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Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has said he deserved accolades for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the governing All Progressive Congress, APC, rather than attacks on his person by leaders of the former ruling party.

Governor Umahi insisted that his recent defection to the APC is a strong message that the South East Zone can no longer be taken for a ride, positing that the zone is now ready and willing more than ever to take its destiny by its hands.

Umahi who spoke in a statement made available to us on Friday by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Francis Nwaze, lamented that the neglect of the SouthEast region has taken an alarming proportion.

The Governor further recalled enormous sacrifices made by late former Vice President, Alex Ekwueme, and other notable South east leaders for the formation of the Peoples Democratic Party, insisting that remaining in PDP would continue to deny the region its rightful place in the nation’s scheme of things.

Parts of the statement read,

“Politicians who feel disillusioned, cheated or denied free and fair opportunities, defect to other parties to participate in the elections or benefit from certain prospects. One of the issues that have contributed to party defections in Nigeria is lack of internal democracy within political parties.

In Nigeria, recognition of candidates for nomination and selection for primary elections depends on the strength of the candidate in the area of economic and political power, without any due consideration of the integrity and capability/capacity of the candidate involved and regional spread.

These acts have led to political crises leading to individuals defecting to other parties and/or forming new parties as a result of dissatisfaction with party operation. For instance, the unhealthy power contest and intra-party crisis prompted incessant defections of prominent members of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) between 2013-2015 to the now ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

“As a result of the above scenario, it is important to note that party defections in Nigeria are not restricted to one party, but has become a political norm in Nigeria’s democracy; sometimes in protest of bad governance and marginalization.

The above circumstance is certainly not unconnected to what led to the recent defection of the Chairman of Southeast Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State Engineer David Nweze Umahi from the People’ Democratic Party, PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress.

“The reason for the bold step was due to the age-long neglect of the South East Zone by the PDP although one of its foremost founding members His Excellency, the former Vice-President of Nigeria Dr. Alex Ekwueme was from the Zone.

Because of the integrity of Dr. Ekwueme, the Igbos of the South East Zone embraced wholly the PDP and rallied around it since the return to Democracy in 1999 but despite supporting other regions to take their shots to the number one plum job in the Federation, the Zone has always been relegated to the background when it comes to consideration for the presidential slot.

“The proceeds of this noble action, therefore, will not just be gargantuan but also bountiful considering that no major decision of national interest will be taken under any pretext without due consultation and representation of South-East Leaders in the country.

This will be more so if other States of the Zone could see beyond the immediate and take action to ensure comprehensive rebrand and reintegration of the South East Zone to its pride of place in the governance of Nigeria”.

He said his crossover to the progressive party, has launched both Ebonyi State and the South East Zone into the bastion of national politics and discourse which is its rightful place in the comity of states and regions in the country.

A 43-year-old post-graduate student has emerged president of NANS after the just-concluded convention marred with violence.

Asefon Sunday, a 43-year-old PGD student of Ekiti State University, EKSU, is the new President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Nigerians do not seem very happy about this and they’ve questioned why young people can’t be trusted to lead the student body.

One Twitter user reacted to Asefon’s win, writing:

“Asefon, 43, President NANS was NANS Coordinator Zone D in 2013 while a student of Ekiti State University, EKSU. 2020, he is still a student of EKSU. 7 years after!”

Another wrote:

“I know Asefon as NANS coordinator when I was in 300L in EKSU.I graduated 6 years ago and the guy is still parading himself as a student.”

Another said:

“95% of NANS excos nordey gree graduate bcz of embezzlement. Dey study frm full time to part time, frm part time to weekend program, frm weekend program to sandwich, frm sandwich to distance learning, frm distance learning to online program…”

“The moment you realize that a youth can’t even win NANS Presidency. So much for posturing,” another wrote. Hon Ben Igbakpa, the Honorable member representing Ethiope in Delta state wrote in defence of Asefon:

“As a PGD student of EKSU, Asefon Sunday is qualified to be NANS President.

