The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nasarawa

  • Nasarawa killings: Community accuses lawmakers of supporting Ombatse

    •Says 49 persons were killed in Iggah

    Senator Solomon Ewuga and a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Kigbu Haruna, were yesterday accused of playing key roles in the activities of the Ombatse Militia Group.

    Ewuga represents Nasarawa North and Haruna represents Lafia/Obi Federal Constituency.

    The Ombatse also allegedly killed 49 Gwandara people in Iggah community during an attack in January.

    These revelations were contained in a memorandum submitted by the Gwandara Community of Iggah in Nasarawa-Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa State to the Justice Joseph Fola Gbadeyan-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry probing the killing of over 50 security personnel at Lakyo village.

    They alleged that the “founders and promoters” of Ombatse include “Eggon Cultural and Development Association (ECDA).”

    The submission was presented to the panel by the head teacher of Government Junior Secondary School (GJSS), Wakama, Mohammed Nasir Sadiq.

    The document was signed by Sadiq, Yusuf Sanusi, Bala Mohammed and Mohammed Osuse Garba.

    According to the community, “the Ombatse activities came to play in full force when Senator Solomon Ewuga went to Assakio in 2007 for his electioneering campaign.”

    Sadiq, presenting the memorandum, alleged that “Ombatse with all kinds of sharp knives and cutlasses, magical charms and amulets – all round them” were on the campaign train of Senator Ewuga in 2007.

    The community’s counsel, Mr. Mohammed Elegu Usman, led Sadiq in the presentation.

    He said: “The activities of the Eggon Ombatse militants started showing in 2007 when many people contested for the governorship of Nasarawa State, including Solomon Ewuga, who is of Eggon extraction.

    “On March 30, 2007, Ewuga went to Assakio for political campaign with a large convoy with reasonable large members of Ombatse militants brandishing sharp knives and cutlasses with the intention to demonstrate their overwhelming numerical superiority and to intimidate the people of Assakio.

    “One of the Ombatse militants, trying to exhibit his expertise with a sharp knife, accidentally split his own stomach open and died.

    “Also, in the crisis that took place in Agyaraguu, Senator Ewuga was in the front line with Dr. Haruna Kigbu (House of Representatives member for Lafia/Obi), to console with the people of Agyaragu.

    “The one that took place on January 12, Senator Ewuga was also at Iggah.

    “Finally, at the heat of the unfortunate situation in Alakyo, Senator Solomon, Dr. Haruna Kigbu and others were also at Alakyo village just to make an alibi for the supreme leader of Ombatse, Baban Alakyo.

    “It is common sense that anybody or group of persons, who are always interested in a particular activity or act or always in the front line to put defence for them or to console such persons, who are victims of the devilish act of militias etc, it is clear that they are interested parties of Ombatse and are either supporting them financially, or morally.”

    He further alleged that Ewuga came to the scene of a siege on the Gwandara people of Iggah community in Nasarawa-Eggon by the Ombatse and pleaded with the victims not to panic.

    Sadiq said: “About 3pm to 4pm on January 12, from nowhere, Senator Ewuga showed his face in Iggah after holding a brief meeting with militant Ombatse.

    “He addressed us that this crisis is not with us the Gwandara and as such, we should not go out of Iggah.”

    He said between January 9 and 10, there was a bloody clash between the Eggon Ombatse militants in Ruwan Doma in Kokona Local Government and the Fulani ethnic group.

    The Gwandara people of Iggah provided refuge for the fleeing Eggon people from the troubled neighbouring Ruwan Doma.

    He added: “Iggah, being peace-loving people, we aided the women and children with water, food and shelter as some passed the night in Iggah, while others headed for other Eggon villages where they found refuge.

    “The Eggon refugees left Iggah on January 11 as tension continued to mount. By January 12, the whole of Iggah was surrounded by Ombatse militants, who were well-armed with sophisticated weapons.

    “On noticing the situation we found ourselves, we the Gwandara of Iggah resolved that we should also leave the village to avoid becoming a victim of the clash between Ombatse and the Fulani.

    “The Eggon Ombatse militants on that day stopped our people – Gwandara in Iggah – from running out for their lives as they surrounded our town and blocked the routes.”

    He alleged that Ewuga visited Iggah community that same day to plead for calm.

    He added: “The militant Ombatse insisted that they must kill us. Senator Ewuga told the Ombatse militias that the Eggon are not having problems with the Gwandara of Iggah for now, but the Fulani.

