The member representing Igalamela /Odolu constituency in the Kogi State
House of Assembly, Hon Friday Makama has been arrested by men of the
Special Anti-Robbery Squad ( SARS) Abuja.
According to his lawyer, John Adele, ” Hon Makama was arrested in Nsukka while on a business trip”
“ the men from SARS shot two tyres of his vehicle and whisked him away to an undisclosed location”
Prime News gathered that the arrest might be connected with cases of
armed robbery and thuggery committed by Hon Makama and his gang.
A source disclosed to Prime News that ” this might be the end for
Makama. In the past he has gotten away with his atrocities because of
the backing of the state government under Alhaji Ibrahim Idris.”
Flashing back to 2003 and 2012, many colossal acts of criminality were
alleged to have been committed by Friday Abdul Sani. These despicable
actions are neither mere rhetoric nor unsubstantiated accusations as
they were officially documented and testified to under oath by officers
of the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Security Services
a.k.a SSS. Unfortunately, till now, the atrocities of FridayAbdul Sani
have never been a media attraction for the local press in Kogi State
because they understand his ties with the Kogi State government and his
potentials for criminality. The guess is that any media that attempted
to bring the Friday Abdul Sani’s issue into the notice would perhaps
have its editor killed the next day and the Kogi State government
proscribed it. From the avalanche of convincing facts,Friday Abdul
Sani’s era is a reign of terror that many visit with fear; doing
otherwise, may literally spell a lack of wisdom for the preservation of
one’s life.
It is awkward to note that the Kogi State Command of the SSS in 2008 at
Kogi Sate High Court acknowledged the existence of a terrorist ofFriday
Abdul Sani’s magnitude, yet remained dormant. The sworn statement of the
SSS that the same Friday Abdul Sani is an escapee from its net vis-a
vis his new status as an ‘honorable’ member of the Kogi State House of
Assembly exposes the cover up and complicity of the SSS in the whole
epistle and it raises questions about the capacity of institutions
charged to investigate crimes or on the principles of justice which
allows a man that ought to be in jail to hold public office. Indeed,
this begs the question of how the SSS could have failed to use the
information it made under oath which is lawfully bound regarding the
affirmation of Friday Abdul Sani’s criminality. These are questions that
take on new significance when one considers that the SSS is charged
with the responsibility of granting clearance to individuals seeking
political positions.
It is more disturbing that no other security agency has made all these
knowledge public until now. Therefore, restoring justice on all the
issues that confront Friday Abdul Sani in this investigative report
simply cannot function if taken to the same Police or SSS because
justice was not served when these security organizations had the
opportunity of advancing their case of criminality against Friday Abdul
Sani. The many blatant acts of cover up of a criminal complicity have
not only resulted in continual deaths and loss of property in Kogi State
but is taking a new dimension of terrorism akin to the Boko Haram
emergence.
Nevertheless, the testimony deposed to by the SSS that, Friday Abdul
Sani is at large when combined with the pictures in this report of his
past misdeeds including gunshot wounds sustained from a robbery incident
as also deposed to by an Assistant Commissioner of Police under oath
and images of Friday Abdul Sani in handcuff and leg chains with blood
stains are sufficient reasons for any focused security agency to keep
such a criminal away from the streets.
In the spirit of Nation building and security, we share again, the below
report on Friday Abdul Sani’s antecedents for the purpose of fighting
terrorism, advancing justice and enhancing Nigeria’s democracy. This
report is a chilling study of one man’s role in the entangled web of
violence. It features an in-depth examination of past and present issues
of violence connected to Friday Abdul Sani with astonishing details on
how the Kogi state government is allegedly guilty of glamorizing
terrorism. This report goes on to spin out a complex web of connections
and intrigue that ties together the Kogi state government and Friday
Abdul Sani. Indeed, it exposes and boldly challenges the cover up roles
played by the security agencies. To supplement the analysis,
quantitative evidence depicting provocative and lucid pictures of crime
scenes ofFriday Abdul Sani have been included.
Even though evidence exist that many petitions have been written in the
past two years against Friday Abdul Sani to the offices of the Attorney
General of the Federal Government and some security agencies, the
assumption here is that they may not have probably reached its addresses
by now. What follows here are details about some particularly
spectacular criminal operations of Ajana mopol, a clear line of argument
on Nigerian security and how the government can respond to credible
threats emerging from criminal sophistication of these hoodlums that are
alleged to be sharpening their machetes and oiling guns to do more harm
to the general public by polluting the atmosphere of the 2015
presidency in favour of their financiers..
