The Nation Newspaper

Tag: massacre

  • Police parade 19 suspects over Zaki Biam massacre

    Police parade 19 suspects over Zaki Biam massacre

    •Declare gang leader wanted

    The police yesterday paraded 19 suspects in connection with the massacre at Zaki Biam and another community in Benue State that left 67  people dead.

    Gunmen stormed  Zaki Biam on Thursday, murdered 17 persons, after killing about 50 others at different communities and destroying properties worth millions.

    The suspects, including two women,  Mbadon Mbati and Tame Buumbu, were paraded at the Force Headquarters in Abuja by police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintendent of Police  (CSP).

    Others are Tordue Kaaor, Hiikenter Orbunde, Vincent Asemave, David Terhembe, Dalhatu Abdullahi, Lortember Orkuma, Manasseh Ikyar, Nengene Ikyar, Joshua Ioraonya, Joseph John, Akowakwahve, Terwase Sabastine, Sunday Utza, Umsughaondo Gbaga, Swem Utiu, Terwase John and Godwin Iorhundu.

    According to Moshood, their arrest was sequel to a special tactical force and investigation team deployed to Benue State by the Inspector General of Police ( IGP) Ibrahim Idris.

    Moshood said the police recovered a G3, three AK47 and three FN rifles, as well as a LMG, one SMG, a Double-Barrel, four Single-Barrels, a Mark 4 rifle and nine locally made Revolver pistols.

    Also recovered from Akwaza’s hideout inside a forest were 36 high grenades, two short gun local magasines, 141 AK47 magasines, 20 FN magasines, 18 6x G3, three Mark 4 magasines, one spear ammunition, 536 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 466 rounds of 7.62mm, 464 rounds of Special and 29 rounds of 9mm ball.

    Others include 119 rounds of 5.56mm 118, a round of 12.7mm, 633 cartridges for Double-Barrel guns, 12 teargas cannisters and 50 rounds of air-rifle ammunition, two bottles of perfume, a knife, plier, SMG magasine, six Beretta magasine.

    He said: “Preliminary investigation and the operations embarked upon by the joint police team revealed that one Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana, a leader of a vicious and notorious serial killer syndicate was responsible for the senseless killings of 17 innocent persons at Zaki Biam and for killing in cold blood of about 50 people in other locations in Benue State.

    “He is also responsible for so many kidnappings, armed robberies and cult clashes leading to loss of lives and properties in other parts of Benue State.

    “Further investigation revealed that he is also responsible for killing of Mr. Deneen Igbana, the Special Adviser on Security to the Executive Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom.

    “Consequently, the Inspector General of Police ordered the special police teams already on ground in Benue State to immediately embark on manhunt for Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana and his gang members and bring them to justice.

    “This joint operations comprising the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Military and the Department of State Service for the arrest of Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana and his vicious criminal gang is currently ongoing in Benue State.

    “In the dogged pursuit of the operations 19 suspects were arrested for conspiracy and other various criminal roles they played in the killings of innocent persons and other violent crimes carried out by Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana in Benue State.

    “They are currently in police custody. During interrogation, they admitted to be cohorts of the wanted suspect, Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana, and facilitated the commission of some of the offences linked to him at different times in Benue and other neighbouring states. They will be charged to court on completion of investigation accordingly.”

    Continuing, Moshood said the police have declared Akwaza wanted for the crimes and several others, adding that a warrant for his arrest has been obtained from the court.

    “He is dark in complexion, tall, stout in built and has no tribal mark on his face. Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana is a dangerous suspect and an indigene of Gbise in Katsina-Ala LGA of Benue State. He speaks Tiv, Idoma and Pigin English fluently.

    “If seen, please report to the nearest police station or call 08033040358, 08035925554, 08036363531, 08033129778 or SMS 08057000003.

    “A handsome reward awaits any person(s) with information that leads to his arrest. The Benue State Government has placed¦ 10 million reward for anyone with useful information that can lead to his arrest.”

