The Nation Newspaper

Tag: guards

  • Navy, guards clash averted at Atlas Cove

    A clash between operatives of the Nigerian Navy (NN) and security guards,  was on Tuesday averted at Ilashe Island in Atlas Cove.

    Following footages of over 3,000 jerricans sighted by personnel attached to NNS BEECROFT during an aerial surveillance, naval operatives  went to the island to recover the jerricans but were violently resisted by the guards.

    As soon as the naval team got to the island, Topline Security guards numbering over 50, accused the service of hindering their operations.

    Although the guards claimed they seized the kegs and vehicles from vandals on Sunday night, The Nation observed that the five patrol vehicles looked old, abandoned and dysfunctional.

    The state of the vehicles also made the Commander, NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Okon Eyo question the guards’ claim of impounding them at the wee hours of Sunday, which got them infuriated.

    Corking their guns, they threatened to shoot at the kegs containing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in order to cause explosion that would kill everyone.

    The guard  s, who exhibited their charms and weapons, said they were tired of threats from the navy, who they alleged, usually accused them of complicity in pipeline vandalism.

    They blocked the only entry/exit to the island, insisting that no one would leave and threatened to gun down reporters, who were fleeing to safety.

    Screaming “no more threats, no more work,” the hoodlums claimed that they were made to sign an agreement that they would be surcharged for each product siphoned from the island.

    Angered by the confrontation, NN personnel who went to the island with Commodore Eyo were ready for a face-off but they were cajoled by the Commander.

    Eyo, who ordered his men to retreat, told reporters that they were not in the island for needless casualty.

    He described as unfortuante, the attitude of the guards, adding that the navy would have a meeting with NNPC to ensure such was not repeated.

    He said the navy would also review the terms of their contract and establish if they were licenced to carry firearms.

    He said: “You all saw what happened at Ilashe, a riverine community that play host to an important facility of the nation , it is part of the NN responsibility to protect such facilities.

    “You saw for yourself how unruly those people were. They are personnel of Topline Security Company. They claimed to be engaged by NNPC to complement efforts of government security agencies in the island. I believe your guess is as good as mine whether the acts, attitude they displayed was complementary.

    “We had to exhibit maturity in the face of such provocation. We did not see the need for any engagement to record needless casualty especially because we had civilians among us who are not trained for situations like these. We had to manage the situation maturely but we would not allow that potential to continue.

    “Since NNPC was the one who contracted them, we would meet with them and bring up this issue. If we were to go on a confrontational part, they would say the navy came to disrupt their security arrangement and facility. So, even though we had reasons to mount an operation, we had to retreat.

    “But what is happening there cannot continue. We will find out the terms and conditions of their contract from NNPC because we saw some people bearing locally made weapons and dane guns. Although such categories of arms are allowed, bearers must be silenced. So, we will ascertain if they have licence and if their contracts include carrying weapons.

    “If the weapons are not part of the contract, we will do the needful. But if they are allowed to carry guns, we will ascertain the licences and then address their temperament and attitude because they are bearing arms. A lot of them are suspected to be under the influence of drugs and so, we have to clean up that island.

    “Matter of facts, that security outfit has proven to be more of a problem than a solution. From the look of those items and where we saw them, they did not appear like things that were brought there newly. It seems more like a base. They have been there and operate from that place.

    “Those vehicles have been there and are faulty. Maybe, that is their repair base and so, it could not have been vandals that brought those kegs there. You saw that some of those vehicles do not have tyres and so, did they carry them on their heads to that place? That should tell you what the company has been doing and we hope to get to the bottom of it.”

  • Tension at LASPOTECH as guards kill dismissed student

    Tension at LASPOTECH as guards kill dismissed student

    There was tension yesterday at the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Ikorodu, over the killing of an expelled student suspected to be a cultist by security men.

    Ahmed Amoo, 20, was expelled five months ago for alleged cultism and examination malpractice.

    It was gathered that Amoo, who was a National Diploma 11 student in the Department of Mass Communication before his dismissal, stormed the school on Tuesday evening with people described as his gang members.

    Amoo and his gang, a source said, went to a gathering of Business Administration freshers, who were having their orientation night, and robbed them of their money, phones and other valuables.

