vehicles destroyed as mob attack, burn police station in Sokoto

 

One person has been confirmed dead and vehicles destroyed as mob set a police station in Kware Local Government Area of Sokoto on fire.

The Police Spokesman in the state, ASP Abubakar Sanusi, told newsmen on Tuesday that the unfortunate incident happened after a mob came to the station demanding the release of two suspected kidnappers.

Sanusi said the suspects were earlier arrested and are being investigated for their alleged involvement in kidnapping in the area.

He explained that the mob, mostly youths, came to the station shouting and insisting that the two suspects be released.

According to him, they overpowered the operatives guarding the station and burnt it down along with the DPO’s car and two police vans.

He added that the mob succeeded in killing one of the suspects and wounded the other.

Sanusi, however, said no arrest had been made but an investigation was ongoing.

 

Desist from illegal movement out of Nigeria”- FG warns

 

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaib Belgore, has warned Nigerians to desist from illegal movement out of the country due to some challenges.

Balgore gave the warning during an interview with newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja, NAN reports.

He expressed concern over the rate at which some Nigerians were moving out of the country to the extent of renouncing their citizenship even through illegal means.

He said that such acts could also lead to avoidable deaths and missing of some citizens as noted across the nation.

“Protecting citizens right is part of what we are saddled with; we handle marriages and we handle citizenship issues; people trying to get citizenship into Nigeria, people who want special immigrant status.

“Unfortunately, once in the while some Nigerians want to renounce their citizenship and we don’t want them to do that, except through constitutional rights of such movement.

“We would like to advise Nigerians against taking some drastic actions due to the present circumstances faced by the country as an excuse to move out illegally to avoid getting into life-threatening problems.

“Even if they want to, we advise they do it in a proper manner,” he said.

 

Convene security summit now – Ortom tells Buhari

 

 

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately convene a National Security Summit to discuss and address the worsening security situation in the country.

The Governor made the call on Tuesday while addressing protesting youths at Abagena village where Fulani militiamen killed seven persons and injured many others during a midnight attack on Monday.

Governor Ortom who called on his colleagues to join forces to salvage the country also urged President Buhari to declare a state of emergency on security in Nigeria.

He said it was time for Mr President who had taken an oath to secure and provide security for lives and property to address the nation on the state of insecurity.

“I have severally written to the President and security agencies that Miyetti Allah leadership held a meeting in Yola where they said except we repeal the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, nobody will know peace in Benue as they will kill, maim, rape and perpetrate all kinds of atrocities. They have started doing it.

“How do you reconcile a situation where Mr President gives an order to security agents to shoot at sight anyone illegally seen with AK47 and a minister counters it?” the Governor lamented.

He stated that within the last two weeks alone, over 70 people from Makurdi, Guma and Gwer West were killed by militia herdsmen, stressing that despite his preaching of respect for the rule of law, Benue people have been overstretched and had become weary.

Executive Chairman of Makurdi Local Government Council, Hon Anthony Dyegeh, Executive Secretary State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Emmanuel Shior and a youth leader, Amos Amu said the militia herdsmen carried out the attack unprovoked and called for immediate action against the menace.

Igbo women’s group decry high insecurity in Southeast

 

A women’s group, Mothers of Ndigbo has decried the high level of insecurity in the Southeast, calling on the federal government to quickly wade in and stop the incessant killings.

The group which consists of Igbo women from the age of 60 and above at a press conference on Tuesday said the insecurity in the zone has gotten to a climax.

Mrs Chika Ibeneme who addressed journalists on behalf of the group said mothers can no longer watch while security deteriorates,

“The situation has gotten to the climax in recent time that we can no longer afford to stand and watch while the security situation in Nigeria, particularly in the South East region continues to deteriorate.

The group said since 2015, there have been systematic attacks on peace and tranquillity which has existed in the region over the years, with attendant economic hardships on citizens.

They said the attacks and other insecurity problem has forced the zone into poverty according to the National Bureau of Statistics’ rating.

The group chronicled some killings in the zone, while also protesting what it called the lopsided appointment of security personnel in the country, which has left the South-east with no representative at the security council.

It said, “To date, despite all these killings, it is on record that no single perpetrator of these heinous atrocities against the people have been held to account or brought to justice while the victims have neither been adequately compensated nor taken care of.

