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Plateau killings: Military commanders lose their job for going after killers – Kaigama
Ignatius Kaigama, Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, has again raised a disturbing dimension to the killings in Plateau and elsewhere in the Middle Belt, saying military officers, were not only being restrained from cleaning up the areas, but actually get punished for going after the culprits by higher authorities.
Appearing on Hardtalk, a Channels Television public affairs programme, the cleric, who spoke against the backdrop of incessant killings in the country and the seeming helplessness of the security agencies to deal with the situation, regretted the absence of sincerity of purpose in the entire operations to eradicate the menace.
Hear him: “We need to be sincere, but beginning with the authorities. When you send security agents there to deal with these issues, you should give them a free hand to do so, but you would most times hear a general or senior police officer telling you they haven’t had directives from Abuja yet, or they’re about to do something and they were asked to stop.
“I conversed with one general who was retired prematurely. I would say, he told me how he was ready to deal decisively with the situation, he was ready to penetrate the nooks and crannies of where these crooks were hiding, and he was doing it, but before you know it, somebody would say ‘Oh this man has come here to kill people of our religion or people of our tribe’.
“Then, an instruction comes from Abuja saying, ‘Okay, he’s not being helpful, so remove him,’ and that is how they go one by one. But is that the solution? Before the criminals came, they (security agents) were better armed and remember it is their profession to kill, so even if you arm yourself, they come better prepared, so what does your arm do?”
The cleric who also spoke on what transpired between the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) with President Bola Tinubu, Kaigama, said it was a big insult to accuse the religious leaders of meeting the President to collect money, adding that the result of the parley, which he said was not the first time it would be taking place, would be evident, regarding if anything had changed.
His words: “Well, we usually have many meetings, and you know that in Nigeria when things happen, you set up committees, and probably that is where it ends. But for meeting with Mr. President, it was not the first time we met him. We met him even before he became President. When he was campaigning, I remember two or so weeks before the elections, we met him and we had a one-on-one encounter.
“We engaged him, gave him a memo and told him what we wanted to see in a new Nigeria. We just went to him to remind him in March. It was the reminder to tell him. ‘What we told you, we still stand by them,’ and those who don’t understand the Catholic church and how we operate, some of them thought, oh, we went there to collect some envelopes.
“It’s a very terrible insult to the integrity of the Catholic bishops. We know how to get money if we want to, and any money we get, goes back to the people; we give it out.
“Well, it’s well known to everybody, the insecurity in the country, the poverty, the hunger, the prices of things, and all that. If they have changed, you would know. I don’t need to tell you, but we did do that, we didn’t go there for our private interests. We didn’t go there to seek contracts or to ask for money or anything.
“Each time we go to the Presidency, remember he’s not the first President we have visited. From the time of (the late Sani) Abacha, (Chief Olusegun) Obasanjo, (Musa) Yar’adua, we’ve gone consistently to speak on behalf of the people. But those who are so worldly minded and very parochial in their thinking believe that when you step your foot into Government House, you have gone to ask for money. I say what a terrible insult.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed the judgement of the federal high court in Abuja nullifying the timelines issued for the conduct of party primaries and the nomination of candidates.
Alex Izinyon SAN, leading a team of lawyers of the commission in a notice of appeal dated May 25, raised nine grounds it urged the appellate court to consider and vacate the judgment the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on May 20.
Apart from raising the issue of jurisdiction, which it said the lower court did not determine, INEC also maintained that the legal action the Youth Party (YP) initiated against it was not only hypothetical but academic.
Arguing that failure of the trial court to make pronouncements on the issues, resulted in the denial of fair hearing to the Appellant, the commission also stressed the lower court misinterpreted the provisions of the electoral act.
It said: “The high court erred in law when it held that: ‘It is clear from the wordings of Sections 29(1), 82 and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the following can be understood. Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 mandates Political Parties to submit the names of candidates in prescribed forms of the candidates who emerged from its valid primaries which such a political party intends to sponsor at the elections, not later than 120 days before the date of the General Election.