    “Senator Ewuga left with some of our people, who had cars, while the Ombatse were still keeping others in the community hostage.

    “In the course of escaping, Muhammed Isah Mairogo was killed by Ombatse militias in our presence.”

    He further alleged that on February 1, after the crisis subsided, the state government returned the displaced persons and stationed security operatives in Iggah.

    “Ombatse came at night and started exchanging fire with the security men,” he lamented.

    He said the security agents were forced to withdraw from the town on account of the attack by Ombatse.

     

    Said he: “The security men were forced to withdraw that same night and leave the community to their fate, as everybody was on his own.

    “The next morning, Ombatse militias, about 4,500, surrounded our community and started killing every soul they found.”

    On how to prevent future attacks, the community suggested that “Ombatse, if found guilty of their act, should be arrested and convicted for genocide.”

    The community regretted that previous commissions of inquiry in the state did not achieve the desired result as the state government failed to implement their recommendations.

    The community said: “We further submit that this exercise will not be one in futility like the previous ones. We have come to equity with clean hands and with a plethora of evidence that we have availed the judicial commission and therefore, it is our expectation that government should reciprocate our peaceful nature and give our people a semblance of hope that Nasarawa State can still engender peace and tranquility.”

     

  • Nasarawa: How 50 people were killed, 1,431 houses burnt, by lawmaker

    Nasarawa: How 50 people were killed, 1,431 houses burnt, by lawmaker

    A member representing Kokona West in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Danlandi Jatau, yesterday relived how mercenaries allegedly killed over 50 people in his constituency.

    Jatau spoke at the resumed sitting of the Judicial Commission of Enquiry probing the killing of security personnel in Lakyo village, in the state.

    The Justice Joseph Fola Gbadeyan-led panel had adjourned for a week because of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, last week.

    Although Jatau’s memorandum earlier came up for hearing, it was adjourned twice following applications by his counsel, Ovye Ezekiel Yakubu.

    The lawyer told the panel that Jatau could not attend the sittings because he was indisposed.

    The commission turned down the lawyer’s request that the lawmaker’s submission before the panel should be taken as having been read.

    Some Eggon communities and their counsel had withdrawn from the sittings of the commission, alleging irregularities in the conduct of its proceedings.

    The affected communities also said they were no longer certain of justice at the end of the day.

    Jatau is from Eggon.

    Although Jatau did not appear before the commission yesterday – on health grounds – according to his counsel, Justice Gbedeyan allowed him to read his submission to the panel.

    The chairman said it was necessary for Jatau to appear before the panel to answer pertinent questions emanating from his submission.

    He mandated his counsel to present a medical certificate of his illness to the panel, so that the panel could visit the hospital to crosscheck the lawmaker’s claim.

    Reading the lawmaker’s presentation, Yakubu relived how mercenaries killed over 50 people in Eggon.

    He also accused the mercenaries of burning 1,431 homes, including the palace of the District Head of Bassa, Joshua Daudu, JP; the palace of Ukai Village Head, Alhaji U. Ibrahim; the palace of Yelwa Village Head, Alhaji M. Dauda.

    Other property allegedly burnt include eight ECWA churches, an RCM Church, an ERCC Church, a Word of God Church, three tractors and two primary schools, among others.

    Jatau also attributed the carnage to the slow response from security agencies during the attacks.

    He said: “On December 8, last year, while I was in Lafia (the state capital), I received a call from some people in my constituency, particularly those in Arume, a village in Bassa District.

    “The report I received said there was a likely reprisal attack by Eggon youths on Angwan Arume, a Fulani herdsman, if immediate steps were not taken.

    “I promptly contacted the youth leaders, elders of the village and the District Head of Bassa. I also set out for the area.

    “On my arrival, I discovered the bodies of two Eggon youths, whose names were given as Obgenre Emmanuel and Philibus Avre, who were attacked by some Fulani herdsmen while they were in the farm threshing rice.

    “This unfortunate incident occurred when the deceased had a disagreement with the herdsmen who forcefully entered to graze on his rice, as narrated by the survivors of the attack.”

    He told the commission that it was the intervention of the police, the District Head and himself that pacified the enraged youths.

    The lawmaker said he later held a peace and reconciliation meeting with the aggrieved communities in collaboration with the security agents, district head as well as traditional and religious leaders.

    Jatau added: “While our peace promotion lasted, I received another distress call, just about a week from the previous attacks, that an Eggon woman had been macheted by a herdsman. I quickly intervened in the matter. This time round, it was in Ruman Doma of Sakwato village area (now deserted).

