President Muhammadu Buhari has given orders to the service chiefs and the acting inspector general of police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, to clampdown on bandits, kidnappers and others perpetrating violent crimes in different parts of the country.
The president issued the order yesterday in Abuja during a security council meeting with the security chiefs.
The order followed the rampant killings carried out by bandits in Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and Kaduna states.
Similarly, kidnappers have become lords on Kaduna-Abuja highway, Okene-Lokoja road, Benin-Ore expressway, among others, waylaying travellers, kidnapping them and subjecting their families to utter discomfort by demanding huge ransom.
Briefing the media yesterday after the meeting, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, disclosed that the gathering reviewed and revised strategies to effectively address the challenges confronting the country.
“The security meeting we just had with Mr. President today (yesterday) is to review the strategy that we are adopting in confronting security issues in Zamfara State especially and other places nationwide.
“And this review strategy is to address all the issues, including kidnapping, banditry and other associated issues confronting the nation and we are coming out with a revised strategy to handle those challenges.
“Yeah, the marching order is for us to deal with this issue immediately and ruthlessly and ensure that all those bandits are immediately dealt with and all those issues that are bordering on our security are properly addressed,” he said.
Also speaking, Adamu said the Abuja/Kaduna highway had been rid of criminals.
“I want to assure Nigerians that Kaduna/ Abuja roads are now safe. We have cleared the roads, we have arrested a lot of kidnappers and in confrontation with some of them; some were fatally injured.
“So the road is cleared. Our patrol teams, the combined security services that are patrolling the road are constantly there, 24 hours,” he said.
Present at the meeting aside the acting IG, were the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar.
Others were the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd); director general of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr. Ahmed Rufai; director general, Department of State Security Services (DSS), Mr. Yusuf Bichi; the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau (rtd); and the minister of defence, Brig-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd).
“So the road is cleared. Our patrol teams, the combined security services that are
House of Representatives order Buhari to address Nigerians within 48 hours
Also yesterday, April 11, the House of Representatives has invited President Muhammadu Buhari to the green chamber to come and address Nigerians on the spate of killings in the country with 48 hours.
The House at its sitting accused the president of failing to protect the lives and properties of Nigerians.
The lawmakers’ demand was part of the resolutions passed at the Plenary when the lawmakers unanimously adopted a motion moved by the lawmaker representing Gwer-East/Gwer-West Federal Constituency in Benue State, Mr. Mark Gbillah.
Adopting the motion, which was titled: ‘Resurgence of the incessant and annual massacre of innocent Nigerians across the country by alleged bandits and killer herdsmen, the gradual occupation of affected communities by these attackers and the lack of adequate rehabilitation and relief materials’’, the lawmakers said asked the president to make a series of explanation to Nigerians.
Some of the explanations the lawmakers expect the president to make include “his inability and the inability of his administration since inception to declare the killer herdsmen as terrorists to enable commensurate action against them by the Armed Forces.
“The inability of the of the Armed Forces under his watch to stop the recurring death of scores of innocent Nigerians annually from systemic attacks by killer herdsmen and alleged bandits, and the gradual occupation of the affected communities by these herdsmen despite countless assurances and statements by him, promising to stop these attacks.”
“The inability of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) under his watch to immediately provide relief materials and rehabilitation of affected communities in line with their statutory mandate, in spite of the N10bn he announced had been provided in this regard and what immediate intervention his administration intends to provide to affected communities and how soon.
The lawmakers, however, concluded that should the president fail to respond to their queries, they will conclude that that “he and his administration are incapable of permanently curtailing the incessant killing of innocent Nigerians by killer herdsmen and the occupation of their land, and have failed in their primary, constitutional responsibility of ensuring the security and welfare of the citizens of Nigeria.”
The lawmakers further resolved to constitute an ad hoc committee to interface with the presidency regarding the queries.
They also resolved to engage with the minister of defence, Mansur Dan-Ali; Chief of Defence Staff and other Service Chiefs; Chairman and Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, and other stakeholders.
Herdsmen plunder Benue communities, residents flee
Meanwhile, suspected herdsmen believed to be of Fulani extraction and Jukun militia reportedly killed 25 people at Vaase and Jootar communities in Ukum local government area of Benue State.
The attackers reportedly made a surprise incursion into the area about 6a.m. on Thursday and started shooting sporadically at the GRA side as hordes of people scampered for safety.
Surprisingly, the attackers operated without intervention from security men stationed at Kente, which is about three kilometres to Vaase.
An indigene of Ukum, Mr. Jeremiah Iorngaem, said the attackers also set ablaze over 100 houses while many people had deserted their homes.
However, the security adviser to the state governor, Lt.-Col. Paul Hemba (rtd), said only 10 people were killed.
According to him, the invaders also destroyed property worth billions of naira.
“I received that report early this morning (yesterday) that there was a dawn attack by men suspected to be herdsmen at Vaase area of Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State. Apart from the burning of houses, I also received a report that 10 people were killed.
“The security men, who are deployed there, are still combing the area. We may have more casualties but reports reaching me have it that at least eight to 10 persons were killed,” said Hemba.
Hemba said he had been to Taraba State three times, at the instance of Governor Samuel Ortom, since the outbreak of the crisis, especially at Kente, a settlement dominated by both Jukun and Tiv people among other stakeholders to find ways of ending the conflict.
According to him, a communiqué was issued but after the peace meeting, pockets of killings continued unabated in neighbouring villages.
He said traditional rulers from the Benue side led by Chief Abu King Shuluwa and others from the Jukun side were at the meeting, but expressed worry that the resolution at the meeting was not communicated to the youth from the Jukun side hence the continued attacks.
The security adviser said as the crisis persists a meeting was held from the Tiv side in Ukum during which the youth were told to be calm as talks were on between Taraba and Benue to end the killing and attacks.
He said relative peace had been restored in the troubled area following the massive deployment of security men.
However, it was learnt that there was exodus of residents, including women and children, out of the area to areas they considered to be safe.