Critiquing his emergence because he is 43 years old is an improper assumption he is too old to be a student. I do not know another country where age is the only eligibility criterion. Let’s be objective.”

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Friday reacted to reports of its arrested members affirming attack on a church in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The Rivers State Police Command had paraded some IPOB members who admitted attempting a bomb attack on the church attended by the father of the state Governor, Nyesom Wike, Elder Wike.

However, IPOB described the claims as a lame script by security agencies.

A statement by the group’s spokesman, Emma Powerful said the government was using the suspects to cover its evil deeds.

The statement reads partly:

“The attention of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), has been drawn to the frivolous and fabricated claims by the purported suspects of the alleged attack on Gov. Nyesom Wike’s father’s church who purportedly claimed responsibility for the said attack.

”We have equally heard with utter amazement that the alleged suspects further claimed they were contacted by IPOB to carry out the attack so as to gain recognition.

“This again is too petty and a lame script by the security agencies and their sponsors. The question is: Which recognition is IPOB a global movement that already maintains a presence in over 100 countries still looking for?

“It’s not in doubt what the government and security agencies can do either to cover evidence or establish cause to justify a premeditated evil.

The speed with which the government and police pointed accusing fingers at IPOB even before the commencement of their so-called investigation, raises more suspicion.

It’s only a confirmation that the ridiculous alleged confession of the said suspects was only premeditated just to possibly indict IPOB.

“Wike and his co-travellers should stop ridiculing themselves. IPOB is not a violent but peaceful movement. Bombing a place of worship how much more a church is never part of our signature tune. Most IPOB members have a Christian background and couldn’t have targeted any church for bombing.

“We have no quarrel with Wike’s father let alone innocent worshippers. Assuming but not admitting that we are behind the purported attack, we wouldn’t have done a poor job. If we want Wike we know how and where to get him but we don’t spill blood.”

Contrary to the belief that victims of Boko Haram attack last Saturday in Borno were rice farmers; fresh facts have emerged on Friday that they were informants and logistics suppliers to the insurgents.

About 48 persons were reportedly slain on Saturday morning in Zarbamari, a town in Borno State, North-East Nigeria, by the Boko Haram insurgents, who later claimed responsibility.

The recent attack which was believed by many to be on rice farmers elicited commentaries and condemnations from all spheres of life.

Prof. Babagana Umar Zulum, Governor of Borno State, had also on Thursday, disbursed the sum of N600,000 to family members of each of the slain farmers, while North East Governors donated N20m and North East Development Commission (NEDC) gave N5m to the families.

But Mallam Kabiru Zanna, a local of Zarbamari, who spoke with this correspondent on Friday morning, said those affected were mainly collaborators of Boko Haram who hailed from Zamfara and Sokoto States and not farmers.

“The people that were killed were logistics suppliers and collaborators with Boko Haram. They supply them food and fuel. They also help the insurgents in selling rustled cows”, he said.

Zanna who spoke in Hausa language also gave details of what transpired on the fateful Saturday and how the transaction between the insurgents and their erstwhile collaborators went awry.

“Last week, these same people were on their way to meeting the insurgents for business when they were accosted by soldiers and after the soldiers couldn’t find anything on them they let them go.

“Meanwhile, the insurgents who were waiting saw them with the troops who later killed 5 of them after an ambush, so the insurgents accused those guys of providing Intel to the soldiers. This is the main reason why the terrorists began killing them.

“The insurgents called them to meet on Thursday but they said they wouldn’t be able to make it until Saturday. They agreed to meet early morning 5:00am on that day. They even had their morning prayers there.

“From there, the insurgents began to tell them about those guys who used to supply them food, who also betrayed them by providing Intel to the troops.

“Normally if there are betrayers in a town the entire community would pay the price for such acts. At that moment, the insurgents ordered that everyone be tied. They instructed that no gun should be fired in other not to attract troops.

