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A new report by Nextier has indicated that insurgency recorded 109 deaths arising from 19 violent incidents, perpetrated by the Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgents in the first half of 2024 alone.
The report ‘Nigeria’s Northeast Belt of Insurgency and the Challenge of Refugees’, also called on the Federal Government to liaise with neighbouring countries and regional bodies to boost joint border surveillance.
The report was authored by an Associate Consultant at Nextier and a Lecturer at the Political Science Department of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria, Dr Chukwuma Okoli, and a Managing Partner at Nextier and an Honorary Fellow at the School of Government at the University of Birmingham, UK, Dr Ndu Nwokolo.
The report reads, “They identified the ‘Northeast Belt of Insurgency’ to consist of about 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) – 10 in Borno State (Bama, Baga, Biu, Chibok, Gwoza, Kukawa, Kaga, Marte, Mongonu, Ngala), five LGAs in Adamawa State (Madagali, Michika, Mubi North, Mubi South, Maiha) and three LGAs in Yobe State (Damaturu, Gujba, Geidam); all of which run round Nigeria’s borders with Cameroon, Chad and Niger and cuts through Borno State’s borders with Yobe and Adamawa states.
“The difficult topography of most of the communities in the Northeast Belt of Insurgency makes access difficult for both the Nigerian military and humanitarian aid agencies. This has become an advantage for the insurgents who hibernate in those communities from where they launch attacks on the military and civilians.
“Data from the NextierViolent Conflict Database show that this Belt of Insurgency recorded 109 deaths arising from 19 violent incidents perpetrated by the Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgents in the first half of 2024 alone.
“The Nigerian government should collaborate with its neighbours under the auspices of regional bodies like the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) to enhance border management through joint border patrol and surveillance.”
In the report, Nextier asked the Nigerian government to identify and profile refugees entering the region and recommended the use of local vigilantes and hunters to combat insurgents.
It also urged the government to support security forces by ensuring a regular and adequate supply of required state-of-the-art ammunition.
It added, “The Nigerian government, together with development partners, should enhance the technical capacity of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons in the area of identification and profiling of refugees flowing into the Northeast. This will enable proper treatment of refugees in line with relevant international conventions and protocols.
“The government at all levels, in collaboration with development partners, should identify what makes communities in the Northeast Belt of Insurgency resilient. Mechanisms such as local informal businesses such as trading and the use of local vigilantes and hunters to combat insurgents should be strengthened.
“The state security forces should be supported by ensuring a regular and adequate supply of required state-of-the-art ammunition. The morale of the personnel on the war front should also be boosted through improved welfare packages. This will enable the security agencies to cover more ground and decimate the insurgents still hibernating in hard-to-reach areas.
“Set up a subregionalhumanitarian response mechanism involving Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon to be coordinated by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). This will ensure persons in need have fair access to humanitarian aid without crossing national borders.”
Security operatives at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday dispersed protesters and journalists from the facility with gunshots, Punch reports.
The security operatives aimed at protesters and journalists who ran for cover.
The protesters were reconvening after being dispersed by security agents deployed to the stadium.
Suddenly, masked security operatives suspected to be personnel of the Department of State Services started shooting sporadically at protesters.
As a result, the protesters ran inside bushes around the stadium with some of the security operatives giving them a hot chase.
Afterwards, the remaining masked operatives on the ground came for the journalists who were at a separate spot.
As they approached, journalists fled, scrambling into any available vehicle.
The masked security operatives fired sporadically at the fleeing journalists.
Bullets pierced a Premium Times reporter’s car conveying journalists out of the location at three different locations.
Also, a commuter vehicle’s glass was shattered with bullets.
The Peoples Democratic Party has criticised President Bola Tinubu for not addressing the nation amid the nationwide EndBadGovernance protests.
Amid severe economic hardships, many Nigerians are struggling to afford basic necessities. In response, youths began protests on Thursday, continuing into Friday, across Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Rivers, and other regions, demanding an end to hunger and poor governance.
In a statement released on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP urged Tinubu to break his silence, address the nation immediately, and reassure citizens of the pressing issues affecting them.
The statement read in part, “The PDP demands that President Tinubu immediately address Nigerians on urgent steps to reduce the price of petroleum products, stem the fall of the Naira and ensure speedy provision of food among other critical issues so as to revamp the productive sector, stimulate employment and restore stability in the polity.
