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Category: Security

  • Details Of Sheikh Gumi’s Meeting With FG Emerge

    Details Of Sheikh Gumi’s Meeting With FG Emerge

    The details of Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi’s meeting with security agencies over his comments on the activities of bandits in the country has emerged.

    Minister of Information and Orientation, Mohammed Idris, on Monday, revealed that Gumi had been invited over some of his remarks. 

    The minister said Gumi was not above the law and would be interrogated if security agencies deemed his comments reckless.

    This comes after Gumi continued his advocacy for amnesty for bandits in a recent radio interview, saying that many took to banditry because of alleged neglect and marginalisation from the government.

    The cleric has been photographed with various bandit groups on numerous occasions, while some Nigerians have called on security agencies to arrest him over his alleged ties with terrorist groups.

    In a post on his Facebook page on Tuesday, Gumi said he had a productive interaction with security agencies who invited him over his alleged connections with bandits.

    The cleric stated that his meeting with the security agents centred on how to curb banditry in the North West region of the country.

    Gumi said there was no cause for alarm and thanked well-wishers and journalists who called to check on him.

    He wrote: “Last night I got many frantic calls from well-wishers and journalists about a news item that I was interviewed by security. There is absolutely no cause for alarm.

    “Yes, we had a productive interaction on how to curb banditry as we are all trying — each in his own sphere — to tackle the monster bedevilling the nation. There was no animosity but courtesy and full of respect.

    “We all need as a nation to unite and work in synergy to achieve an everlasting peace.”

  • Kaduna Governor, Sani Speaks On Gumi’s Involvement in School children’s Release

    Kaduna Governor, Sani Speaks On Gumi’s Involvement in School children’s Release

    The Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, on Sunday, revealed that Muslim cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, was not involved in the release of abducted Kuriga pupils.
    Sani revealed this days after Gumi offered to negotiate with bandits for the release of the pupils.

    The governor while speaking on Channels TV, said all the 137 schoolchildren abducted on March 7, 2024 from the Chikun Local Government Area of the state by bandits have been rescued by the military.

    According to Sani, the rescue mission was carried out by the military in collaboration with local authorities from neighbouring Zamfara State, where the hostages were moved by their kidnappers.

    The governor described as speculations, talks in some quarters that ransom was paid, stressing that Gumi was not involved in the rescue of the pupils.

    Sani said, “All those speculations you are hearing today are figment of some people’s imagination. I can tell you that without any fear of contradiction. There was nothing like Gumi in this operation. I can tell you. I won’t undermine the efforts of our Armed Forces.”

  • Sheikh Gumi Reacts As FG Names His Ally, Tukur Mamu As Terrorism Sponsor

    Sheikh Gumi Reacts As FG Names His Ally, Tukur Mamu As Terrorism Sponsor

    Popular Nigerian controversial Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmad Gumi, has declared that the Department of State Services (DSS) has no right to declare his ally, Mallam Tukur Mamu, a terrorist financier.

    Recall that the Federal Government recently released a list of 15 entities, including nine individuals and six Bureau De Change operators and firms, involved in terrorism financing.

    Among the individuals named on the document is a Kaduna-based publisher, Tukur Mamu.

    It is worth noting that Mamu has been in the custody of the DSS since his arrest in Cairo, Egypt, in September 2022. The cleric is currently being tried by the Federal Government for allegedly aiding the terrorists who attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train in March 2022.

    Mamu was apprehended at the time with his family members while en route to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj.

    During a recent X Space organized by Daily Trust, Sheik Ahmad Gumi stressed the importance of not granting security agencies the power to categorize an individual as a terrorist financier, particularly when the matter is already being handled by the court.

    Despite facing charges related to terrorism financing in a Federal High Court in Abuja, Mamu firmly pleaded his innocence.

    Sheikh Gumi described the situation between Mamu and the security agency as a misunderstanding, refraining from further comments as the case is currently being handled by the court.

