Security
Resume, tackle insecurity, Womanifesto tells NASS
Over 500 women organisations in Nigeria, united under the aegis of Womanifesto, have condemned the recent wave of insecurity and kidnapping in Nigeria, with a call to the National Assembly to end its holiday.
The coalition, in a statement on Sunday, said it finds it unimaginable that the National Assembly extended its holiday after a 3-week Christmas and New Year recess, amid the recent security crises in the country.
National Assembly To Pass 2024 Budget Today
This action, it argued, reeks of non-chalance and lack of empathy by those elected to represent the interest of Nigerians.
“As enshrined in Section 14(2b) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, the welfare and security of the citizens shall be the primary purpose of the government. The Constitution also guarantees the right to life, liberty, and personal security of every Nigerian citizen.
“The safety and security of Nigerian citizens, especially women and children, which should be the top priority of the government, has been rigorously threatened for years.
“It has now come to a climax where citizens are being kidnapped from their homes in broad daylight,” the coalition decried in the statement signed by its Co-convener, Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi.
The women went on: “Nigerians have felt the brunt of this crisis and have had to crowdfund ransoms payable to criminals.
“Despite this, victims of kidnappings are still being murdered by criminals, leaving the nation in a dire state of distress.
Group urges FG to increase efforts at tackling insecurity
“The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, ACLED, reveals that over 380 people were kidnapped in Nigeria between December 1, 2023 and January 3, 2024.
“The number of reported kidnapped persons in Nigeria between June 2022 and July 2023 increased to 3,620 an analysis of data from SBM Intelligence reveals.
“Additionally, government statistics for Abuja show 40 kidnapping cases involving 236 victims between January 2021 and June 2023.
“We, however, believe that the exact number of people kidnapped in Nigeria in 2024 may be higher.”
Womanifesto, therefore, called on the National Assembly to resume sessions, describing its continued holiday as grossly unacceptable.
While it also applauded recent efforts by security agencies in rescuing some of the kidnapped victims, it demanded that the government takes concrete and anticipatory steps to towards ensuring the safety of its citizens, rather than reactionary measures.
The suspects were apprehended for selling prohibited exotic birds and wild animals contrary to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act.
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), in collaboration with the National Park Service, has arrested three persons over alleged illegal trade in endangered wildlife species in Abuja.
This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by NESREA’s Assistant Director of Press, Nwamaka Ejiofor.
The suspects, identified as Musa Usman, Samila Abdullahi, and Saidu Jagaban, were arrested in different parts of the country’s capital.
According to her, the suspects were apprehended for selling prohibited exotic birds and wild animals, contrary to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act.
She stated that Usman and Abdullahi were found with 15 Senegalese parrots and one African grey parrot, while Jagaban was arrested for hawking three dead antelopes.
“The suspects were arrested in different parts of the city for the illegal sale of prohibited exotic birds and wild animals, contrary to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act,” the statement read in part.
“The trio is to remain in custody while investigation continues.”
NESREA Director-General, Innocent Barikor, reiterated that trafficking in endangered species remained a crime under Nigerian laws, and anyone caught culpable would be prosecuted accordingly.
Barikor emphasised on the need to protect endangered species, under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), to which Nigeria is a signatory.
He added that all living things play different roles in ensuring biodiversity sustainability.
No fewer than 26 people lost their lives, with three others sustaining injuries, following an improvised explosive device (IED) detonation along the Rann–Kala Balge–Gamboru Ngala highway in Borno.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, several civilian vehicles travelling from Rann in Kala Balge LGA ran into a series of hidden explosives.
Makama said the incident occurred on Monday after the convoy veered into a zone where the IEDs had been strategically placed.
The publication said the IEDs were triggered by the movement of vehicles, adding that emergency personnel were swiftly deployed to evacuate victims and administer first aid.
“Security forces have since cordoned off the affected route and commenced clearance operations to ensure safety and prevent a repeat of the incident,” the report said.
“Those injured have been transferred to nearby hospitals where they are currently receiving medical attention.”
Last week, Mohammed Badaru, minister of defence, said President Bola Tinubu is committed to addressing the growing security challenges in Borno state.
The minister spoke about the administration’s commitment to meeting all operational needs of the troops to enhance security in the region.
The Oodua Integrity Group, a Nigerian civil society organisation, has called on Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to investigate and arrest an alleged gun runner, land grabber,popularly called then insert Lucky Blessings Abuah aka bullets of Achala Ibusa village operating in Asaba and Ibuzor, Delta State, accusing him of orchestrating criminal activities with the aid of rogue police officers.
Tosin Olaoluwa, the group’s South-South coordinator, made the appeal following intelligence gathered from concerned residents.
The suspect, identified as Achala Ibusa but popularly known as “Bullet,” is accused of running a network involving illegal arms trafficking, land grabbing, and cult-related activities.
Olaoluwa claimed Bullet operates with the protection of police officers from Rivers State, in violation of regulations prohibiting officers from working outside their command without approval.
According to the group, four AK-47 rifles were recently discovered hidden in a house in Ibuzor.
Two mobile police officers guarding the property reportedly distanced themselves from the find, raising suspicions of their involvement with Bullet, who is allegedly a leader of the Viking cult.
The Oodua Integrity Group further alleged that an assistant commissioner of police is complicit in Bullet’s activities.
The group highlighted that up to 10 mobile police officers are attached to Bullet, despite IGP Egbetokun’s recent directive to withdraw such personnel from individuals not legally entitled to their services.
“We urge the IGP to take immediate action to arrest the culprit in the interest of the general public,” Olaoluwa said, describing Bullet as a miscreant exploiting government security agents to perpetrate crimes.
In a separate incident, the group claimed that security agents from an agency in Abuja, acting on intelligence, were prevented from arresting Bullet by his police escorts.
The officers, reportedly from Rivers State, allegedly used tear gas and fired shots to obstruct the operation.
The Oodua Integrity Group warned that Bullet’s activities, including stockpiling AK-47s and other weapons in Asaba and Ibuzor, pose a significant threat to public safety.
They called for a thorough investigation into the allegations and the immediate apprehension of those involved.
The Nigeria Police Force has yet to respond to the allegations. Efforts to reach a spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.