By Blessing Olaifa, Sanni Onogu, Abuja, Nwanosike Onu, Awka, Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki, Chris Njoku, Owerri, Damian Duruiheoma, Owerri, Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan and Robert Egbe
Nigeria was on Thursday united in agony over the worsening security situation across the six geo-political zones.
The Federal Government alleged collaboration between bandits and unidentified persons in communities.
Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola said kidnappers cannot ferry a large number of victims through the rural communities in trucks and motorcycles without being noticed by the locals.
Aregbesola urged security agencies to cultivate good relationships with people in communities for intelligence gathering, noting that it is the best way to defeat kidnappers and bandits.
The minister spoke during the decoration of the Deputy Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, (NIS), the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and the Deputy Commandant-General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) with their new ranks in Abuja.
Aregbesola said the security challenges constituted a drain to the resources of the country and the energy of security personnel, asserting that security agencies should make the difference in restoring peace back to the country.
He said: “We have been in the throes of bandits, insurgents and other baddies, draining resources and psychic energy. Our agencies must rise to the plate.
“NSCDC in particular should maximise their grassroots penetration for intelligence gathering. The criminals live in our homes, offices, farms, bushes and forests.
“They roam our streets and engage in day-to-day activities with us. On the surface, they are just as ordinary and uniform like the rest of us.
“I will find it difficult to believe that it is possible to take such a large number of students through a reasonably long distance on open trucks and motorcycles without anyone seeing them along the way.
“It will be hard also to believe that some other Nigerians are not aware of their dens and the nefarious activities going on there as we speak.”
Aregbesola added: It is important therefore, that you cultivate deep relationship with the people in your communities so they can trust you with the vital information needed for securing the nation. We are at a point where we cannot, but make a big difference.
“Criminals will keep getting more sophisticated to be ahead of you; but to beat them, you have to be ahead of their game at all times. Playing catch up with criminals can be deadly and very costly.
“Keeping out known and unknown criminals out of our borders is therefore, an unfinished business. You cannot rest on your oars.”
Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs worried, seeks prayers
Lamenting the worsening security situation, the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) urged governments at federal and state levels to secure their domain.
The organisation also urged citizens to assist law enforcement agencies in fighting crime.
In a statement by its Deputy Secretary-General Prof Salisu Shehu, the NSCIA enjoined the Muslims to intensify prayers for the nation’s wellbeing.
The statement reads: “The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) under the leadership of its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alh. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, is deeply saddened and very concerned about the heightened degree of insecurity in the country and the attendant fatalities, tensions, fear and confusion being foisted upon the citizenry.
“The Council, therefore, again calls on the governments at all levels to redouble their efforts in protecting the lives and properties of the citizens. We also urge the citizens to be vigilant and conscious of their neighbourhood and discharge their civic responsibilities of assisting the law enforcement agencies.
“The Council also enjoins the Muslim Ummah to utilise the opportunity of the last ten days of Ramadan to intensify prayers for the nation’s comprehensive peace and security.”
Gunmen kill two Police Inspectors in Anambra
Apart from killing two Police Inspectors in Obosi Police station, unidentified gunmen set ablaze operational vehicles.
Although, a source said more than four policemen were killed, the State police command said only two of it’s men lost their lives.
The Anambra State police Public Relations Officer, Ikenga Tochukwu, said two of them policemen died during a gun duel with the gunmen
He also confirmed that two operational vehicles of the command were burnt, in addition to the section of the building
Tochukwu said the new Commissioner of Police, Chris Owolabi, had detailed crack team to apprehend the perpetrators of the crime against the command
He said the Police Crack Team was led by Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of Operations to identify and apprehend the gunmen
The CrackTeam had visited the scene and conduct on-the-spot assessment of the incidence.
Tochukwu said: “During the gun duel, two police operatives paid the supreme price.
“The hoodlums in a bid trying to escape, set part of police building on fire and two operational vehicles.
He said the CP, Owolabi, had also commiserated with families and friends of the police Operatives, who, he said, lost their lives during the gun battle with the hoodlums
Policeman killed as gunmen attack another police station in Ebonyi
The gunmen, who invaded the station at about 3am, set the ablaze office of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and the administrative building.