    A source said: “As the cultists were robbing the students, the security men were alerted and they rushed to the scene. When the robbers saw the security men, they fled but they were chased and two of them, Ayewunmi Daniel and Rilwan Adewale were arrested.

    “The security men went after Amoo and they tried to disarm him. He was holding a battle axe and when he resisted, they shot him on the leg.

    “He was eventually taken to Ikorodu General Hospital where he died early  yesterday. Some of the items they stole from the students were recovered.”

    The source said Amoo’s parents were invited to the school and briefed.

    “There has been tension in the school since Tuesday night. Students are scared that Amoo’s gang members might launch a reprisal attack. There are rumours that the cultists have started grouping. They attacked the school yesterday but the police dispersed them.  The case was reported at Shagamu Road Police Station, Ikorodu.”

    The school’s spokesman, Lanre Kuye confirmed the incident, saying : “Around 6pm some hoodlums stormed the school to extort, kidnap and steal from students. Security men in the school were alerted and they stormed the scene.

    “They chased the hoodlums up to the first gate of the school. On getting there, they realised there was another batch of hoodlums. There was an exchange of gun fire and one of the hoodlums was shot.

    “He died Wednesday (yesterday) morning at the general hospital. He was discovered to be an expelled student of the school. Most of the hoodlums are rusticated students from the school.”

    Police spokesman, Chike Oti, a Superintendent (SP) said those arrested had been moved to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) in Ikeja. Normalcy, he added,  has returned to the school.

  • Kidnap kingpin Evans,by neighbours

    Kidnap kingpin Evans,by neighbours

    •Suspect ‘moved personal effects out of mansion’

    Suspected kidnap kingpin, Chukwudubem George Onwuamadike aka Evans was arrested shortly after his return home last Saturday, some guards in his neighbourhood said yesterday.

    Unknown to him, the neighbourhood had been surrounded by the police before his arrival.

    But, before his arrest, he had started moving his personal effects from his 3, Fred Shogboyede Street, Magodo, mansion.

    A guard, Ali, who said he saw how Evans was arrested, said he was initially surprised to see so many policemen in the estate.

    Ali said armed policemen in over four vehicles blocked all the roads leading to the estate.

    “Some stayed at the gate close to his house, others stayed at the end of the street and there was another group towards the street behind his house. The man came in that day in a cab and the cab was waiting for him outside.

    “But as soon as he entered, policemen surrounded the place. He opened his upper window and called Pius. He asked Pius who those people were and Pius told him they were policemen and they were looking for him.

    “Then, he locked the window and stayed there. As of then, we didn’t know what was happening. We thought that maybe they were just looking for him until we saw the policemen drag him out in handcuffs. They also took Pius with them.”

    It was gathered that he had not been to the house for sometime before the police busted his gang.

    According to some guards, the mansion and another at 96, Emmanuel Keshi Street, also in Magodo, were built less than a year ago.

    The houses were locked when The Nation called yesterday.

    But, a woman was seen locking the Emmanuel Keshi mansion gate when she left the house.

    The guards, who claimed they were friends of Evans’ gateman, Pius, said the suspect neither received visitors nor mixed with neighbours.

    They said he usually paid his utility and other estate dues “promptly”, adding that his gateman and chef earned N20,000 each monthly.

    According to them, Evans and his family never went to church. They said the only person allowed to go to church was Pius.

    One of the guards, who gave his name as John, said: “I have been working in this estate for more than one year. This house is new. It was built last year. The man bought it and remodelled it. He changed a lot of things in the house.

    “He doesn’t talk to people. He doesn’t attend estate meetings but he pays his dues. I haven’t seen visitors enter there. He was living in the house with his family and he had a woman cook. His security man is Pius, our brother from Kaduna. He told us the man has four wives and that none of them knew the other.

    “Pius was arrested by the police that day (Saturday). The man doesn’t go to church and I never saw his family go to church. Pius told us he was the only one who usually went to church in the house. He said his salary was N20,000 per month.

    “We noticed the man started moving out about a month ago. Pius also said it during our discussion that his employer was moving out. The man stopped coming to the estate in his car. Sometimes he came on a power bike, other times, a cab.”