    “Mamu’s case is in court. Let’s wait to hear from the court. It’s wrong to resort to a media trial. Let’s wait for the court to state whether he is a financier or not. I think if he is acquitted, he has a strong case to make on libel.

    “Who declares someone a terrorist financer? Is it the court of law or a security agency? The security agency has no right to declare anyone a terrorist financier. The case is already in court, so why are they judging him on the pages of the newspaper? Once a case is in court, you allow the court to decide,” The Islamic scholar noted.

  • Full Names of 15 Terrorism Sponsors Released By FG 

    Full Names of 15 Terrorism Sponsors Released By FG 

    Following the directive of the Federal Government, the Nigerian Sanctions Committee on Monday, March 18, revealed the identities of 15 entities including nine individuals and six Bureau De Change firms that have been sanctioned over alleged terrorism financing.

    The nine individuals under sanctions are

    1. Tukur Mamu

    2. Yusuf Ghazali

    3. Muhammad Sani

    4. Abubakar Muhammad

    5. Sallamudeen Hassan

    6. Adamu Ishak

    7. Hassana-Oyiza Isah

    8. Abdulkareem Musa,

    9. Umar Abdullahi

    The six BDCs and firms are

    10. West and East Africa General Trading Company Limited

    11. Settings Bureau De Change Limited

    12. G. Side General Enterprises

    13. Desert Exchange Ventures Limited

    14. Eagle Square General Trading Company Limited

    15. Alfa Exchange BDC.

  • FG Releases List Of Those Responsible For Terrorism Financing In Nigeria

    FG Releases List Of Those Responsible For Terrorism Financing In Nigeria

    The Federal Government has released a list of 15 entities, including nine individuals and six Bureau De Change operators and firms, involved in terrorism financing.

    The details of the development were revealed by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and made available on Tuesday night.

    The document, entitled “Designation of Individuals and Entities for March 18, 2024,” disclosed that the Nigeria Sanctions Committee met on March 18, 2024, where specific individuals and entities were recommended for sanction following their involvement in terrorism financing.

    “The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation, with the approval of the President, has thereupon designated the following individuals and entities to be listed on the Nigeria Sanctions List,” the document read in part.

    Among the individuals named on the document is a Kaduna-based publisher, Tukur Mamu, who is currently being tried by the Federal Government for allegedly aiding the terrorists who attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train in March 2022.

    According to the document, Mamu “participated in the financing of terrorism by receiving and delivering ransome payments over the sum of $200,000 US in support of ISWAP terrorists for the release of hostages of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.”

    The document also said one of the individuals is “the suspected attacker of the St. Francis Catholic Church Owo, Ondo State on June 5, 2022 and the Kuje Correctional Center, Abuja on July 5, 2022.”

    Another was described as “a member of the terrorist group Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladissudam, the group is associated with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

    “The subject was trained and served under Muktar Belmokhtar, aka One Eyed Out, led Al-Murabtoun Katibat of AQIM in Algeria and Mali.”

    The NFIU said the individual “specialises in designing terrorist clandestine communication code and he is also Improvised Explosive Device expert.

    “The subject was also a gate keeper to ANSARU leader, Mohammed Usman aka Khalid Al-Bamawi. Equally, he was a courier and travel guide to AQIM Katibat in the desert of Algeria and Mali. He is into carpentry. Subject fled Kuje correctional centre on July 5, 2022. He is currently at large.”

    Another was identified as “a senior commander of the Islamic State of West Africa Province Okene.”

    The agency said the individual “came into limelight in 2012 as North Central wing of Boko Haram.

    “The group is suspected of the attacks carried out around Federal Capital Territory and the South West Geographical Zone, including the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.”

    Another was described as “a financial courier to ISWAP Okene. She is responsible for the disbursement of funds to the widows/wives of the terrorist fighters of the group.”

    According to the document, another of the individuals “in 2015, transferred N60m to terrorism convicts.”

    He was also said to have “received a sum of N189m between 2016 and 2018.”

    The same person is said to “own entities and business reported in the UAE court judgment as facilitating the transfer of terrorist funds from Dubai to Nigeria.”

