A former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata, has denied rumours that his governorship ambition is being sponsored by Governor Godwin Obaseki.
He also said there was no truth that Obaseki would back him if his preferred candidate in the People Democratic Party failed to win the ticket.
Akpata also said that those alleging that he was attempting to buy the LP ticket with cash were displaying immaturity.
He spoke to journalists in Benin on Saturday when he appeared as the Special Guest at the award day of the 2023 Press Week of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He said, “That I am sponsored by Godwin Obaseki is an unfounded and baseless rumour. It was bandied around by two irresponsible online blogs that I shall be going after with all the venom that I can muster because my approach to fake news is that you nip it in the bud and you deal with it before it festers.
“It has also been bandied around by some disgruntled politicians including my party and I said to them that it is a very weak argument or reasoning.
“My relationship with the governor has never been hidden so it is only politicians who don’t know how to agree to disagree that quickly conclude that when two contenders sit together, they must belong to the same camp.
“In the old Bendel State, my father’s elder brother Sen Olu Akpata was in the UPN in 1979, and his cousin Tayo Akpata was the chairman of NPN in the same state. They had lunch and dinner together.
“The family I belong to are honourable people. Those who know the Akpata family in Benin know that we are honourable people. If I cannot go into politics on my own, and get the prize that I am looking for I will stay at home.
“I am a successful lawyer. Politics is not my job. It is out of interest that we have come to the rescue of this state and Nigeria. I cannot be the hireling of anybody,” he added.
[NaijaTimes]
‘It Is Sad Nigeria Has Maintained A Bad Reputation’ – Peter Obi Laments As Nigeria Ranks 150 Among 180 Countries On Corruption Index
AdminThe 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi has lamented the bane of corruption and its impact on Nigeria and its citizens.
He observed that Nigeria ranked 150 among 180 countries on the 2022 Corruption Perception Index released by Transparency International which calls for a sober reflection.
The LP flagbearer lamented that it is a wrong thing for Nigeria to have maintained such a bad reputation across the three arms of government for many years.
The former Anambra State Governor therefore called for the deployment of all means to fight corruption in Nigeria and ensure the right things are done at all levels of government and public space.
In his words, “As the global community marked International Anti-Corruption Day yesterday, we need to soberly reflect on the effect of corruption in our society and on our country.
“Corruption has become the greatest threat to our national existence, especially our democracy, peace, and progress. It has immeasurably stunted our development as a nation.
“We must therefore deploy all available means to strengthen our fight against corruption, by not only doing the right things at all times in all levels of governance in public space, but by also ensuring that the leaders are right and behave in a manner, befitting of their positions.
“Sadly, Nigeria has maintained a very bad reputation for high levels of corruption across the three arms of government over many years.
“We were ranked 150 among 180 countries on the 2022 Corruption Perception Index released by Transparency International.
“PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, (PwC), in its report, projected that corruption could cost Nigeria up to 37 percent of GDP by 2030, if not addressed urgently.
“The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in a separate report blamed inequality, injustice, national instability, etc, on corruption in the country.
“This very negative perception of Nigeria reflects the worsening economic situation of the country where foreign investors are leaving the country, and local investors are constantly shutting down, resulting in massive job loss, an increasing poverty rate and a dwindling economy. The gross abuse of the rule of law, and disrespect for our constitution are all resultant effects of the endemic corruption that has eaten through the fabric of our society. More sadly, is the fact that we the leaders, are not setting very good precedents for our children, by engaging in all forms of corrupt practices.
“The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, was recently reported to have lamented the huge percentage of Nigerian youths in cybercrime.
“The question we must all ask is where the children are learning such criminality from, if not from us the parents, especially we the Leaders. I remain committed to a new Nigeria that will be a corruption-free nation or minimally corrupt. It will be a nation that will promote entrepreneurship, professionalism and hard work, where peace and integrity will reign.”
[NaijaNews]
Spanning 1,221,037 square kilometres and housing a population of approximately 60 million, South Africa stands as a middle power in global affairs. With substantial regional influence, it proudly aligns itself with the Commonwealth of Nations and the G20.
Despite being a developing nation, it holds the 7th highest position on the continent’s Human Development Index, making it a pivotal player.
