NEWS

Christmas Eve Killings: Corpses Litter Plateau Communities 12 Days After Terror Attacks

Published

4 months ago

January 6, 2024

Stephen

Christmas Eve Killings: Corpses Litter Plateau Communities 12 Days After Terror Attacks

Twelve days post-Christmas Eve attacks by gunmen that forced residents to flee Plateau communities in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Mangu Local Government Areas, leaving over 150 dead, the impacted areas remain deserted.

World Wide Gist previously reported that the violence, which had been persisting in Plateau State, escalated during the Christmas Eve incident when gunmen targeted more than 25 communities, leading to the tragic loss of over 150 lives.

In addition to the loss of lives, the gunmen set fire to numerous houses and properties valued in millions of naira, leading to the displacement of over 10,000 individuals.

Among the communities targeted were Mangur village, Mbar, Tangur, Bokkos Central, Butura, and Mushere.

During a visit by The PUNCH correspondent to the impacted communities, including Matellem village, Dung village, Yelwa village, and Ngyong, it was noted that the villages were entirely abandoned. Furthermore, there was an absence of any security presence in these affected communities.

In the Mbar community, where a pastor, his wife, and four children were reportedly among the victims of the attack, Saturday PUNCH observed the grim aftermath.

The charred remains of other residents burned beyond recognition and were scattered on the floors of their incinerated houses in the community.

A peace advocate, Gideon ParaMallam, conveyed his apprehension about the extensive destruction in the Bokkos communities during a visit on Friday with his Peace Foundation team to express sympathy.

In addition to expressing concern, ParaMallam visited internally displaced persons who had sought refuge in various places, including the COCIN Church in Bokkos, and provided them with relief materials as a gesture of support.

Speaking with journalists, ParaMallam said, “We have come here to Bokkos, and we have seen and heard from the people. The attacks in Bokkos villages have been very devastating. The loss of lives and the degrading and the degrading of human dignity has been very painful. Our peace foundation came to make a call for peace to appeal to the people of Bokkos for restraints.

“We have also come to see things for ourselves so that we can promote the cry for Justice for the people of Bokkos. Our peace foundation believes in peace-building that is predicated on Justice.

“That useless narrative that goes around that makes it look as if it is Bokkos people who have been fighting and killing themselves is a complete fallacy and a lie. Bokkos People are not killing themselves.

“We have talked with them and heard from them, and I believe that our visit will not only throw more light on what Bokkos people have gone through but also encourage Nigerians to rise in unison to condemn the terrorism that took place on Christmas Eve and right after that. The only way to bring peace to Bokkos Communities is to return them back to their communities.”

NEWS

Abia Judicial Panel orders arrest of Ikpeazu’s former Chief of Staff, Deputy

Published

4 months ago

January 12, 2024

KOLLYLAD

Abia Judicial Panel orders arrest of Ikpeazu’s former Chief of Staff, Deputy

The Chairman of Abia State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on the recovery of Government Property and Funds, Justice Florence Doruoha-Igwe (Rtd) has issued a Bench Warrant on Anthony Agbazuere and Don Ubani, who served as Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff, respectively, to former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

This is even as Don Ubani has said that he never received any invitation from the panel.

The Bench Warrant on Agbazuere according to Justice Duruoha-Igwe was because of his alleged failure to appear before the Panel to give evidence in respect to a Toyota Hilux Land Cruiser alleged to be in his possession since he left office.

Justice Doruoha-Igwe (Rtd) who adjourned the matter to January 24, 2024, directed that Agbazuere should be arrested and produced for further cross examination.

The Panel said that the Bench warrant on the former Deputy Chief of Staff to former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Don Ubani, was because of his alleged failure to appear before the Panel and his inability to file a response to a notice served him on 30th of November, 2023.

Speaking before adjourning the matter to 24th of this month, the Chairman Justice Doruoha-Igwe (Rtd) directed that Ubani should be arrested and produced on January 24, 2024, to defend himself.

But reacting to the development, the former Deputy Chief of Staff to former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Don Ubani said he was shocked to read that a Bench Warrant had been issued on him, saying that he was never invited by the Panel.

“I am shocked to read that a Bench Warrant could be issued on me without ever being invited to a Panel either by writing or even through a telephone call,” said Ubani who also described the arrest order as ‘false propaganda and political witch-hunt’.

But the former Deputy Chief of Staff also promised to appear before the Panel of Enquiry if he received an invitation.

NEWS

No date yet for inauguration of Supreme Court’s new Justices – NJC

Published

4 months ago

January 12, 2024

KOLLYLAD

No date yet for inauguration of Supreme Court’s new Justices – NJC

The National Judicial Council, NJC, has clarified that no date has yet been fixed for the swearing-in of the newly appointed eleven Justices of the Supreme Court.

The Council said that the purported news by an Abuja based media organization suggesting Monday January 16 for the inauguration of the Justices did not emanate from it.

A statement by the NJC’s Director of Information, Barrister Soji Oye clarified that neither the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who is the NJC Chairman, nor the Council itself authored or endorsed the purported date.

While asking members of the public to disregard the news, the NJC said that the date for the swearing-in of the Justices would be made public at the appropriate time.

NJC’s statement read in part, “The attention of the National Judicial Council has been drawn to a trending story purportedly informing the public that the newly appointed 11 Supreme Court Justices would be sworn in on Monday 16 January 2023.

“The Council by this medium expressly denies the news as it did not emanate from the Council or the Office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

“The date for the swearing-in of the Justices will be made public at the appropriate time. Members of the public should please disregard the trending news.”

NEWS

MACBAN demands probe of alleged extra-judicial killing of members in Kaduna

Published

4 months ago

January 12, 2024

KOLLYLAD

MACBAN demands probe of alleged extra-judicial killing of members in Kaduna

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, Kaduna State, has demanded a probe of alleged extra-judicial killing of their members.

WORLD WIDE GIST recalls that an online report alleged that 11 decomposing corpses of Fulani natives, from Tulde Fulbe, Ladduga Grazing Reserve in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, were on Monday discovered in a forest.

They were alleged to have been killed by the Nigerian Army.

But the Headquarters, 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, in a statement on Thursday night, by Lt. Col Musa Yahaya, Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, denied involvement of the Army in the said killing.

However, in a statement by MACBAN Kaduna chairman, Haruna Usman Tugga, he insisted that the organisation as an umbrella body of Fulbe in Nigeria received with serious concern the information.

The statement condemned what they described as “extra-judicial killing of law-abiding Fulbe youths of Tilde Fulbe community and other areas of Ladduga Grazing Reserve in Kachia Local Government Area of the state by military personnel at Kachia, headquarters of Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.”

He said they called an emergency executive meeting of the association to get to the root of the matter and find out the remote causes, perpetrators and names of the victims.