“Armed herders have been invading and violently seizing and occupying ancestral bushes, farmlands and forests belonging to the indigenous people of the South-east region and its outposts in Kogi, Benue, Delta, Edo, Rivers and Cross River States.”

Proffering solutions, the group said: “As an immediate remedial measure before the situation gets out of hand, the Federal Government must, without further delay, demilitarize the South East Region and its key outposts.

“We call on the federal government to immediately end the policy of flooding our land and its outposts with compromised Muslim military and police commanders.

“All killer herdsmen, clandestinely aided and protected by federal security forces who have now permanently settled in farmlands, bushes and forests in our land and our key neighbouring states must be moved out and relocated back to wherever they were brought from.”

 

Wike imposes curfew on Rivers land borders

 

 

Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has imposed a night curfew at all entry and exit points with Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Imo States.

Governor Wike in State broadcast said the curfew which takes effect from Wednesday night, is necessitated by the recent security breaches and deadly attacks on security personnel by yet to be identified gunmen.

He said the Government of Rivers State decided to restrict night movements in and out of the state from the land borders.

”Consequently, a night curfew is hereby imposed and no person or vehicle is allowed into and out of Rivers State from 8.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. from tomorrow (Wednesday) 28 April 2021 until further notice.

“We wish to advise that those who have any legitimate need or reason to come into or go out of the state must do so before 8.00 pm when the curfew shall come into force daily.”

The governor said, “security agencies have been posted to monitor and enforce strict compliance with the curfew at all borders and or entry and exit points with Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Imo States.”

police officers dismissed for extorting traveller

 

 

Three police officers attached to the Ogun State Command have been dismissed for allegedly extorting money from a traveller.

 learnt that the dismissed officers, Inspector Sunday John, Sgt Jimoh Asamiya and Sgt Solomon Adedapo were accused of forcefully collecting N153,000 from a man who was travelling from Abeokuta to Lagos State.

In a statement on Tuesday, the state’s Commissioner for Police, CP Edward Awolowo Ajogun noted that the money was recovered from the culprits and handed over to the victim.

The Commissioner added that “They were arraigned for departmental orderly room trial on a three-count charge of corrupt practices, discreditable conduct and disobedience to lawful order,” the statement read in part.

“They were found guilty of all the charges, and subsequently dismissed from the force to serve as a deterrent to others in their shoes.”

FG, NBC told to reverse suspension of Channels TV within 48hrs

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has threatened to take legal action against the government of President Muhammadu Buhari if they fail to immediately reverse suspension of Channels Television within 48hours.

The National Broadcasting Commission, NBC on Monday fined Channels TV N5million for allowing a leader of the Indigenous people of Biafra, IPOB to make secessionist and inciting declarations on air without caution.

SERAP in a statement by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, gave the ultimatum while describing the suspension of the TV station as unconstitutional and illegal.

The group urged Buhari to stop intimidating the media in Nigeria and respect the constitution.

Part of the statement read: “President Muhammadu Buhari should caution the NBC to stop intimidating and harassing independent media houses and to respect the Nigerian Constitution, and t international human rights obligations, including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.

“The government and NBC should immediately lift the suspension and reverse the fine. We will pursue appropriate legal action if the arbitrary, unconstitutional and illegal suspension and fine are not reversed within 48 hours.

“This action by the government and NBC is yet another example of Nigerian authorities push to silence independent media and voices.

SERAP described the development as a new law in Nigeria’s protection of freedom of expression, and the ability of independent media to function perfectly.

“Media freedom and media plurality are a central part of the effective exercise of freedom of expression and access to information.

“The ability to practice journalism free from undue interference, to cover diverse views are crucial to the exercise of many other rights and freedoms.”

“The media has a vital role to play as ‘public watchdog’ in imparting information of serious public concern and should not be inhibited or intimidated from playing that role.”

SERAP went ahead to warn the government and NBC to stop targeting and intimidating independent media houses but protect the right to freedom of speech.

“Article 20 (2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Nigeria has ratified requires states to prohibit only advocacy that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence. Restrictions must be clearly defined, specific, necessary, and proportionate to the threat to interest protected,” the statement added.