Notably, South Africa’s billionaires, constituting a quarter of Africa’s wealthiest, have achieved their status through a combination of inheritance and self-made success, as detailed by Forbes. Intriguingly, these tycoons, though past their prime, maintain an enduring legacy, with ages surpassing 70.
Find out more and, discover the fortunes and narratives that have shaped South Africa’s wealthiest elite according to data recorded on Forbes.
5. Michiel Le Roux
Networth: $1.1 billion
Source: Banking, self made
In 2001, Michiel Le Roux, a notable figure in South Africa’s financial landscape, laid the foundation for Capitec Bank, a venture in which he currently commands a substantial 9% stake. This banking institution, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, strategically caters to the burgeoning middle class in South Africa.
Le Roux’s influence extends beyond ownership, as he assumed the role of Chairman at Capitec from 2007 to 2016, showcasing his adept leadership. Remarkably, he continues to contribute his insights and expertise as an ongoing board member.
Before steering the course at Capitec, Le Roux successfully helmed Boland Bank, a regional bank nestled in the hinterland of Cape Town.
4. Patrice Motsepe
Networth: $2.3 billion
Source: Mining, self-made
Patrice Motsepe, the founder and chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, became a billionaire in 2008 – the first black African on the Forbes list.
In 2016, he launched a private equity firm, African Rainbow Capital, focused on investing in Africa.
Motsepe also has a stake in Sanlam, a listed financial services firm, and is the president and owner of the Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club.
In March 2021, Motsepe was elected president of the Confederation of African Football, the sport’s governing body on the continent.
In 1994, he became the first black partner at law firm Bowman Gilfillan in Johannesburg and then started a mining services contracting business.
In 1997, he bought low-producing gold mine shafts and later turned them profitable.
3. Koos Bekker
Networth: $2.4 billion
Source: Media
Koos Bekker stands as a transformative force in the South African media landscape, having reshaped Naspers from a newspaper publisher into a formidable player in e-commerce and cable TV. His strategic vision led Naspers to make a groundbreaking move in 2001, investing a reported $34 million for a one-third stake in the Chinese internet giant, Tencent Holdings an investment often hailed as one of the most significant ventures in history.
In 2019, Naspers orchestrated a restructuring, channelling assets into two publicly-traded entities: MultiChoice Group, a major player in entertainment, and Prosus, holding the coveted Tencent stake. Notably, Prosus made substantial moves, selling a 2% Tencent stake in 2018 and, in April 2021, divesting nearly $15 billion, thereby elevating its Tencent stake to 29%.
Bekker, having retired as Naspers CEO in March 2014, made a notable return to the helm, reassuming the role of Chairman in April 2015.
2. Nicky Oppenheimer
Networth: $8.3 billion
Source: Diamonds
Oppenheimer orchestrated a landmark financial move in 2012, parting ways with his family’s significant 40% stake in De Beers, the global diamond giant, in a deal with mining titan Anglo American that amounted to a staggering $5.2 billion in cash. The bulk of his considerable wealth stems from this strategic divestiture, marking a pivotal moment in the diamond industry’s landscape.
Maintaining an active financial presence, Oppenheimer directs private equity investments spanning Africa, Asia, the US, and Europe. His strategic maneuvers are orchestrated through London-based Stockdale Street and Johannesburg-based Tana Africa Capital.
A noteworthy component of his financial portfolio includes approximately $390 million in dividends from Anglo American. The valuation of his cash investments reflects not only the substantial proceeds from the De Beers transaction but also factors in taxes and charitable contributions. Notably, the performance of these investments is keenly influenced by market dynamics in commodities and African markets.
In November 2011, the billionaire outlined his intent to channel the majority of the De Beers windfall into private equity investments focused on Africa. This vision materialized with increased stakes in Tana Africa Capital, a private equity venture in collaboration with Temasek Holdings, a Singapore-based investment fund.
While previously holding a less than 1% stake in Anglo American, a strategic shift in December 2017 marked the removal of this element from the financial analysis, aligning with a sell-down completion.