  • Benue massacre: Stop herdsmen before they wipe out our people, Idoma beg Buhari

    Benue massacre: Stop herdsmen before they wipe out our people, Idoma beg Buhari

    Following last week’s massacre of over 300 indigenes of Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State by suspected Fulani Herdsmen, indigenes of the affected areas in Benin, Edo State, yesterday called on the Federal Government to urgently deploy a detachment of soldiers to the affected communities to end the carnage.

    Dr Enoch Malachi, an indigene of the affected Local Government and medical practitioner who addressed the press, said the Idoma community in Edo State has dispatched a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari on the urgent need to deploy soldiers to the affected areas.

    The affected communities are Okokolo, Akwu, Ocholonya, Adagbo, Ugboku and Aila where the invading herdsmen destroyed property and farmland produce worth several millions of naira.

    Dr Malachi noted that it was necessary to write the letter to the president to put an end to the unwanted killings by the herdsmen. “Government must take drastic action to end what I may describe as the senseless and wanton killings by Fulani herdsmen.”

    He rued the fact that the spate of attacks has forced thousands of families to flee the communities for other Local Government Areas for safety resulting in a serious refugee and humanitarian crisis.

    “The Federal Government must take drastic action now in order to bring peace to Agatu Local Government Area. I don’t know why Fulani herdsmen have become militants. Our people are peace loving and we have accommodated the herdsmen for years, and today, they have turned against us.

    “The information reaching us now is that three villages have been completely razed down by these herdsmen. The inhabitants have been turned refugees and displaced. Soldiers are not anywhere there to protect the people.

    “We are calling on the Federal Government to immediately deploy a battalion of soldiers to these communities; if not, our people may be completely wiped out by these well-armed herdsmen.”

  • May/June massacre

    •Yet again, Nigerian students fare poorly in WAEC examination.  It’s time to go back to the basics

    Only 38.68 per cent of the 1.593 million students, who sat the 2015 West African Senior Schools Certificate Examination (WASSCE), passed with credits in five subjects including English Language and Mathematics.  That is another sobering reminder of the deep-rooted nature of the educational challenges currently facing Nigeria.

    Most of the statistics released by the Nigerian National Office of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) make for depressing reading: 118,101 candidates had their results withheld because of alleged involvement in examination malpractices; 47.62 per cent obtained six credits and above; 59.61 per cent obtained five credits and above; 86.40 per cent obtained one credit and above.

    In spite of the seemingly encouraging nature of these other figures, the five-credit including English Language and Mathematics benchmark is an appropriate measure of general performance because it represents the minimum standard for entry into the nation’s universities.

    Over the years, the performance of senior secondary school students in a major public examination has given administrators, educators, parents and other concerned stakeholders much cause for worry. Marginal improvements do nothing to hide the harsh fact that the country is turning out an increasing number of students who will clearly be unable to hold their own in a world distinguished by the global knowledge economy.

    The implications of this predicament are dire. As Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria is in desperate need of the artisans and professionals who will continue to drive its growth. If the country cannot be guaranteed a steady supply of intelligent and trainable youths who can become a formidable corps of skilled manpower, its future will be in jeopardy. As hundreds of thousands of unemployable young people pour into the labour market, it is certain that the social problems confronting the country will only continue to become more widespread and intractable.

    Ironically, successive governments have been only too aware of these facts. Education traditionally receives the largest share of the budget after defence. In the 2015 Appropriation Bill, it actually displaced defence to get the biggest cut: N392.36 billion, compared to the latter’s N388.80 billion.

    Part of the problem is that these huge funds are not often properly targetted. In states across the federation, primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions are characterized by decrepit infrastructure, poorly-motivated staff, and widespread shortages of educational consumables, textbooks and equipment.

    At a more fundamental level, however, it appears that the perennially poor performances in WASSCE stem from the shallow educational foundations being laid in many of the nation’s primary schools. Primary school education is the responsibility of states and local governments, and far too many of them restrict themselves to the payment of salaries as opposed to pursuing policies aimed at their overall development.

    Although states like Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Edo, Ekiti, Lagos, Kano and Ondo have achieved relatively good results in strengthening primary school education, there are still many obstacles to overcome. Funding is one, seen in the mystifying reluctance of many states to access grants available under the Universal Basic Education Scheme (UBES). As at January 2014, some N47 billion had not been utilized by the states because of their inability to provide counterpart funding.

