Wednesday, January 29, 2025
Nigeria labels Lakurawa as terrorist organization
The decision follows top-level instructions to Nigeria’s army to either kill or remove Lakurawa radicals from Nigerian territory.
“This is a great concern for the Nigerian government. They’re already trying to fight off the Boko Haram, Fulani herdsman, [and] ISIS West Africa,” Greg Musselman with Voice of the Martyrs Canada says.
The ‘terrorist’ designation allows Nigerian forces to arrest suspects, freeze assets, and dismantle Lakurawa’s networks. However, questions remain about whether these measures address the conditions that enable the group to flourish.
“A lot of these terrorist groups feed on the fact that many of these young men don’t have jobs,” Musselman says.
“They’re poor, and [then they see] here’s an opportunity to join this group, cause all sorts of havoc in the name of Islam, and use it to get material gain.”
Meanwhile, religious minorities suffer.
“You’ve got these competing Islamic groups with their version of Sharia law. They’ll go against each other [and] there’s all this violence breaking out, and the innocent people are often getting caught into it,” Musselman says.
Ask the Lord to protect and strengthen believers in northern Nigeria. Consider providing practical help and biblical counseling through VOM Canada here.
“When you look at what has gone on in Nigeria, you see amazing, brave followers of Christ. But you also see the devastation and pain are real,” Musselman says.
“You’ve got so much violence and so much death and destruction. The only hope is Jesus.”
By Katey Hearth, Mission Network News
Thursday, January 16, 2025
Nigerian army says it killed 76 extremists during a weeklong operation in Borno State
The operations took place between Jan. 7 and Jan. 13, Nigerian army spokesperson Edward Buba said during a news conference in Abuja, Nigeria's capital. He added that the military also arrested 72 suspects and rescued eight hostages kidnapped by the militants.
Buba did not provide details about the extremists' affiliation but the area of operations has long been plagued by attacks from the Boko Haram group and its breakaway faction that is loyal to the Islamic State group.
The army spokesperson also did not specify if any members of the Nigerian military were killed during the operations.
The announcement by Nigeria's military comes days after suspected Boko Haram militants killed at least 40 farmers in another part of Borno State.
Boko Haram, Nigeria’s homegrown jihadis, took up arms in 2009 to fight Western education and impose their radical version of Islamic law. The conflict, now Africa’s longest struggle with militancy, has spilled into Nigeria’s northern neighbors.
Some 35,000 civilians have been killed and more than 2 million have been displaced in the northeastern region, according to the U.N.
The 2014 kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls by Boko Haram in the village of Chibok in Borno state — the epicenter of the conflict — captured the attention of the world.
Nigeria's military has also killed 64 extremists, arrested 69 suspects and rescued 62 hostages during other operations in the country's northwest, Buba said Thursday.
Kidnappings have become a common occurrence in Nigeria's northeast, where dozens of armed groups exploit the region's limited security presence to carry out attacks on villages and along major roads. Many victims are only released after the payment of ransoms that sometimes run into the thousands of dollars.
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Islamic police in Nigeria round up children living on streets to put them in camp "for their rehabilitation"
"We have so far mopped up 300 of these boys from the streets and taken them into a camp provided for their rehabilitation," Hisbah's director-general Abba Sufi told AFP. "Their continued living on the streets is a huge social and security threat because they are potential criminal recruits."
"They are a ticking time bomb that needs to be urgently defused with tact and care," said Sufi.
In November, Kano State governor Abba Kabir Yusuf set up a committee to rid the city of the street children, most of whom are boys. Many sleep in the open and have no access to education or parental care.
With the highest divorce rate in Nigeria, according to official figures, Kano is dealing with a surge in children from broken homes.
Largely left to fend for themselves, the boys roam the city, begging, selling items at traffic lights and scavenging for scrap metal to sell to get money to feed themselves.
The west African economic powerhouse faces its worst economic crisis in decades, with inflation soaring to 34.6 percent in November, leaving many struggling to eat.
Nigeria has 18.5 million out-of-school children, with Kano State accounting for 1.9 million, the highest rate in the country, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in a 2022 survey.
The Kano figure accounts for 39% of the total number of children living in the state, the 2022 Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty survey said.
Officials told AFP that many of the children in Kano city came from neighboring states.
"Some of them are from Kano, while others are from other states," said Hisbah commander Aminu Daurawa. "The first step is profiling them and identifying where they came from."
