The Enemy Within: The Jethro Bala story, call for community action in Kajuru/Kachia

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has declared that since former President Muhammadu Buhari left office and following his demise in 2025, the South-East region has not recorded any incident of Fulani herdsmen attacks.

Ohanaeze said the sudden and remarkable decline in the activities of suspected Fulani herdsmen militias in the South-East region is nothing short of a miracle, one that has provided conclusive evidence that these groups were, in all likelihood, a state-sponsored terrorist arm during the administration of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, deployed with the sinister intent of destabilizing Southern Nigeria, particularly the South-East.

It stated that for over six long and harrowing years, these so-called Fulani herdsmen militias unleashed a reign of terror on the South-East, wantonly destroying farmlands and turning the fertile soil of the Igbo heartland into wastelands.

According to the pan-Igbo group, they occupied forests, using them as bases for their heinous acts, and callously sacked numerous villages, leaving behind a trail of destruction, grief, and displacement.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the factional Deputy President-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and Chief Thompson Ohia, National Spokesperson, Ohanaeze stated that the human cost of this terror is incalculable, with over 2,960 innocent Igbos losing their lives and many more sustaining injuries.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo acknowledges the significant roles played by the Federal Government and the South-East governors in combating the security challenges that plagued the region.

“However, it cannot be ignored that the most decisive factor in ending this reign of terror was the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2025. Immediately after his passing, there was a perceptible and dramatic reduction in the activities of the Fulani herdsmen militia.

“This undeniable sequence of events has reaffirmed the long-held suspicions of the Igbo people that these militias were state-funded under Buhari’s watch.

“The ‘Fulanization Agenda’ promoted during Buhari’s tenure (2015–2023) was a clear manifestation of a partisan and divisive policy that eroded the trust and confidence of Ndigbo in the APC-led Federal Government.

“The Igbo people endured great suffering during this period, with their safety and livelihoods constantly under threat.

“Thankfully, the current APC-led Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken remarkable steps to restore the trust of the Igbo people.

“There has been a remarkable improvement in security across the region. The Igbo can now sleep more soundly at night, free from the constant fear of attack that had become a norm for far too long.

“President Tinubu’s administration has been instrumental in turning the once-dire infrastructure deficits of the South-East into a promising landscape of growth and accessibility.

“The improvement in road networks and other key infrastructure projects is a testament to his commitment to the region.

“As President Bola Ahmed Tinubu celebrates his 74th birthday anniversary, Ohanaeze Ndigbo would like to take this opportunity to extend heartfelt birthday wishes and express our deepest gratitude.”

The organisation noted that Ndigbo remains indebted to him for bringing about the much-needed transformation in the South-East, turning a region marred by insecurity and underdevelopment into a safe and prosperous environment.

It’s a miracle how Buhari’s death ended herdsmen crisis in South-East – Ohanaeze Ndigbo

The absence of official press identification for journalists at Nigeria’s National Assembly has created a loophole exploited by impostors.

The post SPECIAL REPORT: Lack of press tags makes Nigeria’s National Assembly complex unsafe appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.

Human rights lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has accused oil thieves, former contractors, and political actors of attempting to pressure the government into cancelling a major pipeline surveillance contract in the Niger Delta.

Adeyanju said those who once profited from illegal oil activities are now leading a campaign to compel the Federal Government of Nigeria to terminate the deal.

According to him, criticism of the contract is largely coming from individuals who lost both money and influence after security around oil pipelines was tightened.

He claimed some of these groups are also collaborating with corrupt officials in an attempt to tarnish the reputation of the surveillance arrangement and push the government to scrap it.

The surveillance contract was awarded to a company linked to former militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.

Supporters of the deal say it has helped reduce oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta. They argue that improved monitoring has enabled Nigeria to raise its oil production to more than one million barrels per day.

Before the contract was introduced, production had reportedly fallen to around 300,000 barrels per day due to frequent pipeline attacks and illegal oil tapping.

However, some critics believe the government should review the contract, arguing that the arrangement could be perceived as political favouritism and warning that it may increase the influence of former militant groups in the region.

Adeyanju dismissed these concerns, saying the contract has already delivered clear results in protecting Nigeria’s oil facilities. He also called on the government to investigate those advocating for the contract’s cancellation, suggesting some may have personal interests linked to oil theft.

The activist warned that scrapping the surveillance deal could weaken efforts to protect pipelines and allow illegal oil activities to surge once again in the Niger Delta.

He urged the government to remain focused on safeguarding the country’s oil resources and resist pressure from those he claims seek a return to the era of widespread pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft.

Oil thieves behind campaign against pipeline contract – Adeyanju