News
FG Must Ensure Safe Release Of Over 600 Kidnap Victims, Says Amnesty Int’l
Amnesty International (AI) has called on the Federal Government to secure the safe release of over 687 people who were abducted by gunmen in Borno and Kaduna states.
In Borno, suspected Boko Haram terrorists kidnapped over 400 persons including women and children from the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Gamboru Ngala, Babban Sansani, Zulum, and Arabic settlements.
Also, at least 287 schoolchildren were kidnapped after gunmen stormed the LEA Primary and Secondary School in Kuriga village of Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
While reacting to the incidents in a statement on Friday, the Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, said the kidnappings are a “shocking indictment of the authorities’ persistent failure to protect people from attacks by armed groups that have killed thousands of Nigerians in the last five years”.
Amnesty wants the “Nigerian government to take all necessary measures to ensure the safe release and return of those abducted to their families.
“Authorities must also promptly, thoroughly, impartially, independently, effectively, and transparently investigate the recurring cases of abductions in many parts of the country, make public the findings of any investigation, and ensure that the suspected perpetrators are brought to justice in fair trials.”
No Plan To Cub Attacks
The group took a swipe at the Nigerian government over its perceived failure to end the continuous attacks by gunmen across the country.
It argued that the latest incident has exposed the current administration as having no plan to end the spate of violence and attacks by armed groups.
According to Amnesty International, the current approach adopted by President Bola Tinubu’s administration is not working.
“The latest mass abductions clearly show President Bola Tinubu and his government have no effective plan for ending years of atrocities by armed groups and gunmen that are increasingly having a free reign across many parts of Nigeria.
“Whatever security measures are being implemented by President Tinubu and his government are clearly not working.
“Given the rising level of insecurity in Nigeria today, it is obvious that protecting lives and property is low on the list of government priorities. People should not be left to live in fear of the next attack or abduction. The Nigerian authorities’ consistent failure to protect people is completely unacceptable and must end,” the rights group said.
It also called on those with command responsibilities for security in the areas where the abductions took place to be held to account for the glaring failures that have put the lives of hundreds of people in danger.
The First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, on Saturday, refuted reports that she will be leading a seven-day national prayer for Nigeria.
This followed a report last week that Mrs Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Mrs Nuhu Ribadu, will spearhead a national prayer session to tackle the country’s numerous challenges.
The reports quoted the Director-General of the National Prayer Forum, Segun Afolorunikan, announcing the event in Abuja.
Afolorunikan had said the initiative, coordinated with Christian and Muslim religious leaders, intends to seek divine intervention for the country’s socio-economic and security issues, under the theme ‘Seeking the Intervention of God in Nigeria’s Affairs.’
“Christians will meet at the National Ecumenical Centre for a week of intense prayer, with prayer warriors from various denominations focusing their efforts on the nation’s adversities,” said the convener.
However, the First Lady has denied knowing any such arrangement saying a call for prayer must be done “willingly, conscientiously and correctly.”
Mrs Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Busola Kukoyi, conveyed this in a statement she signed Saturday titled ‘First Lady of Nigeria Oluremi Tinubu, CON refutes organising national prayer.’
It read, “This is to clarify and inform the general public that the First Lady of Nigeria is not organising a national prayer.
“The news making rounds in some conventional and social media platforms is unfounded and misleading.
“Consequently, anyone who might have come across the purported news of the joint National Prayer for Nigeria should disregard it as false.”
Kukoyi said the First Lady, a Christian and strong advocate of prayer and praying for Nigeria, believes that prayer is an act that must be done willingly, conscientiously and correctly.
“She also believes that praying for Nigeria is the responsibility of every Nigerian, irrespective of religious belief, political affiliation, tribe or tongue.
“Members of the public are advised to verify the authenticity of any news or event involving the First Lady of Nigeria or her office through official channels,” the statement concluded.
A building of 25 shops has been gutted by fire in the early hours of Saturday in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.
According to the state fire service, the incident occurred at Adeta roundabout at about 02.39 hours.
A statement in Ilorin on Saturday by the spokesman of the service, Hassan Adekunle, said the firefighters, upon arrival, found a block of about 25 shops engulfed in flames.
“Thanks to the swift action and bravery of the Kwara State fire service officers, only three shops suffered damage, including a soft drinks and alcohol shop.
“Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire was caused by a power surge,” the statement disclosed.
The Director of the State Fire Service, Prince John Falade Olumuyiwa, expressed sympathy for the affected shop owners, offering prayers for the restoration of their losses.
He also urged the public to prioritize safety and ensure all electrical appliances are unplugged when not in use.
The newly emerged terror group known as Lakurawa, is reportedly offering as much as one million naira to young men in exchange for their allegiance.
This was made known on Saturday by Zagazola Makama, a Lake Chad Basin counterterrorism and insurgency expert, in a post on his X handle.
Makama disclosed that an impeccable source informed him that Lakurawa, allegedly composed of individuals from Mali, Chad, Libya, Niger, and Burkina Faso, was actively recruiting local youths in Sokoto through substantial financial incentives.
He stated that according to witnesses’ accounts, the financial lure is part of an aggressive recruitment campaign aimed at attracting followers to their cause.
The security expert said that Lakurawa, unlike traditional criminal gangs, reportedly adhere to extremist ideologies linked to the Khawarij sect, similar to the beliefs of Boko Haram.
Makama added: “Local sources suggest that they employ a combination of financial incentives and ideological influence to gain support among vulnerable communities.
“Beyond the recruitment, the Lakurawa reportedly confront and expel bandits and confiscate their cattle in areas under their control.
Watch video below:
https://twitter.com/ZagazOlaMakama/status/1855319733282758848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
First Lady denies leading national prayer
25 Shops destroyed as fire guts building in Ilorin
New terror group Lakurawa offers N1m incentives to recruit Sokoto youths + Video
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