Some were sent from villages to learn how to read the Koran at informal Islamic religious schools called almajiri. Residents said many students of the Koranic schools beg for food and alms between classes.
Attempts by authorities and local groups to intervene and support the age-old almajiri system have faced opposition from traditional clerics.
The Hisbah police plan to provide "psychosocial" support and counselling to the children before enrolling those who show interest in school, Sufi said, adding that others will be given seed money to start a trade of their choice.
Daurawa told AFP that out-of-state children will be repatriated after their rehabilitation.
Previous attempts to clear the city of street children have failed.
Between 2017 and 2018, the Hisbah evacuated some 26,000 children and reunited them with their parents in and outside Kano, but they returned to the streets after a lull, according to Daurawa.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, authorities in Kano shut almajiri schools and transported the pupils to their states, but they returned when the schools reopened.
"We want to avoid a repeat of the past experience, which is why we changed approach by camping the children and rehabilitating them before sending them back into the society," Sufi said.
Friday, January 10, 2025
Military drones deployed as Nigeria loses billions to oil theft gangs
The Niger Delta, where most of the country’s oil is extracted, has long been a hotspot for illegal refineries and theft, costing Nigeria millions each month.
Chief of defence staff General Christopher Musa said security forces have been relying on technology, in land and air operations, to monitor and protect the region.
“We have drones and helicopters that fly [over], [and] patrols that go on water,” Musa said.
The government has also been tackling illegal operations that, in 2022, cost an estimated $23 million per day, according to Nigeria's Senate. Losses continued into 2023, with $1.43 billion reported in the first quarter alone.
The country suffers frequent blackouts due to load shedding – the interruption of the electricity supply to avoid excessive load on its electricity plants.
"We have the challenge of energy security in Nigeria... We must increase electricity generation and distribution throughout the country," President Bola Tinubu said in June 2024.
"As a nation, it is so shameful that we are still generating 4.5 gigawatts of electricity."
“The issue of theft would have been far more successfully tackled decades ago, had so many people not been profiting from it," said Jon Marks, editorial director of energy consultancy and news service African Energy.
He told RFI that criminality has become embedded in Nigeria's regional and national politics, as well as its business world.
“Oil theft has become institutionalised, with gangs tapping into pipes and often exporting via small ships that offload to bigger ships. This has been achieved by local gangs becoming very powerful, but even more so by the connivance of local politicians and the military – who, in turn, have become very rich."
He believes that nothing much has changed since a 2013 report by think tank Chatham House, carried out under Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency, which concluded that no concerted action against illegal oil operations could be expected soon.
Change within the military
“The big potential change under Tinubu – who desperately needs more formal revenue for an ailing economy – comes with changes within the army. He has appointed new top brass, more in tune with his thinking and factional alliances," added Marks.
In June 2023, following a meeting with Tinubu, Asari Dokubo, Ijaw leader of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force, declared that: "The military is at the centre of oil theft in Nigeria."
Prominent Nigerian businessman Tony Elumelu, chairman of Heirs Holdings and a member of the Presidential Economic Coordination Council, has also chimed in, saying that the government should be able to tell Nigerians who is stealing the country’s crude oil. “Our security agencies should tell us who is stealing our oil. You bring vessels into our territorial waters, and we don’t know?"
According to Marks, the authorities may be “looking the other way” because they are in on the deal. He also claims that the Russians too have become involved in the oil theft business.
“By providing more ships, the Russian shadow fleet and other players – who use unregistered carriers – transport illegally obtained crude oil offshore where bigger ships wait to pick it up,” he said.
Any action taken by Tinubu and the military chiefs he has recently appointed may be limited, Marks argued, by their concern not to upset existing power balances within Nigeria, where powerful factions would suffer from any disturbance to the oil theft business, and other sectors where reform is vital.
By Zeenat Hansrod, rfi
Nigeria, China deepen ties with pledge on security, finance and economic growth
Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi also outlined efforts to address regional security challenges.
Wang was visiting Nigeria as part of a wider four-nation tour of Africa, an annual journey seen as aimed at advancing Beijing's already considerable influence on the continent.
His visit to Nigeria follows recent high-level exchanges, including intergovernmental committee talks in Beijing last June and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu's state visit to China in September.
These meetings have culminated in the elevation of bilateral relations to a "comprehensive strategic partnership", Wang told a press conference.
Wang said China will "favourably study and consider" a request by Nigeria to expand a currency swap agreement.
