Terror herdsmen attack Sacred Heart Minor Seminary Jalingo

ITREALMS:

Armed men suspected to be terror-herdsmen at the early hours of Monday, attacked the Sacred Heart Minor Seminary in Jalingo, with scores injured, closed for a week reports ITRealms.

Confirming this, the Rector, Sacred Heart Minor Seminary, Jalingo, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Atsue with the permission of the diocese, Bishop, Most Rev. Charles Hammawa of Jalingo, told ITRealms, that the seminary was attacked in the early hours of this morning 28/05/2018.

“… At about 12:30am by sophisticated armed Fulani Herdsmen, at least, we heard their conversation,” he said.

According to him, “They shot sporadically at the Rector's residence, broke window glasses in the process, littered live bullets were collected by police, windscreen of one of the vehicles belonging to one of the priests, they shot and injured one of the priests Rev. Fr. Cornelius Kobah on the leg, beat up Fr. Stephen Bakari.”

Also, Rev. Fr. Atsue noted that from their conversation, “we were able to understand that their grievances against us is that the security men in the seminary have been challenging their decision to graze right inside the Seminary: around the classes, football field, laundry etc.

“They said even inside the church if they see grass their cows will graze. Normalcy has temporarily been restored thanks to the prompt response from the Nigerian Police, Army, Civil Defense and local vigilantee.”

All the students, he said, were complete, as none was missing.

“Two of them who were showing them the way to the Father's house suffered injuries from the sticks of the herdsmen,” he said.

Fr. Atsue further told ITRealms he had a meeting with the officials of the Parents Teachers Association PTA and the bishop has equally approved one week break for the seminarians to enable them manage trauma for a while and to show themselves to their parents that they were safe.

“For now this is the situation. Let us continue to pray for and work for peace in Nigeria,” he said.

Uj. N. Dominic/GEE

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Buhari insists, herdsmen don’t carry AK47 but sticks

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Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday offered another round of defense for the traditional herdsmen, saying they do not carry guns, but sticks, reports ITRealms.

Buhari who was a guest to the Oval Office and hosted by President Donald Trump, told him that herdsmen in Nigeria “do not carry guns but only wield sticks and occasionally machetes.”

ITRealms gathered from reports monitored in Lagos, that Buhari insisted the herdsmen crisis has been an age-long challenge in Nigeria.

“The problem of herders in Nigeria is a very long historical thing. The Nigerian herders don’t carry anything more than a stick and occasionally a matchet to cut down foliage and give it to their animals, these ones are carrying AK-47.

“So, people should not underrate what happened in Libya. 43 years of Ghaddaffi, people were recruited from the Sahel and trained to shoot and kill. With the demise of Ghaddaffi they moved to other countries and region and carried the experience with them,” he said.

President Buhari added that this is what is aggravating herdsmen crisis in Nigeria. He also appreciated the United States government for assisting in Nigeria’s fight against insurgency and for US military presence in Nigeria.

“We are grateful to the United States for agreeing to give us the aircraft that we asked for. We are even more grateful for the physical presence of the United States military officials in Nigeria. Our institutions in Nigeria, for training them and going to the Northeast to see how they are performing.

“The commitment of the United States to get rid of terrorism across the world, we have fast earned experience from that and we are grateful for it,” he said.

Ayo Midele/GEE with additional report from ChannelsTv.

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Ogun Police Command debunks herdsmen attack along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

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The Ogun State Police Command has debunked herdsmen attack along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, reports ITRealms.

The Police Public Relations Officer for Ogun State Command, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi, deflated the rumour making round in a press statement made available to ITRealms, saying that the attention of Ogun State Police Command has been once again drawn to an alleged attack by herdsmen along Lagos/Ibadan expressway as well as an anonymous security alert letter written by a faceless student group urging students and members of public not to travel along that route.

As said by Oyeyemi, the faceless group also posted a simulated voice recording on social media where some people are crying and pleading with their alleged attackers not to kill them.