“Our Party expresses concerns that President Tinubu’s silence is sending a very dangerous signal and heightening public apprehension that the All Progressives Congress (APC) government is insensitive to the feelings of the citizens and the overall sorry state of affairs in the nation.
“It is indeed worrisome that President Tinubu could remain silent as Nigerians are on the streets demanding good governance, protection, security and welfare, which are the primary purposes of government.
“The world is watching in horror as operatives of APC-controlled security agencies assault, shoot and kill unarmed protesters, with thugs allegedly mobilized by the APC also unleashing violence on innocent Nigerians.”
The opposition party also demanded a comprehensive investigation into the reported killing of unarmed Nigerians, allegedly by security operatives.
It continued, “Our Party calls on President Tinubu to end his silence, immediately address the nation and reassure the citizens on issues agitating their minds, particularly the reduction in the price of petroleum products and food items
“Our Party insists that with deft, transparent and innovative management of resources, economic potentials, comparative advantage and refining capacity, petrol should not sell more than N200 per litre in Nigeria, especially with a strategic investment in gas production.
“President Tinubu should also urgently commence the process of recovering the over N50 trillion reportedly stolen by APC leaders, reduce tariffs on essential goods, cut the cost of governance, review all luxury items in his government and channel funds recovered to programmes that have a direct bearing on the wellbeing of Nigerians.
“Furthermore, while calling for a thorough investigation into the reported killing of unarmed Nigerians by certain unscrupulous security operatives, the PDP urges the security agencies to ensure a high level of professionalism in their duty of providing security and protection to the citizens.”
On Saturday, security operatives forcibly dispersed a group of protesters gathered in front of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, ignoring a court order that restricted the demonstration to the stadium premises.
The protesters, who were exercising their right to freedom of assembly, were met with tear gas and intimidation by security personnel.
The sudden crackdown left many demonstrators feeling frustrated and disappointed.
“We just wanted to make our voices heard, but they wouldn’t let us,” said Evelyn, a protester who was present at the scene. “It’s like they’re trying to silence us, but we won’t be quiet.”
Another protester, Tunde Oyedele, added, “We’re not troublemakers; we just want change. But every time we try to speak out, they shut us down. It’s like our voices don’t matter.”
When a Vanguard correspondent, who identified himself properly as a journalist, attempted to enter the stadium, security personnel denied access, stating, “Find your way out of here. You can’t park your vehicle inside the stadium either. There is no protest here. We were told there is not going to be a protest here anymore.”
This contradicts the court order and raises questions about the security operatives’ authority.
Despite the tensions, vehicular movement and businesses are gradually picking up momentum in the nation’s capital on the third day of protests against hunger and economic hardships.
The city appears to be normalizing, with citizens going about their daily activities.
The incident highlights concerns about the suppression of free speech and the rule of law in Nigeria, leaving many to wonder if their voices will ever be heard.
As soon as the midwife placed the newborn baby in HappinessMonday’s arms, she gazed into her baby’s eyes, taking in the tiny features and soft skin.
But before she could even hold her close, the nurse swiftly took the baby away, handing her to a stranger who had been lurking in the shadows with some wads of Naira notes in exchange for the newborn.
As you read this piece, the midwife and mother of the newborn baby are cooling their heels in the custody of the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command Monitoring Squad.
Their arrest, as gathered, followed an intelligence report about a building that serves as a birth house in Rumuokwurusi town in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, where newborn babies were allegedly sold.
Consequently, the Command boss, CP Olatunji Disu, directed the Commander of the Monitoring Squad, CSP Grace Wonwu, to unearth the baby sale gang. Police sources hinted that when the policemen arrived at the house on July 6, 2024, a 17-year-old pale-looking pregnant teenager whose baby was allegedly to be sold upon delivery was rescued, alongside the woman whose newly born baby was sold.
In this interview with the mother of the newborn baby that was sold, she revealed that she was paid N400,000 for the sale of her baby. When asked why she volunteered to sell her baby, the woman, who identified herself as Happiness Monday, blamed her action on poverty and hunger. Without access to education, employment, or social support, she said she was left with no other option but to sell her baby.
Her confession:“I came from Akwa-Ibom to hustle in Port Harcourt. I was living on my own until a flood chased me out. I started living with my man friend. When I was pregnant, he asked me to leave the pregnancy. Later, he started accusing me of sleeping around with the pregnancy and denied paternity of the baby.
