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Youths break peace accord in Taraba, trigger deadly reprisal attacks despite repeated warnings
Youths break peace accord in Taraba, trigger deadly reprisal attacks despite repeated warnings
By: Zagazola Makama
Barely weeks after security forces brokered a peace accord between farmers and herders in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State, renewed violence has broken out, triggered by actions that have now led to death, destruction and growing instability in the region.
Zagazola Makama was reliably informed by intelligence sources that despite the security agencies holding three separate meetings with youth and community leaders where appeals for restraint and peaceful coexistence were passionately made, local youths in Badanwa reportedly violated the terms of the agreement by launching attacks on Fulani herders grazing near their farms.
The sources said that the troops deployed under Operation Lafiyan Jamaa responded swiftly to a distress call at about 2:50 p.m. on Friday, May 23. Upon arrival, the troops discovered that some fleeing Fulani herders had retaliated in panic, killing two locals believed to be from Munga Lelau village. The victims, according to sources, were attacked with machetes during the chaos and confusion that ensued.
The violence spiraled further when troops, while pursuing leads into the unfolding crisis, encountered armed bandits burning houses in Munga Lelau. In the exchange of fire, troops neutralised two of the bandits and recovered a dane gun, a cell phone, a fabricated pistol, and four cartridges. Further searches around Munga Doso village led to more arms recovery.
The crisis, according to security officials, could have been avoided if community leaders had been obeyed and the peace agreement upheld.
“You cannot go and attack people grazing near your village and expect them not to retaliate. That is the reality we are dealing with. We had already put a framework in place for dialogue and monitoring,”
The resurgence of hostilities was a a result of a reckless mob action and the failure of some community elements to honour peace initiatives facilitated by security agencies. Just because you see a Fulani man with his livestock, you the. Pick up sticks, cutlass and other weapons and began shouting hochebe hey hochebe hey. And now that it has become bad, you are calling on the security agencies to defend you,” a senior security officer who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
Security forces have since intensified patrols in the general area to forestall further escalation. However, the general situation remains volatile, with fresh tensions threatening to undo months of painstaking confidence-building efforts.
In the wake of these developments, security authorities have suggested that the local government consider imposing a curfew in the affected areas as a short-term measure to prevent further reprisal attacks and restore normalcy.
“It’s time to go beyond warnings. There must be consequences for those who break peace accords or act as enablers of violence. No community can progress in a state of perpetual suspicion and provocation,” said Bala Ibrahim, a conflict resolution expert based in Jalingo.
Zagazola report that for now, the military and other security agencies have continue to dominate the general area with strategic patrols. But the challenge ahead is steep: rebuilding broken trust, enforcing accountability, and ensuring that peace is not just signed but sincerely upheld.
Youths break peace accord in Taraba, trigger deadly reprisal attacks despite repeated warnings
North East APC Forum Endorses Tinubu/Kashim Ticket for 2027
By: Michael Mike
The North East chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially endorsed President Bola Tinubu/ Vice President Kashim Shettima ticket for the 2027 presidential election.
The endorsement was made on Sunday during the North East All Progressives Congress Consultative Meeting in Gombe, the Gombe State capital.
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno, Mai-Mala Buni of Yobe, Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe and other top APC officials in the northeast were among thousands of party members that attended the meeting.
The forum noted that President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima have transformed Nigeria in their short terms of leadership with their renewed hope agenda.
They call on all Nigerians to rally behind a ticket that promises unity, progress and hope for the country.
While delivering his speech, the governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Zulum, noted that in the last two years, the Tinubu/Shettima-led government has done a lot in the areas of health, education, youth and women empowerment, revenue generation, and improving the lives of citizens.
Other prominent personalities present at the meeting include the National Chairman of APC, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Deputy National Chairman, Dr Ali Bukar Dalori, and other members of the APC.
End
Thirteen suspects including notorious kidnappers, escape from police cell in Nasarawa
By: Zagazola Makama
Thirteen suspects escaped from police detention after breaking through the wall of their cell at the Area Command in Nasarawa State, a Police sources confirmed to Zagazola Makama on Sunday.
The incident occurred on June 14, 2025, at about 06:30 hours when suspects held by the OC Anti-Kidnapping and OC Anti-Cultism broke out of their cell from the rear wall, sources at the command said.
