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Terrorists collect N14m, canoe from Zamfara communities in exchange for protection

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In exchange for protection, about 14 communities in the Anka area of Zamfara State have contributed at least N19 million and a canoe to terrorists operating in the areas between Anka and Bukkuyum.

A report by PREMIUM TIMES has it that many communities in Anka contributed to pay the protection levy to the terrorists.

The terorrists were said to have imposed the levy on the communities just before the start of the rainy season.

According to the report, the terrorists requested the protection levy to allow residents of the communities cultivate their land for the start of the planting season.

Residents of the communities had no option than to gather the said amount to avoid being attacked by the terrorists while working on their farms or even in their villages.

“The communities were all under Anka and have been asked to mobilise the money for protection. Some communities have paid theirs two months ago, others are just paying now. But the total paid have reached N19 million and a canoe,” said Mr Anka, who had done extensive research on terrorism in the North-west including the recent documentary for the BBC Africa Eye, Titled “The Bandit Warlords of Zamfara,” the report said.

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The canoe was bought by Yar Sabaya community. Anka is surrounded by two rivers and other smaller bodies of water.

“The bandits asked the different communities to gather the money so that they (bandits) would allow them to work on their farms without attacks. This was not the first time they were asked to pay these levies,” Mr Anka added.

He said the villages who have paid up so far are: Jargaba N1.6m, Birnin doki N1m, Tangaram N1.5m (and later added the sum of N2.5m), Jarkuka N1.5m, Tuntuja N500,000, Tsafta N1m, Tudun magaji N2m, Kadaddaba N820,000, Tudun kudaku N950,000, Gargam N1m, Kwanar Maje N900,000, Yar tumaki N1m, Bawar Daji N1.7m, Tungar Liman N6m and Makakari N430,000.

A community leader in Anka who asked not to be named for security reasons, said they were aware of the protection levies imposed by the terrorists.

“Everyone in this town (Anka) knows that the bandits are exploiting innocent residents of local communities. They know how important the rainy season is to our people, so they would continue to ask them for such levies to allow them go to farms,” he said.

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But he feared that the terrorists could still harm the residents especially during harvest.

“Protection levies is not the best option because they (terorrists) could still attack these people while they’re harvesting their farm produce and possibly ask for their share. But then, you can’t ask them (residents) not to give the terorrists what they’re asking since there is no alternative to that,” he said.

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BREAKING: DSS arrests wanted Oyo motorpark boss, Auxiliary

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The Department of State Services has reportedly arrested the wanted former chairman of the Oyo State Park Management System, Mukaila Lamidi, popularly known as Auxiliary.

It was gathered that Auxiliary was arrested at about 4:00 pm on Tuesday at his residence in the Olodo area of Ibadan, the state capital.

Although the reasons for his arrest are still sketchy, a source said it was because of an interview he granted on Saturday, May 4, in which he called out Seye Famojuro, a trusted ally of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, for being behind his woes.

In the interview he granted to Media personnel, Ajibola Akinyefa, in the Yoruba Language, the former PMS chairman said, “If he (Famojuro) is the governor or Seyi Makinde is, we will know. It is just a matter of time. Everybody will face the consequences of their actions. The people he chose to manage the park are cheating themselves.

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When asked if it was his hooliganism that led to his removal, Auxiliary queried how many people reported that he beat them to the police.

He further said that Seye would still return to Ijesha because Ibadan is not his homeland.

 

“Seye will still go back to Ijesha because Ibadan is not his town. Only Governor Seyi Makinde and I will remain here because we won’t run away. And I see that the bird is not working, but God feeds it. Seye will reap the seeds of his actions,” he added.

In May 2023, Auxiliary was arrested after being linked to an alleged attempt by his loyalists to cause trouble in the state following the dissolution of the PMS committee by Makinde.

An impeccable source who spoke with PUNCH Metro said the police acted swiftly to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the state, adding that during the raid, Lamidi escaped which led to him being declared wanted.

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The source, who craved anonymity over fears of harassment, said, “From what we gathered, the police acted on the information that some members of the Auxiliary’s camp wanted to cause trouble based on the government disbanding their operations in the state.

“So, the police were proactive, stormed their location, made some arrests and recovered some arms and ammunition. But Auxiliary was not arrested. The people arrested were in connection with the fact that intelligence linked them to an attempt to cause trouble in the state today.”

