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How NAF Airstrikes Killed Zamfara Bandits’ Leaders, Others
Early morning airstrikes by personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Saturday morning claimed the lives of two kingpins and about a dozen other bandits operating around Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that a notorious bandit, Alhaji Auta, was killed when a military jet dropped a bomb on him as he was being conveyed on a motorcycle from his camp to the location of his herds of cattle, early in the morning.
The sustained attacks also claimed the lives of many of his gang around his camp and adjoining areas.
The raid on Auta’s camp is a second major victory recorded by the air force within the space of a month, after the raid that killed the twin kingpins, Tawaye, in Dumburum in the first week of December.
Multiple sources confirmed Auta’s death yesterday, though there was no official report on the operation.
A resident of the area who doesn’t want to be mentioned said the bomb that killed the bandit was dropped on him while riding along Nasarawa Mailayi-Gusami Road.
While Auta’s death was corroborated by the sources who spoke to our reporter, the account of what followed after the first airstrike that killed him differed.
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A resident of Birnin Magaji, who gave his name as Jamilu, said 12 of Auta’s men were eliminated when they rushed to the scene to pick his body.
But two sources however gave the casualty in the second attack as seven, who, they said, were killed after Auta’s funeral.
Aliyu Birnin Magaji, another resident, said the jet returned to the area three times, after killing Auta, including around 9:30pm last night.
“Mourners who had gathered after he was killed were bombed and seven of them were killed. After the jet left, their friends came back to move the bodies but the jet returned and bombed them. Right now no one knows how many were killed as no one is willing to go there,” he said.
Aside Auta, another arrowhead in his group, Kachalla Ruga, was also reported dead.
Auta is among the four arrowheads of the gunmen terrorising the Birnin Magaji area, others being Alhaji Shingi, Alhaji Nashama and Shehu Bagewaye.
Commenting on the operation, a researcher who recently interviewed Auta, James Barnett, described Auta as a “deadly bandit” as he called for a concerted effort on all fronts to consolidate the aftermath.
“He was also a de facto powerbroker in Birnin Magaji. He kept that area from being overrun by other gangs like that of Turji and he had historically been one of the key negotiators in previous amnesty deals in Zamfara State.
“Federal and state governments need to be prepared for handling any fallout of his death, including bandits staging reprisals against local communities, Auta’s gang fracturing, or bandits who had been in amnesty talks withdrawing from these talks. Coordination between state and federal governments and all security agencies is needed to ensure that kinetic and non-kinetic actions are in sync and complement each other,” he said.
Daily Trust
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Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound
Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound
The Lagos State Government has rolled out stricter measures to combat noise pollution, requiring nightclubs, lounges, bars, and worship centres to obtain permits for events involving amplified sound.
The measure, it said, aimed to safeguard the health and well-being of Lagosians during the festive season and beyond.
Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced this via his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, emphasizing the government’s zero-tolerance stance on noise pollution.
Wahab highlighted that events with amplified sound must be conducted in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect residents from the harmful effects of excessive noise.
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“Establishments such as worship centers, nightclubs, lounges, and bars must now obtain permits for events involving amplified sound and ensure these activities take place in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect neighboring residents,” the statement read in part.
To enforce these directives, the government said it had established a Special Task Force on Noise Pollution under the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
This task force, in collaboration with the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps (LSNSC) and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), would oversee compliance, arrest offenders, and prosecute violators of noise regulations, it stated.
The statement further noted that starting January 2025, the government would roll out a public awareness campaign to educate Lagosians on acceptable noise levels and the benefits of a quieter environment.
Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound
metro
Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says
Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says
Singer, Dammy Krane has stated that social critic, Very Dark Man, is joking with claims that N180 million was diverted from the NGO account he created in October this year.
VDM shocked Nigerians on Friday, December 27 when he released a video claiming hackers had breached his NGO website and moved N180m leaving only N20 million.
The news shocked many Nigerians who took to social media to slam him.
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However, in a post shared on his Instagram page this evening, Dammy Krane claimed that VDM is renovating a school in Jos, and was only joking with the story of stolen funds.
Also, a Human Rights activist, Omotayo Williams, claimed the man VDM showed in his video as an officer accompanying him to Jos is a well-known member of the Kogi State Taxi Taskforce.
Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says
metro
Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West
Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West
The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has expressed support for the proposed implementation of Sharia law in the South-West, emphasizing its historical presence in Yoruba culture.
Oba Akanbi noted that Sharia principles have long been part of Yoruba land, citing examples such as Sharia banking and the existence of a Sharia college in Iwo, Osun State.
He stated, “Sharia law has been in Iwo for over 100 years… It’s the right of Muslims to choose customary law or the high court.”
Recall that the discussion around Sharia law gained traction after plans were announced for the inauguration of a Sharia council on January 11, 2025, at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre in Oyo. However, the event has been postponed indefinitely following widespread public criticism.
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Critics have argued that the Yoruba-dominated South-West, where Muslims and Christians coexist, is distinct from the predominantly Muslim northern region where Sharia is more widely practiced.
Addressing concerns, Oba Akanbi explained that Sharia law is already embedded in Nigeria’s constitution and should not cause alarm for non-Muslims.
“Sharia law is only for Muslims and does not concern others. If any other person likes it, they can convert to Islam, and Muslims can also convert to Christianity. Everyone is free,” he said.
The monarch also drew attention to the challenges faced by Muslims under existing laws, particularly in matters such as inheritance and divorce, where Western legal frameworks may not align with Islamic traditions. “Many Muslims feel disenfranchised… Western education doesn’t understand the ways of Muslim divorce, marriage, and inheritance,” he added.
Oba Akanbi emphasized that Sharia law represents the inalienable rights of Muslims and should not be viewed as a threat to other religions. “No government can deny Muslims their inalienable rights,” he concluded.
Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West
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