.Ajana Mopol a.k.a Odolu Youths Movement has demonstrated that it can be
as dangerous as any violent terrorist group in the world. The group
which was formed by Friday Abdul Sani Makama in 2003 as a political thug
group tasked with hitting political opponents had originally been an
amorphous movement of local youths without offices or membership roll.
In its early days, the group was primarily active within Igalamela/Odolu
Local Government Council of Kogi State as an armed gang. In 2003, when
the mantle of leadership changed and Alhaji Ibrahim Idris emerged as the
new governor of Kogi state, he found it expedient to recruit the
services of Friday Abdul Sani. In the administration of Ibrahim Idris,
Friday was most trusted confidant as he was a master in creating
perceptions on political opponents.
Specifically, between 2004 and 2007, Friday Abdul Sani, the group leader
carried out multiple violent attacks in Kogi state. Of note is the
murder of one Samaila Ejima on the 14thof December, 2004. This incident
is one in a long series of offenses committed against the public but the
corrupt system of the police brewed injustice in some stages of the
case. The police made some arrests but when enquiries were raised by
some Odolu community members on the status of the case, the then
Commissioner of Police informed them that the case had been transferred
to Force Headquarters, Abuja for investigations. Although, one of the
murder suspects, Mohammed Omolayo. A.k.a Lessgo was later arrested by
the Police Area Command at Nsukka, he was said to have escaped or
released before the Odolu Police Division got to Nsukka.
By 2007, Friday Abdul Sani’s group had become a militant movement of
mostly youths with many branches of small violent groups like ‘positive
youths’ and ‘Aluta Youths’. These small groups before 2007, obtained
most of their financing through ransoms, extortions and illegal
collection of revenue from timber contractors from Enugu State. In the
closing months of 2007, with the new status of the militant group as an
umbrella organization for youths’ violence, the group became more
organized and even participated in government functions. Even
thoughFriday Abdul Sani’s group had never been legally registered in the
first place, the Kogi state government of Alhaji Ibrahim Idris
recognized them. The group was initially not thought to receive funding
from government sources but in 2007, new facts revealed otherwise. Prior
to 2007 elections, the Ajana Mopol best described a pro-government
militia group engaged in an extended campaign of violence, from the
murders and attempted murders of prominent politicians to arson,
abduction, intimidation, extortion and repeated threats of political
opponents of Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, ex-governor of Kogi state. Indeed, it
is common knowledge that the Kogi state government of Ibrahim Idris was
also associated with a number of repressive policies and actions aimed
at limiting and punishing political opposition but the hidden fact was
that Friday Makama was the mastermind.
Furthermore, in 2007, Friday Abdul Sani’s militancy gained recognition
and official status as a pro government militia group in Kogi State
after the group carried out civilian brutality during the 2007 elections
for Ex-Governor Ibrahim Idris. Friday Abdul Sani became a rallying
point for the supporters of Ibrahim Idris and his group then attracted a
considerable number of new recruits. The Kogi state Government raised
the operational profile of Friday Abdul Sani’ when he was appointed the
Special Assistant to the Governor on youths empowerment. One wonders how
such an uncompromising criminal could empower youths if not that the
appointment was presumably an incentive for a job well done for Governor
Ibrahim Idris.
At the height of the group’s notoriety and power in 2007, Friday Abdul
Sani possessed an army of well-paid youths. His known lieutenants and
field officers in crime were Muhammed Musa a.k.a Lessgo. Friday Ademu
a.k.a Friday Akpu, Abdul Umoru a.k.a OC torture, MondayAbutu, a.k.a Ring
Commander, Abuh Muhammed a.k.a Bebeto, Inda Musa a.k.a lion of Africa,
Onuche John, Abraham Apeh Ameh, Ademu a.k,a Pery komo, Idris Umoru a.k.a
Idi, Alidu Abuh, Lucky Oforachi, Ndanusa Salifu a.k.a Achakuma, Yunusa
Jubrin a.ka Fada, Emmanuel Obaje a.k.a Ucha and Jubrin a.k,a Bubligo.
