THE two students of the Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State, who were abducted last week have regained freedom. Their captives released them near Chinkai village, which is about 30 kilometers from Wukari town, where they were kidnapped. The head of information and protocol unit of the university Ashu Agya disclosed this to this newspaper in a telephone interview. She confirmed that ransom was paid before the release of the two abducted students, on Thursday. Findings revealed that the abductors had demanded N50M million ransom but was turned down by the families of the students. However sources told this newspaper that…
Author: Sani Nura
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THOUSANDS of Muslim faithful trooped out in Maiduguri, Yola and Damaturu the capitals of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states respectively to observe prayers for the Eid-Al-Fitr on Wednesday. In Maiduguri, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Gov. Babagana Zulum, and Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Garbai El-Kanemi, joined other Muslim faithful to observe the prayers at Ramat Square. The two raka’at prayers were led by Imam Shettima Saleh, who prayed for the total restoration of lasting peace in Borno. A colourful durbar was organised by the Shehu of Borno to mark the occasion. In Yola, former Vice-President, who is the Waziri of Adamawa, Atiku…
A SOKOTO Muslim cleric, Sheikh Musa Lukwa, on Tuesday, led his followers to observe Eid prayer. The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, had on Monday, declared Wednesday, as the day of Eid-Al-Fitr. The Sultan, who is the President General of Nigeria’s Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, said the decision followed the report of National Moon Sighting Committees across the country, which confirmed the non-sighting of the new moon. A statement signed by the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs to the Sultanate Council, Prof Sambo Junaidu, made available to newsmen in Sokoto on Monday evening, said, “The…
THE Sokoto state government has sought the federal government’s intervention over a strange disease that killed three children in Isa local government area of the state. Speaking while receiving the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate and the Chief Executive Officer of Global Alliance Vaccine Initiative (GAVI), Dr Sania Nishtar, in the state at the weekend, the deputy Governor, Engineer Idris Gobir, said 127 children were already infected. According to him, the state government had responded to the development by deploying team of experts to the area for investigation. “We therefore seek the intervention of the federal…
AGRO Rangers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, on Saturday, repelled an attack by suspected bandits on the Federal Government’s grain silo in the Dutsinma Local Government Area of Katsina State. In a statement on Sunday, the spokesman for the NSCDC, Buhari Hamisu, said the bandits who carried the attack at about 1 a.m., wanted to destroy the silo and abduct its manager, Mr Lawal Shitu-Yar’adua. According to Hamisu, the Agro Rangers responded swiftly, engaging the bandits in a fierce gun duel for over two hours. “The valiant operatives overpowered the criminals, who scaled the rear fence of…
THE Katsina State Police Command said it has neutralised five suspected bandits, rescued over 100 kidnapped victims and recovered 658 rustled animals from March 1 to 31. Within the period under review, a total number of 51 cases of major crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, culpable homicides, cattle rustling among others, were reported, and 30 cases were charged to court. The Police Spokesman, ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, disclosed this in a press briefing held at the Command Headquarters on Friday, noting that a total number of 64 suspects were arrested in connection with these cases. He explained that a…
GOVERNOR Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has approved N500,000 subsidy for each of the 1,373 intending pilgrims for the upcoming Hajj exercise from the state. Ismaila Uba-Misilli, Director-General, Press Affairs, Government House, Gombe, said this in a statement on Friday. Mr Uba-Misilli said the decision was in response to the recent announcement by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) regarding adjustments to the 2024 Hajj fare. He stated that the governor’s approval was to mitigate the financial strain on the state pilgrims in the face of current economic challenges. “Gov. Yahaya hopes that this intervention will contribute to a…
THE Katsina State Government has refuted the claim by the Debt Management Office (DMO) that the Governor Dikko Radda-led administration has increased the state’s debt profile. A report recently published by the DMO indicated that Katsina under Governor Radda, together with some other states of the federation, collected fresh loans to worsen their prevailing debt crises. The spokesperson to the Governor, Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, however, in a statement on Wednesday, faulted the report, stating that the Governor Radda-led government has preoccupied itself with repaying subsisting loans secured by previous administrations since it came on board. The statement further noted that…
ARMED bandits in the early hours of Tuesday killed a businessman identified as Ashiru Maigoma in his house, in the Bulunku area, an outskirt of Gusau, the Zamfara State capital. The bandits also abducted the wife of the victim and his neighbour. The spokesperson for the police in the state, ASP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed the incident to News Point Nigeria on Tuesday According to him, the bandits stormed the Bulunku area around 2am in an attempt to abduct Maigoma but he resisted, forcing the bandits to shoot at him. “They (bandits) already had their target which was one Ashiru Maigoma,…
A LECTURER and Examination Officer at the University of Maiduguri, Dr Kamar Abdulkadir, was stabbed to death in his office on Sunday. The deceased was of the Department of Physical Health Education. Confirming the incident to this newspaper, the University spokesman, Prof Danjuma Gambo, said the lecturer was murdered on Sunday evening. He said no arrest had been made but police and other security agencies have lunched their investigation into the matter. Our correspondent gathered that Abdulkadir was in his office to clear a pending work when the assailants murdered him. Asked if his murder has any connection with position…
