Author: Aliyu H. Mohammed, Minna

FORMER Military President, Ibrahim Babangida, has disclaimed a post on a parody social media account endorsing military rule over democratic governance. The parody account, @General_Ibbro on X (formerly Twitter), falsely attributed comments to General Babangida, suggesting he preferred military rule to democracy. But in a statement signed by Mahmoud Abdullahi for IBB Media Office, Babangida emphasised his commitment to Nigeria’s democratic process. “Our attention has been drawn to a post on a parody account on X, formerly known as Twitter, which carries the handle, @General_Ibbro, in which former President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, GCFR, was supposed to have endorsed the virtues…

AT least six people have been reportedly killed while some sustained injuries in the ongoing protest in Suleja, Niger State. The victims were said to have killed while security operatives were struggling to dislodge a group of protesters who mounted barricade on a section of Abuja-Kaduna highway. This newspaper had reported how passengers and motorists were trapped on the road for hours. Some policemen who were around the barricade could not control the youths who outnumbered them. However, a reinforcement team was sent to the scene where pandemonium occurred. Among those killed was said to be Yahaya Nda Isah, a…

SOME youths have trooped to the streets of Niger State to protest the ongoing cost of living crisis in Nigeria. They wielded placards such as ‘Enough is Enough’; ‘Stop Anti-Masses Policies’; ‘We Are Not Slaves In Our Country’; ‘Hardship Is Unbearable’, ‘Fuel Subsidy Must Be Back’, among others. The protesters marched on the streets as they chanted anti-government songs. Our correspondent saw some of the protesters on Abuja-Kaduna expressway and attempted to speak with them but they declined. The Federal and State governments had made several efforts to stop the protest, saying it could be hijacked by hoodlums and enemies…

RESIDENTS of Kuchi, an agrarian community in Munya Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State, continue to suffer as 148 farmers remain in captivity fifty-three days after a devastating bandit raid on May 24, 2024. The bandits, numbering over 100, abducted the farmers, including pregnant women and children, and have since demanded ransom for their release. Abdulmalik Iliyasu, speaking to our correspondent, expressed anguish over the situation, revealing that some captives have died. Those released revealed that the bandits collected ransom before informing families of the deaths. “The bandits demand N2 million and a Honda motorcycle for each captive. We…

NIGER State Deputy Governor, Garba Yakubu, on Tuesday, lost his wife, Zainab Yakubu, in Minna, the state capital. Confirming the incident to Channels Television through a telephone call, a spokesperson for the deputy governor, Ummikaltumi Kuta, said Zainab died after a brief illness in Minna. Meanwhile, Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, has expressed sadness over the death of Zainab. The governor, in a condolence message signed by his spokesman Bologi Ibrahim described the death of the wife of his deputy as a great loss to the state. He said the death was devastating not only for his deputy but the…

FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar has paid Sallah homage on former Military President Ibrahim Babangida and former Head of State Abdullsalami Abubakar at their private apartments in Minna, the Niger State capital. Atiku posted photos of his visits to the two former military heads of state on Facebook on Wednesday. Atiku was the presidential candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections. He was Nigeria’s Vice President from May 1999 to May 2007. See photos below:

THREE persons have died following the collapse of a mining pit in the Adunu community, Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State. The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba’arah, confirmed the death of three persons and the rescue of one person in the community. According to the DG, all those trapped were recovered from the pit following community efforts. The mining site is said to be an illegal mining site that attracts mostly women and children from the community. Earlier, the state Chairman of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Yusuf Shuaibu, told Channels Television that…

NIGER State-born popular Islamic cleric Abdullateef Aliyu Maiyaki, popularly known as Mufti Yaks is dead. He died at the age of 20. According to reports, Mufti Yaks who is also a well-known motivational speaker died early hours of today, Saturday, June 1, 2024, at the National Hospital in Abuja after a brief illness. Renowned cleric and Islamic scholar, Mufti Ismail Ibn Menk revealed this via his Facebook page on Saturday. Menk, the Zimbabwean Islamic speaker who is said to be the role model of the late Mufti Yaks paid his last respects praying that Allah grants him eternal rest. It…

NINE people, including 6 vigilantes have been killed by bandits in Kuchi and adjoining communities in Munya LGA of Niger State. Dozens of farmers as well as women and children were also reported to have been kidnapped by the attackers on Friday. Sources said bandits arrived in the community around 5pm with sophisticated weapons and held residents hostage, shooting sporadically before taking away dozens. Residents told our correspondent that, Kuchi the home town of the current Munya LG Council Chairman, Aminu Najume, and other communities had come under severe attacks several times in the past before relative peace returned. Sources,…

THE Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, on Thursday, announced scholarships and gave various gift items to 100 orphaned girls in Niger State, ahead of their mass wedding today (Friday). The mass wedding is being sponsored by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji. The minister had kicked against the mass wedding of the young girls, saying it was a violation of the Child Rights Act. Kennedy-Ohanenye, who addressed a press conference in Abuja, noted that she had petitioned the Inspector General of Police to stop the wedding, adding that she also filed a lawsuit, seeking an…

