The Nation Newspaper

Tag: attack

  • Suspected Islamist militants attack Niger prison

    Suspected Islamist militants attack Niger prison

    Gunmen have attacked the main prison in Niger’s capital, Niamey, killing at least two guards, officials say.

    They are thought to be members of the Islamist militant group, Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (Mujao).

    Officials said several inmates were overpowered and detained after what appeared to be an attempted breakout.

    The attack comes days after Mujao said it was behind suicide bombings at a military base and a French-operated uranium mine which killed 25 people.

    Another group affiliated with al-Qaeda, the Signed-in-Blood Battalion of Algerian militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar, later claimed that the assaults in Agadez and Arlit had been joint operations with Mujao.

    It also said the attacks were retaliation for Niger’s role in the French-led military offensive which drove Mujao and two other Islamist groups out of northern Mali earlier this year.

    ‘Wanted for terrorism’

    Residents said the gunmen launched the attack on the prison in Niamey at around 15:00 local time on Saturday.

    “We were sitting there when we saw these armed men start to shoot at the guards… I saw several of them fall and not get back up,” Ila Yaye, who lives near the prison, told the Reuters news agency

    Officials told the BBC the incident started when a prisoner grabbed a gun from a guard, and shot dead three guards and a civilian. The prisoner was believed to be a Sudanese member of Mujao.

    Members of the group stationed outside the prison then opened fire, the officials said. Some were reported to have entered the building.

    Nigerien gendarmes are reported to have later arrived at the prison to help the guards, who remained under fire for around 45 minutes. Police meanwhile blocked off roads leading to the facility.

    Later, Niger’s Justice Minister, Marou Amadou, said only two guards had been killed and another seriously wounded by four inmates.

    Mr Amadou said the inmates had been captured and the incident was being investigated.

    “There are two versions of what happened, and right now we think it’s more likely that they came from inside the jail,” he said.

    “These are people who are wanted for terrorism. We do not know how they were able to arm themselves inside the prison, and how they were able to get out to attack the guards.”

    Mr Amadou said it was too early to say which group was behind it.

    Mujao is a splinter group of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which formally announced its existence following the abduction of three aid workers in Algeria in October 2011.

    It says its objective is to spread jihad to West Africa rather than confine itself to the Sahel and Maghreb regions – the main focus of AQIM.

  • ‘We didn’t supervise attack on Accord members’

    The Oyo State Joint Task Force, Operation Burst, yesterday debunked the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) allegation that it was being used to witch-hunt government’s enemies.

    In a national newspaper on Monday, the PDP alleged that the task force supervised last week’s attack on Accord members by hoodlums.

    The attack occurred at Olomi in Ibadan, the state capital, at a ceremony where the Accord was receiving new members into the party.

    The PDP also alleged that the security outfit disrupted a meeting of a faction of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) led by Chief Michael Koleoso in Saki in January.

    Operation Burst said it had nothing to do with the incidents.

    In a statement by Mr. Agboola Waheed on behalf of the Commander, LC ILO, Operation Burst said: “Following a distress call received by this outfit, patrol teams were deployed in the area to contain any escalation or breakdown of law and order.

    “Since inception, we have never carried out any operation in Saki as mentioned in the publication. Our operation has been restricted to Ibadan and Ibarapa zone.

    “Operation Burst is a disciplined organisation, which distances itself from partisan issues. It is committed to containing crime and has successfully done so. The outfit will continue to provide security for all residents.”

     

  • Presidency’s attack sparks $1b rice mills fraud claim

    Presidency’s attack sparks $1b rice mills fraud claim

    The Presidency yesterday lashed out at some opposition leaders for their criticism of the government.

    But, its attack sparked a furious reaction, with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) accusing the Federal Government of fraud in its $1 billion rice mills project.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, berated opposition leaders for assuming that the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration is bereft of ideas.