    “From that day, the rumour of an impending invasion of some settlements owned by Eggon people in Bassa became the order of the day. While the rumours lingered, I received more information on January 8 that our Eggon youths had been attacked.

    “Two of the youths died on the spot of the attack; two others survived but had severe bullet wounds.

    “The incident created room for serious mutual suspicion among the ethnic inhabitants of my constituency and of the possibility of attacking some specified settlements.

    “The rumour persisted till February 9, when I got a call that some gunmen had invaded some major settlements in my domain. This led to the sacking of over 15 settlements in Bassa District.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Nasarawa Assembly shut as youths attack lawmakers

    THE Nasarawa State House of Assembly has been shut down indefinitely following yesterday’s attack on the lawmakers by irate youths.

    Speaker Musa Mohammed anoounced the shut-down in Lafia,the state capital.

    He spoke in company of Police Commissioner Shehu Umar.

    The Speaker said the Assembly had alerted security agencies on the impending attack but the youths still found their way into the Assembly complex.

    Mohammed said the Assembly would not sit until the security of the members is guaranteed.

    Umar said the police would bring the attackers to book.

    Hundreds of youths threw stones at the lawmakers after Governor Tanko Al-Makura, appeared before them to honour an invitation.

    The youths reportedly protested the manner of the invitation of the governor to explain the executive’s non-implementation of the lawmakers’ resolutions.

    When the governor tried to pacify them he was rebuffed. Security officials had to fire tear-gas to disperse them.

     

    The governor, who is a memeber of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has a minority in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – dominated House.

     

  • Gombe expect tough Nasarawa test

    Gombe expect tough Nasarawa test

    Gombe United winger, Asuquo Inyang has predicted a tough encounter this weekend when they host relegation-threatened Nasarawa United in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

    Inyang reckons the Solid Miners would be determined “to get at least a point” from the Pantami Stadium following the appointment of a new coach and slashing of the players’ salaries.

    He told supersport.com that though Nasarawa United may prove to be difficult opponents, they would not be able to avoid defeat as Gombe United desperately need the three points to improve their chances of winning a continental place.

    “I expect a tough game because Nasarawa United have taken measures to ensure they improve on their performance, and their management would be expecting them to react against us,” he said.

    “They have just appointed Kadiri Ikhana as coach and the players have been put on half salaries, so they would put in extra effort to get at least a point from this game.

    “However, we have prepared well for them, as we haven’t given up on our own objective of winning a continental slot.

    “We need the three points just as they do to prove a point to their management.

    “Ikhana could bring something special to their game or the players could be determined on their own, but we know we will overcome them in the end.”

    The former Unicem Rovers and Bayelsa United forward feels the Savannah Scorpions have come a long way since they lost some key players during the mid-season transfer window, and are raring to go.

    “The present side has been playing together since the start of the second round of the league and we have developed a good understanding.

    “We are ready to take on anybody and we have a very good record at home.

    “That is why I’m optimistic we will beat Nasarawa United, even though it may not be an easy match,” he told supersport.com.

    Inyang moved to Gombe United from Nembe City during the week 9 transfer window on a loan deal.

    Gombe United are 9th on the NPFL log with 37 points, five more than Nasarawa United, who occupy 19th place after 26 rounds of matches.

  • Nasarawa: Ikhana can do magic

    Nasarawa: Ikhana can do magic

    Troubled Nasarawa United have appointed experienced coach Kadiri Ikhana to lead them out of relegation, saying he has the magic wand.

    Ikhana replaces Alphonsus Dike, who was axed after a spate of poor results which has seen nasarawa languish at second from bottom of the table with 33 points from 26 matches.

    Club chairman Isaac Danladi told MTNFootball.com the decision was taken on Wednesday after considering all the options they had.

    “We have appointed Kadiri Ikhana to lead our team on a short-term deal.

    “We needed someone with the magic wand to lead the team out of relegation and after considering our options, we choose Ikhana, he is highly experienced and has all it takes to lead the team. We trust him.

    “He will be in charge for our remaining matches this season,” Danladi disclosed.

    The ex-Falcons coach has handled El Kanemi, BCC Lions, Kwara United, Sunshine Stars, Sharks, Enyimba and Kano Pillars. He also had a stint with Mohammedan Sporting Club of Bangladesh in 1996.

    It is a surprise return for the former solder, who had declared he was through with club football after he quit Kwara United.

