NEWS
Group Condemns Herders Attack on Benue Community
From Attah Ede, Makurdi
Ayatutu Cultural and Social Development Initiative (AYACASODI), worldwide on Sunday, condemned the attack on Anyiin and Ayilamo communities, both in Gaambe-Tiev, Logo Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue state by militia herdsmen, which claimed the lives of about 41 persons in two days.
The group which stated this in a statement signed by the President of AYACASODI, worldwide, Chief Timothy Baaki in Makurdi on Sunday, alleged that the military may be complicit in the matter.
Recall that the militia herdsmen had attacked Anyiin on Thursday last week, killing no fewer than 23 persons, they launched another attack on Ayilamo community the next day, Friday, where they killed another 18 persons.
During last Friday’s attack on Ayilamo, apart from attacking the police station in the area, the herdsmen totally sacked Ayilamo community, displacing the people of the area, who are now taking refuge in nearby communities, while scores were injured during the attack.
When contacted by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benue State Command, Sewuese Anene said “I don’t have this information please.”
Also efforts to get the 72 battalion, Makurdi, to speak on the allegation raised by the group were futile.
While Daily Independent was speaking with the officer that is supposed to be the Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the battalion on Sunday, the phone suddenly went dead. Efforts to reach him proved abortive, even as text messages sent to him were not replied.
However, our sources in the area, who spoke with Daily Independent on phone said, “After they (herdsmen) attacked Anyiin on Thursday, they again attacked Ayilamo on Friday. The militia herdsmen have gradually sacked the town of its people.
Corroborating the report of our sources in the area, the President of AYACASODI, Chief Timothy Baaki also alleged that the military men that were deployed to the area to provide security have always turned a blind eye to the acts of bandits.
For instance, he said when the bandits carried out the act on Anyiin, the military did not intervene in the situation where one Tordoo Suswam, a nephew to Senator Gabriel Suswam, a former governor of state was ‘butchered’ right in front of the ‘military base’ in the area, which is headed by men of the 72 battalion, Makurdi.
He stressed the need to conduct an investigation to unravel the level of involvement of the military who were drafted to the area to keep the peace.
He also observed that after the attack on Anyiin, the herdsmen had regrouped at a nearby village from where they launched the attack on Ayilamo.
According to Baaki, “It was alleged that the attackers were in the nearby village of Ugbur, where they were reportedly regrouping for further violence and terror in the region, unfortunately no actions were taken and they again attacked Ayilamo community, Logo LGA, the following night of 31st October 2024, killing and destroying homes.
“They also destroyed the Nigeria Police Station Ayilamo, documents in the station, and freed the inmates, not just that, many people were injured including the Police officer on duty.
According to Baaki, “The Ayatutu Cultural and Social Development Initiative (AYACASODI) worldwide strongly condemn the brutal attack on the peaceful border town of Anyiin, Logo Local Government Area, Benue State.
“Reports indicate that on October 30th, 2024, heavily armed militias suspected to be Fulani and Jukun militias launched a midnight collaborated attack on Anyiin community, killing over 20 innocent people, destroying homes and properties worth millions of Naira, and displacing thousands.
“The continued premeditated attacks on the Tiv nation by Fulani and Jukun militias are highly unbearable. The Fulani herdsmen in collaboration with Jukun militias have continuously launched brutal attacks on Gbeji, Ayati, Ayilamo, Iorza, Mchia, and other Tiv communities which demand the state and federal governments’ intervention.
“AYACASODI worldwide categorically condemns these cruel assaults on defenseless civilians, violating human rights, social justice, and dignity. We sincerely commend the efforts of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), but condemn in totality, the Nigerian Army’s inhumane and indifferent response to the recent attack on Anyiin.
“As the last line of defense for the common man, it is unacceptable that the military personnel led by a Sergeant from 72 Bn Makurdi (names withheld), allegedly stood by idly while innocent lives were lost, some right before their very eyes at the military base.
“It is reported that Bobo Tordoo Suswam, a nephew to H.E. Sen. Dr. Barr. Gabriel Suswam, the former Governor of Benue State and immediate past Senator representing Benue North East, was butchered by the invaders at the gate of his house, directly opposite Corpers’ lodge which is the military base.
“The alleged failure of the military to intervene in such a critical situation raises serious questions about their effectiveness. We urge the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into this gross dereliction of duty and take swift, decisive action to hold those responsible accountable. The people of Anyiin deserve justice, and it is imperative that measures are taken to prevent such atrocities from happening again in the future.”
Subsequently, Baaki called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Hyacinth Alia, and all the heads of security agencies, to take swift and decisive action to forestall future occurrences.
He also urged the Federal and State Governments to “Provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the thousands of displaced individuals in the area in desperate need of food, shelter, medical assistance, and trauma support. We call on the government, humanitarian organizations, and citizens to mobilize relief efforts for these vulnerable populations.
While mourning with families of the victims; Senator Emmanuel Udende, Senator representing Benue North East and Governor Hyacinth Alia, Baaki, encouraged all law-abiding citizens to appeal to the relevant authorities to work towards bringing to an end the fear and sufferings inflicted on innocent lives.
The FCT Customary Court, Dutse, Abuja has appealed to the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to facilitate the renovation of its court complex which fell victim to vandalism and arson during the 2020 EndSARS protests.The President of the Court, Aderinto Adesoji, made the appeal during a resumed hearing in a divorce case between a petitioner, Chiwendu Nwadi and her husband, Emeka Nwadi in Ushafa, Abuja.
