Security
Benue community raises alarm over alleged demand of #20M by armed Militias as due
From Attah Ede Makurdi
The Members of Torough community in Ukum local government area of Benue State, on Tuesday, raised the alarm over alleged demand of twenty million naira by armed militias as due from the community.
The Nations News Nigeria reports that the community is calling for help to prevent the armed militia gang operating in the Sankara axis from invading the area.
Investigation revealed that the members of the community have since divided the money among themselves and had commenced payments to avoid possible invasion of the community by the armed bandits.
It was further gathered that some members of the community had their livestocks seized from them by the militias when the message was delivered by the local warlords.
A 56 year old man from the Torough community who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of attack and that of his family members being killed, told our correspondent that members of the community had no option but to comply with the militia demand.
“Some of us have to contact our relatives in the cities discreetly to receive the money and pay on time.Nobody in the village including our village head would dare not report the matter to the security so as not to anger the local warlords.
“We are more or less in bondage here. There is no complete freedom of movement, association or expression. These militia boys are very deadly and powerful here in our Sankara axis.
“The whole of three local governments in Sankara(Ukum, Logo and Katsina-Ala) are affected by this madness. These boys have a very strong communication network for their business. They monitor everything.
“So when the news about payment of the N20m came to us, nobody dared report it to security agencies. Because if you do, you and your family will be eliminated from the surface of the earth in broad daylight. We are in bondage. The security operatives too are helpless.
“We are paying the N50,000 levied by each household. Some traditional compounds that have many households are levied N1m.”he said
The source regretted that even when they sold their farm produce the militias collected the proceeds.
According to him, most times after they kill your loved one, they will still tax the family of the deceased to pay for their bullets and pay for the burial permission fee before the burial can be conducted.
However, when contacted, the Benue State Police Command denied knowledge of the entire development.
The command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) SP Sewuese Anene who spoke to newsmen in Makurdi, said if such happened, it was not reported to the command.
in a swift reaction, the caretaker committee chairman of Ukum LGC, Mr. Victor Iorzaa confirmed the development to newsmen on phone in Makurdi,
He said that it is true armed militia gang are demanding for N20m from Torough community and that, he has reported the matter to the police and the State security council in Makurdi.
“I have reported the matter to police and also the state security council. The person behind it is Full Fire, he was the person that connived with Fulani recently to attack Tiv people and has been working with Fulanis people. He is a bandit” he noted.
Also, Joseph Har, Special Adviser to the governor on Internal Security said bandits were on the run in the State and could not have the luxury of collecting tax from the villagers.
Har said the Gov Hyacinth Alia’s administration was doing everything possible to mitigate activities of bandits, kidnappers, militias amongst others in the State.
By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha
The Directorate of State (DOS) of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), weekend, warned Igbos not to be recruited into the Nigerian Army or lose their lives.
The directorate handed down the warning through her spokesperson, Emma Powerful, recalling that the Igbo youths obeyed the warning by IPOB during the Commonwealth military recruitment for the British proxy war against Russia and China.
“We are equally advising Biafran youths to jettison the ongoing nepotistic Nigerian Army recruitment. These two states (Britain and Nigeria) do not mean well for Biafrans. History always repeats itself. A wise person will evaluate the benefits of our Biafran ancestors who fought for Britain during the 1st and 2nd world war.
“Similarly, Biafrans should ask what the fate of the retired soldiers in Nigeria is? Where are the many Igbo Biafran youths recruited into the Nigerian Army before now? Many of these Biafran soldiers have been betrayed and sacrificed for the Northern terrorism activities and blackmail business of the Nigerian Army.
“Some of the serving Biafran soldiers are in jail for complaining against nepotism and injustice by the Nigerian Army authorities. The few remaining ones are either in the warfronts against the terrorists in the North or are stampeded into silence in various military barracks. Ndigbo in the Nigerian Army iare always set up for slaughter against the terrorists in the North or against the State sponsored criminals in the East.
“For instance, the false flag operation carried out by the Nigerian Army during the Biafran Heroes Day celebration of May 30th 2024 led to the assassination of five (5) Igbo soldiers. These Igbo soldiers were set up by the military high command and killed by the State sponsored assailants just to blackmail IPOB. Is this the kind of military you want to lay down your life for?
“IPOB understands Nigeria very well and will always advise our people ahead of time before Biafrans fall into Nigeria’s deceptive trap. IPOB is against Biafrans, particularly Ndigbo, joining the Nigerian Army because the Nigerian Army has no good intentions towards Ndigbo. It will be deadly to join an institution with one of its core objectives being to kill and destroy Ndigbo.
