* There’s no better time imploring for Divine intervention than now – Qutba
The Periscope reporter
It was not conceived that it was not yet over, when Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa state took the courageous executive step to neutralise the activities of the notorious, chronic-know-nothing, hitherto politically above the law thugs, codenamed “Shilla” gangs, the analysands in various articulations, traced as being nurtured to immoral maturity, by the immediate past administration that suffocated the peace by humiliating the security, law and order in the state capital.
Former Governor Admiral Murtala Hammanyero Nyako has considered skills acquisition, youth and women empowerment as solutions to restiveness, thuggery and other forms of insecurity.
It has proved to be a worthy solution, as the youths without attitude denied of skills acquisition, have taken to the devil’s workshop.
It was also not conceived that it was not yet over when the chairman of Maiha local government, Hon Idi Ali Amin took the critically strategic step to initiate and host international security meeting with the leadership of the border towns in Cameroon Republic.
Shilla activities were initially addressed; a newly found fanning-fresh-air, fine-tree, would be attributed to Fintiri, a hero governor, celebrated with metaphoric ovasion.
Suddenly, the insecurity associated with banditry and kidnappings that enveloped the north central states would seem to be heartless by ignoring the suffocation suffered by the north east, in the merciless hands of Boko Haram insurgency, visited Adamawa state rather aggressively.
The war was waged, the wages were disappointments, extortion by means of ransom and even death; the hopeless hung hopelessly in frustration; then the blame game.
“We’re trying,” the government would explain.
“Your efforts aren’t enough,” the aggrieved would argue.
So goes the debate working out the solution; the more the arrests, other crime reared its ugly head.
It was at Hong local government, before the reporter could get to complete the story, kidnappers visited residents around Upper Benue in Mbamba, referred to as doctors’ quarters, few days ago, between the hours of 12am and 1am.
The target, with the members of the family has armed himself for a fight, reportedly fierce.
The target fired a shot at the kidnappers. One of them was hit hard enough to scare the rest to take to their heels.
His painful condition was hopeless, feared in confession for clemency, he would betray the gangs and perhaps their sponsors, the colleagues in crime gave him another painful bullet; sounding wages of sin, to death was the supposed burden left abandoned in pool of blood.
Three members of the target’s family who sustained machetes’ injuries were reported to be on admission in FMC Yola.
The security situation in Maiha local government area was not pleasing to relate.
The Council Chairman would reveal to the Periscope that there have been kidnappings in the local government area. There were also arrests, with some ransom recoveries.
“You should know that devil will not stop tempting the innocent and challenging peace.
“Just but yesterday, in the late hours at night, Jalingo-Bu village, Manjekin ward, Jalingo-Maiha district, just close to the village head’s house, undisclosed number of kidnappers, identified as notorious Fulani herdsmen, visited one of the wealthiest crime-free herdsman to abduct him and rustle his herds.
“A courageous son of a good neighbour; about 18 years old, went out to see what was happening, they descended on him with matchets and guns; hacked his hand before putting bullets to end his life.
“Communication for rescue wasn’t brilliant, because, the Base Transceiver Station (BTS), referred to as mobile phone mast, belonging to MTN could not withhold thunder storms. It fell down on a community school building; Dodo Memorial School and eventually destroyed classroom buildings.
“Allied security team is however working on arresting the situation as usual,” Hon Idi Ali Amin would say.
Concerned citizens lamented that “the growing rate of kidnappings and assaults within Yola North, Yola South, Fufore, Girei and Song local governments, Adamawa Central with some criminal activities reported from Mayo-Belwa, Ganye and Numan, Southern Senatorial zone, citizens should be security conscious; should be mindful of their utterances, especially, on social media and pray for safety.
A Jumu’at Qutba urged the citizenry to be submissive in prayers, imploring for Divine intervention with a view to addressing insecurity and insurgency.