THE Taraba State Police Command has denied that an Improvised Explosive Device led to the death of three children in Didango Geita village, Karim Lamido Local Government Area of the state on Saturday, contrary to the claims of some of the villagers. The Commissioner of Police in the state, David Iloyonomon, while refuting the claims asserted that the three children that died were playing with a Dane gun on a tree. He said gun powder from the Dane gun later exploded and killed them. According to him, the four other children playing under the tree were injured with one fatally…
THE Emir of Gwoza in Gwoza local government area of Borno State, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Mohammed Shehu Timta, on Friday, revealed that the most wanted commander of Boko Haram terrorists, Mallam Yathabalwe, who had been terrorising Gwoza and the surrounding Mandara Mountain communities, has surrendered to the troops of Operation Hadin Kai. Competent sources revealed that Mallam Yathabalwe, before surrendering, had been responsible for a series of attacks and killings, including the slaughtering of farmers on their farmlands in Gwoza LGA and environs. The monarch told journalists that, “We are happy to confirm and inform you that the most…
THE Nigerian Army troops deployed in Zamfara State for counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the North West region have neutralised a notorious terrorist leader, Junaidu Fasagora, and scores of his fighters. A statement issued by the Nigerian Army via its official X handle on Thursday said the feat was achieved after a ferocious artillery bombardment and ground battle in the Tsafe General Area of the state. Fasagora and his terrorist group, have long been responsible for a series of kidnappings and other terrorist activities against the populace across several states in the North West. The statement said their elimination marks…
THE Nigerian Army has expressed it readiness to release more than 200 detainees exonerated of having links to the terrorist Boko Haram sect. The cleared detainees were arrested by the military at various raids in the heat of the Boko Haram insurgency at different locations. Report obtained by this newspaper revealed that the detainees would be handed over to the Borno State Government for proper reintegration into the society. The event, according to the report would take place at Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri, the state capital, on Tuesday. ”No fewer than 200 cleared Boko Haram suspects that are being cleared…
GOVERNOR Babagana Zulum of Borno has approved the appointment of 168 assistants and 104 board members for the 15 agencies and commissions of the state. This is contained in a statement issued by the Secretary to the Borno State Government (SSG), Alhaji Bukar Tijjani, on Monday in Maiduguri. He said the appointees comprised of nine Senior Technical Assistants (STA), 81 Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and 78 Special Assistants (SAs). The SSG also listed 104 others as Chairmen and Board members of 15 agencies and commissions. The appointment, the SSG said, was done based on powers conferred on the governor by…
THE Governor of Taraba State, Agbu Kefas, says his administration is determined to turn around the infrastructural deficit of the state to align with his blueprint geared towards the development of the state. While inspecting some of the ongoing projects within Jalingo, the state capital, on first hand assessment, the governor stated that all hands are on deck to ensure transparency and accountability in delivering the projects before one year in office. Governor Kefas was accompanied by other government functionaries in visiting some ongoing projects sites after residents lamented the infrastructural decay and deficit the state is faced with. The…
GOVERNOR Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, earlier today, received Mrs. Awa Diagne, the Task Team Lead of the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation And Hygiene (SURWASH), a World Bank funded project, in his office for a debriefing session following her tour of project sites in Gombe State. During the audience, the TTL commended the exemplary implementation of the SURWASH project by Gombe State, attributing its success to the political will exhibited by the Governor. Mrs. Diagne also lauded Gombe for being the first State to sign the Policy, Institutional, and Regulation Plan (PIRP), describing the development as a significant…
THE 15 students abducted at the Qur’anic school in Sokoto State have regained their freedom. The students were kidnapped at Gidan Bakuso village in Gada Local Government Area while running into their rooms to escape attack on the community two weeks ago. This newspaper had reported that the bandits demanded a N20 million ransom. News Point Nigeria reports that on Friday security operatives in Sokoto State in collaboration with their counterparts in Zamfara have rescued the tsangaya students and a woman abducted in the Gada Local Government Area of Sokoto State two weeks ago. The rescue operation, according to the…
MANY passengers are said to have been kidnapped in a broad daylight attack launched by some bandits in the Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State. The incident occurred on Thursday after the hoodlums intercepted an eighteen-seater bus with the registration number (14B-300-KT), loaded with passengers, belonging to the Katsina State Transport Authority. An eyewitness told this newspaper on a telephone call that most of the passengers on board were in transit from Funtua LGA to Katsina LGA. Although authorities concerned are yet to comment on the incident, the eyewitness said the incident occurred precisely between the Burdugau and Yargoje…
KATSINA State governor, Mallam Dikko Umaru Radda, has said he decided not to negotiate with bandits because he did not want them to feel the government is helpless. Radda who also advocated for state policing as part of measures to tackle insecurity that has plagued states, including Katsina, said governors need to be in charge of security in their states. The governor disclosed this in his office on Wednesday when he received a delegation from the Media Trust Group, publishers of the Daily Trust Newspapers and owners of Trust TV and Trust Radio, led by the Chairman, Board of Directors,…