NEWS
Terrorism: Miyetti Allah Condemns Report on North Central
From Jude Dangwam, Jos
The Legal Officer of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Plateau State, Barr. Salisu Isa has reacted to a report detailing violent deaths in some parts of Nigeria, saying it is a product of flawed research work.
A report by the Observatory of Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) has shown that over 55,910 civilian deaths were recorded in Nigeria during a comprehensive four-year study from October 2019 to September 2023.
Isa said, “Thank God I’m from Plateau State in the North Central part of Nigeria.
It is true that there have been killings over the years in these areas mentioned but I don’t know how they come about this conclusion.“Until I see the methodology they deployed in arriving at this report…But I want to tell you that I cannot agree with the report that the perpetrators of these killings are Fulanis.
“I agree that there are criminals among the Fulanis just like any other ethnic nationalities, but coming to the conclusion that the killings are perpetrated by Fulani ethnic militia, I disagree.
“A lot of Fulanis are also casualties in these killings within the zone. There are so many animals that have been rustled, and when our people go after their cattle it becomes a problem.
“Fulanis live in rural areas and some of these organizations easily meet people in the city and towns and collect information without going to meet the Fulani in the rural areas to also hear from them.”
The research highlights the escalating violence particularly in the North Central Zone and Southern Kaduna higher, where widespread mass killings, abductions, and family torture are reported to occur with minimal intervention from security forces.
This was contained in a statement issued to newsmen in Jos, Plateau State by Frans Vierhout, the Data Scientist at ORFA, attributing the key drivers to the ravaging activities of suspected Fulani Ethnic Militia (FEM) in the country.
The release notes that by the end of 2023, the International Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) reported that 3.3 million Nigerians were forcibly displaced from their homes, surviving in makeshift camps.
Vierhout noted that data from the years of research has indicated that FEM’s violent activities are predominantly concentrated in the North Central zone and Southern Kaduna areas that have suffered significantly from their attacks.
The report said while military resources are concentrated in the North-East and North-West of Nigeria, lot of FEM’s atrocities occur in the areas studied.
The report reads in path, “Across the country, over 11,000 incidents of extreme violence took place during the data period, with more than 55,000 killings and 21,000 abductions.
“In the North Central zone alone, 3,007 incidents of extreme violence occurred, 2,010 incidents involved killings, 700 were abduction incidents, and 297 were a combination of killings and abductions.
“The Fulani Ethnic Militia (FEM) killed at least 42% of all civilians, while Boko Haram and ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) combined killed 10%.
“FEM, an ethno-religious terror group is considered by many security experts to be a ‘twin’ of Islamists killing and kidnapping civilians in Northern Nigeria. Land-based community attacks form the largest category of civilian killings (81%).
“FEM invade small Christian farming settlements to kill, rape, abduct, and burn homes. 2.7 Christians were killed for every Muslim in the reporting period.
“Islamist extremists kill both Muslims and Christians although Christian death tolls are far higher. Proportional loss: in states where attacks occur, proportional loss to Christian communities is exceptionally high.
“In terms of state populations, 6.5 times as many Christians are being murdered as Muslims.”
Vierhout also pointed that the ORFA data project also uncovers a troubling trend in abductions across Nigeria, with incidents rising during the four-year period.
The statistics indicate that 1,665 people were abducted in 2020, 5,907 in 2021, 7,705 in 2022, and 6,255 in 2023.
Furthermore, the data shows Christians are 1.4 times more likely to be abducted than Muslims, with an estimated 5.1 Christians abducted for every Muslim within local populations.
“This pattern underscores the targeted nature of these kidnappings, especially by the Fulani Ethnic Militia (FEM), which often focuses on Christian communities.
“It also reveals that analysts like Rev. Dr. Gideon Para-Mallam recognize this as a component of a larger strategy to destabilize and terrorize vulnerable groups,” Vierhout stated.
The Data Scientist maintained that the report underscores the alarming trend of mass violence that has largely gone unchallenged as security agencies focus on remote targets rather than addressing the immediate needs of local communities.
The report therefore called upon the international community to pay close attention to the alarming findings, emphasizing the critical need for increased global involvement in combating the trend of human rights violations, illustrating a narrative of “besieged communities and government indecision” .
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will step down from his cabinet position if President Bola Tinubu fails to secure victory in both the FCT and Rivers State in the upcoming 2027 presidential election.
Speaking during an engagement with leadership and members of the Apo Mechanics and Traders Association in Abuja, Wike stated that his continued tenure as a cabinet minister is directly tied to his ability to deliver political results for the president in his primary areas of influence.
