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Insecurity: S’East Govs call for FG’s intervention, lament collapse of economic activities, killings

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The Governors of the South East states of the country, on Sunday, rose from a meeting in Enugu calling on the federal government to provide adequate security in the zone ahead of next year’s general elections.

They lamented the increasing wave of insecurity within states in the zone and agreed to set up a 24-hour Joint Patrol in all major highways within the South East, especially during the Christmas season.

The governors reviewed the ongoing trial of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu reiterating its earlier position that a political solution was a better way of resolving the matter.

The Advocate reports that the Appeal Court had discharged the IPOB leader and dismissed the 6-count charge preferred against him by the Federal Government.

But dissatisfied with the ruling, the Federal Government approached the appellate Court for a stay of execution and went ahead to appeal the earlier ruling in Favour of Kanu.

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The South East Governors, however, said after their meeting that they’re monitoring the situation.

“South East Governors are watching with keen interest, the developments with respect to the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu viz-a-viz the Court rulings. However, we believe that a political solution is still possible in this circumstance,” they said.

In the communique issued at the end of the meeting held at Government House, Enugu, the Governors also dismissed media reports that they’re responsible for the creation of ESN, stressing that they only created Ebubeagu and Forest Guards.

Ebonyi State Governor and Chairman of Southeast Governors’ Forum, Engr. David Umahi who read the communique, decried the state of insecurity in the region lamenting that “Our economic activities have come to a halt while kidnapping and wanton killing have become the order of the day.

“South East Governors call on the Federal Government to come to our aid in providing security in the Zone bearing in mind that elections are around the corner.

“Meanwhile, South East Governors have agreed to set up a 24-hour Joint Patrol in all major highways within the South East, especially during the Christmas season.”

On the issue of flooding ravaging the country, including many states in the region, the Governors commended the States and the Federal Government on “efforts to alleviate the sufferings of the victims of the recent flood menace in the Country. We hope, however, that long term solution is desirable.”

Umahi disclosed that the “South East Governors have decided to put funds together to further assist the victims of flooding in our five States in the South East. We, also plead with the Federal Government to please initiate action in the dredging of rivers in the South East, to ameliorate the destruction of houses, farmlands and properties. We request the Federal Government to come to the aid of the victims in terms of rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons.”

The forum also “congratulated and welcomed His Excellency, the Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency, Prof. Charles Soludo, who was represented by His Deputy, His Excellency, Dr. Onyekachukwu G. Ibezim.

The governors were however, silent on the 2023 presidential election especially, the issue of Peter Obi who is one of the leading presidential candidates from the zone.

Also present at the meeting were; Enugu State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Imo state, Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma who was represented by his deputy; Prof. Placid Njoku.

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Hardship: Give account of subsidy removal proceeds – APM tells APC govt

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The Allied People’s Movement (APM) has asked the Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to end its rhetoric and immediately provide Nigerians with a comprehensive account of the trillions of naira realized from the removal of fuel subsidy since May 2023.

APM’s demand is predicated on the worsening economic hardship and poverty rate, high cost of living, collapsed public facilities and yawning infrastructure deficit across the country since the emergence of the Tinubu administration despite huge national inflow including the over N20 trillion proceed from the removal of fuel subsidy, which the administration promised would be channeled towards improving the welfare of Nigerians.

This is contained in a press release issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Yusuf.

He said: “For over three years, Nigerians have endured unprecedented hardship following President Tinubu’s May 29, 2023 declaration that ‘subsidy is gone’. This came with an instant surge in fuel price from below ₦200 per litre to now over N1,500 per liter setting off a chain reaction that pushed transport fares, food prices, school fees, medical bills, house rents, electricity costs and the prices of everyday goods and services far beyond the reach of ordinary citizens.

“More distressing is reports of massive corruption, diversion and frittering of bulk of the funds accruable to the Federal Government while officials continue to bandy figures and fictitious achievements

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“Under the APC administration hunger has become a national emergency. Millions of families are going without daily meals. Small businesses are collapsing under rising operating costs. The purchasing power of workers has been abysmally degraded, while poverty and unemployment continue to rise at alarming rates. Across the country, frustration is growing as more citizens struggle to survive.

