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10 Governors, IGP Meet, Adopt New Measures To End Banditry
The Inspector General of Police and 10 state governors yesterday met repentant cattle rustlers and bandits, volunteers (also known as Yan Sakai) and Miyetti Allah leaders in an effort to end banditry, especially in the North West.
Governors of Plateau, Taraba, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi and Katsina states attended the one day security and reconciliation meeting which lasted over five hours. The focus is how to end killings and banditry in the zone.
The DIG Kano zone, seven police commissioners and top military officers were also in attendance.
It was resolved that the Yan Sakai should stop their illegal activities because they have no legal backing, while the police will arrest anyone who goes about killing and molesting people.
Reading the meeting’s communiqué, Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari said “As from today, no vigilante group member or volunteers should attack or kill any herdsman, as sacrifice must be made by both sides to ensure peace reign.
“Herdsmen and their families should be allowed to go for their normal businesses, attend markets and worship places without molestation provided they don’t carry arms into public places.
“It is very important they come peacefully and leave peacefully,” he said.
“Both former bandits and Yan Sakai [are] to surrender all arms and ammunition in their possession to authorities and also to release people under their captivity.
“In order to further peace and harmony within communities, those who stole animals from communities and people living around should return them to government or Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association.
“This is necessary because in order to foster peace and understanding sacrifices must be made by both sides, we believe that there are some people that have been taken hostage by both bandits and Yan Sakai, this people should be returned.
“We are happy to say that we have seen some releases in Zamfara of people, even from Katsina State, the governor spoke to me and we sent for them to be picked, others have gone to their various places,” he said. The meeting also resolved that the secretaries to state governments from North West and others who attended the meeting will remain and discuss with the former bandits on ways to sustain and maintain peace in the region and other affected places.
Shedding light on the new measures, the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu said “Nobody is allowed to attack any one as resolutions reached today shall, within the next one month, be appraised to see levels of compliance.”
He vowed that anyone who deviated or tried to test the might of the authorities over what was reached shall be brought to book.
Adamu had earlier at the opening session of the meeting said it was called to review security challenges in the zone with a view to finding a lasting solution.
He said the meeting shall review recent initiatives taken by Kebbi and Zamfara states to stop the killings and kidnapping in their states, even as he noted that “these initiatives were first introduced by Katsina state”
He said “We felt that to continue the follow up, we need to go to where it all started and to review all that we have done that led to success in Zamfara and to see those things that work and those that didn’t so that the whole of North West can be peaceful.”
“We know we are farmers, we should be able to go back to our farms, we know we are cattle breeders, we should be able have opportunity to breed cattle without molestation,” he added. It was also resolved that states would provide hospitals, schools, grazing reserves among others to herders and their families.
Zamfara State Governor Bello Mutawalle said the states would provide grazing reserves for herders to settle in one place in the zone to avoid the banditry.
“We are concerned that herders are always roaming around with their animals thereby exposing themselves to different kinds of hazards. Some people with banditry tendencies have crept in.
“The governors took a uniform measure, you should also take a uniform decision not to rustle animals, kidnap or kill anyone.
“You should immediately release all people in your custody in order to show the world that you have truly repented,” he said.
Mutawalle had before the meeting said that “The peace and reconciliation initiative I introduced in Zamfara has yielded good results which earned us commendation from the president because in the last one month, the state only recorded one attack where sadly one person was killed.”
“In Zamfara too, the peace initiative which is being headed by the Commissioner of Police, Usman Nagogo agreed on a ceasefire with the bandits and they have been releasing the innocent persons in their captivity,” he said.
News
State Police: Governors in support, NEC to adopt report at next meeting in January
At the 146th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, the last for 2024, 36 states with exception of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), submitted their reports on state police, with majority supporting its establishment to address Nigeria’s escalating security challenges, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani on Thursday disclosed.
Speaking after the meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Sani revealed that 36 states have submitted proposals supporting the establishment of state police, reflecting a strong consensus among governors.
“Today, one of the discussions we had at the NEC meeting was the update on the creation of state police. As you are aware, there was a submission by States toward the establishment of state police.
”Today, about 36 states have already made their submission for establishing state police in Nigeria. And I can say here that from what is available, virtually most of the states are in agreement with the establishment of state police in Nigeria,” Sani stated.
Despite the overwhelming support, discussions on the initiative were postponed until the next NEC meeting scheduled for January.
Sani explained, “The council decided to step down the discussion until we receive a report from the secretariat. After that, there will be deliberation at the next NEC meeting.”
He also highlighted a resolution from the previous NEC meeting calling for further stakeholder engagement to refine the proposal.
“And not only that, there’s also a resolution in the last NEC meeting, which is today the Secretariate have also agreed on that, there will be further stakeholder engagement after the panel and deliberation by the members of the NEC.”
