the zone remained a source of concern to the security agencies and the general populace.
“From January to July, 2019, about 330 attacks were recorded, resulting to the death of about 1,460 civilians.
“However, between June and July, 2019, the number of incidents declined, especially in Zamfara State, that had been the epicentre of armed banditry”, she said.
Shamaki also attributed the decline to the combination of both kinetic and non kinetic measures put in place by the government.
“The dialogue initiated by the current Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, in particular and the other governors in the zone is worthy of commendation and should be adopted by states with similar security challenges.
“Application of the carrot and stick approach is an effective strategy that enables criminals willing to embrace peace to do so while repentant ones are identified and isolated for appropriate actions by the security agencies”, she said.
According to her, while bandits’ attacks have reduced in Zamfara, the incidents have risen in the contiguous states.
Shamaki, therefore, stressed the need for vigilance and close monitoring of the repentant bandits by the security agencies to prevent them from going back to the trenches.
“Another security concern is the porosity of our borders; the borders aided smuggling of Small Arms and Light Weapons from war-torn zones, including Libya and Central Africa Republic, terrorism, cross-border crimes, human trafficking, irregular migration and smuggling of migrants, among others.
“The Federal Government is doing a lot to improve border security with a view to addressing some of these challenges.”
The permanent secretary appealed to states that share borders with the country’s neighbours to support the government‘s efforts by enlightening their subjects on the implication of harbouring irregular migrants and other aliens in their midst.
In his remarks, Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, thanked the security agencies and judiciary in the state for contributing to make the state peaceful and model for other states.
“It doesn’t matter if one state is peaceful while others are not, we should collapse the silos that divide us, embrace and understand each other in order to help ourselves in the provision of security in this country,” he urged.
The governor wished all participants fruitful deliberations and memorable stay in the peaceful state.
However, barely four weeks that Parish Priest of St. James Greater Catholic Church, Enugu, Reverend Fr Paul Offu, was shot dead, bandits, yesterday, attacked Reverend Father David Tanko, at Kufai Amadu in Takum, Taraba State, killing him and setting his dead body and vehicle ablaze.
It would be recalled that gunmen in the last 24 hours raided villages in Taraba State, killing two people.
In a report made available to newsmen, the cleric was said to be on his way to Takum for a peace meeting with his fellow clergymen on how to resolve the lingering Tiv, Jukun crisis when he was killed.
Confirming the story, the Chairman of the council, Shiban Tikari, disclosed that after killing him, the attackers set him and his car on fire.
Tikari alleged that the attack was carried out by Tiv militias.
He also blamed several other attacks that have claimed lives and property in southern Taraba on the Tiv militias, stressing that the reason for the attacks is still unknown.
But in response to the incident, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has directed state commissioners of police to deploy watertight security around clergymen in the country.
The directive of the nation’s chief came following the recurring attacks on religious leaders across the country, especially yesterday’s killing of a Catholic priest, Rev. Father David Tanko, in Taraba State.
Tanko was reportedly murdered in the most inhuman and barbaric manner by unknown persons in the early hours of yesterday, at Kpankufu Village along Wukari Road on his way to Kofai Amadu Village in Taraba State.
A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, said Adamu specifically directed the Taraba State Commissioner of Police to immediately fish out the killers of the Catholic priest.”
The statement read in full:”The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu, has given marching orders to the Commissioner of Police, Taraba State Command to fish out the killers of Rev. Father David Tanko who was gruesomely murdered in the most inhuman and barbaric manner by unknown persons in the early hours of today, 29th August, 2019, at Kpankufu Village along Wukari Road on his way to Kofai Amadu Village in Taraba State.
“The IGP condoles the Catholic Family in Nigeria over the unfortunate incident.”
He also expresses deep concerns over the recent incidents of attacks on clergymen in some parts of the country and has directed Commissioners of Police in all the States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to henceforth pay special attention to the clergy and increase security around worship centres nationwide.
“The IGP has further directed the DIG in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) to provide additional forensic and other investigative assets to the Taraba State Command to aid investigations into the incident.