On regional peace and security, Wang said that at the United Nations Security Council China would always vote in favour of Africa, adding it would continue to support Nigeria in rallying countries in the region.
"We will work with Africa to address insecurity and achieve long-term stability through development," he said.
Monday, January 6, 2025
Nigerian army pushes back armed 'bandits' in the northwest, restoring calm & rebuilding local trust
The Nigerian Military says it's killed thousands of armed fighters who it accused of killing and kidnapping people for ransom. Locals call them 'bandits'. Commanders say that in the past year, they've freed 7,000 kidnapping victims. Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Idris has been given special access to the military's operations. He reports from Mayanchi in Zamfara state.
Video - Defence chief of Nigeria on human rights abuse reports and security
For more than 15 years, Nigeria’s armed forces have battled Boko Haram and groups affiliated with ISIL (ISIS), with millions affected and thousands killed. Despite government claims of “technical defeat”, rebel attacks persist, raising critical questions about strategy and accountability. General Christopher Musa, Nigeria's chief of defence staff, talks about it and also discusses allegations of human rights abuses and corruption within the military and challenges that threaten troop morale and operational capacity. Meanwhile, security concerns are amplified by political instability in the region, including coups and external influences such as Russia.
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Video - Nigeria deploys 10,000 armed rangers to protect farmers from insurgents
The farrmers say they can no longer tend to crops and livestock out of fear of being attacked. The violence drove away farmers, leaving fields barren and causing ripple effects throughout the country, including driving up food inflation.
Related story: Nigeria deploys armed rangers to protect farmers
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Nigeria Police arrest 2,740 suspected murderers, kidnappers
The Nigeria Police Force says its operatives have arrested no fewer than 2,740 suspects for various crimes across the country in the past one month.
Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi said in a statement on Tuesday night that the arrests followed the commitment by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, who vowed to ensure that the perpetrators of heinous crimes in Nigeria were brought to book.
According to the statement, between August and September, operatives of the NPF arrested 295-armed robbery suspects, 186 kidnappers, 271 Murder/Homicide suspects, and 71 suspects for the unlawful possession of firearms.
Olumuyiwa also stated that 199 suspects were nabbed for sexual-related offences, 143 suspects for cultism, and 1575 suspects arrested for other crimes.
He said the Force also recovered 185 firearms, 4087 ammunition of various calibres and 111 vehicles, stating that about 129 kidnapped victims were also rescued.
The statement added that in more recent events, the operatives also dismantled and arrested a gunrunning syndicate operating in the Bauchi-Plateau region.
“The suspects, identified as Taimako Mato, John Danladi, Mohammed Munkail, Manasseh William, and Muhammadu Haddi were arrested with 1 PKT Machine Gun, 40 rounds of 37.2mm and 95rounds of 62mm cartridge ammunition.
“The Leader of the syndicate, Taimako Mato, was a weapon handling instructor at a Boko Haram Camp, who procures these prohibited weapons and passes them on to the other members of the syndicate to sell to various buyers”, Olumuyiwa said.
By Ochogwu Sunday, Daily Post
Related story: Government of Nigeria secures release of over 1,000 kidnapped people
Wednesday, August 7, 2024
Oil output in Nigeria rises on improved security, Navy chief says
Nigeria's oil output has risen to between 1.6 million and 1.7 million barrels per day after the government beefed up security to curb crude theft, Chief of Naval Staff Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla said on Tuesday.
Crude production in Nigeria, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), stood at 1.2 million barrels per day in February, Ogalla said. Oil major Shell has exited the country.
"We have stepped up surveillance and enforcement in the oil producing areas," the naval chief said.
"Right now, as we speak, the Nigerian Navy has 12 vessels on the sea to protect oil production and stem oil theft. We have arrested over 16 vessels, so far."
Ogalla said the force has blocked channels for the sale of illegally refined petroleum products.
The country's oil minister Heineken Lokpobiri said in May that Nigeria could produce 6 million barrels of oil per day with adequate investment in its energy sector.
He added that Nigeria and other African oil-producing countries lack the capital to explore and produce their oil and gas.
By Camillus Eboh, Reuters
Related story: National oil company in Nigeria declares state of emergency
Friday, July 12, 2024
Nigeria Customs Intercepts N270m Weapons At Lagos Airport
The consignment, which was intercepted at the cargo section of the MMA, was also imported from Turkiye with one suspect in custody.
