Connect with us

News

Stop Distracting Nigerian Government

Government

‘Stop distracting Nigerian government with amnesty demand for bandits,’ Pro-Buhari group tells Gumi

The Buhari Media Organisation on Wednesday advised the Islamic cleric, Sheikh Gumi to “shut up” and desist from distracting the Federal Government with his clamour for amnesty for bandits.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju; and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke; the group said there was no basis for President Muhammadu Buhari administration to suspend ongoing military operations in the forests of Zamfara State and adjoining areas.

The cleric had been unrelenting in his demand for amnesty for bandits terrorising the citizens in the North-West part of the country.

The statement read: “Like many Nigerians, we are concerned that the Islamic cleric could be vocal enough to say that the bandits were ‘going nowhere’, in spite of ongoing air and ground assaults on their positions.

“Sheikh Gumi has, by those comments, confirmed his description as the patron saint of criminal elements that had for some time held some states in the North-West hostage.

“Is it not strange that a religious leader could be so supportive of bandits that are known to have pillaged communities in the far North, waylaid travellers on highways, kidnapped people including students for ransom, and even ended up killing their hostages after collecting ransom?

“We wonder where the Sheikh was when those who the Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle and his Katsina State counterpart, Aminu Bello Masari granted pardon returned to the forests to resume their lives of criminality.

“It is even strange that in a bid to justify the criminal acts of those bandits, Sheikh Gumi went to the extent of drawing an analogy between them and the former Niger Delta militants.

“We know that the comparison was designed to whip up local sentiments in the North-West region against President Buhari, but we dare say that the people have suffered too much in the hands of bandits to fall for his cheap blackmail.”

BMO also commended governors of affected states in the region for collaborating with the Federal Government on efforts to tackle the problem.

It added: “Until now the governors were working at cross purposes, and taking measures that suggested that the bandits were easily moving to other states to commit further atrocities.

“But today, we are impressed that the state governments almost simultaneously announced security measures, including shutting down certain highways, schools and markets, as well as restricting the movement of cattle and bulk purchase of fuel.

“And as it turned out, those measures, including the shutdown of telecommunications services in Zamfara, were a prelude to ongoing military operation tagged ‘Festival of fire’ which from all accounts is going on well.

“We hope that Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, is watching and will take a cue from those governors who took security containment measures in collaboration with the Federal authorities.

“We also commend the defence authorities for showing that Nigerian troops are more than capable to deal a decisive blow on the bandits in spite of the shrill voice of dissent from the Sheikh.

“We invite Nigerians to note that the battle against banditry is in line with the President’s pledge to tackle insecurity headlong and it came after fruitless appeals to those criminal elements to embrace common sense.”

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

Police foil N14m ransom payment, rescue kidnap victim, arrest suspects

A kidnap victim, Semiu Ogunniyi, who was abducted from a hotel in Ikare-Akoko, Akoko North-East Local Government Area of Ondo State, has been rescued by police operatives and local hunters.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Wilfred Afolabi, who disclosed this, revealed that one of the suspected kidnappers involved in the abduction of Ogunniyi, Muhammed Babuga, was arrested in the course of the rescue operation.

According to Afolabi, the kidnappers had demanded a ransom of N14 million for the release of the victim, after which the movement of the suspects was trailed through actionable intelligence.

The police boss disclosed that during the interception, the suspects engaged the operatives in a fierce gun duel, with several suspects sustaining gunshot injuries during the exchange of gunfire.

While speaking with newsmen at the headquarters of the state police command, Afolabi added that two suspected kidnappers, Ibrahim Umar, 25, and Paul Osanyinduro, 38, were arrested in Owo, headquarters of Owo Local Council Area of the state. Abubakar Bamoh, 30, a logistics provider for the kidnappers terrorising various parts of the South-West, was also arrested.

He said, “Command also arrested 3 suspected kidnappers who have confessed to their involvement in various kidnapping cases across the state. This operation marks yet another success in the Command’s ongoing offensive against kidnapping and violent crime in the state.

“Acting on credible intelligence regarding the activities of one Abubakar Bamoh, male, aged 30 years, an indigene of Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Command swung into action and successfully apprehended the suspect at one of the Fulani camps in Igbara-Oke, Ondo State.”
(Daily post)

Continue Reading

News

SERAP demands explanation over missing N500bn oil revenue from NNPCL

Allow 7m Nigerians to complete voter registration or face legal action, SERAP tells INEC

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has asked the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mr Bayo Ojulari, to immediately account for and explain the whereabouts of the N500 billion oil revenue the company allegedly failed to remit to the Federation Account between October and December 2024.

In a letter dated May 17, 2025, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP cited recent revelations by the World Bank which showed that out of N1.1 trillion earned from crude oil sales and other income in 2024, only N600 billion was remitted by the NNPCL, leaving a staggering N500 billion unaccounted for.

The organisation is demanding full disclosure and recovery of the missing funds, and has threatened legal action should the company fail to act within seven days.

“SERAP is writing to request you to use your good offices and leadership position to promptly account for and explain the whereabouts of the missing N500 billion, which the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited failed to remit to the Federation Account,” the letter stated.JAMB’s

SERAP also urged Ojulari to identify and surcharge those responsible for the missing funds and hand them over to anti-graft agencies for investigation and prosecution.

“SERAP urges you to promptly identify those suspected to be responsible for the alleged missing oil money, surcharge them for the full amount involved, and hand them over to the ICPC and the EFCC,” the group wrote.

Citing the World Bank report, the group noted that revenue from oil sales and other sources was expected to be fully paid into the Federation Account and shared by all tiers of government, but the NNPCL failed to comply.

“Nigerians have the right to know why the NNPCL is remitting only 50 per cent of the gains generated from the removal of petrol subsidies to the Federation Account,” SERAP said.

“The failure by the NNPCL to remit the money is a grave violation of the public trust and the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, national anti-corruption laws, and international obligations under the UN Convention against Corruption.”

SERAP warned that the alleged disappearance of such a large sum has serious implications for economic development, poverty alleviation, and the provision of basic public services at a time of national hardship.

“Despite the country’s enormous oil wealth, ordinary Nigerians have derived very little benefit from oil money primarily because of widespread grand corruption, and the entrenched culture of impunity of perpetrators,” the group added.

It stressed that the failure of the NNPCL to uphold transparency and accountability standards has worsened the country’s fiscal crisis.

“The missing oil revenue reflects a failure of NNPCL accountability more generally and is directly linked to the institution’s continuing failure to uphold the principles of transparency,” SERAP noted.

Citing paragraph 3112(ii) of the Financial Regulations 2009, the group said any public officer who fails to account for government revenue “shall be surcharged for the full amount involved and handed over to either the EFCC or the ICPC.”

Continue Reading

News

Security Operatives Nab ‘Wanted’ Kidnapper In Abuja Hajj Camp

Security operatives have reportedly arrested a wanted kidnapper at the hajj camp in Abuja.

A security source at the camp confirmed the arrest to our correspondent, on Sunday.

He said the suspect was nabbed during screening of pilgrims who were preparing to be airlifted to Saudi Arabia. He disclosed that the suspect identified as Yahaya Zango resided at Paikon -Kore in Gwagwalada area council of the FCT.

The source said security agencies had declared him wanted, following his alleged involvement in some kidnappings.

He said the suspect presented his passport alongside other Muslim contingent from Abuja who were on their way to observe this year’s hajj. “It was this afternoon during the screening at the hajj camp in airport when the DSS operatives apprehended him and whisked him away,” he said

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending