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Sarkin Hausawa: Northerners ready to quit Anambra, accuses IPOB of incessant killing of kinsmen

Published

4 years ago

May 24, 2022

IPOB members

The Sarkin Hausawa of Orunba North LGA, Alhaji Sa’id Muhammad, says that northerners in Anambra State have made up their minds to leave the state because of the constant killing of their relatives by members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the armed wing of the outlawed IPOB.

Militants of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Sunday allegedly killed a woman, her four children and six others, all of them of northern extraction in Anambra State.

The pregnant woman and her children were killed at Isulo, Orumba North Local Government Area of the state.

The killings marked a new low in the heightened attacks on non-indigenes by IPOB terrorists who are also attacking the symbol of authority including the police and the military.

Natives of Anambra State and the South East, in general, have not also been spared by the IPOB terrorists who have been wreaking havoc for a long time amid agitation for secession.

The killing of the northerners was perpetrated by the outlawed group a few days after the discovery of the head of an Anambra State lawmaker who was abducted by the terrorists.

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In an interview with Daily Trust, Muhammad said the killing of the pregnant woman together with her four children by gunmen was not new to them as many of his people were killed in such a callous manner.

“The woman was from Adamawa State. Before her death, she lived in Orumba South, and on Sunday, she visited her friends with her four children.

“It was on her way back home in Orumba South that she was killed. She was being conveyed by a commercial motorcyclist when they were ambushed by the gunmen. They murdered her and her four children but the motorcyclist escaped,” he said.

In a gory video trending on Twitter and seen by Daily Trust, the victims were seen lying in the pool of their blood with bullets spread around and a narrator speaking in Igbo saying, “Everybody should look at this video that they have shot a woman and her four children. They are from the North. And they are shooting everybody they see on the street; so people should be careful.”

Our correspondents report that on that very Sunday, five commercial motorcycle riders were also killed and their bikes burnt at Onocha LGA. The bodies of four of the deceased were deposited in the morgue while the fifth one was burnt to ashes.

Mohammed said another man, Abdullahi, who was selling roasted meat by the roadside at Nnanka, was also killed at his suya spot.

“His body was by the roadside since Sunday evening until in the afternoon on Monday when I called the police DPO and informed him about it and requested him to help us recover the remains.

“He told me that he cannot send his men there because of the sit-at-home order. We are now planning to leave for North as we can no longer stay here…They are killing us on daily basis,” he said.

He said his younger brother, Aliyu, was also killed two months ago in a similar manner.

Daily Trust reports that some trucks conveying goods to the South were also set ablaze in Anambra at the weekend and the drivers and other occupants were killed, injured or disappeared without a trace. Some truck drivers of northern extraction said that they are now operating with fear in the South East region.

Adamu Shu’aibu, who works with a private company in the region said that the rate at which the militants were attacking and killing drivers was alarming.

“I lost many of my colleagues to the nefarious activities of the terrorists and the killings are not being reported. Many of our colleagues have abandoned the driving job. The gunmen mostly attack drivers on some routes that have few or no security personnel.”

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When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ikenga Tochukwu, could not confirm the incidents, saying the details were sketchy.

He said the command would talk about the incidents when they receive a clear picture of what transpired.

However, a senior police officer who did not want to be named confirmed the Isulo attack.

‘Communities shielding criminals’

The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Echeng E. Echeng, Monday, accused communities in the state of shielding criminals in their midst. He stated this while briefing journalists on the murder of the Anambra State lawmaker, Okechukwu Okoye, and his aide, Cyril Chiegboka.

Daily Trust reports that the IPOB militants have vowed to kill more lawmakers in Anambra State.

The group issued the threat in a note allegedly found where the head of the lawmaker was dumped.

The commissioner said, “Some of us have come out to tag these people ‘unknown gunmen’ while in actual sense they are known. We are trying to mystify something that is not just there.

