NEWS
Insecurity: Reps urge FG to increase capacity of Armed Forces
***Express worry over the gruesome killing of 42 Soldiers, Police, and Civilians in Taraba State
To prosecute the war against terrorism ravaging the country, the House of Representatives on Wednesday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to embark on massive recruitment of personnel into Nigeria’s Armed Forces.
The resolution was reached following the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance co-sponsored by two Taraba lawmakers namely: Hon. Danjuma Usman and Hon. Rimamnde Shawulu on the unconscionable killings of Civilians, officers of the Nigeria Police and Nigerian Army in Takum, Taraba State.
The House tasked the President on the need to increase the capacity of the Armed Forces and security agencies to forestall further loss of lives.
In his lead debate, Hon. Usman noted that on Tuesday 10th May 2022, bandits/terrorists attacked Tati village in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State, a farming community, and was razed down by the bandits who had arrived in the area the previous night and butchered 42 civilians, policemen, and six Soldiers.
According to him,“the House is informed that in response to several distress calls made by the residents, Security agency mobilized scantily to the area.
“The House is also informed that the bandits ambushed the security agents who were outnumbered and in the ensuring face off six Soldiers were killed; this was after the bandits had earlier killed a Policeman at a checkpoint and other civilians at Tati; the Commander of the 93 Battalion is missing in action.
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“The House is aware that the massive movement of the bandits to the area had been reported by residents to government agencies and functionaries as well as security agencies some days back.
“The House is also aware that Security agencies, especially the 93 BN of the Nigeria army and some units of the Special Forces (operations Wild Stroke) had engaged the bandits successfully last week and seized dangerous weapons from them.
“The House is further aware that about a month ago the bandits had struck etcKwentwen, Kwencwen, Kwenmboi (Quarry), Gangum 2, Tati-Kumbo and Tati area. Others are; Bassang, Fawen, Kashiten, and Muji in Takum and Ussa Local Government Areas respectively and killed over 46 persons without any serious challenge.
“The House is concerned that these bandits are increasing their reach and destabilizing more parts of the country.
“The House is also concerned that these bandits operate in very large numbers and in this instant case, less than 20 military men are confronted by over 300 well-armed bandits.
“The House is disturbed by this persistent and consistent killing of both security personnel and civilians that may dampen the morale of our soldiers and encourage the bandits to cause more havoc.
“The House is further disturbed that Nigeria has one of the lowest ratios of Soldiers to the civilian population and the men are overstretched as operations are taking place in almost all states of the Federation.”
To this end, the House tasked the Chief of Army Staff and Inspector-General of Police to deploy more security men to effectively secure the Takum LGA in Taraba State and fish out the bandits.
The lawmakers also urged the intelligence agencies to take steps to fish out the sponsors of these bandits so that they are made to face the law.
While speaking during a press briefing, Hon. Usman noted that Nigeria has one of the lowest ratios of Soldiers to the civilian population and the men are overstretched as operations are taking place in almost all states of the Federation and called for the establishment of forest guards to help tackle the issue of bandits and insecurity bedeviling the nation. In
According to him, “the military is overwhelmed because of the obsolete equipment they have, they cannot even move because as I speak not the Commanding Officer of the 97 battalions is nowhere to be found he led the operation to Taki village where 6 soldiers were killed but the commanding officer as I speak now we do not know his whereabouts.
“Our area is in dire need of security guards as you know it is an agrarian society and these bandits come in groups, you see them in large numbers. We are crying out for the government to assist us by providing enough security in our area, though we understand that the ratio of civilians to the military is not enough.
“We need security otherwise one day we will not be able to sit here, you cannot travel from hereto Nasarawa, from here to Kogi, from here to Kaduna, from here to plateau without being at alert, without being afraid that something will happen to you and at any time they can come for you. That was why last year I sponsored a bill on forest guards but as I speak I don’t know what happened to that bill.
“These bandits operate in our forest, so I am appealing to the media to help us pass this message to the government so that all of us are secure that we can all do our jobs better. The governor is doing his best but he is also overwhelmed, the governor is not in charge of the security it is the federal government that is in charge of security in the country,” he stated.
The 15th edition of the Practical Nigerian Content Forum (PNCF) is billed for Yenagoa, Bayelsa State from November 30.
This edition of the initiative of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) would hold be in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Government as disclosed on Tuesday when a delegation of the NCDMB and DMG Events met with the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Dr Peter Pereotubo Akpe, at the Government House, Yenagoa.
Leading the delegation, the General Manager, Corporate Communications Division of NCDMB, Dr Obinna Ezeobi, conveyed the appreciation of the Executive Secretary of the board, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, to the state government for its continued support for the forum.
