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Tag: Zamfara

  • Army kills 20 armed bandits, arrests three in Zamfara

    The Troops of 1 Division, Nigerian Army in the ongoing Operation (IDON RAINI Corridor II) has neutralized 20 armed bandits and arrested three others in Jambrini Village, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara state.
    Deputy Director Army Public Relations 1 Division Nigerian Army, Colonel Muhammad Dole disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna Saturday evening.
    Colonel Dole said, “The troops upon receiving information from residents in the area conducted a raid on the armed bandits in there hideouts in the general area of Jambrini village,made this known in a press statement.”
    According to him: “During the raid operations several camps were destroyed and 20 bandits were neutralized. Three bandits were also arrested while some escaped with gun shot wounds.
    “The items recovered includes  Four AK 47 rifles, One F 99 – Pistol, One PTT HH Motorola handset, 111 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, five AK 47 rifle magazines, two Dane guns, Three mobile phones and one power bank.”
    While assuring that the troops remain determined and committed to frustrating banditry activities in the area of operation, Dole urged the public to continue to share credible information with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies.

  • Yari directs Zamfara emirs to file detailed reports on security

    Gov. Abdulaziz Yari has directed the 17 emirs in Zamfara to immediately file detailed reports on the security situation in their domain.

    The governor said on Monday while receiving Sallah homage from the emirs of Kaura-Namoda, Birnin-Magaji and Zurmi, that the emirs should immediately convene stakeholders meeting on the matter.

    Yari said that the reports should provide recommendations that would enable the government take appropriate measures in addressing the serious insecurity situation in the state.

    Read Also: 2019: Marafa declares for Zamfara governorship race

    He expressed deep concern over the recurring killings in the state in spite of the presence of security agencies and said his administration is working with relevant stakeholders within and outside the state to find lasting solution to the problem.

    In their separate remarks, the emirs of Kaura-Namoda, Alhaji Muhammad Ahmad-Asha, Birnin-Magaji, Alhaji Hussaini Dan’ali-Maude and Alhaji Abubakar Atiku of Zurmi assured continued support to end the killings in the state.

    The Nation reports that Kaura-Namoda emirate council presented its reports on security to the governor during the event.

    NAN

     

  • Air force begins bombardment of Zamfara bandits

    The Nigerian Air Force commenced aerial bombardments on Monday, in a joint military offensive to end the banditry in Zamfara communities.

    The Commander of the 207 Quick Response Group of the air force, Group Capt. Caleb Olayera, made the disclosure while speaking with newsmen in Gusau.

    He was speaking after taking delivery of two airplanes deployed for the operation.

    Olayera described the operation as part of a joint military operation, involving the air force, army, police and civil defence to flush out the bandits.

    The Nation reports that Zamfara in Nigeria’s northwest has seen intense banditry in recent times that has left hundreds dead and displaced thousands in various communities.

    The Federal Government has since been battling the jihadist Boko Haram group in Nigeria’s northeast in a low intensity war that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions since 2009.

    Read Also: Fed Govt to deploy 2000 special forces in Zamfara

    Olayera said that two helipads had already been constructed by the air force for the Zamfara security operation.

    “We told you that the helipads will be used as the base for our fighter jets to neutralise any group of criminals and their hideouts.

    He assured that peace would soon return to troubled communities in Zamfara with the commencement of the military operation.

    The governor of Zamfara, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, in an apparent frustration over the banditry in the state, recently   renounced his position as chief security officer of the state.

    He cited his inability to take charge of security agencies in the state to end the banditry.

    NAN

     

  • Fed Govt to deploy 2000 special forces in Zamfara

    Police chief Ibrahim Idris said yesterday that 2000 special security personnel will soon be deployed in Zamfara State.

    Idris told State House correspondents at the end of the Security Council meeting held in President Muhammadu Buhari’s office:

    ”We have resolved that we are going to send a team to Zamfara comprising the military, Civil Defence, police to ensure that we have maximum protection of people and properties there.”

    According to him, the joint operation will begin in two weeks.

    He said the meeting was an opportunity to interface with the President on the security challenges in the country.

    On the vote of no confidence in him passed by the National Assembly, the Inspector-General said: “You can’t ask me now.” He walked away.

    Defence Minister Mansur Dan-Ali, in a statement circulated to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, told the Council of the alarming and incessant killings and kidnappings by armed bandits and criminal activities across the North-West.

