The intervention by the DSS came in response to community members’ complaints, highlighting the gravity of the situation and the need for regulatory action to address concerns regarding the clinic’s practices.
metro
Mass exodus hits Birnin-Gwari, as terrorists battle over Damari
THE epicentre of terrorism in Kaduna State, Birnin Gwari, is beginning to witness mass exodus following intensified attempts by warring factions to seize control of the territory. It will be recalled that after the Ansaru terrorists, a faction of Boko Haram, annexed the area and instituted a kind of local authority, the locals had some relief going by report that the heavily armed breakaway group provided security to the people and prevented local bandits from attacking Damari and neighnoring villages.
For some time, there seemed to have been close ties between the breakaway Ansaru members and the original inhabitants who were allowed to work on their farms and even had their disputes settled by the Ansaru terrorists.
The group had successfully indoctrinated and recruited followers in the eastern part of Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area from such communities like Old Kuyello, Kazage, Kutemeshe, Kwasa-Kwasa, Gobirawa and Farin Ruwa. As a sign of their success in the affected areas, villagers could be seen with Ansaru uniforms going to the mosques, preaching and sharing pamphlets containing their ideology to congregations.
Many villagers who had since lost hope in the ability of government to protect them against bandits began to develop interest in joining the Ansaru so that they could live freely and do their businesses without fear in their communities.
The Ansaru members continued to preach and administer Sharia justice system to the locals but while requiring them to acquire arms to defend themselves against enemies as well as fight government in order to establish what they referred to as a ‘pure Islamic state’.
However, on Monday July 25, 2022 around 6:00pm, a large number motorcycles-mounted bandits, wielding sophisticated weapons, invaded Damari, killing three persons, namely: Hashimu Dan-Daura, Nazifi Adamu and Alhaji Dangude. It was reported that the bandits operated in the area unchallenged for about an hour.
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Not done with their mission, the militants returned the following day, July 26, 2022 around 6:00pm and freely looted available shops in the town, and on their way back to the forests, kidnapped 13 persons at Hayin-Gada in the same Damari community. The attacks came after Ansaru members who were considered to be defending the locals left the area for about four days.
This happened barely two weeks after the Ansaru members had confronted bandits when they attacked the town on July 13, 2022 and burned a private hospital, two vehicles and one shop. Many were reportedly killed in the confrontation.
The infighting between the two rival factions of terrorists has sent shockwaves to the inhabitants of Birnin-Gwari, who have been at the receiving end of their atrocities since the area fell into their hands with little or no definite action from the security agencies to expel them out of the area. It is has become the most dreaded part of Kaduna State with daily killings, kidnap of innocent persons passing through the area and other inhuman activities.
As a result, the Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressives Union, BEPU, has expressed concern over the seeming inability of government to put an end to the destruction of lives and property in the area by bandits and terrorists. The apparent neglect and inaction by government, have left the natives with no choice than to relocate from the theatre of war and seek for safer locations to pitch their tents in order to save their lives.
“Today, the people of Damari are fleeing en masse following incessant attacks by terrorists that besiege the farming community on “vengeance mission” over Ansaru who have since relocated from the area, a native of Birnin-Gwari, Malam Ishaq Kasai said.
“In the past few days because of the precarious situation and the high level of insecurity in the area, women and children were seen trekking for safety. About 20 vehicles were seen moving out with escapees due to the activities of bandits, killing and abducting people in Damari and neighbouring villages.
“On Thursday 28th July, 2022, the bandits passed through the same Damari town shooting sporadically; and came back to the town in the early hours of Friday, a market day, snatched motorcycles, seized money from traders, rustled cattle and kidnapped many locals.
“This is coming after Ansaru members who were considered “protecting” the community against armed bandits have relocated to other areas,” Ishaq said. “It is against the recent daily recurrent attacks by armed bandits vis-a-vis reliable information available to the locals on bandits planning serious attacks against the community that they are deserting the town en masse for safety.
“Presently, there is no presence of security agents in the town. It is against this disturbing situation that we are calling on the authorities to, as a matter of urgency, mobilize security personnel to the community in order to arrest the situation,” Ishaq Usman Kasai said.
It will be recalled that between January and July 2022, many communities in Birnin Gwari Local Government have come under attacks by bandits. A number of cases was reported by the media, but the villagers said there are many more unreported ones.
The bandits pick villages at random, as there appears to be no pointer as to what informs their choice. Both thickly and sparsely populated communities have been attacked, some were looted, while for some, nothing was taken. Some have had their houses burnt, while some were spared.
The casualty rate in all these has been alarming, as within this year alone, no less than 200 locals have been killed, shot or stabbed to death. The Emir of Birnin Gwari, Malam Zubairu Jibril Mai Gwari II also believes the number of attacks and casualty rate are higher than the ones the public is aware of, saying that over 30 communities in his emirate have come under attack in the past one year, while many of his subjects were killed.
In June 2022, a Divisional Police Officer who was newly posted to Birnin Gwari was kidnapped on his way to report at his duty post. Till date, nothing was heard about him.
Concerned individuals and groups now fear the growth of the interaction and movement of terrorists into the porous and vulnerable area. They fear that it has ramifications for the growth of Al-Qaeda in West Africa because it could lead to Al-Qaeda uniting its Sahelian and Nigerian jihad theatres.
Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area, they suspect, is being considered by internationally connected terrorists as their new operational base after being technically dislodged from the North-East.
Vanguard
metro
DSS seals Plateau clinic over patient’s death
DSS seals Plateau clinic over patient’s death
The Department of State Security (DSS) has sealed off a clinic in the Unguwan Rogo Community of Jos Northern Local Government Area of Plateau State.
This follows allegations of quackery and the reported death of a patient who underwent treatment at the facility.