  • Nasarawa opts out of agric scheme

    The Nasarawa State Government has opted out of the fertiliser component of the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES) under the Federal Government’s agricultural transformation agenda, the Commissioner for Information and Reorientation, Hamza Elayo, has said.

    Addressing reporters after the State Executive Council’s meeting, he said the government opted out of the e-wallet system of fertiliser distribution because of some challenges.

    According to him, most farmers in the rural communities in the state were not able to access fertiliser during the last cropping season.

    The commissioner said this was as a result of their inability to use mobile phones as required by the e-wallet scheme.

    He said the delay in the allocation of fertiliser to states under the GES scheme was another factor that affected farmers adversely in the state last cropping season.

    He said the council applauded the state government’s initiative to buy and distribute 4,500 tonnes of fertiliser to farmers across the state in the cropping season.

    “Council noted with satisfaction the success so far recorded with the new fertiliser distribution mechanism of government by making fertiliser available at all polling units for farmers to buy,” he added.

    The commissioner maintained that the new approach to fertiliser distribution resulted in a glut of the product in the state, adding that it would be sustained.

    Elayo said the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) had been mandated to embark on advocacy to avert devastation.

    In Adamawa, no fewer than 360,000 farmers have registered for the Federal the scheme.

    Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Adamawa Branch Mr Venantius Jiddere said at the start of the e-wallet-based agricultural scheme in the state: “This is a remarkable event in the lives of over 360,000 farmers who have been registered.

    “But out of the total, only 201,555 farmers have been captured and are the beneficiaries of the e-Wallet for the farming season in the state,’’ he said.

    He said the remaining un-captured farmers would be recorded next year and would also benefit from the agricultural subsidy enjoyed by their colleagues.

    He said the exercise was smooth, adding that many peasant farmers who had not benefited from farm input subsidy were now receiving.

    “Over 30,000 farmers have received similar subsidy assistance from the state government in the past three years.

    “These farmers have also received training and acquired skills in various agricultural ventures,’’ Jiddere added.

    He said the sustenance of agricultural sector was not only about the distribution of fertiliser, but the transformation from traditional farming to mechanised system.

    He said there was need for farmers to shift from traditional farming to the advanced system of farming with the support of agricultural research institutes.

    He said the proposed expansion of national agro-based industries would not be realistic if the government continued to neglect and politicise the sector.

    Jiddere said most of the loans by commercial banks were not getting to the peasant farmers.

    He urged the government to look at agricultural insurance, pointing out that due to the poor insurance policy, a lot of farmers lost billions of naira yearly.

    He said there was need for the government to ensure the realisation of national food security and agricultural development through proper agricultural insurance policy.

    He said Nigeria had the potential of feeding itself and exporting foods, but because of the poor agricultural policy and implementation, the country still imported foods from other nations.

  • Bad luck affected Nasarawa United

    Bad luck affected Nasarawa United

    Nasarawa United chairman, Barrister Isaac Danladi says there is no cause for alarm over the team’s recent performance in the ongoing Globacom Premier League.

    The coach, Alphonsus Dike-led side suffered its fifth home draw when the Solid Miners played a 1-1 draw against Warri Wolves in a week 24 Globacom Premier League match at the Lafia Township Stadium on Sunday.

    The development made the management to give a two-match ultimatum to all the members of technical crew to get the team out of relegation zone or have their appointments terminated.

    Danladi told SportingLife that ill-luck affected the team against Warri Wolves.

    “We hope to make up for the lost points in our subsequent matches. The management, players and the technical crew are not happy with the development but I believe we will be comfortable soon.

    “It is too hard to miss two penalties in a match. It was bad luck for the team and with the ultimatum; all hands are now on deck to make an improvement in the team.

    “There is no need for panic. What the technical crew and the players needs now is to focus on the game ahead. With help of God and support of everybody the team will make everybody happy again.”

  • Nasarawa killings: Fulani accuse govt of bias

    •Panel adjourns till next week

    The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Socio-Cultural Association yesterday accused Nasarawa State Governor Tanko al-Makura and some officials in his administration of bias.

    The Secretary of the state branch of the association, Mohammed Hussaini, told the Judicial Commission of Enquiry probing the killing of security agents and other incessant conflicts in the state that the government did not visit and commiserate with the Fulani communities as it did to the Eggon neighbours.

    The association is the umbrella body of Fulani herdsmen across the country.

    Hussaini, who presented the association’s memorandum to the panel, said: “We are dissatisfied with the handling of the crisis by officials of the state government. It is a fact that till date, neither the governor nor officials of the state government has visited our community to commiserate with our people.