    Okupe specifically named former Head of State Gen. Muhammed Buhari, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande and ACN National Leader Asiwjau Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the thorn in the flesh of the government.

    But, the National Publicity Secretary of the ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, dismissed Okupe’s claim as the cry of a desperate, sinking and terrified political party —the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) .

    Mohammed said the presidential spokesman presented spurious statistics and lies to disparage opposition leaders.

    Okupe berated the opposition leaders for alleged insincerity at a press conference in Lagos.

    He said they have a “penchant to use every platform to denigrate this nation and its government”.

    He said opposition leaders were confusing innocent members of the public “and deceptively present themselves as possessing what it takes to move Nigeria forward”.

    He said the merger being put together by the opposition “is made up of PDP renegades, moribund and lack-lustre ANPP, which had existed for 13 years without any meaningful impact on the polity, and the ACN, which is a one-man owned and controlled political party with no form of any internal democratic credential whatsoever and totally devoid of any form of modern liberalism”.

    He accused Tinubu and Gen. Buhari of being unfair to President Jonathan.

    His words: “The present National Chairman of the ACN, Chief Bisi Akande as Governor of Osun State during the same period, denied workers of a N5,500 minimum wage and eventually laid off over 9,000 workers during his four-year reign. Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who was then NLC President and now Governor of Edo State, led workers on protest march in Osun State during the period but Chief Akande remained adamant. Where then is the credential of these people to talk about job creation, promotion of workers interest and democratic etiquette?

    “As I speak with you, Ekiti and Osun states, which are being governed by these opposition political parties, are embroiled in one form of industrial crisis or the other as a result of the insensitive, cruel and anti-workers policies of their present governors.

    “These sets of politicians who want to desperately supplant Jonathan’s administration are promoting an incongruous alliance of political weaklings and dysfunctional Lilliputians out primarily to foster their ego and psyche being repeatedly frustrated political power mongers; forgetting that one million giant ants can never muster the required strength to lift a concrete pole not to talk of a nationally entrenched pillar and structurally established institution like the PDP.”

    He alleged that the ACN always outsourced its presidential candidate from the ranks of the PDP.

    He added:”In 2003, their choice was Vice President Atiku Abubakar who now knows them better. In 2011, it was a protégé of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu who fitted the slot, although he was later betrayed and sacrificed on the altar of self-interest.

    “Presently, the debates within the factionalised alliance suggest that they will not mind fielding another PDP stalwart as its presidential flag bearer.

    “It is clear that a party that consistently over a period of 12 years has been unable to find any suitable member from its own rank and file as presidential candidate has clearly exhibited its own structural and ideological weakness and its unsuitability as an organisation capable of providing national leadership and can therefore not run an efficient or competent federal government in a country like Nigeria.”

    On power, he said: “We assure Nigerians that all hands are on deck to ensure delivery of uninterrupted power supply within the shortest possible time. You will recall that this administration inherited five major problems in this sector and these are: Low generating capacity due to failure to invest in the power sector for over 20 years; comatose NIPP projects; poor and inadequate gas infrastructure and supply; dysfunctional and inefficient transmision and distribution capabilities; and non achievements of the much desired privatisation agenda.

    “Of all the above five, the Jonathan administration has nearly completely resolved four out of these five challenges, leaving only the fourth item to which sufficient attention is also being dedicated. It is projected that within the next 12 months, the problems affecting transmission and distribution will be substantially resolved.”

    On infrastructure, Okupe said: “Nigerians are already reaping the benefits of government’s investment especially, on ongoing road rehabilitation projects, some of which are on the verge of completion. Notable of these are the Kano-Maiduguri, Port Harcourt-Enugu, and the Benin-Ore road which now takes commuters less than three hours as against 13 to 17 hours previously.

    “The second Niger Bridge will be completed in the next 24 months, other things being equal.”