The Customary Court, Dutse has been sharing the court complex of a sister court in Ushafa for its sittings following the destruction. of its facilities, four years back.NAN reports that while Customary Court, Ushafa, the real owner of the facility, has its sittings on Monday, Wednesday and Friday in a week, the Dutse court has its sittings on Tuesday and Thursday. Report says that Dutse and Ushafa are communities in Bwari Area Council of the FCT and they are about 17 kilometres apart.Addressing lawyers to the parties in the divorce case, when they were finding it difficult to agree on a date for next hearing in the matter, the President of the court said it is a recurrent challenge in matters before the courtAccording to him, the constraint of the panel, sitting only twice in a week has grossly affected quick dispensation of justice.He said most cases before the cout involve families, in particular, custody of children which require urgent adjudication, and should not be encumbered.Adesoji said, considering the fact that lawyers and their clients are affected by the constraints, the NBA should take steps to ensure that the appropriate authorities renovate the Dutse court complex.He said promises have been made by the association to that effect in the past, but they were yet to be actualised.Responding to the President’s appeal, Mr Moses Ibe, the lawyer to the petitioner promised the court that he would convey the message to the NBA, Bwari branch for necessary action.Ibe said this in an interview after the court session, that the distance of the court to its jurisdiction and the restrictive days of sittings have affected quick dispensation of justice.He said the essence of building the Dutse court was to bring justice closer to the people, but it has been defeated by the failure of appropriate authorities to renovate it for useThe Counsel promised to officially write to the NBA, Bwari branch to convey the Judge’s message and request for interventionAccording to Ibe, the Dutse court complex, used to serve as the Secretariat of the NBA Bwari branch, before it was vandalised and set ablaze by the EndSARS protesters.Meanwhile, the court has adjourned further hearing in the divorce petition until Oct. 21 to enable the respondent file his reply.Adesoji and other members of the panel, Nana Atipkoru, Aisha Hamza adjourned the case following the position of the respondent’s lawyer, Cornelius Simon, that his client was not served with the “particular of claims” in the petition.The panel directed that all necessary processes should be filed and served before the adjourned date so that the case would be fixed for definite hearing.The panel also ordered that the parties should maintain the status quo, particularly, as regards the custody of the children – the last child is with the petitioner, while the other two are in the custody of the respondent.In the case, the petitioner is seeking, among others, the dissolution of her 13 years marriage with her husband on the ground that “the union has broken down irretrievably”.She alleged that the husband, “is a man of unimaginable violence and cruelty, fetish, a serial wife beater and adulterer’The petitioner alleged that her husband deliberately poisoned her drink which led to losing her pregnancy.According to the petitioner, the union, consummated in 2011, under the native law and custom, as well as exchange of marital vows in a Church, has produced three children, ages, 12 years, 11 years and 2 years.She urged the court to dissolve the marriage, grant custody of the three children to her and restrain the husband from using thugs or any security agents to harass her. (NAN)
The Northern Youths Assembly has cautioned the National Assembly against passing the Tax Reforms Bill from the executive before the legislature.This is contained in an open letter to the lawmakers signed by the group’s President, Dr Ali Mohammed, and Secretary-General, Dr Garba Abduljafiz and made available to newsmen in Kano on Thursday.
The group said the bill, if passed into law, would not be in the interest of the people, particularly youths, urging for broader consultation on matters of that nature. The youths urged the National Assembly to concentrate on youth-friendly laws to safeguard the country’s future instead.“The youth are Nigeria’s future, “and our prosperity hinges on investments in education, skills development, and job creation.“As the largest political demography in the nation, youth must have a say in laws and policies that directly impact the country’s future.“We call for the creation of a special place at the centre, to allow the youths to contribute to solutions that may promote sustainable development, job creation, and economic empowerment,” the group said.The group urged the lawmakers to focus more on making laws that would improve investment climate and job creation.“We urge the National Assembly members to direct their resources and energy towards creating laws that would prioritise and encourage foreign investment.“The laws should encourage skills development and jobs creation for the teeming population of the youths, to improve measures that risk stifling the Nigerian economic opportunity.“We also urge them to stop complying with the dictates and advisory of the agents of destruction, IMF and World.“We must stay away from the trap of the IMF and World Bank, as they are all out to destroy our country through their ill-formulated policies and misleading advisory’’, the group said. (NAN)
The Defence Headquarters has confirmed the emergence of a new terrorists’ group known as ‘Lukarawas’ exacerbating insecurity in the North Western part of Nigeria.The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, made this known while briefing newsmen on the operations of the military on Thursday in Abuja.
Buba said that the new terror group emerged from the Republic of Niger after the coup that led to the breakdown of military cooperation between Nigeria and Niger. He said that the terrorists began incursion into northern parts of Sokoto and Kebbi States from the Niger Republic and Mali axis, particularly after the coup in Niger Republic.According to him, prior to the coup, there were joint border operations with Nigerien security forces which kept the terrorist at bay.“The terrorists took advantage of the gaps in cooperation between both countries and exploited difficult terrains to make incursions in remote areas in some North Western states to spread their ideology,” he said.Buba said that the group was accommodated by the locals who initially thought that the group meant well for them, adding that they failed to report the movement to the military and security agencies.He gave assurance that toops had sustained Imtelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) to degrade the terrorists.He added that the terror group had continued to take advantage of the vast under-governed areas to hide and evade troops as well as harass the locals.According to him, troops are locating them and eliminating the threat. (NAN)
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