He said, “We appreciate the Bayelsa State Government for its continued partnership and support for the PNC Forum”.
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According to him, the Youth PNC was designed to expose young people in the Niger Delta to emerging opportunities in the oil and gas industry and the competencies required to build successful careers in other sectors of the economy.
Ezeobi added, “We have introduced new initiatives into this year’s programme to ensure that the PNC continues to deliver greater value to participants and address emerging issues in the Nigerian content space.”
The Senior Manager, Zonal Coordination, NCDMB, Mr Adebayo Joseph, spoke on plans for the Youth PNC, while the leader of the DMG Events delegation, Ms Olamide Oloko, outlined the major activities planned for the conference.
Oloko said the new initiatives would include a Local Content Roundtable and a two-day programme for Local Community Contractors aimed at helping them scale up their operations.
She added, “The 2026 edition will also feature a breakout session to collate stakeholders’ views on the future direction of Nigerian Content over the next decade.”
Responding, Akpe assured the NCDMB and DMG Events of the state government’s continued support for the PNC Forum.
Akpe said, “The Bayelsa State Government is committed to ensuring that the event is successful and that participants have a conducive and secure environment throughout their stay in the state.”
He said the initiative demonstrated the practical impact of the programme and urged the board to sustain efforts aimed at creating opportunities for young people in the region.
Nigerian women allegedly being held at a deportation facility in India have cried out over their treatment, with a video circulating online showing some of them displaying injuries and alleging that security personnel flogged detainees.
The video began circulating online on Wednesday and shows a group of Nigerian women inside and around what they described as a deportation camp.
Several of the women pointed to marks, bruises and apparent injuries on their legs, feet and bodies while alleging that they were beaten with sticks or canes.
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“See my video, see my leg,” one of the women could be heard saying in the footage.
Another woman said, “Mona see wetin dem dey do for deportation camp.”
“Deportation camp, na dem flog person, see,” another woman said while showing what appeared to be an injury.
The women further alleged that female detainees were beaten with sticks.
“Dem dey use stick dey flog women, mona dey see am,” one of them said.
Another woman, while pointing at an injured detainee, said, “Dem carry cane flog o… see her body, dem flog am.”
The women also alleged that police officers carried sticks inside the facility.
“Police carry stick like say dem dey cut firewood,” one of the women said.
The footage shows the women appearing distressed as they moved through the facility and gathered in an outdoor area.
They repeatedly appealed to Nigerians to share the video and draw attention to their situation.
“Make una see… make this video trend/go,” one woman said.
“Make una share am,” another added.
One of the women also expressed frustration over their alleged experience at the facility, saying, “We don suffer, every time, every time.”
The footage comes amid ongoing concerns over Nigerians detained at the Lampur detention centre, also known as Sewa Sadan, in New Delhi.
Recall that in September, reports emerged that more than 200 Nigerians were being held at the facility, with some detainees alleging poor food, inadequate medical care and prolonged detention.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) subsequently defended its handling of the situation and said the Nigerian High Commission in India was seeking another amnesty period to facilitate the departure of Nigerians without proper immigration documentation.
No official response from the Indian authorities or the Nigerian government specifically addressing the allegations in the latest video had been made available at the time of publication.
Rights activist, public affairs analyst and Chief Executive Officer of The Dialogue, Shehu Muhammad, has questioned the continued occurrence of military aircraft crashes despite the huge budgetary allocations to the country’s defence and security sector.
Muhammad spoke while reacting to the recent Nigerian Navy aircraft crash in Irele Local Government Area of Ondo State during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
Describing the incident as “one incident too many,” he recalled that Nigeria had recorded several military aircraft crashes involving the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Army over the years.
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He said the recurring incidents had raised concerns among members of the public about the condition of military aircraft and the process through which military hardware is procured.
“People have begun to cast aspersions as to the honesty, sincerity, and openness in the purchase of military hardware, including airplanes,” Muhammad said.
According to him, the concerns are heightened by the substantial funds allocated to the military and other security agencies over the years.
“There are insinuations by the public that, after all, the military receive the highest amount of money from the budget year in, year out,” he said.
Muhammad also questioned the transparency of defence procurement, particularly the process of selecting contractors for the supply of military equipment.
He argued that the repeated crashes should prompt authorities to examine military aviation operations, aircraft procurement and the management of defence resources.
The latest crash occurred in Irele, Ondo State, with recovery efforts reportedly complicated by the difficult terrain around the crash site.
Muhammad said the latest incident should not be treated in isolation, but should lead to broader questions about military aviation safety and the management of resources allocated to the defence sector.
He called for greater transparency and accountability in the procurement and management of military hardware to restore public confidence.
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