The Chief of Defence Staff(CDS), General Lucky Irabor, has said that security agencies have foiled what could have been major attacks in Kano and Abuja last week.
Gen. Irabor also said citizens must trust and support the military and other security agencies for the war on insecurity to be more effective in the country.
The CDS disclosed this while speaking on a Channels Television special programme on Sunday for Democracy Day.
He regretted that violent incidents continued in Nigeria but argued that security agencies had averted several others.
“Security agencies had halted what could have been a major attack in Kano and Abuja,” he said.
“We recovered a large quantum of arms and ammunition and other materials which, of course, the criminals were intending to use in various parts of the country, including Abuja,” he added.
He said the security operatives across the country record many successes despite persistent criminal activities.
Gen. Irabor, therefore, called on Nigerians to trust and support the security operatives as all Nigerians are potential victims.
“I’m a victim as well as any Nigerian that is on the street. We are all victims together. There’s no one who is on the other side. We are in it together. We are on the frontlines. Trust is not something we need to beg for.
“I will seek and crave the indulgence of all Nigerians to say that there has to be trust. Trust must exist, and trust must be given in all respect so that together we will achieve the state of peace that we so desire,” he said.
However, he admitted that the desired state of security is yet to be achieved as many parts of the country are disturbed by violent crimes, including kidnapping and gunmen massacres.
It can be recalled that recently police in Kano intercepted a vehicle laden with Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) on its way to the state via Jigawa State.
Similarly, the Department of State Security ( DSS) arrested a top commander of the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) identified as Malam Abba in Kano.
Kano and Jigawa States are the only relatively secure states in Northwestern Nigeria where bandit-terrorists continue killing and abducting innocent citizens.
A former Chief of Army Staff and Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Benin Republic, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Burutai, has called for negotiation with insurgents and armed groups terrorizing the country.
Buratai spoke at a one-day symposium on National Security organized by Arewa House in Kaduna on Saturday.
According to Burutai, there must be a serious effort that there are no ungoverned places in the country.
Buratai also commended Sheikh Ahmad Gumi and agreed with him on his negotiation approach with bandits as a way of ending insurgency in the country.
“This is where I commend Sheikh Gumi for his initiative. One-third of the fight is military; others should be non-kinetic through dialogue. We must get this solution, and this is the right time to get it done,” he stated.
Armed thugs have assaulted and restrained officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State in the 2023 general elections, Siminialayi Fubara.
The incident that surprised many took place Tuesday at the Port Harcourt International Airport when Fubara, alongside other PDP chieftains, arrived at the airport from Abuja.
The Daily Reality gathered that Fubara jetted to Abuja to receive his certificate of return alongside some of the PDP chieftains.
The thugs, who were believed to be his supporters, reportedly thwarted the EFCC officials from arresting him.
The EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed that the operatives of the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the EFCC were restrained from arresting Fubara.
Uwujaren condemned the development, describing it as a blatant attempt to obstruct justice.
He, however, warned that the commission’s civility should not be taken for granted.
The Daily Reality recalls that the EFCC had declared Fubara wanted over alleged N117 billion fraud.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, is reportedly holding a closed door meeting with the governors of the party in Abuja.
This is however coming not long after the former Lagos state governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was announced winner as presidential candidate in the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) primaries took place last night.
It was gathered the isses to be discussed include strategies of the presidential campaign with the view to uproot the APC from power in the 2023 general election.
The Daily Reality learnt that some of the governors at the meeting were Samuel Ortom, Sokoto state Governor Aminu Tambuwal and his Oyo state counterpart Seyi Makinde.
Others were said to have been Bayelsa Governor, Douyi Diri, Bauchi Governor, Bala Muhammed, Rivers Nyesom Wike, and that of Benue.
All these are coming as preparations towards the 2023 general election, with all the candidates from different parties trying to emerge winners as the time is due.
Former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmad Tinubu, has been declared the winner of the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential primary election.
APC held a special convention between 6 to 8 of June 2022 to elect the ruling party’s presidential candidate.