A source noted that the main police station at the LGA was burnt down during #EndSARS protest.
He said: “They had burnt the main office during endsars with some vehicles, they now relocated to another block around the station were this attack took place.”
Police spokesman, Loveth Odah, who confirmed the attack, said the gunmen invaded the station in large numbers.
The attack was similar to the attack on the Police Command in Anambra State where two policemen were killed.
Uzodimma to security operatives: take the war to criminals hideouts
Governor Hope Uzodimma charged security agencies to flush out criminals from their hideouts and smoking joints where marijuana and other dangerous drugs are sold and used.
The governor threatened to prosecute landlords and traditional rulers whose property and domains are used by criminals and smokers, who consume weeds and other hard drugs.
He said: “Henceforth any landlord who allows his property to be used by criminals, even smokers of weeds and other hard drugs will be answerable to the law.”
The Imo State governor gave the charge while presenting another 100 patrol vehicles fitted with gadgets to the operatives of the state’s security outfit, code-named Operation Search and Flush.
This brings to 200 such vehicles so far donated to the security agencies in Imo State by the governor since he assumed office in January 15, last year.
Presenting the vehicles and equipment at the Heroe’s Square in Owerri, said the event was part of the administration’s response to the evolving security challenges.
Uzodimma said: “We are reenergizing the security architecture in the State to make it more proactive and result oriented.
“From now onwards Imo State shall be a no go area for criminals.” You should “take the war to the door steps of all criminals, their kindred, their hamlets and their hide-outs. They must be smoked out and flushed out of Imo State.”
He added: “Any traditional ruler whose domain criminals abide and who fails to report same to relevant authorities will be held accountable.”
“Imo State will no longer tolerate a situation whereby our State is used as a breeding heaven for criminals.”
The governor commiserated with the families of officers who paid the supreme prize in the course of their lawful duties and those who lost their loved ones through accidental discharges by security men, and promised that his administration will not abandon them.
We won’t be deterred by killing of policemen in Imo, says new CP
Imo State Commissioner of Police Yaro charged officers and men of the state command not to be deterred by the recent attacks by gunmen.
Yaro, who resumed office yesterday in Owerri said although the unwarranted attacks and killings affected the psyche of policemen, the evil action would not deter them from restoring peace and stability in the state.
He said, “When your colleagues pay the supreme sacrifices, it will affect the morale and psyche of their co-workers.
“But, that will not deter us because it is a thing of honor to die for the service of your country. Deaths occuring in line of duty is not sufficient to deter any policeman from defending his fatherland. In some climes, that’s what some officers work for.”He added: “Within the period the Imo State Police Command will be under my watch, we will do our best to revive our visibility policing by way of ensuring that police assets and personnel are seen in public domains and in ungoverned places because visibility policing has the potentials of reducing criminality.
“Beside that, we will do our best to engage community policing because crime prevention requires all society approach.”
Angry youths protest in Ibarapa
Protesting Ibarapa youths visited the palace of the Asawo of Ayete land, Oba Emmanuel Borisabunmi, to air their grievances over the attack on indigenous by suspected deadly herders.
The youths also visited the Divisional Police Station to register their displeasure with the Divisional Police Officer.
However, things went awry when on their way from the police station the youths saw a Ford Explorer (Jeep) moving towards the outskirt of the town, but suddenly started moving in reverse with uncontrollable speed.
A source said: “We stopped the car and find out it contains three Fulanis men and a Yoruba man. We insisted on carrying out a thorough searching on the car and we found a pistol and AR-15 gun with several bullets in the car.
“All our efforts to get them arrested on the spot were to no avail as they ran away the place, but later we caught the only Yoruba among them and he was handed over to the Police.
Another source said the youths decided the burn the car after three of the suspects escaped, leaving only the driver behind. The driver was said to have been beaten before he ran for cover at the Divisional Police Station after sustaining serious injury.
He added, the Secretary of the farmers’ association in Ibarapa, Mr Taiwo Adeagbo, accompanied by police officers, took the injured suspect to the general hospital for medical attention.
He explained that the youths embarked on the protest in the wake of recurring deaths and kidnappings in the area.
He said in the last few days, more than three deaths and four kidnapped cases had been reported.
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