  • Dislodged militants now employed as guards, drivers to spy on targets, Lagos police warn

    Dislodged militants now employed as guards, drivers to spy on targets, Lagos police warn

    Lagos residents have been warned to ensure circumspection when employing domestic workers, and to allow proper profiling of their domestic employees by the police.

    Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Fatai Owoseni gave the warning yesterday, disclosing that some of the militants/kidnappers dislodged from creeks now disguise as private security guards.

    Owoseni said the police were already taking census of some of the estates where these kidnappers have been posted by their firms as guards, without knowing they were spying on victims.

    He also disclosed that cases of criminality perpetrated by domestic helps were on the increase especially with respect to drivers fleeing with their employers’ vehicles.

    The police boss warned estate managers, private guards to stop denying policemen on patrol, duty access into the premises, adding that the command was working with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to address anomalies.

    Owoseni said: “Criminal elements and suspected militants/kidnappers have found themselves enlisted into services of private security company, where they choose the estates they want to go and work.

    “It gives them platform to do monitoring and then give information to their cohorts outside. The command wants to advice Lagos residents on the need to profile domestic servants and drivers they employ.

    “By doing that, they would be helping to secure themselves, protect valuables and assist the police in its quest to reduce crime to minimal level in Lagos.”

    Giving details of arrests made by the command between Tuesday and yesterday, Owoseni said a syndicate that advertises and present themselves as drivers in order to steal from their employers was apprehended.

    He said: “They do so in connivance with guards in some of the houses they work as drivers. We got four members of the gang after a Hyundai jeep which was stolen from the owner’s home, was intercepted at Ondo State, enroute Abuja.

    “Through diligent investigation, kingpin James Jacob was arrested. During interrogation, three others were arrested. On a serial basis, they give out themselves as drivers. After working for the family for sometime, they steal the car or connive with guards.

    “They have confessed that there are five other cars stolen in that manner. James Jacob has been paraded last year for a case of rape and stealing of vehicle. He raped his boss’ house help and stole the car. He was charged to court but unfortunately, he got bail and refused to learn his lessons.

    “The gang had number plates belonging to government offices, which they use to move stolen vehicles to places they sell them.”

    Owoseni also said the command through the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), arrested four suspected tricksters, armed robbers, who usually shoot their victims after luring them to particular locations under the guise of buying wares from them.

    Wilfred Ehi, 30; Bright Eloho, 24; Olanrewaju Kamilu, 33 and Ekeme Gbmedu, 22, were arrested at Olamoti Hotel, Iyana-Iba by a decoy team.

    They were said to have shot a policeman, who disguised as a phone seller and stood at a place they asked him to stay with the phone.

    According to Owoseni, the command has received about 13 reports on the activities of the suspects, prompting an undercover operation to arrest them.

    He said: “They ask the sellers to bring phones to the hotel. Once the person got there, they fire the person and collect the phone. They fired one of the policemen who carried phones to them as a seller. He was shot in the leg in the course of the operation.

    “Police eventually had upper hand and kingpin of the syndicate was nabbed, leading to arrest of three others.

    “A KIA Optimal saloon car, four expensive telephones, two wristwatches, a cannon E087D camera, laptop, WiFi and a wrap of weeds was recovered from them.

    “We also arrested three suspects including the brother of producer, Seun Kareem alias Egbegbe for being his accomplices. The suspects, Lawal Kazeem,  Olalekan Yusuf and Muyideen Shoyombo have confessed to the crime and would be charged to court.

    “Five members of a syndicate that specialises in faking to be haulage contractors were arrested. The command has been on their trail until the last operation where the command worked with victim.  “They present themselves as haulage contractors to big companies and individuals wanting to transport goods from Lagos to other parts of the country. They use their trucks or those of victims to carry goods, which they divert and sell around Shagamu and then, they take the trucks away.

    “RRS tracked and arrested five suspects. Two of the diverted trucks were dismantled and sold to different spare-parts dealer. The two have been recovered. They confessed to other trucks they have diverted and butcher like that.

    “Flour that was given to them to transport out of Lagos has been traced to the receiver. It has been recovered and worth N46m.”

  • A change of guards for the change government

    It was purely in the realm of speculation in some quarters that a cabinet shakeup was imminent, and that Edo Ex-Governor Oshiomhole had been penciled down for a ministerial position.