    Another problem is the intransigence of teachers’ unions whose adamant opposition to proficiency testing of teachers has made it difficult to raise standards in the teaching profession and thereby improve the quality of teaching.

    In essence, Nigeria has created for itself a vicious cycle: badly-taught primary school pupils go to poorly-managed secondary schools where they are processed through the various classes until they get to WASSCE, where their cumulative inadequacies are brutally exposed.

     

    If the country is truly determined to achieve better overall performances in WASSCE and similar public examinations, it will have to return to the basics – the primary schools, where excellence can either be carefully nurtured, or strangled at birth.

  • PHOTO: Massacre in Yobe college

    PHOTO: Massacre in Yobe college

  • NSCIA decries massacre in Egypt

    NSCIA decries massacre in Egypt

    The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) yesterday condemned the massacre of innocent citizens in Egypt.

    It also faulted the alleged lukewarm attitude of a section of the international community to the killings.

    It demanded the unconditional release of the elected President of Egypt, Mohammed Mursi.

    The council, which made its position known in a statement by its Secretary-General, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, urged the United Nations to intervene and find a solution to the crisis.

    NSCIA’s statement reads: “The NSCIA is saddened by the massive waste of human lives and reckless maiming of protesting citizens of Egypt. The brutal murder of hundreds of harmless civilians in the course of their legitimate right to protest is despicable and indefensible.

    “The violation of the sanctity of the mosque in which some of the persons were mauled is a very dangerous precedent, the consequence of which is too grievous to imagine.

    “The tacit support of the serial murder and the incoherent condemnation of the callous massacre in Egypt by a section of the international community are not only heartless and inhuman, but are also sacrilegious and demonic. Humanity stands to progress if brutality and impunity are totally eschewed.

    “The wanton destruction of lives portrays the assailants and their collaborators as wicked and lawless. Creed, race and nationality of the victims are irrelevant in the condemnation of the abomination.”

    The NSCIA hails Nigeria and other “right-thinking nations” for their principled positions on the crises and urges concerted efforts towards the actualisation of justice and the rule of law in Egypt.

    “Similarly, NSCIA enjoins nations of conscience to prevail on the United Nations to intervene and find an instant, amicable, just and sustainable solution to the unfolding unfortunate episode in Egypt.

    “It is unfortunate that the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) have lost an independent voice to be positively helpful to Egypt at this point when truth, impartiality and frankness are required of the international community.”

    The council demanded the unconditional release of President Mursi.

    The statement added: “The NSCIA calls for cessation of hostilities; unconditional release of the elected President Mursi and other political detainees; constitution of an independent electoral agency under the supervision of the United Nations; and a truly representative national dialogue. An all-inclusive electoral process devoid of Mob ‘democracy’ and anarchy should also be instituted as an alternative to despotism and poor governance in certain parts of the world.

    “The NSCIA sends its heartfelt condolences to the relations, families and friends of the victims of the unwarranted genocide and requests constructive dialogue towards the quick resolution of the logjam in Egypt. The ICC needs no invitation to initiate the process of investigating and bringing to justice the culprits of this impunity.

    “While wishing the injured a quick recovery, NSCIA reiterates its call on the authorities in Egypt to halt the assault and explore reasonable dialogue to avert a civil war and its devastating consequences on Egypt in particular and the Arab world in general.”

  • Senate probes Baga massacre

    Senate probes Baga massacre

    THE Senate yesterday mandated its committees on Defence, Police and National Security and Intelligence to jointly investigate the alleged death of over 185 people in Baga, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

    Members of the joint committee have 14 days to turn in their report for the consideration of the Senate at plenary.

    The development followed a motion on alleged massacre of over 185 people in Baga, Borno State last Friday.

    President Goodluck Jonathan has also ordered a probe.

    The motion was not debated. There was silence in the upper legislative chamber as Senator Maina Ma’Aji Lawan (Borno North), who sponsored the motion, recalled what he tagged “the Baga Massacre”.

    Lawan used Order 43, which deals with personal explanation, to present his motion.

