Sultan demands probe of killings across Nigeria, as Buhari says no tolerance for killings, kidnappings anymore

*Herdsmen, N-Delta militants, kidnapping, threats to peace — FG

*Numan: Amnesty Int’l’s allegations full of lies – Nigerian Air Force

*FG determined to resolve herdsmen, farmers’ clashes — Osinbajo

The Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman, National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) has urged the Federal Government to end the senseless killings in the country, saying that life was too sacred to be wasted.

The Sultan called on the Federal Government to institute a high powered commission of inquiry to investigate the killings across the country.

Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar made the call in his opening remarks at the NCTRN’s General Assembly in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

In the meantime, the Sultan, in his opening remarks charged traditional rulers to be role models in all their dealings.

He noted that any government that relegated traditional rulers to the background would suffer setback in its attempt to take governance to the grassroots.

Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar III spoke, just as President Muhammadu Buhari, on the same occasion, vowed that his administration would no longer tolerate acts of killings and kidnapping for ransom by armed gangs in the country.

Buhari further expressed worry that the recent upsurge in insecurity in different parts of the country has affected the nation’s development, adding that his administration would not fail to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The President’s warning came two days after suspected militiamen reportedly attacked a Fulani community at a Nasarawa/Benue border town leaving two Fulani missing and over 70 of their cows killed.

His warning might also be a response to reported attack by unknown gunmen, who killed an official of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), while his group was busy working on the petroleum pipeline at Tse Torkula, a border community in Guma Local Government Area, between Nasarawa and Benue states.

This is even as Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Tuesday, described Niger Delta militants activities, herdsmen/farmers clashes and kidnapping for ransom by armed gangs as a threat to the peace of Nigeria.

President Buhari spoke in Port Harcourt while declaring open the 9th General Assembly of National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, NCTRN, with the theme: ‘Community Policing as a Catalyst to Crime Prevention – The Role of Traditional Rulers.’

Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Interior, Lt. General Abduraham Dambazau, said: “I am very worried and saddened about the persistent killings and kidnappings happening in our country, especially the wastage of innocent lives in different parts of the country by whatever means it is done, particularly in Benue State.

“I have, therefore, directed that no effort should be spared in identifying and bringing to justice all those that are carrying out the acts. I have also directed the Chief of Army Staff to relocate to the North East to ensure that the activities of Boko Haram are stopped.”

However, the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, called on the Federal Government to decentralize policing, adding that the security of the nation would be achieved if governors were given charge to control the security of their states.

Wike noted that the centralization of police has made security of the nation not to be achievable, revealing that his administration has sent a bill to the State Assembly for the establishment of Neighbourhood Security Corps, which would begin the process in the state.

He said: “The Benue killings have exposed the weakness of our system, centralization of policing, because state governors do not have the right to take charge of security.

“Centralized policing has failed in managing the Nigerian security situation. Central policing is out of tune; we need to effect the necessary steps to bring state policing to reality.  Already, we have forwarded a bill to establish a neighbourhood security corps to compliment the policing of the state.”

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, in his keynote address, noted that the issues of community policing were relevant to the security challenges and in line with President Buhari’s resolve to provide adequate security to the nation.

Idris noted that effective policing of the nation would not be achieved easily without the assistance of the traditional rulers, adding that they (traditional rulers) commanded the respect of their subjects.

Threats to security— Lai Mohammed

Meanwhile, Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that herdsmen activities, Niger Delta militancy and kidnapping for ransom by armed men constituted a threat to the nation’s security.

Mohammed, who spoke at a conference, entitled “Culture, Peace and National Security:  The role of Traditional rulers’’ in Ibadan, said the nation would witness no development in the midst of threat to peace.

The minister, who was represented by the Deputy Director, External Culture and Relations in the country, Mr. Richard Makam, said: “President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated that entrenching national security is a top priority of his administration. This is because the socio-economic initiatives of his government cannot be successfully implemented without adequate security.

“He has, therefore, put measures in place to ensure that threats to peace and security are promptly dealt with. Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, restiveness in the Niger Delta, incidences of kidnapping and armed robbery and recently, conflicts between herdsmen and host communities are some of these threats to peace.”

CP Owoseni blames bandits, as Gunmen kill NNPC official

In a similar development, unknown gunmen have attacked and killed an official of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, while his group was busy working on the petroleum pipeline at Tse Torkula a border community between Nasarawa and Benue state in Guma Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered Tuesday that the NNPC officials were working on the pipeline from Nasarawa State when they came under heavy attack from the armed men which also left some of the officials injured and hospitalized.

Confirming the development, Benue State Police Commissioner, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, said the attack could be regarded as the handiwork of bandits operating in the area.

He said: “We had an incident in one of our border areas. Though I am yet to get the full details but I got the report that indicated that some persons from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, had come to do something on the petroleum pipeline within the border areas, one person was attacked by a bandit and he was killed.

“But I must tell you, like I said, I’ve not got the full report.  However, the thing is that the team that came had something to do on the pipeline. It’s not as if we are shifting blame but the team had 16 soldiers and I think about 10 mobile policemen that followed them.

“We at the Benue State Police command were not aware of their presence here and I think they were working along the pipeline from Nasarawa State until they got there.

“Even the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in that area did know that they were there. But we need to get proper briefing from the group.”

Speaking further, Owoseni appealed to members of the public to work closely with the Police by providing required information to the command that would help it fight crime effectively in the state.

“The Inspector General of Police, IGP, has prioritized the security, safety and protection of all Nigerian citizens because it’s from their taxes that we are paid. So we owe the people that responsibility,’’ he said.

Amnesty Int’l, NAF trade words

Meanwhile, Amnesty International and the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, Tuesday traded words over air raids in some communities in the North which claimed lives and property in Numan, Adamawa State.