    Well if that is so, that would be good because he is one man I would describe as resourceful. He would be an asset in cabinet. But for some other people holding certain offices, the time for SHAKE-OFF has long come, so let us say goodbye to those ones. This administration is fast approaching the mid-term mark and a change of guards by then is quite in order to steer the ship of state in the second half of the term.

    I must say I cannot understand why it is that when a new president steps in; those on political appointments do not automatically bow out. That is the case with the American presidential system which Nigeria’s is patterned on, but this aspect is never pursued. In America, even judges bow out when a new Number 1 citizen comes in. Here, when people are given a presidential ‘Thank you – for – services’ and then replaced, these appointees march to court to sue the new president!

    Notice that in other climes there is always that transition between elections and handing over; and there has never been the first election petition; talking about in other African countries. That period is for fine-tuning one’s cabinet appointees, transiting in/out of official residence and briefings here and there. But over here where we jettisoned the transparent OPTION A4 and gleefully held onto our rigging machinery; that transition period is devoted in the main to election petitions, tribunals and post election violence and skirmishes. Not much time is left of this for making up an appointment list.

    I was interviewed by some national dailies last year and one of the things I said was that the CBN Governor and the Chief of Army Staff should be dropped. As at the time of that interview, their poor performances had not sunk to the woeful levels we have it today.

    The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (I am believing that is the one with a group of old academic theorists; the same as has been in the last 20 years) that group needs to be disbanded FOREVER.

    The state of the economy is the reason and the proof of their emptiness; evident.

    There is a cunning way people who hope for political positions go about their ‘lobby’. They go to the press and fire a steady stream of criticism against the government in position, attacking every single step or misstep taken with relish. Dr. Reuben Abati even co-hosted a television program with government criticism as its theme. It has worked for many. Femi Fani Kayode was openly  abusive of the PDP president, was made minister of Aviation – and then started hurling his abuses at the APC. Even Dr. Abati mentioned above was made presidential spokesman! And from the second he got his desired appointment to the end of that administration – THE GOVERNMENT COULD DO NO WRONG.

    Now what am I saying – beware of Doctors Abati and Oby Okweselesi Nwodo. So desperate is Dr. Oby for a cabinet position that it only remains to hand her CV to any friend of a friend of a friend of Buhari. But her woeful performance in the Obasanjo administration marks her out – for good. It is simply amusing to note that Abati is hungry for another opportunity in the Change government – he has suddenly found his tongue for criticizing presidents again! What can we say… don’t mind him, jare.

    Given our enormous challenges in all three sectors (all major), then Mr. Fashola’s portfolio is far too large for him, even for anyone. That Ministry needs now be split. Power, Works and Housing!

    The EFCC: I quote the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki verbatim            “I want to urge the president to nominate another person  since Magu can no longer act as the Chairman of the EFCC” …I want to urge him (the president) to do same urgently.

    As a woman I have not felt any direct impact of the Ministry of Women Affairs. Neither has any woman I know. I guess I am too far removed. What is worrisome however is that I am increasingly innundated by news reports of horrifying ordeals of Nigerian women. Cases of domestic violence, assault and killings, rape, rampaging herdmen attacking women and last week, the case of police brutality on a nursing mother with her little baby. Sherifat Bello, killed by her husband for ritual purposes and buried in a shallow grave. Titi – the murdered banker! I have not seen the Minister or the Ministry of Women Affairs in any of these. And I wonder.

    Is there anybody AT ALL in charge of the Human Rights Commission?      If so with all that’s going on in every locale nationwide, it is clear that he/she is unable to handle things. Fresh blood is Needed, so that less blood is Spilt please.

    Please is there a Minister for Justice?! That person must be thanking his stars everyday that GANI FAWEHINMI, THE NATION’S GADFLY IS NO MORE!! The Justice Minister really needs to see that this third arm of government is a democratic bedrock and not just one more political appointment. Isn’t it even they in the legal profession who say that Justice Must Be Done, And Must Be Seen to Be Done? The Minister must sit up now, shape up or ship out.

    The delay in budget implementation in an economy in recession is not a recipe for success. The Finance Ministry needs to be beefed up. The Minister Mrs. Kemi Adeosun is doing a great job. There could possibly be 2 ministers of State in that Department, or an agency that can properly interpret economic blueprints to have an impact on the people – the reason for government at all.