    At a press conference he addressed later, the senator confirmed the story published by the The Nation on its front page that over 10 local government areas in Borno State are under the control of Boko Haram insurgents.

    An observer in the Senate gallery described the mood in the chamber as “solemn”.

    In subdued voice, Lawan said: “I stand before you today a very sad man. My zone, the Borno North Senatorial District, is today a no-go area for normal operations of government and, for that matter, any civil conduct.

    “The issue I want to raise is the burning down and death of over 200 persons, destruction of over 2000 houses in my Senatorial District in particular, Baga town and the general activities of the insurgents that make the place almost inhabitable and completely out of control of any authority.

    “It is in this respect that I want to make a brief explanation to the Senate.

    “In particular, I want to draw your attention to several national dailies in the last four days.

    “For instance, the front page caption of Daily Trust of Saturday that reads ‘Boko Haram rules Borno North’. The Nation front page story that reads ‘Boko Haram grounds 10 LGA’s in Borno.’

    “And the very wide and extensive coverage of all the international electronic media: CNN, Al Jazeera, BBC, SKY News that you are already aware of.

    “These news items are largely true.

    “Coming closer home, my home town of Baga is today in total ruins with 180 to 200 human lives lost and numerous others unaccounted for.

    “Over 2000 homes destroyed, 62 cars, 284 motorcycles and tonnes of foodstuff destroyed.

    “At this stage, I do not want to immerse myself in the blame game of whether it is Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) or the Joint Task Force (JTF) or the insurgents that carried out the atrocities.

    “But it appears to bear some of the hallmarks of Odi.

    “However, whoever did it, that level of atrocity is outrageous, unacceptable and condemnable in any civilised society, even in societies that are at war.”

    The lawmaker urged the Senate to investigate the matter “as this is a recurring decimal in all such past instances”.

    While praying for the souls of the deceased, he urged government agencies, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), state and local governments, as well as good-spirited individuals to come to the aide of the surviving victims, “the women, children, the aged that are today totally helpless”.

    Lawan spoke of a humanitarian crisis in the area, recounting that the town was shut down for three days.

    “Therefore, this aid should come on time,” he said.

    The lawmaker thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for setting up the amnesty committee as, according to him, “the ultimate solution to this insurgency is a genuine dialogue that must necessarily address the immediate and remote underlying causes of the insurgency”.

    “As I said, almost two years ago on the floor of this Senate, boots and bullets cannot solve the problem. Let’s put our thinking caps on and take advantage of this amnesty initiative and face the problem headlong.”

    On the takeover of 10 council areas: he said: “The truth of the matter is that when JTF intensified their operations in Maiduguri, of course, they were concentrated in Maiduguri, understandably because it is the state capital.

    “It was too hot for them (insurgents). They ran out and fizzled into the countryside. In the country side, people are helpless. There is no police post standing. In Borno North, there is no police outpost or divisional offices standing. That is the truth.

    “What was written is not true of everywhere, but there are certain areas that government officers don’t go for fear of their own lives.

    “Ask the immigration officers or custom officers when last they visited their Banki outpost?

    “Ask the police inspector when last he was sitting in his outpost where there is supposed to be an inspector and three constables?

    “They are not there and when they are not there and there is somebody with a gun, he rules. I thought we are informed enough about the gravity of the situation in Borno.

    “Not just Borno but the Borno State in general. So, when the papers reported that government officials have abandoned their posts, whether federal or state, apart from areas where the military are operating, I am afraid, it is largely true.

    “And that is exactly why we are talking of this brute application of force.

    “About one third of neighbourhoods in Maiduguri are closed already where you see grasses as tall as myself.”

    Senate President David Mark said there was no need to debate the motion. He described the Borno situation as “grave” and insisted that the deaths were “totally unacceptable”.

    Mark said: “Maina Ma’Aji Lawan discussed the publications with me and it is in almost all the international media.

    “Because of the security implications, the importance of it notwithstanding, I think we don’t really need to have any debate on it.

    “But the number of people who are said to have been killed, irrespective of who did it is totally unacceptable. That number is just too much.

