What’s News: Five of the top stories from Nigeria on Sept. 22, 2023
By Ezinwanne Onwuka
● Influential Investigative journalist Tweets that Tinubu has weaponized state security against him.
Nigerian journalist David Hundeyin, author of devastating exposes of current President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has raised an alarm calling for protection from human rights groups around the world, saying he fears for his life.
Hundeyin has hidden his location since fleeing Nigeria in 2020 for fear of political persecution, but an unfortunate incident with the Zimbabwean authorities in July exposed that he has a travel passport from the government of Ghana.
Hundeyin is well-known for his exposés of the Nigerian President, especially his longform piece, “Bola Ahmed Tinubu: From Drug Lord To Presidential Candidate”
which documented Tinubu’s drug trafficking saga. Last week, the FBI announced plans to make public 2,500 documents.
related to Tinubu in tranches starting in October as requested by Hundeyin and a U.S. anti-corruption agency, PlainSite. “If I step foot in Nigeria, I am going to die. That’s a fact. I will die,” the fugitive journalist said in an interview, appealing to the Ghanaian government to resist Tinubu’s pressure to have him repatriated.
The Nigerian government has accused him of aiding terrorism and of treason and is planning an illegal extradition to Nigeria by force, Hundeyin says. That was the fate of Biafra secessionist Nnamdi Kanu, arrested by Interpol and flown from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021 during the Administration of Muhammadu Buhari.
● Security agencies and citizen guards kill 21 bandits in Kebbi
A three-day firefight between terrorists and security agencies with self-defense locals in Danko Wasagu local government area in Kebbi State has resulted in the death of 21 bandits.
The running battle against the terrorists began on Sept. 18 and ended on Sept. 20 with the recovery of firearms, ammunition and motorcycles. Two gallant local volunteers lost their lives.
In Tudun Bichi community, 17 terrorists were killed whereas four others died in another encounter at Bakin Gulbi, according to Alhaji Hussani Aliyu-Bena, the chairman of the local government area. Danko Wasagu is a transit route for bandits entering Kebbi. Captives of the bandits also regained their freedom and were reunited with their families.
● U.S. Government warns citizens to reconsider travel to Nigeria
Two days after the U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary, Wally Adeyemo visited Nigeria as part of President Joe Biden’s efforts to strengthen the U.S.–Nigeria economic ties, the U.S. government has once again sounded an alarm to Americans to “reconsider travel” to Nigeria due to the country’s volatile security situation.
“Violent crime – such as armed robbery, assault, carjacking, kidnapping, hostage taking, roadside banditry, and rape – is common throughout the country,” the U.S. Department of State announced in a travel advisory updated on September 20.
The advisory includes a flat “do not travel” warning to the northeastern states of Borno, Yobe and northern Adamawa because “the security situation in these states is fluid and unpredictable due to widespread terrorist activity, inter-communal violence, and kidnapping.” There was a similar alert for Bauchi and Gombe (Northeast); and Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, and Zamfara States (Northwest) because of “widespread inter-communal violence and armed criminality, especially kidnapping and roadside banditry.”
In the earlier advisory issued January 20, U.S. nationals were advised against traveling to the southern states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, and Rivers (excluding Port Harcourt),https://ng.usembassy.gov/security-alert-update-to-nigeria-travel-advisory-january-20-2023/ but the updated version warned against Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states (excluding Port Harcourt) because of “heightened risk of kidnapping, violent civil unrest, and armed gangs.”
● Kidnapped priest regains freedom
Reverend Father Marcellinus Obioma Okide, who was kidnapped on Sunday evening, has finally regained his freedom. Fr Okide was released Thursday night [Sept. 21] after spending three days in the kidnappers’ den.
On WHAT’S NEWS? September 19 edition, TruthNigeria reported that the priest was abducted on his way to his parish, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Amofia-Agu Affa in Udi local government area of Enugu State.
The Catholic Diocese of Enugu via a statement said Fr. Okide was set free at exactly 8:00 p.m. local time on Thursday.
● Gunmen invade Zamfara community, abduct scores of students
A wave of armed bandit attacks in schools struck new victims as early as 3:00 a.m. local time Friday [Sept. 22] in the northwestern state of Zamfara. Gunmen stormed the off-campus hostels of students of the Federal University, Gusau (FUGUS) and abducted scores of students.
The attack targeted the small, remote Sabon-Gida community of the Bungudu County [LGA] of Zamfara State where many students of FUGUS reside. Sabon-Gida is only two miles (3.5 km) from the FUGUS main campus. Three student hostels were raided, and all of the occupants, mostly female students, were taken away by the armed men, a source told Channels Television.
Zamfara has become infamous as a hotspot for bandits who engage in kidnap-for-ransom schemes. In April, two female students of FUGUS were abducted by gunmen. In June, students of the public university protested the unchecked spate of kidnappings involving their schoolmates.