    Now this is so important that I wish, like Governor El-Rufai that I could send a memo directly to the President. There should be a sense of normalcy this time in the nominations for cabinet appointments. No rude shocks now of a list replete with opposition party members, while those who were sold out for this presidency, who worked hard in risky circumstances, are not even considered in the formation of government.

    This Is Because The Person Who Cannot Identify With One’s Vision, Will Only Bring Di-Vision.

     

  • Drunk driver kills two guards in Lagos

    Drunk driver kills two guards in Lagos

    Security guards at an S and H petrol in Okota as well as a member of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) have been killed after a drunk driver rammed into them.

    They were knocked down at different locations on Ago Palace Way by the hit-and-run driver speeding recklessly towards Festac.

    The deceased Tope Ani, 35, a.k.a. Baby Oku and Jeremaiah Samuel, 38, were knocked down at the wee hours of Saturday at their places of work, few meters from each other.

    It was learnt that Baby Oku, upon hearing Samuel’s scream at about 1:45am, came out and stood at the entrance of the filling station to ascertain what was happening.

    But the drunk driver of a blue VolksWagen T5 bus marked MUS497XG, swerved in his direction, knocking him down.

    Not satisfied, the killer driver was said to have pulled the guard and the tyre he fell on, as he ran, dragging the deceased on the interlocking tiles.

    According to an eyewitness, who said he was also on duty that night, Baby Oku died instantly, while the driver abandoned his bus at Ago last bus stop and fled.

    The Nation gathered that a third victim was also hit but the person sustained minor injury.

    It was gathered that the corpses of the deceased caused a scare in the area on Saturday morning until they were evacuated by policemen, who also retrieved the bus from where it was abandoned.

    At the time The Nation visited, the filling station was closed for business, while police vehicles were seen about 30 metres from the scene.

    The bus was also scene outside the police station, although no one has been arrested.

    Confirming the incident, the command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police  (SP) said the third victim was treated and discharged.

    She added that investigation was in progress to fish out the culprit.

  • Imo: Guard butchers boss to raise money for Christmas

    Imo: Guard butchers boss to raise money for Christmas

    A 30-year old security man, David Kwaguru, who murdered his boss, Mr. Innocent Ndukwe, in cold blood in connivance with two others, Friday Awuba and Francis Amos at Egbu in Owerri, have been arrested alongside his accomplices by Policemen attached to the state Police Command.

    The victim, a final year student of Civil Engineering at the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, was stabbed to death after he was tied up with electric cable by the suspects who are all from Plateau State.

    Parading the suspects, the State Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, described the arrest of the suspects as a major breakthrough in the fight against crime in the state.

    Acording to him, “the assailants after slaughtering their victim made away with his Pathfinder SUV with registration number KRD 109 BP, two Plasma TV sets, one home theatre and assorted personal effects.

    “The Police Control Room quickly alerted operatives of the Command who immediately cobwebbed the entire state. As a result, the assailants who tried to escape the eagle-eyed operatives were apprehended along West-End old Nekede road, Owerri.”

    He appealed to the residents of the state to avail the Police of useful information that will aid in the fight against crime and criminalities in the state by calling the phone numbers provided for that purpose, warning that thorough security check should be conducted before hiring security guards.

    Meanwhile, the prime suspect and gate man, said they were lured into committing the crime to raise money to travel home for the Christmas celebration.

     

  • Guards foil attempt on Cross River candidate

    A suspected assassination attempt on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Cross River Southern senatorial district, Mr Gershom Bassey, was foiled on Saturday night, The Nation gathered yesterday.

    Bassey, a close associate of Governor Liyel Imoke, is the chairman of the State Water Board Limited.

    An eyewitness, who spoke in confidence, said: “Some gunmen tried to enter his home at Asari Eso in Calabar Municipality yesterday (Saturday) at 7pm. As they attempted to forcefully enter, they shot the security men, comprising a policeman and a Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officer.

    “But the security men fought back. There was a gun duel. The security men succeeded in repelling the suspected assassins, who escaped in a getaway vehicle.”

    Bassey, it was gathered, was not at home when the incident occurred.