    He mentioned Abuja-Kaduna expressway as a source of concern, saying there were kidnappings within the period under review.

    The statement reads: “He also stated that the upsurge in incidents of security concern in Zamfara State is quite disturbing and calls for more robust approach to tackling the threat. The situation is characterised with killings and kidnappings by armed bandits and criminal elements, predominantly in Anka, Maru, Kaura Namoda and Talata Mafara LGAs of the state.

    ”In the North-Central, the incidents of herdsmen-farmers clashes in Benue and Taraba states have reduced considerably. Several arrests have been made in connection with the killings and destruction of properties by own troops in conjunction with other security agencies. While in the North-East, the Boko Haram terrorists activities have been contained as there is significant improvement in security situation in the zone.

    ”The Nigerian Army has launched Operation LAST HOLD to flush out the insurgents from their hideouts in the Lake Chad Basin and free the communities to enable IDPs to return to their homes. The operation is to last till end of August 2018.

    ”Similarly, the MNJTF is currently engaged in Operation to dislodge Boko Haram terrorists in the fringes between Niger Republic and Nigeria. The Task Force has so far dislodged the insurgents from Arege, Kangarwa, Metele and few other islands on the Lake Chad.  So far, 296 persons have been rescued and are undergoing profiling.”

    ”The number is envisaged to increase as troops intensify clearance operations. In the South-South/South-West, the situation of illegal oil bunkering, militancy and pipeline vandalism is on a decline in the Niger Delta following the effort of the Federal Government to engage stakeholders in dialogue. Similarly, Operation AWATSE has continued to dislodge militants and pipeline vandals from Arepo and other areas in Lagos and Ogun waterside,” Dan-Ali said.

    The Council, he said, was also informed that the United States conveyed to the Government of Nigeria information about the implementation of Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act Section 231.

    He said that the award of contract for the procurement of the Mi-35M helicopters was completed before the Act was signed into Law in August 2017.

    The Minister also suggested to the Council the need for Defence Headquarters to launch a Joint Task Force Operation similar to Operation SAFE HAVEN in Jos to cover Zamfara and Birnin Gwari axis of Kaduna State with its headquarters in Gusau, Zamfara State.

    He said: “The need to employ other channels with the affected states to reduce tension by suspending the implementation of the Anti-Open Grazing Law while also negotiating safe routes for the herders.

    “The urgent need for the Nigeria Police and Department of State Services to prosecute all the suspects arrested in the states.

    “The need to hasten the establishment of a National Commission on the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Nigeria. The need to engage diplomatic channels to ensure US sanctions does not affect Nigeria.”

  • Tambuwal seeks lasting peace in Zamfara

    Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has urged clerics and citizens in the state to observe special prayers for lasting peace in Zamfara State, North-East and Nigeria as a whole.

    Tambuwal gave the directive when he hosted the 23 local government council chairmen to Iftar in the banquet hall of the Presidential Lodge, Sokoto.

    The governor enjoined Nigerians to take advantage of Ramadan to pray for the country to surmount the security challenges.

    Tambuwal stressed the need for leaders at all levels to show compassion to their subordinates, adding that “Allah is merciful to us as such we should be merciful to those under us.”

    He thanked Sultan of Sokoto and other traditional rulers for praying for continuous peace and stability in Sokoto state and the country as a whole.

    The Iftar was attended by the Deputy Governor, Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto and Senior government officials.

    Tambuwal also hosted former state governor Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko to Iftar.

  • Zamfara hit again by gunmen, 15 killed

    Fifteen residents of Zamfara State have been killed in the latest raid by rampaging gunmen in the state.

    Hit this time is Zakuna village in Anka Local Government area, the police said yesterday.

    The mass murder came barely a week after the killing of 26 people in some communities in Gidangoga District of Maradun Local Government Area.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Zamfara State Police Command, DSP Muhammad Shehu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday that unknown gunmen attacked Zakuna in the early hours of Friday, killing residents.

    They also stole cows.

    According to him, a vigilance group known as Yansakai challenged the rustlers, forcing them to flee only for the bandits to reinforce and attack the village, killing 15 people.

    “On receiving the reports of the attack, the police mobilised to the village and discovered 15 bodies, majority of who were Yansakai.

    “The police have, however, deployed heavy security to the area to maintain peace and stability.