1. Johan Rupert
Networth: $9.8 billion
Source: Luxury Goods
Johann Rupert, a towering figure in the luxury goods and investment realms, commands influence as the custodian of the world’s largest luxury watchmaker, Cie Financiere Richemont. Nestled in Bellevue, Switzerland, Richemont boasts prestigious brands like Jaeger-LeCoultre and Cartier, constituting a significant portion of Rupert’s considerable fortune.
The family holds 0.5% of the publicly traded Class A shares and maintains sole ownership of all non-traded Class B shares, each carrying one-tenth the economic value of its counterpart.
Johann Rupert, donning the hat of chairman for the family’s investment vehicle, steers these strategic financial waters. While specific individual ownership stakes remain undisclosed, this analysis attributes them to Rupert.
The family’s influence extends further into Remgro, a South African investment powerhouse with stakes in over 30 companies. Beneficially owning 1% of Remgro’s publicly traded ordinary shares, the family exercises control over all Class B shares through Rembrandt Trust, a trust under Rupert’s directorship.
A significant stake in Reinet Investments, amounting to almost 25%, is held through beneficial ownership via the Anton Rupert Trust, a South Africa-based entity. Founded in 2008, Reinet serves as a holding entity for Richemont’s stake in British American Tobacco.
Rupert briefly became Africa’s richest man sometime in June dethroning Aliko Dangote in June following naira devaluation.
[Nairametrics]
Methodist Bishop of Umuahia East Diocese, the Rt Rev. (Dr) Ikechukwu Emeze Nkulo, has said the Holy Bible predicted perilous times, marking the beginning of the end of the world, has started.
The bishop said this while speaking to LEADERSHIP, on Sunday, in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, adding that one of the indicators of the period is high level of crime and criminalities.
He decried the prevalence of youth engagement in crimes with severe consequences such as armed robbery, kidnapping, cyber crimes, murder, drug trafficking, car snatching and ritual killings.
“Parents are now killing their children and vice versa. Siblings, friends and associates are killing each other in most cases for money making rituals,” he lamented.
“Society no longer frowns at indecent dressing, fornication, adultery, incest, same sex marriage and homosexual acts. Bestiality is even becoming rampant.”
He argued that corruption has not only manifested in every segment of the society, but is equally threatening the socioeconomic development of the country at an alarming rate.
The clergyman, therefore, explained that the way out is for us to repent of our sins now before it is too late and seek the face of God with faith and sincerity.
“In addition to this, we must study the scriptures and meditate on it daily. Pray without ceasing and as the Bible admonishes us, to be watchful and prayerful.”
[Leadership]
The head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees has accused Israel of laying the groundwork for the mass expulsion of Gazans into Egypt, an accusation Israel said was “simply not true”.
More than two months of deadly war between Israel and Hamas, sparked by the militant group’s October 7 attacks, have displaced most of Gaza’s population, but Palestinians are largely barred from leaving the narrow besieged territory.
“The United Nations and several member states, including the US, have firmly rejected forcibly displacing Gazans out of the Gaza Strip,” Lazzarini said.
“But the developments we are witnessing point to attempts to move Palestinians into Egypt, regardless of whether they stay there or are resettled elsewhere.”
The widespread destruction in the Palestinian territory’s north and the resulting displacements were “the first stage of such a scenario”, he added, while forcing civilians from the southern city of Khan Yunis closer to the Egyptian border was the next.
“If this path continues, leading to what many are already calling a second Nakba, Gaza will not be a land for Palestinians anymore,” Lazzarini said, using the Arabic term for the exodus or forced displacement of 760,000 Palestinians during the war that coincided with Israel’s creation in 1948.
Responding to the accusation, a spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Ministry office responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs said: “There is not, never was and never will be an Israeli plan to move the residents of Gaza to Egypt. This is simply not true.”
‘Voluntary resettlement’
Israeli Intelligence Minister Gila Gamliel said last month that one “option” after the war would be “to promote the voluntary resettlement of Palestinians in Gaza, for humanitarian reasons, outside of the Strip”.
And former Israeli officials have suggested in TV interviews that Egypt could build vast tent cities in its Sinai desert, with international funding
A small number of Gazans have been allowed to cross into Egypt for medical treatment, and some foreign nationals trapped in the territory at the outset of the war were also allowed to evacuate by way of the Rafah crossing – Gaza’s only border post not under Israeli control.