“It is high time we went into demystifying the tag ‘unknown gunmen’. They are not spirits; they are our brothers and they live with us in our communities. That is the obvious truth. We know who these people are.

“The problem the state security has is a total conspiracy of silence when nobody sees something, nobody says something and nobody hears something.

“Security is collective; everybody has a battle. The crimes are committed in our communities and we should be able to say this is what is happening in our communities.

“We are glorifying people that we know and tag them as unknown gunmen,” he said.

The police commissioner also debunked insinuations that Fulani were behind the attacks and killings in the state.

He said available information and records of arrests made in the state showed otherwise, accusing the communities of shielding the criminals in their midst.

Meanwhile, tension has heightened in Anambra State following the incessant killings of people by IPOB militants.

Hate campaign

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) said yesterday that it had taken stock of events unfolding in Nigeria, noting especially, the unrelenting disturbances created by certain interest groups in the South East, in the form of violent attacks on people of other sections, particularly the North.

Spokesman of the group, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said in a statement that unprovoked evictions, attacks, killings, destructions of properties and other forms of violations against northerners in various parts of the South East had resulted from the hate campaigns and propaganda being conducted by regional and ethnic agitators.

“We are particularly disturbed by the reports of the brutal murder of a mother and her four children for the only sin of being northerners.

“These killings followed other coordinated attacks on northern traders and haulage trucks, killing some people and destroying millions worth of properties including the truck.

“We have watched and studied these events carefully and with considerable restraint and maturity, to the point of condoning and accommodating several unreasonable and unacceptable actions that have been perpetrated against Nigerians collectively, and northerners in particular.

“Everyone can see that the diabolical scheme planned and exhibited in the actions and clamours of IPOB/ESN terror groups are supported morally and politically by the vast majority of the pliant Igbo elites, politicians, traditional rulers, business persons, and the larger population of this ethnic group.

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“It is also a situation that feeds on the docility of the affrighted section of those who pose as northern leaders today.

“The recent attacks have pushed matters to a point whereby silence has become complicit and inaction is no longer an option, making it impossible for us to remain indifferent or silent in the face of such extreme provocations.

“As the representatives of various interest groups from northern Nigeria, the CNG today declares enough is enough. The North will no longer remain passive under such deliberate and sustained attacks on its people and interests and will henceforth be forced to react to every provocation and unwarranted violation,” he said.

The group also cautioned media operators to be more restrained and balanced in their reporting of all situations in the country particularly when matters coming from or affecting northerners were reported or commented on.

“We caution them to desist from and to eschew the slanted reporting of events with greater bias against a particular religious and ethnic group as is witnessed in the reporting of security situations recently.

“We warn that editorial policies and restraints imposed by ordinary decency and sanity must not be abandoned by the media establishment for sensational and often biased reporting that only inflame tensions in the country,” the northern group said.

Meanwhile, many social media influencers in the North took to Twitter condemning the killings of the northerners by IPOB in the South East.

Senator Shehu Sani twitted: “You condemn ‘the murder’ in Sokoto but you don’t have the courage and the conscience to condemn the murderous activities of gunmen and unknown gunmen in your area (shokoto), including the slaughter of a legislator; that is hypocrisy and cowardice.”

Gimba Kakanda also tweeted: “Last week, you were in support of mob justice because it is perpetrated by your kinsmen. Today, you are hurt and against it because your kinsmen are the victims. And you are calling out Arewa to seek justice for Deborah, your silence on IPOB’s killings of “Hausa Muslims” is telling.

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“Ahmed Musa Husaini speaks for me here in calling out the double standards of both sides of the Niger. The killings in Anambra, including the targeting of “Hausa Muslims,” are a tragedy that must be condemned by all. It also comes with a lesson to those who justify jungle justice.”

Jaybee @KhaleelJibreel said, “We should create our own media houses to publicise any atrocity meted to us. Stop crying foul, you are not expecting your staunch enemy to battle your insult or killing. If we don’t do the needful, this is how we will keep on staying on the defensive. North is not ready.”