According to the Customs boss, military hardwares and accoutrements were also intercepted by the Airport Command of NCS.
He said, “on 19th June, 2024, the MMA 2 command deployed personnel to man all exit points and conducted examination on all consignment due to the intelligence available to us and upon examination a parcel with number 235/587737755 which originated from Turkiye was intercepted.
“The consignment was exterminated from the rest and it was gathered that 55 pieces of Tomahawk semi automatic short gun was Intercepted with one suspect arrested.”
LEADERSHIP had on Monday reported that at Onne Port in Rivers State, the Service intercepted a 40-feet container with number MAEU165396, which contained pump action rifles and ammunition worth N4.17billion.
It was gathered that based on the number of risk factors associated with the importation, it became a subject of interest for the Customs Service and that led to thorough examination of the container which revealed that the container contained 844 units of rifles and 112,500 pieces of live ammunition imported into the country from Turkiye.
Related story: Nigeria Seizes Massive Cache of Weapons Smuggled in Container from Turkey
Tuesday, July 2, 2024
Nigeria Seizes Massive Cache of Weapons Smuggled in Container from Turkey
Though the authorities did not reveal the identity of the ship that transported the 40 feet container, they said it was of interest following a tip from intelligence organizations fighting transnational crimes. Customs was able to follow the container’s as it moved across the continents until its arrival at Onne Port, which accounts for over 65 percent of Nigeria’s seaports export cargo.
Despite the importer paying $2.7 million duty for the container and trying to smuggle it out of the port through a private bonded terminal, officials managed to impound it on June 21. They conducted a search of the container finding the weapons hidden among other items like doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags.
The Nigeria Customs Service put the chase on display on July 1 at the port. They reported seizing 844 guns including both rifles and shotguns as well as 112,500 rounds of ammunition.
“In connection with this, we have three suspects in our custody,” said Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller-General of Customs. “Furthermore, a thorough investigation is ongoing to ensure all those involved face the full wrath of the law.”
The seizure at Port Harcourt Area II Command, Onne, is the latest in a growing series of confiscations as Africa’s most populous nation continues to grapple with the illegal arms trade. Earlier this year, in mid-March, Customs seized arms and weapons during a routine inspection of imported goods in Lagos while in January, Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency intercepted another shipment of arms in Lagos, along with 1,274 parcels of cocaine and other drugs.
Research by non-profit organizations like the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) show that Nigeria’s seaports and waterways have become hotspots for illicit firearms trade that is controlled by corrupt security personnel and businessmen. Between 2010 and 2017, a total of 21.5 million weapons and ammunition were shipped into Nigeria. The illegal weapons are reported going to kidnappers, armed robbers, petroleum pipeline vandals, urban militias, ethnic militias, and cultists, with data showing that in 2020, Nigeria had an estimated 6.2 million arms in the hands of civilians.
A March ISS study highlights that firearm importers and traffickers use different strategies and concealment methods to smuggle firearms through seaports. The primary method is falsification of import papers and merchandise declarations.
Friday, June 14, 2024
Nigerian military kill terrorism kingpin, 36 other terrorists
A terrorism kingpin operating in Kaduna and other northern Nigeria states, Buharin Yadi, has been killed by Nigerian security forces.
The state’s Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, announced this in a statement on Thursday.
Mr Aruwan said Mr Yadi was “one of the deadliest bandit leaders terrorising Northern Nigeria in the last decade, and has met his bitter end at the hands of security forces.
“The troops of Sector 6 Operation Whirl Punch rained down fire on the kingpin known as Buhari Alhaji Halidu (alias Buharin Yadi) and his cohorts, abruptly terminating their ignominious spell of terror.
“Halidu was neutralized in a fierce battle with the troops (under the coordination of their Commander, also the General Officer Commanding of One Division Nigerian Army, Major General MLD Saraso) which took place around Idasu forest at the boundaries between Giwa LGA of Kaduna State and Sabuwa LGA of Katsina State”, Mr Aruwan said.
He said the troops began the covert operation in response to intelligence reports on terrorists’ movement from Samunaka, Saulawa area of Katsina State.
“On advancing to Samunaka, the troops found the settlement destroyed and cattle killed, evidence of recent criminal activity by the bandits.
“A ferocious battle quickly followed, as approaching terrorists were pounded with artillery rounds at Hayin Almajiri. The troops then fought bravely through an ambush, to attain their objective. Initial assessments indicate that at least 36 bandits were eliminated in the engagement”, Mr Aruwan said in the statement.
