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Tag: Tension

  • Tension in Kwara over discovery of 2 corpses

    Tension in Kwara over discovery of 2 corpses

    The discovery of two corpses in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara following exchange of gun shots between members of a  local vigilance group and some gunmen has heightened tension in the council  area.

    DSP Ajayi Okesanmi, the Public Relations Officer of the Kwara Police Command, has already confirmed the recovery of the two corpses.

    Okasanmi said five suspects had been arrested and were assisting the police in their investigation.

    The local vigilance group in the area recorded casualties in an attempt to dislodge the gunmen from their camp at the centre of the 50- kilometre National Park located in the area.

    A source told NAN that the gunmen often dispossess residents of the communities in the area of their belongings, particularly food, livestock and cash.

     

    The source, who preferred anonymity, told NAN that the hoodlums attack   people in Tungan Maje, Woro and Nukku after mounting a road block.

    The source said the weapons used by the gunmen were more sophisticated than the ones used by members of the local vigilance group.

     

    The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar, told NAN that deployment of members of the local vigilance group  was for surveillance to prevent  further  attacks on communities in the area.

    “Unfortunately, when the vigilance group members approached the gunmen in their camp, they killed one vigilance group  member while three others are missing,” he said.

     

  • Tension over Kwankwaso’s proposed visit to Kano

    Tension over Kwankwaso’s proposed visit to Kano

    The proposed visit of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso to Kano on January 30 for campaign ahead of the forthcoming council poll is generating tensions owing to unending bitter rivalry with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje for political supremacy, reports Sunday Oguntola 

    FEARS of political violence have gripped Kano ahead of next Tuesday’s scheduled visit of former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso to the political headquarters of northern Nigeria.

    Kwankwaso, who represents Kano Central in the Senate, has been in a longstanding political face-off with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, who was his deputy for eight years.

    The charismatic politician handed over the governorship seat to Ganduje in 2015, becoming one of the few incumbents to entrust power to their deputies in the nation’s political history.

    Despite the smooth transition and camaraderie that existed between the duo, the centre has refused to hold since Ganduje assumed office.

    The governor, according to insiders, believes Kwankwaso was forced to concede the governorship ticket to him at the last minute despite his loyalty of many years.

    His fight back strategies have seen him remove all aides and appointees of his predecessor from offices as the supremacy battle between them escalated.

    Ganduje has also seized control of the All Progressive Congress (APC) structure from Kwankwaso, replacing Kano APC chairman, Alhaji Umar Doguwa, a loyalist of his former boss, with Engineer Bashir Karaye, one of his men.

    The founder of Kwankwasiyya movement however remains hugely popular with massive grassroots support in the state, a development the Ganduje’s camp is never comfortable with.

    His scheduled visit to Kano, only the second since he left office, is creating apprehension among stakeholders concerned about the possible outbreak of political violence.

    This is because Kwankwasiyya and Gandujiyya supporters have a history of always attacking themselves during public events and outings. The attacks and counter attacks were normally in continuation of the cold war between their political principals and mentors.

    History of political clashes

    Last September, the two camps clashed at the traditional Hawan Daushe in Kano Emirate Palace, leaving a former Secretary to Kano State Government, Rabiu Suleiman Bichi and younger brother to Kwankwaso, Sani Kwankwaso, among others seriously wounded.

    It was learnt the crisis started when members of Kwankwasiyya arrived the venue in their traditional red cap insignia, a development that provoked attacks from the other camp. Dangerous weapons were freely used, leading to disturbance of public peace.

    The media aide to Kwankwaso, Hajia Binta Spikin, alleged members of Kwankwasiyya were pushed back by policemen at the event after tear gas canisters were fired at them.

    “We just saw people hitting us with cutlasses, heavy sticks and other dangerous weapons. Then I fell down and my eyeglasses broke.

    “Somebody from his behind hit the former SSG, Bichi, with a cutlass and another moved forward to stab him but Kwankwaso’s younger brother used his hands to block it and they nearly cut his hands,” she alleged.

    But Commissioner of Information, Mohammad Garba, debunked allegations the governor was behind the attack, saying he was away from the state when the incident happened.

    Garba claimed the event held peacefully after arrival of the governor who was earlier in Daura, Katsina State to pay Sallah homage to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    On January 14, there was another clash between both movements that left not less than six members injured. According to reports, the incident occurred around 11 am at Chiranchi quarters in Gwale Local Government Area of the state when the supporters attended two separate wedding Fatiha.

