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We’ll Hunt You Down, FG Warns Bandits, Cattle Rustlers
The Federal Government has vowed to hunt down bandits and cattle rustlers in the North-West, saying it would bare its fangs, cut off their supplies and ensure that they are exterminated.
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, made the pledge, yesterday in Katsina during a town hall meeting with stakeholders on internal security and conflict resolution.
At the meeting, Aregbesola stated that the activities of armed bandits in the North-West has heightened in the past decade and is a major concern and challenge of governance to the Federal Government.
In his address titled, “You have government’s ears”, Aregbesola said the Federal Government delegation was in Katsina to seek the cooperation of the state government and people of the state on how to bring an immediate end to the menace, so as to restore normal life, especially to the rural areas and the farming community.
“Our pledge to you here today is that we are ready and committed to this mission. As we all know, no military campaign can succeed without the cooperation and support of the people. Our mission here, therefore, is to meet with the stakeholders, listen to you and work out how we can best work together to succeed in this endeavour”, Aregbesola said.
According to him, banditry had been defeated in the past and President Muhammadu Buhari administration is bent on repeating the feat.
He said, “the Nigerian security architecture will isolate them, cut off their links and supplies, hunt them down and, except they repent and turn from their evil ways, they will be crushed and exterminated”.
The minister, who reiterated that the President and members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) were in great pains over the wanton killings, theft, and destruction being perpetrated by these criminals, assured that “the total, brutal and ferocious might of the Federal Government will soon be brought on them.
“I am assuring you that all the total, brutal and ferocious might of the Federal Government will be brought on them. The Nigerian security machinery will be unleashed in its fury, the way we have never seen before. The sickening criminal acts of these evil people will be brought to an end and all citizens will have the assurance of peace and safety once again”, he emphasized.
Aregbesola noted that the security services have done a great job going after the bandits and halting them in their tracks.
He commended them for their doggedness as well as the efforts of the local vigilantes who have put their lives at great risks out of uncommon patriotism and concern for their homeland, communities, and people.
Responding, the Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari assured that the state would give total support to the Federal Government in its bid to stamp out crime and criminalities from the state.
He commended the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for this bold initiative, noting that it will go a long way in stamping out the menace from the country, once and for all.
Also speaking, the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Dingyadi extended the Federal Government’s condolences to the families of those that lost their lives and properties, and assured them that government was determined to stem the hazard out of the country.
The Director, Press and Public Relations in the Interior Ministry, Mohammed Manga, noted that after an exhaustive deliberation, the meeting requested more of the Federal Government’s presence in the state.
The stakeholders also called for the engagement of local vigilantes who are closer to the people and ready to respond at a short notice, while they urged the Police, Civil Defence, and other security agencies to take new community-based actions in order to identify all bandits.
They further asked the government to utilize the forests harbouring the bandits as well as deployment of more Agro Rangers personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to enable people to access their farms, among others.
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.