“That was exactly what happened. Those people mostly are collaborators of the terrorists”, he added.[/i]

Zanna, who has been keeping tabs with activities of Boko Haram in the state, said, though some that were killed were innocent, “but very few of them. I swear most of them are traders with the insurgents. None of them is a rice farmer, they are all in trade with the insurgents”.

When contacted on phone, a Media Aide to Governor Babagana Umar Zulum, Mr. Ahidjo Abdu Likita, confirmed the revelation.

“Yes, it has been confirmed that the victims slaughtered were agents of Boko Haram”, he told our correspondent on phone, adding that, further investigation was being carried to reveal more.

When asked why the Governor went ahead to disburse money to perceived family members of the victims, since they were collaborators, Likita said, “the Governor didn’t know the reality of the scenario till today”.

He said:-

“everybody was thinking it was the real people of Zabarmari village” until the information got to the Governor this morning.

No less than six Nigerian soldiers have been killed by terrorists, SaharaReporters reports.

Six soldiers were killed and 20 others wounded when Boko Haram terrorists ambushed troops between Jagiran and Monguno in Borno State on November 21.

The troops were ambushed and attacked at about 2:00pm by Boko Haram elements, who also carted away a Toyota bullet proof Land Cruiser belonging to the Acting Commandant of Sector 3.

Several soldiers are still reported missing from that incident.

The Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, has expressed that the corporation deliberately shut down the nation’s refineries because they became unsustainable.

The GMD disclosed this when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Upstream in Abuja.

He pointed out that the NNPC was unable to supply crude oil to the refineries, adding that the Excravos pipeline is the only one the NNPC managed to sustain through the contracting process.

He went on to express that it is practically impossible to run pipelines at their optimum capacity.

“For instance, to run Kaduna and Warri refinery, you need to deliver 170,000 barrel of oil per day so that both will operate at 70 percent capacity,” he said.

Kyari said that at the moment, it only had over 5,000 kilometers of pipelines with 13 fuel depots, which according to him must be protected to forestall the activities of vandals.

“And I can tell you today that except the Atlas cove to Ibadan line and also the Portharcourt to Aba line, none of these pipelines is serviced.

“We cannot flow product into these lines, the cheap one is to say they are aged but the real reason is that the level of activities of vandals on these lines is gross, monumental, and profound.

“At every point within a month we fix 80 vandal points, the option is to shut them down and the result of having one depot is what we have seen in Lagos,” he said.

The Defence Headquarters has said that troops of Operations Whirl Stroke and Accord have eliminated three bandits and arrested eight others in different operations in Benue, Nasarawa, and Zamfara States.

Major -Gen. John Enenche, the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Friday.

Enenche explained that the troops of Operation Whirl Stroke killed three bandits in an encounter around Asogo village in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.

According to him, the operation was conducted on Thursday following credible intelligence.

The Coordinator also disclosed that troops of Sector 111 arrested two suspects who were believed to be behind recent clashes between herders and farmers in Atiyagiso community in Doma LGA of Nasarawa State.

Enenche said the suspects – Mr Mohammed Sani and Abdulkareem and Abdulkareem, confessed to their involvement in the crime, adding that they had been handed over to the police for further action.

He also disclosed that the troops of Operation Accord arrested six youths at Zurmi LGA of Zamfara State following credible intelligence on the movement of suspected bandits in the area.

“The suspects confessed to be bandits as alleged and are currently in custody for further action,”

He said.

Justice Adie A. Onyebueke of the Cross River State High Court, Akamkpa, on Friday, sentenced Augustine Effiong Bassey to five years in prison.

Bassey was found culpable of stealing N27 million belonging to a microfinance bank where he was a branch manager.

He was prosecuted by the Enugu Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a one-count charge of stealing.

According to EFCC, sometime between 2010 and 2012 at Uyanga, Cross River State, Bassey stole the N27,300,000 being property of Ekondo Microfinance Bank Limited.

He did this by personally carting away the sum from the bank’s vault and gave to his fronts for execution of non-existent contracts for the bank.

