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17 SOLDIERS: CHILLING DISCOVERIES AT OKUAMA
17 SOLDIERS: CHILLING DISCOVERIES AT OKUAMA
By: Zagazola Makama
Since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu vowed to ensure justice on the brutal killing of 17 soldiers at Okuama community, Ughelli Local Government Area, Delta State, and his consequent matching order to the Nigerian Army to thoroughly investigate and fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act, facts revealed by every passing day firmly point at the entire community as complicit, not just the group of militants who actually carried out the execution.
In response to the President’s directives, the military high command ordered the extension of the search for suspected killers of the 17 soldiers in the Okuama community. Before the Operation, leaders of the community alleged that soldiers had begun targeting innocent civilians in the community rather than going after the miscreants who committed the crime.
Further searches fan across the community and sink deeper into the affairs and proclivities of its residents have revealed, with firmer confirmation, that the entire Okuama, from its traditional and community leaders and other elites down to the lowest residents in socioeconomic and political status is a community of militants thriving on terror.
But even before the Operation to find the culprit began, leaders of the community had orchestrated an allegation in the media that soldiers were targeting innocent civilians in the community rather than going after the miscreants who committed the crime. This move which some observers saw as being contrived to cast the military in bad light and to demonize its operation, did not deter them from going after the killers of the soldiers and masterminds of the crime.
Military investigations, which have, all through, been conducted in the finest and most-careful fashion to guard against incriminating innocent citizens, according to the presidential directive, findings have been revealing the most-chilling set up of Okuama and its surrounding communities.
First, all expressions of sympathy and commiseration by the traditional rulers, tending to exonerate themselves from the act, as well as their commitment to aid the military in the search for the perpetrators, are all feigned. The wider the search, and the deeper the investigation, the more glaring the complicity of the community’s elites and traditional rulers.
Second, and most-chilling, the deeper the military’s search across the community to disarm the residents, in compliance with directives, the more it is discovered that the entire community is sitting on an expansive cache of arms, which the youthful militants deploy to unleash terror on the behest and command of their elders and elites.
On April 10, 2024, troops of 63 Brigade conducted a raid/ cordon and search operations at Olota Community of Ugheli South LGA of Delta State confirming all these facts about Okuama and its surrounding communities with regard to their stockpile of arms for terror activities.
During the Search of the residence of one Mr Kenneth, who escaped on sighting the troops, the team discovered one G3 rifle, 853 rounds of 7.62 MM Nato and 19 rounds of 7.62 Special MM.
A further search of other locations within the community led to the discovery of 4 G3 rifles and Magazines, one pump action gun and 3 Sub Machine Guns, Magazines and 476 carriages. Additionally, the troops recovered 5 dane guns and one big plastic containing substances suspected to be Carbis satin.
Armed with robust intelligence effort, the military were said to have stormed a number of hideouts and homes of individuals suspected to be complicit in the heinous crime. The operations, however, paid off with the arrest of three leaders of the Olota community in Ugheli South LGA of the state.
The arrest of the three identified individuals followed a painstaking effort of the military to track down the masterminds and killers of the soldiers. The manhunt of the perpetrators has compelled the military to look beyond Okuama community as they are said to have extended their dragnet to surrounding communities and across the creeks of the Niger Delta region where they suspect that the killers might be hiding.
The troops are also in search of weapons which they believe are stockpiled in many homes within the general area.
One Intelligence source who spoke to Zagazola Makama, said the communities where the troops have conducted searches were full of weapons and the directive handed over to the troops was to mop up the arms and ammunition and disarm the communities.
According to him, the troops will not relent until that particular order has been carried out to the letter. He said the domination of the general area is in progress while the search for weapons belonging to the slain military personnel and culprits in the dastardly act continues. “All these communities have what they call, ‘community weapons’ ‘ which they use to cause havoc here”, he said.
Recall that on the 14th day of March, Lt. Colonel A. H. Ali, the Commanding Officer of 181 Amphibious Battalion, led three other officers and 13 soldiers to the Okuama Community to mediate in the lingering dispute with Okoloba Community, and were killed by members of the Okuama community.