    “The Kwankwasiyya followers attended one and their counterpart of Gandujiyya attended another wedding ceremony. The one attended by members of Kwankwasiyya was contracted first. So, while they were leaving the area, they ran into the Gandujiyya group who were contracting another marriage,” the source said, an eyewitness recalled.

    A younger brother of the Commissioner of Special Duties, Abdullahi Abbas, and many others were among the injured after the clash.

    Stoking the fires

    There are fears that the same scenario could play out when Kwankwaso returns to Kano on January 30. A video clip by Commissioner of Special Duties, Abdullahi Sunusi, telling supporters to stone Kwankwaso has further exacerbated the apprehensions.

    Speaking in Hausa, Sunusi tagged Kwankwaso the “political Satan of Kano.” He said: “From today, the whistle of politics is blown on our in-house opposition. We met in Minjibir and dealt with them; we met outside the emir’s palace during the Sallah celebration.

    “Now their leader is coming and we will receive him at Kwanar Dangora or at Dakatsalle, you may be aware after the holy pilgrimage performed by Muslims is the symbolic stoning of Satan.

    “So you all should await official announcement of the day you will all be directed to stone the political Satan of Kano. We are not afraid of anybody; we will even take the battle to his room. Finally, my counterparts, let’s work to destroy Kwankwaso, as you all know he is afraid of us.”

    The video that went viral has raised fears both camps could be baying for blood on January 30. This is more so because they will be holding parallel rallies for the February 10 council polls.  There had been reports Kwankwaso had called off the proposed visit to avert bloodshed. He was said to have alleged to the proposal to call off the visit after an interventionist meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Who blinks first?

    But his camp has insisted nothing will stop the Senator from visiting and campaigning for his preferred local government candidates. There are insinuations that he could be sponsoring candidates in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of his reported defection to the party that bought him to power in the first term.

    Kwankwaso’s media aide, Spikin maintained: “Despite the purported rumours by the Ganduje-led faction of the APC, Kwankwaso will come to Kano on January 30 to help his people, especially those who are contesting in the forthcoming local government election in their campaign activities.

    “We are very much aware of the rumours going round that our leader will not come to Kano. The Ganduje’s people are circulating the rumours but I can assure you that this will not stop our leader from coming to Kano on the slated date.”

    Police security advice

    Bothered by the palpable tensions, Commissioner of Police Rabiu Yusuf, last Friday advised Kwankwaso to shelve the proposed visit in the interest of peace.

    He said it was advisable the former governor returns another day when “tension has died down.”

    The Police chief said any attempt to break down law and order will be dealt with decisively.

    But an infuriated Kwankwaso balked at the advice, stating nobody can stop him from visiting the state.

    Speaking through his media aide, Kwankwaso said he would proceed with the visit, saying he would even be there with “seven camera drones”, three international media outfits and ”a host of other top national and international friends of his.”

    The visit, he said, is well-planned to guarantee peace.

    According to him: “We are coming to visit friends, families and other relatives that for a long time, we have not seen.

    “We have coordinated this visit with seven camera drones and other apparatus that would make it a hitch free home coming.”

    On the same date, Ganduje’s camp will present flags to APC candidates at Kwanar Dangora along Kano- Abuja road. With the political tension in the State as well as the council poll seen as the test of grassroots popularity; it is almost impossible to imagine there would be no untoward incidents.

    Indications emerged last week that both camp movements are taking the rallies seriously, spoiling to outdo each other in mobilisation and attraction of crowds. Insiders who spoke with our correspondent said they were leaving nothing to chances.

    “This is a public popularity test. Whoever attracts more crowd will be seen to be in charge. So, we are more than prepared to emerge the victors. We will stop at nothing to mobilise and ensure nobody harasses our supporters,” a member of Kwankwasiyya confided.

    A mobiliser for Gandujiyya also confirmed plans were on to make sure the movement does not lose out in supremacy battle. “We are not in power for fun. We are here to stay. We shall not allow anyone to take the shine off our patron. We are more than ready to give all it takes to establish ourselves as the confirmed leaders,” he stated.

    Besides, the council poll is considered a litmus test by both camps for political relevance and control. While the Kwankwaso’s camp is desperate to assert itself as no pushovers, the governor’s supporters are eager to assert they are in power to rule.

    It was learnt security forces have been put on red alert to avert possible breakdown of law and order with nothing left to chances because of the weights of the forces at play.