The disgraced banker was arrested in July 2016 by the EFCC upon intelligence.

His offence was contrary to Section 390 of the Criminal Code law, CAP C16 (VOL 3) of the Laws of Cross River State of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 390(9) of the same law.

The defendant pleaded “not guilty” when the charge was read to him.

But Fortune Amina Asemebo, prosecution counsel, proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.

Justice Onyebueke convicted and sentenced Bassey, with an option of restituting N15 million to Ekondo Microfinance Bank.

It was a heartbreaking sight to behold for car owners whose cars were among the 44 auctioned by the Lagos state government some days ago.

In a report by Guardian Nigeria, some of the car owners whose cars were auctioned revealed the sorrow in their hearts watching their cars auctioned.

“My heart bled seeing my car auctioned in my presence. I tried bidding, but each time I bid, there was always someone adding N100, 000 to my offer. That was how I lost my car, which was auctioned for N1.2 million.” These were the words of a former owner of Toyota Corolla 2003 model whose car was auctioned yesterday told Guardian Nigeria.

It was mixed feelings for car owners and bidders as the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences auctioned 44 vehicles forfeited to the Lagos State Government for traffic offences.

Offenders had arrived with the expectations to bid for their vehicles and get their cars back at an affordable price but they were shocked to meet crowd of businessmen, ready with cash to also bid for the seized vehicles.

While some wore long faces as the auction continued, others openly wailed persuading bidders to let go of the auctioning. A woman in tears appealed to some police officers present to stop the auction at her bidding price, as it was the only source of income for herself and children.

The process usually starts with the car owner appealing to the crowd of potential buyers to allow them bid for their cars alone, starting with N100, 000 but some young men carrying nylon bags loaded with cash would scream N500, 000, N1 million and jerk up the price.

One of the owners of a Toyota Camry car collapsed when her bid of N100, 000 was raised to N1 million by another bidder. All entreaties and acts to curry public sympathy for moderate bidding fell on deaf ears as ready buyers raised the bid beyond the reach of the owners.

Some of the cars auctioned were Murano Nissan for N450, 000; Toyota Sienna for N850, 000; Honda CRV for N1.550 million; Toyota Corolla 2003 for N1.2 million; Toyota Camry 2008 model for N1.9 million; Hyundai car for N300, 000; mini bus for N505, 000; a 14-seater bus for N4 million, and a Mercedes Benz SUV for N9 million.

The owner of Hyundai Elantra 2008 model said he was arrested on November 10 for driving ‘one-way’ at Constain/Iponri Bridge, Surulere. He claimed that officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) directed cars to ply ‘One-Way’ to ease traffic but was surprised he was arrested and arraigned before the mobile court while others were let go.

Spokesman for the task force, Taofeek Adebayo, said the exercise became necessary to punish offenders, with the aim of easing traffic on Lagos roads, adding that the action was not punitive but corrective in nature.

“This is purely to serve as a deterrent to law breakers because since the #EndSARS protest ended, motorists have been driving recklessly against traffic, driving on BRT corridors and causing obstruction on highways, not minding security personnel on the road, which contravenes the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law 2018.”

He noted that the exercise would continue, as more forfeited vehicles by the court would be auctioned to the highest bidder.

The Federal Government, on Wednesday, revealed that it has reached out to the British Government over the threat by the UK Parliament, to impose sanctions on Nigerian officials over their roles in the End SARS protests.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, stated this while fielding questions from State House reporters at the end of the weekly virtual Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to him, the Nigerian government has reached out to present its own side of the story.

Onyeama also argued that lawmakers are not responsible for imposing sanctions.

“Yes, we have reached out to the UK government. The meeting that took place were Parliamentarians and they do not speak for the UK government which acts for the United Kingdom and they have also heard the side of the (Nigerian) government regarding everything that has happened.

“So, we have been in touch with them and engaging with them. Of course, as in any democracy, the members of parliament are able to also able to air their view.

“But what is important, is that a balanced picture is made available to them before they take any decision,” Onyeama said.

