Author: Bala Muhammad

A POLICE Divisional Officer has rejected one million naira bribe offered to him by a suspected notorious bandit after his arrest in a hotel in Kaduna Community. The arrested bandit reportedly offered the bribe out of the ransom recovered from him by the police at a hotel in Tafa community. According to the Police Command Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, on Thursday, the arrest was made on the 19th of January, 2024. According to him, the divisional headquarters received credible information regarding the presence of the suspected person st Easyway hotel in Tafa town. He explained that their Operatives…

THE Nigerian Air Force says air strikes undertaken by the air component of Operation WHIRL PUNCH, on Thursday, neutralized a well-known terrorist and kidnap kingpin popularly known as Janari and several members of his syndicate. Janari and his cohorts have been responsible for several attacks and abductions within Kaduna State as well as along the Abuja-Kaduna highway, a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet on Sunday said. Gabkwet said that the strikes were authourized after Janari and his gang were sighted at a location near Gadar Katako…

THERE was tension in Kidandan Village of Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State as 10 children sustained fatal injury in an explosion. The incident happened Saturday afternoon when the children were said to be playing with an object found in the nearby bush. Sources said the object, believed to be a bomb, exploded suddenly. Pictures of the victims obtained by this newspaper showed them in blood as they were being attended to by some residents. They were later rushed to Shika Hospital in Zaria for treatment. The Village Head, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Ruka, also confirmed the incident, saying he…

A 400-LEVEL student of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi has been arrested for alleged possession of illegal firearms. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ahmed Wakil. in a statement on Wednesday said the suspect was arrested on Saturday following a tip-off by a vigilante group, saying the student illegally acquired one locally-made gun, one locally-made pistol, and 9mm live ammunition. The suspect had already admitted to the offence and claimed that the weapons belonged to another person previously arrested for possession of a locally made pistol in 2021. Wakil said that a 28-year-old business café operator had…

THE Inspector-General of Police Olukayode Egbetokun, has launched the Special Intervention Squad in the Federal Capital Territory to curb activities of kidnappers and bandits, especially in border towns within the territory. Our correspondent gathered that the squad would be in charge of patroling and securing the communities within the various borders of the FCT, and intervening to curb and mitigate violent attacks in the nation’s capital The Nigeria Police Force had in late 2023 revealed that deployment of 40,000 operatives of the Special Intervention Squad who were undergoing training would begin with Katsina and nine other states including the FCT.…

VICE-PRESIDENT Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja to represent Nigeria at the 2024 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum scheduled to hold in Davos, Switzerland. Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice-President’s spokesman, who announced this in a statement on Sunday, said Nigeria’s number two man would join other political and business leaders across the world at the annual Forum to discuss global socio-economic and development issues. “Top on Vice President Shettima’s agenda, apart from the plenary session, is the launch of the Private Sector Action Plan for African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) at a special session to be co-chaired by him.”…

MRS Saratu Yakubu, the mother of a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has died at the age of 103. Dogara, who announced her death on Friday evening, in a statement said, “It is with utmost gratitude and total submission to the will of God Almighty that we announce the transition to glory of our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, Mama Saratu Yakubu Tukur, which occurred today, Friday, December 22, 2023 at the age of 103 years.” Dogara said he was comforted by the fact that she led a life of total commitment, dedication and service to God and…

THE Executive Chairman of Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Malam Salihu S. Abubakar, has called on all Muslims who intend to perform the next Hajj, and those with capability to undertake the 2024 pilgrimage, to register on or before December 31st, 2023. Malam Salihu who made the call during a media briefing at the agency’s headquarters in Kaduna on Wednesday, said the final closure of registration is on December 31st, 2023. The Executive Chairman noted that reminder becomes   necessary because the deadline is a few days away. He reiterated that all intending pilgrims are required to deposit N4.5 million…

THE Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa, has assured the public that the report on investigation into the Kaduna bombing will be out very soon and made public. Over a 100 people were confirmed dead in the accidental air strike in the Igabi council area of the North-West state some weeks back with scores injured. In the wake of the incident, President Bola Tinubu ordered a probe into the matter with the CDS saying the outcome of the investigation is expected soon. “Very well. It [report] is going to be made public. The Federal Government is already in charge,…

THE governors of the 19 Northern states have asked the Federal Government to redouble its efforts to tackle the menace of banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and other related security challenges bedeviling the region. The governors under the aegis of the Northern Governors Forum also said they are working collectively to ensure that the tragic accidental military airstrike in Tundun Biri, Kaduna State is thoroughly investigated with a view to compensating the victims and taking corrective measures so as to prevent future occurrence. In his opening remarks at the governors meeting in Kaduna on Friday, the chairman of the forum and governor…