    “This is making our people not to be happy with the state government. The governor and some envoys had visited Eggon towns and villages to commiserate with them. Why are we treated differently?”

    The union leader blamed the various conflicts in the state involving the Fulani on “rumours, wild allegations, mutual suspicion and feeling of injustice”.

    He added: “Communities should be educated that these cattle are the wealth of Fulani. Any attempt to dispossess him of these animals or attack him can be fatal. If any Fulani commits an offence, he should be reported to the authorities instead of people resorting to self-help.

    “Farmers should stop poisoning waters and farming on grazing routes. The government should order for the expansion of grazing route to ease movement and passage.

    “We are trusting that the National Grazing Reserve Law will come in place and a clear conflict resolution mechanism will also be put in place. Existing grazing reserves in the state should be rehabilitated to encourage more Fulani to move in (dams, schools, social amenities be provided).

    “We are educating Fulani to stop sending children to graze cattle; this is the source of crop damage and conflict. Adults must supervise these young persons to avert the various clashes that have occurred so far. We hope the Government of Nasarawa State will help patronise the Fulani to embrace modern grazing methods and reduce grazing activities to the minimum as practised in Cameroon and other countries of the world, to end the perennial clashes between the herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria.”

    Hussaini stressed that “all identified perpetrators of conflicts in the state should be prosecuted” in accordance with the law.

    He urged the Nasarawa State Government to create the Ministry of Animal Husbandry to “deal with cattle and other matters related to it in view of the perennial farmers/Fulani conflict”.

    The Fulani leader advised the government to establish joint community peace committees to resolve conflicts, restore peace and put in place other peace-building initiatives in various communities.

    He called for a detailed assessment of the victims of the conflicts and the payment of compensation to them to cushion the effect of the conflicts.

    Hussaini noted that a poor assessment of the damage done to farmers’ crops by Fulani cattle has been the main cause of the crises between the two groups in the state.

    For a long time, he said, farmers in the state were short-changing members of Miyetti Allah in assessing the damage cows did to crops.

    The damage which should not be more than N2,000, he explained, was usually inflated to N100,000 or more.

    The Fulani spokesman said such exorbitant assessments usually infuriated his nomadic compatriots, resulting in clashes.

    Hussaini said: “There is usually injustice in the process. Our people are being short-changed in terms of assessment of damage. Sometimes, if there is damage on 10 tubers of cassava, which should not cost more than N2,000, our people are told to pay N100,000. This situation usually angers them and, as a result, fight erupts. This has been the major cause of the crises between our members and farmers, especially in Nasarawa State here.”

    The union leader maintained that for the situation to be resolved, the government should start a mechanism to determine the extent of damage cows do to the farmers’ crops.

    He noted that during crises, the farmers often reported any security breach to the police and the State Security Service (SSS).

    According to him, while some arrests were made, the police failed to visit the scenes of the crises because they were afraid, in some cases.

    Hussaini said: “We have never invited or hired anybody to come and assist us. Our people come here from different states: Bauchi, Kano, Sokoto, Katsina, Plateau, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger and others, to graze.

     

  • Nasarawa killings: Panel accuses Ombatse lawyers of contempt

    •NBA chief apologises to panel
    •We didn’t envisage this charade, says lawyer

    The Chairman of the Judicial Commission of Enquiry into the killing of security personnel in Nasarawa State, Justice Joseph Fola Gbadeyan (rtd), yesterday said the withdrawal of some lawyers from the proceedings of the panel is “contemptuous”.

    Seven lawyers, representing various Eggon communities, last week, announced their boycott of the commission’s sittings.

    The lawyers accused the commission of bias and alleged irregularities in the conduct of proceedings.

    But the Nasarawa State Government, through its Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Lagi Innocent, said the boycott would not affect the work of the commission.

    Some of the lawyers, who announced their withdrawal from the panel, include Chief Ayas Bako Aya, appearing with Aliyu Anzewu and representing the District Head of Bassa; Chief Joshua Daudu and Mr Ovye John, representing Eggon Communities in Barkin Abdullahi (BAD) and Randa.

    Others are: Mr Anthony Jatau, representing the Ward Head of Eggon in Arutu village of Doma Local Government Area; Mr Ayuwulu Baba Ayuwulu, representing Eggon community, Kadarkoc in Keana Keana Local Government Area; Mr Gambo P. Assiku, representing Eggon Cultural Development Association (ECDA) in Bassa Zarengi; and Mr Harry Dan Anyuanbaga, representing Mada community of Bassa in Kokona Local Government Area.