Enforce anti-terrorism law in S/East – Expert

A security expert, Kabiru Adamu said to end the excesses in the South East, the legal status of IPOB and its armed wing, the ESN, is that of a terrorist group and therefore the people killing in that part of the country should be treated as such.

“I am therefore of the view that the government should apply the provisions of the National Counter-Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST) and the Terrorism Prevention Act 2022 fully on it.

“This should include using all the elements of Nigeria’s national powers to identify its membership, sponsorship, funding, and weapons supply channels and blocking them as well as arresting and prosecuting them. Only this full application of the law can contain the atrocities of the IPOB.

“To do this effectively, the government needs to enhance its intelligence gathering capabilities both human and technological to allow it to understand who are involved, what their interests are and why the involvement.

“Intelligence gathering will help clarify whether there are truly other gunmen groups behind the atrocities in South East or it is IPOB operating under the anonymity of “unknown gunmen”.

“Additionally, intelligence will allow government open back door channels of addressing the challenge but from a position of strength,” he said.

Related Topics:anambra Featured IPOB kills Northerners woman

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FG Declares Two-Day Public Holiday for Eid-ul-Adha Celebration

Published

3 hours ago

May 25, 2026

Trends Admin

Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo

Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo

FG Declares Two-Day Public Holiday for Eid-ul-Adha Celebration

The Federal Government has declared Wednesday, May 27, and Thursday, May 28, 2026, as public holidays to mark this year’s Eid-ul-Adha celebration across Nigeria.

The declaration was announced by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in a statement issued on Monday through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Magdalene Ajani.

According to the statement, the public holiday declaration reflects the Federal Government’s recognition of the spiritual significance of Eid-ul-Adha, one of the most important festivals in Islam, observed by millions of Muslims in Nigeria and across the world.

The minister congratulated Muslim faithful both within Nigeria and in the diaspora, describing the festival as a solemn period of sacrifice, devotion, obedience to God and compassion for humanity.

He noted that Eid-el-Kabir, also known as Eid-ul-Adha, commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah’s command, a symbolic act that remains central to Islamic teachings on faith and submission.

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Tunji-Ojo urged Nigerians to use the holiday period for prayers and reflection on the country’s unity and collective progress.

“The Federal Government urges all Nigerians to use this period for prayer and sober reflection, asking for divine guidance upon the country as it continues its pursuit of peace, security and prosperity for every citizen,” the statement said.

He also encouraged citizens to embrace the values of brotherhood, tolerance, peaceful coexistence and national unity, stressing the importance of religious harmony and mutual understanding among Nigerians.

The minister called on Muslims to reflect the true spirit of the celebration by extending kindness to the less privileged and promoting acts of charity, which remain key teachings of the festival.

The Federal Government further reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring national peace and stability while wishing Muslims across the country a peaceful, joyous and spiritually fulfilling celebration.

The announcement is expected to trigger increased travel movement across the country as many Nigerians prepare to celebrate with family and loved ones, with transport operators and commercial centres likely to experience heightened activity ahead of the festivities.

Security agencies are also expected to intensify surveillance across major cities, highways and public gathering points to ensure a peaceful celebration nationwide.

Eid-el-Kabir is one of the two major Islamic festivals celebrated annually and is traditionally marked by congregational prayers, animal sacrifice, charity and communal festivities.

FG Declares Two-Day Public Holiday for Eid-ul-Adha Celebration

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Ex-Governor’s Aide Linked to Kidnap Syndicate in Katsina

Published

3 hours ago

May 25, 2026

Trends Admin

Ex-Governor’s Aide Linked to Kidnap Syndicate in Katsina

The Katsina State Government has confirmed that a former Senior Special Assistant on Community Development, Nura Aliyu Garwa, who is currently under police investigation over alleged involvement in a kidnapping syndicate, had earlier been suspended from office before seeking election into the Katsina State House of Assembly.