“Ndigbo is not part of Nigeria. Biafra is not Nigeria. If you don’t understand Nigeria’s hatred towards you today, we are sure that you will understand it tomorrow. Any Biafran youth out of desperation for employment who joins the Nigerian Army because of their recruitment will be solely responsible for whatever happens to him or herself. IPOB will not talk about you when Nigeria Army’s wickedness happens to you.
“One of the IPOB’s jobs is to educate Biafrans to understand the level of hatred against them and to help expose the evil strategies the Nigerian Security Agencies use against us. One of those evil strategies is the recruitment of Biafran youths into the Nigerian Army and send them to the slaughter houses of the Northern terrorists while leaving Biafra land defenseless when they sponsor and deploy terrorists and launch them as part of their planned jihad conquest against Biafra Land.
“The Nigerian government and its Army deviced many ways to slaughter Ndigbo, especially Biafran youths. Now, they have come another way to bring Igbo youths close in order to murder them and decrease our population.
“Let him who has ears hear and let the fools keep fooling themselves until Nigeria happens to them. Avoid the Nigerian Army recruitment or perish in your ignorance. In the end, Biafra must be restored,” the movement warned.
By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha
The Directorate of State (DOS), of Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) Monday warned that the ban on celebration of Nigerian Independence anniversary is still in force in Biafran land adding that such celebration wil not be tolerated.
The spokesperson of the group, Emma Powerfull, however called on Biafrans globally to go about their normal business stating that as a non violent movement, “We are not part of Nigeria and have nothing to do with their British flag independence of 1960.
” We are aware that some prominent Igbo men and women played pivotal roles in securing the flag independence that Nigeria celebrates annually on every October 1st, however, such independence has taken more blood of Ndigbo to maintain than any other ethnic group in Nigeria.
“Biafrans have decided to reject the bloody flag independence of Nigeria and work for the restoration of a true united and prosperous Independent State of Biafra. Therefore, every Biafran should reject this Nigerian forced unity as we look forward to celebrating the Biafra independence soon.
“Ndigbo must adhere to this clarion call to stop every activity concerning Nigeria independence tomorrow. There shall be no flying of Nigerian flags in Biafra territory.
“There shall be no independence activity for students in Biafraland. Everyone should go about their businesses or use that Day for family quality time and rest at home for those who may chose not to go for their work and business.
“IPOB is not joking with the restoration of Biafra freedom and sovereignty. Do not make yourself an enemy of the struggle by participating in Nigeria flag independence celebrations tomorrow.
“Parents and guardians must not allow their children to go for any Nigerian independence activities tomorrow.
“We are monitoring everywhere in Biafraland. As an Igbo Parent, do not allow your children to be sacrificed for a country that considers them less of a human,” the movement warned.
From Yagana Ali Yola
A non governmental organization on the platform of Search for common ground in collaboration with the Nigeria security and civil defense Corp, NSCDC, has celebrated the international peace day in Yola with the aim of restoring relative peace and order in the state.
The Nations News Nigeria reports that the group in collaboration with NSCDC embarked on a peace walk and seminar to commemorate the day with a theme ‘cultivating a culture of peace’.
Gambo Wada, COMITAS Project Manager who spoke to newsmen in the state pointed out that peace can be nurtured and cultivated, and however called on the good people of the state to cultivate the culture of peaceful coexistence.
Highlighting the achievement of the project, Gombo said they have worked in about 33 communities in Adamawa and Taraba and come up with dialogue to mitigate conflicts among different ethnic groups in the state .
Given the instance of farmer header clash in Numan and Guyuk LGA of Adamawa state .
He also noted that mediator tents shall be put in place for relevant dialogue to be imbibed.
He further called on stakeholders to sustain what they put in place as the project end December
While presenting a paper at the seminar a university don Dr John ngamsa said that peacebuilding is key and it’s everyone’s responsibility to build a peaceful environment.
Also at occasions the collaborator NSCDC, ACC Charity A Fwah, Head of Unit for peace and conflict unit said, NSCDC played a vital role to ensure peaceful coexistence between families, communal, farmers and headers crisis.
According to her, the NSCDC is the closest force to the community and has done well in collaboration with SFCG.
By Chinelo Kodilichukwu Enugu
The All Anglican Church, Osumenyi women’s wing, Kano State branch has donated gift items to Inmates of Goron Dutse Medium Security Custodial Centre.