“In September 2023, he told me he was going for a job outside Port Harcourt but never returned. When I went to ask his mother of his whereabouts, she told me that she had not been on talking terms with her son for years. She said since her son didn’t accept the pregnancy, she won’t accept it either. Later, when the house rent expired, I went to an uncompleted building to stay. By the time I came back from antenatal one day, the owner of the uncompleted building had put a gate there and locked it. It was at that point I went to tell this nurse (pointing to the midwife) to help me get someone that would take my baby, since I didn’t have shelter or money to feed and clothe the baby. She told me she had somebody that would take the baby for N400,000. Immediately I was delivered of the baby, someone came and the baby was handed over to the person. I didn’t see the person’s face. I only told the nurse to assure me that the person taking the baby would take care of her and would not kill her. She said the nurse that brought the buyer said the person was a Pastor’s wife.
“Out of the N400,000, I rented an apartment, used some to pay the debt owed, and the balance of N160,000 was kept in the nurse’s account with the intention of establishing a business. It was because of this same hardship that made me take my three older children to the mother of their father back in the village. He left me for another woman because he didn’t pay my dowry.”
On her part, the 31-year-old midwife, Success Igwe, said that was the first time she was involved in the sale of a baby. She said she gave out the baby for N450,000 and collected only N50,000 meant for delivery charges and handed the rest to Happiness.
Asked what the pregnant teenager was doing at her birth house, she said, “Her sister brought her on Thursday, July 4, 2024. She said she should be with me because she was going to a convention. When I asked if she was aware the girl was pregnant, she said yes. I had to give her some medicine because she was running a temperature when she arrived. It was two days later that I was arrested.”
However, the pale-looking teenage girl could not express herself in English. She only identified herself as Margret Okonide and said she came from Akwa-Ibom. Efforts made to gather more facts from her failed due to the communication barrier.
The spokesperson for the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Dele Oyewale, has said that the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, remains wanted until arrested.
Naija News reports that Bello is still on the run 107 days after being declared wanted by the EFCC.
On April 18, 2024, the anti-graft agency declared Bello wanted in connection with an alleged case of money laundering to the tune of ₦80,246,470,089.88.
A group of armed men identified as ‘Special Forces’ and some policemen prevented EFCC operatives from apprehending Bello at his Wuse Zone 4, Abuja residence on Wednesday, April 17.
Speaking with Punch, the Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the EFCC was not ready to arrest Bello.
According to him, the anti-corruption agency has sophisticated equipment to track and arrest Bello.
Nwanguma said, “It is surprising that despite all the hot waves and drama of the EFCC, including the vow of the chairman that he would resign if he couldn’t arrest Yahaya Bello, the man is still out there more than three months after he was declared wanted.
“If they truly wanted to arrest Yahaya Bello, they would have arrested him. If this was a case of a poor man, they would have easily arrested him.”
However, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, dismissed the insinuation that the agency had been compromised or unwilling to arrest the former governor.
Speaking with the aforementioned publication, Oyewale said, “The matter is in court and there are various orders of the court. Senior lawyers who failed to bring him (Bello) to court are already slated for discipline.
“If an anti-corruption agency declares a suspect wanted, all over the world, he remains wanted until he is arrested.
“Yahaya Bello has been declared wanted and he remains wanted. Judicial processes have been instituted in court and they are ongoing.”
Former President Donald Trump announced he has agreed to Fox News’ proposal for a debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump said the debate would be held on September 4 in Pennsylvania, although the location of the event is yet to be determined.
Trump also noted that an ABC News debate previously scheduled against President Joe Biden before he suspended his re-election campaign had been canceled.
“I have agreed with FoxNews to debate Kamala Harris on Wednesday, September 4th,” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
The moderators of the debate will be Fox News anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.
Damilola Adenola, one of the leaders of the ongoing hardship protests, stated that the protesters have not yet achieved their objectives. Speaking on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Friday, Adenola emphasized that the protests will continue until their demands are met.
Adenola criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for not directly addressing the protesters. He dismissed claims that politicians are funding the protests, asserting that economically deprived Nigerians drive the movement.
He explained, “The protest is the idea of the economically deprived Nigerians. The protesters have yet to achieve their objectives, as stated in our demands charter. But we have made strong statements and shown those in power what people can do to express their displeasure. This has begun, and it is ongoing. We are waiting for the government to respond to our demands. Until then, the protests will continue.”
Adenola highlighted the importance of holding the government accountable, stating, “We have made people see the power of holding the government accountable. This will bring the government to the consciousness that governance is about people. The sponsor of this protest is Hunger. It is the economic inequality and deprivation that forced people out.”