The Command, he said, would not have dignify the disgruntled elements with a response but in order to allay the fears of public, the true security situation along that axis has to be made known to all and sundry.

“To start with, there is no any attack by herdsmen or any other group in all the stretch of Express Ways across and within Ogun State, we make bold to say that the alleged attack been posted on social media is a lie from pit of hell fire been peddled by those who are not happy with the peaceful atmosphere in Ogun State. The picture attached to the post is a picture of an accident which occurred about Eight years ago exactly on the 31st of July 2010 to be precised; while the purported voice recording was a stage managed one.

“The Lagos/Ibadan express road is one of the busiest roads in Nigeria and the Command is not oblivious of that fact, for that reason, there has been massive deployment of Police operatives from FSARS, Anti-Kidnapping/cultist unit, PMF as well as Conventional Policemen on surveillance and monitoring operatives and patrols to ward off any act of criminal activities on that road.

“In as much as there is freedom of speech as guaranteed by the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, such freedom does not licensed anybody to be peddling dangerous rumours that can cause breach of public peace. In view of that, the Command is investigating those behind the senseless rumour with the view of bringing them to justice as they can be best described as enemy of the State,” he said.

Oyeyemi further enjoined good and peace loving people of the State to discountenance the rumour and go about their lawful businesses without any fear of harassment or attack from anybody or group. Any suspicious movement or gathering should be reported to the Police and other sister security agencies as quick as possible and quick and adequate response will be accorded such report.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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Pix: Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris

Benue: Herdsmen attack is terrorism - Archbishop Martins

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The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, His Grace Most Rev Dr Alfred Adewale Martins has condemned in strong terms the recent killing of over 75 innocent villagers in parts of Benue and Adamawa States, describing it as an act of terrorism, reports ITRealms.

Archbishop Martins while commiserating with the family members and relations of the deceased said the attack is a national calamity that must be seen as an act of terrorism.

He also described as most unfortunate and regrettable the failure of the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari to effectively protect the lives and properties of the citizens from the hands of the marauders.

The visibly angry clergy man wondered why the FG incessantly failed to arrest the perpetrators and sponsors of the heinous crimes. 

"We often see people who openly come out in the media to justify the callous actions of the criminals while issuing threats that the killing would continue even as they deny knowing those who are responsible," he decried.

Pointing out that such inaction by the authorities was capable of sending the wrong signal to the masses that the marauding herdsmen are indeed above the law of the nation.

“While we acknowledge the efforts being made to beef up security in the affected places at this time, we cannot but say that it has come too late for those who have already been killed and those who have been maimed and inflicted with life-changing injuries," Martins said.

The Federal Government, he said, owes the nation the responsibility to ensure peace and equal attention to threats to peace across board. For instance, the failure to deploy the military to the affected areas to protect the people and flush out the perpetrators in spite of the various letters purportedly forwarded to the Presidency  by Governor Ortom of Benue State, gives one the impression that the matter was not given the serious attention that it deserved as was done in Niger Delta and the North East. Like many others, I feel strongly that the barbaric actions of the gun totting herdsmen and similar groups like them should be likened to acts of terrorism and should be so designated. We would like to have a clear idea of what it means to create cattle colonies in the various states in order to know about the proposed  lasting solution to these killings.”

While urging the Federal Government to urgently call an all-stakeholders meeting in Abuja to seriously appraise the root cause of the conflicts and find amicable solutions to them, insisting that cattle rearing remain a private  enterprise which  should be subject to similar laws guiding business enterprises across the country. 

“If the cost of doing the business in a sustainable way is too high for individual cattle owners, then banks should be given the mandate to provide loans at favourable terms in the same way as they provide for poultry farmers, for example.

Archbishop Martins went on to pray God to grant the souls of the departed eternal rest, healing to the wounded and consolation to those who mourn.