    Governor Tanko al-Makura constituted the panel, following the killing of over 50 policemen and operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) allegedly in an ambush by members of the Ombatse Militia Group (OMG) in Lakyo village, on May 7.

    The counsel, who filed formal applications to withdraw their memoranda, last Friday, failed to show up before the panel yesterday to defend their actions.

    Justice Gbadeyan struck out the applications following the absence of the lawyers at the panel when the cases were called.

    He said the memoranda would be heard at the appropriate time, even though the authors and their counsel have abandoned them.

    The panel chairman said the lawyers “did not follow due process” in withdrawing their appearance.

    Justice Gbadeyan said: “When we are faced with serious business that has affected the lives of so many humans beings, they (lawyers) are only interested in stalling the entire proceedings.”

    The commission’s chairman told the Chairman of the Lafia Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr Eric Irehovbude, that he was disappointed with the conduct of the counsel.

    Irehovbude apologised to the commission on the conduct of his colleagues.

    He said: “I have received complaints from some of our colleagues that some of our members appearing before this commission have been a bit unruly. I want to, on behalf of the Bar, apologise for any such misconduct to this commission. I’m happy that, as I was informed, some senior colleagues have apologised to the commission. But I felt a sense of responsibility to come personally and apologise to your Lordship.

    “I will like to add that if the misconduct is such that it can be referred to the Disciplinary Committee of the Bar, we will support it, as we won’t tolerate anything that will bring the profession to disrepute.”

    The Legal Adviser to Ombatse Group, Mr Zachary Zamani Alumaga, told The Nation that the lawyers representing Ombatse withdrew because they lost confidence in the commission.

    He alleged that the commission was constituted to persecute the Ombatse group.

    Alumaga said: “We said it from day one that the commission, if anything, is not properly constituted to do the job of an enquiry stipulated by law. The commission is not a court; it has no right to administer penal sanctions.

    “It is only a fact-finding mission, so that its recommendations could be made to the appropriate quarters upon which they may decide. This appropriate quarter is the government.

    “But because this commission has come up with a focused mind to prepare a First Information Report (FIR) and send us to jail, it is overzealous. I raised the issue of its lack of jurisdiction to that effect.

    “Now that we have understood its antics, we decided to pull out. If they are still so desirous of convicting us because they have gone beyond intimidation now, then they should go ahead and convict the lawyers for their so-called contempt.

    “It is unheard of that somebody makes himself available to the court and then says he is withdrawing in writing. Yet, you say the person must come before you. What do you want to do with him?

    “Let me repeat this once again: we are not afraid of justice. If we are found wanting, we will be grateful for all the consequence that will follow. This charade is not what we envisaged, as the justice of this case.

    “Security operatives have died and the world wants to know what happened. But all these booby traps set for us by the government and the commission will not allow for justice at the end of the tunnel.”

     

     

  • Nasarawa plot Nembe ambush

    Nasarawa United captain Baba Idris is confident his team can nick points off hosts Nembe City in Sunday’s week 23 encounter this weekend.

    The soft-spoken former Mighty Jets defender is optimistic that if officiating is fair, nothing will stop them from picking at least a point against Nembe.

    “We are raring to go, the boys are motivated and we feel we can do the job away from home.

    “Our Federation Cup game against Enyimba should be a pointer to this. We absolutely dominated them in the first half and unfortunately Ibrahim Ibrahim was red-carded in the second half which made life difficult for us,” Idris said.

    Nasarawa United hit Nembe immediately after the Federations Cup tie with Enyimba in a bid to rest ahead of the match and Idris says this can only do them good.

    “The team left Abeokuta after the Federation Cup match with Enyimba so that we could get in early, rest and prepare well for the match with Nembe City. They are a good side no doubt, but we can match them on their own turf.

    “We hope officiating will be fair to both sides so that the best team can win the game,” the defender enthused.

    Baba Idris, who led Nasarawa United to promotion from the Nigeria National League, also expressed his desire to help his team to finish in the top half of the league by the end of the season.

    “We want to finish the League in a strong position, and we need to start picking points away from home. Fortunately, we have no injury worries, the team is complete. A point here shouldn’t be out of reach, I believe,” he concluded.

    The Lafia-based Glo Premier League team popularly called “Solid Miners” are currently in 14th position on the log with 29 points from 22 matches.