COVER
Tragic Weekend: Many Killed in Clash, Stampede
From Joseph Hans Apuu, Lafia, Attah Ede, Makurdi
Nine persons were killed, several homes razed, barns destroyed and cattle rustled following a violent clash between youths in Ponglong area of Lalin district, Mikang Local Government Area of Plateau state.
The communal clash between Montol and Taroh ethnic groups in Ponglong community happened on Saturday night.
The Transition Chairman of the council, Mr Daniel Kungmi said the clash which started between two persons led to youths taking up arms.
Trouble started around 6pm on Saturday following a farmland dispute.
Though security operatives had calmed down the situation, colossal damage had already been done.
The chairman of the local council said, “Within a short while, the situation degenerated leading to burning down of houses and barns.
“Several criminal elements took advantage of the unfortunate situation and rustled cattle.
“Immediately we got the news of the clash, we called on security operatives who moved swiftly to the affected community to restore law and order.
“I just returned from the community and the situation is under control, but we cannot ascertain the number of persons killed in the clash.
“I call on the people to be more tolerable and cautious of undesirable elements that might want to take advantage of the unfortunate situation to inflict harm on innocent persons.”
Stampede Nasarawa, Bauchi
It was equally a sad weekend for the Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) where two students lost their lives and 17 others injured in a stampede during palliative distribution by the Nasarawa State government.
Dr Ahmed Kana, the Head of Clinical Medical Services, Federal Medical Centre, Keffi confirmed the death to newsmen.
According to Kana, two students were confirmed dead, both females while out of the 17 injured students brought to the medical centre, only one was a male.
“For now most of them are stable and we are resuscitating others and by God’s grace some of them will go home very soon.
“What is important for us now is to treat the emergency cases and ensure there is no more fatality,” he said.
It would be recalled that Governor Abdullahi Sule, during a visit to the Federal University Lafia; College of Education, Akwanga; College of Agriculture, Lafia; among others and donated 7.5 kg packs of rice and N5,000 cash to students to cushion the economic hardship experienced across the country.
The governor was scheduled to extend similar gesture to the students of NSUK on Friday but even before his arrival, students had thronged the location of the palliative distribution, the university convocation square and looted the food resulting in stampede.
The Vice Chancellor of NSUK, Prof. Suleiman Bala expressed shock over the tragic incident.
Addressing the press, Bala lamented the loss of lives, describing the day as a sombre one in the annals of NSUK’s history.
He said that the state government had provided palliatives consisting two bags of rice accompanied by monetary assistance to over 4,000 students.
He said the distribution process was marred by impatience, resulting in the stampede and subsequent casualties.
The governor in a press statement on Friday by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Adra expressed profound shock and sadness over the stampede.
The governor directed the authorities of the university and security agencies to commence immediate investigation into the unfortunate occurrence with a view to unveiling those behind it.
The statement reads, “Governor Sule deeply regrets the tragic death of two students of the institution in this needless stampede motivated by crime.
“Such distribution was a huge success and peacefully carried out at Federal University, Lafia, Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, Lafia, College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia, the School of Nursing, Lafia as well as the College of Education, Akwanga.
“I pray their souls rest in peace. Our thoughts and condolences go to their families and friends at this moment of grief.
“These young people’s lives cut short in their prime under such circumstance is painful.”
Similarly, four persons were confirmed dead in a stampede during the distribution of alms by a philanthropist in Bauchi, Bauchi State.
The spokesperson of the Bauchi State Police Command, Mr Ahmed Wakil said the incident occured on Sunday at the AYM Shafa Holdings Office, when hundreds of people gathered to collect alms from a philanthropist, Alhaji Yakubu Maishanu.
He said the command received a distress call from the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), about the victims being rushed to the facility for medical attention.
“The Commissioner of Police, Auwal Musa directed for urgent action and mobilised personnel to the scene.
“The police operative joined the rescue operation, cordoned off the area to prevent further casualties while the exercise was stopped,” he said.
Wakil said that four females had been confirmed dead by a medical doctor while others were receiving treatment at the hospital.
The spokesman urged individuals and organisations engaged in philanthropist and humanitarian services to report to the police and make adequate arrangements in their distribution exercises to forestall future occurrences.