    “Bush combing and rigorous patrol are being carried out throughout the area by the police to avoid further loss of lives.” Shehu said that the Commissioner of Police, Mr Kenneth Ebrimson, had ordered discreet investigation on the latest incident to catch the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

    He pleaded with communities in the state not to relent in providing information to security operatives to end the deadly attacks.

    The state has seen repeated attacks in recent times that have left scores dead.

     

  • Zamfara hit again by gunmen, 15 killed

    Barely one week after the killing of 26 people in a community in Nigeria’s north west state of  Zamfara, gunmen have again hit another village in the state, killing 15 people.

    The Public Relations officer of the Zamfara State Police Command, DSP. Muhammad Shehu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Gusau that the bandits killed the people in a village called Zakuna, in the Anka Local Government Area.

    The beleaguered state has seen repeated attacks in recent times that have left scores dead.

    Shehu said that the attackers invaded Zakuna in the early hour of June 1 and stole cows belonging to villagers.

    According to him, a vigilance group known as Yansakai challenged the rustlers, forcing them to flee only for the bandits to reinforce and attack the village, killing 15 people.

    “On receiving the reports of the attack, the police mobilised to the village and discovered 15  bodies,  majority of whom were Yansakai.

    “The police have, however, deployed heavy security to the area to maintain peace and stability.

    “Bush combing and rigorous patrol is being carried out throughout the area by the police to avoid further loss of lives.”

    Shehu said that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Kenneth Ebrimson, had ordered discreet investigation on the latest incident to catch the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

    He pleaded with communities in the state not to relent in providing information to security operatives to end the deadly attacks in the state.

    On May 25, some communities in Gidangoga District in the Maradun Local Government Area of the state were similarly attacked by bandits, resulting to the death of 26 people, with three others injured.

  • Parallel congresses in Ondo, Enugu, Kogi, Kwara, Zamfara, others

    Some of yesterday’s State Congresses of All Progressives Congress (APC) were marred by violence and disagreements leading to parallel congresses in some states, including Ondo, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Zamfara, Adamawa, among others.

    In Ondo State for example, no fewer than 50 persons, including some reporters who covered the congress, sustained severe injuries when some political thugs invaded the venue of the congress held by a faction of the party.

    Another state where thugs chased out some delegates during yesterday’s exercise was Enugu.

    Although there was no violence in Imo and Niger states, the outcome of yesterday’s congresses there also left much to be desired. While a faction of the party in Imo held the congress in a secret venue in spite of a court order, in Niger, some contestants publicly shed tears when the leadership opted to adopt affirmation.

    Besides these, many other states, including Adamawa, Kwara, Delta, Lagos and Abia states reportedly held parallel congresses.

    There are also reports of some top APC chieftains, like the National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun of Edo State and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, from Bauchi, who boycotted the exercise.

    These problems notwithstanding, the exercise was successfully conducted in the majority of the states where new executives were either elected or unanimously retained.

     

  • UNICEF targets 501,749 out-of-school children in northern states

    The United Nations Children’s Fund ( UNICEF ) says it hopes to expand access to quality education for 501,749 out-of-schildren in four states in the north by 2020 under its Cash Transfer Programme (CTP).

    The CTP is being implemented in Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina and Zamfara under the Educate A Child (EAC-CTP) and Girls Education Project phase 3 (GEP3-CTP) project across 18 Local government Area in the state.

    UNICEF Education Specialist, Azuka Menkiti, disclosed this at a two-day workshop for Education Correspondent in Sokoto, on Wednesday.

    The workshop was organised by the Child Rights Information Bureau ( CRIB ) of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund ( UNICEF ).

    The CTP is a UNICEF Programme which hopes to increase enrollment in schools and also keep pupils in school by giving their parents money to provide human capital development for them children.

    The target under its EAC-CTP intervention is to reach 41,391 child beneficiaries and their female caregivers in four years: 31,044 in Kebbi State and 10,347 in Zamfara State.

    “The overall goal of EAC is to expand access to quality basic education for 501,749 out-of-school children (OOSC) by 2020 in Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.

    “Our main hope is that by 2020, we will be able to bring 501,749 into school. That is almost half a million who are missing education.

    “The project is being implemented in partnership with target state governments, which have a high-burden of out-of-school girls, in northern Nigeria.

    “Through its interventions, GEP3 aims to improve access, retention and quality ensuring that learning outcomes for girls improve,” she said.