“Today under the APC, Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit has hit an estimated $2.3 trillion, with experts stating that the gap would require approximately $100 billion annually over the next 30 years.”

Continuing, the APM spokesman said “despite the heavy premiums citizens pay daily, the APC administration is not forthcoming with a transparent account of the trillions accrued to it from the removal of subsidy. No comprehensive public record has been presented to demonstrate how much has been realized, how much has been spent, and whether those expenditures have translated into measurable improvements in the lives of citizens.

“The vague claims by the APC government that the proceed is being invested in critical sectors without real figures and specific project or programme is completely unacceptable and cannot substitute for transparency and accountability.”

The APM therefore demanded that the Federal Government should immediately publish a detailed and independently verifiable impact assessment of the subsidy removal policy.

“Nigerians deserve to know the exact amount saved since May 2023, the projects funded and their locations.

“The APM is not opposed to reforms that genuinely advance national development. However, the APC government cannot continue to celebrate figures on paper while millions of citizens can no longer afford decent meals, healthcare, transportation, or quality education. The true measure of any economic reform is not the volume of official pronouncements but its tangible impact on the lives of the people,” it further stated.

The APM therefore called on the Tinubu administration to rise above political rhetoric and immediately release a comprehensive public report detailing the total subsidy savings since May 2023, all expenditures made from the fund, the beneficiaries of every intervention, and the measurable outcomes achieved.

“The APM, the voice of Nigerians today, is not asking the Tinubu-led APC Federal Government to do anything extraordinary. We are simply demanding the transparency and accountability that an APM administration would have seamlessly demonstrated by publicly disclosing and accounting for every kobo that belongs to Nigerians,” Yusuf concluded.

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27 killed as armed men launch fresh attacks on Benue, Plateau communities

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…Youths protest at Och’Idoma’s palace, block roads with corpses, demand action

No fewer than 27 persons have been killed in separate attacks on communities in Benue and Plateau states, following fresh assaults by suspected armed groups that have left residents mourning and demanding urgent government intervention.

In Benue State, at least 18 persons were killed in separate attacks on communities in Otukpo Local Government Area, while nine members of the same family, including a two-month-old baby, were killed in an attack on Kum and Wereng-Camp communities in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

In Benue South, suspected armed herdsmen reportedly launched attacks on Akpachi village in Ugboju community and Otukpo-Nobi community over the weekend.

The first attack occurred on Friday when the assailants invaded Akpachi village, killing two farmers on their farmland. Their bodies were recovered on Saturday and buried.

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Barely 24 hours later, at about 4am on Sunday, the attackers struck Otukpo-Nobi community, killing at least 16 persons and injuring several others.

The renewed violence came about two weeks after the killing of the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Ardo Risku Mohammed, and his companion, Yakubu Isah, who were ambushed and killed at Okutu community in Otukpo while returning from a peace meeting in Idekpa, Ohimini Local Government Area.

The latest killings triggered outrage in Otukpo as angry youths stormed the palace of the Och’Idoma with the bodies of victims, disrupting an ongoing church service and demanding decisive action from the authorities.

The protesters, chanting war songs, accused government and security agencies of failing to protect their communities, insisting that the recurring attacks must stop.

The protest caused tension in the town as youths blocked major roads, leaving commuters stranded for hours.

A resident, Ebi Adoyi, who joined the protest, said the attacks had thrown affected communities into mourning, adding that more casualties could be recorded as searches for missing persons continue.

“After killing two people in Akpachi on Friday, they attacked Otukpo-Nobi, killing 16 persons, including women and children. My neighbour lost her elder sister and her children in that attack,” he said.

Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the attacks, linking them to possible reprisals following the killing of the MACBAN chairman.

He said the first attack occurred when three villagers went to their farms in Akpachi.

“The attackers came and killed two of them. One escaped and alerted the community. We recovered the corpses on Saturday and buried them. We had combed the bushes believing the attackers had fled, but early Sunday morning, around 4am, we received reports that they had besieged Otukpo-Nobi, killing several people and injuring many others,” Ogiri said.

He added that efforts were ongoing to relocate survivors to safer locations, provide medical assistance and strengthen security in the affected areas.

Meanwhile, Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the Benue attacks, describing them as barbaric and an assault on the lives and peace of the people.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the governor directed security agencies to intensify surveillance, collaborate with neighbouring states, track down the attackers and ensure they are prosecuted.

