Tinubu: Attack on Yobe Cowardly

Deji Elumoye in Beijing, China, Chuks Okocha, Michael Olugbode in Abuja, John Shiklam in Kaduna and Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, condemned Sunday’s attack on Mafa, in Tarmuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State, as atrocious and cowardly.

Tinubu assured the people of the state that perpetrators of the evil act that resulted in the loss of many lives would be brought to justice.

The president, in a release by his media adviser, Ajuri Ngelale, commiserated with the government and the people of Yobe State over the tragic incident.

Tinubu also extended his condolences to the bereaved families, and condemned the killings as an act of terror by a degraded group of criminals. He prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased and speedy recovery for the wounded.

Dozens of people were killed on Sunday afternoon after suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked a village in the state, setting fire to shops and homes.

Yobe State police spokesman, Dungus Abdulkarim, said, “Around 150 suspected Boko Haram terrorists armed with rifles and RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) attacked Mafa ward on more than 50 motorcycles.”

Abdulkarim said, “They killed many people and burned many shops and houses. We are yet to ascertain the actual number of those killed in the attack.”

Abdulkarim also said the attack was in apparent retaliation for the killing of two suspected Boko Haram fighters by local vigilantes.

Yobe is one of the three states on the frontline of a 15-year insurgency by Boko Haram and other hard-line groups, which had killed tens of thousands of people and displaced more than two million.

The armed groups had strengthened their position by working with gangs of criminals known as “bandits”, who raid villages, kill and abduct residents, and burn homes after looting them.

Officials said efforts were continuing to confirm the number of people killed in Mafa.

Bulama Jalaluddeen, a resident of the area, said, “It has been established that at least 81 people were killed in the attack.”

Jalaluddeen stated, “Fifteen bodies had already been buried by their relations by the time soldiers reached Mafa for the evacuation of the corpses. In addition to these, some unspecified number of dead victims from nearby villages, who were caught up in the attack were taken and buried by their kinsmen before the arrival of the soldiers. Many people are still missing and their whereabouts unknown.”

A military official, who accompanied the army’s commanding officer for Yobe to Mafa on Monday evening said the route to the village had been rigged with explosives, which troops managed to defuse.

“We recovered 37 corpses and brought them to Babangida General Hospital,” the official told the Reuters news agency. He declined to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

Modu Mohammed, who lives in Mafa, said several more residents were missing and estimated the death toll at more than 100. He said some corpses were still in the bush.

Another source said about 34 of those killed were given a mass burial on Tuesday. The victims were buried at Babangida, the headquarters of the Tarmuwa Local Government of Yobe State.

Though villagers said over 100 persons were killed, the state government said the casualty figure was 34. The dead bodies were recovered in a search-and-rescue operation led by the Nigerian Army and supported by local vigilantes.

Villagers claimed that 86 dead bodies were recovered in the surrounding communities of the Mafa village, following the terror attack.

The dead bodies were prepared for burial by the volunteers of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Babangida Division, under the supervision of the Divisional Secretary, Garba Bulama Kachallah.

Yobe State Deputy Governor, Idi Gubana, led a state government delegation on a visit to the community, where he donated N30 million to the families of the victims, and reiterated that the casualty figure was 34.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari decried the attack on Yobe State, saying the latest incident is a “dreadful reminder that communities supported by governments have more work to do in curbing the menace of the terrorists”.

In a message to Yobe State Governor Mai Mala, Yobe State Council of Chiefs, and entire people of the state, Buhari prayed for the repose of the souls of those killed, and called for strict response to those who committed these “monstrous acts”.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubukar accused the federal government of insensitivity to the plights of Mafa.

Atiku wrote on his X account, “Despite the tragic bloodshed in Yobe, which has claimed scores of lives, and the rampant destruction across numerous villages in Katsina, Sokoto, and other towns within the North-west and North-central regions, the government seems to remain detached, engrossed in inconsequential affairs.

“The turmoil extends to the south as well, where the disquiet wrought by Boko Haram and the unsettling political discord threatens the nation’s peace.

“Amidst these grave challenges, the federal government preoccupies itself with stifling dissent, resorting to draconian measures, such as imposing death sentences on protesters.

“The atrocity in Yobe is a stark testament to the failure of the current security framework, demanding immediate and comprehensive reform.

“My heart goes out to the victims of these horrific attacks, and I fervently implore the Tinubu administration to demonstrate a heightened commitment to safeguarding life and property across the nation.”

Chairman of Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Yahaya, in a press statement, described the attack as a senseless act of violence that had caused immense grief to the affected families and communities.

Yahaya commended the security forces for their efforts against the remnants of criminal groups, but emphasised the need for intensified efforts to track down and apprehend those responsible for the attack.