Source:dailypost

Chelsea boss, Frank Lampard, has said that his team defeated Newcastle United 2-0 in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon because his players dominated possession and scored goals against the host.

Two goals from Federico Fernandez (OG) and Tammy Abraham ensured the Blues defeated Newcastle at St. James’ Park.

“Today, we dominated possession, and we scored our goals and kept a clean sheet. Very happy with that,” Lampard told a post-match press conference after the game.

“We had to make sure the second one came, and when it did we saw the game out very well,” he added.

The win over Newcastle means Chelsea are now on top of the Premier League table with 18 points from nine games.

Chelsea’s next Premier League fixture is against Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on 29 November.

When the Ancestor owns up to his “fvck-up”, you should know it’s straight from the heart.

Few days ago, a video of 9ice went viral on the internet where he was seen touching and romancing an unknown lady.

In the video, 9ice also warned Yahoo Boys not to near the babe because she is obviously his property. He said this while pressing the girl’s breast.

Meanwhile, the Alapomeji boss who doesn’t want a broken marriage quickly took to social media to take responsibility for what he has done.

While admitting that his wife has always been his backbone, he went ahead to urge Nigerians to help him beg his wife because he doesn’t want a failed marriage.

9ice posted this video on his Instagram page with the Caption, “Save A Sinking Ship“.

From the caption, it can be deduced that all his not well in his home after the video went viral and we can only apologize to his wife, Sunkanmi, CEO of Lavish by Michelle Events to please give his husband a second chance to make things right.

Ahead of 2023 general election, President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan has asked Nigerians not to vote for them if they have failed the people.

Lawan has also told Nigerians that the annual budget of the National Assembly is less than one per cent of the nation’s 2021 budget.

According to him, those who are not comfortable with the Senators in the present 9th Senate should not hesitate to vote them out in 2023 if they don’t like their faces.

Speaking on Friday in Abuja at a retreat for top management staff of the National Assembly and National Assembly Service Commission in Abuja.

Speaking further Lawan who warned that there could be anarchy if the Senate is scrapped as being clamoured by some Nigerians,

however described the Senate as a leveler which ensured that all parts of the country are equally represented unlike the House of Representatives where states with higher populations produce the highest number of lawmakers.

The President of the Senate also faulted the argument of those clamouring for the scrapping of the Senate because of the perceived jumbo pay being earned by the Senators.

A member of the Board of Trustees of the All Progressives Congress and a strong ally of President Buhari, Buba Galadima, has condemned the recent action of the Central Bank of Nigeria, freezing the bank account of #EndSARS promoters.

Speaking on Arise TV this morning, Galadima said the action is unconstitutional as Nigeria is not in a military regime.

“What the government has done is not right.

It has no such right or powers to block bonafide Nigerians from travelling out of the country or from accessing their (bank) accounts. Blocked for what? What have they done?

These young men were peacefully protesting the actions, omissions or commissions of government.

Why do you, after you persuaded them or after agents of government allegedly attacked or killed them, follow this draconian disposition of blocking their accounts? That is not constitutional.

I’m sending this message to Mr President whether he knows or he doesn’t know, let him be shown what I am saying. His people have no right to do what they are doing.

Please, they should desist and unblock the accounts of these young people and allow them to carry on with their normal activities as Nigerians. You cannot harass them, we are in a democracy, we are not in a military regime.”he said

The leadership of the House of Representatives is currently meeting with the heads of security agencies in the country behind closed doors.

The meeting, which began at about 2:15pm, is presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase.

Journalists and others were sent out of the venue as the meeting was about to begin.

The Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Security 

The government of President Muhammadu Buhari has been told that the idea to regulate social media is a bad one.

The view was expressed by popular Nigerian comedian and video producer, Mark Angel.

He said that the move by the Federal Government to regulate the social media will lead to job loss.

According to the producer best known for the Mark Angel Comedy Series on various social media platforms, a lot of Nigerian youths earn their living by creating content on social media.