Setting a specific timeline, the Minister announced that should the ruling party lose in the FCT and Rivers State at the presidential poll scheduled for January 16, 2027, he will formally tender his resignation the very next day.
“If I cannot deliver where I work, then I’m not worthy to be here,” Wike said, emphasizing that his political mandate requires concrete electoral success.
“If I lose FCT, I’m not supposed to be FCT Minister. By January 17, 2027, I will announce my resignation as FCT Minister should the President lose in Rivers State and the FCT,” he stressed.
Outlining his political strategy for the territory, Wike revealed that the administration is building a multi-party coalition to secure victory across various elective offices in the FCT.
He explicitly endorsed candidates across legislative tiers while reiterating total support for the president’s re-election bid.
“Let us be clear on direction: for the Presidency, it is Bola Ahmed Tinubu! For the Senate, Philip Aduda is a man of the people, unlike those who only appear on television. The two House of Representatives candidates we are supporting are also here. They are former Area Council chairmen.
“In the FCT, we are running a unified coalition across parties to deliver results.
“If I cannot deliver FCT as Minister, then I am not qualified to hold this office. We have a firm agreement, and today is the final affirmation.”
The announcement comes amid ongoing efforts by the FCT Administration to resolve the long-standing relocation and land allocation exercise for thousands of traders and mechanics operating within the Apo Mechanic Village corridor.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has extended the deadline for candidates with outstanding admission offers from the 2021 to 2025 admission exercises to Nov. 30, 2026.
JAMB spokesman, Dr.
Fabian Benjamin, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.Benjamin said the extension followed the temporary unavailability of the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) for about 96 hours.
He said the extension would give affected candidates a final opportunity to either accept or reject their outstanding admission offers.
“The Board has approved Nov. 30, 2026 as the final deadline for candidates in this category to indicate whether they wish to accept or reject their outstanding admission offers,” he said.
He recalled that the Board extended the deadline to Sept. 30, 2026, adding that the recent disruption to CAPS necessitated the further extension.
Benjamin warned that candidates who failed to act by Nov. 30 would no longer be allowed to accept or reject the outstanding offers within the current window.
“Any subsequent request to update an admission record relating to these previous years will attract the applicable penalty fee,” he said.
He said candidates whose admissions were not on the matriculation list could face difficulties accessing benefits, including participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
The spokesman advised all affected candidates to take action before the deadline rather than wait until the last day.
He said candidates who accepted their offers would be able to print their admission letters, while those who rejected them would have their dashboards reverted to “Not Admitted”.
According to him, the process would enable JAMB to update its records and ensure that the national admission database accurately reflected candidates’ current status.
Benjamin said candidates no longer studying at the institutions where they were offered admission could accept the offer and later apply for correction or deletion, where applicable.
He added that candidates currently pursuing a second degree programme, but still having an unaccepted admission offer from a previous year could reject the old offer and continue with their current programme.
“Candidates who have been offered admission in the 2026 admission exercise but still have an outstanding admission offer from an earlier year have no cause for apprehension.
“Such candidates may reject the previous admission offer, and doing so will not affect their 2026 admission,” he said.
Benjamin said the extension was also aimed at helping JAMB maintain accurate and reliable national admission records.
He reiterated that Nov. 30, 2026 was the final deadline for accepting or rejecting outstanding admissions from the 2021 to 2025 admission exercises.
“At the expiration of the deadline, all outstanding admission offers from these years that have neither been accepted nor rejected will automatically revert to ‘Not Admitted’ status on the Board’s records,” he said.
He urged all affected candidates to take immediate action, stressing that failure to accept an admission offer within the stipulated period could render the offer invalid.(NAN)
From Attah Ede, Makurdi
The Board of Directors of the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC) has inspected the ongoing maintenance and rehabilitation works at Taraku Mills Limited, ahead of the planned test run of the factory.
The inspection, led by the Group Managing Director of BIPC, Dr.
Raymond Asemakaha, CFA, provided members of the Board with an opportunity to assess the level of work carried out at the facility and preparations for the commencement of operations.Conducting the Board around the factory, Dr. Asemakaha explained the progress made so far and assured that the facility would be test-run during the weekend as part of efforts to prepare the mill for full-scale production.
The Board Chairman, Lady Elizabeth M.N. Shuluwa, commended the GMD, the technical team and staff of Taraku Mills for their commitment and dedication towards restoring the facility to productive use.
Lady Shuluwa also expressed appreciation to the Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, for his support and commitment to the revival of the state’s industrial assets.
She called on the people of Benue State to support the efforts to revive Taraku Mills and other state-owned industries, stressing the importance of collective ownership and support for initiatives aimed at creating jobs, boosting economic activities and improving the state’s industrial base.
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