    Kwankwaso is expected to make his way on road to Kano from Kaduna, which he has made his second home. His last movement through the route led to massive gridlocks and roadblocks by exultant supporters.

    The road movement is clearly a perfect plan to reinforce his popularity in Kano, an attempt that will not sit well with Gandujiyya members.

    Whatever happens, it is certain security operatives will have their hands full on Tuesday considering the two heavyweights are not willing to back down in the battle for the political soul and control of Kano.

  • Tension as Fulani raise another alarm over stolen cows  

    Tension as Fulani raise another alarm over stolen cows  

    PLATEAU State is gripped by the fear of attack by Fulani herdsmen following a threat issued over alleged cattle rustling.

    Neigbouring Benue State is reeling from the New Year Day’s attacks in Logo and Guma local government areas in which 73 people died.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, after a meeting with Benue State leaders on Monday, ordered security agents to find the killers and punish them

    But yesterday, the Fulani in Plateau alleged the killing of their man and the rustling of 350 cows belonging to their people. They warned that “things like these” caused violence in the past.

    Governor Simon Lalong was last night locked in a security meeting over the development, it was learnt.

    He had also launched a move to recover the missing cows, it was learnt.

    A statement by Muhammad Nura Abdullahi, chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Plateau State chapter, yesterday said: “We are sad with the information reaching us from our branches in Bassa and Riyom local government areas that Irigwe youths militia armed with sophisticated weapon had on Monday 15th January 2018 attacked Fulani herdsmen around Gilda Ado village in Ganawuri district of Riyom LGA. The attackers beat a Fulani herder to a point of coma and fled with his cattle numbering 150.

    “The report later got to security agencies who gave the cattle rustlers good chase. The security recovered some of the cows dead around Mai Yanga Village.

    “On the same Monday night, another armed youths suspected to the Irigwe youths attacked Fulani residents at Dangwal village of Ganawuri and rustled about 200 cows in the attack. Security agencies have confirmed to us that some of the rustled cows had been found.

    “These are the kind of situation that leads to major violence in the areas, and this is happening when the area is trying to recover from the recent ugly incidents that led to loss of lives and properties. That last violence was caused by attacking, killing and beheading of a Fulani boy known as Abubakar Wada. The incident happened on the 28th of August 2017.

    “We hereby condemn any act of criminality with some highly placed political personalities that are benefiting from this cycle of violence. This situation should be handled with all seriousness and with a professional method to resolve the dastardly act of brutality.

    “A very swift action should be taken to stop further occurrences.”

    Also yesterday, Irigwe youths reported the killing of one of their youths by suspected Fulani herdsmen. The attack, according to them, took place at Kimakpa, Kwall district of Irigwe chiefdom.

    A similar situation led to serious violence in Bassa Local Government between August and October last year leading the death of over 80 people in series of attacks by Fulani herdsmen.

    The Plateau State Government also said no fewer than 14,000 people had been killed in Plateau and Benue States in recent times.

    Commissioner for Town Planning Festus Ewanter stated this yesterday in Makurdi.

    He spoke at the Benue Government House when he led a delegation of about 30 Plateau State Government officials on a condolence visit to Governor Samuel Ortom.

    They were there on behalf of Governor Simon Lalong.

    He said: ‘We are both food baskets of the nation and we have both lost over 7,000 people each to herdsmen attacks, as what happened in Guma, Logo and other parts of Benue  state, Plateau also shared the same in Bassa, Jos North  and Jos South which is still happening till date.

    “Plateau and Benue are both together, we should set aside all our differences and forge ahead to find a lasting solution to these problems.

    “Though, through administrative process, we have been separated but not in any way to divide ourselves, we should not fail as leaders to compromise the future of our generations”.

    Governor Ortom thanked Plateau government, saying Plateau, Nasarawa and Benue States are brothers and sisters.

    He said the states share similar challenges

    He added that anything that affected one state has affected all the states, stressing that the challenges were beyond them.

    “We have been brothers and sisters all along and in spite of the separation we all have the same challenges that bind us together, they are; insecurity, poverty and underdevelopment

    “So we should see that whatever that affect one of us affected all of us so all these challenges are beyond us”.

    Ortom apologized to Nasarawa State Governor  Tanko Al-Makura. He said: “Let me use this platform to apologize to my colleague in Nasarawa state over the statement I made it was due to the situation at hand then, I should not have made the information public rather it should have been a private discussion between us, I will try and see him .”  He also accepted Lalong’s apologies for his own remark about Benue state.

