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Residents, Nigeria AirForce bicker as airstrike kills scores in Kaduna

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By Mario Deepromoter

The residents of Jika da Kolo village of Yadin Kidandan in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) yesterday differed on the killing of scores of persons in an airstrike in the area on Friday.
While residents alleged that the victims included 23 worshippers at a mosque and others at a market in the area, the NAF claimed that the airstrike was only “rained” on the logistics base of terrorists.

The Air Force authority said that scores of terrorists were confirmed killed during the strike, but claimed that there was no mosque in the area.

But some residents, who spoke to Daily Trust, said among the victims included farmers and children who had gathered around the mosque that day.

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They said the latest incident was akin to the December 3, 2023 Air Force bomb attack at Tudun Biri in the same Kaduna State, which killed about 100 people.

Multiple sources at Kidandan village told our correspondents yesterday that an airplane dropped the bomb in the area.

According to them, the strike disfigured the bodies of most of those affected.

They said that 23 mutilated bodies “gathered from the scene” had been buried according to Islamic rites.

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One of the community leaders, who pleaded for anonymity for fear of his safety, and who also participated in the funeral rites, said: “We gathered body parts of 23 people who were identified by relatives, including children and they have been buried.

“Of course, Yadin Kidandan is a danger zone because it is under the control of bandits. But there are also innocent villagers who still live around there because they have no other place to go just like the casualties that we witnessed on Friday.

“So, we discovered that when the strike occurred, most of the people at the mosque died.

“It was a crowded place because there was a local market close to the mosque which was also affected. The incident happened around 2pm”, the resident said.

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Another villager at Kidandan, who simply identified himself as Malam, said: “Yes; it is true that there was a strike by a plane on Friday at a mosque in Jika da Kolo village that claimed many lives, including a few from our village who went to their farms or to do business at the local market close to the mosque.

“Many people were killed, among them farmers and children who had gathered around the mosque”, he said.

He added: “We heard when the plane arrived; it dropped something and a moment later, we heard a loud sound because I was in a nearby village. Thereafter, family members of the victims went to the scene and recognided their relatives for the funeral”, Malam said.

Labaran Hamidu, who also said he participated in the funeral prayers, said the incident reminded them of the Tudun Biri incident.

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“It was a black Friday indeed,” he said. “We lost many of our loved ones, including innocent children.

“Our prayer is that the federal and Kaduna State governments should investigate this incident. It shouldn’t be allowed to be swept under the carpet.

“Most of us are still living around these areas because we don’t have any other place to move to. Our grandparents were born here.

“With little investigation, those who threw the bomb should have established that the bandits don’t live within the villages; they are in the bushes….It is a difficult moment for us,” he said.

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The councilor representing the area, Abdullahi Ismail, also confirmed the incident, describing the area as a danger zone because of the activities of the bandits.

Our airstrikes only destroyed terrorists’ base–NAF

Deputy Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, Group Captain Kabiru Ali, told the media last night that the airstrikes were only rained on the logistics base of terrorists.

Ali, who said there was no mosque in the area, shared with the media, pictorial evidence of how the location was before and after the operation.

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He said the operation was carried out following credible intelligence indicating a huge presence of terrorists and their weapons cache in the Yadi Forest.

He said reports from independent sources, including local informants around the general area, confirmed that the logistics base was totally destroyed and scores of terrorists were killed as a result of the attack.

When told about the residents’ claim of a mosque around the area, he asked: “But, among the pictures of the strikes, did you notice any mosque around the area?”

He said: “Intensive intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance confirmed the consistent presence of terrorists and their motorcycles at the location.

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“Additional intelligence revealed that the logistics base belonged to the notorious terrorist kingpin Kadade Gurgu, a close ally of Dogo Gide.

“Furthermore, available intelligence at the disposal of the NAF Air Component revealed that Kadade Gurgu has been providing shelter for notorious terrorist kingpins following the aggressive military operations in Sokoto and Zamfara states.

“Accordingly, the Air Component dispatched an aircraft, supported by an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform, to attack the target. The target area initially appeared uninhabited.

“However, as the aircraft approached, some of the terrorists were seen emerging from under the shrubbery and running away from the area.

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“Subsequently, the targets were engaged, recording successful hits on the logistics facility, which was engulfed in flames with thick black smoke seen.

“Reports from independent sources, including local informants around the general area, later confirmed that the logistics base was totally destroyed and scores of terrorists were killed as a result of the attack.

“The Nigerian Air Force, in collaboration with surface forces, will continue to dominate the battlespace through extensive situational awareness, constant patrols, and targeted interdiction of bandits’ safe havens within its area of responsibility and neighbouring states”, he said. He said the aim was to decimate and flush out terrorism and criminal activities within the North-west and North-central geopolitical zones.

Kaduna government silent

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The Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, neither answered calls nor replied to a text message sent to his mobile telephone one of our correspondents seeking his reaction over the incident.

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I’ve never lied against anyone, says Dele Farotimi after regaining freedom

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A human rights advocate, Dele Farotimi, has been released from the correctional centre in Ekiti State after meeting his bail conditions.

Farotimi was released on Tuesday morning.

Last week Friday, at a magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, granted Farotimi bail conditions, including a N30 million bond, two sureties, one of whom must be a property owner, a submission of Farotimi’s passport and a prohibition of Farotimi granting media interviews once released.

