Bandits

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

The Federal Government has officially refuted claims of negotiations with the Zamfara terrorists to secure the release of the abducted students from the Federal University, Gusau. 

This development was contained in a statement that was released by Mr. Hope Attari, the Acting Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Defence. 

Badaru categorically dismissed the allegations of negotiations with the terrorists as misleading and emphasised that President Bola Tinubu had issued clear directives to the military and other security agencies to ensure the safe return of the abducted students. 

“The Federal Government is working diligently around the clock to ensure that the girls and other abducted individuals return home safely,” stated Badaru. 

Reassuring the residents of Zamfara and all Nigerians, the Minister of Defence conveyed the significant progress being made towards the swift release of the female students and others from Federal University, Gusau.

He expressed confidence in the joint security task forces working discreetly to rescue the students. In addition to addressing the ongoing efforts, Badaru extended his regret to the families of the abducted individuals, condemning the incident as reprehensible.

He highlighted the initial success of President Tinubu’s directives, with 13 of the abducted students and three others regaining their freedom on Monday, attributing this achievement to the professional efforts of the military. 

The Federal Government remains committed to securing the release of all the remaining abducted students and individuals while continuing to uphold the safety and security of its citizens.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

Governor Dauda Lawal has called on the Federal Government to conduct an urgent and comprehensive investigation into undisclosed negotiations with bandits in Zamfara. 

Reports have surfaced indicating that federal government agencies were engaging in talks with bandit groups in the state without the state government’s knowledge. 

In a statement delivered by his spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, on Monday Governor Lawal expressed deep concern over these negotiations, which conflict with the state’s strategy against banditry. 

The governor reasserted Zamfara’s unwavering stance against negotiating with criminals. 

The Zamfara State Government is resolute and “will not negotiate with these criminals,” Governor Lawal declared. 

He further urged the Federal Government to terminate these secret negotiations promptly, citing their potential to undermine progress in the fight against banditry.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

An unspecified number of students from the Federal University of Gusau were kidnapped during an early morning raid by a large group of armed bandits in the Sabon-Gida community of Zamfara State’s Bungudu Local Government Area. 

Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants, numbering in large quantities, invaded the community around 3 am, firing their weapons indiscriminately.

They targeted three student hostels and forcibly abducted all the students within. 

The bandits engaged in a fierce gunfight with Nigerian Army troops, further complicating the situation.

Their escape plan involved dividing into two groups, with one group escorting the kidnapped victims while the other confronted the army. 

This incident follows previous student protests in June over the abduction of their schoolmates in Sabon-Gida and Damba.

Sabon-Gida village is located just 20 kilometers from the state capital, Gusau, and directly across from the main campus of the Federal University of Gusau. 

Efforts to reach the university authorities have been fruitless so far, with no response from the school’s spokesperson, Umar Usman. 

As authorities intensify efforts to secure the release of the abducted students and restore peace to the affected community, residents and concerned families anxiously await updates on this distressing situation.

By Muhammad Sabiu

A Nigeria Customs Service post in Mil Takwas hamlet, a few kilometres from Katsina town, was ambushed by a group of gunmen known locally as bandits.

The attack took place around 1 a.m. on Monday, according to multiple sources and the Nigerian Customs Service in Katsina.

The criminals approached the checkpoint on motorcycles, according to Shamsu Magama, a resident of Magama Jibia.

They arrived from the Bugaje village forest and halted a commercial vehicle on its way to Jibia. On the spot, the driver was murdered. He claimed that after that, they rode their motorcycles towards Mil Takwas.

Another community member claimed that the customs officers were attacked because the bandits figured that if they went to the hamlet without chasing the Customs officials away, they would be able to repel the onslaught.

He claimed that four customs vehicles had been set ablaze.

Katsina is one of the northwestern states brutally hit by the criminal activities of the bandits operating in the region.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Unknown gunmen have launched a fresh attack on Danye Gaba village, Bugaje ward in Jibiya Local Government Area of Katsina State.