  • Tension in Kwara communities over alleged demolition

    There is tension in Offa and Erin-Ile communities of Kwara State following the alleged demolition of two buildings belonging to Offa indigenes.

    It was gathered that the buildings, at Oloruntedo community in Egunkara, on Igosun Road, were demolished last Wednesday.

    The sister communities had, in the last 20 years, engaged in violent clashes resulting in loss of lives and property.

    Offa has accused some indigenes of Erin-Ile of causing the current incident.

    Secretary-General of the Offa Descendants Union (ODU) Wosilat Macharthy, who addressed reporters on the incident, said the association petitioned the inspector general of Police (IGP), state government, Police commissioner and Emir of Ilorin.

    “Information within our reach shows that the crime was perpetrated by yet-to-be indentified Erin-Ile indigenes. Our conviction is borne out of the series of intimidation and harassment that have been meted out to indigenes of Offa living in the area.

    “Their actions and conduct, if not checked, could degenerate into lawlessness. There is no gainsaying the fact that Offa is known to be law-abiding and peaceful, and it will not do anything to jeopardise the relative peace currently existing between it and neighbouring communities.

    “Offa people have handled disputes with Erin-Ile in the most matured and civilised way. There has never been a time Offa was found wanting for taking laws into its hands, with respect to the subject-matter.”

    But Vice President of the Erin-Ile Progressive Union (EPU) Raji Jimoh described the allegation as baseless.

    His words: “As far as I know, no Erin-Ile indigene has damaged any property belonging to Offa indigenes.

    ‘’There is a boundary between the two communities (Unity Road), built by the government, and we have not encroached into Offa territory as demarcated.”

  • Peace above all

    The clampdown on members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) a fortnight ago has no doubt generated a controversy in the country. Tension in the country resulting from the activities of the group had reached an alarming rate.

    Members of the group were reported to have started violent attacks on northerners residing in the Southeast.

    They were reported to have been stopping vehicles in the Southeast and specifically searching for northerners, among other accusations.

    Their actions resulted in reprisal attacks in Plateau State while it took great efforts to stop such reprisal attacks in other parts of the country.

    Apart from the military operation codenamed ‘Python Dance II’ and other security forces drafted to the Southeast to maintain law and order, the government wasted no time to declare IPOB a terrorist group. Drafting the military to the Southeast also triggered various interpretations and debate.

    While some Nigerians felt that the government was too harsh on the group led by Nnamdi Kanu, others felt that the group shouldn’t have been allowed to spread its tentacles and operate at the level it did two weeks ago.

    Still, other Nigerians felt that the government should have ignored Kanu and his group from the outset, while some of them at the same time believed that the government made a mistake by allowing Kanu to be released on bail in the first instance.

    Some of those against the move by the Federal Government believed that the Python shouldn’t have been allowed to dance in the Southeast.

    Among those who did not support deployment of soldiers in quelling internal crises included former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    He said, “However, we want to advise the Buhari administration, which has announced plans to extend the military show of force to the South-South and the South-West through Operation Crocodile Smile, to tread with caution.

    “Nigeria is no longer under military rule. In a democracy, you separate the military from the police. The military is not meant to fight criminality within a nation because they are trained to fight a nation’s external enemies.

    “It is the police that are trained to fight crime internally. When the military starts doing the job of the police and starts fighting or doing what they call a ‘show of force’, the effect will not be to reduce crime. The effect will be to intimidate people.”

    Specifically on IPOB, he said, “The insinuations in the press conference given by Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Sunday, accusing the opposition of sponsoring the IPOB and the fact that he mentioned that Nnamdi Kanu preached Nigerian unity during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan is another clear indication that the present administration has not left propaganda mode for proper agenda mode two and a half year into their tenure.

    “If the government, in which Lai Mohammed serves, knows which opposition members are sponsoring IPOB, then they should identify them, arrest them and then prosecute them.” he said

    He added, “It is our suspicion that Lai Mohammed is talking from history seeing as he criticized the Jonathan government for banning Boko Haram in a statement he released on June 10, 2013, even though the Jonathan government had gone through due process before proscribing that murderous sect.

    The Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, had also faulted the military and said it was illegal for it to declare IPOB a terrorists group.

    But IPOB, to many Nigerians, had however played the grooves that necessitated the Python dance in the South East.

    Speaking on the issues last Wednesday, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed said: “I think anybody who has watched Nnamdi Kanu’s videos anywhere he goes to he openly solicits for arms and for funds, I have a lot of quotations from him as to the violence intention of IPOB, in one of his videos he said if he is arrested his boys should burn down the country, the same Kanu went on television a few days ago saying he was sleeping at about 4:30pm in his house in Umuahia and then some solders were making noises they were disturbing his sleep and his boys stopped them.

    “I ask him which country in the world would tolerate this. Unfortunately Nigerians, we have short memories at times, or we tend to be very mischievous because this thing is being turned into oh the North is persecuting the south east or muslims persecuting christians we have forgotten that in 1983 there was a group called Maitasini in Kano, they were crushed by Shagari government, they were muslims and northerners.

    “When they relocated to Burukutu they were again crushed by Shagari,l. When Buhari became Head of State, the same Maitasini raised their head, he chased them far into the Chad Republic as then the Head of State, I remember that time he was accused by America of trying to expand Ghadafi’s agenda.

    “Abacha in his own time dealt also with Maitasini and he was a muslim, President Yar Adua in 2010 was on his way to the airport when he got a report about Boko Haram, he sent army to go and destroy them, these were muslims from the north dealing with essentially islamic muslim insurgencies.

    “Anything about insurgence or terrorists act, you don’t think about religion, you don’t think about ethnicity, you think about the unity of the country.

    “Honestly Nigeria has been very very lucky, last week there would have been massive bloodshed if reprisals had taken place outside the south east and it didn’t take place because our traditional rulers, our governors and other leaders went out to pacify people and the kind of stories that has been trending on the social media has not helped things, as a matter of fact there was one stating that a major general had been killed, not knowing that it was a retired major that was killed in Benue state over land matters, that would have set the entire country ablaze.” He said

    He went on “And they think its a joke, you can imagine what would have happened if the people of Kano or Kaduna started retaliation, so we are in a very dangerous situation and actually we are sitting on a keg of gun powder. The peace that you are seeing is deceptive we must continue to work on it and we must continue to counter this very untrue narrative.

    “On the basis of that we have heard some funny bones saying that Nigeria should be expelled from the United Nations because they are perpetuating genocide, this government will not stifle anybody’s freedom of expression, but when you cross the line for the sake of national unity we won’t allow you.”

    “We have the records, we know IPOB collects money from many people from diaspora, they collect money from many people in Nigeria they collect money from some foreign countries, this is clear.

    Stressing that it was the rights of individuals or groups to seek self-determination, he had maintained that it should be pursued in a non-violent manner.

    “Where any group crosses the line by engaging in violence, it risks being cut to size and that’s exactly what has happened to IPOB.

    “I am not interested in the semantics or legality of troops deployment or the proscription of IPOB. All I know is that IPOB has engaged in terrorist activities, viz: Setting up parallel military and paramilitary organizations, clashing with the national army and attempting to seize rifles from soldiers, using weapons such as machetes, molotov cocktails and sticks and mounting roadblocks to extort money from people, among others.

    “To those who have engaged in semantics or legality, I ask: Which country in the world will tolerate those activities I have listed above? Which national army will look the other way when it is being attacked by a band of thugs?” he queried.

    While dialogue should be explored fully to resolve all agitations in the country, it will definitely not augur well for peace and unity of the nation to be slaughtered on the altar of religion and ethnic sentiments.

     

  • Tension in Edo community over rape, killing of two women

    Tension in Edo community over rape, killing of two women

    There is tension in Ewu community, Esan Central local government area over last week killing of two elderly women by suspected herdsmen.

     

    The women were also found to have been raped before they were killed.

     

    Their bodies were found in their various farms by a search party when they did not return home.

     

    Names of the deceased were given as Christiana Ikheloa and Fatima Emoyon.

     

    Daughter of one of the deceased who gave her name as Patience Emoyon said cows were seen in the place where her mother’s corpse was found.

     

    She said her mother was found stone dead.

     

    Son of Christiana, Robert, said the person that picked his mother’s cell phone spoke Hausa language.

     

    He urged the state government to fish out the killers and rapists.

     

    Police spokesman, DSP Moses Nkombe, confirmed the incident but said he was not aware if any person has been arrested.

  • Tension brews in Bayelsa over land for grazing 

    Tension brews in Bayelsa over land for grazing 

    Tension is brewing in Bayelsa State over a piece of land measuring about 1200 hectares allocated to herdsmen for cattle grazing in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, by Governor Seriake Dickson.