All these youths carried out many high-profile attacks in the years 2007
and 2008, including stealing and burning of houses. Specifically, these
youth militants violently disrupted the swearing ceremony of elected
Vice Chairman and ten councilors of Igalamela Odolu Local Government
Council. The case was investigated by Assistant Commissioner of Police
‘D’ Department, Lokoja with reference no C27650/KG/X/Vol.11 but Friday
Abdul Sani was never arrested. Information from the Police records of
investigation as conducted and signed by ACP Ibrahim Sabo Umar of 20th
August 2008 stated that on the 1st of August 2008, ‘at about 1630hrs the
group of thugs believed to have been sent by Francis Akowe Ocheja came
with arms –AK 47, pump action riffles to the Odolu Local Government
Chairman’s residence at Idah and started firing arms at random around
the house.
They included Yunusa Jibrin a.k.a father ‘m’, Danladi Akpai Ebiloma ‘m’,
Ademui James Sule ‘m’, Friday Abdul Sani ‘m’ Special assistant and
co-ordinator of kogi State Youth Empowerment Programme, Sunday F.
Ocheja, ‘m’, son of Francis Akowe Ocheja, Iliyasu Musa a.k.a Okpiye ‘m’,
Kabiru Danjuma ‘m’ a.k.a carpet, Ocheni Musa ‘m’ a.k.a Aska, Ubile Abuh
Onuche ‘m’, Danlami Isah ak.a Aminta ‘m’, Obaje Achimugu a.k.a OBJ ‘m’,
Basim Usman a.k.a Bona ‘m’, Abdulahi Usman a.k.a cow butcher, a staff
of the local government council, Bello Ibrahim ‘m’ Amunike, Bala Sule‘m’
a.k.a Daram and Arome Isah a.k.a Rumsy, According to the Police
investigations ‘ the above mentioned persons or thugs armed themselves
with AK 47 and pump action riffles and attacked the home of Hon Ernest
Ocholi Abah and set three motor vehicles, two motorcycles and two
electric generators ablaze. They also pulled down the fence, damaged the
doors, louvers and looted away several properties’. The police
concluded its report by stating that ‘the level of destruction, looting
and killing involved in this case was too much’.
The irony is that despite the fact that Friday Abdul Sani’s violent acts
were conclusively established by the police and the SSS had in its past
investigations repeatedly characterized him as a criminal beyond any
reasonable doubt, he was never sent to jail by any court of law. On
this, the then State Governor Ibrahim Idris is believed to have advised
the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to give Friday Abdul
Sani a clean bill of health to avoid further prosecution by the Police.
Indeed, this is a clear case of standing justice on its head because the
investigation report provided by the police detailed the extraordinary
lengths Friday Abdul Sani had taken to advance criminality and obstruct
justice. Ordinarily, If the State Police Command was not in approval or
compromise of the intervention of Governor Ibrahim Idris, these
atrocities could have made headlines that would have attracted enormous
attention of the Police headquarters.
Nevertheless, accountability by Friday Abdul Sani in Kogi Sate for his
criminal activities was wishful thinking as the Kogi State command of
the SSS was also later caught up in contradiction like the Nigerian
Police. Thanks, many say, to the help from Ibrahim Idris, the political
godfather of Friday Abdul Sani who arguably used his wealth to control
the Kogi state security apparatus. Like in every State in Nigeria, the
Governor calls the shots and has the influence to terminate any case
against any of his disciples except when such cases are transferred to
zonal commands or headquarters.
In the months of May and November 2008, residents of Okanwili, Ofodo,
Agbokete and Ogbogbo communities were attacked and sacked byFriday Abdul
Sani led militants. Property belonging to a former Commissioner for
Health, Hon Martin Onu Idakwo and Alhaji Yakubu Abuh were vandalized.
During the mentioned period, Dekina Local Government Council was
attacked and an innocent Pre-National Diploma student of the Federal
Polytechnic Idah was gunned down while coming out from the mosque. Also,
cars belonging to Hon Ernest Abah and Jacob Edime were burnt. In
Agbokete community, an eighty year old man, Adebo Abutu was beaten to
death. The police as usual conducted investigations but
characteristically no one was arrested because then Governor Ibrahim
Idris in his capacity as the Chief Security Officer of the state, was
not in support of the police actions. The truth is that Friday Abdul
Sani’s atrocities were well known to the Kogi State government but the
State Governor merely condoned them by patting Friday on the back
through award of contracts to renovate schools. Even though large sums
were paid, no work was done.
