How 40 bandits attacked my deputy’s convoy –Gov Sule

The Nasarawa State Governor, Mr Abdullahi Sule, on Thursday, said the bandits who attacked the convoy of his deputy, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, were about 40 in number.

Sule told State House correspondents in Abuja that the large number of the bandits was the reason they out-gunned the policemen attached to Akabe, killing three of them and a civilian driver in the process.

“They were up to 40; they killed the policemen, three of them and one other person.

“But, my deputy, he is okay; he came back safe and doing fine,” he added.

Reports indicated that the deputy governor was travelling to Abuja for an official engagement when bandits rained bullets on the convoy around Akwanga.

The attack reportedly took place about 6pm.

On Wednesday, the Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa State Command, Mr Bola Longe, confirmed the incident.

He dismissed initial accounts suggesting that Akabe was targeted by some persons, saying that it was a robbery attack.

Insecurity: Ohanaeze says Nigerians may resort to self-help

However, the Igbo socio-political organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has expressed concern over the spate of insecurity in most parts of the country especially in the South-East, saying Nigerians may resort to self-help if something urgent is not done about the development.

The group’s National Publicity Secretary, Uche Achi-Okpaga, said this in a message sent to one of our correspondents on Thursday.

Achi-Okpaga said the spate of rape, kidnapping and killing in the North, the South, particularly in the South-East had reached an alarming level.

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He said the people’s patience had been stretched to the limits and only a thorough investigation and exposure of those behind the crimes could assuage the people.

Achi-Okpaga cited the case of a woman who was said to have been killed in Enugu, asking that her assailants be brought to book.

He said, “The spate of rape, kidnapping and killing in the country particularly in Igbo land by the Fulani herdsmen has reached an alarming crescendo. The recent killing of an innocent woman in Nchatancha, Enugu, is condemnable.

“With the situation virtually out of hand of the security agencies, the people may be compelled to resort to self-help for survival unless a drastic effort is exerted by the security forces, to quench the impending national holocaust.

“We, therefore, call on the police, to as a matter of urgency, investigate this condemnable killing of this innocent woman and bring the culprits to face the wrath of the law in order to restore the confidence of the people.

“The people’s patience has been stretched to their elastic limits and only a thorough investigation, exposure of the criminals and total check of the seemingly intractably crimes will assuage the frayed and bruised nerves of the people.”

Defence minister resumes as B’Haram attacks Borno communities

But amidst the rising wave of insecurity in the country, the new Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd.), resumed work at the ministry in Garki, Abuja, on Thursday.

This is hours after the Boko Haram insurgents sacked many communities in the Gubio and Magumeri Local Government Areas of Borno State.

The minister, who is expected to meet with the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, and the service chiefs this week, was in the office on Thursday, but had yet to brief the public on his blueprint for tackling insecurity in the country.

One of our correspondents was told that top of the insecurity issues which the minister would be discussing with the military chiefs are the Boko Haram insurgency, the banditry in the North-West geopolitical zone, killings by herdsmen and rampant kidnappings across the country.

Magashi, who was retired in 1999 after Nigeria’s return to democracy, was the military governor of old Sokoto State, which comprised the present Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states, between 1990 and 1992.

He was also the Kano State governorship candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party in 2007.

The ministry’s Director of Press, Charles Nwodo, confirmed to our correspondent on Thursday that Magashi had resumed.

“Yes, he resumed today (Thursday),” Nwodo simply said and declined further comments.

Meanwhile, the Boko Haram terrorists on Wednesday attacked several villages in the Gubio and Magumeri LGAs, gaining entry into the areas around 6pm.

One of our correspondents learnt that the insurgents burnt down several buildings belonging to the local governments, forcing many of the residents to flee to neighbouring communities.

A source said the insurgents came in large numbers and with sophisticated weapons and overpowered the troops located in the communities in Gubio.

He said, “Only the members of the Civilian Joint Task Force were on the ground and they were even forced to flee into the bushes because of the firepower of the insurgents. Most of the residents have also been displaced because of the attacks.”

Another source noted that the insurgents first attacked Gubio and proceeded to Magumeri where they partook in the evening prayers before attacking the residents.

The Theatre Command of the Nigerian Army confirmed the attack, saying one member of the Civilian Task Force was killed.

The army said that some civilians in the areas also sustained varying degrees of injury, as the insurgents damaged “buildings and property along their route of withdrawal” due to the gun battle with the troops.

The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, and 7 Division’s spokesperson, Col. Ado Isa, stated this in a press release, adding that peace had been restored in the communities.

He said, “The Theatre Command wishes to state that the attack was targeted at Nigerian Army troops deployed in the areas to enable the terrorists to gain access to shops and loot food items and other logistics. The attack was, however, repelled by the troops.

“Consequently, due to fierce exchange of fire, the terrorists were forced to withdraw in disarray from the town resulting to damage on buildings and property along their route of withdrawal.

“There were no casualties on the side of the troops. However, a vigilante sadly lost his life in a crossfire. Also, some civilians in the area reportedly sustained varying degrees of injury. Peace has so far been restored in the communities with residents going about their lawful business.”