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Guns: Interesting, Common Firearms Used by Man

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Guns: Interesting, Common Firearms Used by Man

By: Balami Lazarus

During the nationwide protest, I kept myself busy with the book I am writing, having left it laying fallow for some time. And at times I will go out and sit nearby with some young men, listening to their wild discussions and arguments, and from time to time they will ask for my opinion, which I sincerely give out to encourage them along. One of these days, the young boys brought up the issue of guns, which caught my interest with rapt attention.

Writing about guns for me is like walking down the lane of cowboy history. Therefore, not much has been written on guns as firearms apart from what war historians were able to churn out. Guns have never interested many people, likely because of what they heard about them. Just like snakes, where more lies were heaped on them.

Whenever and wherever I tell people that one of the human inventions that I like and that fascinate me are guns, Immediately from their minds, I sensed their thought of you as either a suspect or a criminal. My interest in guns as a young boy gave me the idea to aspire to be a licensed arm dealer, but long ago the ambition was gone like smoke in the air.

Guns and their ammunition fascinate me, and it also baffles me to this day. Its mechanism is superb. Speed and the killing firepower, especially the handguns, leave one wondering. Our days of social entertainment were in cinemas and other places that were for my contemporaries.

The western movies of the old wild west (cowboys films) must have influenced my love for guns. Late Mallam. Soro, our age-long neighbor who was a professional hunter, also fired my love for guns. Funny enough, I never had one, having made several unsuccessful attempts to acquire one apart from the toys and guns I had as a kid. It might interest you to also know that everyone of us out there has one interest or the other in one invention or the other. You, as the reader of this piece, will search for yourself and say yes to this.

Little is known of guns by most people apart from hunters who were considered to be the earliest users of these firearms according to gun historians. Officers and men of the armed forces and police are known to have guns. While some other law enforcement agents are included in the use of guns for lawful purposes, but ask some of these men about what they know about guns. I believe you will not be satisfied with what they might tell you. Worst of these is the impression people generally have of guns as a killing machine only.

But I tell you hereinafter that guns are not meant to be used for killings only in a peaceful human environment but for protection and a show of strength. Guns give the holder confidence, courage, and guts because they scare men and audit their motives, putting a halt to their bad intentions. Cowboys historians once said that cattle ranches were no go areas for cattle rustlers for the fear of Winchester; its effective firepower and accurate peep-sight for long-range targets are record-breaking.

Winchester (1873), used by ranchers, was believed to be in every cattle rancher’s collection. It was the old version of the most powerful modern telescopic rifles ever used in the old Wild West. While we take a break from the fascination with guns, Let us connect with the mechanisms in the system of simple handguns and other firearms. Guns are based on physics principles but less on chemistry.

For the chemistry, it lies in the chemical combinations of its ammunition, and those who know better will agree with me. Guns are therefore weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Handguns are made in parts: the nuzzle, trigger, hammer, handle, and others, all assembled into one powerful, strong firearm.

Balami, a Publisher/Columnist: 08036779290

Guns: Interesting, Common Firearms Used by Man

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Tinubu’s aide launches healthcare centre in Adamawa community

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Tinubu’s aide launches healthcare centre in Adamawa community

The Shashau community in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State has received a healthcare centre built by Mrs Delu Yakubu, Senior Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.

Speaking at the inauguration, Yakubu said the facility fulfilled a long-held personal dream of improving healthcare access in her hometown.

She recalled growing up in the community without a clinic, saying the centre would help address long-standing healthcare challenges, particularly maternal care.

She said the facility formed part of a national mobile clinic initiative under her office, aligned with President Tinubu’s humanitarian mandate.

Dr Suleiman Bashir, Chairman of the Adamawa Primary Healthcare Development Agency, commended the initiative and pledged to provide medical personnel and supplies for effective service delivery.

He urged residents to protect the facility for sustainable use.

Mr James Barka, member representing Gombi/Hong Federal Constituency, lauded the project and promised to integrate it into his constituency health programmes within three months.

The Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Bathiya Wisely, described the facility as a commitment to improving grassroots healthcare and reducing maternal mortality.

He also pledged to provide a borehole for potable water at the centre.

The Paramount Ruler of Hong, Tol Alheri Nyako, urged residents to utilise and safeguard the facility, donating N500,000 in support of its operation.

The inauguration event also featured a free medical outreach and distribution of food and non-food items to underserved communities.

Tinubu’s aide launches healthcare centre in Adamawa community

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War on Terror: NHRC Insists Protection of Civilians Must Be Top Priority

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War on Terror: NHRC Insists Protection of Civilians Must Be Top Priority

By: Michael Mike

The National Human Rights Commission has issued a strongly worded response to the recent surge in terrorist violence across Nigeria, warning that the country risks deepening insecurity if the protection of civilians is not made the central pillar of national security strategy.

In a statement released by its Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu, the Commission conveyed condolences to the Nigerian Armed Forces and to governments and citizens of states hardest hit by the attacks, including Borno State, Niger State, Benue State, Kaduna State, Kwara State, Sokoto State, and Plateau State.

The Commission said it is “deeply concerned” about the increasing frequency, coordination, and geographic spread of attacks, noting that both military formations and civilian targets—including markets, places of worship, and public institutions—have come under sustained assault. Particular concern was raised over coordinated attacks on military bases in the North-East, especially in Borno, and suicide bombings in civilian areas such as Maiduguri.

Ojukwu described the pattern of violence as a “grave and systematic assault” on fundamental rights, including the right to life, dignity, and personal security, as enshrined in Nigeria’s Constitution and international obligations like the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. He stressed that deliberate attacks on civilians and security personnel by non-state armed groups constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law.

Beyond condemnation, the NHRC raised alarm over what it described as an evolving and more dangerous phase of insecurity—marked by coordinated military assaults, mass village raids, suicide bombings, and a widening spread from the North-East into the North-West and North-Central regions.

While acknowledging the sacrifices of the military, the Commission argued that Nigeria must confront a critical gap in its security architecture. “The protection of civilians cannot remain incidental to security operations—it must be their central objective,” Ojukwu said.

To address this, the Commission called for the urgent development and implementation of a comprehensive national policy focused on civilian protection. It said such a framework must place human rights at the core of all security responses, prioritise the prevention of harm in vulnerable communities, enforce accountability for violations by both state and non-state actors, and provide effective support systems for victims and survivors.

The proposed policy, according to the NHRC, should also ensure strict adherence by security forces to the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution in military operations, while strengthening early warning systems and community engagement in high-risk areas.

Ojukwu emphasized that civilians must not be treated as “collateral damage” but as rights-holders whose protection and dignity are non-negotiable. He added that a human rights-based approach to national security is not a sign of weakness but a legal and strategic necessity.

“Global evidence shows that sustainable peace can only be achieved where the state consistently protects the rights of its people,” he noted.

The Commission reaffirmed its solidarity with affected communities and security forces, pledging continued collaboration with the Federal Government, state authorities, and civil society to ensure that Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts reinforce, rather than erode, democratic and human rights principles.

War on Terror: NHRC Insists Protection of Civilians Must Be Top Priority

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Troops recover pistol, arrest two suspects in Plateau

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Troops recover pistol, arrest two suspects in Plateau

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops under Operation OPEP have arrested two suspects in possession of a pistol during a stop-and-search operation in Kuru, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau.

Security sources said the incident occurred at about 8:30 p.m. on April 11 while troops of Sector 6 OPEP were conducting routine checks in the area.

According to the sources, the suspects were intercepted with one pistol loaded with four rounds of 9mm ammunition, two mobile phones, a jackknife and the sum of N1,700.

The sources added that the suspects are currently in custody and undergoing interrogation to determine the source of the weapon and possible links to criminal networks.

Troops recover pistol, arrest two suspects in Plateau

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