Tinubu emerged as the APC candidate at the end of the presidential primary after polling about 60% of the 2300 votes.
He defeated his closest rivals, Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibueke Amaechi, to clinch the ruling party’s ticket.
Tinubu is expected to face the candidate of the country’s major opposition party, Atiku Abubakar, and others in the 2023 general election.
Throughout this week there is a heavy tension in the Muslim world, as one lady called Nupur Sharma, who is the spokeswoman of the Indian Hindu party, BJP, spewed insults on the prophet of Islam. Many commentators around the world accused Modi’s government of complicity in such crimes as there is so much increase in attacks and humiliation of Muslims and Islam in India right from the beginning of his reign. This time around, the Muslims worldwide, are outraged and condemned the barbaric act of Sharma and called upon the Indian government to act against such transgression.
Indian women protesting against the ignorant Nupur Sharma’s madness
According to Aljazeera, leaders “of India’s Hindu nationalist ruling party have instructed officials to be “extremely cautious” when talking about religion on public platforms after derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad drew protests from Muslim nations.
Two leaders of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said verbal instructions were given to more than 30 senior officials and some federal ministers who are authorised to take part in debates hosted by Indian news channels often broadcast live to millions of viewers, the Reuters news agency reported on Tuesday.
“We don’t want party officials to speak in a way that hurts the religious sentiments of any community … They must ensure the party’s doctrine gets shared in a sophisticated manner,” said a senior BJP leader and federal minister in New Delhi, according to the report.
With about 110 million members, mainly Hindus, the BJP is the world’s largest political party, while Muslims comprise about 13 percent of India’s 1.35 billion population.
Last week, the BJP suspended its spokeswoman Nupur Sharma and expelled Delhi media cell head Naveen Kumar Jindal after Muslim nations demanded apologies from the Indian government and summoned diplomats to protest against anti-Islamic remarks made during a TV debate.
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran were among the nations that made their complaints public.
The influential 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said in a statement that the insults came in the context of an increasingly intense atmosphere of hatred towards Islam in India and systematic harassment of Muslims.
On Wednesday, Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian arrived in New Delhi for bilateral talks with India – the first visit by a senior minister of an OIC member nation after remarks on the prophet triggered outrage in the Arab world and other Muslim-majority countries.
Iran had summoned the Indian envoy in Tehran to lodge its protest against the anti-Islam remarks made by Sharma and Jindal.
BJP youth leader arrested
Meanwhile, police in northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh arrested a BJP youth leader for posting anti-Muslim comments on social media, officials said on Wednesday.
Harshit Srivastava was arrested in Kanpur city following communal tensions last week during a protest by Muslims to denounce the anti-Islam comments.
“We arrested the local politician for making inflammatory remarks against Muslims,” said Prashant Kumar, a senior police official, adding that at least 50 people were taken into custody following the tensions in Kanpur.
Srivastava’s lawyer was not available for a comment.
Sporadic unrest was reported in other parts of the country over the anti-Islam comments by the BJP’s Sharma.
Members of Muslim groups in India said it was the first time influential foreign leaders had spoken out against what they called the humiliation experienced by the minority community.
“Our voices have finally been heard, only world leaders can nudge Modi’s government and his party to change their attitude towards Muslims,” said Ali Asghar Mohammed, who runs a voluntary rights group for Muslims in Mumbai city.
India’s Muslims have felt more pressure on everything from freedom of worship to wearing the hijab (head scarves) under Modi’s BJP. There were Hindu-Muslim clashes during religious processions recently, following deadly riots in 2019 and 2020.
Although the party has denied any rise in communal tensions during Modi’s reign, the BJP rule has emboldened hardline Hindu groups in recent years to take up causes they say defend their faith, stoking a rise in anti-Muslim sentiment.
The US State Department, in an annual report on international religious freedom released last week, said that attacks on members of minority communities, including killings, assaults and intimidation, took place in India throughout 2021. India’s foreign ministry said on Monday the offensive tweets and comments did not in any way reflect the government’s views.