The governor acknowledged the unique security challenges faced by different regions, noting, “Considering the fact that virtually every state has their peculiarity in terms of the problem we are having of insecurity in our own states. Knowing fully well that we have a lot of ungoverned space in Nigeria, and also that we have a lot of deficit in terms of number of boots on ground, looking at the fact that a lot of security agencies, the police, the army and other relevant security agencies have no personnel to cover all the ungoverned spaces, that is the reason why most of us agreed that establishment of state police in Nigeria is the way forward toward addressing the problem insecurity in our own country.”
At the last NEC meeting, the governments of Kwara, Kebbi, and Adamawa and FCT were given one week to submit their reports on the proposed creation of state police.
Governor Sani said while others have complied, FCT failed to do so with explanations which were accepted by the council.
The council had in September, threatened to impose decisions on any state that had not complied with the request for reports.
The push for state police comes as Nigeria grapples with severe insecurity issues, including banditry and terrorism.
The NEC’s discussions follow a broader national dialogue on policing reform initiated by President Bola Tinubu earlier this year. The President has long advocated for state police as part of efforts to decentralize Nigeria’s heavily centralized security apparatus.
Daily Sun
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Police arrest five armed robbery suspects, recover three AK-47 rifles in Lagos, Anambra
Four suspects, Akeem Alabi, Adewale Sogbesan, Emmanuel Izeagbe, and Francis Okoko have been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command for alleged armed robbery.
Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.
He said the suspects were arrested on December 10 and confessed to being members of a robbery syndicate operating around the Costain axis in the state.
Adejobi said the arrests were in furtherance of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun’s assurance to Nigerians of the emplacement of intensive security measures to ensure the safety and protection of lives and property during the Yuletide festivities.
He said the IGP has directed the immediate deployment of adequate personnel to strategic locations, key areas and identified hotspots across all states, an initiative aimed at curbing traffic, highway robberies, and other criminal activities during this period of increased-mobility, public gatherings and celebrations.
Adejobi said the IGP’s directive includes the mobilisation of police officers to highways, major roads, urban centres, and recreational centres nationwide.
“Officers will be strategically positioned to deter crimes via increased police presence and visibility on major highways and roads prone to criminal activities, particularly highway robberies, which tend to spike during festive seasons,” the FPRO said.
He said the police has already made significant headway in combating these crimes with the arrest of the armed robbery suspects in Lagos and other parts of the country.
Adejobi said that on December 6, police operatives of the Anambra State Command trailed and arrested a suspected armed robber identified as Miracle Mwakaloi at Awka, the state capital.
“Upon his arrest and subsequent interrogation, the suspect led the operatives to his apartment, where during a search, 3 Ak-47 rifles were recovered.”
The FPRO said the Nigeria Police Force remains firm in its commitment to providing a safe environment during and beyond the Yuletide season.
“With ongoing proactive measures, including enhanced patrols, community engagement, and a specific focus on public safety, the Force is dedicated to ensuring that the festive season is celebrated without the shadow of crimes.
“While urging citizens to cooperate with heightened police presence which promises to be professional and law-abiding, the IGP further encourages citizens to remain vigilant and report all suspicious activities to the Police and other law enforcement agencies,” he said.
Daily Sun
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NMDPRA begins clampdown on illegal LPG retail outlets in Akwa Ibom
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Resources Authority says it has commenced a clampdown on illegal LPG retail outlets in Akwa Ibom State.
The state Coordinator, Ikechukwu Eseka, disclosed this on Thursday while receiving the state commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Bakshar Hussaini, in his office on a courtesy visit.
He said, “We have started enforcement of LPG retailers embarking on illegal decanting of LPG, filling stations, LPG refilling plants and other illegal downstream operations in the state.
“We are currently working on the illegal proliferation of decanting of LPG in the state, Eseka stated, adding that gas is very volatile, and some of them are using gas that is not meant for the purpose.”
He said he has directed that gas plant owners should not load gas on people who don’t have licenses NMDPRA in the state, warning that “decanting of gas from cylinder to cylinder is an illegal activity which is punishable by law.”
He also called on marketers to register and renew their licenses before operating LPG in the state.
“We used the opportunity to talk on the aspects of the downstream which has to do with our enforcement, sealing of filling stations and those who are using diesel for industrial purposes that are yet to register with NMDPRA.
“We have also commenced engagement with individuals and organisations using storage tanks that are over 500 litres, to come and register with the Authority in the state,” he added.
Eseka thanked the Commandant for coming to re-strategise and collaborate with the Authority in the state.
Earlier, the State Commandant of NSCDC, Hussaini, explained that the purpose of coming was to collaborate with NMDPRA on how to checkmate indiscriminate decanting of LPG in the state.
“I know with the present situation in the country, a lot of them are going to cry and you have to use human face to handle their cases so that we don’t injure the government and the public themselves,” he said.
He lamented that some people used their houses to sell cooking gas which can cause environmental hazards to the public.
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