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Mass exodus hits Birnin-Gwari, as terrorists battle over Damari

Published

2 years ago

August 5, 2022

Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai

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.

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Related Topics:Birnin-Gwari Damari Featured Terrorists

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Tinubu: Governors most important link to Nigeria’s development

Published

7 hours ago

January 2, 2025

Trends Admin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu: Governors most important link to Nigeria’s development

President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday in Lagos, emphasised the critical role of state governors in driving Nigeria’s development and prosperity.

He said their leadership at the subnational level was central to achieving food security, economic prosperity and rapid national growth.

The President made the remarks during a visit by Vice President Kashim Shettima and members of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF.

“You are the most important link to Nigeria’s prosperity and development. The Federal Government accounts for about 30 to 35 per cent of the allocated revenue; the rest comes to you.

“The agricultural value chain depends on you. You own the land, and the job is in your hands,” he said.

President Tinubu called for stronger collaboration between the federal and state governments to address pressing challenges, including local government autonomy, agricultural productivity, and currency stability.

Expressing his commitment to local government development and autonomy, the President stressed its importance for grassroots development and dispelled rumours of disagreement with the governors.

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“We will not fight within us. I will drive the change. You control your local governments. You can restore hope by effectively fulfilling what the people expect at the grassroots level.

“There were gossips that we had disagreements on local government autonomy. No. Just drive development at the local government.

“Nobody wants to take them away from you, but we need collaboration. Let’s do it together and ensure Nigeria is better off for it,” said Tinubu.

He urged governors to prioritise agricultural growth as a pathway to economic stability.

“We have to work harder, grow more, and ensure the situation of our currency improves. Nigeria will see prosperity, but it requires consistent effort from all of us,” he said.

He also urged the governors to take pride in their efforts and acknowledged their progress across the states.

“There is no state we cannot visit and be proud of its development. We have better allocations now. Let me take the abuse; you take the privileges. Together, we will build a nation we are all proud of,” he said.

Reflecting on his leadership journey in the last 19 months, the President expressed confidence in Nigeria’s capacity to thrive given the resilience and leadership demonstrated by the administration.

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“I am glad I asked for this job, and Nigerians gave me the mandate. We’ll be on this voyage together. I thank all of you for where we are today and where we are heading,” he said.

Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum and Governor of Kwara, acknowledged the tangible progress made under President Tinubu’s leadership.

“The policies are working. In agriculture, I was in Jigawa. The complaint in Jigawa was that there was a bumper harvest, but because of the strength of our currency, traders exported the harvest.

“So, most of us are encouraging ourselves to buy bumper stocks into our silos, store them for the rainy day. So, in terms of agriculture, the policy is working.

“We’ll continue to deepen that and ensure we are 100% sustained in food security and feed the whole of West Africa,” he said.

The governor urged the President to visit various states to see the ongoing transformations and progress firsthand.

He assured the President of the support of the governors, particularly in contributing to local security architecture to further enhance the nation’s security.

“I must confess that I have not done two years in this administration, but I’ve done more projects in two years than in the four years of my first term.

“We are getting more funding due to the restructuring of the economy. Yes, there is inflation, but we are overriding it,” the governor said.

Tinubu: Governors most important link to Nigeria’s development
NAN

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No plans to address hunger, unemployment in Tinubu’s New Year message – PDP

Published

7 hours ago

January 2, 2025

Trends Admin

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba

No plans to address hunger, unemployment in Tinubu’s New Year message – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says President Bola Tinubu’s New Year message “offers no hope in sight” for Nigerians.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesperson, described the president’s New Year speech as “self-satisfying”,

The opposition party’s spokesperson said Tinubu’s administration is “completely disconnected and unconcerned” with the economic hardship in the country.

“Nigerians were appalled that despite the prodding by the PDP and well-meaning citizens, President Tinubu’s New Year speech did not articulate any specific direction for the nation or proffer solutions to the myriad of problems caused by APC’s misrule,” the statement reads.

“President Tinubu’s speech again underlines APC’s insensitivity to the anguish of Nigerians by failing to present any definite policy roadmap towards reducing the price of petroleum products, addressing the widespread hunger in the land, and revamping our ailing productive sector.”

Ologunagba said Tinubu did not articulate any “solution-based direction” for the critical sectors such as electricity, oil and gas, road infrastructure, and food production, among others.

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“It was also pathetically devoid of a precise plan to address unemployment through strategic investment to stimulate multisectoral small and medium scale enterprises in the country,” Ologunagba said.

“If indeed the APC administration has the interest of Nigerians at heart, the New Year address would have made definite pronouncements on the price of fuel, especially given that with deft, transparent, and innovative management of resources, economic potentials, comparative advantage, national refining capacity, and effective policing of our borders, Nigerians should not pay more than N350 per litre for petrol within the country.

“In any case, from the speech, it is clear that the Tinubu-led APC administration lacks the expected patriotic commitment as well as the required capacity, competence, and skills to effectively harness and manage the resources of the nation for the good of the citizens.

“Moreover, President Tinubu’s claim in the speech that Nigerians placed their confidence in him as their president is ludicrous and shows that he is disconnected from the reality of his abysmal perception among Nigerians.”

The PDP spokesperson added that Nigerians have lost faith in Tinubu’s administration and have since moved on, “eagerly waiting for the next round of elections that will mark the end of the nightmare which the APC represents to our nation”.

He asked Tinubu to listen to Nigerians and be more committed and focused on the purpose of governance, which is the welfare and security of the people.

No plans to address hunger, unemployment in Tinubu’s New Year message – PDP

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Anthony Joshua presents autographed glove to Tinubu during visit

Published

8 hours ago

January 2, 2025

Trends Admin

Anthony Joshua presents autographed glove to Tinubu during visit

Nigerian boxing legend and two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua recently paid a courtesy visit to President Bola Tinubu at his Lagos residence.

During the visit, Joshua presented the President with an autographed boxing glove inscribed with the message: “To the Great Asiwaju Jagaban Borgu of Africa, Bola A Tinubu.”

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The meeting, as revealed by the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Mr. Dada Olusegun, was captured in a post shared on social media.

He wrote, “Champ @anthonyjoshua pays Homage to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at his residence in Lagos. Presents him with his autographed glove.”