But other Palestinians are currently blocked from leaving, with the territory’s estimated 1.9 million displaced people – out of a total population of 2.4 million – turning the border town of Rafah into a vast camp.
The war in the Gaza Strip was triggered by Hamas’s bloody October 7 attack on Israel, which left 1,200 people dead and saw another 240 taken hostage, Israeli officials say.
The country vowed to eliminate Hamas in response, and its ensuing military campaign has killed at least 17,700 people, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Aid groups have sounded the alarm on the “apocalyptic” humanitarian situation in the narrow territory, warning it is close to being overwhelmed by disease and starvation.
[DailyTrust]
Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Bola Tinubu, has said leaders in the region must begin to explore ways to deliver good governance.
He said such priority would ensure collective prosperity and probably prevent authoritarian seizures of power and unconstitutional changes of government in the region.
Tinubu gave the charge while addressing the 64th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja on Sunday.
According to him, good governance would serve as a catalyst to secure popular support through the socio-economic transformation and development of West Africa.
He said the delivery of good governance is equally an avenue to address the concerns of citizens, help in improving their quality of life, and would go a long way in creating a stable environment conducive to the achievement of sustainable development.
Tinubu also opined that good governance would tackle the challenges of poverty, inequality and other concerns of the people, stressing that African leaders would have succeeded in addressing some of the root causes of military interventions in civilian processes in our region.
Commenting on resolutions adopted by West African leaders to strengthen democratic governance and uphold the right of the people to elect the leaders of their choice, he said the bloc had reeled out specific measures to sanction any member state opting for an unconstitutional change of government.
His words, “While the imposition of punitive sanctions may pose challenges, it is important to underscore that the struggle to protect the fundamental liberties of our Community’s Citizens must be upheld and respected”.
[DailyPost]
A former Chairman of the National Examination Council Board, Prof Abubakar Mohammed, has accused the Federal Government and officials of the Ministry of Education of frustrating the efforts of the council.
Mohammed alleged that the officials withdrew N6 billion of examination fees and have failed to account for it.
Mohammed disclosed this on Saturday at NECO Award Ceremony held in Minna, Niger State.
“The government and especially some officials in the Ministry of Education are out to sabotage the indigenous examination body. I do not owe anyone any apology for my statement, some government officials don’t want NECO to exist.
“The officials first withdrew the N6 billion found in the accounts of NECO. Till date, the money has not been returned and nobody even bothered to inform us what they did with the money,” Mohammed said.
Apart from this, he disclosed that the Federal Government has not released funds as a subvention to the council.
The former board chairman said there was an agreement on how NECO and WAEC should rotate the conduct of their examinations, but these government officials showed a preference for WAEC, making the regional body permanently conduct its examinations between May and June.
He alleged that those against NECO in the government and the ministry were using the Orosanye report to stifle the organisation saying that despite the anti-NECO stance of the government and some of its officials, the organisation has been able to break boundaries.
“Educational institutions outside Africa now prefer NECO examination results to those of other examination bodies,” he boasted.
NECO registrar, Prof Danlami Wushishi, at the event, announced the introduction of scholarships for candidates that come out tops in the gifted children examination.
He commended the dedication to duty by the staff of the organisation saying “My staff has not failed me”.
[Punch]
A former deputy president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joseph Akinlaja, has said that the last wish of late Chief Frank Kokori was for the government to make the country’s refineries work.
Comrade Akinlaja said Kokori was a patriot who was committed to a better democratic Nigeria and robust trade unionism.
Kokori, a former Secretary General of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), died on December 6th, 2023 on his 80th birthday.
Akinlaja, in a statement he personally signed and issued to journalists in Akure, said he was sadden with the news of the passing of a man he termed global acclaimed unionist, writer, thinker, scholar, orator, tutor, organizer, administrator, cultural icon, nationalist and politician of the first rank.
He said many patriots have learnt indelible lessons of human existence from Kokori’s award winning works of labour activism in driving forward the reform of the trade union movement,
The statement read: “During his last moment with me in Warri on his hospital bed, under severe pains and in an emotionally-laden voice, he said Joseph, as he usually called me, and said life was ebbing out of him, because the air conditioner in the hospital had been switched off due to high cost of diesel.
