MACBAN kicks as Police confirm killing of 27 Fulani herdsmen in Nasarawa

 

.Unidentified drone dropped the killer bomb, not NAF aircraft – Gov. Sule

.Troops kill 114 terrorists, arrest 115, in 2 weeks

The Police Command in Nasarawa State has confirmed the alleged killing of 27 pastoralists in an ‘airstrike’ in Doma Local Government Area of the State.

DSP Ramhan Nansel, the Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), confirmed the development and casualty figure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lafia.

Nansel said that preliminary investigation revealed that the pastoralists had on Tuesday, gone to Benue to pay fines for the release of cattle impounded by the Benue Livestock Guards implementing the State’s Anti-Open Grazing and Ranching Law.

He said: “While they were loading some of the cows into vehicles on Tuesday night in Kwatiri village, a border community between Benue and Nasarawa, something like a drone or an aircraft hovered in the air and shelled them.”

Nansel said the Commissioner of Police, Maiyaki Mohammed-Baba, had visited the scene of the incident and also attended the burial of the deceased alongside the State Deputy Governor, Dr Emmanuel Akabe and some traditional rulers.

He said investigation was ongoing to unravel those behind the act, adding that the command had deployed policemen to the area to prevent the breakdown of law and order.

Gov. Abdullahi Sule had since condemned the dastardly act, saying that he was in touch with his Benue counterpart over the matter as security agencies continued their investigations.

He called on the people to remain calm and not take laws into their own hands.

Similarly the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) had also condemned the alleged killing and called for full investigation to unravel those behind the attack.

MACBAN, in a statement made available to NAN by its National Public Relations Officer, Muhammad Nura, said “this is the third time we are experiencing such happenings.”

He said that apart from the victims, livestock were also killed in the attack.

“MACBAN describes the action as not only condemnable but a war crime under the Geneva Convention that prohibits the wanton killing of livestock.

“We call on the authorities to investigate this terror, punish the culprits and to be sure that incidents like this will not happen again,” the Nura said.

Meanwhile, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, says drone was used to drop the bomb that killed 27 herdsmen in Kwateri, a community between the state and Benue.

Sule who spoke on Arise TV on Wednesday said the bomb was not dropped by a Nigerian Air Force (NAF), aircraft as being speculated in some quarters.

“An unidentified drone” carried out the attack, Sule insisted.

On Tuesday, at least 27 people were killed following an airstrike that hit some herders waiting to transport their cattle from an area that connects Benue to Nasarawa.

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), said the explosion happened after the herders went to get 1,250 of their cows impounded by the Benue livestock guards.

Speaking further on the attack, the governor dispelled the “rumours” that the attack was orchestrated by the air force.

He said enquiries revealed that “no air force plane flew through the area,” adding that the bombing was done by a drone whose operators were yet to be identified.

“It will be very difficult to arrest anyone at the moment because the whole place at that moment was in total disarray.

“The rumours earlier were that the Air Force carried out the bombing but right now, we understand that there was no Air Force plane that flew through the area.

“It was a drone that flew through the area and dropped the bomb. I have spoken with all the security agencies around and all of them claim they do not know anything about it. Nobody is claiming responsibility for the drone bombing.”

Sule said the investigation was still ongoing to ascertain the truth of the situation.

In a related development,
with barely 30 days to the forthcoming general election, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), has assured that no single territory in Nigeria is being occupied by Boko Haram/Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists.

Director, Defence Media Operations (DMO), Major-General Musa Danmadami, who stated this in Abuja on Thursday, also reiterated that the Armed Forces of Nigeria would remain apolitical, stressing that the code of conduct for the military in the 2023 elections had already been passed across to all its personnel.

He further disclosed that between 12th and 26th January 2023, troops neutralized 114 terrorists and bandits, rescued 101 kidnapped civilians, recovered 51 AK47 rifles and arrested 115 terrorists, logistics suppliers, suspected vandals, bandits, gunrunners, armed herders and economic saboteurs.

The DMO Director, who was briefing the media on troops activities and operational successes being recorded in the various operational theaters within the 6 geo-political zones of the country, added that within the period, a total of 267 terrorists and their family members surrendered, while oil thieves in the South-South zone of the country were denied the opportunity of smiling home with stolen crude oil products valued at N125,399,460.

According to him, in the course of the joint military operations in the Niger Delta region, the troops also discovered and destroyed 39 illegal refining sites, 48 cooking ovens, 103 storage tanks, 27 dug-out pits and 33 wooden boats, among other items.

Highlighting the military operations in the various zone, Major-General Danmadami noted that in the North East Zone, the troops of Operation HADIN KAI sustained and continued to dominate their general areas of operation in villages, forest, mountains, towns and cities of Kukawa, Bama, Biu, Damboa, Maiduguri, Mafa, Dikwa, Gwoza, Kaga, Abadam as well as Monguno Local Government Areas of Borno State, adding that operations were also conducted at Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State and Gujiba, Geidam and Damaturu Local Government Areas of Yobe States in the North East region of the country geared towards denying Boko Haram/Islamic State of West Africa Province and other criminal element freedom of actions and restore normalcy to the zone.