In 2008, Friday Abdul Sani was arrested and detained in Prison. He was
later charged to court by the Kogi State Police Commissioner on
established heinous crimes. He was indicted by the police for his
alleged involvement in violent attacks and murder. His stay in the gulag
never lasted even though no bail was granted by any court for his
release. Specifically, in the middle of his trial, a twist was
introduced by the SSS when it applied to the Magistrate Court for the
release of Friday Abdul Sani on the grounds that he was needed to
endorse some security documents in its office. The release of Friday
Abdul Sani by the court from prison to the SSS led to his eventual
escape. It was very obvious the Kogi state government had a hand in this
and it was executed through some discrete tactics by the government of
Ibrahim Idris in collaboration with the SSS. This assumption draws its
strength from the evidence that no officer of the SSS was ever arrested
neither was any manhunt launched to nab Friday Abdul Sani but the simple
explanation is that some persons charged with the responsibility of
keeping him in custody were bribed. It is an explanation that satisfied
the Kogi State court for terminating the case against Friday Abdul Sani.
Till date, the sudden disappearance of this alleged terror mastermind
from the custody of the Kogi State Command SSS is still mysterious but
it was reported that the State government facilitated his release
through the then ADC to the Ex-Governor Ibrahim Idris. Friday Abdul
Sani, having severally been patronized by the Kogi state government,
grew in influence and took laws into his hands by seeking to diminish
the influence of the security agencies in Kogi State. In an instance,
Friday Abdul Sani through his lawyer claimed that the SSS fired shots at
him while escorting a top politician. However, in a statement under
oath made by the SSS at the Kogi State High Court, the security agency
did not only deny it but revealed explicit details of Friday Abdul
Sani’s atrocities. Indeed, if the SSS were serious then, they would have
re-arrested and sued him. Doing so would have set a precedent because
the first step to achieving a peaceful and law abiding society is to
take dangerous criminals off the streets.
The mayhem by Friday Abdul Sani continued in the years 2009 and 2011.
Specifically, on 20th July 2010, the office of the Attorney General,
Abuja instituted a case at the Federal High Court Abuja, case No
AB/149/10 on a series of criminal charges against Friday Abdul Sani,
Umar Yakubu, Garba Muhammed, Akpa Ademu, Inusa Audu and Ocheni Abdul.
The charges included armed robbery at Karomsi Hotel Lokoja and another
between Lokoja and Ajaokuta Expressway. Also included were that on April
11th 2010, the residence of former Federal Minister of State, Interior,
Hon Humphrey Abah was burgled and vandalized byFriday Abdul Sani and
that on 23rd of June 2010, Friday Abdul Sani and five others at Ejule in
Ofu local government Council robbed one Moses Garba. Other charges
stated by Aliyu Adedeji, the State Counsel to the Attorney General
included unlawful possession of fire arms and that Friday Abdul Sani had
been declared wanted. Witnesses listed by the prosecutor include, Ademu
Momoh of Ejule village of Ofu local government council, Kogi State,
Umar Sani of the SSS, Lokoja, Andrew James of the SSS, Abuja and Sergent
Uba of the Nigerian Police, Zone 8, Lokoja, Kogi state. On this issue,
Friday Abdul Sani has continued to evade prosecution. The strangest part
of it all is the Kogi State command of the SSS even with the compelling
revelations on Friday Abdul Sani, failed to conduct an appropriate
security screenon Friday Abdul Sani in 2011 before being cleared to
contest for elections. Indeed, this speaks volume of the nature of
partnership that exists between the Kogi state command of the SSS and
its headquarters.
There are other instances of public disturbance and assault committed by
the members ofAjana Mopol. Precisely, on the 20th November 2011 at
Ajaka town, Friday Abdul Sani violently attacked one Hon. Ismali Inah
Hussain-a member of the Federal House of Representative and his
supporters during the gubernatorial campaign of Captain Idris Wada. Both
Ex Governor Ibrahim Idris and the incumbent Kogi State Governor Idris
Wada were witnesses. Their silence explains the Kogi State government’s
endorsement of Friday Abdul Sani’s criminality as they were more
interested in securing electoral victory through any means. Certainly,
the grooming of Friday Abdul Sani by Ex- Governor Ibrahim Idris is akin
to a man that sets a house ablaze in the night without confirming those
inside. Therefore, when Friday Abdul Sani requested for the PDP ticket
to the State House of Assembly, Governor Ibrahim Idris could not say no.