Garwa is among the suspects recently paraded by the Katsina State Police Command over the alleged abduction of an eight-year-old boy at Sardauna Estate in Katsina metropolis, a case that has sparked widespread concern across the state.

The government’s position was made known in a statement issued on Sunday by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Salisu Zango, who clarified that Garwa had already been removed from office over misconduct before his political ambition to contest for a legislative seat in Batsari Local Government Area.

According to the statement, Garwa was suspended for his alleged involvement in the diversion of empowerment materials meant for distribution to communities under the state’s Community Development Programme.

The commissioner explained that the suspension was part of Governor Dikko Umaru Radda’s commitment to accountability and transparency in public service.

“The suspected mastermind of the kidnapping syndicate, Nura Aliyu Garwa, had earlier been suspended as Senior Special Assistant on Community Development before his intention to contest for the position of member of the Katsina State House of Assembly representing Batsari Local Government,” the statement said.

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It added that his suspension followed allegations bordering on the diversion of items meant to empower vulnerable communities in Batsari.

Governor Radda described the allegations linking Garwa to criminal activity as disturbing, especially given his previous role in government and his political aspirations.

The governor condemned the activities of the suspected syndicate and commended the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies for their swift action in dismantling the criminal network.

He also urged residents to continue supporting security agencies with credible intelligence to help combat kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state.

The development follows the recent parade of suspected kidnappers by the Katsina State Police Command, during which security operatives announced the arrest of members of a syndicate allegedly responsible for the abduction of the eight-year-old victim in Katsina metropolis.

Police authorities identified Garwa as one of the principal suspects and alleged that investigations had uncovered his connection to the criminal operation.

The arrest has generated intense public reaction due to Garwa’s previous status as a government aide and his attempt to secure elective office.

Security agencies say investigations are ongoing to establish the full scope of the syndicate’s operations and determine whether additional arrests will be made.

The case comes amid intensified efforts by the Katsina State Government and federal security agencies to curb kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes that have continued to challenge security in parts of the state and the wider North-West region.

Ex-Governor’s Aide Linked to Kidnap Syndicate in Katsina

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Bandits Storm Kwara Emir’s Palace, Abduct Wives, Children in Midnight Raid

Published

4 hours ago

May 25, 2026

Trends Admin

Kwara Police Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo

Bandits Storm Kwara Emir’s Palace, Abduct Wives, Children in Midnight Raid

Suspected bandits launched a coordinated assault on Yashikira community in Kwara State’s Baruten Local Government Area, setting the Emir’s palace ablaze and abducting at least 10 persons including multiple wives and children of the traditional ruler in an attack that has heightened tensions across the state’s northern region.

The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed that suspected armed bandits launched a coordinated midnight attack on Yashikira community in Baruten Local Government Area, burning part of the Emir’s palace and abducting 10 people, including wives and children of the traditional ruler, Alhaji Umar Seriki.

The command said the attackers struck at about 2:00 a.m. on Monday, May 25, 2026, in a simultaneous assault on the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters and the Emir’s palace, describing it as a “coordinated and desperate operation.” According to reports, about 15 suspected bandits were involved in the invasion, which occurred just days before the Eid el-Kabir celebrations.

In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, the command said the attack resulted in the abduction of 10 persons, while security operatives successfully repelled the assault on the police station. The police noted that the swift response of the officers prevented the bandits from overrunning the police facility.

The Kwara State Police Command condemned what it called “the cowardly and audacious attack,” stating that the armed criminals, in a “coordinated and desperate assault,” simultaneously attacked the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters and the Palace of the Emir of Yashikira. The statement added that during the attack, part of the palace was set ablaze, while ten people were abducted and taken to an unknown destination.