“We are not barred from speaking on sensitive religious issues, but we must never insult the basic tenets of any religion,” said senior BJP spokesperson Gopal Krishna Agarwal.
Modi in recent years has improved economic ties with energy-rich Muslim nations, the main source for India’s fuel imports, but relations have come under stress from the anti-Islamic comments by the two BJP members, foreign policy experts said.@
Bandits-cum-terrorists have killed at least three people in Gayawa village of Bukuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
They also kidnapped 23 people from Gayawa village and two other villages of Takalafiya and Kairu.
The attack was reported to have taken place in the early hours of Tuesday, June 7, 2022.
A Village head from one of the affected areas who did not want his name mentioned told The Daily Reality that the attack had displaced many villagers.
“We are restless and have been turned into displaced persons by the Dogo Gudale’s terror camp who attacked us today and kidnapped our 23 youths between the age of 19 and 35 years.”
He said the terrorists have moved them into their den to farm for them and expose them to other inhumane labour.
“This has been his usual cruelty to our people. This is why my people ran away from the village to escape being kidnapped, killed, molested or held for ransom,” the monarch said.
Twenty-two-year-old Balki Adamu, whose husband was among those abducted, expressed fear that the terrorists may demand ransom to release her husband.
“My greatest fear is that the terrorists should not ask for ransom because we have no money and no assets to sell out for his freedom,” she said.
A member representing Bukuyum South at the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Sani Dahiru, told journalists that activities of terror groups had made seven villages in Kyaram Ward under his Constituency unaccessible.
He said: “Zamfara State Government, in synergy with Nigeria’s security agencies, are tirelessly working hard to end the scourge of the insecurity affecting the areas.”
“As you might have been briefed on the situation in the affected areas, Zamfara State Commissioner for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs has already put everything in place to respond to the IDPs’ immediate need.”
Police Public Relations Officer in Zamfara State, Mohammed Shehu, told our reporter, “the Command is presently contacting its sources in Bukuyum LGA for quick response to the latest security breaches in the areas.”
A family of ducks caused a crash of three cars on the A7 autobahn near the city of Heidenheim an der Brenz, Baden Württemberg.
A man driving an Opel stopped his car when he noticed the ducks crossing the road. A Skoda driver did the same. However, a Volkswagen driver approached from behind and crashed onto the Opel.
Passengers were hospitalised and property damage of €70,000 is estimated.
At least one person was confirmed dead and another injured after a newly constructed three-storey building collapsed in Unity Road, adjacent to Kwari Market in Fagge local government of Kano State.
The building was undergoing finishing touches and consisted of shops before it collapsed around 12 40pm Tuesday afternoon, leaving two workers affected.
Operatives of Kano State Fire Service who rescued and took the victims to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital said one person was confirmed dead while one other was wounded.
The spokesman for the Service, Saminu Abdullahi, confirmed the incident, “Two people were trapped. We rescued one alive. One dead.”
Abdullahi added: “Around 12:40 pm were called that a building collapsed at Unity Road. Our officers arrived almost instantly and rescued one worker alive but injured. And another one was confirmed dead. The injured is receiving treatment at the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital.”
The building was positioned in a very tight location amid other storey buildings.
Collapsing of buildings has become prevalent in Nigeria, usually due to poor supervision and the use of substandard materials.
An eyewitness told The Daily Reality that the building had been recently erected, and it was only finishing touches that remained before the collapse.
Nigerian award-winning artist, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, has expressed sadness and delivered condolence over the terrorist attacks happening across Nigeria.
Burna Boy took to his verified Facebook account on Monday, June 6, 2022, to express sorrow, condolence and solidarity with the victims of the incessant attacks ravaging the country.
“Nothing is sacred anymore!? Mother’s, fathers, children and babies getting killed. My heartfelt condolences to all those who have lost family or friends from terrorists strikes across our country these past few months. I stand with you.” He posted
In recent times, notorious terrorists have been hitting many places in Nigeria, which has caused the loss of lives and property.
My heartfelt condolences to all those who have lost family or friends from terrorists strikes across our country 
these past few months. I stand with you.” He posted