They went as peacemakers and peacekeepers, respectfully seeking to bring an end to the hostilities between the two communities. They did not go with tanks, machine guns, and other weapons. They were on a mission for peace.
*Zagazola Makama, is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad region
17 SOLDIERS: CHILLING DISCOVERIES AT OKUAMA
Group demands zoning of Gombe Central Senatorial seat to Yamaltu/Deba
A sociocultural group under the auspices of Nyimatli Development Association (NDA) has demanded that the 2027 senatorial seat of Gombe Central be zoned to Yamaltu Deba Local Government Area of the State.
Speaking at a news conference on Monday in Gombe, Mr Emmanuel Usman, the secretary of the group in the company of other executive members said the demand was from the entire people of Yamaltu Deba LGA.
Usman said the demand was a necessary step for equity, unity, justice and inclusiveness.
He stated that since Gombe Central has two Local Government Areas of Akko and Yamaltu Deba and Akko has held the seat for 16 years, zoning it to Yamaltu Deba would ensure parity and correct the zoning imbalance.
“Akko has held the seat for too long and it is our turn to ensure equitable representation; this is the message from the Tera people and the people of Yamaltu Deba.
“The people of Yamaltu Deba LGA are concerned about the issue of representation at the National Assembly particularly at the Senate.
“Yamaltu Deba is in Gombe Central Senatorial District and the district is owned by Akko and Yamaltu Deba and by extension this seat should go round between the two LGAs in the zone.
“When we returned into the present democratic era, the first senator was from Akko who served for four years and then it returned to Yamaltu Deba, for another four years.
“Until it came to the time when Senator Danjuma Goje, from Akko became senator and he has served four consecutive terms that is for 16 years, without it being returned to Yamaltu Deba.
“We feel as a people if we own this seat collectively, equity and justice should have been the right thing and if Akko has enjoyed 16 years, it should now be returned to Yamaltu Deba,” he said.
Usman said that the people of Yamaltu Deba were already feeling maginalised not because the current senator Goje lacked competence or representation, but because they have been denied the right to represent the district.
He said the LGA has a lot of competent politicians and technocrats who could effectively represent the Senatorial District and fast track development.
Usman pleaded with Goje not to contest the 2027 senatorial seat but allow Yamaltu Deba in the spirit of “our unwritten consensus” for turn taking in representation.
“We have supported Goje, voted for him and given him the platform to lead, it is now time for him to return the favour and step aside for others from Yamaltu Deba to occupy the senate seat.”
He also appealed to Gov Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State as the party leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to listen to their plea towards ensuring fairness, inclusion and justice.
Group demands zoning of Gombe Central Senatorial seat to Yamaltu/Deba
Eight aspirants eye Governor Buni’s seat in Yobe
By: Yahaya Wakili
As 2027 general elections are approaching, over 8 aspirants from the three senatorial districts of Yobe state are jostling for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
Notably among them are the current Secretary to the Yobe State Government and the longest SSG in Northeastern Nigeria, Alhaji Baba Mallam Wali (BMW) mni; the former Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the longest member at the National Assembly since 1999 up to date and the current Senator for the Yobe North Senatorial District, Senator Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan, GCON (SAIL), Sardaunan Bade; and Senator Mohammed Ibrahim Bomai (MIB), two-term Senator for the Yobe South Senatorial District and Madakin Fika Emirate Council.
Others notable among them include Senator Musa Mustapha (COOLERS), current Senator of the Yobe East Senatorial District; Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu, former Deputy Governor of Yobe State and former Minister of Power and Jarman of the Pataskum Emirate Council; and Kashim Musa Tumsah, a lawyer and diplomat, and hosts of others. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has been ruling the state since the return of democracy in 1999 or since the creation of the state. Muhammad Abba, a political analyst in the state, revealed that we are advising the party stakeholders in the state that if they want the party to continue ruling the state, they should adopt the rotation or zoning formula so that every senatorial district will benefit from the governorship seat in the state.
