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Suspected herdsmen kill six in Benue community
Suspected herdsmen have launched fresh blistering attacks on Ayilamo settlement killing six persons in the process.
Ayilamo is the headquarters of Tombo Ward, Gaambietiev ,Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.
The attacks took place on Friday and yesterday in the farming community located on Abinsi- Anyiin – Wukari federal highway.
Wukari in Taraba State shares boundary with Benue State and there has often been communal strife between the neighbouring communities.
An eyewitness, Terwase Avande told The Nation that suspected armed herdsmen with herds of cattle stormed Ayilamo , Tombo Ward ,at about 6 pm from the direction of Akwana Road and started shooting at houses and setting them ablaze.
” The herdsmen came alongside their cattle, well-armed, as they shot at houses , while the cattle advanced into the main Ayilamo town”
Avande stated that but for the timely intervention of members of Operation Whirl Stroke , a military troop ,who repealed the attackers, Ayilamo would have been overrun.
He said three persons were shot and killed in the Friday attack.
Again on Saturday ,the herdsmen returned at about 2pm, despite the presence of military personnel and opened fire at Ayilamo Police Station, located on Uzer – Makurdi road .
“The armed herdsmen supported by a militia from a neighbouring state, shot at Ayilamo Police Station, forcing the policemen on duty to flee. They went into the police station and smashed the window glasses and scattered some documents. Three persons were killed in the Friday attacks, “said Avande.
A community leader ,Chief Paul Adetsav told The Nation that ” attempt to overrun the community is as a result of some mineral resources which were said to have been found in the area .
Adetsav said “so many mineral resources have been found in Tombo land , and illegal mining activities have been going on until Benue State put a stop to it.
“Since then, the intensity of the attacks has increased. The invaders keep threatening us with bloody violence on a daily basis , killing and maiming our people and setting our houses ablaze.
” We no longer go to our farms. The few planted crops have been destroyed by the armed herdsmen using cows who go into the farms and match over them .Hunger is killing us and our children have nothing to eat for years.
“The government who has oversight over security is doing nothing to save us. Gradually, the invaders who are well armed are closing up on Ayilamo with a population of over 400,000 people.”
At press time, residents of the area were seen fleeing the farming community in their numbers. Mothers with children on their backs were seen trekking long distances to safe places.
The Logo Divisional Police office in Ugba confirmed the attacks and killings.
The Chairman of Logo Local Government Council, Hon.Clement Ukav, confirmed the incident and assured that he was doing everything possible to arrest the situation.
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Northern Senators commend Tinubu for releasing kid protesters
Senators from the Northern part of Nigeria have commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for ordering the release of minors arrested and detained during the #EndBadGovernance protests.
The lawmakers under the aegis of the Northern Senators Forum, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, on Monday, said Tinubu’s decision demonstrates his commitment to protecting the rights and well-being of Nigeria’s youth.
The lawmakers under the aegis of the Northern Senators Forum, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, on Monday, said Tinubu’s decision demonstrates his commitment to protecting the rights and well-being of Nigeria’s youth.
“By his directive to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to expedite the release process, this is a welcome development, and we appreciate the president’s leadership in addressing this critical issue.
“I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of leaders in the North who have worked tirelessly to secure the release of these minors. Their dedication and advocacy have been instrumental in bringing this matter to the forefront, and we are grateful for their commitment to the welfare of our young people.
As we move forward, I urge leaders in the North to prioritize the safety and education of our children. It is essential that we create an environment where they can grow and thrive, free from harm and exploitation. Let us work together to ensure that our youth receive the support and resources they need to become active contributors to Nigeria’s growth and development,” the statement read in part.
Tinubu directed the immediate release of all the detained minors following the outrage that trailed their arrest and arraignment over the #EndBadGovernance protests held in several parts of the country in August.
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BREAKING: Harris, Trump tied in 1st officially declared result of US Presidential election
Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have tied with three votes each in the tiny New Hampshire township of Dixville Notch, kicking off Election Day in one of the first places in the country to report its presidential preference.
The unincorporated township, located along the US-Canada border in New Hampshire’s northern tip, opened and closed its poll just after midnight ET in a tradition that dates back to 1960.
Four Republicans and two undeclared voters participated.