According to a source who pleaded anonymity, the traumatic incident took place around 1:30am on Tuesday, March 24, 2022.

The source also claimed that the movement of the criminals was known since around 8pm on Monday and different security agencies were alerted. He, however, lamented that no proactive measure was taken until the bandits raided the community and rustled a number of cows.

The bandits have reportedly rustled over 100 cows of the residents, the development that came barely few hours after unknown gunmen roamed and killed 15 farmers at Gakurdi village of the state.

It was gathered that Danye Gaba village is said to be situated about two kilometres away from the 17 brigade, a military barracks in Katsina.

The Police Spokesman in Katsina, SP Gambo Isah, said, “Right now, we are there with the CP to assess the situation.”

By Ibrahim Nasidi Saal

Troops of the 93 Battalion have launched a  search and rescue mission for personnel missing in action while responding to a distress call of an attack on the Tati community in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State in the early hours of Tuesday, May 10, 2022.

The troops acted swiftly after receiving a distress call that the Tati community was under attack by suspected bandits. While pursuing the bandits, troops fell into an ambush staged by the criminals. The troops fought fiercely through the ambush neutralizing four of the bandits.  Sadly, six gallant soldiers paid the supreme price during the firefight, while one person was missing in action.

However, a reinforcement team from the 6 Brigade deployed against the fleeing bandits at Ananum village in Donga Local Government Area of the state, neutralized two additional bandits and recovered one Ak 47 rifle, one pistol, one locally fabricated gun, 2 AK 47 Magazines, 19 rounds of 7.62 mm special, seven rounds of 9 mm ammunition and three motorbikes.

Troops are currently pursuing the bandits and will leave no stone unturned in the ongoing search and rescue operations for the missing personnel.

The good people of Taraba state are urged to be vigilant and report any suspicious movement to security agencies.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Federal Government of Nigeria said the preliminary reports of what transpired at the Kaduna train attack had revealed a kind of collaboration between the bandits and the dislodged Boko Haram terrorists from the northeast. 

The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this Wednesday while responding to the State House reporters in Abuja.

Recall that The Daily Reality reported how no fewer than nine persons died, hundreds sustained injuries while over sixty were kidnapped when terrorists stormed a passenger train along the Abuja-Kaduna railway a few weeks ago.

Mohammed reportedly intervened after the Minister of Defence, retired Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi, was questioned to provide details on the perpetrators of the train attack.

He said: “What is happening now is that there is a kind of an unholy handshake between bandits and Boko Haram insurgents. 

“Preliminary reports of what transpired at the Kaduna train attacks show that there is a kind of collaboration between the bandits and the dislodged Boko Haram terrorists from the northeast. I can tell you very confidently that the Federal Government is on the top of this matter.”

Magashi, in his earlier response to the question, stated that: “Honestly, I think the security chiefs are working hard to unveil those that are involved, and we will tell you very soon those that are carrying out these attacks. 

“Both Jos and Kaduna, we will come and explain to the public what is really going on and our efforts to ensure that all these activities are stopped once and for all. We are rarely on top of the situation, we are planning hard, and we will get it out as soon as possible.”

By Uzair Adam Imam 

Bandits have invaded a mosque at Maisamari town in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State and killed Alhaji Abdulkadir Maisamari, a district head.

A source disclosed that Maisamari was shot dead during Ishai prayers on Monday night.

The bandits were reported to have opened fire shortly as they roamed the prayer ground. 

However, residents reportedly confronted the gunmen, forcing them to run for their lives. 

The bandits were also said to have fled into a mountain close to the town.

The Taraba State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Usman Abdullahi, confirmed the incident to journalists. 

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Federal Government has disclosed why it declined to designate bandits as terrorists, saying that it is because of international best practices.
Recall that in November, last year, a Federal High Court in Abuja granted an ex parte application for gunmen and terrorists to be declared as terrorists.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), made the disclosure in a TV show, NTA’s Good Morning Nigeria Show.