Lawyers have criticized the government’s response to the ongoing hunger protest, asserting that peaceful protest is a constitutional right that must not be infringed upon. They also argue that the government did not do enough to address the root causes of the protest.
Abeny Mohammed (SAN) noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu failed to show empathy by not addressing the protesters directly. “The failure to speak to the protesters before or on the day the protest began was a missed chance to connect with the suffering Nigerians,” he said.
He added, “The massive deployment of security forces to stop the protesters is an admission of failure by the government, showing it has no solution to their genuine demands. Forceful suppression of peaceful protests violates the constitution and is unacceptable in a democracy.”
Mohammed also condemned the last-minute court injunctions obtained by some state governments to restrict the protests. “These ex-parte injunctive orders were a gross abuse of court processes and infringed on Section 40 of the constitution, providing freedom of peaceful assembly. The judges who granted these orders acted outside the principles governing ex-parte orders. The urgency claimed by the courts was self-imposed and unjustified.”
Ikoro N.A. Ikoro Esq emphasized that the Nigerian constitution allows people to air their grievances through peaceful protest. He criticized the government’s wasteful spending on luxury items while citizens struggle with necessities. “When people can’t afford essentials like fuel, garri, or beans, it’s clear the government has not done enough. Promises of future improvements are not enough when people are suffering now,” he said.
Ikoro further noted that if the government had put as much effort into addressing the issues as they did in trying to stop the protests, the situation might not have escalated.
Hameed Ajibola Jimoh Esq pointed out that the right to protest is protected under international law, provided it remains peaceful. “Protests should consider the rights of others, including both adults and minors. The government has not done enough to address the widespread hunger, which has worsened under the current administration,” he said.
Jimoh added, “The government’s failure to gauge public opinion and address economic hardships has led to widespread suffering. This protest was avoidable if the government had acted appropriately.”
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has announced pro bono legal support services for protesters nationwide. In a statement, NBA National Publicity Secretary Akorede Habeeb Lawal said the NBA president, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), directed the establishment of Legal Support Services Teams across the country. The NBA has also written to the Inspector General of Police to collaborate on this initiative.
Maikyau instructed all NBA branch chairpersons to ensure their human rights committees handle cases of fundamental rights breaches, harassment, or torture by law enforcement agents during the protests. “Branch chairpersons are also to set up Situation Monitoring Committees (SMC) to monitor interactions between law enforcement agents and protesters,” the statement added.
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, stated that Kano was the most affected by violence during the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest.
The 10-day protest against the economic crisis began Thursday across various parts of the country, including Kano. Northern Nigerian cities, especially Kano, experienced significant violence. Protesters in Kano raided and set ablaze the newly built Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) industrial park, which was scheduled for commissioning next week. Looters took desktop computers, chairs, keyboards, and other appliances. Shops and warehouses were also looted in different parts of the state.
In response to the violence and looting, Governor Abba Yusuf declared a 24-hour curfew in Kano on Thursday.
Speaking to journalists at his palace on Friday, Sanusi described the looting of the NCC industrial park and Kano printing press as unfortunate. He emphasized that the north, particularly Kano, has been most affected by the violent protests.
Sanusi urged the people of Kano to avoid further uprisings, reminding them that the state has endured more challenging times. He called on parents and guardians to dissuade their children from participating in protests.
“Yesterday was a sad day for the people of Kano when hoodlums hijacked the protests against hunger and economic hardships and caused mayhem in our state,” he said. “They engaged in arson, looting, and attacking innocent people, despite warnings and advice from experts and leaders against such actions.”
Sanusi’s appeal highlights the need for peaceful expressions of grievances and the importance of maintaining order during protests.
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As the nationwide protest against high living costs and insecurity continued into its second day, Christians and Muslims in Plateau State marched together in a show of unity. This demonstration marks a significant moment in a region historically divided by ethno-religious conflicts.
The hunger protest provided a unique platform for Christians and Muslims to unite for a common cause. Held at Airport Junction, Christians shielded their Muslim counterparts during their Jumma’at prayers.
After the prayers, Solomon Dalung, former Minister of Youth and Sport and one of the protest organizers, addressed the crowd. He called for unity among Christians and Muslims, emphasizing that tolerance is essential for national development. He said, “The message to President Tinubu and other Nigerians is that Plateau people have proved it is possible to live in peace and harmony. We have disgraced the politicians who use religion and ethnicity to divide us. Nigerians should emulate Plateau people.”
