Headlines
We’re Working to Unveil Collaborators in Zamfara Killings – Mattawalle
Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, has said his government is investigating those collaborating with terrorists in the state with a view to fishing them out.
Matawalle disclosed this in an interview with State House correspondents after a meeting he had with President, Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday.
“We are still investigating those that are involved in these activities, and we’ll make the public know after the confirmation of the reality of all the information that we have at hand. Because we are working to make sure that all those who have a hand in this insecurity must be brought to justice.
“Therefore, once the investigation is concluded, we’ll inform the public of the result of the investigation of what the security is doing about it,” he explained.
He said banditry may not end any time soon in the state because of the individuals fuelling it.
This is as he insisted that “just 58” people were killed in the recent attacks in Anka and Bukkuyum Local Government Areas of the state, and not 200.
The governor said, despite the effort of those fuelling terrorism, the security of the state has improved over the past week.
He attributed this to Buhari’s determination to heighten security activities, thereby bringing noticeable changes by Wednesday, he predicted.
Matawalle, who noted that he visited the scenes of the attacks, also blamed those he called “political bandits” for throwing unverified figures around.
“With the kind of people we have in Zamfara State, I don’t think this issue of banditry will end very soon because, already, some people are behind it. Some people are using it.
“And all they need is at least to show Nigerians that both the federal and Zamfara state governments are not serious on the issue of insecurity, despite the fact that some of them are involved in the crisis of this insecurity. But we’re doing our best,” he said.
Arguing about the exact figures of casualties, Matawalle said, “Yes, I have already cleared the air about the figures because I have seen some reports that 200 people, 300 people, 500 people were killed. But I went to the community by myself and the security agencies.
“First, we went to Bungudu and we confirmed from the Emir that it was only 36 people that had been killed and these bandits razed two communities. And when we went to Anka, we met the Emir, at the time we met him, he gave us a list of 22 people that had been killed, making a total of 58 people killed.
The Punch
The first hostages freed from Gaza under a long-awaited ceasefire agreement are back in Israel. The news sparked jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv where large crowds gathered ahead of their release.
The three freed Israeli hostages – the first of 33 to be released over the next six weeks – are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. They are said to be in good health and are receiving treatment at a medical center in Tel Aviv.
In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are set to be released by Israel from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military withdrew from several locations in southern and northern Gaza after the truce began earlier on Sunday, an Israeli military official told CNN.
Displaced Gazans have started returning to their homes, while the aid trucks laden with much-needed supplies have crossed into Gaza. Here’s what we know about how the ceasefire deal will work.
Hamas, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself, and a failure for Israel.
One of Hamas’ main goals for taking some 250 people during its brazen October 7, 2023, attack on Israel was to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. As Israel pounded Gaza in response, Hamas vowed not to return the hostages until Israel withdrew its forces from the enclave, permanently ended the war, and allowed for rebuilding.
Source: CNN
The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has said she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.”
Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience.
“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.
“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
Badenoch has been in the news of late after she dissociated herself from Nigeria, saying she has nothing to do with the Islamic northern region.
She also accused the Nigeria Police of robbing citizens instead of protecting them.
She said: “My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.
“The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”