    Dickson’s intentions of confining activities of herdsmen within the Bayelsa Palm area to avoid bloody clashes between them and farmers have divided stakeholders and groups in Ijaw land.

    It was gathered that an Ijaw and human rights activist, Ankio Briggs, had concluded plans to lead a protest of Ijaw stakeholders to demand reversal of Dickson’s decision.

    Briggs was said to be mobilising women and youths of like minds to occupy Bayelsa on February 14, a day scheduled to mark Dickson’s fifth year in office, for the protest.

    Already, a coalition of Ijaw groups under the auspices of the Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative (IPDI) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the governor to reverse his decision or face shutdown of all government activities in Bayelsa.

    IPDI, in a statement by its acting spokesperson, Mr. Mayor Ogobiri, said: “We are giving Governor Dickson seven days ultimatum to revoke Bayelsa land allocated to herdsmen or face mass shut down of all government facilities across the state because we do not want a repeat of the massacre that happened recently at Southern Kaduna in our state”.

    But the core Ijaw groups, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), worldwide, the Ijaw Youth Movement (IYM) and the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Thursday, rose in defence of the governor.

    The INC flayed Briggs accusing her of misinforming and inciting members of the public without making efforts to know the facts of the government’s decision.

    The group in statement signed by its Chairman, Central Zone, Chief Kennedy Odiowei, insisted that the activist misfired.

    Odiowei said: “This time and case we will differ as she missed the well-taken point by all that there is need to establish a central place for all cattle business in the state; and this is what informed Governor Seriake Dickson’s decision to provide and site the grazing field, ranch and abattoir at a portion of the Bayelsa Oil Palms farm.

    “We believe Ankio Briggs was misinformed and deliberately too, by some mischief makers who will not see anything good in any decision taken, no matter how good that decision is  by the Dickson administration.

    “While we appreciate Ankio Briggs’ recognition that Bayelsa State represents the identity of Ijaw people and respect her right to freely express her opinion and concern on happenings in the state, particularly the wellbeing of the people, as opinion is free, we advise her to take a back seat and not delve unnecessarily into issues she is not properly informed on, no matter how concerned she may be”.

    He said as the Chief Security Officer of this state, the governor owed the people the duty to prevent any likely clashes between cattlemen operating in the state and the owners of farmlands.

    “As it has been the case in many places in recent times. It is a decision taken to prevent injuries and deaths likely to arise in the event of any misunderstanding between cattlemen and farmers or farm owners in the state.

    “The governor took the decision as part of his plan to reposition the economy of the state, a vigorous drive in agriculture and investment in livestock to increase the state’s scarce internally generated revenue (IGR).

    “The land in question in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State is government-owned. It was not donated but provided to cater for the need of cattlemen and others doing cattle related businesses such as grazing, ranching and marketing in the state.

    Also backing the governor, the IYC Central Zone Chairman, Mr. Bobolayefa Owopiele, said Briggs’ fears were unfounded and smacked of scaremongering.

    “Her fear of annexation of Ijaw/ Niger Delta territories vis-à-vis acquisition of Ijaw-lands on the pretext of cattle grazing and other related business in this regard, though appreciated are unnecessary and unfounded as the land is not donated or sold to anybody including her so much feared cattle herdsmen.

    “The Bayelsa Oil Palms farm space is provided for cattle business just as the Ekeki Motor Park is provided by government for transport business in the state.

    “The Committee on Management and Control of Ranches was set up in December 2016 to oversee the activities of those doing cattle business in the state, including cattle herdsmen. It is made up of persons of high and proven integrity and very credible representatives.

    “They include relevant organizations like the Nigeria Police, Department of State Security (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Ijaw National Congress (INC), a member of the Traditional Rulers Council, youth of some communities and people in the cattle business in the state”.

    Owopiele said that while governors of some states in their desperation outrightly barred cattlemen from their states, Dickson chose a more beneficial option to the people.

    He said rather than condemn the action; the governor should be commended for choosing an all-inclusive business arrangement.

    He said: “Cattle in Malaysia are grazed in Oil Palm farmlands and both compliment the growth and progress of each other. Confining and domesticating all cattle business in the state to a government assigned ranch area and market such as Bayelsa oil palms farm is a most thoughtful and welcome idea that cannot be faulted.

    “The governor therefore by this action exposes no Ijaw person or any resident of the state for that matter to the dangers perceived by Ankio Briggs. Her thinking in our opinion amounts to crying wolf where there’s none”.