    He added: “To ensure that Nigeria has in place industrial capacity for international quality grade milled rice that can compete with imports, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Finance concluded arrangements to facilitate the acquisition of 100 large scale integrated rice mills, with a total capacity of 2.1 million MT, to be located across the country, owned and operated by the private sector. This is being acquired under a low interest rate facility of $ 1 billion from the China EXIM Bank. For the first time in history, Nigeria will have the full industrial capacity to mill and replace all the rice it currently imports – and become an exporter of finished rice to other African countries.”

    Reacting, Mohammed said Okupe got it all wrong. He said: “I will start with Tinubu, Buhari, Akande and ACN that he disparaged.

    “If truly ACN is a one-man party and that one-man party can win six governorship seat, 20 senators, 69 members in the House of Representatives, and about 170 assembly members all over Nigeria, I will rather belong to that kind of party.

    “If, as Okupe said, Gen. Buhari is a political liability like the Asiwaju and such a man could be able to win 12 million votes with such political liability, I will rather belong to the same party as that man.

    “As for Chief Bisi Akande, even his detractors admit that he has the most purposeful, most transparent and most people-oriented administration and his legacy still stands today.

    “On the figure Okupe is brandishing; they are fictitious, suspicious and completely misleading. How can anybody tell Nigerians that in year 2012, in which Nigeria experienced the worst flood that washed away many rice farms, that Nigeria actually recorded 140 per cent increase in rice production?

    “He (Okupe) said government is taking $1 billion facility from the China Exim Bank for 100 large scale integrated rice mills with a total capacity for 2.1 million metric tonnes. In other words, each rice mill is costing $8 million. But we know that a private farmer in Jigawa State is getting a similar rice mill in higher capacity for only $1.7 million. So why the discrepancy?

    “Is the Federal Government fleecing Nigerians of over $6 million on each rice mill? We will, in due course, furnish Nigerians with accurate figures and numbers in respect of the volume being imported and at what cost.”

  • Four killed in Benue village attack

    Suspected Fulani herdsmen allegedly killed four Tiv peasant farmers at Imande Jem village, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, yesterday.

    A community leader, Chief Dooga Imande, told The Nation that a housewife, who was fetching water in a stream, sighted some armed Fulani herdsmen at 10am.

    She reportedly informed the other residents, who called in soldiers from the 72 Special Forces Battalion, Makurdi, the state capital. The soldiers were said to be on patrol in the area.

    Imande Jem is a farming community located on the University of Agriculture, Makurdi (UAM)-Gbajimba Road.

    Imande said the military patrol team, with five armed soldiers, requested that some Tiv farmers show them where the herdsmen were sighted.

    He said: “Four of our men accompanied the military men from the 72 Special Forces Battalion. But while they were approaching the stream, some armed Fulani herdsmen emerged from the bush and gunned down four famers.”

    The community leader alleged that the armed soldiers did not respond to the suspected herdsmen’s shooting.

    He accused the soldiers of taking sides with Fulani herdsmen, especially those of Hausa-Fulani extraction in the area.

    Imande called for the immediate withdraw of the soldiers from the area, adding that they could no longer be trusted with the security of life and property.

    Addressing reporters after the incident, the lawmaker representing Makurdi Morth in the Benue State House of Assembly, Avine Agbom (Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN), described the attack as barbaric.

    He said a similar scenario started playing out in Jos, the Plateau State capital, adding that it was gradually extending to Benue and the North Central.

    Agbom expressed concerns over the alleged connivance of soldiers with Fulani in the killing of Tiv peasant farmers.

    The lawmaker urged the Chief of Army Staff to investigate the soldiers from the 72 Special Battalion Forces and the Nigeria Army School of Military Engineering (NASME), both in Makurdi, for their alleged involvement in the bloody Tiv-Fulani crisis.

    According to him, the killings have the dexterity of the military, thus suggesting the soldiers’ alleged involvement in Tse Iortim, Tse Madugu, Yogbo and 15 other villages in Mbalagh ward, Makurdi Local Government Area, where 30 Tiv farmers were recently killed.

