​Kidnappers abduct woman journalist, abandon her 6-month-old baby in Adamawa

Some Gunmen has in the early hours of Tuesday stormed Mbamba, a suburb of Yola, the Adamawa State capital and abducted a nursing journalist while abandoning her 6-month-old baby.

The abducted nursing journalist, Amra Ahmed Diska who is a news editor with the Adamawa Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Yola, according to sources resumed duty recently following her maternity leave.

Reports indicated that the gun wielding assailants came in their numbers and forcefully gained entry into the home of the editor and whisked her away.

A source told our reporter that, “it appears the gunmen came with the aim of kidnapping the husband of the journalist but since they didn’t met him, they decided to kidnap the nursing mother.”

Confirming the incident, the image maker of Adamawa State police command, DSP Sulaiman Nguroje said, the journalist was abducted at her husband’s house at Mbamba between 1:00am to 2:00am on Tuesday.

He noted that the police are on the trail of the kidnapers promising to rescue her and bring the perpetrators to book.

A senior official of NUJ who do not want his name in print told our correspondent that it is disheartening that journalists who are working round the clock to inform and educate the populace are not immune to the snare of the kidnapers.

”It is unfortunate that the lady and easy going fellow met this crude destiny. Journalist like other toiling masses are just struggling to make their ends meet. This is one story too many. Our prayers are with the immediate family of this toiling journalist,” the official said.

Recently, hoodlums in their numbers attacked the house of another journalist and dispossessed him of cash, electronics and other vital home appliances.

Despite efforts by the state government and security operatives to stem the tide of the ugly scourge, kidnapping has continued to manifest as a serious security threat to people in the state especially those living on the fringes of the state capital.

Source: TGnews

 
 

Investigate Alleged Use Of Zango Urban As Hideout For Bandits, Atyap Community- raises alarm

The Atyap Community Development Association (ACDA) has expressed concerns over reports that some unpatriotic elements in Zango Urban Ward in Zango Kataf Local Government Area are providing cover to bandits that are attacking communities around the area.

This was expressed in a statement signed by ACDA President Worldwide, Comrade Dr. Silas Adamu, who said such people aiding the bandits are frustrating peace efforts initiated by their reverred traditional ruler, the Agwatyap, Sir Dominic Yahaya and well supported by the, association, tasking security agencies to thoroughly investigate the occurrence.

“While we were beginning to make impressive progress in the peace and reconciliation process between the Atyap and our Hausa and Fulani brothers and sisters, we are saddened that some unpatriotic elements are bent on taking us through the dark paths of suspicion and blood letting by aiding bandits to make Zango Urban their hideout.

 “We gathered that the attack on February 28 at Kakwa village in our community where 5 persons died and four persons were maimed and are still receiving treatment, was allegedly carried out by bandits who hid in Zango Urban, struck and went back to hide inside same area,” it said.

ACDA commended security agencies for subsequent arrest of some of the suspected attackers, who were said to have blood stains on their clothes when they were nabbed.

“We commend security agencies for promptly arresting the suspects, while appealing on them to be more proactive in preventing such attacks through intelligence gathering.
“We also commend the Kaduna State Government and the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Honourable Samuel Aruwan for steps taken towards preventing attacks on our communities and we hail the position of the government of Kaduna State for declaring all forms of criminalities perpetrated by bandits as enemies of the people as expressed by the Honourable Commissioner at the Para-Mallam Peace Round Table in Kafanchan on Tuesday 2nd March 2021 and urge government to deal with the situation decisively in order to protect lives and property of citizens of the state,” it said.

ACDA called on all leaders of the three ethnic groups to show more genuine commitment to the peace efforts by nipping areas of suspicion and lead their peaple towards genuine peace efforts while urging all residents of Atyapland to be vigilant and report any suspicious movements to security agencies.

“To all residents of Atyapland, we must all join hands to put the enemies of peace to shame by exposing all trouble makers and merchants of conflict to security agencies,” it added.

The statement also called on those aiding bandits to desist from such as there cannot be any meaningful Development without peace.

ACDA added that in view of the respect accorded the Agwatyap’s peace efforts, it had since set up a Peace and Reconciliation Committee, appealing to all stakeholders to consolidate the gains already made.

​IGP directs launch of Police anti-cultism campaign in Edo

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu has directed launch of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and other Vices (POCACOV) in Edo State, a statement from the POCACOV National Coordinator, Mr Ebere Amaraizu has said.

The statement, which was made available to newsmen in Enugu on Tuesday, quoted Amaraizu as saying that the campaign needed to move into Edo State and its environs and work with different stakeholders, to mitigate the high incidence of cultism and other vices in the state

” It has to go in line with the tenets of community-oriented policing and galvanizing public support. The programme must seek to cut off the supply line and to achieve community peacebuilding, ” he said.

He stated that the IGP had expressed displeasure at the high incidence of youth involvement in cultism and other vices, which usually exposed them to injuries and untimely deaths.

” We want all and sundry to join the Nigeria Police Force in the Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices through POCACOV. The Youths should Say ” No” to cultism and other vices, for a safe and secured society”, the coordinator said.

Amaraizu said that POCACOV is the initiative of the Nigeria Police Force under IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, which aimed at saving Nigerian children and youths from the claws of cultism and other vices, using a combination of advocacy, awareness, creation, mentoring and re-orientation.

