June 19, 2021

[GIST] Nigerian Military Rescues 800 Cows During Operation To Free Abducted Kebbi School Pupils

[GIST] Nigerian Military Rescues 800 Cows During Operation To Free Abducted Kebbi School Pupils

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The Nigerian Army has confirmed rescuing 800 cows during its operation to rescue the kidnapped students and teachers of the Federal Government College, Birnin Yawuri, Kebbi State. 

The pupils were abducted on June 17 but the military said two teachers and five students were rescued on Friday after a fierce exchange of fire with the criminals. 

File photo used to illustrate story.

In a statement on Friday, the Army Spokesman, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, said troops operating under the auspices of Operation Hadarin Daji who had been on the pursuit of kidnappers and bandits engaged in the rescue mission.

He said the rescue followed an initial encounter with the abductors in the early hours of today, June 18 2021, after trailing the kidnappers from Yawuri through Riyao to Sombo community, where the kidnappers who had split into two groups fled, with one group conveying the abducted children, while the second group conveyed the rustled cattle.

Nwachukwu added that the land troops, in conjunction with the Nigerian Air Force elements, who provided close air support during the rescue mission, intercepted the two groups at about 2.30 am and engaged them in a firefight. 

He said, "The troops also recovered 800 cattle rustled by the bandits. However, the gallant troops are still on the kidnappers' heels to rescue the remaining abductees still in captivity. 

"Sadly, a casualty was recorded during the exchange. A female student was found to have given up the ghost as a result of exhaustion. 

"The rescued teachers and students will be handed over to the Kebbi State Government. The Nigerian Army appreciates the cooperation so far from good-spirited citizens and wishes to solicit more.

"The Chief of the Army Staff, Maj Gen Farouk Yahaya, has directed the Commander to spare no effort until all the abducted persons are safely rescued and reunited with their loved ones."

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[GIST] Nigeria Set To Begin Trial of 800 Suspected Boko Haram Terrorists

[GIST] Nigeria Set To Begin Trial of 800 Suspected Boko Haram Terrorists

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The Nigerian government is set to commence the trial of 800 suspected members of the terrorist sect group, Boko Haram. 

The Deputy Director, Prosecution and Head of Complex Casework Group, Federal Ministry of Justice, Chioma Onuegbu, stated this in Abuja during a media engagement on networking for justice and accountability. 

She added that out of 1,000 case files reviewed, 280 had been filed at the Federal High Court, while 170 were recommended for release for lack of evidence.

Onuegbu also said the charges had been served on the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, who would be defending the suspects in court.

"The military is making efforts to move the inmates, whose charges were ready to a safe location before the commencement of their trial," she added. 

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[GIST] EXPOSED: After Taking N1million Bribe, Inspector General of Police Team In Abuja Releases South-East Youths Framed For Being ESN Members

[GIST] EXPOSED: After Taking N1million Bribe, Inspector General of Police Team In Abuja Releases South-East Youths Framed For Being ESN Members

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The Inspector-General of Police’s Intelligence Response Team in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has been collecting at least an N1million bribes as bail before releasing South-East youths and artisans raided as members of the Indigenous People of Biafra’s Eastern Security Network.

SaharaReporters learnt from the families of the victims, who did not want their names in print to avoid police victimisation, that they paid the huge sums through their nose before securing the release of their relations.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP)

SaharaReporters gathered that the victims were raided in the South-East and brought to detention at the IGP’S IRT office in Abuja.

“The Investigating Police Officer at the IRT's team holding them is one Inspector Daniel. They were five in number taken to the IRT office, formerly called Abattoir.

“We paid about N1million to secure (one of the victims). He was released in June by the police in Abuja,” a family member said.

“Another victim, Daberechi Alozie, was freed on Friday night. His guardian, a retired Permanent Secretary in the Imo State civil service, secured his release. He paid a huge sum too,” a source added.

SaharaReporters learnt that the fourth victim, Chinonso John, a barber, was also released after the police in Abuja collected N1.5million.

A family source said, “Our elder brother, Emma, went to Abuja and met the IPO last week to bargain with the IPO. He was told to go and look for N1.5million and after pleading, the IPO reduced it to N1.3million. The guy pleaded again to pay N1million but the IPO refused.

“So he came back to look for the money, including borrowing. He met with the IPO on Thursday, On Friday morning, the money was withdrawn in cash. It has been taken to the IPO.”

SaharaReporters learnt that another victim at the police IRT was Chukwudi Okoro, a Shuttle Bus owner whose wife is heavily pregnant.

“By the end of today, he is likely to be left there as the only person remaining among the five because he can't afford the N1million bribe. I just got information that the IPO has collected truly collected N1million and released Chinonso John. Unfortunately, there are many IPOs at the police team milking the innocent victims. They have turned them to cash cows. The police authorities know very well about this mess,” the source added.