    It was learnt that the security men were receiving treatment in separate hospitals.

    Police spokesman, Hogan Bassey, a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), confirmed the incident.

    He said no arrests had been made but investigations had begun on the matter.

    A similar incident occurred last month when the home of House of Assembly Speaker Larry Odey was invaded by gunmen.

    Odey’s police orderly was shot in the hand.

    The invaders scaled the fence into the Speaker’s compound on Parliamentary Road and fired shots at the house.

    The assailants were repelled.

  • ‘I escaped when our Boko Haram guards were sleeping’

    ‘I escaped when our Boko Haram guards were sleeping’

    Their escape must be a combination of factors. One was the fear of what might happen if they stayed  with the terrorists; the other, the courage to flee.  Two Adamawa State women captured by Boko Haram insurgents narrate how, against all odds, they evaded their captors, GRACE OBIKE reports

    In Kwabaru camp, Karu, Nasarawa State, where people displaced by insurgency are sheltering, you will find Mrs Mariamu Yakubu and Mrs Mariamu Musa. There is much more to them than their common names. Married with children, they stood face to face with young, bloodthirsty fighters of the Boko Haram sect. One ended up with other women in a dark, dreadful cave surrounded by thorns, outside of which none of them were permitted to go, not even to answer the call of nature. The other, alongside her 10 children, was made to lie face down and asked to produce the key of another person’s car. They escaped but their ordeal will probably live in their minds forever.

    Kwaburu camp has about nine makeshift rooms in which hundreds of displaced persons are quartered. Most of them are women and children but there are also a few men who escaped from the invading insurgents. Due to space constraints, the women and children sleep in the rooms while the men and boys from age 13 and above sleep outside on straw mats in the sand in the open air near the toilet.

    Thirty-five-year-old Mariamu Yakubu, now safe with her 10 children in the dreary conditions of the camp, relived her ordeal, her last child strapped to her back.

    She said that although she had always heard of the insurgents kidnapping young and unmarried girls, she never thought she would ever be a victim. One reason for this was because she was already married and had children. But she was wrong as she indeed became a victim.

    She said she came face to face with the insurgents on her way from the farm when two boys, who had already kidnapped two other women, confronted her, pointing a gun to her head and ordering her to follow them. Mariamu mustered the courage to ask where she was being taken, pledging that she be allowed first to return home and prepare dinner for her children.

    Their reply shocked her. They told her they were going to provide her with a more spiritual husband who will give her better children than those she had.

    “They told me that they will provide me with a more spiritual husband and that I will be able to have better children,” she said. “So, they tied up my hands and dragged me along with the other women and took us to a cave surrounded by a thick bush with thorns. They made us sit in the cave and warned us against trying to escape.

    “When we complained of hunger, they brought us corn and asked us to cook it and eat, but we refused. As if to prove to us that they meant business, they refused to allow us outside even to urinate. We had to urinate, defeacate and sleep in the same place for three days.

    “On the third day, I waited until it was dark and everyone, including the boys keeping vigil outside with their guns were fast asleep before sneaking out of the cave and ran into the bush. I ran inside the bush till I got home. I had injuries all over my body by the time I got home because of the thorns in the thick bush”.

    Her story is slightly different from that of her namesake, Mariamu Musa who had to flee her home with her children and grandchild in the wake of the attack on Gwoza by the insurgents. She was unaware of the whereabouts of her husband and could not abandon her children to their fate. Her biggest shock, however, was when she discovered that the same Okada rider who normally took them to and from the market was the same person who led the insurgents to her residence. Narrating her ordeal, Mariamu Musa said before the attack on the community, she had given up hope of living and was ready to die. According to her, she felt she was too old and lacked the strength to run away from the only home she knew after her husband who was an old solider had since run away when the terror increased, leaving her alone with the children.

    But after she and her family were subjected to a horrible ordeal by the young Boko Haram boys who were well known to them, she knew it was time for her to seek refuge in a much safer place. The boys had made them lie with their faces to the ground demanding the keys to the car parked outside the house. But when they could not provide the key since the owner had escaped with it, they became very angry and started shooting sporadically into the air. Having survived that ordeal, she took her children and left Gwoza to an unknown destination, walking several days and sleeping in caves and bushes, not knowing exactly where she was heading. Mariamu was lucky that the battery of her daughter’s cell phone did not run out and with it, they were able to contact a relative who directed them to the Kwubaru camp where she eventually found her husband. Before rejoining him at the Kwabaru camp, they had spent a few days at a similar camp in Adamawa State.