    He accused Briggs of unnecessarily causing tension in the state and noted thousands of cattle in Bayelsa state were owned by some wealthy indigenes with the Hausa/Fulani herdsmen merely serving them.

    “The community leaders, owners of the land, Ijaw sons and daughters in the Niger Delta, across the country also home and abroad have no need to reject any sale of Ijaw nation as no part of Ijaw land is being sold to anybody.

    “Rather we call on them to ask Annkio Briggs to cross-check her facts before going public. So far in our opinion Governor Dickson has acted and acting in consonance with his electioneering campaigns to move the state away from dependence on oil mineral to a more comfortable agriculture industry”, he said.

    But the Bayelsa Youth Movement (BYM) said Briggs, Mr. Claudius Enegesi and Prof. Kimse Okoko should be held responsible if their alleged inciting comments resulted in a bloody clash between the people and herdsmen.

    The youths insisted that recent comments attributed to the trio on the matter were baseless and capable of causing a breakdown of law and order.

    The youths in a statement by the President, BYM, Mr. James Ere-Brown, said any deaths arising from disagreements between the herdsmen and other residents of the state should be blamed on those opposed to the move.

    They said: “The people should put the blame of any death from clashes between herdsmen and any community on Ankio Briggs, Kimse Okoko and Hon. Claudius Enegesi and all those who are against the move by government to check the activities of the herdsmen.

    “By opposing the move by the state government to provide the Bayelsa Palm Area as a confined space for them to rear their cows, slaughter them and sell, instead of roaming around with their cattle in our communities and destroying farmlands in the process, these characters are setting the stage for a breakdown of law and order.

    “This is a purely security and economic decision, but the attempt by these people to politicise what is clearly an altruistic move by the government is not only unacceptable but done in very bad faith”.

    They said: “The action of the state government is not only commendable for ensuring that potential security issues are nipped in the bud before they become hugely insurmountable, but Hon Dickson should also be lauded for making Bayelsa the safest state in the South-South and indeed one of the safest in the country as recently attested to by some security agencies.

    “That achievement did not come by mere grandstanding by people like Okoko, Briggs and Enegesi, but by thoroughly reasoned security strategies like this one and the state’s irrefutable investment in security infrastructure,” the group argued.

     

  • Tension in Niger Delta over unpaid Amnesty stipends

    Tension in Niger Delta over unpaid Amnesty stipends

    Former militant leaders and their former foot soldiers in Niger Delta are angry with the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government because of their unpaid arrears for five months under the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).
    It was learnt that the ex-militants were regrouping to begin series of protests to register their grievances and compel the government to pay the arrears.
    They were said to have exercised restraint following the interventions and appeals by the PAP Coordinator, Brig-Gen. Paul Boroh.
    An ex-militant leader Salvation Ibina-Rufus said his colleagues were running out of patience.
    He urged President Buhari to intervene in the payment of their stipends.
    The former militant leader noted that the President’s quick intervention would douse the tension mounting in the region over the unpaid arrears.
    Ibina-Rufus, who is the Chairman of PAP Phase Two for Bayelsa State, also urged President Buhari to mandate the Federal Ministry of Finance to release funds to pay the ex-agitators.
    According to him, the payment will prevent another round of restiveness in the region.
    Ibina-Rufus empathised with aggrieved former militants but begged them to be patient with the government.
    The ex-militant leader, who is also a director in the Bayelsa State Environmental Sanitation Authority, recalled that following the meeting they held with Boroh, the beneficiaries were told that they would be paid after the New Year holiday.
    He attributed the delay to the inability of the Ministry of Finance to release funds to the Amnesty Office for the payment.
    The former militant leader thanked his members for their understanding and patience.
    He advised them to maintain the peace.
    Ibina-Rufus said Boroh demonstrated sincerity and commitment to ensuring the payment of former agitators’ stipends.
    He said: “We equally want to appeal President Buhari to instruct the Minister Finance to release the N30 billion approved by the Presidency to the Amnesty Office to enable Boroh perform his work effectively and to avoid another round of restiveness in the region.
    “We are optimistic that President Buhari is aware of the sufferings and pains Christians underwent during the Christmas celebration due to the non-release of salaries by the Finance Ministry.”
    Also, a leader of the PAP’s First Phase, Mr. Excel Tonomo Divine, urged beneficiaries under his command to remain calm while things were being sorted out.
    The former militant leader advised them to maintain peace and order, saying he was optimistic that their salaries would be paid after the Yuletide break.
    In a statement, Boroh appealed to ex-agitators to remain calm.
    The presidential aide assured that the government was making efforts to pay the stipends.
    He said: “Federal Government’s commitment towards the full implementation of the current re-integration of ex-agitators in the Niger Delta region into civil society with sustainable source of livelihood has remained a top priority to the President.”
    He said the Amnesty Office would pay the delayed monthly stipends as soon as it received approved funds.
    According to him, President Buhari’s recent approval of additional funds for the programme was a clear commitment and demonstration of his concern for the welfare of the youths in the region.
    Boroh said the paper work for the immediate payment of the stipends had been done, pending the arrival of the approved funds.
    The presidential aide hailed the ex-agitators for their maturity and understanding.
    He urged the youths in the Niger Delta region to always maintain peace.