“Cumulatively, within the last 2 weeks, troops in the North East Region recovered 12 AK47 rifles, 2 locally fabricated guns, 1 FN rifle, 1 G3 rifle, 3 QJC gun, 2 x 60mm mortar bombs, 36 rounds of belted 7.62mm NATO, 7 x 60mm mortar chargers, 4 RPG 7 bombs, 1 phantom MRAP, 2 PKGM, 1 gun truck, 332 rounds of 12.7mm AP ammunition, 56 rounds of 7.62 rimmed ammunition, 21 rounds of 7.62mm special refilled ammunition, 19 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 34 rounds of 7.62mm special, 14 AK47 magazines, 2 vehicles, 9 bicycles, 4 motorcycles, 1 mobile, phones and the sum of N15,000.00 only and other sundry items. Troops equally neutralized 42 terrorists, arrested 5 terrorists, 9 terrorists logistics suppliers, 2 suspected vandals, 5 bandits as well as 5 armed herders.

“Troops also rescued 6 adopted civilians while a total of 267 terrorists and families members, comprising 22 adult male, 128 adult females and 117 children surrendered to troops at different locations of the North East theater of operation

NORTH CENTRAL ZONE
He said: “Troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN as well as other troops deployed in the North Central Zone conducted operational activities in villages of Pankshin, Bokkos, Mangu and Langtang North Local Government Areas of Plateau State as well as Idu Chinkara in Kogi State and Gurara Local Government Area of Niger state.

“Consequently, within the weeks in review, troops neutralized seven terrorists arrested two suspected gunrunners and 19 terrorists as well as rescued 36 kidnapped victims. Troops also recovered 8 AK47 rifles, 2 RPG tube, 4 RPG 7 bombs, 4 RPG 7 chargers and 2 pistol, 8 dane guns, 3 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 112 rounds of 7.62mm special and 20 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition.”

NORTH WEST ZONE

Major General Danmadami said the troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI in the North West zone of the Country had continued to sustained offensive operation on terrorists’ enclaves, camps and hideouts within the zone.

For instance, he said: “On 12 January 2023, troops on fighting patrol to terrorist enclaves at Lamba village in Maru Local Government Area and Kango Gabas Forest in Gusau Local Government Area of Zamfara State. Troops intercepted terrorists while enroute to their camps and neutralized 5 terrorists. Troops exploited area and recovered 5 AK47 rifles, 60 rounds of 7.62mm special, 4 magazines loaded with 33 rounds of 7.62mm special and 4 motorcycles. Equally, on 17 January 2023, troops deployed at Danali in Danmusa Local Government Area of Kastina State made contact with terrorists. Following the encounter, 2 terrorists were neutralized while 2 AK47 rifles, 2 magazines loaded with 11 rounds of 7.62mm special and 3 motorcycles were recovered.

“Also on 18 January 2023, troops conducted a clearance operation to Malekachi, Munhaye, Awala, Mairairai, Kaboro, Dunya villages in Danko-Wasagu, Maru and Danmusa Local Government Areas of Kebbi, Zamfara and Katsina States respectively and neutralized 8 bandits and destroyed several bandits enclaves as well as 4 vehicles, 9 motorcycles, recovered, 4 AK47 rifles, 2 AK47 magazines, 1 Sub-Machin Gun, 2 boafeng radio, 32 rounds of 7.62mm special, 2 laptops and 10 mobile phones amongst other items.”

SOUTH SOUTH ZONE

He disclosed that the troops of the Joint Task Force, operation DELTA SAFE in the South South Zone of the country continued the war against oil theft and illegal refineries and other criminal activities in the Niger Delta region through aggressive and increased tempo in raids and clearance operations as well as patrol amongst other activities.

“Cumulatively, within the weeks in focus troops discovered as destroyed 39 illegal refining sites, 48 cooking ovens, 103 storage tanks, 27 dugout pits and 33 wooden boats. Troops also recovered 1 tug boat, 1 barge, 3 pumping machines, 3 speed boats and 13 vehicles. Additionally, troops recovered 274,000 litres of crude oil, 71,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, 15 Ak47 rifles, while 40 suspected economic saboteurs were arrested.

“It is worth mentoring that the sum of One Hundred and Twenty-Five Million Three Hundred Ninety-Nine Thousand Four Hundred and Sixty Naira (N125,399,460.00) only were denied oil thieves.,” he said.

SOUTH EAST ZONE

According to the DMO Director, “Troops and other security agents have sustained the offensive against the activities of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra/Eastern Security Network criminals in the South East zone of the Country. In furtherance to this, troops conducted operational activities in villages, forests, towns and cities of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States geared towards restoring peace and normalcy to the region.

“Consequently, within the weeks in review, troops recovered 2 AK47 rifles, 9 pump action rifles, 1 double barrel gun, 33 rounds of 7.62mm special, 4 locally made hand grenade, 17 live cartridges, 4 IEDs, 4 locally made explosive pipes, 8 cartridges, 1 locally made grenade, 1 barrel gun, 25 rounds of 9mm ammo, 4 cutlasses, 1 axe, 1 vehicle, 5 mobile phones and the sum of N16,000.00 only. Troops equally neutralized 6 terrorists, arrested 24 and rescued 16 civilians. All recovered items, apprehended suspects and rescued civilians have been handed over to the appropriate authority for further action,” he said.