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BREAKING: Two weeks after Bokkos 50, terrorists slaughter another 49 in Plateau
Less than two weeks after more than 50 people were slaughtered in some communities of the Bokkos Local Government Area of the North-Central State, 40 more others have also been slain, this time in Zike community, Kimakpa, Kwall district of Bassa Local Government Area of the state.
Channels Television, quoted Wakili Tongwe, a Kwall community leader, as saying that the attackers invaded the village in the early hours of Monday and shot sporadically at residents who were scampering for safety after hearing gunshots.
The community leader, while narrating that a team of vigilantes, including himself and some security personnel, were on patrol in another community when the attackers invaded the village and started shooting, added that though the security personnel engaged the invaders and succeeded in repelling the attackers, the damage had been done, with about 63 persons shot dead, four others dying later, while some other residents sustained gunshot wounds and are receiving medical attention at the hospital.
Another report quoted Sam Jugo, National Publicity Secretary of Irigwe Development Association, (IDA), as saying that the incident happened when residents were fast asleep but were awakened by gunshot which sent them scampering to safety.
His words: “The leadership of Irigwe Development Association (IDA) woke up with yet another massacre at Zike hamlet, Kwall, Bassa LGA of Plateau State at about midnight of Sunday 13th April, 2025. Witnesses on the scene said sporadic gunshots were heard from multiple locations and by morning 49 corpses were recovered at the time of this report.
“This is aside from persons injured which have not been ascertained yet. The perpetrators, according to the residents were Fulanis. They said there were rumours before the attacks and the security stationed in the area were notified. The Sector 3 Commander confirmed this allegation and mobilized his men to Kwall but alas the carnage still took place.
“This is in addition to the nine persons killed last week. From December 2024 to date the Irigwe nation has recorded not less than 75 persons killed. This assault on a peace loving people on their motherland is very provocative, vexing and undeserving. What is baffling residents most is the intent of the Drone Station in Kwall which should have been deployed for reconnaissance when rumours filtered in.
“We use this medium to call on the Federal Government and the Plateau State governments to intervene before the already precarious situation snowballs into a major humanitarian catastrophe. We appeal to all Irigwe natives to remain calm during this mourning period, trusting that the security will do the needful to restore the confidence of the people.”
The Plateau State Government has however condemned in strong terms the unprovoked attack as the Commissioner of Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, said the attack is one too many, posing an existential threat to the lives and livelihoods of the peace-loving people of the State .
“It is sad that in less than two weeks after our people were killed in the Bokkos local government, this sad and provocative incident is reoccurring in another community in the Bassa local government. This is an attempt to puncture the peace that has gradually returned to the State. We urge the peaceful people of the State particularly in the attacked community to remain calm and equally vigilant.”
She reincarnated that the Mutfwang administration is determined to deal decisively with anybody or groups found culpable in attacking innocent persons in the State, advised against reprisals and urged security operatives to go after the perpetrators of the dastardly acts.
Peter Obi, candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has given assignment to Nigerians to put all those aspiring to take up political positions in the country through the grill to ascertain their level of integrity, saying it was required as a sine qua non for the job they seek.
Obi, who has been a subject of discussion in the polity since the allegation of corruption was levied against him by Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesman of his campaign in 2023, over the conduct of the party’s primaries to choose candidates for the 2027 general elections, said the grilling must start with his own person.
A guest in an interview on a podcast with Rufai Oseni, a popular television anchor, the former Governor of Anambra State, stated that it was actually for this reason that he had now sworn to see the litigation he instituted against Okonkwo through.
His take is that the Nollywood actor should use the courtrooms to give all the details of bad behaviour, following his threat to expose him fully, after alleging that he was collecting money from aspirants in the said election for electoral favours.
Hear him: “The issue of taking Kenneth Okonkwo to court wouldn’t have arisen if he had stopped at those allegations. But he claimed he still has more he would expose about me in the future. So, I am very happy to take him to court so that he can expose me publicly, alongside other Nigerians. If any of them has any criminal allegations against me, they should bring them to court.
“Not just Kenneth, everybody should now say those things they know that is bad about me or I did that is wrong because it’s good for the system, it’s good for the society,” Obi said.
