Attacks in suburbs of the Federal Capital Territory including the recent abduction of some residents of Anguwar Samu area of Tungan-Maje community in Gwagwalada area council and the attack on officials of the FRSC amid recurring security breaches in communities in nearby Nasarawa State have put residents of the nation’s capital city on edge, especially with the recent report of terrorists setting up cells around the FCT.
The Warning
A circular had alerted on the existence of terror cells in and around the capital territory and environs. The circular which emanated from the Nigeria Customs Service said terrorists had set up camps in and around the nation’s capital.
“Information reaching the Comptroller General of Customs reveals the existence of Boko Haram terrorists in and around the Federal Capital Territory. Further reports have it that they are planning to attack some selected targets within the territory,” the circular said.
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It said terrorists were reported to have set up camps in Kunyam Bush along airport road off DIA Staff quarters, Robochi/Gwagwalada Forest and Kwaku Forest Kuje all in Abuja, as well Unaisha Forest in Toto Local Government Area Nasarawa State and Gegu Forest close to Idu Town in Kogi State.
Terrorists had attacked the capital city five years ago, leaving many people dead.
The Department of State Services also said they had arrested some suspects linked to the discovery of “sleeper cells” operated by terrorists in and around Abuja.
It said those arrested travelled from the North-east to the FCT and were planning attacks in Abuja during the year-end festivities.
“Boko Haram…has continued to establish and operate sleeper cells whose (sole) mandates are to conduct surveillance and carry out subsequent attacks in the FCT,” the DSS said in a statement.
The Raids
Security agencies had recently raided a camp of members of the Darul Salam terror group in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State where 410 of them surrendered to operatives of Operation Whirl Stroke.
The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, said they surrendered following an operation by troops and other security agencies.
Residents of Anguwar Dagbiri, Baba-Ojo, Anugwar Kura, Anguwar Gwabere and Anguwar Sarki on the outskirts of the capital city now live in fear because of the recent abduction of some residents.
Relocation
Findings revealed that some residents, especially those of Anguwar Samu where the abduction took place were relocating from the area, while others now leave their homes to spend the night in Zuba town and return the following morning.
A resident, Chidozie Obi, said he and his family members had been sleeping outside and only return home in the morning because of the fear of being attacked at night. He said the recent incident was a serious threat to security in the area.
“In fact, the night the last incident happened, I couldn’t sleep because of the sound of gun shots. I am hypertensive, I don’t think I can continue to stay in that area,” he said.
Obi, who said he took his wife and three children to sleep in his in-law’s house in Zuba, said he was contemplating selling his two bedroom apartment and relocating elsewhere.
“As I talk to you, I am thinking of even selling my house and relocating because I know the trauma families of kidnapped victims go through before raising ransom money,” he added.
Another resident of Anguwar Samu, Shuaibu Suleiman, said though he is a native of the area, he had moved his family to his father’s house in the heart of the community since the incident took place.
“It will be better if my family is safe than to allow those criminals who just seize people and whisk them away at gunpoint,” he said.
He said there were rumours that the kidnappers were threatening to return to attack the community, a situation which he said made some of his neighbors to relocate. He urged authorities of the area council to put in place urgent security measures to address the situation.
A community leader who preferred anonymity expressed concern on recent threats posed by the report of the establishment of terror camps in the territory.
He said the development had caused serious concerns among his subjects who now sleep with one eye open. He said it was unfortunate that his chiefdom was among the areas said to be host to terrorists.
“I quickly summoned elders and hunters in my chiefdom to ensure that they keep an eye on any of the forests around if it is true that the terrorists have occupied any within my chiefdom, but till now, I have not heard anything yet,” he said.
Many not aware
But a traditional ruler in Kuje area council who also preferred anonymity said he was surprised to read in the media that a forest around the axis had been taken over by terrorists.
“In fact, the very forest mentioned is not within my chiefdom, it falls under Kuje chiefdom, there is less fear among my people as they go to their farms and come back home without any report.