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Following the incident, Commissioner of Police, CP Ojo Adekimi, immediately ordered a full-scale, intelligence-driven tactical operation involving the military, police, forest guards, vigilantes, and other security stakeholders to comb the surrounding forests and criminal hideouts with the sole objective of rescuing the victims unhurt and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

The command stated that it remains battle-ready and fully determined to confront these “enemies of peace” with every lawful operational asset and strategy at its disposal. The police vowed: “These criminals have declared war against peace-loving citizens, and we are fully prepared to hunt them down relentlessly. We will deploy everything within our operational capacity to smoke them out of hiding, dismantle their networks, rescue all abducted victims, and ensure they face the full wrath of the law.”

However, earlier accounts from residents painted a more harrowing picture of the attack. Sources said the attackers stormed the community between about 12:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m., firing sporadically before advancing on the palace and surrounding areas. Eyewitnesses reported that the gunmen arrived on motorcycles and moved directly to the palace complex, overpowering local vigilantes and operating for hours while terrified villagers fled into nearby bushes for safety.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said three wives and four children of the traditional ruler were among those abducted during the invasion. “I just finished communicating with my father right now. In his report, he said three of the wives of the Emir and four children were abducted, including some resident members of the community,” the resident said.

Another witness, Tukur Ahmed, corroborated this account, stating: “They came on motorcycles and went straight to the palace. They were shooting into the air and broke into the inner quarters where the Emir’s wives and children were. They took three of the wives and four children, alongside some other residents, before setting the cars on fire and leaving the town.”

Sources also confirmed that several vehicles belonging to the palace were set ablaze during the raid, causing extensive property damage estimated in millions of naira. It was further gathered that the Emir was not present in the palace at the time of the attack and escaped unharmed.

A senior police officer at the Baruten Divisional Police Headquarters located at Kosubosu, who sought anonymity, confirmed the development, stating that security agencies had commenced efforts to rescue the abducted victims and track down the attackers. “We have sent signal to the state police headquarters in Ilorin and we have commenced manhunt of the suspected bandits,” the officer said.

Meanwhile, security agencies have commenced bush-combing and surveillance operations across the area as part of ongoing efforts to rescue the victims and apprehend the attackers. The police command has assured residents of Yashikira and other parts of Kaiama Local Government Area that security operations have been intensified across vulnerable communities, with surveillance, intelligence gathering, and aggressive bush-combing operations ongoing.

This attack came barely 48 hours after another deadly incident in Kwara State. On Saturday night, armed men invaded a prayer ground at Ori-Oke Ajaiye on the outskirts of Ikiran village in Ekiti Local Government Area, killing three worshippers and abducting 15 others during a vigil. These two attacks, happening within days of each other, have raised significant concerns over worsening insecurity in parts of North Central Nigeria.

Kwara North has in recent months witnessed a significant escalation in banditry, with repeated attacks on rural communities, highways, and traditional institutions across Baruten, Kaiama, Edu, and Patigi local government areas. In February 2026, youths from Kwara North staged a protest demanding an end to incessant killings and bandit attacks ravaging communities in the region. The protesters alleged that recent attacks on Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area claimed between 162 and 200 lives within two days.

More recently, in April 2026, armed bandits attacked the Nuku community in Kaiama Local Government Area, killing five forest guards. The bandits, who reportedly stormed the community in large numbers at about 3:00 am, also destroyed property worth millions of naira, including setting motorcycles belonging to forest guards ablaze and burning patrol vehicles operated by mobile police.

Residents have repeatedly blamed the recurring attacks on the porous border routes around Baruten Local Government Area, alleging that armed groups frequently infiltrate communities using the difficult terrain and proximity to inter-state routes. Some residents have also accused security agencies of failing to provide adequate protection despite repeated warnings over increasing bandit activities in surrounding villages.

The police command has urged residents to remain calm but vigilant, adding that useful information from members of the public would assist security agencies in rescuing the abducted victims and apprehending those behind the attack. CP Adekimi vowed that the command would not bow to threats, intimidation, or acts of terror orchestrated by bandits and criminal elements operating within any part of the state.