As the controversy over the actual death toll in last Sunday armed bandits attacks on some communities in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger state rages on, the Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District where the massacre occurred has insisted that no fewer than 69 people were killed across the eight communities. The State government had accused the senator of exaggerating the number of casualties, saying that the figures being quoted by the senator was an attempt to make the state unsafe in the eyes of the world.
The police; the state government and the state Emergency Management Agency gave different figures of casualties during the attacks that lasted for two days. The police public relation officer of the command ( PPRO ), DSP. Mohammed Abubakar said that only 12 people died while 18 were injured. In a swift reaction, the state emergency management agency (NSEMA) told journalists that 40 bodies were recovered from different locations in the affected communities.
However, the state government through the permanent secretary, cabinet and security, government house in a statement on Monday, claimed that the death toll before the swift intervention of joint military task force was 12 while 18 others were injured. The state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello during a visit to the IDPs camps in Erena for also gave a different figure, saying that 37 died while 20 were injured. Senator Umoru while reacting to the conflicting said: ” This shows that the government is not in touch with the suffering masses, who have been in this horrific situation for upwards of two years.
“It is gruesomely wicked for the government to be claiming that the lives lost are 12 and that 22 wer injured when even its own agency, Niger State emergency management agency as at Monday gave the figure of dead they had already counted to be above 40 and said the officials were still counting”,
he lamented.
Umoru said that it was rather unfortunate that the state government, instead of owning up on its ineptitude and insensitivity to the plight of the people for more than two years, “has chosen the path of unprovoked, malicious attempt to malign my name for giving out the actual figures of the death toll. The senator submitted that for any serious and concerned government, the time should have been a period of mourning, “a time for introspection and strategizing to be proactive so as to forestall further and future occurrences instead of indulging in pettiness”. “For the avoidance of doubt, I still say it that not less than 69 people were killed by the bandits, several injured and many cattle rustled.
Out of this number, 55 bodies have been found whilst the search for the remaining bodies continues”. Petition stalls ruling in forgery case against Delta Reps member From Paul Osuyi, Asaba PROCEEDINGS in the case of forgery and impersonation brought against the member, representing Bomadi/Patani constituency at the House of Representatives, Nichols Mutu, have been adjourned indefinitely. Chairman of the National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Asaba, Justice England Engene, who adjourned the matter, announced that there is a petition before the President of the Court of Appeal against the tribunal panel.
In petition number, EPT/DT/HR/08/2019, Mr. Collins Eselemo of the All Progressive Congress (APC) is challenging the return of Mr. Mutu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the February 23 election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). When the matter slated for ruling came up, Justice Engene, announced that the petitioner had written a petition to the President of the Court of Appeal, adding that since the tribunal was yet to receive any directive pertaining to the petition, the case would be adjourned indefinitely.
“There is a development in the petition. The petitioner wrote a petition to the President, Court of Appeal. We are yet to receive any directive concerning the petition. Consequently, this ruling is adjourned sine die,”
he held. Counsel to the second respondent (PDP), Mr. Abdulkarim Mohammed in his reaction, accused the petitioner of ambushing his client, stressing that the petitioner should have allowed the lower court reached a verdict. Counsel to the first respondent, Chinedu Ezeh, contended that the petitioner has abandoned his petition having not taken advantage of applying for pre-hearing session within seven days.
Ezeh expressed surprise that the petitioner wrote a petition against the tribunal panel seeking a transfer to another jurisdiction. In his reaction, V.E. Sodje, counsel to the petitioner, said he would consult with his client to know the next line of action especially when the President of Appal Court is yet to respond.
