Mingooland

Flashback: Abuja Not Safe, Boko Haram Terrorists Have Hoisted Flag – Nigerian Governor Warns

Boko Haram Capture 60 Rival Terrorists, ISWAP Commanders - [Video]

The immediate-past Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello, had in April 2021 warned that the Boko Haram terrorists group had hoisted their flag in Kaure village, in Shiroro local government area of the North-Central Nigerian state few hours drive from the nation’s capital.

Naija News recalls that Bello made the shocking revelation in Minna when he visited the Internally Displaced People’s Camp at the IBB Primary School near the Emir of Minna’s Palace.

The primary school was hurriedly turned into an IDP camp following the sacking of nearly 5000 villagers from their ancestral homes in Shiroro and Munya local government areas by bandits who raided the towns over the weekend.

He also said the Boko Haram fighters had forcefully taken over the wives of some of the villagers and allocated them to themselves.

“I am confirming that there are Boko Haram elements here in Niger state, here in Kaure, I am confirming that they have hoisted their flags here.

“Their wives have been seized from them and forcefully attached to Boko Haram members,” Bello further said, adding,”I just heard that they have placed their flags at Kaure, meaning they have taken over the territory.”

The governor declared: ”This is what I have been engaging the federal government on; unfortunately, it has now got to this level. If care is not taken, even Abuja is not safe.

“We have been saying this for long. All our efforts have been in vain.”

The former governor added that with the latest development, “I hope the time has come for a more coordinated military activity to take place.”

Bello claimed that the Boko Haram elements were trying to use this area as their home, just as they did in Sambisa.

He warned that “Sambisa is several kilometers from Abuja, but Kaure is just two two-hour drive from Abuja. So nobody is safe anymore, not even those in Abuja.”

The governor told the federal government that this is the time to act, “all hands must be on deck. It is not a fight for Niger state alone.”

The post Flashback: Abuja Not Safe, Boko Haram Terrorists Have Hoisted Flag – Nigerian Governor Warns appeared first on Naija News.

Abuja

Abuja Becoming One Of The Scariest Cities In The World — Bukarti

Abuja Becoming One Of The Scariest Cities In The World — Bukarti

Security expert, Bulama Bukarti has stated that Abuja is becoming one of the most alarming cities worldwide.

The city is grappling with issues such as kidnappings, one-chance robberies, and a proliferation of criminals, creating widespread chaos among the innocent citizens of Nigeria’s political capital.

“In major junctions in Abuja, criminals and armed robbers masquerading as taxi drivers maim and rob Nigerians in a way that we have not seen before.

“Abuja is becoming one of the scariest Federal Capital cities in the world,” Bukarti said on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday.

 The abduction of six siblings and their father in the Bwari Area Council of Abuja on January 3, 2024, sparked widespread outrage. 

Tragically, the kidnappers took the life of one of the sisters, Nabeehah, when their parents were unable to meet the N60 million ransom deadline.

According to Bukarti, the events unfolding in Abuja mirror the broader trend of incidents occurring throughout Nigeria.

“Over 9,700 people were killed last year in 2023 across Nigerians. Abuja cannot be immune to that because as long as you leave insecurity to fester and flourish across Nigeria, then, it will find its way to Abuja,” he said.

Bukarti additionally mentioned that intelligence reports indicate the infiltration of violent terrorist groups from the North-East, North-West, and North-Central geopolitical zones into Abuja. Furthermore, some of these groups are reported to be operating from border states like Kogi, Kaduna, Niger, and Nasarawa.

“In the last three months of 2023, over 200 people fell victim to either killings or abductions in Abuja,” stated the expert, highlighting the concerning trend. He emphasized that this disturbing pattern could deter investors and dissuade diplomats from residing in the nation’s capital, significantly impacting Nigeria’s global security rating.

Bukarti urged security agencies to initiate “sustained security action” not only in Abuja but also in other parts of the country to address and mitigate the escalating security challenges.

“The way to secure Abuja is to take the fight to the bandits and terrorists in other parts of the country,” he advised.

The post Abuja Becoming One Of The Scariest Cities In The World — Bukarti appeared first on Naija News.