Uj. N. Dominic/ ED, ops
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Benue herdsmen attack: Tiv community wants IGP to disarm Hausa-Fulani

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The Tiv community in Lagos State, under the auspices of Mdzough U Tiv (MUT), has called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim K.Idris, to  urgently disarm the irate Hausa -Fulani youths in Benue, especially Makurdi, reports ITRealms.

President General, MUT, Prince Aondowase Ikyernum Kajo, made this appeal after Saturday and Sunday night attacks on their host community in Wadata area of Makurdi where some Tiv residents were killed, others sustained varying degrees of injuries and their houses burnt by the rampaging youths.

Also, they alleged that intelligence information at their disposal indicated that there is a huge stockpile of dangerous arms and ammunitions in mosques, homes, shops and many other unidentified places by the Hausa -Fulani residents in the state.

With the kind of arms these rampaging youths were brandishing, and recklessly attacking Makurdi residents, it means they are well prepared to do the worst, hence, the urgent need to clampdown on the aforementioned places and confiscate those weapons.

It would amount to double standards by the Nigerian security agencies (soldiers) who hastily arrested the Benue State livestock guards who were on a legitimate duty protecting their communities against marauding Fulani herdsmen terrorists but looked the other way when other tribes are causing severe harm to the lives and property of our people with more highly sophisticated weapons.

Remember that during the state government Amnesty program, only  Benue indigenes submitted over 700 arms to the state. It is not logical for people who are armless to be living in the midst of their dangerously armed visitors that are daily inflicting pains on them unchallenged.

We also warn that those sponsoring these irate youths recently drafted to Benue with no viable source of living to cause chaos paving the way for a declaration of state of emergency in Benue should have a rethink as such diabolical agenda would not succeed in our state.

We thank the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, for standing firm with his people in these trying times. We also thank the Benue Traditional Council, led by HRM Prof. James Ayatse, Tor Tiv V, heads of all the socio-cultural organizations in the state and religious leaders for their efforts to see that these unprovoked attacks on our people stop.

We equally thank other critical stakeholders in this struggle to save our lives especially media professionals, social media activist, civil society organizations, the good people of Benue and well meaning Nigerians for standing with us.

We deeply sympathize with the families who lost their loved ones and  also wish the injured speedy recovery.

This is as we call on President Buhari who is the Commander in Chief of the armed forces to end this pogroms against Benue people by Fulani herdsmen terrorists.

Nonye Dom/GEE

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Herdsmen ambush Cardinal Onaiyekan along Benin-Ekpoma road

ITRealms:

... Bishops condemn attack, asks Buhari to wake up!

Information reaching our news desk is that late on Friday, April 29, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, escaped herdsmen ambush along Benin-Ekpoma road, in Edio State, reports ITRealms.

Onaiyekan, ITRealms gathered was attacked on his way from the 10 years anniversary celebration of the enthronement of Dr. Augustin Akubueze as a bishop and the 10 years anniversary celebration of the Uromi Diocese.

Narrating the ordeal, the driver to Onaiyekan, identified as Mr. Segun blamed the attack on herdsmen.

“We left Benin for Uromi and at about 5:00 p.m. on the fateful day, I think very close to Ehor, I saw a big pothole and decided to slow down the vehicle. I would have passed the spot with speed but because the Cardinal was sleeping, I decided to slow down the vehicle so that he won’t wake up. Suddenly, I saw three men came out of the palm tree plantation by the roadside and started shooting at the vehicle. I looked ahead of me; two of them were firing from a distance at the vehicle and I looked behind me; another one was firing at the vehicle from behind, so I decided to use reverse gear. 

"The other vehicles who saw me coming with reverse started clearing off the road and when I got to a safe distance I decided to stop the vehicle and people started running to see what had happened. It was then we realised that the bullets shattered the left passenger window glass and made huge holes on the panel of the door. We just thank God nothing happened to the Cardinal or any of us in the vehicle,” Segun recounted.

In his reaction, the Catholic Archbishop of Benin City, Dr. Augustin Akubueze, and his counterpart from Uromi Diocese, Dr. Donatus Ogun, decried the incident and appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle the issue of the growing attacks by hoodlums in Edo State and Nigeria generally.