Gunmen Kidnaps 10 passengers in Benue
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers reportedly kidnapped 10 passengers at Jootar community in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
Jootar is located between Taraba/Benue States borders.
A local who spoke on condition of anonymity told journalists on phone that the driver of the affected vehicle who escaped being kidnapped narrated the attack.
He disclosed that the driver of the Sharon vehicle explained that he picked up 10 passengers at Takum Junction in Wukari, Taraba State heading to Gboko in Benue State when the incident happened.
“The driver told me he was to drop them [passengers] in Gboko where they would get another vehicle to Akure in Ondo State.
“They took his phone. He had to use somebody’s phone to call me as soon as the incident happened. He is somebody I know very well.
“The incident happened around noon on Friday. That is what he told me. He picked them up from Takum, and the incident happened just 2kilomrtres to Jootar, Ukum LGA,” the source explained.
The driver was said to have reported the case at the Jootar police station.
When contacted, the lawmaker who represents Ukum State Constituency in the State Assembly, Ezra Nyiyongo said he received such a report.
He said, “I was told that a vehicle was intercepted. According to what I heard since I am not the one who spoke with the driver, he said he picked those people from Wukari, Taraba State, conveying them to Gboko.
“From Gboko, according to him, they were going to Akure for menial jobs. I am not quite sure. I am just reporting from the driver’s words. They were intercepted in Jootar in Ukum LGA.”
“This guy [driver] called me that his vehicle was stopped by heavily armed gunmen.
“They took his bus, abandoned him and drove into the bush with 10 persons who looked like artisans whom he was supposed to drop off in Gboko.”
The chairman of Ukum Local Government Area, Victor Iorzaa said he could not confirm the incident, stating that both the Divisional Police Officer and the Chief Security Officer of the local government area said they did not have such report.
Also, the state Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adesina said the command was not aware of the incident.
Crash Claims Mother, Injures Three Children
Another tragic event was a crash that resulted in the death of mother and injury of three of her children in Ikorodu area of Lagos.
Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos State, Benjamin Hundeyin said the Ikorodu Police Division received information of the accident on Friday at about 9:41pm.
According to him, the information received revealed that on same Friday, at about 9:35 pm, in front of Ikorodu Radio Solebo along Igbogbo Road Ikorodu, the accident occurred.
He said, “There occurred a fatal motor/pedestrian accident involving a Mercedes Benz C350 car driven by a 22-year-old man (name withheld) and pedestrians.
”he victims: one Ngozi, 40, her three children ages 16, 14 and 13. The driver was said to have lost control of his car while coming from Igbogbo, heading towards Ebute and hit the said Ngozi and her three children.
“They were said to be selling groundnut at the scene of incident. As a result of the accident, the victims sustained different degrees of injuries.
“They were all rushed to the Ikorodu General Hospital by the police, where the mother was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty while her three children were admitted for medical treatment.”
Hundeyin said that the corpse of the mother had been deposited at the mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
He said that the driver was in police custody for investigation.
By David Torough, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said even though citizens of Nigeria have the constitutional right to carry out peaceful protest to express their feelings, it would not allow anarchy to destroy the country by some unscrupulous elements.The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.