    Another individual was said to have “received a total of N57m from between 2014 and 2017.”

    Another was said to have “had a total inflow of N61.4 bn and a total outflow of N51.7bn from his accounts.”

  • Terrorists Abduct 87 Persons In Kaduna

    Terrorists Abduct 87 Persons In Kaduna

    Suspected terrorists have abducted about 87 people in a fresh attack on the Kajuru-Station community in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

    The latest attack was confirmed by a member of the Kajuru-Station Youths, Harisu Dari, on Monday.

    Harisu, said the terrorists stormed the village around 10 pm, breaking into some shops and stealing food items and other valuables.

    He explained that no contact has been established yet with the 87 locals abducted on Sunday night.

    “As of the time I visited the community this morning, security operatives have not been drafted to help restore the confidence of the villagers.

    “The villagers are traumatized by the sad development. The government needs to re-strategise in tackling these terrorists,” he said.

    The attack came barely two days after 15 women and a man were abducted in the Dogon-Noma community of the same local government.

    Kajuru and Chikun LGs had in the past two weeks become the hotbed of kidnapping, causing tension in the state.

    Recall that the terrorists had in two weeks kidnapped over 172 villagers in the area.

    However, the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan is yet to respond as of the time of filing this report.

  • More Attacks Imminent Unless Nigerian Government Negotiates With Bandits – Sheikh Gumi

    More Attacks Imminent Unless Nigerian Government Negotiates With Bandits – Sheikh Gumi

    Kaduna based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has re-emphasized the need for the Nigerian government to dialogue with bandits in order to stop incessant attacks on innocent citizens. 

    The cleric stated that there is no military solution to end the insecurity problems Nigeria is currently facing. 
     
    Speaking during an interview session with AriseNews TV on Friday morning, the Islamic scholar insisted that persistent military attacks on the terrorists were responsible for their latest lack of sympathy on Nigerians they abducted. 
     
    He admonished the Nigerian government should emulate how the United States’ government negotiated with the Taliban terrorists by also having a dialogue with the bandits to prevent the insurgence in the country. 
     
    “This thing (banditry) is turning into something else. We are turning them into monsters, more monsters as what they are. They are ignorant, they don’t have direction, they don’t have leadership, they don’t have empathy now because of the way we treat them too, we don’t care when we burn them,” he said 
     
    “When we burn their children and women, in fact this very recent incident is just a tip of an iceberg; what has been happening in the bush, until we change our tactics and allow people who know, these politicians, I am tired of them. 
     
    “I was a military man myself, but I don’t think there is a military solution, in fact I think it is humiliating military to think that the military should take care of civilian insurgency, what we need is a very good detective work, very good policing, very good social programme. We should leave our military off these issues. Our military knows fire for fire and these people do not have the fire power, they hide behind the civilians and do whatever they do. So don’t let us humiliate and disgrace our military. This is not their job, this is the job of politicians. This is the job of the police, this is the job of intelligence.  
     
    “In fact I believe no ransom should be paid, I believe that but engage, engage these people. Give them hope. But not only in these children’s cases, be holistic. I heard when one military man said it is turning into a war, I am so sad to see that they are now realising that it is turning into a war. It has been war since, it has been ethnic war, it’s been class war, it is not just more than criminality. We have to accept that. 
     
    “If we can see Israel and Hamas exchanging prisoners, I don’t see why we can’t negotiate. If Americans can negotiate with the Taliban, I don’t see why we can’t. They (foreign governments) can’t impose on us their own ideas when behind the door, they also negotiate with these terrorists.”

  • Terrorists Abduct Unspecified Number of Students In Sokoto

    Terrorists Abduct Unspecified Number of Students In Sokoto

    Bandits have reportedly kidnapped an unspecified number of Tsangaya students at Gidan Bakuso in Gada local government area of Sokoto state.

    According to Daily Trust, the students were abducted from their school around 1am on Saturday.

    The proprietor of the school, Liman Abubakar, said 15 students were unaccounted for so far but “we are still counting.” 