“I think the only one I know that happened last Friday was that two of my people who are wood cutters attacked in the bush by suspected herders, they are currently receiving treatment in hospital,” he said.
The monarch urged the FCT Administration to deploy security agents to comb forests around the FCT to forestall any imminent attack.
The chairman of Gwagwalada area council, Alhaji Adamu Mustapha, while speaking with our reporter, said the council was making arrangements to organize a summit in Zuba to deliberate on the security situation not only in Tungan-Maje community but in the entire area council.
He said the summit would involve stakeholders, security agencies, traditional rulers, village/district heads as well as representatives of various youth/pressure groups.
“Yes, the council is very concerned about what happened in Tungan-Maje recently, it is on this premise that the council will hold a security summit to discuss the way forward,” he said.
Threats beam from link roads
A former Chief of Defence Staff, retired Air Marshal Alex Badeh; a former Assistant Controller General of Prisons, Nanvyet Wuyep Gwali among many others were killed while the incumbent Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State Dr Emmanuel Akabe narrowly escaped death along roads in nearby Nasarawa State leading to Abuja, in addiction to many more such actions by armed men along the axis.
The recent attack on personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on different locations in Nasarawa State was another case in the state which is a major route to the nation’s capital.
In the face of that, security outfits like the police, DSS, NSCDC, the Nigerian Army Guards Brigade unit in Keffi, and recently, the Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have been patrolling roads in the state.
The road linking Abuja to Loko in Nasarawa State and Oweto in Benue State was a rural road, but a few years ago, the federal government awarded a contract for its upgrade to a highway. The increase in traffic along the rehabilitated road as a short cut to the South-east and South-south from Abuja appears to be attracting criminals. The recent killing and abduction of personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps took place along the route at Udege Junction, along Mararaban-Udege in Nasarawa State.
According to the FRSC spokesman, Bisi Kazeem, 26 personnel were traveling in two buses from Sokoto and Kebbi State commands of the corps for a training programme at the FRSC Academy, Udi in Enugu State when they were attacked along the way.
“One of the officers died during the attack while another died in hospital and four others were injured, eight escaped unhurt, and 10 are unaccounted for as they were allegedly kidnapped,” he said.
The Casualties
Retired Air Marshal Alex Badeh was shot by gunmen at a location in Gitata community along Keffi road in Nasarawa State. The scene was similar to those of attacks by gunmen who regularly attacked travelers in the area, according to residents.
A retired Assistant Controller General of Prisons, Nanvyet Wuyep Gwali, was murdered by gunmen in August 2018 at his farm in Laminga, along the Keffi-Nasarawa road.
A kidnap kingpin, Buju Bazamfare and dozens of his gang members were said to have surrendered in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, through the intervention of the police and a traditional ruler.
Buju Bazamfare was said to be the leader of the group responsible for armed robberies and kidnapping on the Keffi, Nasarawa, Toto and the Abuja-Lokoja highways.
He was said to have a camp between Udege and Gadabuke in Toto Local Government Area of the state. The gang was alleged to have been kidnapping people including the rich and petty traders in Abaji and Kuje area councils of the FCT, and several parts of Kogi State.
Many people from the affected area in Nasarawa said kidnappings and armed banditry had reduced since he surrendered to the authorities.
At a security meeting, the Nasarawa State Commissioner of Police, Bola Longe, said his command would ensure and enhance community policing as directed by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammad Abubakar, and urged residents to inform the police of any attempt to breach law and order.
In January, 46 people were kidnapped in Nasarawa Local Government Area but regained freedom after four days. Suleiman Ibrahim Eya, one of the victims, who spoke to Daily Trust on Sunday, said, “We were traveling towards Nasarawa when we saw some cars ahead of us and we heard three gun shots which made us to stop. 10 armed men all branding AK-47 rifles with three of them in military uniform took 48 of us, they later shot two.”
According to him, they trekked for three hours before they were allowed to rest near a hill and continued trekking the following day before the kidnappers made calls demanding for ransom.
