News
Outcry as Benue govt okays launch of Fulani security outfit in the state
By Abdulateef Bamgbose
There is growing public outcry over the Benue State Government’s commissioning of a security outfit in Makurdi on Saturday June 3, 2023.
The security organization known as Al-Tershak Global Security Ltd was established by Alhaji Aliyu Tershaku, who had in the past been arrested over alleged links with Boko Haram.
An online newspaper, National Record reported that the commissioning of the security organization was performed by the Benue State Deputy Governor, Sam Ode who was represented by his Chief Protocol Officer, Gabriel Igoche.
What was curious during the inauguration of the security outfit and which has sparked concerns among people in the state was the huge number of Fulani personnel with many of them appointed as heads of key units within the organization.
The online newspaper reported, “National Record observed during the inauguration that the membership of the security outfit was dominated by the Fulani based on the names the Director called out and looking at the number of the officers who were physically present.”
This newspaper decided to sample the reactions of residents of Makurdi following the launch of the new security organization. What was more disturbing to those who spoke with us was the fact that the organization is dominated by men of Fulani extraction considering the sour relationship between them and indigenous people of the state in recent years.
Terdue Asongu, a resident of North Bank, Makurdi who was the first to react, described the development as suspicious and cautioned the Benue State Government to retract its steps and stop the Al-Tershak Global Security Ltd from commencing operations. He feared that the presence of men who have questionable backgrounds in the state in charge of security would spell doom for innocent people.
“When I read the news that a security outfit controlled by Fulani men had been approved by the Benue State Government, a cold shiver ran through my spine. Even when Fulanis were not in control of security in the state, our people saw hell. What will happen now that they have formally been asked to take charge of our security?”, Asongu queried.
Another respondent James Gbagir who works at the Tipper Park in Wurukum said “Someone should tell Governor Rev Fr Alia that we will not accept this new security formation. He should not make us regret voting for him. We ignored rumours that Fulani people were sponsoring his election and voted for him. Is he now telling us that we were wrong?”, Gbagir wondered.
A public affairs analyst, elder Peter Shange who has constantly written against attempts by Fulani to occupy Benue lands advised the present government of the state to follow the example of Governor Ortom and come clean on the rumours that it is in cahoots with those who have vowed to displace indigenous people of the state from their ancestral lands and take over.
Shange reminded the Alia government that the state already has a lawfully recognized security outfit known as Community Volunteer Guards who were drawn from each community of the state by the people through traditional rulers. He condemned the launch of an alternative outfit which origin and ownership are suspicious.
“Let me advise Governor Hyacinth Alia to listen to good counsel and resist the pressure from those who might have funded his election, if the story is anything to go by. Allowing Aliyu Tershaku to float a Fulani controlled security organization in the state at this time is as good as sitting on a time bomb. Those guys will wake up one day and ask him (Governor) to vacate the Government House and give them the keys. No one goes to bed with a known enemy”, he stated.
Other respondents who pleaded anonymity alleged that the new government in Benue State has brought Aliyu Tershaku with his security organization to fight their political opponents.
It will be recalled that Tershaku was arrested in 2018 by the Nigerian Army in connection with the killings in Benue State. He had stayed away from the state until last year when he returned and contested for the Makurdi/Guma House of Representatives seat in the 2023 election. Even at that, he was not seen campaigning anywhere until he surfaced at the polling unit on the day of the election. He did not get single vote in the election.
Tershaku, though a Tiv man who went wild and became a Boko Haram kingpin is believed to be a Fulani agent who has been sent on a mission by his sponsors to capture Benue State for them.
His return to the state and endorsement by the Alia administration is surely not going down well with the people of the state.
News
Atiku Abubakar Banned from Nigerian Campuses by NANS for Alleged Seyi Tinubu Smear
…Reaffirms Commitment to a United NANS and Unwavering Support for Tinubu Administration
By Joel Ajayi
The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Olusola Oladoja, on Friday declared Comrade Atiku Abubakar Isah who claims to be the President of NANS—persona non grata from Nigerian Campuses over what he described as malicious and baseless allegations aimed at tarnishing the reputation of Mr. Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Atiku Isah had alleged that thugs loyal to Seyi Tinubu stormed The Wells Carlton Hotel in Asokoro, Abuja, wielding cutlasses and firearms, disrupting an event, assaulting attendees, looting property, and forcing dignitaries like Senator Ibrahim Shekarau and former Governor Idris Wada to flee.
He further claimed the attack was politically motivated and linked to a bribe offer intended to silence his self-proclaimed leadership.
Addressing a world press conference in Abuja, Comrade Oladoja condemned these claims as part of a politically motivated smear campaign backed by certain opposition figures, whose identities he stated are known and would be revealed in due course.
“We have convened this briefing to address the malicious and baseless allegations propagated by Atiku Isah, who falsely claims to be the President of NANS,” Oladoja said. “His actions are part of an orchestrated campaign to sow discord within NANS and damage the reputation of Mr. Seyi Tinubu.”
Oladoja emphasized that Atiku Isah’s accusations are not only unfounded but also a desperate attempt to undermine the unity of Nigerian students and the credibility of the Tinubu administration.
“For clarity, NANS is united under legitimate leadership,” he continued. “On February 26, 2022, at the Old Parade Ground in Abuja, Nigerian students conducted a transparent, free, and fair election that duly elected me, Comrade Olusola Oladoja, as the National President, along with a full executive council. Atiku Isah, by contrast, operates without any elected executive backing his self-acclaimed presidency.”
He challenged Isah to seek redress through legal channels if he disputes the election outcome, adding that the records of the election and inauguration are publicly available and verifiable.
Oladoja dismissed the allegations against Seyi Tinubu as completely fabricated, noting the absence of specific details such as dates, credible witnesses, or verifiable evidence. He further claimed that intelligence and photographic evidence link Atiku Isah to opposition figures within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political entities.
“Seyi Tinubu is a private citizen known for his peaceful and constructive engagement with Nigerian youths. The idea that he would orchestrate any form of violence is both absurd and inconsistent with his well-documented character,” Oladoja stated.
Reaffirming NANS’s support for President Tinubu’s administration, Comrade Oladoja said: “NANS, under my leadership, firmly supports the administration’s commitment to youth and student welfare. We are students, not politicians, and our focus remains on championing the rights and interests of Nigerian students.”
He called on the public, media, and relevant authorities to disregard Atiku Isah’s claims and urged security agencies to investigate the sources of his funding and the political forces behind the campaign of misinformation.
“NANS will not be distracted by such antics,” he concluded. “We remain committed to working with the Tinubu administration to promote education and youth development in Nigeria. Atiku Isah’s lies will not prevail; truth and justice will.”
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