In Plateau State, the attack on Kum and Wereng-Camp communities in Riyom Local Government Area occurred late Saturday night.

Residents said the gunmen stormed the communities at about 11:30pm and operated for over an hour, shooting indiscriminately and forcing residents to flee into nearby bushes.

A resident, Precious Tok, said the attackers invaded a home and killed nine members of the same family, including a two-month-old baby.

The village head was also reportedly attacked and sustained critical injuries.

National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Rwang Tengwong, confirmed the incident, saying the attackers struck under the cover of darkness and unleashed violence on helpless residents.

He said security agencies had been alerted and expressed hope that those responsible would be arrested and brought to justice.

The latest attack has heightened fears among residents, who called on the Federal and Plateau State Governments to strengthen security measures in Riyom and other vulnerable communities.

Security personnel have reportedly been deployed to the affected areas, while many residents remain displaced and apprehensive over possible further attacks.

Efforts to obtain official confirmation from the Plateau State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report. (Vanguard)

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Notorious bandit kingpin Kachalla Yellow shot dead by Hybrid forces

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Killed notorious bandit kingpin Kachalla Sani Yellow
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…His body dragged through roadway in victory parade

Hybrid security forces supporting counter-insurgency and anti-banditry operations in Nigeria’s North-West have reportedly killed Kachalla Sani Yellow, a notorious bandit commander accused of masterminding deadly attacks, kidnappings, cattle rustling and widespread sexual violence across Zamfara State, before dragging his body through a roadway in a victory procession.

PRNigeria obtained a video purportedly showing members of the hybrid force tying Sani Yellow’s lifeless body to a motorcycle and dragging it along a road as a convoy of armed volunteers celebrated what they described as the elimination of one of the region’s most feared criminal leaders.

The operation followed a carefully coordinated intelligence-led ambush, resulting in the death of the feared gang leader.

Highly placed security and community sources told PRNigeria that the hybrid forces—comprising local volunteers and reformed former insurgents from the North-East (Repented Boko Haram), working alongside security agencies in some operational areas—have become increasingly effective at tracking criminal movements through intelligence provided by local communities.

Their operations have focused on ambushing armed bandit convoys, disrupting logistics networks and targeting high-value commanders responsible for attacks on vulnerable communities.

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According to the sources, Sani Yellow was intercepted while visiting a local market, where he had allegedly gone to collect proceeds from rustled livestock and negotiate ransom payments from kidnapped victims.

“He was positively identified through local intelligence. Once his identity was confirmed, the hybrid forces moved swiftly and neutralised him before he could escape,” one source disclosed.

Security sources described Sani Yellow as one of the most influential bandit commanders operating within the forests spanning Anka, Bukkuyum, Maru and neighbouring local government areas of Zamfara State.

He was allegedly responsible for coordinating repeated attacks on rural communities, organising large-scale kidnappings for ransom, rustling livestock and leading violent raids that displaced thousands of residents across the North-West.

Community sources further alleged that Sani Yellow routinely subjected kidnapped victims to severe abuse and reportedly ordered members of his gang to sexually assault female captives whose families were unable to raise ransom payments.

Sani Yellow was reported to be related to the late Kachalla Yellow Danbokolo, another notorious North-West bandit commander who was reportedly killed in 2025 alongside more than 170 of his fighters during a major operation conducted by the Shinkafi Yan Sakai Volunteer Forces.

Security analysts believe the latest development represents another significant setback for criminal networks operating across Zamfara, Katsina and parts of Sokoto States.

A senior defence intelligence source, who spoke to PRNigeria on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, confirmed that security agencies were monitoring developments following Sani Yellow’s reported killing.

According to the source, troops have heightened surveillance across affected communities to prevent possible retaliatory attacks by members of the deceased commander’s gang.

“The security architecture is already on alert. Necessary deployments have been made to protect vulnerable communities and respond promptly to any attempted reprisal,” the source said.

Security experts believe the reported elimination of Sani Yellow could weaken bandit operations in parts of Zamfara if sustained intelligence-driven operations continue against remaining criminal leaders.

However, they caution that such operations often trigger reprisals by surviving gang members, underscoring the need for heightened vigilance across the region.

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