Mr Aruwan said It was eventually verified that one of those killed was Kachalla Buharin Yadi.
“The kingpin, Mr Halidu (also known as Buharin Yadi or Buhari Janar) and the brigands under his command had been unleashing terror on citizens in Kidandan/Galadimawa general areas of Giwa LGA, Sabon Birni/Kerawa general areas of Igabi LGA,” he added.
His reign of terror extended to Sabuwa LGA of Katsina State, and indeed some parts of Niger and Zamfara states, Mr Aruwan added.
“Buharin Yadi was involved in large-scale cattle rustling, arms trading and drug trafficking. He had led his gang in the pillaging of communities and the slaughter and kidnapping of thousands of citizens in Kaduna and neighboring states.
“The merciless bandit was also known to have links with other deadly terrorist groups in the North-east and North-west,” Mr Aruwan added.
He said the breakthrough brought to an end a manhunt by security forces for this terrorist, which stretched more than five years ago.
“The news of his demise spread like wildfire, triggering massive relief and widespread celebrations among locals spanning Kaduna and Katsina states”, he added.
Meanwhile, Mr Aruwan said Governor Uba Sani was delighted with the development.
He said the governor described it as a pointer to the bravery, pro-activeness and sheer efficiency of the troops involved.
“The Governor commended the GOC, Major General Saraso for his sterling leadership, and lauded the troops for the comprehensive victory. Governor Sani reassured security forces in Kaduna State of his unflinching support and the continued collaborative stance of the Government.
“Members of the public are hereby informed that some of the terrorists sustained gunshot injuries during the encounter. Citizens in the general area and beyond are therefore enjoined not to render assistance (medical or otherwise) to individuals carrying suspicious injuries, but to immediately report such to security agencies.
“The Kaduna State Security Operations Room is available 24 hours a day to receive reports of this nature on the phone lines 09034000060 and 08170189999.
“Special operations against bandits continue in the general area. Citizens are urged to continue to volunteer supportive information to the security forces and the government”, the official stated.
By Abubakar Ahmadu Maishanu, Premium Times
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
Police uncover gang targeting, killing Uber drivers in Nigeria
Grace Iringe-Koko, the command’s spokesperson, in a statement in Port Harcourt on Monday, linked the group to multiple cases of drivers that got missing.
She revealed that the arrest of one gang member, Anthony Chima, exposed the sinister activities of the gang in the state.
She stated: “The discovery of this criminal enterprise targeting Uber drivers in the state followed the disappearance of one Oghenevwarhe Barry Akpobome, an Uber driver.
“Upon investigating the disappearance, police operatives arrested one Anthony Chima, a 35-year-old graduate of Political Science from the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt.
“Under interrogation, Chima confessed to being recruited into a gang that specialised in luring taxi drivers into ambushes and stealing their vehicles,” she stated.
Ms Iringe-Koko said that Mr Chima’s testimony showed the gang’s further gruesome actions of killing the drivers and harvesting their body parts for ritualistic purposes.
“The suspect said that he was introduced into the gang by his friend, Amfoh Abu, the group’s arms dealer, and another individual simply identified as ‘Reason.’
“Investigation further revealed that ‘General Effizy,’ the gang’s leader, is a prominent figure in the Greenland cult and a seasoned kidnapper in the state,” she added.
The police spokesperson said that Mr Chima confessed that he randomly obtained the Uber drivers’ phone numbers and pretended to be a passenger in need of a ride.
She said that on 10 January, Mr Chima contacted Mr Akpobome and directed the driver to pick him up at Reason’s residence.
“Disguised as a passenger, Chima lured the unsuspecting Uber driver to a remote area in Aminigboko, where he met Reason and General Effizy along with four-armed gang members.
“The driver was forcefully removed from the vehicle and taken to Effizy’s shrine, where he was tied up, gagged and gruesomely murdered.
“Chima later led the police to the shrine and Effizy’s residence, where personnel recovered the victim’s skull and a locally fabricated Baretta pistol,” she said.
Ms Iringe-Koko said that a manhunt had been launched to capture the fleeing gang members, stating that Chima would face legal action.
She said that the Commissioner of Police in Rivers, Tunji Disu, has advised Uber drivers to be cautious while picking up or transporting passengers, particularly to remote or potentially dangerous areas.