    She said, “The atrocities that I witnessed in Gwoza are more than I can tell you. They invaded our village in August, shooting sporadically and everybody ran away scared. They killed our children, especially the boys. When they see a boy of about ten, they will just kill or kidnap him. We the women ran into the forest and hid behind the rocks in order to avoid them. But they will still come after us shooting. We lived in the mountains for three days; then they sent a message to us that they are not killing women and that we should return home. But when we returned home, they started going from house to house attacking women. In my compound, we were 23, with two of us being older women and some young girls who had small children. One day, two young Boko Haram boys entered our house and asked us to give them the key to the car parked outside. We told them that the owner was not around and that he went out with his keys. They threatened to shoot us if we didn’t give them the keys. So, I knelt down and started crying, begging them not to kill us. But they shot inside the room several times to scare us. They asked one of the young girls to carry her baby on her back and follow them but we all cried and pleaded with them before they went outside and scattered the car before leaving”.

    She said further: “One of the boys that attacked us was a boy that I knew very well. He was the small okada boy that was always carrying me to and from the market almost every day before they began to attack us. I cried and said God so it is our own children inside this same Gwoza that are killing us like this? They asked us if we were Christians or Muslims and when we told them that we were Christians, they told us that they were going to kill us because we were the ones that they were looking for. I began to cry and beg them not to harm us. We were afraid of what will happen next and so, we stayed inside that room for ten days without going outside, without any food or water. The children were crying because they were hungry. One the 11th day, we escaped from the house and ran into the bush and walked for three days on foot inside the bush from Gwoza to Mazaghalli and then continued till we arrived Michika. After we left, they broke into our houses, stealing our properties. Eventually, it was someone who knew this place that brought us here because my daughter went to school and has a handset. so she was able to use it to call people that helped us. If not for the help, of people, we would have starved, they are always contributing to us, this one will bring seasoning, and this one will bring corn, this one yam to feed us here, that is how we have been surviving so far.”

    Interestingly, inside the IDP camp where these two women live with hundreds of others lives little Reuben, grand son of Mariamu Musa. During this encounter, lit was obvious that the one and half year old child was unaware of where he was or what was happening around him. Even though he, along his relations lost their homes to the insurgents, he appears happy laying with his rubber band. It is also evident that several of the kids in the camp have developed serious distrust for visitors having gone through so much in their life time than most adults outside their region will ever experience and have escaped death on several occasions with the parents and family they trust.

  • Civil Defence trains private guards in Bayelsa

    Civil Defence trains private guards in Bayelsa

    Association of Private Guard Companies (APGC) in Bayelsa State is deep-neck in a profitable romance with the state command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The relationship has yielded its first fruit – the training and passing out of 102 private guards.

    The guards from different private guard companies were trained to confront different security challenges in their various duty posts.

    Commandant, NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu, said the security challenges facing the country should not be tackled alone by the  conventional security outfits.

    “These challenges cannot be tackled unilaterally by any security agency. It requires a synergy between different stakeholders and individuals. The importance of private guard companies cannot be ruled out”, he said.

    Agu who was represented at the event by his Second in Command, Deputy Commandant, Miebi Godwin, observed that the lager percentage of the trained personnel would be deployed in sensitive areas.

    The Deputy Commandant in charge of PVC, Mr. Ufondu Hyascient, said the private guards were sent to the corps for training by more than 27 companies. He reiterated that the training had prepared the beneficiaries to face the challenges facing the state and the nation.

    Chairman, APGC, Col. D.T. Brown (retd.) said it was the first time he would experience the passing out parade of guards trained by NSCDC. He said judging from their march pass, the guards had done very well.

    He heaped praises on the commandant and persons working with him. Describing Agu as a smart and intelligent man, he said the corps had developed beyond people’s expectation under his supervision.

    The owner of Pehek Security Services Ltd, Mr. Gesiye Ekade, was excited at the training. He said the training would help the company serve its clients better.