Nigerian Army Forces Eliminate Bandit, Seize AK47 Rifle in Kaduna Operation

Nigerian Army’s 1 Division reports the successful neutralization of a bandit and the recovery of an AK-47 rifle along with a magazine in Kaduna. Lt-Col. Musa Yahaya, the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the Division, confirmed this achievement in a statement on Wednesday in Kaduna. Yahaya disclosed that the troops, acting on reliable intelligence, set up an ambush on a bandit route along Kwant-Kabai-Kubusu Road on Wednesday. As a result, one bandit was eliminated during the ensuing firefight while others managed to escape with gunshot injuries. “In addition to neutralizing a bandit, we retrieved one AK-47 rifle, a magazine, veterinary medicine, and clothing,” Yahaya stated. He further mentioned that Maj.-Gen. Valentine Okoro, the General Officer Commanding the Division, praised the troops for their steadfastness and urged locals to provide timely and credible intelligence to support security agencies.

Court Halts Ondo Assembly Impeachment Move Against Dep Gov Aiyedatiwa

A Federal High Court Abuja on Tuesday, halted the impeachment process against the Ondo State House of Assembly Deputy Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, over alleged gross misconduct, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit before it. Justice Emeka Nwite also restrained Governor Rotimi Akeredolu from nominating a new deputy governor and forwarding same to the lawmakers for approval. The ruling was following an ex-parte motion moved by counsel to Aiyedatiwa,  Kayode Adewusi. Justice Nwite held that after listening to Adewusi, he was of the view that the interest of justice would be met by granting the application. “Therefore, the application of the applicant succeeds,” he said. The embattled deputy governor had, in a motion on notice marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1294/2023, sued the Inspector-General of Police and the Department of State Services. Others are Akeredoku, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chief Judge of Ondo State, and the House of Assembly as 1st to 6th respondents respectively. In the application dated and filed by Mr Adelanke Akinrata on September 21, Aiyedatiwa sought four reliefs. The judge further made an order of interim injunction restraining Akeredolu, his servants, or privies from harassing, intimidating, embarrassing, and preventing Aiyedatiwa from carrying out the functions of his office as deputy governor of Ondo state. Justice Nwite, who granted all the reliefs adjourned the matter until October 9 for a hearing. Aiyedatiwa had, also in another suit marked: AK/348/2023 asked the High Court in Akure to stop the state’s house of assembly from proceeding with the impeachment proceedings against him pending the hearing and determination of the suit filed in the court on Monday.

Niger Crisis: ECOWAS Parliament divided over military option

The ECOWAS Parliament was on Saturday divided over taking military action as an option aimed at tackling the political situation in Niger Republic and restoring civil rule there. Some members called for actions that would nip the military incursion into politics within the region, while others identified diplomacy and dialogue as the best approaches to tackling the crisis. No fewer than 22 parliamentarians participated in the virtual extraordinary meeting to discuss the political crisis in Niger. Some members who were against military intervention highlighted the economic woes that the people of Niger could experience if invaded. Ali Djibo, from Niger Republic, said already at least 9,000 schools had been shut down owing to the crisis. “War will only compound the economic woes the peoples of the sub-region are already going through. “As we speak, over a thousand trucks, loaded with goods, are stranded at the border. “If a coup happened in Nigeria or Cote’d’Iviore tomorrow, where’s the ECOWAS going to mobilise troops to fight the Nigerian or Ivorian military? How many borders are we going to close? “We must also bear in mind that if we’re applying the ECOWAS treaty, it should be applicable to all.” Awaji-Inombek Dagomie Abiante (Rivers), ECOWAS must pay keen attention and treat the root causes of coups in ECOWAS countries Members of the ECOWAS Parliament making a case for military intervention in Niger said diplomacy had contributed in no small measure to the increase in the spate of military takeover of government in the West African sub-region. Contributing, Adebayo Balogun, posited that ECOWAS leaders were proposing military action to remove the junta, and not clamouring for a fully-fledged war. He recalled that Niger was a signatory to the ECOWAS’ revised protocol on non-military intervention. Also, Bashir Dawodu expressed the belief that the body should open itself up to the possibility of a military option and apply pressure on the junta while also exploring dialogue.