    The lawmaker recalled that in the Mbalagh killings, he reported to the NASME Commandant and the Benue State Security Council’s meeting that two military vehicles, with registration number NA 725SF 13 and NA72SF 12 accompanied Fulani herdsmen during an attack in the area.

    Agbom said nothing was done, even though the NASME Commandant confirmed that the vehicles were on patrol.

     

  • Heartland to attack in Gabon

    Heartland to attack in Gabon

    Heartland forward, Abdul Haruna has said his side will not defend the slim first leg victory at Union Sportive Bitam (USB) in Saturday’s first round reverse fixture of the Caf Confederation Cup in Bitam, Gabon.

    The Naze Millionaires squeezed out a 2-1 win against the Gabonese side on March 17 at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri and must avoid defeat in the make-or-mar duel at the Stade Gaston Peyrille, Bitam to progress in Africa’s second tier club competition.

    Haruna said Union Sportive Bitam were ordinary in the first fixture and will suffer defeat at their back yard.

    “We won’t defend our 2-1 win in the first leg but go all out right from the blast of the whistle to attack and I’m confident we’ll net the vital goals that will see us in the next stage of the competition.

    “I know we’ll win because the goal they scored against us was merely luck. They weren’t fantastic but simply ordinary.

    “We’re in high spirit thinking nothing but the battle at Union Sportive Bitam. Our confidence level is further boosted by recent league victories.

    “The coaches have carefully selected the best legs for the encounter and they’re raring to go. We’ll surely come back with the qualification ticket at the expense of US Bitam,” said the former Kano Pillars’ hit-man to supersport.com.

    Strikers, Jolly Osas and Isah Akor scored for Heartland in the first fixture at Owerri while danger man, Alain Djessikadie got his side’s consolation goal.

    Heartland arrived Lagos on Wednesday from their base, Owerri and will depart to Bitam, Gabon on Thursday.

  • Attack saddens Aregbesola

    Attack saddens Aregbesola

    Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has condemned Monday’s bomb attack at the Sabon-Gari, Kano, describing it as heartless, inhuman and barbaric.

    In a statement by the Director-General, Bureau of Communication, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, the governor urged security agents to ensure the safety of lives and property of Nigerians and foreigners in the country.

    Aregbesola said the mindless killing of defenceless citizens represented an act against humanity and God.

    He said that under no circumstance should anyone or group take the lives of fellow human beings.

    He said: “For no reason whatsoever should any human take the life of another, no amount of anger or intimidation should make one spill the blood of another human being. It saddens when these barbaric and heartless people are described as fighting in the cause of any religion. Islam doesn’t support suicide bombing, Islam is a religion of peace. Islam does not encourage compulsion in religion. Qur’an 5:32 says if any one slew a person, it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.”

     

  • Police, Corps Director: no attack on Ekiti NYSC camp

    Ekiti State Commissioner of Police Sotonye Wakama and the State Director of the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC), M. Tunde Baba-Ahmed, have debunked the rumour that there was a bomb attack on the NYSC Orientation Camp in Ise/Orun Ekiti.

    It was learnt that a robbery was foiled at Orun Ekiti and the hoodlums engaged a vigilance group and policemen in a gun battle for over 30 minutes.

    Sources said the robbers snatched a Toyota car and escaped towards Emure/Akoko.

    The shooting made residents assume that the orientation camp might have been invaded by terrorists and they posted messages on the social media.

    This made many parents frantic and they phoned their children to ascertain their safety.

    Police spokesman Victor Olu-Babayemi said the Toyota has been recovered.

    In a statement, Wakama dispelled the rumour of a terror attack, saying: “The command’s attention has been drawn to the rumour that the Ekiti State NYSC Orientation Camp was attacked by an extremist group. The news is false. There was no attack or attempted attack by any group on the camp.

    “The news may have originated from the attempt by armed robbers to attack a beer distributor in Orun-Ekiti, a town of about one and a half kilometres from the camp.