-Gen. Edward Buba said this while briefing newsmen on the operations of the armed forces yesterday in Abuja. Daily Asset reports that on Oct. 20, 2020 soldiers opened fire on End SARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate (Admiralty Circle Plaza) in Lagos State causing the death of protesters.Buba alleged that the planned nationwide protest has the potential of degenerating into anarchy and reign of terror based on the situational analysis by the military high command.He said the military had thoroughly examined several factors such as whether or not the planned protest was motivated by opposition politics, independent parties, sovereign interference or terrorist groups amongst others.He said it was also examined to ascertain whether or not other organisations had fed on the frustrations of Nigerians to create the situation.“However, for us in the military, the constitution is clear as to how and when the military gets involved.“The constitution also clearly defines the roles and functions of the armed forces.“On the other hand, while citizens have a constitutional right to peaceful protest, they do not have a right to mobilise for anarchy in order to unleash terror.“The contemporary context of the planned protest is to shadow happenings in Kenya which has so far been violent and unresolved to date.“Given the situation, there are already indicators that unscrupulous elements are bent on hijacking the planned protest for violent purposes,” he said.Buba revealed that there were signs of status related violence such that persons with things as basic as smart phones and cars were targets, not leaving out those that own houses and shops.Other targets, according to him include: places of worship, businesses, markets, persons of other ethnic groups and members of opposing political parties among others.“Based on the foregoing, the level of violence envisaged is best described as a state of anarchy.“It is for this reason the armed forces will not watch and allow the nation spiral out of control to such low levels.“Basically, the military has been exposed to wars and has witnessed situations of anarchy in countries ravaged by war, particularly during ECOMOG or during peacekeeping operations.“It is for this reason that troops will act dutifully to forestall such ugly occurrences from happening in our nation,” he added.Buba urged the citizens to note that both the timing and the atmosphere of hardship in the country had made the planned protest different from others in the past.He added that it was incumbent upon all to quench the fires of violence rather than ignite them.“It is time to let cool heads prevail in order for the government to further remedy the situation and make our nation flourish again,” he added.On the operations of the military across the country, Buba said troops eliminated 106 terrorists, apprehended 164 others and rescued 103 hostages in different operations in the last one week.He said the troops recovered 125 assorted weapons and 1,522 ammunition, comprising 41 AK47 rifles, one PKT gun, 24 locally fabricated guns, 28 dane guns and one pump action gun.Buba said the troops recovered 755 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 623 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 102 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm, 63 live cartridges and 247 empty cases of 7.62mm ammo.“Others are: 22 AK47 magazines, one baofeng radio, 22 vehicles, 31 motorcycles, two bicycles, 10 mobile phones and the sum of N2.9 amongst other items,” he said.In the North-east, Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai recorded successes leading to the surrendering of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists and their families within the week.He said a total of 1,760 BH/ISWAP terrorists’ fighters and family members consisting 117 male adults, 345 adult females and 628 children surrendered within the week.According to him, troops neutralised 41 terrorists, arrested 27 suspects and rescued 16 kidnapped hostages as well as recovery of a cache of arms and ammunition.In the North-central, Buba said the troops of Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke eliminated 12 insurgents, arrested 39 violent extremists and rescued 39 kidnapped hostages within the week.According to him, troops neutralised 41 terrorists, arrested 27 suspects and rescued 16 kidnapped hostages as well as recovery of a cache of arms and ammunition.In the North-central, Buba said the troops of Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke eliminated 12 insurgents, arrested 39 violent extremists and rescued 39 kidnapped hostages within the week.He said the troops recovered several arms and ammunition comprising 21 AK47 rifles, 14 fabricated pistols, 15 dane guns, 285 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, and 200 rounds of 7.62mm NATO.In the North-west, Buba said the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji neutralised 22 terrorists, arrested 23 terrorists and rescued 32 kidnapped hostages as well as recovered a cache of arms.Under Operation Whirl Punch, he said the troops neutralised eight terrorists, arrested 20 suspects and rescued 12 kidnapped hostages as well as recovered arms and the sum of N2.9 million amongst others.In the Niger Delta, Buba said the troops of Operation Delta Safe had maintained momentum against the activities of crude oil thieves, destroying several illegal refining sites and recovered stolen products.He said the troops recovered 802,200 litres of stolen crude oil, 121,900 litres of illegally refined AGO and 450 litres of DPK within the week.According to him, troops discovered and destroyed 20 dugout pits, 24 boats and 34 storage tanks, as well as recovered 56 cooking ovens, two speedboats, 14 pumping machines, 18 drums, 22 vehicles and motorcycles.He added that a total of 36 illegal refining sites were destroyed while a total of 32 suspected oil thieves and other violent extremists were apprehended in the region.In the South-east, the defence spokesman said the troops of Operation UDO KA neutralised three terrorists, arrested 22 violent extremists and rescued four kidnapped hostages.“Troops recovered one pump action gun, 31 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 23 cartridges, one baofeng radio, six mobile phones amongst other.“All recovered items, arrested suspects and rescued hostages were handed over to the relevant authorities for further action,” he said.
