Author: Sani Nura

BANDITS on Sunday killed one Rabilu Tukur of Dan Ali village, Danmusa LGA of Katsina State. This newspaper gathered that the incident happened around 1pm. A resident of Dan Ali, who sought anonymity, told our reporter that the deceased, who was a staff of Danmusa LG, was returning home after dropping a passenger at Tashar Biri village. “He used his motorcycle for commercial purpose and had conveyed a passenger to Tashar Biri village, and was on his way back when the killers followed him and close to Dan Ali village, they attacked him using a cutlass to hack him to…

TWO suspected notorious bandit informants have been tracked down and arrested by the police in Katsina State, the state police command has said. Their arrest formed part of the recent achievements recorded by the command in the ongoing fight against all forms of crime and criminality in the state. The suspects, both male, famously identified as Mohammed Bello alias Dan Ali of Sabon Gari, Ikara LGA of Kaduna State, and Abubakar Mohammed alias Bakare Boss of Kumbotso LGA of Kano State were arrested on July 12 around noon based on credible intelligence. The spokesman for the command, ASP Abubakar Sadiq,…

THE Internally Displaced Persons from farming communities in Wushishi LGA of Niger State have reportedly resorted to street begging to get food to eat.  The Council Chairman, Mohammed Kpoti Yelwa made this known while distributing food items as emergency intervention to the IDPs who fled their homes, following last Friday’s invasion of some villages in the local government by bandits. He lamented that unending attacks have subjected farmers who had food in abundance in their homes to the undignified condition of street begging for food. Some of the IDPs, Umar Danladi Musa, Hajiya Habiba Mohammed Tashan-Jirgi, and Hamza Mai-Anguwan Kutunku,…

THE long-awaited commissioner nominees’ list forwarded by Governor Mai Mala Buni to the state assembly was finally unveiled by the speaker, Hon. Buba Chiroma-Mashio. This newspaper checks reveal that the first batch of the list which was purportedly released on July 27 remained unveiled until during last Tuesday’s plenary when a second batch was brought. The development had fuelled suspicions that the first batch was a blank list meant to beat the constitutionally required 60 days deadline. However, both the state government and leaders of the state house of assembly said four names were pencilled in the first list. A…

AT LEAST one million, eighty-seven thousand, eight hundred and seventy-five (1,087,875) people are reported to have been displaced in the North-West, Nigeria as a result of either clashes between herders and farmers or banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling. Of this figure, women and children are the worse hit as they constitute the biggest number whereas, in Katsina State alone, a total of 223,473 persons are said to have been displaced. The Coordinator of the Displacement Tracking Metrix, Dennis Wani made the revelation on Tuesday during the official launch of the Conflict Mitigation and Community Reconciliation Project in North-West held in…

IN keeping with his administration’s commitment to the welfare and wellbeing of the people, Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON has flagged off distribution of food items and agricultural inputs palliatives to cushion the effects of the economic hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy in the country. The distribution ceremony, held in Dadinkowa at the Palace of Emir of Yamaltu, demonstrates the Governor’ s strong belief in shared values of compassion and solidarity during challenging times. In his remarks, the Governor explained that the launching of the distribution of palliatives  was a comprehensive effort aimed at aiding…

ARMED bandits early hours of Tuesday invaded Jan-Bako town under the Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State and kidnaped 27 residents mostly women and children. News Point Nigeria reports that, a resident of the town, Ahmad Janbako said the assailants attacked the community late in the night when residents were already asleep. He said the bandits attacked the community silently from every entry point without firing a gunshot, looting shops and carting away food items and other necessities. According to him, 27 residents, mostly women, and children, were forcefully taken away by the bandits. “Last night, the community of…

THE Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, is on his way to the Wushishi Local Government Area of Niger where bandits ambushed and killed troops. News Point Nigeria had broken the news Monday that no fewer than 21 military personnel including senior officers were reportedly killed by the suspected bandits at Kundu via Zungeru in the Wushishi Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger state. This newspaper gathered that 13 of them were killed in an encounter on Sunday, while eight others were killed on Monday in an ambush in which a two-star captain and a major were reportedly involved.…

NO fewer than 21 military personnel including senior officers were reportedly killed by the suspected bandits at Kundu via Zungeru in the Wushishi Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger state. It was gathered that 13 of them were killed in an encounter on Sunday, while eight others were killed on Monday in an ambush in which a two-star captain and a major were reportedly involved. According to reports, the security operatives were trying to block the Kundu route of the criminals who were about to cross with some rustled cattle when they were ambushed, leading to the casualties including five…

THE Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, on Monday, condemned in strong terms the banditry attack in the Bungudu Local Government Area (LGA). Bandits attacked Bungudu LGA on Sunday night, resulting in one death and the kidnapping of six others. A statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, said Lawal was in Bungudu to commiserate with the Emirate and the people of the local government. He added that the governor visited the Emir’s palace to reassure his administration’s commitment and readiness to end the menace of banditry. See the full statement below: PRESS STATEMENT GOVERNOR DAUDA LAWAL VISITS BUNGUDU, CONDEMNS…