    She identified poverty as a major reason why children, especially girls, are not attending primary schools in the north.

    According to her, the focus of UNICEF is to increase access of children in the north to education and to ensure that quality learning actually took place in primary schools.

    She said enrollment had increased in states where the cash transfer intervention project had been implemented by UNICEF.

    “Cash transfer comes quickly as a very good solution that will reduce poverty. The main purpose is to reduce the poverty related reasons that prevent boys and girls from going to schools.

    “Cash transfer addresses solely issues of enrollment. It is directed at addressing demands in education,” she added.

    Commissioner for Higher Education, Sokoto, Dr: Muhammed Kirgori, said the state governor, Aminu Tambuwal had declared a state of emergency on education in the state in order to address the challenges of out-of-school children in the state.

    The commissioner said the state government was concerned by the huge figures of children not going to school.

    This, he said, has made the government to come up with short, medium and long term solutions to the problem of education in the state.

    He also said the state government had released 500 million to sustain the cash transfer  Programme in the state.

    “We key into the cash transfer programme of UNICEF and other partners because of the impact it has made in the sampled local government.

    “We have introduced the Programme in all the twenty three local governments in the state,” he said.

  • FG destroys 5,870 recovered illegal arms in Zamfara

    The Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons in Gusau on Monday destroyed 5,870 illegal arms and ammunition recovered by the Zamfara Government.

    The exercise marked the launch of the pilot stage of the destruction of arms and weapons recovered from persons who illegally held them.

    The recovery in Zamfara was made from repentant bandits who surrendered their weapons to the state government Committee for Peace, Reconciliation and Disarmament, headed by the Deputy Governor, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala.

    The exercise which took place at Zamfara Trade Fair Complex in Gusau, was chaired by the Chairman of the Presidential Committee, Amb. Emmanuel Imohe.

    The event was attended by Zamfara Governor, Alhaji Abdul’aziz Yari and his deputy, Wakkala, representatives of international agencies such as the EU, ECOWAS and UNDP as well as security agencies and traditional rulers.

    In his remark, Imohe said the exercise was aimed at destroying a total of 5,870 arms and ammunition received under Zamfara state disarmament initiative.

    Read Also: Army kill 8 bandits in Zamfara

    “Apart from the destruction of illegal and recovered arms, one of the mandates of this presidential committee is also to improve livelihood of the people and communities that surrendered their weapons.

    “Zamfara is one of the seven states in the country selected by the Federal Government for a pilot programme.

    “This programme is also a flat form for raising awareness of dangers associated with the circulation of illegal weapons that have killed, injured and terrorised people all over the world,” he said.

    Imohe commended Zamfara for initiating the disarmament programme which resulted to the recovery of over 5,000 small arms, ammunition, grenades, automatic and semi-automatic weapons.

    “I am happy to be associated with this laudable efforts made by Zamfara State Government.

    “I consider this as one of great achievements recorded by this committee, I thank the state disarmament committee led by the state Deputy Governor, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala, and all stakeholders who contributed to the success recorded.

    “You know, this committee was inaugurated in April 2013 by the Federal Government with the mandate to be the focal point in the efforts of the country to address the movement of illicit illegal arms and light weapons.

    “We are working with international organisations to conduct practical disarmament at border communities in the country and provide a support for repentant bandits,’’ he said.

    In his remark, Yari thanked the Federal Government for setting up the presidential committee and international organisations for their efforts for peace and stability in the state and country.

    Yari said the state had recorded many deaths, casualties and huge losses in economic activities as result of cattle rustling and banditry.

    He said such losses necessitated the setting up the Peace, Reconciliation and Disarmament Committee by the state government.

    “The Committee since inception has recorded great successes of recovering over 5,000 illegal arms and large number of repentant bandits across the state.

    “We are witnessing the destruction of these illegal weapons today, we are going to continue to give all the necessary support to Federal Government and all stakeholders as regard to improvement of security in the state and country at large.

    “We are going to provide authentic lists of repentant bandits and those who surrendered their arms and submit it to the Federal Government for assistance with the aim of changing their livelihood,” he said.

    The Zamfara Government in an effort to address security challenges in the state in 2016 set up the Peace, Reconciliation and Disarmaments Committee.

    Similarly, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, in March ordered the recovery of all illegal arms across the country to check the deteriorating security situation.

    NAN