“Tell them that I can pay any amount, or even ask you and others to pay for me, but let them switch on the AC for me because I’m dying. Those were his words to me that day.
“He also told me if he ever come out alive in that hospital, he will advise government to make the refineries work. He also decried why successive governments have failed to keep the refineries up on stream. Despite old age, the zest was still in him to challenge the status quo. Even when he was dying, he was still thinking about Nigeria and the pains of Nigerians. It was really heart-rending for me to see such a great icon melt away like a candle beside the fire.
“I remember vividly those glorious years when he handed over the mantle of administrative leadership of NUPENG to me as the General Secretary in year 2000, having served merritoriously for good 17 good years. He built NUPENG to the level that the junior oil workers’ union became a beautiful bride of envy to everyone within and outside trade unionism, both in the formal and informal sectors.
“Nevertheless, I am consoled by the knowledge that Kokori would live forever in the hearts and minds of present and future generations through his great works which brought him enduring international fame and countless honours of a man of class, integrity and finesse.
“I strongly believe that Kokori’s frank, truthful and fearless interventions in national affairs especially during the June 12 struggle brought out the hero in him. He was dedicated, resilient, dogged and courageous, he confronted the military regime headlong in the face of barrel of the gun, he was locked up in a solitary desert prison in Bama, Borno State, for four years, yet he kept on the fighting spirit, until democracy was finally respected and restored in Nigeria. Kokori was not just Frank in name but as well Frank in vision and in principles.
“All these he chronicled in his book, “Frank Kokori: The Struggle for June 12.”
[TheNation]
Bruno Fernandes has apologised for Manchester United’s embarrassing defeat against Bournemouth as the Portugal star admitted his side did not have enough effort or quality.
United suffered their first-ever home loss to lowly Bournemouth on Saturday as the Cherries swept to a 3-0 shock victory.
Erik ten Hag’s men were so poor that the margin of defeat could have been even more humiliating, but the result was already bad enough to trigger boos from fans at the final whistle.
As the pressure mounts on Ten Hag, United captain Fernandes said the players should take the blame for the miserable performance
“I want to apologise for the performance. It was not acceptable, starting with me. I’m not talking about anyone else,” he said.
“But I think everyone agrees in the dressing room that the performance was (not) at our level and we have to perform much better.
“It was underperforming quality-wise, effort-wise and not as aggressive as we were in the last game against Chelsea.
“If you don’t do your job, you’re not going to win the game.”
Inconsistent United have lost 11 of their 23 matches in all competitions this season.
Ten Hag admitted after the Bournemouth game that he did not believe his squad have the quality to be consistent at the highest level.
Fernandes said he was at a loss to explain why United are unable to maintain a steady run of form.
“I don’t know (why it was so different to Chelsea) but it’s been consistently like (this),” Fernandes told MUTV.
“When we win a game, the next one we don’t perform in the same way we did before.
“I don’t know if it’s like a lack of concentration or focus or something else, but it’s something that we have to be aware that after winning a game we have to get that consistency of winning games.
United have little time to find a solution as they prepare for Tuesday’s do-or-die Champions League clash against Bayern Munich, with the Red Devils only progressing if they win and the other Group A game between Copenhagen and Galatasaray ends in a draw.
Then comes a Premier League trip to rivals Liverpool next Sunday, a match Fernandes will miss after collecting his fifth booking of the season against Bournemouth.
“Obviously we know that now the next game is going to be really tough,” Fernandes said.
“We have to win and obviously wait for a good result on the other game for us.
“But we have to do our job first of all, and thinking and understanding that is going to be a tough game for us.
“But we are capable, more than able, to get the result.”
Former Sierra Leone president Ernest Bai Koroma has been confined to his home, the government said Saturday, after he was questioned over what it calls an attempted coup at the end of November.
The office of the former president, who led the West African nation from 2007 to 2018, has said he was not placed under house arrest.
Information Minister Chernor Bah said Koroma, who was first brought in for questioning by police Friday, was questioned again on Saturday before being released “with the condition that he stays in the confines of his property”.
“He can’t step out of the house without the expressed permission of the inspector general of police,” Bah said on X, formerly Twitter.