  • Tension as marketing institute ‘rightsizes’

    The plan by the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN’s) council led by Tony Agenmonmen to reposition the institute by sacking workers en masse and recruiting fresh hands is causing disaffection among members of staff, reports ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    WHEN a former Senior Strat-egy Manager at Nigerian Breweries Plc Tony Agenmonmen became President of the Nigerian Institute of Marketing Nigeria (NIMN)last month, the workers were happy.
    Reason: They thought he was the messiah they were waiting for. One, they were being owed many months of salaries and allowances.
    However, rather than get good news from the president, the workers got a’special yuletide package’. The members of staff of NIMN were on Wednesday, last week told that they had been disengaged with a caveat that those still interested to work with institute should re-apply by January 6, next year.
    Expectedly, the 32-workforce, excluding the Registrar, expressed shock on the development. Their expectations that the new executive would improve their well-being, especially in clearing the backlog of their unpaid salaries, were dashed.
    A source at the meeting said the workers were miffed by the development, saying it was contrary to the promises earlier made by Agenmonmen, when he met with the staff of the institute, shortly after being elected.
    One of such promises, the source said, was that the Council would sort out the backlog of salaries being owed the staff and embark on capacity development for them to equip them for the challenges ahead.
    “Everybody was surprised at the announcement. Nobody expected it. We were thinking it was going to be one of such meetings where the new president would announce some of those ‘goodies’ he had for the staff, “ he said.
    It was gathered further that the board has already instructed the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) to help it handle the recruitment.
    Confirming the development, a member of the institute, who would not want his name in print, said he had seen a memo, informing members of the development and the decision of the board to source for new employees from within and outside the institute’s workforce.
    Meanwhile, the new president reportedly denied the disengagement story saying: “I’m not aware that any staff of the institute has been disengaged for now. All I know is that staff are on vacation, and they are expected to resume first week in January, next year.”

  • Tension as marketing institute ‘rightsizes’

    When a former Senior Strategy Manager at Nigerian Breweries Plc Tony Agenmonmen became President of the Nigerian Institute of Marketing Nigeria (NIMN)last month, the workers were happy.

    Reason: They thought he was the messiah they were waiting for. One, they were being owed many months of salaries and allowances.

    However, rather than get good news from the president, the workers got a’special yuletide package’. The members of staff of NIMN were on Wednesday, last week told that they had been disengaged with a caveat that those still interested to work with institute should re-apply by January 6, next year.

    Expectedly, the 32-workforce, excluding the Registrar, expressed shock on the development.  Their expectations that the new executive would improve their well-being, especially in clearing the backlog of their unpaid salaries, were dashed.

    A source at the meeting said the workers were miffed by  the development, saying it was contrary to the promises earlier made by Agenmonmen, when he met with the staff of the institute, shortly after being elected.

    One of such promises, the source said, was that the Council would sort out the backlog of salaries being owed the staff and embark on capacity development for them to equip them for the challenges ahead.

    “Everybody was surprised at the announcement. Nobody expected it. We were thinking it was going to be one of such meetings where the new president would announce some of those ‘goodies’ he had for the staff, “ he said.

    It was gathered further that the board has already instructed the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) to help it handle the recruitment.

    Confirming the development, a member of the institute, who would not want his name in print, said he had seen a memo, informing members of the development and the decision of the board to source for new employees from within and outside the institute’s workforce.

    Meanwhile, the new president reportedly denied the disengagement story saying: “I’m not aware that any staff of the institute has been disengaged for now. All I know is that staff are on vacation, and they are expected to resume first week in January, next year.”