Author: Sani Nura

SOME bandits have demanded N4 million as ransom to secure the release of one of the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) members abducted within the Zamfara State territory. The armed bandits reportedly abducted eight members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) along a highway within Zamfara State on Friday. The recent graduates were said to have been travelling with an Akwa Ibom Transport Company (AKTC) bus from Uyo, Akwa Ibom to Sokoto State, to take part in the mandatory National Service when their vehicle was intercepted. Emmanuel Etteh, the father of one of the victims, Glory Thomas, confirmed the…

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities following a National Executive Council meeting held at the University of Maiduguri has asked the Federal Government through the office of the Accountant General of the Federation to release outstanding promotion arrears owed its members in the interest of industrial peace and harmony in Nigerian universities. The ASUU in a statement released on Thursday morning said it was also disturbed by the news of employment racketeering perpetrated through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System. The statement reads, “NEC noted with serious concern that ASUU members are currently owed several months of promotion arrears…

THE National Youth Service Corps has said its Director General, Brig. Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed is working with the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, and the military brigade to secure the release of eight corps members kidnapped in Zamfara State on Saturday. The NYSC Director, Press and Public Relations, Eddy Megwa, made the development known on Wednesday in a telephone interview with our correspondent. “As I speak to you, the NYSC DG is in Zamfara state, and the NYSC is currently working with the police, the military brigade, and the DSS to release the eight corps members that…

A 24-YEAR-OLD housewife, Furera Abubakar, has killed her four-day-old stepson at Bantu village, Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State. Bauchi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ahmed Wakil disclosed the arrest of the suspect in a statement on Tuesday. He said, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is a co-wife to the nursing mother (victim’s mother). “The suspect entered the co-wife’s room with insecticide liquid (Gramalin) and applied it to the unhealed baby’s umbilical cord. “The liquid which was suspected to be corrosively affected, led to the deterioration of the baby’s health and eventually led to his death.” Wakil…

KABIRU Ahmadu, the member representing Gusau/Tsafe Federal Constituency in Zamfara State, has said that bandits are carrying out more attacks in the state in an attempt to force the government to negotiate with them. In an interview with Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily, Ahmadu said that the bandits wanted the government to grant them amnesty, but he believed it was not the solution. He pointed out that previous governments had tried to negotiate with the bandits, but did not work. Ahmadu also said that the bandits were taking advantage of the rainy season to carry out attacks, as the military could…

BORNO State Governor, Babagana Zulum, on Tuesday, provided palliatives for 300,000 households, supplementing the effort of the federal government to aid 100,000 households. Zulum made the announcement on Tuesday as he began distributing palliatives to disadvantaged homes on behalf of the Federal Government. Zulum said, “Today we are here to inaugurate the distribution of palliatives to 100,000 less privileged people in Borno under the presidential initiative in addition to the 300,000 households that would benefit from the state palliative.” He explained that Borno’s case is peculiar since returnees still did not have full access to their farmlands after some parts…

TROOPS of the Nigerian Army have rescued a twenty-seven-year-old Chibok schoolgirl Mary Nkeki nine years after her abduction. She was paraded at the headquarters of Operation Hadin Kai Theatre command in Maiduguri, Borno State on Monday. Being number fifty-five on the list of abducted schoolgirls, Mary said her Boko Haram husband Adam facilitated her escape after he surrendered to the Nigerian Army troops. She told journalists that she delivered two children for her terrorist husband but they all died. The now-free Mary, however, said she is in love with her terrorist husband and would love to be reunited with him.…

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…