A woman passed away in the clinic last week after undergoing surgery purportedly performed by Mr. Lukuma Abdul. This incident triggered widespread concern and speculation regarding the qualifications and medical practices of Abdul.
While Abdul refuted the allegations, claiming that the surgery did not result in the patient’s death, community sources revealed that complaints had been filed with the state ministry of health regarding suspected quackery at the clinic.
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According to Sadis Muhammad Albasu, a member of the community, the clinic was sealed due to concerns over Abdul’s lack of proper medical credentials. Allegations suggest that Abdul, who is not a qualified medical doctor, has been performing surgical procedures without the necessary qualifications.
DSS seals Plateau clinic over patient’s death
metro
We’ve arrested seven suspected cultists, armed robbers in Anambra – Police
We’ve arrested seven suspected cultists, armed robbers in Anambra – Police
Anambra State police have apprehended seven individuals suspected of cult involvement and armed robbery, who have been wreaking havoc in the region.
The police are still searching for two additional individuals, including Makuo Nwuso, alias Baby.
According to SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the police spokesperson, a cut-size double-barreled gun, an unregistered tricycle, and various hard drugs were seized during the operation.
He said, “The suspects include Chukwuemka Ozoekwe, aged 18; Chidozie Anagor, aged 18; Chukwuemeka Oyeoka, aged 18; Ebuka Okoye, aged 17; Olisa Obi, aged 19; Chidubem Nwakwu, aged 20 and Nwankwo Kosisochukwu – all males. While Makuo Nwosu ‘m’ aka Baby and one other person whose name is yet to be identified are wanted.
“Police attached to Special Anti-Cult Squad SPACS while on patrol at Unizik Junction intercepted all males and five occupants including the driver of a tricycle.
“Operatives in a bid to question them, the occupants took to their heels while the others escaped, Chukwuemka Ozoekwe was arrested.
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“Chukwuemeka later led the police to their criminal den where Chidozie Anagor aged 18 years, and Chukwuemeka Oyeoka aged 18 years were arrested and the remaining two are still at large.
“Chukwuemeka later led the police to their criminal den where Chidozie Anagor aged 18 years, and Chukwuemeka Oyeoka aged 18 years were arrested and the remaining two are still at large.
“Also during the raid operation in their harbor, the pperatives arrested Ebuka Okoye 17 years, Olisa Obi 19 years, Chidubem Nwakwu 20 years, and Nwankwo Kosisochukwu.
“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to being members of the Vipers Cult group and they are one of the gangs terrorising Awka metropolis recently. The suspects also confessed that they were on a mission to rob the road users of their phones and personal belongings before the arrest.
“To this end, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Finance and Administration and acting Commissioner of Police, DCP Fidelis Ogarabe PSC MNIPS charged the Operatives to sustain the tempo in the fight against crime in the state. He also assures Ndi Anambra that the Confidence repose on the Police and all the security agencies in the State shall not be taken for granted and directs the suspects to be charged to court on the conclusion of the investigations.”
We’ve arrested seven suspected cultists, armed robbers in Anambra – Police
metro
Zamfara APC defends Mattawale, says protesters are rented crowd
Zamfara APC defends Mattawale, says protesters are rented crowd
All Progressive Congress (APC) in Zamfara has urged the state minister of defence Bello Mattawale not to be distracted by the anti-progressive elements protesting against him, as they are ignorant, rented crowd who did not have an iota of what they were doing.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Gusau by the Zamfara state APC publicity secretary Yusuf Idris said the protesters are anti-progressive elements who do not mean well for the state.
“The attention of the Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC has been drawn to a malicious protest orchestrated by some anti-progressive persons against the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle”.
“The protesters, largely made up of a rented crowd and those who did not have an iota of what they were doing, marched to the Headquarters of the EFCC in Abuja with their frivolous claims against the Minister and former governor of Zamfara and asking the anti-graft agency to investigate the Minister”.
He disclosed that the issue being raised is an over-flogged one.
“In fact, if the claims were true, the EFCC would have since made the details available to the public.
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“The rented crowd were ignorant of the national laws constitutional and judicial process in the operations of anti-graft agencies against a suspect resorted to a protest of envy and vendetta against the rising popularity of the Minister Bello Matawalle”
“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) response to sponsored protesters explains to them that the commission’s constitutional mandate is not driven by personal vendettas, political differences, and tribal sentiments but focused on upholding the rule of law and combating financial crimes without fear or favour”.
According to the statement, such protests have been coming from Matawalle’s political rivals organised by a few people from Matawalle’s home state, “sometimes using non-Zamfara indigenes who never knew the road to Zamfara and the latest, using people idling in the outskirts of Abuja and beggars to hold placards that they could not even read what the content said against the Minister”.
He said in Zamfara, the Minister’s support has continued unabated and they strongly believe that such failed protests will always meet brick walls and embarrassment to the sponsors who are presently trying to hide their faces over failure through sponsored protests to distract Matawalle from carrying his assigned national responsibility.
“At the party level, we know these people and we know their antics and political strength (if they have any) and we want to assure them that their envy against Matawalle will lead them nowhere because the Minister who is the APC leader in Zamfara, has since moved on with his life and has always shown readiness to work with anyone for the progress of Zamfara and Nigeria.
“The party leadership at all levels is with you and ready to defend the policies and programmes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at all levels.
‘We are calling on the Minister to continue with his efforts to achieve peace and security throughout Nigeria for every citizen to go about his legitimate business without fear of being attacked or kidnapped.
“We urged the minister not to be distracted by the anti-progressive elements who don’t mean well for Zamfara State and Nigeria as a whole”.
Zamfara APC defends Mattawale, says protesters are rented crowd
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