The producer of popular comedienne, Emanuella Samuel, spoke on Monday in a PUNCH Facebook Live Interview.

Mark Angel advised government officials and those pushing for the restriction of the social media to, instead, face other “major problems” in the country and leave the social media.

He said:

“Imagine you want to regulate social media when some of us are self-employed through social media.

There are no jobs, yet you want to restrict social media. I don’t even want to talk about that thing. Anybody that even tries it, it is God that will knock on his door and answer him.”

The former representative of Ishielu/Ezza North Federal constituency Hon. Peter Edeh has said that governor David Umahi did not sin by planning to defect to the All Progressive Congress, APC,

The ex-lawmaker made this known while interacting with newsmen in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi State.

Edeh who was a former commissioner in the state under PDP government but joined the APC in 2017 said the defection of the governor to APC will end all factions in the party.

According to him:

“We believe that the governor has clout and support in politics. We expected that his coming to APC will boost our chances of taking over Ebonyi State in the next elections. We welcome him with open hands.

“It will be pretty obvious that if a serving governor joins a political party under normal conventions and protocols, he becomes the leader of APC in the state. If you have an accepted leader, it is normal that all factions will die off naturally.

“For me, all the factions in Ebonyi APC will end and I don’t foresee any further problems or factions that will cause us forthcoming election in the state.

The governor can’t be a liability to APC as was alleged by my friend Teeje Yusuf, I know him very well he is a sharp guy but I think that people from his area are given to jesting.

“I don’t see how Umahi joining APC is a liability. I think it is a big bonus for us. Yusuf is probably jealous of that.

“There are only very few people in Ebonyi APC that have not been in PDP before. I was in PDP from 1999 to 2007; I was equally a commissioner in PDP. I left there for APC. Almost every member of APC in Ebonyi was once a member of PDP. I don’t think that the governor’s case is different.

“When we were trying to formulate the name of the new APC, anyway I was a member of the merger committee that formulated APC. We deliberately selected ‘A’ from ANPP; we selected ‘P’ from CPC and ‘C’ from Action Congress, AC. These were the three legacy parties. The political foundation of governor Umahi is APP and so, coming to APC is like coming home”

Starting her poultry farming business with just 100 chickens and no knowledge of Agriculture, Mrs. Ayodele Pamela has grown to be a millionaire farmer.

The CEO of O.O Ayodele Nigeria Enterprises started her farm 7 years ago in 2013 and she is still very much strong in the business and has even expanded in leaps and bounds.

Naijaloaded TV and Thefounders visited Mrs. Ayodele farm located in Ikorodu and she shared the secrets of poultry farming business and how aspiring farmers can start small and grow big in the business.

If you have ever had the intention of being your own boss, this business might just be the way to go for you.

Watch Video Below:

Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), has warned residents of the state to desist from assaulting law enforcement agents or face the wrath of the law.

Onigbanjo gave the warning on Monday in a statement signed by Mr Kayode Oyekanmi, Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, NAN reports.

The warning is coming a few weeks after the assault of some security agents by hoodlums who hijacked the End SARS protest.

“Members of the public are hereby warned to stop the harassment of officials of the state government carrying out their lawful duties,”

Onigbanjo said.

He said that one Ben Emmanuel has been arrested and charged to court for alleged assault on Mr Ismaila Lukman, an officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority.

“Emmanuel was arraigned on Nov. 10 on a two-count charge of resisting a public officer and causing grievous bodily harm.

“The offences violate Sections 117(1) and 245 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

“Chief Magistrate L.Y. Balogun has granted him bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

“The case has been adjourned until Nov. 26 for trial,”

He added.

No less than six people have been kidnapped after gunmen stormed Karaji suburb in Kaduna State.

Among the victims of the incident, which took place less than 10 kilometres to the Government House, are five daughters of Pastor Istifanus Tiswan of the Christ Embassy Church.

They are Faith, Godsgift, Ruth, Damaris and Michelle.

