17, May 2023
Nigeria: Ethnic clashes kill at least 30 0
More than 30 people have been killed in ethnic clashes between herdsmen and farmers in central Nigeria’s Plateau state, local officials stated.
Plateau State Information and Communications Commissioner Dan Manjang declared on Tuesday that the deadly violence on Monday erupted between herdsmen, who are mostly Muslims, and farmers, who are mostly Christians, suggesting ethnic clashes.
The region, which is located on the dividing line between the predominantly Muslim north of Nigeria and the predominantly Christian south of the country, has been struggling to deal with ethnic and religious clashes for years.
Police said that violence broke out in various villages in Bwoi and in Mangu district.
Police spokesman Alfred Alabo said “a distress call was received” around noon time with a report of gunmen “shooting sporadically”.
He said in a statement that security officials were deployed to the area, where they clashed with “hoodlums” – a term used in Nigeria to describe criminals.
Violence in north-west and central Nigeria has escalated from small-scale killings to wider crimes, with armed gangs reportedly attacking villages and committing mass kidnappings and looting.
“As we speak, the culprits are on the run while our officers are still on their trail with the aim to ensure that they are neutralized and if possible, arrested,” Alabo added.
He further noted that the chairman of the Mangu district has imposed a 24-hour curfew “to ensure that the crisis does not escalate to other areas.”
Nearly 50 people were killed last month when gunmen attacked a village in neighboring Benue state, violence that local officials blamed on herdsmen.
Benue has suffered the most amid inter-communal conflicts between farmers and herdsmen who are accused of destroying agricultural land by grazing their cattle.
President-elect Bola Tinubu, who will take over the helm of Africa’s most populous country later this month, faces multiple security challenges.
The military is fighting a 14-year-old insurgency by terrorist groups in the northeast, separatist tensions in the southeast, piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, and kidnappings by armed criminals across the country.
Violence has increased in the past few weeks after a brief lull in presidential and gubernatorial elections in February and March.
Source: Presstv
22, May 2023
Cameroon, Nigeria beef up security in Bakassi 0
Nigeria and Cameroon have beefed up security in the Gulf of Guinea and maritime borders as the 14 days ultimatum by the Biafra Nations League (BnL) to release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi kanu, expired on May 20.
Recall that BnL had, on May 6, through its National Leader, Princewill Richards, given the two countries 14 days to release Kanu and withdraw troops from South East, as well as the Bakassi Peninsula.
Sources said there is heavy military presence as Nigeria and Cameroon have deployed heavy gunboats to the maritime borders in Bakassi Peninsula.
They noted that military presence on the major road to Calabar from Ikang has increased, while soldiers engage in stop and search operations.
The Guardian, however, observed that people were going about their normal businesses, as everywhere was calm and peaceful except for security men who were on red alert for any uprising.
An army personnel, who does not want to be mentioned, at one of the check points, said they were on a normal military exercise to forestall any violence, but declined to comment on the BnL ultimatum.
Operational Commander of BnL, Henry Edet, reacting to the reinforcement of troops, said: “They will end up intimidating indigenes, but they can’t stop anything that wants to happen.”
He noted that the BnL Chief of Staff in Ikang was alarmed that he received a call from Department of State Services (DSS) about the ultimatum, warning him against any violent action.
As part of efforts to check any violent situation, it was gathered that Richards was arrested and allegedly brutalised by police operatives in Ikot Ekpene, in Akwa Ibom State, as he was returning home after addressing the press in Calabar.
It was learnt they accused him of sending his boys to kill police operatives in Orlu, Imo State, and Essien Udim, in Akwa Ibom, as well as sending militants to vandalise pipelines in riverine areas, which he, reportedly, denied.
He has since been released on bail.
Source: The Guardian Nigeria