Koroma has been allowed visits by just three family members and three party members, Bah added — terms which will be in place until he meets with the police inspector again Monday.
In a statement by Koroma’s office, one of his lawyers denied that he was under house arrest but said the “security beef up around his residence and the extra caution on traffic into his home are state security determination”.
Koroma had on Thursday been summoned to appear before police in the capital Freetown within 24 hours, as part of an ongoing investigation into clashes that took place at the end of last month.
Armed attackers stormed a military armoury, two barracks, two prisons and two police stations, clashing with security forces during the early hours of November 26.
The fighting left 21 people dead, according to Bah. Since then, 71 people have been arrested.
West Africa has been hit by a series of coups since 2020 with the military taking power in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea.
[Vanguard]
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Deji Adeyanju, the political activist and convener of the human rights group Concerned Nigerians, has tied the knot with Nana Bello, the entrepreneur.
The vow ceremony was held on Saturday at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre while the reception took place at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Garki, Abuja.
The ceremony was graced by dignitaries, including Yele Sowore, a presidential candidate at the 2023 general election, and Shehu Sani, the lawmaker.
Bashir Ahmad, former special assistant on digital communications to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, also took to social media to congratulate the couple.
See some of the congratulatory messages and scenes from the ceremony below:
Nana had earlier shared pictures from their wedding registry — before the vow and reception.
She also described their union as “two hearts with one love” while praying for God’s love to be the “centre of our marriage”.
“Through God’s grace, our paths intertwined, and now we stand on the threshold of our forever. In these moments captured, I see His love shining through us, guiding us towards a lifetime of faith, hope, and love. With each step we take, I pray we always remember to keep Him at the center of our marriage, trusting in His plan for us. I am blessed beyond measure to walk this journey with you, my love. Together, let us build a foundation of unwavering faith and a love that reflects His glory In The Name of Jesus Christ Amen,” Nana wrote on Instagram.
[TheCable]
Twelve consignments of cocaine belonging to members of a Drug Trafficking Organisation were intercepted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, AIIA, in Enugu on Saturday 9th December 2023.
A man, Augustine Justine Emeka, 44, who claims he deals in copper wire was arrested at the airport upon his arrival from Douala, Cameroon via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Ethiopia airline with the 12 consignments consisting of seven hundred and ninety-seven (797) pellets of cocaine weighing 17.6 kilograms. During preliminary interview, the suspect admitted the cocaine consignments were for delivery to 12 different persons in the country.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos on Friday 8th December arrested a fleeing suspect, Onyejiuwa Prince Ifeanyi, who has gone into hiding since 8th September following the seizure of a United Kingdom bound 20kg cannabis consignment concealed in tomato pastes tins at the SAHCO shed linked to him.
In the same vein, operatives of the Seaports Operations of the Agency on Monday 4th December arrested a 45-year-old Beninoise, Jamila Fatiu at Ebute Ero Jetty in Lagos Island with 398 bottles of codeine cough syrup on her way to Seme border via a boat service.
A Groom and 25 others have been arrested after NDLEA busted another drug party organized as a wedding reception.
Disclosing this on his X handle, the spokesperson of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said;
‘’Say a prayer against the demon of drugs in the lives of our youths this Sunday as @ndlea_nigeria busted another drug party organised as wedding reception. Groom & 25 others arrested. The big cartels also suffered heavy loss hours ago with the seizure of their cocaine consignments''
Suspected bandits have chased out residents of Kidandan community in Giwa Local Government area of Kaduna State from their homes for failing to pay taxes to them.
According to residents of the community, the bandits who had previously terrorized the community, increased their aggression after some farmers failed to pay the levies imposed on them.
A resident, who preferred anonymity, told The Nation
‘’For the past six days, bandits have been frequenting Kidandan. But this attack was particularly devastating. They instilled terror, stole belongings, and abducted our people. Every resident of Kidandan lives in extreme fear. Our women and children are leaving in large numbers. The sudden and unplanned exodus is striking. They seek safety, heading to Zaria and other seemingly secured areas to stay with friends and relatives.”
It was alleged that instead of a permanent security presence, patrols were the only form of occasional security in the community. This, it was alleged, allowed the bandits to strike whenever they sensed the absence of security operatives.