Isa EL-Buba, President of EL-Buba Outreach Ministries, International, and another protest organizer, also spoke to the protesters. He highlighted the need for youth to sacrifice for their future and stressed the importance of unity in overcoming challenges. He said, “Both Muslims and Christians are here to demonstrate against hunger and insecurity. We allowed the Muslims to say their prayers because this demonstration is for all of us, not just one religion.”
See photos below:
The Convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore, on Friday, urged protesters to continue with the #EndBadGovernance protests nationwide.
This comes after Human Rights Lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, asked youths to immediately suspend the demonstrations.
Adegboruwa is one of the lawyers of the Take It Back Movement, one of the groups participating in the nationwide protests.
He regretted deaths and losses recorded during the demonstrations, saying it was not the goal of the protests.
Adegboruwa said, “I appeal to the protesters to withdraw themselves from their various protest grounds and to suspend the protests immediately and indefinitely, in order to give room for meaningful dialogue and engagement with the government.”
Reacting, Sowore, in a statement on his X page (formerly Twitter), said, “Good day fellow conscious citizens.
“Thank you all for staying the course in the last 24 hours since the commencement of the #endbadgovernaceinnigeria REVOLT.
“Note: the daily barricades, marches, rallies and people’s congresses should be intensified.
“We want to notify the public that in addition to street marches, those at home should engage in pot & pan protests against hunger, poverty and starvation.
“Grab your pots& pans now and start banging them on your streets; take them with you to the roadside.
“Bang, bang, bang! #revolutions are “the festivals of the oppressed and the exploited!”
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has told President Bola Tinubu to address Nigerians over the protests by citizens against bad governance and harsh economic conditions.
Obi, in a statement on Friday by his spokesperson, Yunusa Tanko, said Tinubu is the one people elected, not his aides, so he should be the one to address Nigerians at such a critical time.
He said the President’s address would douse the tension in the country generated by the protest.
The former Governor was quoted to have made the call from his home in Onitsha, Anambra State.
“My appeal is for the President to come out and address the nation, he is the one the people elected, holding their mandate, and he should not be using aides or appointees to reach the people at such critical times,” Obi said.
Obi also denied reports of him being in Abuja to support the protesters, noting that he can’t be in two places at a time.
“I am here in Onitsha; I can’t be here and be in Abuja,” Obi said.
The former LP candidate also called on the protesters to avoid violence and ensure their demands are pursued within the limits of the law.
For those who died in the course of the protest, Obi extended his condolences to the families. He also expressed sympathy to those who got injured and those who lost their property in the protest.
CHAIRMAN, Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Senator Ireti Kingibe, LP, FCT has dismissed the allegation that she sponsored protest in Abuja.
Yesterday, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Nyesom Wike, said that security agencies in the territory have identified a senator as one of those sponsoring the anti-government protest.
Wike disclosed this shortly after an emergency FCT security Council meeting on Thursday in Abuja.
The unnamed Senator was said to be supplying the protesters incentives such as food and water.
However, Senator Kingibe has said that the video being misrepresented was recorded six weeks ago during the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) protests at the National headquarters of the LP in Abuja.
In a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Kennedy Mbele, Senator Kingibe said, “I am shocked and outraged by the blatant lies and misinformation being spread by mischief-makers! The video being circulated is from over six weeks ago, during a Labour Party NWC meeting, when the NLC was protesting outside the Labour Party office.
“As stakeholders, including Senators, House of Reps members, and Mr. Peter Obi, we went out to engage with the protesters and address their concerns. Now, these deceitful individuals are trying to pass off this old footage as current, claiming that Mr.@PeterObi and I are leading protests in Abuja yesterday.
“This is a malicious and desperate attempt to discredit us. Let me set the record straight: Mr. Peter Obi is not in Abuja, and I haven’t left my house since Wednesday due to illness, much less distributed food and water at the protest grounds, though that would be noble for whoever did.
“I condemn this orchestrated attempt to spread falsehoods and cause confusion, using it as the basis to claim I sponsored the Abuja protest. It is a shameless and irresponsible act that will not be tolerated. We will not stand idly by while our names and reputations are dragged through the mud by these unscrupulous individuals”
“Recall that Mr. Peter Obi had in a statement explained that he was in his State, Anambra yesterday and as such, cannot be in Abuja and Anambra State simultaneously.
We therefore urge the general public to ignore the malicious video as our amiable Senator has made her position on the #endbadgovernance protest clear, in her most recent interview with Channels Television.”