“Meanwhile, the IGP enjoins the people to be calm and give maximum support to the Police in the bid towards unravelling the authors of the crime, their motives and circumstances surrounding the unfortunate killing of the Priest.
“He reassures the nation that the perpetrator(s) of the dastardly act will not go undetected and unpunished.”
Similarly, the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Muhammadu Dingyadi, says the Federal Government is fully committed to improving the security situation in the country.
Dingyadi spoke, yesterday, in Sokoto, when the State, Zonal and Local Governments Executives of the All Progressives Congress (APC), paid him a congratulatory visit.
According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari would fulfil his key campaign promises of tackling the myriad of security challenges, improving the economy, as well as sustaining the ongoing anti corruption fight.
The minister, however, solicited the support of all well meaning Nigerians to enable the government succeed.
He stressed that all Nigerians were equal stakeholders in the Nigeria project and should collectively work towards moving the nation to the next level.
He lauded President Buhari, APC leaders in the state, Sen. Aliyu Wamakko, as well as the party, for reposing tremendous confidence in him and pledged to live above board in the discharge of his responsibilities.
Dingyadi further expressed optimism that the party will soon take over the helms of affairs of Sokoto State and reverse “the current obnoxious trend of underdevelopment and neglect.”
Speaking earlier, Sokoto State APC Chairman, Alhaji Sadiq Achida, said the visit was to felicitate with Dingyadi on his well deserved appointment.
Achida described the police affairs minister as a worthy and able representative of the state and the party at the Federal Executive Council.
The National Economic Council (NEC) has urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) not to abandon dialogue in their quest for better welfare for their members.
The Council also appealed to the unions to suspend their planned nationwide indefinite strike schedule to start on October 3.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State stated this while briefing State House Correspondents at the end of the NEC meeting in Abuja, yesterday.
He said that the nation was at a very critical moment in its history, adding that some States took over such labour crisis when they assumed office in May.
According to him, some of such States just resolved the crisis and will be unfair for the labour to return to another industrial action.
The Plateau State governor said that the proposed industrial action would have immense effect on the economy of both the states and the Federal Government.
He said that the NEC expressed genuine concern about the situation in the country and appealed for calm and patience among Nigerians.
“The National Economic Council (NEC) deliberated on the planned indefinite strike by the National leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to proceed on an indefinite strike on Oct. 3, 2023.
“The council noted further the implications of the planned strike on the economy and the nation and thus urge members to continue to engage with the leadership of their respective states.
“It appeals to them to suspend the action and to continue on the path of dialogue with the Federal Government. This is the appeal of the council.”
Mutfwang said that the council appreciated the concerns raised by the NLC to have those issues addressed, adding that NEC also appealed for time to address the concerns of labour.
“We also believe that President Bola Tinubu will be addressing the nation on Oct. 1, and some of the concerns of labour will be appropriately addressed in the president’s speech.
“It is therefore important to note that it’s a federation issue, so whatever happens the labour is represented in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“And NEC is appealing that discussion should continue at the state levels because there will be peculiarities as to the issues to be addressed concerning the demands of labour and therefore dialogue is the way to go.
Burkina Faso said yesterday that four officers had been detained, a day after the military government announced it had thwarted a coup attempt.
The four are suspected of involvement in a “conspiracy against state security”, military prosecutor, Ahmed Ferdinand Sountoura said in a statement yesterday.
Two others are “on the run” according to the statement.
The junta said late on Wednesday that the intelligence and security services had foiled a coup attempt the previous day.
The military government said it would seek to shed “all possible light on this plot”.
The alleged coup attempt came nearly a year to the day the junta leader, Captain Ibrahim Traore, seized power in the West African nation on September 30, 2022.
His takeover was the country’s second coup in eight months, both triggered in part by discontent at failures to stem a raging jihadist insurgency, which swept in from neighbouring Mali in 2015.
The military prosecutor has urged anyone with information that can “contribute to the manifestation of the truth to come to testify”.