Appreciating God for saving the Cardinal and his entourage, Archibishop Akubueze said “We thank God that Cardinal Onaiyekan survived the attacks of some criminal elements on the Benin-Ekpoma road. If something had happened to him, what would have been the story? We thank God nothing happen and we are using this opportunity to appeal to Mr. President to provide adequate security for the citizens of Edo State.”

Insisting that the responsibility of a government is to secure her people, stressing that what the people are asking for is not too much for President Buhari.

“If there is no security of lives and property, no investments or meaningful economic development can take place in the state and the nation at large. We need security and we are demanding that from our government,” he said, noting that the spate of attacks by so-called herdsmen across the country “is becoming frightening.”

“There is an urgent need by the state and federal government to deal with the issue of security to protect lives and property of Nigerians with all seriousness,” he said.

Equally in his response Bishop Ogun wondered what would have happened if the Cardinal was killed? It would have been sorry and pains for us, considering that he was coming to attend the 10th anniversary of the creation of Uromi Diocese.

“We thank God he came out unhurt,” he said, reiterating the calls on Mr. President to wake up to his responsibilities, emphasising that Nigeria needs adequate security to protect the lives and property of the residents of the state and nation at large.


“We cannot continue to live in fear in our own land because of the activities of these criminals,” Bishop Ogun maintained.

+ITRealms DSA 
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Pix: John Cardinal Onaiyekan.

Breaking News: Enugu herdsmen mayhem: Presidency denied Ugwuanyi access to Buhari for 3hrs, calls put on-hold

Breaking News@ITRealms:

Revelations have emerged as to why the Executive Governor of Enugu State, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi busted into tears on seeing the mayhem allegedly committed by Fulani terrorists cum herdsmen on Ukpabi-Nimbo community in Uzouwani Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, reports ITRealms.

According to reports that filtered into ITRealms newsroom late Tuesday, the governor was denied access to the Presidency for close to four hours on two attempts.

Sources close to the Enugu State government confirmed to ITRealms that Gov. Ugwuanyi had on getting information on intending attack summoned security meeting which included all the parties as well as the Hausa-Fulani Community in Enugu State, security agents and community leaders and effort to alert the President Muhammadu Buhari proved abortive with his calls initially placed on hold for over 75 minutes by an aide, that is an hour 15 minutes.

Also, it was revealed that second effort to reach Mr. President was when after contacting the Police authorities and they failed to send a contingent to Uzouwani LGA, the Governor reportedly reached out to the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division of the Nigerian Army in Enugu, who referred him to the Presidency for directives, and his call was equally alleged to have been put on-hold for about 2 hours.

Surprisingly, our source who claimed his relative was among those who witnessed the calls, said, immediately it was evident that the attack has taken place, both the Police and Army (82) division deployed forces to the Nimbo community for fear of reprisal, thus leaving much to be desired.

As said by our source, the first call made by Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to the president, was put on hold for over an hour 15 minutes, in the presence of some 13 men and 4 women, but a presidential aide told the governor that the president will revert.

While reverting after four hours, it was gathered that the presidential aide told Gov. Ugwuanyi that the president will do something about his complains.

“My relative was among the people who witness this call,” our source insisted, stressing that while waiting to speak to the president for the second time, the news came in that the attack he was planning to avert has actually taken place.

Our source further expressed concern that the same way Lagos and Agatu, Benue state attacks respectively was executed and retaliation prevented was the same way Nimbo attack was prevented too.

He further urged Gov. Ugwuanyi and all the good people of Enugu State to demand probe on this massacre, while working on plan B, wondering why the State Police Commissioner and GOC needed presidential orders to protect the innocent citizens? And why they sent their men to Uzouwani after the attack to prevent reprisal?

In addition, our source said there is need for Nigeria and Enugu indigenes and the Igbos at large to know “why a sitting Governor cannot use the support of police and military to protect his people?”

+ITRealms DSA 

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