Suleiman said the kidnappers beat one man to coma when they saw him with a bayonet, he later said he was a security agent.
“My father sold his land at a give-away price and raised part of the ransom money, while my wife and relations contributed the amount that made up one million naira. We spent four days wandering in the bush before our release. Some raised between half a million naira and below to secure their release. A young man from Borno State and another from Mada ethnic group in Nasarawa State who said they didn’t have anybody to contact for ransom were severely beaten.”
He said the worst case was that of a young man who just left hospital after a surgery which opened up during the long trek and they kept carrying him about all the days they were in captivity.
He said they were fed with a handful of rice with palm oil as daily rations, but on the day of their release, they were given roasted yams.
A woman, Hawwa Abubakar Kana, an undergraduate, said she could not resume for lectures due to the trauma she had in the bush.
In July, 50 armed bandits abducted 30 people and killed two vigilante members in Nasarawa.
The chairman of the local government area, Alhaji Muhammad Otto, said, “The armed bandits killed two members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, (VGN) on Onda Hill. The vigilante members were ambushed near the hill when they went after bandits as they attempted to rescue the abducted people. Their corpses were brought to Nasarawa from the area for burial.”
Sources said about 50 gunmen blocked the Udege-Loko road for hours, some riding motorcycles kidnapped the people.
In February, the Nasarawa State Commissioner of Police, Bola Longe, said a complaint was received at the Loko divisional police headquarters indicating that a woman who was on her way to Mararaba-Udege market was kidnapped. In response, the police sprang into action, combed the vicinity and arrested two of the suspected kidnappers namely; Elijah Ahmed and Sani Alade while the third, Nasiru Yakubu, escaped.
Gunmen also stormed Odu community where they caused panic and shot the traditional ruler, Mr. Amos Ewa Obere, to death.
Odu community is in Udege Development Area of Nasarawa Local Government Council.
The traditional leader who sustained a serious injury in his stomach as a result of the gunshot, was rushed to the Mararaba-Udege General Hospital for medical attention, but later died.
Late Obere, a retired ASP, was until his death, the ward head of his community and other surrounding villages.
The pioneer chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Nasarawa State, Mr. Joel Ogapa, who is from the area, described the incident as unfortunate.
He described the insecurity in Nasarawa as alarming, saying, “I have not been home in the last two years due to the high level of insecurity.”
The traditional ruler of Loko, Alhaji Abubakar Ahmad Sabo, appealed to the federal and state governments to establish a military base to enhance security on the now upgraded highway, saying the recent attack on the officials of the FRSC was a bad omen for travelers on the road.
On August 2, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abdullahi Sule said the governor believed that there were criminal elements among the people and they must be exposed.
He said the governor gave the charge when he visited the palace of the Osu Ajiri, Halilu Bala Usman, the traditional ruler of Udege chiefdom.
Governor Sule who restated that security of lives of citizens was a priority of his administration said criminals must not be allowed to disturb the peace and economic activities in the communities. He expressed concern on the resurgence of insecurity in the area and advised the youth to shun crime.
Military allays fears
In response to concerns raised by the reported camping of terrorists around Abuja and the security situation in the territory, the Nigerian military said it was working in synergy with other security agencies to ensure ‘effective surveillance’ of Abuja and its neighbouring states to prevent attacks.
The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations at the Defence Headquarters, Major General John Enenche, noted that security agencies had been alerted.
“The Defence Headquarters wishes to reassure residents of FCT and other adjoining states that the armed forces of Nigeria and other security agencies have been on red alert to combat crime and ensure effective surveillance of the Federal Capital Territory and other states of the country. This is an imperative sequel to a purported memorandum from the Nigeria Customs Service warning it’s staff on a possible attack on the FCT,” he said.
He said the military and other security and intelligence agencies were working hard to ensure that no Boko Haram attack occurs in those states.
“The general public is thus advised to go about their lawful businesses undeterred,” Enenche said, advising the general public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity accordingly.
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