THE Defence Headquarters says it has opened an investigation into the December 3 accidental bombing of Tudun Biri community in Kaduna State, which claimed over 100 lives. The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, in a telephone interview with this newspaper on Wednesday, said the investigation panel has eight senior officers. This was as the leadership of the Tudun Biri community in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State disowned the claim that the community had filed a N33bn lawsuit against the Federal Government. This newspaper reports that the villagers were said to be celebrating Maulud when…

THE immediate past governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, has approved the appointment of 64 aides across the local governments in his constituency. Tambuwal, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Housing and Urban Development, announced the appointment of Constituency and Local Government Aides for the Sokoto South Senatorial District in a press statement made available to journalists  on Monday by his media aide, Muhammad Bello. Bello said, “This initiative is part of the Senator’s efforts to empower his constituents and drive the his development agenda.” The newly appointed aides consist of some of his former commissioners and special…

WHEN the Nigerian Navy signed a contract with the Nakura International Ltd, for the supply of 12 units of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, otherwise called UAVs, little did they know that the man behind the company, Alhaji Ahmed Nakura, has a very high passion for excellence and a niche for the pre-eminence of the Nigerian Navy in modern ways of reconnaissance as well as navigation. And indeed yesterday, 8th December 2023, history was made by the Nigerian Navy, as it commissioned the UAVs at the Ojo Naval base Lagos, to the applause of many serving and retired naval officers. In…

THE National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu and senators from northern Nigeria have passed a vote of confidence on the country’s security agencies despite the accidental military drone strike in Tudun Biri village of Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State. While 85 persons were confirmed dead in the strike and scores were injured in the most recent military mishap, Ribadu and the lawmakers are commending the commitment of security agencies to reducing the security challenges in the region. The NSA who gave the commendation when he visited Tudun Biri village on a fact-finding mission, also assured that the bombing…

THE Sultan of Sokoto Dr. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar has demanded justice for the victims of military airstrikes that killed over 100 people in Tudun Biri village in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The Sultan said this at the Silver Anniversary of the 11th Emir of Jama’a, Alhaji (Dr) Muhammad Isa Muhammad (CON) on the throne, at the Emir’s Palace in Kafanchan, Kaduna, on Friday. “We are here not only to celebrate the emir, but to also pray for the emirate and the lives of those killed in Kaduna State. We are going to push for it until justice…

VICE President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Kaduna State to commiserate with the victims and families of last Sunday’s military airstrikes at Tudun Biri village in Igabi Local Government Area of the state. He was welcomed on arrival at the Nigerian Air Force base, Mando by Governor Uba Sani and top officials of the Kaduna State Government. The Vice President was accompanied by the Speaker, Abbas Tajuddeen, Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and the APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. Thursday’s condolence visit comes four days after the deadly airstrike that killed over 85 persons and injured several…

GOVERNOR Uba Sani of Kaduna State has ordered a full investigation into Sunday’s tragic military air strike at Tudun Biri village which claimed the lives of over 50 people. The villagers were observing Maulud celebration and were mistakenly killed and many others injured following a military drone attack targeting terrorists and bandits. In a statement issued to condole with the people of Tudun Biri community over the tragic incident, the governor said his administration is determined to prevent a repeat of the incident. He reassured the citizens that their security and protection will be prioritised in the sustained fight against…

MEMBERS of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly on Friday unanimously elected, Danladi Jatau, representing Kokona West Constituency as Speaker of the House. Similarly, the position of the Deputy Speaker went to Mohammed Oyanki, member representing Doma North Constituency. The newly occupied positions followed Tuesday’s sack of the former Speaker, Ibrahim Abdullahi at the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja. Our correspondent reports that the new Speaker, Jatua, a member of the All Progressives Congress, collaborated with Oyanki, who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party to emerge as leader of the assembly in order to maintain its existing peace.…

THE crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress in Bauchi State has deepened as executives of the party, on Thursday, passed a vote of no confidence in its Chairman, Babayo Misau. The APC Legal Adviser, Rabi’u Garba, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the end of an emergency meeting held at the Next Level Secretariat of the party. He said that 27 out of the 37 executives of the party took the decision during the meeting because Misau failed in his responsibilities as state chairman pointing out that this has caused the party losses at the last general election, especially the…

THE Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) has rejected over 30,000 applicants who applied as cadets of the 75th Regular Course of the prestigious military institution. NDA Commandant, Major General John Ochai, who made the disclosure at the matriculation of 441 cadets into the various degree programmes as members of the 75th Regular Course of the NDA, said the 441 cadets including one allied student from the Gambia were selected after a competitive screening exercise. He explained that the selection of just 441 cadets out of the over 30,000 applicants, underscored how the academy prioritise competence and compliance with international best standards.…