Tag: Nigeria Insecurity

‘Nigeria’s kidnapping racket, a symptom of a failing State’ – Financial Times of London Editorial 

Aminu Imam

The Financial Times of London, an international business newspaper, has stated that Nigeria’s kidnapping racket is a symptom of a failing State. In a scathing newspaper editorial column it posted during the week, the international business newspaper, hinted conspicuously that the Government has lost control of the country. Giving perceived solution to Nigeria’s problem, The Financial Times said: “Ever since Nigeria moved its capital to Abuja three decades ago, Africa’s most populous nation has been run from Aso Rock, a 400-metre granite monolith that doubles as the seat of government. “The fact that the…

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‘Fresh abduction in Kaduna, sign that impunity reigns’ – Amnesty International

Aminu Imam

Amnesty International says the mass abduction in Kajuru local government area of Kaduna State is a sign of a reign of impunity in Nigeria. Recall that at least 61 people were abducted as terrorists attacked Buda, a community in Kajuru local government area late Monday. The abduction in Buda followed the mass abduction by terrorists of school pupils in Kuriga in Chikun local government area of the same Kaduna State. Responding to the abduction of at least 60 people by gunmen in Buda, in the state of Kaduna, Director of Amnesty…

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National Security Challenges: “Justify N3.25tr security budget”, H/Reps tell NSA

Aminu Imam

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, called on the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to coordinate intelligence and security operations in the country, particularly in Kaduna State, following last week’s abduction of over 200 students in the Chikun local government area of the State by suspected bandits. The lawmakers also expressed worry that in spite of the N3.25tn security and defence spending approved by the National Assembly, the security situation in the country was far from the expectations of Nigerians. This was just as the lawmakers in the…

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Schools abduction: Gumi offers to negotiate with bandits

Aminu Imam

Kaduna-based Muslim cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has revealed his intention to dialogue with bandits who abducted about 287 school-children from Kuriga Government Secondary and LEA Primary Schools in the Chikun local government area of the State. Gumi said this in a bid to facilitate the release of the abducted school-children should President Bola Tinubu give him the opportunity to negotiate. According to the prominent Islamic scholar, Tinubu must not repeat the mistake made by former President Muhammadu Buhari, who refused to dialogue with bandits. Recall that bandits invaded the Kuriga…

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“Go beyond issuing directives, demand results to end insecurity” – ACF to FG

Aminu Imam

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) says the Federal Government should go beyond issuing directives to security agencies to end insecurity in the country. Recall that on Thursday, bandits abducted 287 students of LEA Primary and Government Secondary School, Kuriga in Chikun LGA of Kaduna State. The ACF, in a statement on Saturday by its spokesperson, Tukur Muhammad-Baba, condemned the abduction of the schoolchildren and asked the Government to demand results from security agencies within a time frame. The Forum demanded “an instant deployment of new measures, including the Special Schools Security Scheme,…

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US condemns kidnappings in Nigeria

Aminu Imam

…Pledges support to rescue abductees The United States Mission in Nigeria has condemned the abduction of scores of school children and women in Kaduna State. The US Mission in Nigeria, via its official X page yesterday, also condemned the displaced persons abducted in Borno State, whereby suspected Boko Haram terrorists had kidnapped over 100 internally-displaced persons (IDPs). The US Mission also urged the Nigerian government to arrest the perpetrators and make sure they face the consequences. The United States government however pledged its support to Nigeria’s effort to secure release…

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FG purchased N5tr worth of armoured tanks in Q4 2023 – NBS

Aminu Imam

The Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has stated that N5 trillion worth of tanks and armoured fighting vehicles were imported into the country in the fourth quarter of 2023, majorly from Singapore. In a report, titled: ‘Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics’, the NBS said Nigeria recorded a total of N26.8tr in trade transactions with other countries. The report which was released on Friday, said goods worth N12.69trn were exported out of the country, while N14.1trillion worth of goods were imported into the country. According to the report, the trade volume,…

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‘Mass social unrest, other risks could impact Nigeria’s peace in 2024’ – EIU

Aminu Imam

The Economist Intelligence Unit, (EIU) has highlighted five key risks for Nigeria that could severely impact the attainment of important goals of peace, economic stabilisation and development in the months ahead. In its March 2024 report, the EIU listed the risks to include high possibility of Nigeria moving too fast on market reform and thereby unleashing mass unrest; the highly probable likelihood of social unrest that forces the government to make concessions on its reform agenda; strikes that bring the economy to a halt. Others risk of the Naira crossing…

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Pope expresses concern over rising cases of kidnappings in Nigeria

Aminu Imam

Head of the Catholic church, Pope Francis, on Sunday, expressed concern over the rising kidnappings in Nigeria, noting that the development as “extremely concerning”. The Pontiff, who expressed the concern in a statement via his X account, prayed that efforts by the Nigerian authorities to contain the menace yield fruit “as much as possible.” According to the Pontiff, “The increasingly frequent kidnappings in Nigeria are extremely concerning. I express my closeness in prayer to the Nigerian people, hoping that efforts will be made to contain the spread of these incidents…

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Insecurity: “Nigeria under siege by terrorists, bandits, criminal gangs” – NBA writes Tinubu

Aminu Imam

The Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA) has expressed fear that Nigeria is under siege by terrorists, bandits and criminal gangs, describing the growing state of insecurity in the country as happening in ‘alarming proportions’. In its letter dated 14th February, 2024, titled: ‘State of the Nation’, which was signed by Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, the president of NBA, and directed to President Bola Tinubu, the association wondered which part of Nigeria was still under the control of the Federal Government. “The entire country is under siege by terrorists, bandits, and criminal gangs.…

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