Metro
Katsina Protesters Burn Police Station over Jumat Ban, One Killed
At least, one person lost his life on Saturday when a police station and the official quarters of a Divisional Police Officer were burnt down in Kusada, headquarters of Kusada Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The riot was caused by the arrest of a religious group leader who allegedly led a Friday prayer in the town despite the state government’s directive banning large gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Seven vehicles and 10 motorcycles were also set ablaze during the riot.
Ninety suspects have also been arrested in connection with the incident.
Eyewitnesses said trouble started when one Mallam Hassan conducted Jumat prayer in one of the mosques in the town.
Hassan was consequently arrested and taken to the police Area Commander’s office in Malumfashi for questioning. The development did not reportedly go down well with some of his followers.
The followers were alleged to have on Saturday attacked policemen on duty at Kusada Police Division and torched the police station and the DPO’s Quarters.
They were also alleged to have burnt down seven vehicles and 10 motorcycles on the premises of the police station.
The town was not accessible for several hours on Saturday because of the incident.
The spokesman for the police in Katsina, SP Gambo Isah, who confirmed the development, said normalcy had returned to the town while investigation had begun on the incident.
He said, “Recalled that Katsina State Government under the leadership of His Excellency, Governor Aminu Bello Masari, issued a restriction orders Nos. SEC.2/T/3 and SEC.2/T/14 dated 25th and 27th March, 2020 respectively, directing the total closure of its borders and suspension of large gatherings for the weekly Friday prayers and Sunday church services while marriage ceremonies are to be conducted in a low key across the state as part of measures taken to curtail the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
“However, on Friday, March 27, 2020, some disgruntled youths under the leadership of one Mallam Hassan tested the will of the state and conducted a Friday prayer in one of the Kusada jummat mosques.
“Subsequently, he was arrested for questioning at Area Commander’s office, Malumfashi which did not go down well with some of his followers.
“Consequently, today (Saturday) around 9am, this particular group organised themselves in a tumultuous manner, attacked and overpowered the policemen on duty at Kusada Division, set ablaze the police station and the DPO’s Quarters. They also burnt down seven vehicles and 10 motorcycles in custody of the police station.”
Isah stated that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Sanusi Buba, ordered the deployment of police patrol teams and a special joint security task force on the enforcement of public gatherings in the state to the area.
“Ninety suspected rioters have been arrested while one of the rioters lost his life as a result of the encounter. Investigation is ongoing,” he added.
Meanwhile, Isah said the police in cooperation with repentant cattle rustlers have rescued an eleven-year-old girl, Maryam Ado, from suspected bandits who kidnapped her from Kunkunna-Bayan-Dutse, village in the Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State. Ado was rescued about 11am on Friday.
Isah said Ado was rescued unhurt after a gun duel between the rescue team and the suspected bandits.
He said, “On March 27, 2020, around 11am, the command in collaboration with repentant cattle rustlers led by one Sani Muheddinge rescued one Maryam Ado, aged 11, of Kunkunna-Bayan-Dutse village, from the hands of kidnappers after the exchange of gunfire.”
The command spokesman said six suspected bandits armed with AK 47 rifles, on Wednesday stormed the village during which Ado was kidnapped and abducted to Rugu forest.
It was however learnt that Ado was reunited with her family shortly after her rescue on Friday.
Isah said investigation had commenced on the matter.
The Punch
The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has approved the posting and appointment of some senior officers of the Nigerian Army (NA) to various command, staff and instructional positions.
According to the army spokesman, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, the redeployment is a strategic move to enhance operational effectiveness and administrative efficiency.
The redeployment cuts across Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) at the Army Headquarters (AHQ), General Officers Commanding (GOCs), Corps Commanders, Commandants of Army training institutions, Brigade Commanders and other key positions. The reshufflement underscores Nigerian Army’s commitment to ensuring robust and dynamic leadership structure capable of addressing emerging security challenges.
Some of the senior officers appointed as PSOs at the Army Headquarters include Maj Gen LA Fejokwu, from National Defence College to Department of Army Administration and appointed Chief of Administration (Army), Maj Gen GU Chibuisi, from Nigerian Army Resource Centre to Department of Civil Military Affairs and appointed Chief of Civil Military Affairs and Maj Gen AS Ndalolo, also from the Nigerian Army Resource Centre to Department of Army Training and appointed Chief of Training (Army). Others include Maj Gen OS Abai, from Department of Army Training to Department of Army Transformation and Innovation, appointed Chief of Transformation and Innovation and Maj Gen JH Abdussalam from Headquarters 6 Division to the Department of Special Services and Programmes and appointed Chief of Special Services and Programmes. Maj Gen EI Okoro has been redeployed from the Department of Army Logistics to the Department of Military Secretary and appointed Military Secretary (Army).