While Amnesty International accused security agencies, especially Nigerian Air Force, of conducting air raids which often led to more deaths whenever they were called in to tackle herders/farmers clashes, NAF headquarters described the allegation as baseless, declaring that its fighter aircraft were never used to attack or destroy any particular group of persons nor set any village on fire during the December 4 clashes between Fulani herdsmen and local farmers in Numan, Adamawa State.

In a statement late Monday night, Osai Ojigho, Country Director of Amnesty International, called on the government to find a lasting solution to the crisis.

She said: “The Nigerian authorities’ response to communal violence is totally inadequate, too slow and ineffective, and in some cases unlawful.

“Clashes between herdsmen and farmers in Adamawa, Benue, Taraba, Ondo and Kaduna have resulted in 168 deaths in January 2018 alone.

“Hundreds of people lost their lives last year, and the government is still not doing enough to protect communities from these violent clashes. Worse, the killers are getting away with murder.”

She said in 2017, 549 deaths were recorded across 14 states, while thousands were displaced.

“In 2017, clashes between nomadic herdsmen and local farmers resulted in at least 549 deaths and thousands displaced across Enugu, Benue, Taraba, Zamfara, Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Cross Rivers, Adamawa, Katsina, Delta and Ekiti states,” she said.

“The government must totally overturn its response to these deadly clashes to avoid this crisis getting out of control. They need to investigate and bring suspects to justice.”

NAF refutes Amnesty International’s allegations

But NAF in a strongly worded statement, said:  “It was the timely intervention of the NAF that stopped a huge mass of hoodlums from burning down Numan, where they were obviously heading.’’

Insisting that the allegation by Amnesty International were full of lies, the Airforce stated further:  “Had the hoodlums succeeded, they would have killed several individuals and burnt or destroyed more properties.

“It is better imagined how many more lives would have been lost without the timely and wise intervention of the NAF.

“At no time has the NAF been involved in settling any “herdsmen-farmers” clash in the Numan general area.

“The NAF, either with its aircraft or by any other means, did not set any villages near Numan on fire on December  4, 2017, or at any other time.

“NAF’s aircraft was not used to kill anyone in the villages around Numan during the crisis of December 4, 2017.  Amnesty International should produce credible evidence to substantiate its baseless allegations that NAF air attacks led to the destruction in the villages as well as loss of lives, failing which it should go to the press and retract its allegations.”

Giving further details of the NAF’s position, the statement signed by Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, Director of Public Relations and Information, said:  “The attention of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has been drawn to allegations by Amnesty International of human rights abuses reportedly committed by the NAF in some villages around Numan, Adamawa State on December 4, 2017.

“In the first place, it is very unfortunate that a highly respected international organization such as Amnesty International would make such unfounded allegations.

“At no time has the NAF been involved in settling any “herdsmen-farmers” clash in the Numan general area, as alleged by Amnesty International.

“It is particularly disturbing that an organization of the stature of Amnesty International would believe a ridiculous story that the pilot of an aircraft flying at a high speed would be able to distinguish between a herdsman and a local farmer before deciding which one to “bomb”!

“Indeed, at the time the NAF intervened in the crisis around Numan on December 4, 2017, there were no two distinguishable groups clashing.

“Rather, only one group of hoodlums was seen unleashing mayhem on villages near Numan.

“The NAF remains a highly professional organization, which places high value on respect for human rights, and therefore categorically states that the allegations by Amnesty International are lies.

“In actual fact, the intervention of the NAF in the Numan crisis of December 4, 2017 resulted in the successful dispersal of a group of hoodlums who were setting some villages around Numan on fire.

“To set the records straight, in the early hours of December 4, 2017, a NAF Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform departed Maiduguri to conduct ISR over Numan general area.

“This was in response to a request by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army (NA), following reports of clashes around that location. Hundreds of people, mostly dressed in black attires, and who appeared armed, were sighted ransacking and setting a village on fire.

“In addition, the hoodlums set large portions of farmlands ablaze. Furthermore, some of the men were seen guiding livestock out of the village. Consequently, a NAF aircraft was called in to support the Nigerian Army and other relevant security agencies through ‘show of force’ low-level flights.

“This was aimed at dispersing the huge crowd and thereby stopping the ongoing carnage. After several low passes (flights); the crowd was undeterred and refused to disperse.

“Rather, the assailants started firing shots at the aircraft and continued in their dastardly act of burning houses within the settlement.

“The aircraft, therefore, had to fire shots ahead of the rampaging crowd when it became obvious that they were heading for Numan to inflict further damage.

“Sequel to the NAF’s intervention, the hoodlums started scattering and fleeing to a nearby bridge.

“Other low passes were conducted by NAF aircraft over the area to prevent the regrouping of the hoodlums around Numan and other villages.

“It is important to state that the hoodlums had set several villages on fire and much destruction had taken place before the arrival of NAF aircraft.

“The report by Amnesty International is therefore deemed to be unfair, one-sided and apparently aimed at embarrassing the NAF.

“Clearly, the NAF will continue to sustain efforts at ensuring security within the nation and will not be discouraged from discharging its constitutional responsibilities of protecting the lives and properties of all Nigerians.”

Osinbajo: FG determined to resolve clashes between farmers and herdsmen

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says the Federal Government is determined to resolve the clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

Osinbajo said this Tuesday when he met with a delegation of traditional rulers from Batta and Bachama communities in Adamawa state.

The vice-president said the Federal Government was working to repair the infrastructure destroyed as a result of the clashes and rehabilitate the people.

“President Muhammadu Buhari is determined to resolve the herdsmen-farmers clashes in Adamawa State and return peace and order to the affected communities,” he said.

“Much damage has been done, not just security-wise, but to the psyche of the people; due to the series of attacks, people are afraid.”