    This incident came barely a day after the terrorists stormed a government school in Kaduna State and abducted over 270 pupils. 

    According to Abubakar, the bandits invaded the town around 1am, shot one person and abducted a woman.

    “As they were leaving the town, they sighted our students rushing into their rooms and they kidnapped many of them.

    “We have so far counted 15 who are missing and we are still searching for more,” he said. 

    Abubakar added that this was not the first time the village was attacked by bandits.

    The member, representing Gada-East Constituency at the state House of Assembly, Kabiru Dauda while confirming the attack, said he received a call from the village around 2am that it was invaded by bandits.

    “I reached out to the local government authorities and security agencies and I am sure they are doing something about it,” he said.

    It was also gathered that bandits attacked and killed three persons at Turba village in Isa Local Government Area of the state, including the village head.

    A member representing, Isa Constituency, Habibu Modachi who confirmed the incident, believed it was a reprisal after security operatives raided bandits’ hideouts two days ago.

    The spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, ASP Ahmad Rufa’i, said he was not aware of the development but he would contact the Divisional Police Officer of the local government areas.

  • Bandits Invade Nigerian Mosque During Jumat Prayers, Kill Worshippers

    Bandits Invade Nigerian Mosque During Jumat Prayers, Kill Worshippers

    Gunmen suspected to be bandits have attacked a mosque at Anguwar Makera in Kwasakwasa community of Birnin Gwari local government area of Kaduna State.

    The bandits killed two worshippers during Friday’s Juma’at prayer.

    The incident happened around 2pm, according to locals in the area.

    A community leader, Hudu Kwasakwasa, who confirmed the incident, said the bandits opened fire on worshipers during the Juma’at prayer.

    “The two worshipers killed were among other Muslims attacked at the Juma’at Mosque in Angwar Makera when the bandits opened fire on them and abducted others today (Friday). The victims have been buried at Old Kuyello cemetery,” he said.

    He said the people were in the second raka’at of the salat when they were attacked, which forced other worshippers to run for their lives.

    He added that a few days ago, the same bandits abducted about nine people at a community called Angwar Kanawa under the same Kwasakwasa area.

    He appealed for help from authorities concerned, saying the bandits were raiding the communities unchallenged.

    The latest attack on the worshipers came less than 24 hours after bandits abducted over 287 students in the neighbouring Chikun local government area of the state on Thursday morning.

  • ‘Enough is Enough, Kidnappers deserve death penalty, Remi Tinubu fumes

    ‘Enough is Enough, Kidnappers deserve death penalty, Remi Tinubu fumes

    Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has said that anyone convicted of abduction deserves capital punishment.

    The first lady stated this in her reaction to the news of 200 women who were kidnapped in Borno State, and over 280 pupils and teachers kidnapped in Kaduna State.

    Remi Tinubu, also described kidnappers as cowards, saying “Whoever is kidnapping young people is sick, cruel, and a coward.

    “Enough is enough and I call on the state governors that once we take hold of them, they deserve capital punishment.

    “Why don’t they take people their size? Why are they torturing our children? What they are trying to do is kill our future.

    “We all know parents, when we are old we rely on our children.

    “Why would you go and take them from schools? Right now, I think enough is enough. As a former lawmaker, I believe that any one of them captured deserves capital punishment.

    “They (kidnappers) are animals, they are evil and we should take them out of our midst.

    “The state governors and the lawmakers should do something.”

    Recall that about 200 women were reportedly kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists in the Gamboru-Ngala and Dikwa local government areas of Borno State.

    The women, who were Internally Displaced Persons, were said to have been kidnapped while they went into the bush in search of firewood.

    Also, over 280 pupils and teachers of Government Secondary School and LEA primary school at Kuriga, Kaduna State were abducted by bandits on Thursday, triggering national outrage.

    The bandits reportedly invaded the Kuriga area of the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Thursday, shooting at their victims before taking away at least 280 of the pupils and teachers from both schools.