•Plateau security meeting ends in stalemate
•Northern elders caution FG against profiling Fulani as terrorists
The authorities have confirmed death of nine inmates in the ensuing gun duel between security agencies and gunmen that invaded the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Jos on Sunday. Six prisoners sustained major injuries with 252 others currently at large.
In a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the correctional centre, Francis Enobore, an officer lost his life during the encounter.
According to The Guardian, the statement further explained that one of the trapped attackers had been identified among the casualties.
It reads: “The attackers, who stormed the custodial centre at about 1720hrs on Sunday, November 28, 2021 engaged the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) armed squad personnel in a fierce gun battle before breaking into the yard.
“Sadly, one of the NCoS armed squad personnel paid the supreme price in the encounter, while nine inmates also lost their lives. Another staff of the service was shot in the hand and six inmates were also injured in the attack.
“Meanwhile, some of the attackers and a total of 262 inmates escaped in the melee before reinforcement could come from sister services. However, 10 have so far been recaptured, leaving 252 at large.”
The Controller-General of Corrections, Haliru Nababa, who condoled with the family and friends of the fallen officer, vowed that the perpetrators would be hunted and made to face the full wrath of the law.
He, therefore, called for collaboration from patriotic individuals to apprehend the fleeing inmates, as well as volunteering credible intelligence to forestall future recurrence.
The custodial centre as at the time of the attack had 1,060 inmates – comprising 560 pre-trial detainees – and 500 convicts.
RELATEDLY, the security meeting convened by the Plateau State Government to review the incident, yesterday, ended in a stalemate.
Presided by Deputy Governor Sonni Tyoden in Jos, the parley ended with the participants dashing out of the venue with the sealed lips.
The Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dan Manjang, who was briefed reporters on the outcome, came out ruffled saying: “The briefing had been declined. Sorry for that” without stopping to explain why.
It was gathered that there was a sharp disagreement between the government and security heads, making the meeting a fiasco.
According to the source, they (officials) do not know what to tell journalists.
ALSO yesterday, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) cautioned the Federal Government against profiling all Fulani as terrorists.
The group noted: “There are millions of Fulani who are law-abiding citizens and they should be encouraged to stay, while those who have chosen to continue on the path of criminality should feel the full weight of the law.”
In a statement issued by its Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, in Abuja, the forum said clarification was needed in the face of a recent court judgment labeling bandits and kidnappers as terrorists.
It stated that President Muhammadu Buhari’s silence on Nnamdi Kanu would do “serious injury to a country already threatened by multiple challenges.”
Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja had ruled that activities of bandits, as well as other similar groups, by whatever names they are called, in any part of the country, amounted to acts of terrorism and subsequently declared them terrorists.
The Federal Government had last week obtained the court order to declare bandits as terrorists, an order which the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami (SAN), said has given government the needed legal muscle to crush terrorists.
In a statement through his media aide, Dr. Umar Gwandu, on Friday last week, Malami said the court order has strengthened government’s hands to come down heavily on terrorists in conformity with international standards on the rules of engagement with such elements.
Specifically, the court had declared bandits anywhere in the country as terrorists.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo, ruling on an ex parte motion filed by the Federal Government, said groups, such as Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda are nothing other than terrorists.
The judge restrained “any person or group of persons from participating in any manner whatsoever, in any form of activities involving or concerning the prosecution of the collective intention or otherwise of the Yan Bindiga Group and the Yan Ta’adda Group under any other name or platform however called or described.”
He also proscribed all other groups in the country, irrespective of their names, but whose activities and objectives are similar to those of Yan Bindiga Group and the Yan Ta’adda Group.
Such objectives and activities, Justice Taiwo noted, “include but not limited to banditry, kidnappings for ransom, kidnapping for marriage, mass abductions of school children and other citizens, cattle rustling, enslavement, imprisonment, severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, other forms of sexual violence, attacks and killings in communities and commuters and wanton destruction of lives and properties in Nigeria.”
Justice Taiwo then ordered the Federal Government to publish the prosecution order in the Official Gazette and two national dailies.
The Federal Government had stated, in affidavit filed along with its application, that security reports by security agencies had confirmed that the bandit groups were responsible for the increasing cases of killing, abduction rape, kidnapping and related acts of criminality in the North East, North Central geo-political zones and other parts of the country.
It attributed to the groups, the growing cases of “banditry, incessant kidnappings for ransom, kidnapping for marriage, mass abductions of school children and other citizens, cattle rustling, enslavement, imprisonment, severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, other forms of sexual violence, attacks and killings in communities and commuters and wanton destruction of lives and properties in Nigeria, particularly in the North West and North Central States in Nigeria are being carried out by Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda Groups and other groups associated with or engaged in the same or similar activities as Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda Groups in Nigeria.”
The Federal Government added that Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda groups and other similar groups have also been involved in killings of the personnel of the Nigerian military, police and other security agencies across the North-West and North Central geo-political zones of the country.
The government noted that the activities of the groups have resulted in the disruption of commercial, educational and farming activities in the North-West and North Central region in Nigeria.
It added’ “the activities of Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda groups and other similar groups constitute acts of terrorism that can lead to a breakdown of public order and safety and is a threat to national security and the corporate existence of Nigeria.”
Reacting to the court’s verdict, Malami said government would now deal ruthlessly with all terrorists groups and their sponsors with a view to bringing a lasting solution to the nation’s security challenges.
“The development is a pointer to the commitment of the Federal Government to adhere to the international standards in respecting the rules of engagement in the fight against terrorism, separatists organisations, insurgency and banditry in the country.”
Malami said his office “in collaboration with relevant government agencies, including security operatives, are working assiduously to do the needful to take full advantage of this declaration.”
Government will gazette, publish and publicise the proscription order in due course, he added.
It was learnt that the Federal Government decided to approach the court for the order following a directive by Buhari upon receiving a legal opinion from AGF Malami on the issue.
Malami had, in an October 29, 2021 letter to the President, advised him to move against the various bandit groups in the country, particularly the likes of Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda because their activities were threatening national security and existence.
“Sir, the activities of these groups and individuals no doubt constitute a breakdown of public order and safely, a threat to national security and a threat to the corporate existence of the country,” he had said in the letter.
“The activities of these groups and individuals, as confirmed by security report, include unwholesome acts of banditry which include kidnappings, mass abductions, cattle rustling, attacks and killings in communities and commuters and wanton destruction of lives and properties.
“Yan Bindiga, Yan Ta’adda and other similar banditry groups have in recent times engaged in the mass abduction of school children and other citizens across the North-west and North central states of the country.
“These groups have engaged in attacks and wanton destruction of lives and properties in communities, kidnappings for ransom, kidnappings for marriage, mass abductions, cattle rustling, enslavement, imprisonment, severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, other forms of sexual violence, attacks on commuters, and commuters and wanton destruction of lives and properties.
“All the above-mentioned activities of Yan Bindiga, Yon Ta’adda and other similar banditry groups constitute acts of terrorism, threat to national security and the corporate existence of the country.
“It has therefore become imperative for the President, Commander-in-Chief to declare Yan Bindiga, Yan Ta’adda and other similar banditry groups as proscribed organisations in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(1) (a} (b) (c) of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act of 2011 (as amended).
“A fundamental condition for the success of an application to the Federal High Court by my office to declare an organisation proscribed is the exhibition before the court of a presidential approval to that effect.”
Buhari gave his approval on November 3, 2021 following which Malami directed the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar, to lodge an application before the Federal High Court, Abuja to that effect.
The application, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1370/2021 was filed on November 9, 2021 by the Assistant Director, Public Prosecution of the Federation and Head, Complex Case Group (CCP), Federal Ministry of Justice, Aminu Alilu.
Alilu argued the ex-parte application on Thursday with Justice Taiwo Taiwo agreeing with the applicant that the reliefs sought were necessary in view of the nefarious activities of bandits and their effects on the nation’s life, particularly on the people and its economy.
He consequently issued an order declaring the activities of the “Yan Bindiga group and the Yan Ta’adda group and other similar groups” in any part of the country, especially in the North West and North Central geo-political zones as “acts of terrorism and illegality”.
He proscribed the existence of the Yan Bindiga group and the Yan Ta’adda group as well as other similar groups in any part of Nigeria, especially in the North West and North Central geo-political zones, “either in groups or as individuals by whatever names they are called.”