“The Akpobome incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that lurk in the shadows, and the importance of vigilance and cooperation with the law enforcement agencies,” the police image maker said.
Premium Times
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Police rescue kidnap victims in Abuja
The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said its operatives on Sunday foiled a kidnap attempt and rescued victims in Dawaki area of Abuja.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, Josephine Adeh, a superintendent of police, said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
Ms Adeh said that the kidnap attempt was foiled following an immediate and strategic response to a distress call on the attack by unknown gunmen in Dawaki on 19 May.
She said the Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the FCT, Benneth Igweh, led the operatives that swiftly mobilised to the scene to foil the kidnap attempt.
“Displaying remarkable bravery and coordination, the police, in synergy with local hunters, advanced on the assailants, tactically ambushed them at Ushafa Hill via Bwari and Shishipe Hills via Mpape.
“This led to a fierce gun duel where the hoodlums were overwhelmed by the firepower of the operatives, and this forced them to scamper to safety with various degrees of bullet injuries and the victims were rescued,” she said.
Ms Adeh added that one of the rescued victims was currently in the hospital receiving medical attention.
The FCT Police command spokesperson said that the CP had reaffirmed the command’s steadfast dedication to maintaining peace and security in the FCT.
She also said that search operations were ongoing to rescue other hostages who fled the scene during the shootout.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of Dawaki Rock Heaven Community, Tunde Abdulrahim, said the incident happened at about 7: 30 p.m. on Sunday.
Mr Abdulrahim said that the heavily armed bandits numbering about 50, consisting of men and women invaded the community and broke into about six houses.
He also said that about 20 people were abducted by the kidnappers.
Related story: 386 civilians rescued from Sambisa forest in Nigeria 10 years after abduction
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Government of Nigeria secures release of over 1,000 kidnapped people
The Nigerian Government has secured the release of over 1,000 people kidnapped recently in the northern part of the country, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has said.
Mr Ribadu stated this on Monday while receiving 23 persons rescued on Sunday after they were kidnapped last September at the Federal University Gusau in Zamfara State, North-west Nigeria.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how security sources said the kidnapped students and staff of the university were rescued by security agents near Kuncin Dutse, a village in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara. The Coordinator of the National Counter-terrorism Centre, Adamu Laka, a major general, reportedly coordinated the operation.
Receiving the rescued persons, Mr Ribadu said: “This is yet again a success story in our effort to free all those being unlawfully held in captivity. We have so far released over a thousand such victims without noise and with complete respect to their privacy and safety.”
The 23 persons released include 15 students and eight workers of the university. A woman abducted in Funtua in Katsina State was also rescued, a source earlier told PREMIUM TIMES.
Earlier last month, nine of the female students were released after 178 days in captivity.
While addressing the released victims, Mr Ribadu congratulated them and their families on their safe return home.
He said the released students were the last batch of victims of a recent mass abduction the government had successfully rescued.
He urged the release victims to consider their experience as a trial that will make them stronger, not weaken their efforts in the future.
“Consider this experience a trial that should not break you but make you stronger. I also wish to specifically thank the parents of the rescued victims for your patience and understanding during this period.
“On behalf of the President, I thank all those involved in the successful rescue of the victims without losing any of them or paying any ransom.
“This occasion marks a final juncture in a series of rescues we have undertaken in the last few months to free victims of recent cases of mass abductions.
“Going forward, we are strengthening law enforcement and security measures to prevent these abductions and strengthen physical security across vulnerable communities.
“I am grateful to all our security and enforcement agencies for their tireless work and sacrifices. Finally, I want to put on record and appreciate the leadership and encouragement of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who made all these possible, Mr Ribadu said while reuniting the victims with their loved ones in Abuja.
By Abubakar Ahmadu Maishanu, Premium Times
Related stories: 23 university students,staff released in Nigeria seven months after abduction
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Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Video - Growing calls for Nigeria government to enforce capital punishment on kidnappers
First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu is one of the voices demanding the government aggressively address kidnappings in Nigeria. The country has been plagued by a surge in kidnappings, leaving communities in fear and authorities struggling to contain the crisis.
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Thursday, April 4, 2024
Why mass kidnappings still plague Nigeria a decade after Chibok abductions
In the decade since the armed group Boko Haram kidnapped nearly 300 students at an all-girls school in the town of Chibok, abductions have become a recurrent fixture in Nigeria, especially in the restive northern regions.