SaharaReporters had on June 14 reported that one Casmir Ibegbulem, an oil worker who was arrested and detained, also was taken to Abuja and N10million was demanded as his bail.

Ibegbulem, who was labelled and paraded as an ESN member, had done an audio confession, saying he had returned to Imo State for the burial of his in-law, which was to take place on May 28 but was raided in Owerri on May 25 when he came to pick up some personal items needed for the burial.

He had been whisked away to Abuja and later paid N1.5million before his release from custody.

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[GIST] Place N100million Bounty On Fulani Herdsmen, Bandits, Not On Nnamdi Kanu – Ohanaeze Tells Northern Groups

[GIST] Place N100million Bounty On Fulani Herdsmen, Bandits, Not On Nnamdi Kanu – Ohanaeze Tells Northern Groups

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The Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze, has criticized a coalition of Northern groups for placing a bounty on the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

The Ohanaeze Publicity Secretary, Alex Ogboannaya, stated this in an interview with Punch, adding that the northern groups should instead place a bounty on their ravaging Fulani herdsmen and bandits as well as the Boko Haram.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo

It will be recalled that a coalition of 75 northern groups, under the aegis of the Northern Consensus Movement, had on Thursday placed a bounty of N100million for anybody who could provide information on Kanu’s whereabouts and assist his arrest by law enforcement agencies.

Ogbonnaya said, “I congratulate the Northern Coalition Movement for thinking about Nigeria, but if they want to be fair, they should place N100m bounty on the heads of leaders of Boko Haram, Fulani Herdsmen, ISWAP, and other non-state actors, who are known to be terrorists. As you know, Ohanaeze does not agree that the Indigenous People of Biafra is a terrorist group.

“Nnamdi Kanu is not the issue here. There is a major issue of selective justice when you focus on one and leave another.

“Igbos all over have been complaining of injustice. No matter the millions of dollars placed on Nnamdi Kanu, it cannot stop agitation from the South-East.”

He blamed the issue of agitations on the deficiencies of the President, Muhammadu Buhari.

He said when all the appointments are being manned by one section, that does not show federal character.

“What the region needs are justice and peaceful dialogue with the Federal Government. If this is done, all these issues of agitations and secession coming from the region will cease.

“Our advice to the NCM is to direct their agitations to the appropriate authorities,” he added.

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[GIST] Buhari Government Begins Tracing, Recovery Of Cattle Grazing Routes Nationwide

[GIST] Buhari Government Begins Tracing, Recovery Of Cattle Grazing Routes Nationwide

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Despite the public outcry against cattle grazing routes and calls for modern ranching, the Nigerian government has begun the process of tracing and reclaiming cattle grazing routes in the country.

The acting Director, Animal Husbandry Department, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Winnie Lai-Solarin, confirmed this, arguing that while cattle ranching had been one of the major options canvassed for herders, not every pastoralist would be able to afford ranching at the moment.

In an interview with Punch, she said, “There are some stock routes that we have across the country, and in the past, we had monuments along these stock routes, particularly the primary stock routes.

“And in the course of farming or other human activities along those stock routes, the monuments were altered, but we know where they are. So we are saying that some of them can be retraced.

“And this is particularly for areas that are not infringed upon as of now. The pastoralists know the routes, and on some of those routes, you will see the pieces of the monuments along them.”

Lai-Solarin added, “So for those that are not infringed upon and are not in conflict zones, we will go ahead to retrace and guide the pastoralists along with them. We didn’t get to where we are today in one day and so we cannot expect that every pastoralist should suddenly start ranching now.

“Some would still have to move, but let’s keep the movement as safe as possible and in areas that are not conflict zones. That is what I am saying. We are not going to retrace stock routes where there are infrastructures that are for the public good.”

Another official at the federal ministry familiar with the development stated that the government was not happy with the killings associated with clashes between herders and farmers.

The official, who requested not to be named for lack of authorisation, explained that the stock routes were in three classes.

The source said, “We need to create safe places that are easy for them (herders) to graze their cattle so that they won’t need to travel on the roads. We have primary and secondary stock routes and in some cases, we have tertiary stock routes.”

Providing further explanation on the three classes of routes, the official said, “The primary stock routes are the major routes that run in a North-to-South direction from the Sahel to the coastal market.

“And then, some major routes run inter-state from the North, while others run intra-state.”

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, had announced on Thursday that the Federal Capital Territory and 22 states had registered for the National Livestock Transformation Plan as part of measures to establish grazing reserves in their domains.

He also announced that seven of these states had earmarked 400,000 hectares of land for the initiative, as the establishment of grazing reserves were currently ongoing in Nasarawa, Borno, Niger, Kaduna and some other states.

“Twenty-two states and the Federal Capital Territory have registered with the NLTP office, out of which ten states have created their teams which the federal office has trained,” Nanono had stated.

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