Bandits still control communities

From Sola Ojo, Kaduna, Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri and Chukwudi Nweje

Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has said bandits now rule in some northern communities.

The royal father who was reacting to the killings of the 43 rice farmers in Borno State, lamented that nowhere was safe in Nigeria anymore.

He spoke under the auspices of the apex Islamic body in Northern Nigeria, Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), just as he asked Imams across the country to embark on special prayer against insecurity five times a day.

Sultan also called on the Federal Government to rise up to its responsibilities and do well beyond the traditional condemnation and payment of lip service to security matters.

Sultan in a statement by the JNI’s Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu said, “wanton killings, acts of banditry, kidnapping for ransom, high rate of unemployment amongst the youths, rape and all forms of terrorisms have now become the ‘new trend’ in our communities.

“Nigerians have become so much terrified as nowhere is safe; the home, the farms and the roads. Bandits now rule in many communities, they set rules that must be obeyed.”

He said the common man is now caught in-between two contending phenomenon – when he goes to the farm, he gets killed and when he stays at home he dies of hunger.

“For how long would we continue to live a life in fear? For how long can we continue to wait in vain? For how long, shall we continue to condemn acts of terrorism without any concerted efforts in ending it? For how long, would we continue to remain indolent? And for how long can we continue to remain hopeless in a precarious situation such as what we are in presently?”

Borno killings callous, satanic says Tinubu

In the same vein, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has said the recent killing of about 67 farmers in Zabarmari, Borno State, by Boko Haram is callous and satanic.

The former Lagos State in a condolence message to Gov Zulum and the people of Borno State said the killing of the farmers, whose throats were slit, in spite of the assistance the state government provides to the federal security forces is an indication that the war on terror will require more efforts to win.

He commended Governor Zulum’s efforts at ensuring the return of displaced indigenes of the state to their ancestral homes, which he said led to an increase in agricultural output, as well as brought joy to the displaced, Tnubu said.

Killers must be brought to justice -UN

United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon has called for the prosecution of Boko Haram insurgents that beheaded over 40 farmers in a Borno town last weekend.

Kallon made the call in a statement, yesterday, after visiting Zabarmari, a remote community near Maiduguri where the slain farmers were buried weekend after the attack. He said the community has been in grief and pains since the incident occurred. He described the attack as unspeakable cruelty, saying the perpetrators should be brought to book.

“With more slain civilians recovered almost every day since the attack, it is clear that this was an act of sheer inhumanity and abject cruelty. The perpetrators of this heinous and senseless act should be brought to justice.”

He said surviving farmers and villagers retold accounts of the attack during his visit to the community on Tuesday. “Innocent civilians – men and women – were ruthlessly killed. Details on losses are still coming in and the search for missing people is still ongoing. More bodies are being recovered. Farmers have also reported some of the missing women may have been abducted,” he said.

He called for immediate release and safe return to the community of the women and girls. He said recovery of more civilian bodies from the farmland almost every day since the attack, clearly show that the terror act as “sheer inhumanity and abject cruelty.”

He said the UN was committed to doing their utmost to support the people of Borno State especially the the most vulnerable people, many of whom live in such remote areas.

Nigeria, Cameroon partner

The Nigerian military and Cameronian Defences Forces have resolved to collaborate in border patrol and counter-terrorism operation. To clear Boko Haram from the border area.

Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj Gen Farouk Yahaya disclosed on Wednesday while briefing newsmen after the visit of the Cameronian defence forces led by Commander of Operation Emergence 4, Gen Saly Muhamadou and troops of Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTK) at the Theatre Command Maiduguri.

“This is a visit by our counterparts in the Multi National Joint Task Force (NNJTF) from Cameroonian defense forces. We had a fruitful discussion on how best to enhance our operations to end Boko Haram insurgency at our borders and within our countries,” Hahaha disclosed.

He said the meeting with the Cameroon forces was aimed at improving collaboration and synergy, as members of the MNJTF. “This is not the first time we are having joint operations that concerns our border and fight against terrorism,” Gen Yahaya said.

He said the visit would further cement the relationship between the countries in the operations against “common enemy, the Boko Haram insurgents.”