A 35-YEAR-OLD health worker identified as Umar Mohammed has been stabbed to death in Gbeganu Area of Minna, Niger State capital. Sources said the deceased, staff of a private clinic in Minna, was returning home after attending to a patient when he rammed into hoodlums fighting with dangerous. Fight was said to have broken out between hoodlums at a wedding reception in Gbeganu, during which some people were also injured. Residents said activities of hoodlums have led to disruption of peace in Minna, the state capital, in recent times. They said areas usually affected include Kpakungu, Maitumbi, Fadikpe, Gbeganu, Soje,…

SEVERAL people have been trapped as a one-storey building collapsed in Minna, the Niger State capital. Emergency officials who raced to the scene on Friday succeeded in rescuing seven persons who are receiving treatment at the Minna General Hospital. The building is located at the popular New Market Area in Minna, the capital of the North-Central State. At the time of filing this report, the manual evacuation of the debris has commenced, and the authorities said machines would be mobilised quickly so that those suspected to be trapped could be rescued. The immediate cause of the building collapse is not…

BARELY 78 hours after the military authorities withdrew soldiers in Allawa Community in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, bandits have raided the community, stealing foodstuffs. This newspaper had reported how residents fled the community after soldiers withdrew following an ambush. One of the residents, Mallam Yahuza Allawa, who confirmed the invasion to our correspondent via telephone, said bandits entered Allawa and adjoining communities on Sunday morning and stole their food stuffs and other valuables, including goats and other domestic animals. He said residents of Allawa, Saminaka, Gyra-Miyan, Unguwan Sarkin-Noma, Kurmi all fled since Thursday. He said there has…

ONE hundred and nineteen inmates have escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Suleja, in Niger State after a rainstorm damaged part of the facility late Wednesday. “A heavy downpour that lasted for several hours on the night of Wednesday, 24 April 2024 has wreaked havoc on the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Suleja, Niger State, as well as surrounding buildings, destroying a part of the custodial facility, including its perimeter fence, giving way to the escape of a total of one hundred and nineteen (119) inmates of the facility,” the Deputy Superintendent of Corrections Command Public Relations Officer, FCT Command,…

SIX soldiers and one hunter lost their lives in a fight with bandits in Karaga and Rumace communities in Bassa ward, Shiroro local government area of Niger State. Two farmers were also reported to have been killed while houses, food banks and motorcycles were burnt by the attackers. Sources told this newspaper Correspondent on telephone that the attack started around 9pm on Friday and lasted for hours. One of the sources who didn’t want his name mentioned said “Six soldiers lost their lives and one volunteer hunter.” Another source, Mustapha Bassa, said bandits in their numbers rode on motorcycles with…

THE Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, said he had declared a state of emergency over insecurity in the state following a resurgence of violent activities of thugs in the state capital, Minna.  While speaking at a Sallah Durba festival organised by the former governor of the state Babangida Aliyu on his farm in Minna, he said he had directed security men to shoot at sight any thug found threatening the peace within the state. The governor’s directive comes on the heels of the resurgence of the activities of thugs which led to the death of two persons, and several others…

SUSPECTED thugs in Niger State have reportedly raided shops, killed and maimed residents in the Maitumbi area of Minna, the state capital. Eyewitnesses said the rampage started on Friday and continued for the next two days, forcing a reign of terror in the area. A tricyclist, name withheld, narrated to this newspaper how he narrowly escaped death when some of the hoodlums attacked him while he was carrying some passengers. “As I was riding my tricycle through the Maitumbi area, I had three passengers when about four of the hoodlums attacked us. They were brandishing their knives and daggers, threatening…

NIGER State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has confirmed the arrest of five suspected cattle rustlers in Tafa Local Government Area of Niger State. The State Commandant of the Corps, Joachim Okafor, confirmed the arrest in a press release made available to newsmen in Minna. Commandant Okafor said that based on credible intelligence the Agro Rangers Team on patrol across Tafa Division got information about 48 cattle which were suspected to have been rustled from Kafuru in Katsina State through Sundu Kano and heading to Paukon Kore Gwagwalada Area Council of Abuja were intercepted. He…

IN a devastating assault on Madaka community within the Rafi local government area of Niger State, suspected bandits have wrought havoc, claiming the lives of no fewer than 21 individuals, among them, the village head. The incident unfolded with terrifying swiftness around 3pm on Thursday, amidst the bustling activity of the community market, resulting in a grim tally of casualties. Reports from the scene suggest that it was utter chaos, with approximately 50 residences engulfed in flames, along with several commercial establishments, and a number of automobiles and motorcycles reduced to charred remnants. The assailants, armed and unrelenting, are said…

MANY people have been reportedly killed when bandits invaded a market in Madaka community, Rafi LGA of Niger State. The residents said the attackers invaded the market around 3pm on Thursday when the market was at its peak, shooting sporadically at people. Details of the attack were still sketchy at the time of filing this report but one of the residents who spoke in confidence said the number of casualties had not been ascertained yet. The people said the attack came two days after bandits also attacked Pangu Gari, killing the district head and four other people. The Niger State…