GOVERNOR Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya CON and Chairman of the Nothern Governors’ Forum has called on the Federal Government to take urgent measures to permanently solve thie recurrent problem of collapsed bridges and road washouts along Gombe-Bauchi road. These issues, he noted, have rendered the road unsafe and impassable for travelers in the North- East. The road connects Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba, and parts of Borno states, making it a critical transportation route for goods and services. During his inspection visit to the site of the road washout /collapsed bridge at Kalajanga, Kirfi LGA of Bauchi State, Governor Inuwa underscored the…

ARMED bandits early on Monday, again, attacked the secretariat of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, killing one person and abducting 7 others. A resident of Bungudu town, Ishaq Bungudu told News Point Nigeria that the armed bandits stormed the town with deadly weapons, shooting sporadically and killed one person in the process. According to him, 7 other persons were abducted, including the son of the Emir of Bungudu Abdulrahman Hassan and the Former State Programme Officer of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) under the United Nations, Abubakar S/Fada Bungudu. Ishaq Bungudu lamented the incessant attacks on the…

HUNDREDS of travellers have been stranded as Sunday morning heavy downpour cuts off the 118 Bauchi-Gombe road where a mini-bridge was washed away. The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dauda Ali Biu announced alternative routes for the motoring public travelling through Abuja-Yola Road and those travelling from the north-eastern part of the country to the North Central. The alternative routes were made known on Sunday in a statement by Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Bisi Kazeem, which noted that the advisory had become necessary following the unmotorable condition of the affected road. See the full statement…

GOMBE State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya CON has approved the appointments of District Heads and Village Heads for 5 emirate and traditional councils. This is in exercise of the powers vested in the Governor under the creation of Emirates, Districts, Villages and Wards as well as appointment and deposition of Emirs and Chiefs Law. The Secretary to the State Government,  Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi who conveyed the Governor’s approval, announced the following as district heads under Gona Emirate: Nasiru Saidu Ahmed  (Garko), Usman Idrisa Aliyu (Lafiya Mango), Mohammed Abubakar ( Kalshingi), Bello Hassan (Lawanti), Dahiru Abdulkadir Abdussalam (Amada) and Abubakar…

KATSINA State Governor, Dikko Radda, on Thursday, said his administration will not negotiate with terrorists in the State. Radda was speaking during a special prayer session organized by the state government to seek divine intervention against insecurity amidst the economic hardship facing the state. “We don’t have plans to give amnesty to terrorists, but we are ready to accept them if they are ready to embrace peace and lay down their arms,” he said. “This event is not all about prayers, but also for the clerics to step down our message to their various communities to see to the end…

POPULAR Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Ibrahim H Musa Albani Kuri has been murdered by unknown gunmen in his house at Tabra area of the bypass in Gombe state. News Point Nigeria reports that, the  cleric was brutally murdered when the assailants broke into his house in the early hours of Wednesday. Attending his funeral, Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON at the Bolari Izala Mosque in Gombe, condemned in strong terms the appalling criminal act that he said has tempered with the sense of security and prevailing peace in the state. “We want to reassure the citizens of Gombe State…

NO fewer than fourteen villagers have been abducted in three different villages of Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State. The terrorists in a separate attacks, were said to have abducted the victims after invading their villages yesterday at about 1:00 am. The villages include Yakkaka in Gazari ward, Yallagwada in Maibakko ward and Maiturmi in Rafin-Iwa ward. The terrorists abducted seven (7) persons at Yarkaka village, six (6) people at Yallagwada village and one woman at Maiturmi village. Although, members of the Vigilante Group operating in the are were able to rescue the woman victim of Maiturmi village, eyewitness…

IN a coordinated operation by troops of Sector 1 Operation Hadarin Daji in Zamfara State, troops of Operation Hadarin Daji have neutralised 10 armed bandits and rescued nine kidnapped victims. News Point Nigeria reports that, the troops of Forward Operating Base (FOB) Danmarke carried out the operation in the early hours of Tuesday, after receiving credible information on bandits’ movement with some kidnapped victims from Sokoto State through Gadazaima village in Zamfara State. The troops immediately mobilised for an offensive ambush operation within the village and made contact with the armed bandits that lasted for hours, it was learnt. A…

A FEMALE soldier enforcing the curfew imposed by Adamawa government has killed a senior colleague at a checkpoint in Yola, the state capital. Governor Ahmadu Fintiri had imposed the curfew after hoodlums broke into government warehouse and looted several items, including palliatives meant to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy. Sources told this newspaper that the female soldier simply identified as Lance Corporal Nkiru shot a captain who tried to intervene in her altercation with civilians at Fire Service Round About in the state capital. This newspaper learnt that the female soldier had insisted that motorists returning home during the…

FOUR illegal miners have been killed following the collapse of a mining pit in Kogo Kadage village in the Yadagungume area of Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State. The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday night when the miners were digging lead and trying to excavate it. The source who didn’t want to be mentioned, disclosed that people have been there for over one month mining and excavating lead, one of the mineral resources common in the area, when suddenly one of the holes they dug collapsed on them and buried them underneath. According to him, the four miners died…