The Osumenyi women of the Anglican Communion in Kano, who paid a visit to the custodial centre with food items, toiletries, clothing, buckets, and various types of seasons, said that their visit was to support the inmates and to promote their welfare.
Presenting the items on Saturday, the Chairperson of the wing, Mrs Edna Ezike, said the gesture was their little way of supporting the inmates in the facility.
Ezike urged inmates at the centre to see their incarceration as an opportunity for self-reflection and change, hence be good ambassadors when they come out of prison.
She urged the inmates not to go back to their old ways and imbibe the fear of God in their heart, take advantage of the rehabilitation and reintegration programmes in the centre to enable them acquire life-changing skills and behaviours.
“Endeavour to utilise the skills available at the centre, we want to assure you that we are interested in your wellbeing. These items are donated to help in improving your living conditions,”she said.
Ezike said that the Osumenyi women’s wing of the All Anglican church, Kano branch had been visiting prisons for the last three years to encourage and support them in their little ways they can and give them advice.
The chairperson called on parents, guardians and the general public to train their wards in the way of the Lord, rather than misleading them.
She said that prison was not a good place to be, especially when it involves the issue of youths, being future leaders and backbones to their various families.
She called on philanthropists to endeavour to visit the inmates, support and make provisions for them with necessary things to make them feel loved.
Receiving the items on behalf of the management, a staff of the Correctional Centre, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the gesture as timely and well-intended.
“This gesture is well appreciated by us, these items will greatly support the welfare of the inmates in this facility. We thank you immensely.”
By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha
The indigenous People of Biafran, IPOB, through its Directorate of State (DOS), has accused Nigeria Army, of staging self abduction to blackmail IPOB and its Eastern Security Network, ESN, operatives.
The movement made the accusation in reaction to alleged report propaganda that IPOB abducted a Nigerian soldier sent to Biafra land to spy on the Biafra movement and forced him to call for the resignation of Biafran soldiers in the Nigerian Army.
The spokesperson of the group, Emma Powerful who made this known in a statement signed and issued to newsmen on Thursday, alleged that the propaganda from the Nigerian Army spokesperson claiming that IPOB captured a spying Nigerian soldier and forced him to deliver a message to the Biafran soldiers serving in the Nigeria Army to resign, is a self staged crime by the Nigerian Army’s leadership.
The statement reads in part: “Though IPOB has called for Biafrans serving in the Nigerian Security Agencies to resign, IPOB has never forced and will never force our brothers and sisters in the Nigeria Security Agencies to resign their positions. IPOB can only appeal to the conscience of Biafrans but will never impose anything on anyone under gunpoint or duress.
“The Biafra Nation IPOB is championing, which is a nation where the rights of persons are guaranteed and respected, not as obtainable in a lawless and irredeemable zoological Republic called Nigeria, guides our people through reasoning.
“The so-called video of an abducted spying soldier captured and forced to call for the resignation of Biafran soldiers from the Nigerian Army is another false flag operation by the Nigerian Army and their agent provocateurs to continue their murderous onslaught against Ndigbo. The Nigerian Army has reduced themselves to a mere social media gossip.
“IPOB did not abduct any Nigerian soldier. The Army spokesman should stop linking IPOB to their criminal agents in their efforts to destabilize Alaigbo. IPOB and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu have no relationship with the so-called Biafra Liberation Army. IPOB does not have any Army and will never have an army until Biafra is restored.
“IPOB only operates the Eastern Security Network (ESN), which is an armed Vigilante Group against marauding Fulani terrorists ravaging our farmlands. We maintain our stand that the infamous BRGIE and her criminal gang called Biafra Liberation Army are the creation of the Nigerian Government through DSS to blackmail IPOB.
“That is why when these criminals are used to stage any crime, the Nigerian Army and Police quickly rush to the media and tag their violent activities on IPOB-ESN. The call by the Nigerian Army to the ICC, UN, and Amnesty International to take action against IPOB is null and void because these responsible institutions know the truth about IPOB activities around the globe.
“The Nigerian government and her murderous security agencies should stop blackmailing IPOB. Should IPOB decide to confront the Nigerian Security Agencies, they will understand that IPOB is formidable and a force to reckon with. The Nigerian Army should not take our non-violent approach as weakness. Our non-violence approach is our respect to the internal laws and principles governing self-determination, not a weakness,” the movement affirmed.