Today, Captain Idris Wada as governor Kogi State has acquired Friday
Abdul Sani and his group as a comfortable liability. The activities of
Ajana Mopol have not ceased to cause devastation to the livelihoods of
many of the people of Kogi state, yet Friday Abdul Sani has continued to
elude the investigations of security agencies. Specifically, on May 5th
2012, Friday Abdul Sani’s group was accused of being responsible for
the murder of three Fulani herdsmen at Odolu where their corpses were
recovered by the police authorities. Also, on the 7th of May 2012,
Friday Abdul Sani’s field officers were alleged to have robbed many
people at Odolu community along Nsukka road. The police arrested Amodu
Musa a.k.a Nnamdi. Tenimu Gbogbobiri and two other youths but the gang
leader, Muhammed Musa a.k.a Lessego and two others are assumed to still
be at large.
Over the years some well guided elites of Kogi state have boldly
expressed disapproval over the activities of Friday Abdul Sani,
incidents and documents abound on petitions written to security agencies
at both state and federal levels. Specifically, a group known as
concerned citizens of Igalamela/ Odolu were first to raise an alarm vide
a petition written to then IG of police in the year 2008. The said
petition was endorsed by Hon Ernest O. Abah, a former Local Government
Chairman, Hon Zekeri Amnu, Hon Ibrahim Mohammed, Hon Sule Jacobs, Hon
Abdul Aruwa and Hon Phlemon Achiugu. Copies of petition were sent to
some vital security agencies including office of the DG SSS, Senate
Committee on Security, Hon Ismail Inah Hassan, member Idah Federal
Constituency and Humphrey Abah, former Minister of state police affairs
and AVM Salifu Atawodi Rtd. Till date, no official response have been
communicated to the petitioners.
Certainly, a drama is playing out in the Kogi state. According to the
information made available to PRIMENEWSNG by a loyalist of FridayAbdul
Sani, the Ajana Mopol group has been enlisting new members that are
active in multiple areas of Kogi State. The objective is to sabotage the
initiatives of political opponents within the north central region with
massive offensive attacks that would inflame the federal government
into confusion as done by Boko Haram. Presently, the group is estimated
to have a membership of about 250 with an extended membership of over
2000 in the rest of twenty Local Government Councils of Kogi State.
Friday Abdul Sani’s sustained commanding control of the group is largely
adduced to the patronage of some top politicians in the State. Listed
is the former governor of the state, Ibrahim Idris. It is not clear if
the group’s leader, Friday Abdul Sani is connected with any
fundamentalist groups but the activities Ajana Mopol share great
resemblance with tactics of some core militant groups in Asia.
That Friday Abdul Sani’s new pursuit to take over the political
leadership of Kogi includes carrying out operations that are considered
repressive and inappropriate are established facts. The initial police
investigation which acknowledged that Friday Abdul Sani is an illegal
arms dealer seems to have been proved right with the new insinuations
that Friday Sani Abdul has been involved in the importation of body
armors and fire arms. Where the funding of such a huge capital
investment comes from may not be a difficult guess because Friday Sani
Abdul may not need outside financing because under Ibrahim Idris, he was
officially given two billion naira for school renovation by the Kogi
State Government through a special account in Skye Bank, Lokoja but no
school was renovated.
The growth of Ajana Mopol group in criminal activity is one that has
been a concern of many citizens of Kogi State. Unfortunately, with
enhanced criminal capabilities, financial resources and if Kogites all
Friday Abdul Sani to return as lawmaker, he will continue to fund
members of Ajana Mopol to hide their involvement, thwart law enforcement
efforts and even create images of legitimacy. It is therefore not wrong
to assume that Friday Sani Abdul and his subordinates would continue
their efforts to escape justice and avoid the reach of the law in many
new ways that demand attention. Indeed, if they can avoid responsibility
for past acts, then they can be emboldened to commit further abuses and
that seems to be the pattern that is developing under the
administration of Idris Wada.
Source:Kogi Prime News
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