“This brutal act must not go unpunished. I call on security agencies to double their efforts and ensure that the perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice,” Yahaya stated.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the northern governors to supporting efforts aimed at restoring peace and security in the region, stressing the importance of collective action to prevent such tragedies from recurring.

The governor extended the forum’s sympathies to the bereaved families and the government of Yobe State, and praying for the repose of the souls of the deceased and wishing the injured speedy recovery.

Director-General, Press Affairs, Gombe Government House, Ismaila Misilli, signed the statement.

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, expressed his sympathies to Buni, the victims and their families.

Zulum, whose statement was signed by his Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Abdulrahman Bundi, condemned the attack, while urging everyone to unite in the fight against insecurity in the North-east.

He stated, “In times like these, we must come together as a community to support one another. My heart goes out to the families, who have lost loved ones and to those who have been affected by this senseless act of violence. If we come together, in sha Allah, we will overcome this challenge.

“I pray to Almighty Allah to accept the souls of those who lost their lives and forestall the reoccurrence of such tragic incidents in future.”

Zulum, who is also Chairman of North East Governors Forum, expressed sadness that such an attack happened when the region had attained a significant level of peace.

He assured that governments in the North-east zone would not be deterred and would work with security agencies to restore normalcy.

Gunmen Kill Seven in Fresh Plateau Attacks

No fewer than seven persons were killed on Tuesday night in attacks on Kwatas and Daffo communities of Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The attacks also left one person severely injured.

Special Adviser to Governor Caleb Mutfwang, Brig-Gen. Gakji Shipi (rtd), told newsmen on Wednesday in Jos that the two communities were attacked simultaneously, leaving seven persons dead.

Gakji, who is also the coordinator of Operation Rainbow, a state-owned security outfit, said, “So far, seven people have been confirmed killed while others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

“At the moment, normalcy has returned to the areas, but we are still on the trail of those behind this dastardly act and we will not allow them to get away with it.”

A resident of the area, Danladi Malau, explained that the attacks took place in the communities about 8pm, shortly after the people had retired to their homes from the market in the area.

He said nine persons were killed while one was critically injured, adding that the incident has created yet another security tension in the area.

ACF Seeks Unconventional Approaches to Security, Says Current Measures Unyielding

Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) called on the federal government to consider other strategies, including unconventional measures, in addressing the security challenges in the north.

In a communique issued yesterday at the end of a meeting of its Board of Trustees (BoT) in Kaduna, the forum said the current approaches in the fight against insurgents and bandits were not yielding the desired results.

The meeting attended by many prominent northerners was presided by Chairman of ACF’s BoT, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu.

The communique read by the spokesperson of the forum, Professor Tukur Mohammed-Baba, stated that there appeared to be no end in sight to the security challenges, as measures adopted by the authorities had so far failed to yield the desired results.

The communique stated, “Members agreed that at the moment, there is nothing troubling Northern Nigeria more than the lack of security of lives and property.

“The North is today ravaged by elevated forms of banditry, Boko Haram and other insurgencies. The menace of drug trafficking and abuse is steadily rising.

“Not surprisingly, food production is becoming increasingly difficult, as farmlands are abandoned and the farmers are getting either killed or fleeing to the IDP camps.

“There does not appear to be an end in sight to these crisis as the mitigation measures taken by the authorities have so far failed to yield the desired results.

“Under the circumstances, the meeting resolved to make the following recommendations: whatever it takes, the security crisis in Northern Nigeria must end; and end quickly. Our survival depends on it!

“The current approaches to fighting the insurgents and bandits are not yielding the desired results. Other measures, even unconventional ones, need to be considered and tried.

“Nigeria is facing a moral crisis for failing to protect its citizens, who cannot bear arms but are left at the mercy of well-armed, cruel and blood thirsty renegades and barbarians that continue to have free access to deadly arms. This is a matter that requires very urgent thoughts and review.”

The communique advocated community driven models of defence, such as the Civilian JTF, already in operation in several parts of the country, including in the Boko-Haram-ravaged North-east of Nigeria.

It said similar or modified models of security management should be authorised in other parts of the country, adding that high cost of living, driven by severe food shortages and the rising prices of electricity and fuel energy, had compounded the challenges of insecurity and violent crimes.

It called on the government do all within its powers to mitigate the effect of these problems.

The forum also identified corruption at all levels as the key driver of bad governance and the social and economic crisis plaguing the country, and called on the authorities to “wage an all-out war against corruption without further delay”.

According to the communique, “After reviewing current agitations and calls for a review of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution as well as the restructuring of the administrative structure of Nigeria, the meeting resolved to dispel any impression that the North was shy, afraid of or averse to any such proposals. It is false and misguided.

“The meeting further resolved to put all and sundry on notice that Northern Nigeria is willing to consider ALL proposals on constitutional review that may be put on the table; now or in the future.

“If and when the occasion arises, the North will surely use whatever is available to it in pursuit of its legitimate interests.”