Metro

Terrorists kill eight farmers, abduct 10 in northern Nigeria

Published

1 year ago

June 24, 2023

No fewer than eight local farmers were killed and 10 others injured by Islamist extremist terrorists on Friday in the Mafa district of Borno State in North-East Nigeria, government officials said in a statement.

The terrorists who are suspected to be members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, reportedly attacked the community after the residents who are mainly peasant farmers, failed to pay illegal levies imposed on them by the insurgents.

The statement said the farmers were ambushed in their farms by the terrorists who shot at them and went ahead to slit their throats.

The state Governor, Babagana Zulum who lamented the attack, said it was another attempt to “sabotage the successes of the government” which is struggling to have those displaced in the state to return to their villages and rebuild their lives.

“We must rise to our responsibility and address the situation. I’ve told the people to be resilient, and they should be security-conscious and avoid remote locations,” Zulum said.

A resident of the affected community, Modu Ibrahim, who spoke to journalists, said the terrorists spared one teenager whom they asked to “deliver the message” of the attack to other villagers and also let them know that if they failed to pay the levy, further attacks would be carried out.

The North-East region, as well as other parts of the West African country’s North, has been the stronghold of the Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists for close to 20 years now which has overstretched Nigeria’s security forces as they continue to battle other crises across the country.

The Boko Haram sect launched an insurgency in Borno in 2009 to establish their radical Sharia Islamic law in the region and so far, over 50,000 people have been killed and more than five million displaced because of the violence by the militant group and ISWAP, a breakaway faction backed by the Islamic State terror group.

Their activities have also led to famine and food insecurity as they have targeted farmers.

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Metro

Zambia: Expert warns of food security threat due to climate change

Published

10 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A prominent Zambian climate-smart agriculture expert, Oliver Bulaya, has warned of a collapse of the county’s agricultural sector with a potential threat to food security due to the worsening impact of climate change.

Bulaya, who bared his mind in an interview with Zambia Monitor on Friday, warned that ignoring the crisis could lead to severe disruptions in the country’s food supply and economy.

“Unless concerted efforts are made, the country will continue facing dire consequences from climate change,” the expert noted.

He lamented a growing trend of farmers relocating to regions experiencing above-normal rainfall, such as the northern block, as they struggle with losses caused by climate variability.

Bulaya emphasized that the once-reliable rainfall areas like North-Western Zambia are now experiencing lower precipitation, as seen during the 2023/2024 farming season and cautioned that poor farming practices, which had already strained the Southern region, could lead to similar challenges in other parts of the country if proactive measures were not implemented.

Metro

Outrage over murder of Nigerian beaten to death by South Africans inside estate security office

Published

15 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Nigerian community, under the auspices of Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), has raised the alarm over the murder of a 37-year-old Nigerian, Julius Chukwunta, who was beaten to death by four South Africans inside an estate.

According to the association, Chukwunta, a native of Aninri Local Government Area in Enugu State, was reportedly attacked on Saturday, December 7, while driving to his residence in Midrand Protea Estate.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the President-General of NICASA, Dr Frank Onyekwelu, Chukwunta was blocked by the four men while approaching his residence.

Onyekwelu stated that information available to the association noted that after attempting to pass through, Chukwunta was met with resistance by the assailants, prompting him to seek help at the security office of the estate.

“At that moment, the four men allegedly attacked him, leaving him severely injured with a head wound,” the PG said.

“His female companion, who was sitting in the car, rushed to the security office and discovered him bleeding on the ground.

“In spite of attempts to call for help, the security office and residents did not assist in calling the police or an ambulance.

“After an hour, Chukwunta’s partner contacted her father, who, along with other family members, took him to Tembisa General Hospital.

“Chukwunta was placed on life support but later succumbed to his injuries and died at the Tembisa General Hospital on December 10, 2024.”

Onyekwelu also confirmed that the case was reported to the police by Chukwunta’s partner at the Midrand Police Station and was registered under file number 262/12/2024.

The NICASA President said the four suspects, aged 20, 24, 27, and 28, were arrested, and the case was presented in Alexandra Magistrate Court on December 13, 2024, where they were charged with murder.

“The court proceedings on December 18, 2024, saw three of the suspects granted bail of R10,000 each, while the fourth had not yet applied for bail. The case was adjourned to February 3, 2025.”

Onyekwelu however, expressed disappointment at the proceedings, wondering why three of the suspects were released on bail and vowed that the Nigerian community would continue to demand justice for Chukwunta and support his family.

He emphasised that the community would not rest until justice was served and the value of Nigerian lives was upheld in South Africa.