 

However, attempts to reach the spokesperson for DSS, Peter Afunnaya, proved abortive as several calls made to him were unanswered and text messages ignored.

 

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Rescue efforts ongoing as Lagos sewer worker gets trapped in underground drainage for second day

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One of the sewer workers with the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) has been trapped in an underground drainage at the Onipanu area of the state.

On Monday, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, Lagos Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) permanent secretary, said the adult male sewer worker was caught between the tunnel while dislodging and evacuating waste from the underground drainage.

He said the agency received a distress call to which LASEMA officers at the Onipanu base quickly responded to, adding that officers of the Lagos Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and LAMATA, were also deployed to the scene.

Oke-Osanyintolu said the agency provided sophisticated equipment to save the worker’s life, adding that the inflow of water was also diverted to reduce the underground water volume.

 

“Following an SOS message on the distress situation of a Drainage Worker, LASEMA activated the State’s Emergency Response Plans from its Onipanu Base,” he said.

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“Upon the arrival of the emergency responders at the incident scene, investigations revealed that an adult male de-silting drainages along that axis in an attempt to clear a blocked portion accessed the underground tunnel and got trapped.

“Further investigation at the incident scene revealed that the man was a Drain Ducks worker employed by LAMATA, while trying to dislodge and evacuate debris from the underground drainage, unfortunately, got trapped in between the tunnel.

 

“In conducting the Search and Rescue Operation, the LASEMA Response Team and all Emergency Responders are working together assiduously to rescue the trapped victim from inside the underground drainage which commenced at 1625hrs.”

Providing update on the incident on Tuesday, Nosa Okunbor, LASEMA head of public affairs unit, said all efforts to rescue the drain duck worker has proved abortive.

“The rescue operation was suspended at 09:36hrs yesterday to resume today since all efforts to rescue him proved abortive. Rescue operations still ongoing,” he said.

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Lagos begins removal of over 100 shanties under Adeniji-Adele bridge Monday

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The Lagos State Government has announced its plan to remove over 100 shanties housing several people at Adeniji Adele Underbridge from Monday.

 

The Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on Sunday.

He said the removal comes after the expiration of a 48-hour removal notice served on all occupants of the shanties to move out their belongings.

The commissioner said operatives of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI/LAGESC), and officials from the ministry’s Monitoring Enforcement and Compliance (MEC) department will be given security backup to conduct the operation.

Wahab emphasised that the exercise is part of Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu administration’s commitment to reclaim all ungoverned spaces that dot the Lagos landscape.

 

The Lagos State Government will undertake enforcement action to remove over 100 shanties at Adeniji Adele underbridge from tomorrow, Monday, 6th of May, 2024.

The removal is coming after the expiration of a 48-hour removal notice served on all occupants of the shanties to move… pic.twitter.com/rKCH0Qflhc

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— Tokunbo Wahab (@tokunbo_wahab) May 5, 2024

 

He stressed that unsightly shanties located in the heart of Lagos Island, represent a distorted image of what a smart city like Lagos should be.

The commissioner also said apart from the unsanitary conditions of residents in the shanties, they also serve as hiding places for criminals, and points for peddling hard drugs and substances which is injurious to the well-being of law-abiding residents.

He advised all the occupants of the shanties in their interest to voluntarily move out with their belongings before the commencement of the enforcement operations on Monday.

 

Similar enforcement operations to reclaim uncovered spaces have already taken place at Ijora, Apongbon, Obalende, and Dolphin.

Meanwhile, the commissioner said property owners whose structures hindered the flow of drainage in Mende in the Maryland area of the state were served “requisite notices” before their buildings were removed from the System 1 Drainage Right of Way.

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Residents of the area had faulted the government for not giving them proper notice. But the commissioner has disputed that claim.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, he said the structures were removed to “avoid the flooding of the whole of the Mainland”.

“They claimed they were not served notices, they were served. They had come for meetings severally. The residents’ association had met with the Permanent Secretary, Engr Mahmood Adekunle Adegbite severally in my office. So, on what basis were they having meetings if they were not served?” Wahab queried.

 

“The first notices were served on them in 2021. Each of the property owners on Systems 1 were duly written that they should remove their encumbrances because they were sitting on Systems 1. That led to engagements with my predecessor in office, Mr Tunji Bello.”

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