“What is required of Political Parties to do under the Electoral Act, 2026 is to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 21 days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, or any conference or meeting convened for the election of its executive committees, other governing bodies for nominating candidates.
“The Defendant is not mandated to impose a timeframe for political parties to conduct their primaries provided that it will be done and submitted not later than the 120 days provided by the Electoral Act, 2026. See Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.”
It was another day of misery in Kwara State, when daredevil terrorists reportedly stormed Yashikira Community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, and as has been the case in many of the attacks, abducting scores of residents including women and children.
But, apparently to register their authority, the gunmen, who were said to have operated for hours without challenge from the security operatives, were said to have torched the palace of the Emir.
The attackers, which reportedly occurred late Sunday night were said to have announced their presence through heavy firing and after storming the palace of the monarch during the period, set it on fire before whisking away their victims, but a similar attempt at the police station in the community, was repelled.
While some of the residents, narrated how the spent hours without resistance, leaving behind destruction and fear in the border community, another account said the villagers were caught unawares as the gunmen invaded the town under the cover of darkness.
However operatives made up of the police and military personnel, were said to have launched a manhunt immediately for the immediate rescue of the victims, including throwing a cordon in the area as part of the mission.
“The suspect offered ₦500 million to the SPU commander in an attempt to make the team stand down and allow him to contact his associates to move the consignment elsewhere. The offer was rejected immediately and properly documented for further investigation.”
These were the exact words of Olohundare Jimoh Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), with which he detailed how operatives of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) scoffed at a N500million bribe to turn their eyes off the importation of a huge consignment of drugs imported into the country.
This was part of the details of a major breakthrough by the operatives after bursting a major drug trafficking syndicate in Lagos, which led to the seizure of suspected illicit drugs estimated at ₦7.8 billion and arresting several suspects, including the alleged kingpin.
In the operation, reportedly carried out by officers of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) in collaboration with divisional police detectives, the operatives, were said to have stormed a house in Mende, Maryland area of Lagos, following months of surveillance and intelligence gathering coordinated by the Zone 2 Headquarters.
The recovered drugs consisted of hundreds of bags of suspected Canadian Loud, allegedly stored in the residence of the prime suspect, Jimoh, said disclosing that the suspect was apprehended on May 19 after weeks of strategic monitoring by operatives.
Offering further details, he said the operation was executed with technical support and guidance from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, alongside coordinated efforts between the SPU and divisional police teams.
Jimoh revealed that during the operation, the suspect allegedly attempted to bribe the SPU commander with ₦500 million to compromise the mission and allow the movement of the drug consignment.
The AIG described the development as a reflection of the renewed professionalism and operational discipline being entrenched in the Force under the current policing strategy.
He noted that the success of the operation underscored the importance of deploying specialized police units alongside conventional divisional teams in tackling organized crime.
According to him, the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid containment strategies, intelligence-led policing, and professional conduct among the operatives involved in the raid.
“Rapid containment was achieved as the Special Protection Unit worked with divisional teams to secure the perimeter and prevent escape or interference with evidence.
“The operation was intelligence-driven, following months of surveillance and technical monitoring before the raid was carried out.
“The immediate rejection and documentation of the bribe attempt also reflect the standard expected from redeployed personnel at the divisional level,” Jimoh added.
Reacting to the development, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, commended the operatives for their professionalism, saying the success of the operation validated the ongoing redeployment of personnel to divisions and units across Lagos and Ogun states.
The IGP noted: “Policing must be close to the people, and our specialized units must work side by side with divisional teams on the ground.
“The professionalism shown by the SPU commander in rejecting a ₦500 million bribe and following due procedure is the standard we expect. It shows that when you put your best foot forward at the grassroots, you get results and restore public trust.”
Disu further assured that the Force leadership would continue to reward integrity while holding officers accountable to the highest ethical standards.
Police authorities said exhibits recovered during the operation have been properly documented and will be tendered in court. The suspects are currently in custody while investigations continue to track down other members of the drug trafficking network.
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