“So, if you know that when we were in primary school, this man was cheating or didn’t go to the primary school, didn’t go to secondary school, didn’t do, if you know this man has done something criminal somewhere, this is time to bring it up.”
For the umpteenth time, Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned about the dangerous implication of using state institutions, particularly the judiciary to destroy Nigeria’s democracy, saying it is an ill-wind that blows nobody any good.
Atiku, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), speaking on the heels of Tuesday’s verdict of the Court of Appeal, halting the de-registration order by the Federal High Court, insisted that judicial officers must not lend themselves to any act capable of undermining the nation’s democratic process.
The appellate court had ordered a stay of execution on the order made on Monday by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court Abuja, for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC alongside four other political parties).
A totally scandalised Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, had taken umbrage, sparing no hard words in upbraiding the lower court judge, stating that his likes were unfit to sit on the bench.
In a unanimous ruling by a three-man panel, the court held that Lifu’s action was “the highest form of judicial impertinence”, stressing that the Supreme Court previously held that a judge who acted in such a manner.
Describing his conduct as the height of judicial rascality, the upper court, stated: “Courts are enjoined to protect their integrity. This Court has supervisory authority over the trial court.
“The decision of the lower court to proceed with the judgment despite the express order of this court is a brazen violation of the hierarchy of the court and the 1999 Constitution.
This court has the duty to invoke its powers in ensuring that its orders are obeyed. The application for a stay of execution is here yet granted. The enforcement of the judgment is stayed.”
Atiku, who hailed the position of the higher court, which restored his hope to be on the ballot as presidential candidate in the 2027 election, also noted the role of INEC as “significant.”
He said: “I welcome the Court of Appeal’s decision to stay the execution of the Federal High Court judgement seeking the deregistration of our great party, the ADC, and four other political parties. It is particularly significant that INEC itself initiated the application for the stay.
“The development reflects growing public concern over judicial contradictions and politically charged rulings within the judiciary. “Any attempt to undermine Nigeria’s hard-won democracy through judicial manipulation is a grave danger to the Republic. If our democracy suffers further injury, history will demand accountability from those entrusted with dispensing justice.
Outside ADC, Lifu’s order, also included: Action Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), similarly slammed for allegedly failing to meet the constitutional requirements for continued registration and participation in elections.
“He is running in contempt of the court. Justice Lifu should be arrested because he is acting in contempt of the court which is a criminal act,” were the exact words with which the African Democratic Congress (ADC), demonstrated its angst over the court ruling on Monday, ordering its de-registration as a political party in Nigeria.
A furious Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the party, told his host while appearing as a guest on Monday’s edition of Politics Today, a public affairs programme on Channels Television that the judge of the Abuja Federal High Court who gave the order was actually playing with fire because of the consequences.
Directly accusing him of playing the script of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to ensure that President Bola Tinubu emerged the sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election, the party spokesman, was emphatic that the plan would not work, as head or tail, ADC must be on the ballot in all the elections.
Hear him: “There is a Court of Appeal order saying don’t hear this case until October 27. So, on what basis? You can’t place something on nothing. The Court of Appeal said don’t act on this until I hear it on October 27. So, on what basis did he deliver the judgement
“So, for us in the African Democratic Congress, what we’re convinced and they know is what they have done has no leg to stand on legally. What they want to do is to create doubts in the minds of the people that this ADC has too many legal cases, can we actually run on this? And to distract us. But we’re not distracted.
“We’re very clear. It was in spite of all they have done since ADC came on board that we ran one of the best and one of the most comprehensive direct primaries in the history of democracy in Nigeria. So, we are strong enough to withstand this. And that’s why I’m saying that we are going to contest in 2027. We’re ADC. We don’t buckle before dictatorship.”
Stressing on the implication of the judgement, which also affected Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) for allegedly failing to meet constitutional and electoral performance requirements, following a suit by the National Forum of Former Legislators, he said it portended grave danger.
He added: “We are not surprised. We know that the Nigerian people believe that there is a problem with the judiciary, but what we did not expect is the level of judicial rascality that was demonstrated today.
“What we are saying is that we reject it in its totality, and we are saying that the people behind this are playing with fire. Hundreds, if not thousands, have obtained nomination forms and contested elections and emerged as candidates on the platform of the ADC.”
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