By David Torough, Abuja
Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has solicited the support of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in streamlining the state’s economy to engender economic growth, employment, the development of vital infrastructure and technology, as well as enhance financial inclusion.
The governor made the appeal when he paid a courtesy visit to the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso in Abuja. This was contained in a Statement on Thursday by the Principal Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Publicity and Communications Strategy, Bridget Tikyaa. He said that Benue State has vast opportunities in agriculture, solid minerals, and other areas which it wanted the CBN to support the government to fully harness for local and international markets.Alia also urged the apex bank to support the state with its expertise in developing appropriate data in all the key areas of development for proper planning and strategic engagement with investors.Alia told the CBN Governor that the state’s newly created Bureau of Statistics aims at enhancing the state’s statistical systems, boosting our economy through job creation and foreign exchange activities and supporting agricultural sector.The governor said, “We seek your support in providing system strengthening and equipment infrastructure for the Benue State Bureau of Statistics.“This support will not only benefit the Benue State Government but will also enhance the capabilities of the CBN and Nigeria at large.“A well-supported statistical system ensures we have reliable data to guide our economic policies and development strategies.”Alia reeled out other areas of support and collaboration with the CBN to boost the economy of Benue State.These include support for the Benue State Bureau of Statistics to generate accurate data and conduct analysis.The governor sought CBN’s support in implementing favourable monetary policies to stabilise the economy and control inflation.He also sought for the training and capacity-building programmes for financial managers and policymakers in the state to enhance their ability to manage the state economy more effectively.The governor requested the CBN to facilitate partnership with development finance institutions to fund large-scale projects such as agricultural mechanization, industrial parks, special economic zones, and major infrastructure projects to spur economic development across the state.Alia urged the apex bank to work with the Benue State Government to develop and implement policies that improve the business environment, reduce bureaucracy, and attract domestic and foreign investments.Other areas, he said, were in providing technical assistance and support for economic planning, budget management, and the implementation of economic reforms to strengthen the state’s economic framework.He said there was a need to encourage the adoption of digital finance solutions and innovations to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and broaden access to financial services across the state.The governor appreciated the CBN for its support to the state, including the release of 60 trailers loaded with fertiliser, which was distributed to farmers to boost food production and achieve food security.In his remarks, Cordoso commended Alia for the visit and thanked him for the initiatives aimed at diversifying the economy.Cordoso noted that prevailing insecurity in food producing areas and high cost of transportation of farm produce are also contributing to the rise in food inflation in the country.He said the increasing activities of middlemen who often finance smallholder farmers, aggregate, hoard and move farm produce across the border to neighbouring countries, has contributed to the problem of scarcity of foodstuffs across the country.The CBN governor said there was a need to check such activities in order to address the food supply deficit in the Nigerian market and moderate food prices.The CBN governor assured the Governor that the bank would ensure credit development financial institutions, the Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture partner the state for more grants and loan facilities for effective growth and development in various sectors.He assured the governor that the CBN was ready to work with the Benue state government in various areas to boost the state’s economy.
By Lubem Myaornyi, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu extended his heartfelt commiserations to the family of the late Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu who passed away yesterday.Chief Iwuanyanwu who was the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide was an accomplished businessman and notable politician.
Tinubu condoled with the Imo State Government, the friends and associates of the deceased, and Ndi Igbo over this irreparable loss. The president affirmed that the departed elder statesman will always be remembered for his remarkable legacy and prayed for the repose of his soul and comfort to his family. The son of the deceased, Jide Iwuanyanwu announced his demise in a statement yesterday in Owerri.The statement read, “The Iwuanyanwu family of Umuohii Atta in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State announces the demise of our patriarch, Engr Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu-Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo.“Chief Iwuanyanwu died on Thursday, July 25, 2024, after a brief illness. He was aged 82.“Chief Iwuanyanwu is survived by his wife Lady Princess Iwuanyanwu many children and grandchildren including Dr Mrs Nwadiuto Iheakanwa Managing Director Champion Newspapers. Details of the burial will be announced later by the family after due consultations.”
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