The other victim is Haruna Barde, who escaped violence from his native village to take refuge in Karji as an Internally Displaced Person.

The kidnappers are yet to make contact with the families or local authorities.

Luka Binniyat, spokesperson for the Southern Kaduna People’s Union, in a statement described as worrying the deteriorating security situation in the area, which has led to the killing and kidnapping of residents.

He said:

“Kidnapping of our members almost on daily basis has become a source of severe worry for residents living on the fringes of Buyaya, Maraban Rido, Gonin Gora, Karji and Unguwan Juji, all suburbs of Kaduna that fall under Chikun LGA.

“Many have abandoned their homes to take refuge in safer areas. Meanwhile, natives of Katarma, Chikun ward, in same Chikun LGA are fleeing in droves across Kaduna river and taking refuge with their Gbagyi tribesmen in Sarkin Pawa town, in neighbouring Niger State as a result of fresh assaults over their community.

“These will add to the number of villages that our Gbagyi members have had to abandoned and flee for their dear lives after many of them have been destroyed and captured by Fulani militia in the past one year. Below are the numbers of Ggabyi communities in Kaduna State that are ravaged and destroyed by Fulani militia and occupied by them till date.”

He said so far, 45 communities have been displaced and occupied by their attackers.

They are, Kunai Ward, Kudo (Dau), Sunusi Dnakwala, Galu, Aguyita, Galuko, Galiwyi, Atopi, Onkoru, Anguwan, Badole, Manini, Hayin Damisa, Anguwan Nyako, Badimi,

Gnashi, Sarari , Giji, Dnapagbe, Badimi, Shelbula, Rafin yashi, Sabongida, Rafinyashi, Anguwan Amos, Manini, Hayin Dakachi Manini, Madalla, Abon, Kawuya, Gayam Ward in Birnin Gwari LGA Bordering Kunai in Chikun LGA, Rumanan Gbagyi, Rumanan Hausa, Malamo, Labi, Hayin Kozo, Muya, Shuwaka, Polwaya, Kaguru, Kasko, Nasarawa Kaguru and Dabbara Kaguru.

SOKAPU said the recent attacks are sequel to the killing of four Gbagyi men by armed Fulani men on October 6 and November 7.

“The men were ambushed and killed in Dande Village, which is part of Kasaya Village, in Kunai ward of Chikun LGA. They are: John Musa, 45, married with 9 children; Habila Ibrahim, 42, husband of two wives and father of 9; Maikudi Wasa, 25, single and

Samaila Audu, married to two wives and father of 7 children.

“David Umaru, 27 was injured in the incident,” the group said.

The group noted that despite the impact of the attacks, Governor Nasir El-Rufai had never visited any of the communities despite being in close proximity to the Government House.

“The effort of Operation Safe Haven under the Command of Maj. Gen. Chukwuemeka Okonkwo, who stationed enough of his men in Zangan District, in Atakad Chiefdom, Kaura LGA to make it possible for displaced atacked IDPs to return to their 9 abandoned communities. This has reduced the numbers of our occupied territories from 109 to 101 if Katarma village is added. The estimated IDPs from our affected communities are 50,000 and most of them live under sub-human conditions in IDP camps or squatting in squalor among poor communities safe enough to accept them in Southern Kaduna. Yet, it under this unspeakable atrocity against a large area of Kaduna state, Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna state has never visited any of the ravaged villages, some less than 30km from government House Kaduna. It would seem that far as both Kaduna state and the Federal government is concern these citizens don’t exist, and if they do, they don’t matter. It was therefore with shock and bewilderment that we read the visits of our governor, His Excellency, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, to far away Lagos last week while touring some of the damaged property during the #EndSars demonstration which was violently hijacked by mobsters. Our governor said that he was almost moved to tears when he saw the scale of the destruction of both private and public property. We are surprised that our governor has tears to shed and can show some humanity on someone’s else tragedy, not the more humungous one that bothers on genocide and physical destruction of no less magnitude right in his state,” the group added.