Late on Tuesday, thousands of people had taken to the streets of the capital, Ouagadougou, following a call from Traore supporters to “defend” him amid rumours of a coup on social media.
Traore took to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday to stress his “determination to lead the transition safely despite the adversity and different manoeuvres to stop our inexorable march towards assumed sovereignty”.
French language news outlet, Jeune Afrique, which had recently published two articles about tensions within the military, saw its print and online operations suspended in Burkina Faso on Monday.
The Burkinabe government accused the news outlet of seeking to “discredit” the military.
Shortly after Traore’s takeover, military prosecutors in December 2022 said there had been an attempt to “destabilise state institutions”.
And earlier this month, the country’s military prosecutor said three soldiers had been arrested and charged with plotting against the ruling junta.
Investigators had received a tipoff about “soldiers and former soldiers working in intelligence” who were scouting out the homes and other locations used by key figures in the junta, including Traore.
Their goal was to “destabilise… the transition”, it said, referring to a term used to describe interim military rule before promised elections.
Burkina Faso, an impoverished landlocked country, saw Islamists sweep in from Mali in 2015.
More than 17,000 civilians, troops and police have since died, according to an NGO monitor.
Over two million people have been forced to flee their homes, creating one of Africa’s worst crises of internal displacement.
Anger within the armed forces led to a coup on January 24, 2022, toppling elected President Roch Marc Christian Kabore.
On September 30, Kabore’s nemesis, Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, was himself overthrown by the 34-year-old Traore.
Traore has promised a return to democracy with presidential elections by July 2024.
Burkina’s military leaders earlier this month signed a mutual defence pact with counterparts in Mali and Niger.
The Liptako-Gourma region, where the three countries’ borders meet, has been ravaged by jihadism in recent years.
ECOWAS has given $77,942 as training grant to 150 farmers in Bauchi State and the FCT to boost food security in Nigeria.
The beneficiaries are farmers of the Community Allied Farmers Association of Nigeria (COMAFAS).
The ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture Mrs Massandje Toure-Litse, made this known at the opening of a poultry training workshop for beneficiaries in Orozo, Abuja, Tuesday.
Toure-Litse said the grant would increase young peoples’ capacity to engage in agriculture value chains and food production.
She added that the grant is meant for the training of 150 youth in poultry and fisheries, as the two sub-sectors were the main driving force behind the sub-region’s economy and development.
“ECOWAS has designed quality training modules and arranged for the training of 3,032 young people (30 per cent women and 70 per cent men)”, she said.
Toure-Litse said agricultural productivity and competitiveness in West Africa had the tendency to impact positively on the sub-region’s food security, economic development, and livelihoods.
According to her, “the ECOWAS Agriculture Policy remains the guiding framework for the 15 members of the bloc as it prioritises agricultural productivity and competitiveness.
“The programme seeks to enhance the capacity of youth and women farmers and promote their access to resources and markets and their involvement in agribusiness”.
She noted that there was the need for urgent intervention in gender participation in agriculture and youth employment, food chains, crops, forestry, livestock and fisheries.
“Products from crops, livestock and fisheries are the second largest when we talk about intra-community trade and interestingly, among these, livestock is the largest item.
“It is anticipated that by 2030, at least 30 per cent of young people in the sub-region will be employed in the agriculture sector.
“This will amount to a 75 per cent reduction in youth under-employment in rural areas”, she said.
In his remarks, the Founder/President of COMAFAS, Dr Austine Maduka, said in spite of the expansion of poultry industry in Nigeria, it could only cater to 30 per cent of the needs of Nigerians.
Maduka said the training is aimed at educating young farmers on how best to start and manage production.
He said the partnership with ECOWAS would strengthen the move to ensure availability of meat, other foods and impact relevant skills for sustainable strategies to reduce poverty.
According to reports, 75 out of the 150 beneficiaries would be trained on poultry farming in the FCT, while the remaining 75 would be trained on fish farming in Bauchi.
The FCT beneficiaries were given 50 birds each, bags of poultry feeds and drugs as start-up capital.
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