He said that the process would be concluded in a matter of days, adding that the court judgement that ordered the government to declare bandits as terrorists would be gazetted.

However, Malami was quoted as saying: “Government has a responsibility to act but within the context of acting, you equally expected to operate within the confines of international best practices associated with engagement and one of such best practices is that you can only use maximum force on groups, individuals that are declared terrorists and that is where the application of the Terrorism Act comes in place.

“With that in mind, Nigeria acted, first by proscribing IPOB, taking into consideration the threats to lives and properties they have caused in the nation. Boko Haram was proscribed.

“The gazetting of a court order or judgement is a process but what matters fundamentally within the context of [the] international convention is the judicial declaration and that has been obtained; the court has declared bandits, kidnappers, cattle rustlers as terrorists.

“So, with or without the gazette, what gives effect to such declaration is a judicial pronouncement but the gazette is a mere formality and it has been on and I believe within a matter of days, it will be concluded,” Malami added.

By Abba Muhammad Tawfik

The prime priority of every government is always to ensure the safety of its people by providing adequate food and security and other necessities of life to make a pleasant bustling of it (life). However, the inability to reach that satisfactorily had made Nigerians call it an anathema on President Goodluck Jonathan’s stewardship and pinned him with the harsh tags of incompetence and murderer in northern Nigeria. For that, we prayed consistently and did everything practically possible within the sphere of our human influence until we had him ejected from power.

General Muhammadu Buhari is very well acquainted with his antique military stature of rational thoughts. And, of course, zero tolerance to nonsense and his political confederates in APC wooed us by the “change” cliche. They strategized their political expedition by accentuating majorly on Jonathan’s incompetence to ensure the security of life and property in the Northeastern states of the nation.

As hapless and helpless as we were with our lives at the grabs and pangs of insurgents, we put our complete trust in Buhari and APC, with the expectation and hope of fulfilling their promises of strengthening security setbacks and restoring peace in the nation. As a result, APC attained the peak of our love and succeeded with the power of our lives and thumbs.

Early in their (APC) administration, as they vowed before God and the good people of Nigeria of addressing the security challenges, we can honestly say that the waterloo of Nigerian enemies was celebrated. Normalcy was restored in most Northeastern states like Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Yobe, and Borno, which were then wrecked by detonations and eruptions of improvised explosive devices.

Expectations often fail, and most often, most of their promises fail. The accomplishment of the war being waged furiously against insurgents turned out to be a mirage. It was short-lived, and insurgence spread its tentacles ubiquitously across the nation.

Up to now, a two hour thirty minutes drive from Damaturu to the once known “Home of peace” is like penetrating through the boundaries of the “Bermuda triangle” despite having an airforce base that is well equipped with military fighter jets in Maiduguri. The road will be barricaded for hours, and people would be wantonly slaughtered like animals in abattoir by insensate humanlike beasts without any intervention.

Sadly, the enormity of the matter is that even those who have taken the solemn oath and are saddled with the heavy responsibility of protecting the lives of innocent Nigerians are not spared.

Moreover, the country’s Northwest and the Northcentral segments have also responded to the topsy-turvydom of insecurity and have become a furnace hell on earth. The Kaduna–Abuja road remains a highway of death where people are daily being mercilessly forced to breathe in death and exhale life and stripped of their chattels by kidnappers. 

One of the worst tribulations that betide one in today’s Nigeria is being a resident of Zamfara, Sokoto, or Katsina. The daily news reaching us from the region is that of kidnappings. Bandit terrorists bathe in the bloodstream of innocent souls, turning wives into widows and children into orphans.

Despite the economic hardship in the country,  one has to struggle to fulfil Darwin’s law of survival. But, unfortunately, only our vital forces dearly pay the cost of so doing. May Allah, in His infinite mercy, restore peace to our dear nation. Amen. 

Abba Muhammad Tawfiq is a 500L Medical Rehabilitation student at the University of Maiduguri. He can be reached via abbamuhammadtawfiq@gmail.com.