Dr. Garba Adamu, also a political analyst in the state, said rotation or zoning is the best option for the APC in the state, adding that since the creation of the state, Zone A, or the Yobe East Senatorial District, for a long time has held the power or has produced the governor, and the Yobe South Senatorial District has produced only one governor, Mamman B. Ali, who spent only 18 months in office before he died. But in the Yobe North Senatorial District, Zone C, they never produce anything else, neither the governor nor the deputy; they never get the opportunity or the chance.
He added that, but this time around if the party wants to win the election easily without facing any challenges from the opposition party, they should reintroduce the zoning system because it will encourage the electorates to come out en masse to vote for the party, especially from Zone C, because they picked its son to be the party candidate. However, he said the best candidate from the zone, who would win the election 100%, is Alhaji Baba Mallam Wali (BMW), the current secretary to the state government; he has the capacity, and he has the experience to handle the affairs of the state because of his long experience in administration.
According to him, the election of Baba Mallam Wali as the fifth democratically elected governor of Yobe State will steady impactful walks through the corridors of power at both local and state levels. He is a man blessed with a character of humility, sympathy, and accessibility and a genius in letting go of what rightfully and lawfully belongs to him for peace to reign. However, BMW’s plan is to continue building on what they call the “Renewed Hope and Vision of Governor Mai Mala Buni and the legacy of His Excellency, Senator Ibrahim Geidam,” aimed at delivering a better life for residents of Yobe State.
“Baba Mallam Wali’s agenda is anchored on People-Oriented Development (POD), a strategy designed to ensure that government decisions directly continue to improve the daily lives of citizens. Alhaji Idris Musa, also a political analyst in the state, reiterates his call to the APC-led administration in Yobe State to adopt the rotation formula aimed to balance its political equations, adding that if care is not carefully taken in Yobe politics this time and if they fail to implement the zoning formula, they will face the consequences because likely the opposition party will win the election, because the two senatorial zones will react, especially Zone C and Zone B.
Zone C deserved to pick the governorship ticket of Yobe State in 2027, and if there is fairness, equity, and justice in the 2027 election, then from Zone C, the current Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Baba Mallam Wali MNI, is capable and has the capacity to hold the ticket, and he will deliver, inshallah.
Eight aspirants eye Governor Buni’s seat in Yobe
Reprisal attack leaves two dead as plateau govt imposes curfew in Jos
By: Zagazola Makama
A reprisal attack has claimed the lives of two persons in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, following an earlier shooting incident along the Jos–Bauchi highway.
A security source said the incident occurred on March 29 at Angwan Rukuba junction, where residents allegedly carried out retaliatory attacks on passersby after a morning assault by gunmen.
According to the source, the initial attack, which occurred at about 7:30 a.m., involved assailants who drove on a vehicle and opened fire on commuters, killing several persons and injuring others before fleeing the scene.
Security sources blamed the attack on cultist, while some blame it on the fulani bandits, sone said they are Boko Haram while some maintain that the attackers were some criminal elements because they fled in a vehicle.
Sources however said that in the aftermath of the shooting, some aggrieved residents reportedly attacked unsuspecting passersby on the highway, resulting in the death of two persons,” the source said.
He added that the situation created heightened tension in the area, with fears of further escalation.
The situation further compounded after a Foreigner went to the scene of the accident to demonstrate and threatened to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying will regret what he was doing for not admitting Christian Genocide.
The Plateau State Government subsequently imposed an immediate 48-hour curfew to restore calm and prevent additional reprisal attacks.
The source said casualties from the incidents had been evacuated to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), while security agencies had commenced investigations to identify and apprehend those responsible.
He noted that no arrests had been made as of the time of filing this report.
The source further stressed the need for sustained security presence and community engagement to de-escalate tensions and prevent a breakdown of law and order.
Security agencies have also intensified patrols and surveillance in the area, as efforts continue to restore normalcy and ensure the safety of residents.
Reprisal attack leaves two dead as plateau govt imposes curfew in Jos
Group demands zoning of Gombe Central Senatorial seat to Yamaltu/Deba
Eight aspirants eye Governor Buni’s seat in Yobe
Reprisal attack leaves two dead as plateau govt imposes curfew in Jos
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