While Dixville Notch isn’t always predictive of the eventual winner – or even the state’s pick – its annual production, despite a dwindling population, is a success story for local leaders and a reason to smile for political junkies eager for an early taste of the day’s events.
By tradition, all eligible voters gather at the now-dormant Balsams Hotel in Dixville Notch to cast their secret ballots once polls open at midnight. Once every ballot is cast, votes are tallied and results announced – hours before anywhere else, making it a destination for national reporters, who often outnumber the voters.
Les Otten, one of the township’s voters and the lead developer for the Balsams, called the early release of the results “a civics lesson for the country,” adding that “if we can help people get out and understand that voting is an important part of their right as an American citizen, that’s perhaps the key to what we’re doing.”
Otten said he expects to break ground on the redevelopment project next summer. In the meantime, he said, “as long as we’re here and we’re property owners and we have, you know, our toothbrush in our bathrooms, we might as well exercise our right to vote.”
Nearby Millsfield and Hart’s Location, which is tucked in the White Mountains, first offered midnight voting before Dixville Notch but haven’t participated continuously and aren’t conducting it this year. A fictionalized version of the three neighbors was featured in an episode of Aaron Sorkin’s “West Wing” dubbed “Hartsfield’s Landing.”
Dixville Notch voters have supported the Democratic nominee the last two presidential elections, with the township in 2020 unanimously casting five votes for President Joe Biden and with Hillary Clinton in 2016 winning four of seven votes — two went to Trump and one to Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson.
In January, four registered Republican voters and two independents participated in the GOP primary, casting six unanimous votes for former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
The 75-year-old Otten, who said he has been “a Republican ever since I was seven years old,” told CNN before Tuesday’s vote that he would cast his ballot for Harris.
“Nowhere in the Pledge of Allegiance does it say anything about pledging your allegiance to a person,” Otten said. “And I think at the end of the day, Trump has made it clear that you need to pledge allegiance to him, and he alone can fix this, and that is as anti-democratic as I can understand.”
The voters also cast their votes in the country’s most competitive governor’s race between former one-term Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte and Democratic nominee Joyce Craig, the former mayor of Manchester, to succeed retiring Republican Gov. Chris Sununu. (CNN, but headline altered)
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EndBadGovernance: IGP orders probe into welfare of minors while in police prison
The Inspector General Of Police, Kayode Egbetokun said he has summoned senior officers including all DCs, CID, and Heads of Investigation Units over the welfare of younger protesters identified to be minors, while they were in police detention.
The development comes following a nationwide outrage over the arraignment of the minors at the Federal High Court on Friday.
The protesters, who were charged with treason, looked malnourished when they appeared in court three months after they were arrested during the August hunger protest.
However, a statement released by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi in Abuja on Monday night, said Egbetokun had ordered a thorough investigation into how the minors were treated.
The Police PRO also said the report of the investigation has been delivered to the IGP who is currently away in Glasgow, where he is currently participating in the Interpol General Assembly.
The statement read “Following the recent remand and subsequent arraignment of some young individuals on Friday, 1st November, the Inspector-General of Police while in Algiers, Algeria for the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation committee meeting directed investigation into the conditions surrounding the care and welfare of these young persons while in Police detention facilities.
“Upon receiving the investigative report today in Glasgow, where the IGP is currently participating in Interpol General Assembly, the IGP vowed to thoroughly examine it and take necessary actions to address any procedural lapses or concerns.
To further ensure professionalism in investigation with emphasis on child-friendly investigation and care, the IGP has summoned all DCs CID and Heads of Investigation Units to a conference and workshop on November 7, 2024, at the Police Resource Center, Jabi.”
The Nigeria Police Force then reaffirmed its commitment to upholding legal frameworks, ensuring fairness, and accountability, especially for vulnerable groups.
President Bola Tinubu had on Monday directed the immediate release of all the detainees.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Monday after the President swore in seven newly appointed ministers cleared by the Senate.
The minister said the President ordered the immediate release of the minors without prejudice to whatever legal processes that are ongoing.
The President also directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction to immediately see to the welfare of the minors, and also take part to ensure their smooth reunion with their parents or guardians wherever they are in the country.
Tinubu also directed that a committee would be set up to be spearheaded by the humanitarian affairs ministry to look at all issues surrounding the arrest, detention, treatment, and finally, the release of the minors.
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