The suspects, now at large, include Jamilu Abdulsalam chain theft and kidnapping, Abdullahi Yahaya (chain theft, kidnapping and culpable homicide), Usman Yerima (chain theft, kidnapping and culpable homicide), Abba Musa (chain theft, kidnapping and culpable homicide), Idris Hussaini (chain theft, kidnapping and culpable homicide), Abu Amu (chain theft and kidnapping), Usman Hassan (chain theft, intimidation and attempted kidnapping), Hussaini Sani (chain theft and kidnapping), Ibrahim Shuaibu (chain theft, kidnapping and culpable homicide), Hamza Abubakar (chain theft, kidnapping and culpable homicide), Usman Ibrahim, a.k.a Tecno (chain theft, causing grievous hurt, belonging to unlawful society and culpable homicide), and Abdullahi Muhammed (on court order).
The police say efforts were ongoing to arrest the suspects and bring them back into custody.
Meanwhile, the Cell Record Officer, incident duty officer, cell guard, and visiting-round officer have been queried and held accountable for their respective roles in the incident.
Thirteen suspects including notorious kidnappers, escape from police cell in Nasarawa
Iran-bound businessman ingest 53 wraps of cocaine at Port Harcourt airport
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested at the Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA) another businessman, 44-year-old Ezemokwe Chukwuebuka for ingesting 53 wraps of cocaine while on his way to Tehran Khomeini, Islamic Republic of Iran.
This is barely two weeks after a 60-year-old businessman Chinedu Okigbo heading to Iran with 65 pellets of cocaine in his stomach was caught at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.
The spokesman of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said Ezemokwe was arrested at the Port Harcourt airport on Saturday 7th June while trying to board Qatar Airways flight QR1434 flying to Tehran Khomeini in Iran via Doha. After a body scan proved positive to ingestion of illicit drug, he was placed on excretion observation during which he expelled 53 wraps of cocaine in six excretions with a total weight of 1.172 kilogrammes.
He said the suspect claimed to have gone into the criminal trade two years ago, moving between the West African sub-region and Iran.
He disclosed that similarly NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos in the early hours of Saturday intercepted an Italy bound passenger Edobor Ali on an Air France flight.
He noted that the NDLEA officers in collaboration with the Aviation Security of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), discovered drug consignments hidden in the luggage of the suspect during baggage scanning at the tarmac.
He said the suspect was thereafter brought down from the aircraft for baggage identification after which a thorough search of the bag led to the discovery of 14,410 pills of tramadol 225mg and 200mg concealed in winter jackets.
In his statement, Ebodor said he lives in Italy where he was hired and sent on the all expense paid trip to Nigeria to courier the drug consignments to Milan, Italy for a fee of 2000 Euros.
Babafemi said at the Port Harcourt Ports in Onne, Rivers state, NDLEA operatives last Friday intercepted a shipment of 157,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth over N1.1 billion in street value, during a joint examination of a watch-listed container with men of Customs Service and other security agencies. The opioid consignments were hidden behind 257 cartons of ceramic sanitary wares.
He said at least, three suspects: Friday Achibong, 47; Abraham Anthony, 21; and Utibe Okon, 24, were arrested last Thursday 12th June when NDLEA operatives raided a warehouse in Obereakai, Odukpani local government area, Cross River state, where a total of 2,687 kilogrammes skunk, a strain of cannabis, was recovered.
He added that same day in Bauchi state, NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence, arrested the duo of Iriemi Imonikhe, 49, and Sa’idu Ladan, 30, along Bauchi -Jos road after 195 blocks of skunk weighing 287 kilogrammes were discovered in their Toyota Camry car marked AKL 201 GG.
He said while 14 jumbo sacks of skunk weighing 560 kilogrammes were recovered from a wooden boat at Oniru beach in Lagos by operatives of the Marine Command of NDLEA last Thursday, officers of the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport Maiduguri same day arrested two businessmen: Ishaku Abdullahi, 30; and Buba Usman, 32, at the arrival hall of the domestic wing of the airport with various quantities of ecstacy pills and skunk packaged in fanciful wraps labelled as ‘Lychee’ and ‘Porro Legal’
Babafemi said the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), social advocacy activities by NDLEA commands equally continued across the country in the past week.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending the officers and men of MMIA, PHIA, MBIAM, PHPC, Marine, Cross River, and Bauchi commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, praised their compatriots in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
Iran-bound businessman ingest 53 wraps of cocaine at Port Harcourt airport
North East APC Forum Endorses Tinubu/Kashim Ticket for 2027
Bauchi DPO, another killed in fatal motor accident
Thirteen suspects including notorious kidnappers, escape from police cell in Nasarawa
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