    “The robbery was foiled as a distress call to the police was promptly responded to. The robbers engaged the police in a gun duel and one of them was shot. The others abandoned some of their arms and fled into the bush.

    “Two locally-made double-barrel guns and a car were recovered from the scene. Detectives are on the trail of the hoodlums.

    “This incident has nothing to do with the NYSC camp. The camp is being manned by armed policemen, soldiers and other security agents. Measures are in place to ensure the safety of corps members and Ekiti residents.”

    The Commissioner for Information, Tayo Ekundayo, allayed the fears of the people, saying “Ekiti is not a safe haven for criminals.”

    Baba-Ahmed said there was no attack on the camp.

     

  • Kenyan attack worries Keshi

    Kenyan attack worries Keshi

    • Confirms studying Harambee stars videos

    Head coach of the Nigerian national team, Stephen Keshi says he has been watching videos of the Super Eagles’ opponents in this month’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier, Kenya’s Harambee Stars.

    Keshi and his backroom staff have been consistently monitoring the progress of playing personnel of the Harambee Stars ahead of the tie which could see Nigeria stretch their lead at the top of the standings.

    “I know Kenya. They have some good players,” Keshi told supersport.com.

    Kenya’s last international was a 1-2 loss to South Africa’s Bafana Bafana on October 16, 2012 and the ‘Big Boss’ revealed that he watched the game with keen interest.

    “I saw that game and I could see that they (Kenya) are a good team that like to attack so we will see how it goes,” he said.

    Nigeria currently lead Group F of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying on four points from two matches.

    Namibia, Malawi and Kenya are the other sides in the group.

  • Robbers attack PDP Southsouth chair

    THE Southsouth Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Steve Oru, at the weekend escaped death after an attack by armed bandits.

    Oru was shot and is receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

    It was gathered that robbers laid ambush for travellers between Orhokpokpor-Agbarho and Uwiamughe-Agbarho on the East/West Road.

    The source said a yet-to-be identified woman was shot when she attempted to escape into the bush.

    Oru’s police orderly, simply identified as Ofor, was also killed when he attempted to engage the robbers in a gun battle.

    The source said: “Oru was shot in the back as he was trying to run into the bush.

    “Many others were also injured as the robbers shot sporadically into the air.

    “As I speak with you, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan is very concerned about Dr Oru’s condition.

    “He has directed that he should be transferred to another hospital.

    “The governor yesterday directed that the PDP Vice-Chairman be transferred from the Ughelli Central Hospital to the State Teaching Hospital at Oghara.

    “The governor again yesterday said he should be transferred to another hospital to enable him access better health care facilities.”

    In a related development, the police aide to former House member Ndidi Elumelu was killed on the Orhia-Abarka-Eku Road by suspected robbers.

    A source said Elumelu’s convoy was attacked by the robbers.

    A senior police officer attached to the State Police Command confirmed the two attacks.

    But police spokesman Famous Ajieh said Elumelu was not on the convoy during the attack.

  • Eagles must attack Elephants – Fish, Kuffour

    Eagles must attack Elephants – Fish, Kuffour

    AFCON legends, Mark Fish and Sammy Kuffour have advised that the Super Eagles play their game when they lock horns with the Elephants of Ivory Coast.

    The former Bafana Bafana defender said: “If Nigeria decides to sit at the defence, then they have done so at their cost.

    “From the defence to attack, I don’t think they can match the current Ivorian team, however, if they want to win the game, they must take it to the Elephants as they don’t have anything to lose if they attack rather than park the bus.” Kuffour, an ex-Ghana Black Stars ace shares the same opinion with Fish. “They have players with lots of potential, with the likes of Victor Moses; he’s got the pace that can ruin any defence so also Ahmed Musa too, and he can run with the ball. So, I expect that Nigeria should just play their own game, and please, don’t sit back as they would ship in goals.”