To rein in the activities of terrorists and bandits across Nigeria, the federal government has disclosed that it would place a ban on motorcycles and mining activities across the federation.
Attorney general of the federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, disclosed this to State House correspondents after the National Security Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.
According to him, said such action would eliminate sources of funds for the terrorists and bandits in Nigeria.
Malami gave the briefing alongside his Interior and Police Affairs counterparts, Rauf Aregbesola and Mohammed Dingyadi, said it was targeted at logistics used by the terrorists.
Malami said these logistics include motorcycles used for movement, and mining which provides them with the money to fund their arms supply.
“The federal government is now looking at ways to inhibit their actions by blocking the sources already identified.
“The issues deliberated borders on one – the logistics being used by the terrorists, Boko Haram, and bandits among others in the act of executing their unfortunate act of terrorism and terrorising the country.”
According to him, it was extensively deliberated upon as to what needs to be done to ensure that their means of logistics are indeed adequately considered and necessary steps taken to impede their capacity to move around.
He went on: “The government would look into that possibility with particular regard to the restriction on the use and distribution of motorcycles which is the most conventional logistical means being deployed by terrorists.
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“Again, issues of funding of the terrorism and the terrorism act were discussed. As you rightly know, recently the government under the leadership of President Buhari had indeed assented to certain bills inclusive of the money laundering, prevention, and prohibition act, among others.
With the passage of that law, and assented to, the conventional means of terrorist funding and financing were substantially and drastically addressed and that led to forensic analysis of and identification of certain personalities that were in one way or the other connected with terrorism funding and financing.
“But then, innovations were brought into it, into the terrorists funding and financing, inclusive of the use of mineral resources, mining for example, among others. And indeed, ransom which conventionally has been taken by the terrorists, and then the need arises to now look into those frontiers that are being considered by the terrorists, in order to address them accordingly.”
He further said that the government was looking at what measures to take in terms of addressing, bridging and blocking the associated source of funding, including ransom payment and, indeed, mining activities, and the possibility of suspending, mining activities for the time being.
“Again, other than logistics, funding and mining, other considerations were equally put on the table for consideration by a council with particular regard to the unfortunate incident of the correctional service attack and, equally, there were anticipated resolutions arising from the consequences associated with dereliction of duty.
He hinted that there would be consequences arising from dereliction, if it is established, regarding the recent attack by terrorists on Kuje correctional centre.
Malami noted that terrorists had moved from the conventional ways of funding their activities to mining and ransom taking, making it necessary for the government to act.
Meanwhile, the minister of interior, Aregbesola, affirmed that substantial efforts went into the gathering of intelligence before the recent attack on Kuje Correctional Centre but he expressed regret that there was an absence of the will to act on it.
Aregbesola, who said the preliminary investigation on the attack had been submitted to the president, assured that all those who are found to have shirked their responsibilities would be punished.
Banning Okada Without Alternative Will Breed More Insecurity, Northern Youths Tell FG
Meanwhile, Northern youth organisation under the auspices of Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, AYCF, yesterday advised the federal government to provide an alternative before banning commercial motorcycle riders, popularly known as Okada, to avoid creating more security challenges.
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AYCF expressed fear that if the ban is not properly planned, it will rather create more insecurity in the country as many of the operators who will be rendered jobless may be recruited by terrorists and bandits to cause more havoc.
Speaking with our correspondent in Kaduna on telephone over the proposed ban of okada and mining activities by the federal government to curb insecurity in the country, the president of AYCF, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, decried the high rate of unemployed youths in the country, saying that 65 per cent of youths are jobless.
AYCF said: “I don’t know how the federal government arrived at the decision to ban okada nationwide. Although we are having security challenges, the government should provide alternatives to those Okada riders before banning their activities. I fear if alternative is not provided, some of them may be recruited by terrorists and bandits to cause more problems than we are trying to solve.
“Many of the okada riders are into the business to feed themselves and their families and there is a need for the government to provide alternatives for them before the ban. How many security personnel will man everywhere to tackle more security challenges after the ban? Government should plan properly,” Shettima said.
Reps Joint C’ttees To Probe Attack On Kuje Correctional Centre
The House of Representatives yesterday mandated its committees on National Security and Intelligence, Interior, Reformatory Services,
Army, Airforce, Navy and Police to investigate the causes, dimensions and effects of the unfortunate Kuje Correctional Centre attack and report back within four weeks.
The House also urged the federal government to implement the recommendations of the National Security Summit organised by the leadership of the House of Representatives in 2021 with broad national stakeholder participation.
It expressed worry that the Kuje custodial centre attack and its terrible outcome along with several related crimes against national security are on the increase despite stakeholders’ commitment towards equipping the national security and intelligence community with significant appropriation of funds.
The House, while considering a motion on need to investigate the terrorist attack on the facility, sponsored by the member representing Kano Municipal Federal Constituency, Hon Sha’aban Sharada, pointed out that July 6 attack was a major breach of security of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
He said that public peace and safety will continue to be threatened if urgent steps are not taken to address the situation.
According to Sharada, the minister of defence, Major General (retd) Bashir Salihi Magashi, while on an assessment visit to the scene of the incident, stated that over 600 inmates, including 64 Boko Haram suspects, out of about 994 inmates accommodated in the custodial Centre, escaped.
2 Escapees Rearrested In Adamawa, Benue
Police operatives in Adamawa State have nabbed 23-year-old Abubakar Mohammed, a Kuje prison escapee.
The escapee was rearrested while trying to relocate to his home town in Bama local government in Borno State.
In a press release signed by the commissioner of police, Sikiru Akande, the police disclosed that Mohammed was arrested along the Adamawa/Borno State border.
The commissioner of police disclosed that the arrested escapee was in detention at the Kuje facility since 2017 over alleged involvement in terrorism.
Akande also stated that the command has also arrested 12 suspected kidnappers and armed robbers and had recovered assorted weapons from them.
Also, the Benue State Police Command has arrested a fugitive who has arrived Makiurdi, the Benue State capital, as a result of the Kuje jail break.
The command’s spokesperson, Catherine Anene, who disclosed this in a statement, explained that on July 19 at about 3pm, information was received about one Ebube Igwe Jude, a fugitive who had arrived in Makurdi as a result of Kuje jail break.
According to her, detectives were immediately deployed for investigation and the said fugitive
was rearrested at George Akume way in Makurdi.
“During investigation, he confessed to have escaped from Kuje correctional centre during the jail break, and stated further that he is an awaiting trial inmate, standing trial in a case of culpable homicide involving his girlfriend,” she said.
She further said the command had already begun the processes of handing over the escapee to the Nigeria Correctional service for necessary actions.
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