News
Banditry: Self-Defence Approach By Communities Yielding Results-N’West Residents
Residents of some states in the North-West have said that governments’ approach of encouraging people to defend themselves in the fight against bandits was yielding the desired result.
In their responses to a survey, they said this bold approach, which entailed enormous sacrifice by residents, had forced bandits to soft-pedal in their nefarious activities.
According to them, the hoodlums have realised that the battle was no longer between security agents and bandits, but now involved the ‘people’ as active participants in the fight.
In Katsina, for instance, the state government said several leaders of bandit groups had reached out to the authorities, seeking for peace.
The Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Masari on Security Matters, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed, told newsmen that most of the hoodlums had envisaged a bleak future and were willing to make amends.
According to him, the approach adopted by government targeted at ‘building the courage’ of the people, had started yielding positive results, with the rate of attacks by bandits reduced.
Ahmed said success could be achieved easily through the combined efforts of the citizens, the state government and security agencies.
He said the state government had trained 1,100 highly volunteers to serve as members of community vigilante corps, and were ready to make sacrifices for their communities to survive.
According to the adviser, this is an effort to send a message to the bandits to embrace peace or face tough time.
In Sokoto, a security expert, Sqdr. Leader Aminu Bala (rtd), observed that activities of bandits had reduced slightly in the past few months, but called for the sustenance of the current military onslaught on the hoodlums.
Also, a resident of Sabon Birni in the state, Malam Laminu Umar, noted that the situation in the area had changed for better.
“The ongoing military operation in our area has helped in checking the activities of the hoodlums.
“Some of the bandits have been neutralized, while others have fled because they cannot withstand the military power; the military operation should be sustained for a long time,” he suggested.
Speaking, a resident of Rabah in Sokoto State, Alhaji Bello Dantsoho, also observed some improvement.
“They only storm remote areas, pick one or two persons and demand ransom before they release them.
“They have been subdued to the extent that they can no longer launch deadly operations frequently, as was the case in the past.
“This is unlike before when they attacked our people in numbers, killed, raped and stole belongings, including livestock,” he said.
Meanwhile, some religious leaders in Kaduna State have observed that insurgency had remained unabated in the state, but admitted that little success had been achieved.
One of the leaders who is also the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state, Rev John Hayab, said in spite of the little success recorded, the persistence of insurgency was worrisome.
Hayab observed that the number of security agents tackling the challenge was enough but stressed that what was needed was building of the people’s confidence that would encourage sharing of useful information.
According to him, many people are still reluctant to ‘say something’ whenever they ‘see something’ around their environment.
“When you have the understanding and support of all stakeholders and the public, then you have your security beefed-up enough to unravel and tackle every security challenge.
“Only then can you proudly say you are winning the war on insurgency,” he said.
In his contribution, the Acting Administrative Secretary of Jamaatul Nasril Islam (JNI), National Headquarters, Kaduna, Malam Yusuf Bida, said enhanced welfare package for security agents in the front-line, was key.
He added that concerted media engagement efforts must also be intensified to dissuade citizens from serving as informants to hoodlums.
Reacting to recent development in the state, Zamfara State Police Spokesperson, Muhammad Shehu, said the security situation had improved, adding that apprehension and fear among people had subsided drastically.
According to him, the ongoing efforts by police and other security agencies in the fight against banditry activities had been yielding results.
However, former Secretary of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Zamfara, Malam Ibrahim Kanoma, called for deployment of more security personnel to rural parts of the state.
Kanoma also appealed to government and security agencies to ensure close monitoring of security operations in the state.
A community leader in Gusau, Mr Garba Yusuf, urged government to give priority to victims of banditry activities in the state.
Yusuf lamented that thousands of such victims, mainly women and children, had been displaced from their communities due to insecurity, and were in need of intervention from government to save their lives.
In Kebbi State, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ahmed Kontagora, said his command and sister security agencies, as well as traditional rulers, were putting heads together in confronting the lingering security challenges bedevilling the state.
He said that recently, he and his management team had paid courtesy visits on the Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Comptroller, Nigeria Correctional Service, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRS C) and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), among others.
He said the visit was meant to solicit the support and cooperation of the sister agencies in making Kebbi State safe.
The commissioner appealed to people of the state to cooperate with the police and other security agencies with a view to reducing crime to the minimum.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), has decried the continued exclusion of its members from payment of specialist allowance despite performing specialist functions in various health institutions across the country.
It also condemned the persistent casualisation and poor remuneration of members by chief executives of tertiary hospitals.
The President of the association in Akwa Ibom State, Dr Osundara Tope, raised the concerns while addressing a press conference where he read the communique issued at the end of the May ordinary meeting and scientific conference with the theme: “The Medical Profession: Policies, Politics, and Future Prospects,” held in Uyo at the weekend.
The communique was signed by the association’s President, Dr Osundara Tope, Secretary-General, Dr. Odunbaku Kazeem Oluwasola, and Public and Social Secretary, Dr. Amobi Omoha, respectively.
“The OGM observed with disappointment the continued exclusion of resident doctors from the payment of specialist allowances, despite their active role in delivering specialist care across various health institutions.
“The OGM strongly condemns the continued and persistent casualisation and the consequent poor remuneration of doctors by the chief executives of tertiary hospitals .The meeting also expressed disappointment over the non-payment of arrears from the upward review of the CONMESS salary structure and other outstanding salary arrears,” the communique read.