    “I know that Gen. Mohammed Magoro and Saleh would say that fighting in a built-up area is a very difficult operation, but that notwithstanding, there must be standard of engagement and those rules of engagement does not include mass killing or extra judicial killing in any form.

    “But I don’t want any debate on it because there is already a committee that has been set up to probe it by the executive.

    “We in the legislature will set up a committee to investigate the facts – whether the reports we get are correct or not – and I urge that those who will appear before this committee must have the courage to come up because the problem is not setting up the committee, it is whether people will come and give evidence before it.

    “But I urge Nigerians who know the facts to appear before this committee. I will say that the committee on Defence, Police and National Security and Intelligence, the three committees to form a joint committee to investigate and report to us within 14 days.”

  • U.S school massacre victims identified

     

    All 20 children who died in a shooting at a school in Connecticut were aged between six and seven, according to an official list of the dead.

    The state’s chief medical examiner said the gunman used a rifle as his main weapon, and all the victims appeared to have been shot several times.

    The gunman, named in media reports as Adam Lanza, killed his mother before driving to the school and opening fire.

    BBC says six adults, all women, were also killed before the gunman shot himself dead.

    The head teacher at Sandy Hook school in Newtown, Dawn Hochsprung, is listed among the dead, along with adults Rachel DaVino, Anne Marie Murphy, Lauren Russo, Mary Sherlach and Victoria Soto.

    The youngest child to be killed was Noah Pozner, who celebrated his sixth birthday only last month.

    Most of the children who died on Friday were girls and nearly all were aged six.

    A woman who worked at the school was the only person to be shot and survive.

     

  • The Mubi Polytechnic massacre

    The Mubi Polytechnic massacre

    SIR: This year’s independence celebration has come and gone, perhaps the memories may have gone for most of us but certainly not for the relatives of the over 40 students murdered in cold blood that Monday. According to reports, unknown gunmen went from room to room in Mubi, Adamawa State slaughtering students like goats while some others were sent to their early graves with gun shots. Asides the students, three other persons, including a retired soldier, a guard and father of a student, were reportedly killed as well.

    There has been outrage and condemnation since the tragic incident occurred. The executive roared in anger describing the act as barbaric, sad, tragic and shocking. From the Senate came a flurry of anger with some the members seeking to pass a vote of no confidence on the executive.

    It is not clear yet on the motives of the assailants or even who they are. One fact we must get correctly is that no reason is justifiable for this heinous crime. One of the leads being pointed at as to the possible cause of the butchery is the recently conducted student union election. Some officials believe that there were unresolved issues.

    If this case is a possibility, then it’s time we considered the dirty side of campus politics. Over the years, activities of students and sometimes managements of the institutions on campuses as regards student politics have been a source concern for many. Report of skirmishes and violent acts have trailed many elections in many campuses. Student-politicians as they are called go to any length to acquire power. Some kill, some maim while others soil their hands. In some instances, authorities of the institutions influence the elections.

    A begging question is – what did the authorities in the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi do when they learnt of a possible attack on the students? This question has become necessary as a report claimed that the management of the institution was fore-warned.

    What is the relationship between our institutions of higher learning and the security agencies? If indeed the authorities in the polytechnic were warned before the dastardly act, then we should expect answers.

    At a time the nation is facing grave security challenges, when people live in fear, security agencies must gear up and save us from further tragic stories. We cannot blame it all on the security agencies. It is a communal approach.

    The government must go beyond issuing statements. The lawmakers must also go beyond observing a one minute- silence. It’s time we reclaimed our land. We cannot continue to be at the mercy of men who do not value the sanctity of human lives. There should be a better understanding on the politicking on campuses. The level of relationship between higher institutions and security agencies must be raised.

    Perhaps what might be a little consolation is to bring the murderers to book and take adequate measures toward forestalling future occurrences. The government with the help of the students must cooperate in the area of security. These mindless killings no matter the reason must stop. We certainly cannot continue to watch while we are being reduced in numbers unjustifiably. Showing our indignation and anger aren’t enough. Let our actions match our tears; it’s our obligation to save lives.

     

    • Stanley Ibeku,

    Abuja.