Just last month, on March 7, a criminal gang kidnapped 287 pupils at the government secondary school in Kuriga, a town in Kaduna state. Two days later, another armed group broke into the dorm of a boarding school in Gidan Bakuso, Sokoto state, kidnapping 17 students.
The Sokoto victims and more than 130 of the victims from Kaduna have since been released, but there is no word yet about the remaining abductees.
Meanwhile, out of the hundreds taken in Chibok in April 2014, more than 90 are still missing, according to the United Nations children’s agency, UNICEF.
“I cannot believe that it is 10 years and we have not really done anything about [stopping] it,” said Aisha Yesufu, the co-convener of the #BringBackOurGirls movement pressing for the release of the kidnapped Chibok students.
Nigeria is plagued by insecurity. In the northeast, Boko Haram has waged a violent insurgency since 2009; in the north-central region clashes between farmers and herders have escalated in recent years; and acts of banditry by gunmen in the northwest are terrorising citizens.
Across the country, the targeting of vulnerable populations has been widespread, including kidnappings for ransom or to pressure the government to meet the aggressors’ demands. Experts also say that worsening economic conditions have led to an increase in abductions for ransom over the last four years.
But as Africa’s largest economy and a country with one of the strongest military forces on the continent, many have questioned why Nigeria has been unable to nip the spiralling insecurity crisis in the bud.
“At the end of the day, it comes down to the fact that there is no political will,” Yesufu said.
A booming industry
Last year, charity Save The Children reported that more than 1,680 students have been abducted in Nigeria since 2014. This has significantly contributed to deteriorating absentee statistics, with one in three Nigerian children not in school according to UNICEF.
But students are not the only ones bearing the burden of the crisis as travellers, businesspeople, priests, and those perceived as being well-off are also often targets. Kidnappings have become a sub-economy of sorts, as abductors rake in millions of naira in ransom payments. Social media is also littered with public requests from people soliciting funds to buy the freedom of their abducted relatives and friends.
Since 2019, there have been 735 mass abductions in Nigeria, according to socio-political risk consultancy firm, SBM Intelligence. It said between July 2022 and June 2023, 3,620 people were abducted in 582 kidnapping cases with about 5 billion naira ($3,878,390) paid in ransoms.
This year alone SBM Intelligence said there have already been 68 mass abductions.
The abductions are not confined to the north, where banditry and armed religious groups are prevalent, but have also been seen in the south and the southeast. Even Abuja, Nigeria’s capital territory, has not been spared, and in Emure Ekiti in the relatively peaceful southwest region, five students, three teachers and a driver were kidnapped on January 29.
The roots of hostage-taking in Nigeria can be traced back to the 1990s in the Niger Delta, where the country gets most of its oil; at the time, armed groups started abducting foreign oil executives as a way to pressure the government to address their concerns about oil pollution in their communities.
But in recent times, hostage-taking has become a booming industry, said Olajumoke (Jumo) Ayandele, Nigeria’s senior adviser at the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED). Perpetrators now mostly target socially classified vulnerable groups such as children and women, she said, to elicit public anger and press their demands for ransom payments or the release of their arrested gang members.
When a ransom is demanded, the payment is expected to be made by the victims’ relatives, or in some cases the government – and delays or non-payment can sometimes be deadly. One of five sisters kidnapped in Abuja in January was brutally killed after a ransom deadline passed, sparking a national outcry.
“The groups that have used this strategy are able to gain local and international attention to really show their strength and amplify what they want to state authorities,” Ayandele told Al Jazeera.
Although the Nigerian government has said it does not negotiate with terrorists in dealing with the spiralling security crisis, experts say this may not be true.
“We have heard and we have seen some state governments negotiating with some of these groups and some of these bandits,” said Ayandele. In many cases, this has only emboldened the criminals.
Why can’t Nigeria stop the abduction of pupils?
Experts say that complex, multilayered issues are at the heart of the worsening insecurity crisis. These include socioeconomic factors, corruption and a lack of cohesiveness in the security structure – where there is no rapid response to attacks and ineffective collaboration between the police and the military.
Over the last decade, Nigeria’s economic situation has all but nosedived as the country grapples with high inflation, rising youth unemployment, and the loss of currency valuation. The fortunes of citizens have hardly improved, and 63 percent of people are in multidimensional poverty. Experts say this has pushed many into criminality.
“The economic hardship during this period has only increased and different policies drive different dimensions. As a result, this has led to kidnapping being seen as a viable and profitable endeavour,” said Afolabi Adekaiyaoja, a research analyst at the Abuja-based Centre for Democracy and Development.