Senior officers appointed as General Officers Commanding (GOCs) include Maj Gen OT Olatoye from Nigerian Army School of Infantry to Headquarters 82 Division/Joint Task Force (JTF) South East Operation UDO KA (OPUK) as GOC 82 Division/Commander JTF OPUK and Maj Gen EF Oyinlola from Department of Military Secretary to Headquarters 3 Division as GOC 3 Division/ Commander Operation SAFE HAVEN (OPSH). The acting appointments of Maj Gen AGL Haruna as GOC 7 Division/Commander Sector 1 JTF North East Operation HADIN KAI and Maj Gen IA Ajose as GOC 8 Division/Commander Sector 2 JTF North West Operation FANSAN YANMA among others have been confirmed substantive in the recent redeployment.
Other senior officers redeployed are Maj Gen GO Adeshina from Headquarters Nigerian Army Signals to Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre and appointed Director General while Maj Gen GM Mutkut is posted from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre to Headquarters Multi National Joint Task Force Njamena as the Force Commander. The redeployment also featured Maj Gen MC Kangye from Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery to Defence Headquarters as the Director Media Operations.
Senior officers appointed as Corps Commanders include Maj Gen OC Ajunwa from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre to Headquarters Nigerian Army Armour Corps and appointed Commander, Maj Gen HT Wesley from the Department of Special Services and Programmes to Headquarters Nigerian Army Ordinance Corps, appointed Commander and Maj Gen TT Numbere from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre to Headquarters Nigerian Army Engineers and appointed Commander. Others include Maj Gen NC Ugbo from Department of Civil Military Affairs to Headquarters Nigerian Army Signals and appointed Commander, Maj Gen ZL Abubakar from Department of Army Transformation and Innovation to Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery and appointed Commander and Maj Gen AP Oguntola from Nigerian Army College of Education Science and Technology to Headquarters Nigerian Army Education Corps and appointed Corps Commander.
Other senior officers also affected in the redeployment are Maj Gen JO Sokoya, appointed Commandant Nigerian Army Training Centre, Maj Gen UM Alkali appointed Commandant Army War College Nigeria, while Maj Gen FS Etim from Department of Army Transformation and Innovation is redeployed to Nigerian Army School of Infantry, appointed Commandant. Maj Gen AB Mohammed has been redeployed from the Department of Army Operations to Depot Nigerian Army and appointed commandant.
The Zone 2 Police Command comprising Lagos and Ogun states, has held its first lecture of the year with officers of the Zonal Command Headquarters in attendance, according to a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, CSP Ayuba Ummah, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP).
In his speech during the lecture, the Chief Host, who is the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of the Zone, AIG Fayoade M. Adegoke, wished officers of the Zone a Prosperous New Year while charging them to imbibe public partnership, positive impact policing, quality service delivery and professionalism.
AIG Fayoade urged the personnel to improve positively on the image of the Force by building effective partnership with the public, focus on information gathering through intelligence to ensure crime and criminality is reduced to the barest minimum.
He also emphasized the need to show empathy and not be biased as all citizens are equal before the law and deserve to be treated with fairness.
The AIG further urged officers to pay attention to their health as that is very necessary and crucial to efficiency and effectiveness in quality service delivery.
A 3.7 magnitude earthquake has struck California, United States of America, adding to the State’s ongoing tough challenges with worsening wildfires.
This comes as Los Angeles continues to fight raging wildfires, which were allegedly started by an arsonist who has since been arrested.
Mail Online reported on Friday that the tremor was detected near the San Francisco Bay Area at 7:02 am PT, with its epicentre approximately five miles Southwest of the Golden Gate Bridge and two miles west of the Great Highway.
The quake was followed by a 2.2 magnitude aftershock four minutes later and a 2.5 magnitude tremor six minutes after the initial hit.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that more than 5,000 people in the area felt the shake, and the number of reports continues to grow.
This seismic activity occurred about 350 miles away from the Los Angeles area, where wildfires have caused widespread destruction.
“I ordered city government into action immediately this morning, and our first responders have been out across the city ensuring the safety of our residents.
“We have also been sharing information and giving people the tools to protect themselves and their families in an event like this,” Mayor Daniel Lurie commented on the situation.
Despite the tremors, no injuries or damage have been reported from Friday’s earthquake.
The USGS had detected a 3.0 magnitude earthquake the day before, disrupting San Francisco’s Muni subway service.
Many reported that the quake lasted only a second.