The association condemned federal government’s failure to pay the 2024 Accouterments Allowance arrears and persistent shortchanging of its members for the past 16 years due to absence of consequential adjustments to the CONMESS structure, which it noted was a breach of the 2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement.
He further expressed disappointment over lack of response to multiple correspondences on the issue, emphasising that such contradicts the National Policy on Health Workforce, which advocates improved incentives to retaining healthcare workers.
According to Tope, “The OGM notes with concern the persistent short-changing of members for 16 years, due to the absence of consequential adjustments to the CONMESS structure, in breach of the 2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement.
“This contradicts the National Policy on Health Workforce, which advocates improved incentives to retaining healthcare workers.
“The OGM is dismayed at the lack of response to multiple correspondences sent over the past six months regarding the consequential adjustments.The OGM condemns the Federal Government’s failure to pay the 2024 Accoutrement Allowance arrears.”
The meeting further expressed displeasure over the delay in addressing welfare issues in Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital including the non-payment of outstanding March 2024 salaries, the 7–14 months of arrears still owed to Residents and Medical Officers of the association
It therefore demanded immediate payment of the arrears of the 25/35% upwardly revised CONMESS, and other salary arrears and full implementation of consequential adjustments to the 2019 and 2024 minimum wage on basic salaries and allowances, along with accrued arrears.
A maritime security outfit, Active Marine Surveillance and Coast Guard Limited, says it is ready to deploy its men to ensure security across waterways in Rivers State and Niger Delta.
The group which said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt also pledged to collaborate with the various security agencies to ensure safety on the state waterways.
Director General of the organisation, Commandant Godwin Amare, said the organisation cannot sit down and watch pirates take control of the waterways in Rivers State and the Niger Delta region.
He said his group is planning to deploy its men to the Bonny, Bille and Degema rivers to check the activities of pirates
According to him, allowing pirates to take control of these waterways will not only affect the economy of Rivers State but the entire Niger Delta region.
He said the paramilitary organisation has the manpower to check piracy on the waterways but required the support of both the federal and state governments especially in the provision of the necessary security equipment such as speed boats.
Amare said the organisation, which protects jetties and waterways from pirates is also involved in search and rescue operations ,adding that his organisation has competent divers who can undertake rescue operations, in deep waters.
“We cannot be sitting down here while our aims and objectives is not being fulfilled. “We want to tell the federal and state governments that we want to come out and join in the fight against sea piracy to make our waterways safe
“The Nigerian Navy cannot do it alone. We want to support the government by deploying our men across waterways in Rivers State and the Niger Delta so that it would be safer for people to travel on the waterways”, he said.
He said the government can assist the organisation by providing them with security boats and other instruments
Amare also disclosed plans by the organisation to embark on a tour of jetties across the region with a view to guaranteeing their safety.
Also speaking, Deputy Commandant, Active Marine Surveillance and Coast Guard Limited, Captain Dain Elekima, said all the creeks in the region need to be combed daily to flush out pirates.
He said his group has the required manpower but needs the support of both the state and federal governments to ensure safety on the waterways.
Speaking the director Finance and Operations Active Marine Surveillance and Coast Guard Limited Captain Emberro Michael said they are ready to work with the Nigerian Navy and Marine police to check all Incidences of insecurity along the waterways.
Captain Michael stressed the need for the federal and state governments to support the group.
By: John Bibor & Claire Julius
The Nigeria-Cameroon border motor park construction site is now overgrown with weeds.
Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State embarked on the project last January 2025 when they cleared the entire expanse of land and deployed machinery to commence construction work.
The international motor park site is situated along the Ikom-Mfum border road, a few distances into Cameroon.
There are outcries and worries by motorists, traders and international travellers who were initially excited over the project, given the volumes of trade and travels between the state and Cameroon Republic.
A visit to the site at the weekend showed how the site of the facility has been overtaken by bush and reptiles.
In an interview, a farmer on Effraya Road, Etomi, in the council area, Mr Anthony Attah, expressed sadness over the seeming abandonment of the project five months after it was commenced.
“I had considered the project a laudable one, and had commended the Council chairman, Henry Anom, for the initiative, considering the economic importance of such a park to the Local Government Area, taking advantage of the Cameroon borders.
“Barely four months after the excavation of the land, the place has become a bush again.”
A business man and cocoa farmer, Everlasting Eriom, also lamented the apparent discontinuation of the project which he believed, would have eased his tasks and boost his cocoa sales.
Eriom said, “Whatever are the reasons for the abandonment, let the administration of Henry Anom note that this is about the only visible project that would etch his name in history books and has the capacity to raking up Council internal revenues.”
Reacting in a statement, the Supervisor for Finance in the Etung Local Government Area, John Ogar explained that the project has been mired in controversy and legal tussle.
“The Executive Chairman of Etung Local Government Area, Henry Anom, conceived the initiative of giving Etung a unique Motor Park Facility as a border local government. Unfortunately barely days after excavating the site to kickstart actual development, we were slammed with a court injunction, as previous administration had given out the parcel of land without proper documentation to guide the current dispensation, so we can’t fight the court.
“We only have to obey the law while we fine-tune measures to have things work out.”
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