Nigeria’s President Seizes Control of Rivers State…Protesters Block Roads After Fulani Militia Kill 5 Farmers…Anti-Grazing Law Gets Teeth as Governor Orders Strict Enforcement…ISWAP Militants Surrender After Intense Bombardment
● Nigeria’s Oil Heartland Under Emergency Rule as President Suspends Governor
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers, one of the oil-producing states in the country, on March 18, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and all state lawmakers for six months. He said the decision was necessary due to growing political tensions and recent attacks on oil pipelines, including a fire on the Trans Niger Pipeline on Monday.
Governor Fubara expressed surprise, saying the state was under proper governance and questioning the necessity of the federal intervention. However, Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi backed the President, emphasizing its timeliness in preventing further instability.
Following the declaration, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas was sworn in as the sole administrator of Rivers State on Wednesday, March 19. This marks Nigeria’s first imposition of emergency rule in over a decade, and many Nigerians are debating whether Tinubu’s decision was justified.
● Residents Protest After Fulani Militia Kill Five Farmers
At least five farmers were killed early Wednesday when armed Fulani militia attacked a farming settlement in Aba Oyinbo village in Akure North County, Ondo State in Southwest Nigeria.
The attack comes just two weeks after more than 20 farmers were massacred in a similar midnight raid on four neighboring communities, according to The Guardian.
Outraged by the continued bloodshed, residents took to the streets, storming the Governor’s office and blocking major roads, leaving commuters stranded. The protesters accused the government of failing to prevent the recurring unprovoked attacks and demanded immediate action.
The ongoing violence has deepened frustration among locals, who fear more bloodshed if stronger security measures are not put in place. So far, state authorities have not issued a public response to the latest killings.
● Governor Mobilizes Local Authorities to Combat Terrorists After Fresh Killings
Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has vowed to enforce the state’s anti-grazing law to curb violent attacks by Fulani militia, reports The Punch.
The law, enacted on March 10, 2021, aims to ban open grazing and prevent the unprovoked attacks on farmers but has been poorly enforced. Recently, herders raped an elderly woman on her farm in one community, while another woman was killed in a neighboring area.
On Wednesday, Diri convened a meeting with local officials and traditional rulers, ordering them to enforce the law. “Keeping your community safe is your responsibility,” he said through his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo.
He directed all local government chairpersons to form anti-grazing enforcement committees and submit members’ names within three days.
“No part of Ijaw land has ever been conquered… It is our duty to protect it,” he declared, urging community leaders to report security threats and help safeguard residents from further attacks.
● Joint Nigeria-Niger Air Assault Weaken ISWAP, Forcing Fighters to Surrender
Several fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have surrendered in Borno State, Nigeria, following intense airstrikes by Nigerian and Nigerien forces.
According to intelligence sources, the airstrikes on March 17 targeted ISWAP militants in Chettimari, a Nigerien border town near Damasak, after they attacked Nigerien troops, killing four soldiers and injuring seven.
In response, the Nigerian Air Force deployed two Super Tucano jets, aided by intelligence and surveillance assets from Niger, to strike the terrorists, inflicting heavy casualties and disrupting their operations.
“As a result of the airstrikes, several ISWAP fighters surrendered in Borno State with their weapons and horses,” a security source confirmed to Zagazola Makama.
The militants were part of a group responsible for repeated attacks on communities in northeastern Nigeria and southeastern Niger, including Damasak and Mallam Fatori in Borno State, Geidam in Yobe State, and Diffa in Niger Republic.
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Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria.