The security architecture in Nigeria is also centralised, with authority concentrated in the hands of the federal government and no real state or regional policing independent of that. Experts say this has hindered the ease with which security agents can operate. It has also led to calls for state policing, especially amid criticisms that security agencies do not collaborate effectively.
At an army level, soldiers have complained about low remuneration and substandard weapons. The Nigerian military has been dogged with accusations of corruption, sabotage, connivance and brutality in the past, and this has fractured relationships with communities and potential sources of intelligence.
“This inability is not down to the military alone – there is a cross-government failing in security response,” Adekaiyaoja told Al Jazeera.
“There needs to be a stronger synergy in communal buy-in in securing facilities and also escalating necessary intelligence … There should be a renewed focus on necessary and frankly overdue police reform and a stronger synergy between intelligence and security agencies.”
Nigeria’s insecurity plagues all six of the country’s geopolitical zones, with each facing one or more of the following: armed fighters, farmer-herder clashes, bandits or unknown gunmen, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) separatists, oil bunkering and piracy. This has kept the armed forces busy.
“Our security forces are spread thin. We have six geopolitical zones in Nigeria and there is something that is always happening,” said ACLED’s Ayandele.
What is the toll of the crisis?
Abduction victims who have been released have reported harrowing conditions while in captivity. They are often threatened with death and barely fed as they endure unhygienic, unsavoury living conditions, including sleeping out in the open and trekking long distances into forests where they are kept.
The girls especially are vulnerable to rape and even forced marriages. Adults’ testimonies claim they are routinely beaten and tortured until the captors’ demands have been met.
Experts say the experiences leave victims with serious psychological wounds and trauma.
The fear of their children being abducted has led many parents in hot zones in the northeast and northwest to pull their children out of school entirely to avoid the risk. This is despite the government’s introduction of free and compulsory basic education in schools.
According to UNICEF, 66 percent of all out-of-school children in Nigeria are from the northeast and northwest, which also represent the poorest regions in the country.
“No parent should be put in a situation where they have to make a choice between the lives of their children and getting their children educated,” said #BringBackOurGirls movement’s Yesufu, adding that education is under attack in Nigeria.
As a result, she said illiteracy is then weaponised by the political class, who use people’s lack of information and knowledge to manipulate voters during elections.
But for some girls, the consequences may be even more dire than just losing an education, Yesufu said, as some parents decide to marry their daughters off early to avoid them getting kidnapped or worse. More than half of the girls in Nigeria are currently not attending school at a basic level, and 48 percent of that figure are from the northeast and northwest.
Education is crucial to national growth and development. But Nigeria’s continuing abduction crisis is posing serious challenges to schooling in the worst-affected regions of the northeast and northwest – and experts worry it may have broader implications for the country in the near future.
“This is just a ticking time bomb because when you don’t have a populace that is educated, they can be easily radicalised or recruited into these non-state armed groups,” Ayandele said.
“We don’t know what can happen in the next 20 years if we don’t address this education problem as soon as possible.”
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NYSC member, eight others rescued by Nigeria military
The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe, says its troops on Monday rescued nine kidnap victims abducted by gunmen on 29 March along the Ugheli-Patani axis of the East-West road.
The Commander of the joint military force deployed to the Niger Delta, John Okeke, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday night.
Mr Okeke said that 10 suspected kidnappers were arrested in the rescue of the victims who included an NYSC member and a Navy rating.
“In continuation to ensure safety of lives and property in the Niger Delta Region, the gallant troops of the Joint Task Force South South Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), comprising troops of Quick Response Force (QRF) of Headquarters OPDS, Land, Maritime and Air Components on Monday, April 1, 2024, rescued nine kidnap victims.
“The freed victims were kidnapped on 29 March 2024, along Patani-Ughelli Road in Delta State.
“During the rescue operation, 10 suspects in connection with the kidnap incident were arrested. Amongst the rescued victims is a Naval Rating and an NYSC member,” Okeke said.
The JTF Commander subsequently warned criminal elements within the Niger Delta region to desist from their nefarious activities as there will be no haven for them in the region as troops will not leave any stone unturned in ensuring a conducive environment for the safety of lives and properties.
Mr Okeke also commended the troops for their gallantry and efforts in the rescue operation.
He urged the general public to always provide useful information to security agencies on criminal activities within their communities.
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