However, addressing media personnel after his release, Farotimi said he had never had any course to lie against anyone in his life, adding that whatever he had said about someone or an institution was true.

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“It is not ever an easy journey when you are fighting evil, but some years back, before I started this work, God told me that the truth is enough. It is the only weapon with which you can slay the monster called Nigeria, which is the truth. In my war against the evil empire that we all lived in, I have never lied against anyone. If I don’t know, I will say I don’t know,” he said.

Recall, on July 2, Farotimi released a book titled ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System’.

Months after the 116-page book’s release, renowned legal luminary Afe Babalola accused Farotimi of defamation, and this led to the human rights lawyer being arrested in a Gestapo-like manner at his Lagos office by a group of policemen attached to the Ekiti State Police Command on December 3.

Farotimi was then subsequently transported to Ekiti State.

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Apart from the defamation charges initially brought against Farotimi at an Ekiti State Magistrate Court by Babalola’s team, Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police also filed 12 additional charges against the lawyer at an Ekiti Federal High Court on December 6.

Apart from the defamation charges initially brought against Farotimi at an Ekiti State Magistrate Court by Babalola’s team, Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police also filed 12 additional charges against the lawyer at an Ekiti Federal High Court on December 6.

The PUNCH reports that Farotimi was arraigned in court on charges bordering on defamation and cyberbullying, stemming from a petition by legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Aare Afe Babalola, who alleged that Farotimi defamed him in his book.

According to the police, Farotimi, in the book, accused Babalola and other SANs of corrupting Justices of the Supreme Court.

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Doctors demand 70-year retirement age in new FEC memo

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The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria has revealed that the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, is set to submit a memo to the Federal Executive Council regarding their demands to harmonise the retirement age for medical consultants to 70 years.

Additionally, Pate and the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, plan to submit a joint memo to the Presidential Committee on Salaries, advocating the universal application of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure for medical lecturers.

MDCAN recently embarked on a seven-day warning strike on November 18 to push for these demands.

The strike, however, was suspended after six days, following government intervention in a dispute over the Vice-Chancellor position at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, which addressed one of the association’s core concerns.

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The association has reiterated its demand for the harmonisation of medical consultants’ retirement age to 70 years and for the universal application of CONMESS to all medical and dental officers.

Speaking with our correspondent on Tuesday, MDCAN President, Prof. Muhammad Muhammad, confirmed progress on the memos.

“We have seen the draft of the memo and included our input, but I am unsure of its current stage with the ministers. They are in the process of submitting it to the Federal Executive Council for consideration,” he said.

“The Minister of Health and the Minister of Education will jointly submit the memo on salary harmonisation to the Presidential Committee on Salaries.

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We urge them to fulfil their commitments from the conciliation process to resolve these issues before our next meeting in January 2025.”

MDCAN’s next meeting is scheduled to take place from January 20 to 25, 2025, where further actions may be determined.

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Ex-Presidents’ wives lament disrespect after husbands’ tenure

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Wives of former presidents of African countries have lamented that they suffer systemic neglect, find themselves abandoned, stripped of their resources and dignity and relegated to obscurity after their husbands leave office or pass away.

The ex-presidents’ wives rendered these lamentations when they converged on Conakry, Republic of Guinea, for a conference aimed at having a formidable Former Presidents’ Wives Coalition.

From one former President’s wife to the others who spoke, it was similar tales of struggle and loss that they suffered, attributing it to a systemic issue that required urgent attention.

Championing the cause, Andre Toure, widow of Guinea’s late President Sekou Toure, said the coalition aimed to revive the aspirations of former Presidents’ wives and ensure they do not fade into oblivion after their public service.

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“The coalition is to challenge the stigma and neglect faced by former Presidents’ wives, advocating their dignity and respect in society; to create a historical narrative that honours their contributions by establishing a museum dedicated to their lives and legacies, thus ensuring their stories are documented and remembered,” Toure said in a statement made available to The PUNCH.

Toure said the coalition’s vision is shared by former Presidents’ wives, Fatmata Momoh (Sierra Leone); and Isabel Vieira (Guinea-Bissau).

“We are here to combat the unfortunate reality that many former Presidents’ wives face after their husbands leave office.

“These women, who once held esteemed positions, often find themselves abandoned, stripped of their resources and dignity, and relegated to obscurity.

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We are united by our shared experiences and our commitment to change this narrative.

“We are not just figures from the past; we have played significant roles in our nation’s histories, and we deserve recognition and respect. But, we are treated with indifference and disrespect after our husbands’ political careers end,” Toure said.

The tales of the struggle and loss of the widow of late President Samuel Kedo were also relayed at the conference.

Though she noted that the coalition’s impact waned over time due to disappointments and lack of sustained commitment from potential allies, she said the former Presidents’ wives were now dedicated to empowering their members and advocating for their rights.

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‎‎As part of the efforts, Toure said the coalition would embark on a tour across various African nations, introducing their initiative to other former Presidents’ wives and seeking support from international partners.

‎‎She said, “The coalition’s mission is not only about advocacy; it’s a call for international partners, governments, and civil society to recognise the vital roles these women have played and to support their initiatives aimed at creating a more equitable and dignified existence for former Presidents’ wives across Africa.

“Their journey is a collective effort to reshape the narrative around women in leadership roles and to ensure that the sacrifices and contributions of these women are honoured and preserved for future generations.”

Credit: PUNCH

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