He said that the programme is community-driven, involving different stakeholders, in line with the tenets of community-oriented Policing.

The coordinator said that Delta State Orientation Agency had intensified the continuation of the door-to-door campaign by the group to Abraka zone and will start Agbor Zone on Wednesday, Nov. 18.

12 killed in Kaduna LGs, eight ABU students among highway abductees

Some bandits have attacked Albasi village in Sabon Brinin in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State and killed eleven persons.

The bandits were said to have stormed the village on Monday afternoon and shot indiscriminately at the villagers as they escaped into the forest.

Also , on Sunday, bandits invaded another village , Maraban Kajuru, killing one person while abducting two.

This was as the Kaduna State Government said on Monday that eight students of the Ahmadu Bello University , Zaria , were among those kidnapped along Kaduna-Abuja Expressway on Sunday.

The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs , Mr . Samuel Aruwan , who said this in a statement , added that the Vice Chancellor of ABU informed the state of the incident .

“The Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University , Zaria , Prof . Kabir Bala , has informed the government that eight students of the institution were among those kidnapped on Sunday on the Kaduna- Abuja road ,” the commissioner said .

A source said the 300 students from the Department of French Language were travelling to Lagos for a programme at the Nigerian French Language Village when the incident happened .

The source said , “The names of the students are Okafor Chris , Ayuba Lois, John Elizabeth, Musa Precious , Asoji Faith , Badmus Jemimah , Emmanuel Simon and Aliyu Adamu. ”

The commissioner in his statement confirmed bandit attack on Igabi and Kajuru LGAs on Sunday and on Monday respectively .

The commissioner added that security agents were after bandits in some locations in Igabi and Kajuru LGAs .

He said , “Security agencies have notified the government that they are pursuing bandits in the area.

“On Monday armed bandits attacked Albasu village located south wards of Malum forest in Sabon Birni general area and subsequently killed some locals , while on Sunday night at Maraban Kajuru, bandits kidnapped two persons and killed one person.

“Governor Nasir El – Rufai has sent condolences to the families and prayed for the repose of their souls.

“Similarly , troops on patrol around Chikun and Kajuru LGAs boundaries found a corpse of a bandit who died of gun injury .

“An AK- 47 rifle and other valuables were found beside the decayed corpse . ”

Police place N30m bounty on notorious kidnap kingpin, Evans

Police in Lagos, on Tuesday, placed a N30 million bounty on the head of wanted notorious kidnapper, identified simply as Evans.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, told newsmen yesterday, “we are encouraging Nigerians to blow the whistle on this kidnapper. “Whoever blows the whistle that will lead to his arrest will get a N30 million reward, as stated by the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.” Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command had traced the wanted kidnapper to his hideout at Igando area of Lagos last Friday, but he fled before their arrival, abandoning a catchment of arms. The recovered arms included four AK-47 riffles; two automatic pistols; four magazines loaded with 60 rounds of ammunitions each; 1,272 ammunition, 59 AK-47 ammunition; a police bullet-proof vest; a Toyota Hiace bus, suspected to be the gang’s operational vehicle, and a motorcycle. Speaking with journalists yesterday, Lagos State Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, disclosed that another kidnappers den was uncovered at Ijegemo creeks, Festac Town, with the recovering of some arms and ammunition. Like the Igando raid, no arrest was made as the kidnappers, who apparently sighted the operatives from far, fled the creeks in their speed boats. However, he disclosed that two suspects, who were later arrested, confessed to be members of Evan’s kidnap gang. Owoseni said: “Evans has been on the wanted list of the Police in Anambra, Edo and Lagos states, for four years. The suspects arrested have given us valuable information, which the Command is working on to ensure that he is apprehended by all means. “The Command is already doing what is necessary in accordance with the laws of Lagos State on kidnapping. That is by taking over the house used by Evans to keep abducted victims or demolish it.”

Command indicts rogue NSCDC officials, sends report to Abuja

The Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps says 12 suspended officials, who allegedly robbed and tortured two tanker drivers and a manager, have a case to answer.

The command said the report of a committee set up to investigate the operatives had been sent to the corps headquarters in Abuja for further actions.

It added that the fate of the men would be determined by a board in the Ministry of Interior, adding that some of them were senior officers.

PUNCH Metro had reported that a team of the corps had flagged down a diesel-laden tanker driven by one Lawal Amobi around 6pm on Friday, May 5, along Wilmer Road, Ajegunle, asking him to produce the product’s waybill and an operating licence issued by the Department of Petroleum Resources.

Amobi had begged the team that the licence was not with him. But on their insistence to see it, he called the manager of the firm that he works with, Tolu Oyinloye, who brought a photocopy of the document.

The officials reportedly seized the documents and demanded a N5,000 bribe, while the manager begged them with N500, saying the vehicle documents were complete.

They were said to have zoomed off in their van, with number plate, CD 167 A01, after collecting N500, without releasing the documents.

The victims followed them in a motorcycle to Lacasera bus stop, Mile 2, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, where they met another tanker driver, Abolore Ajiroba, being assaulted by another team of the corps.

It was reported that the men, apart from inflicting injuries on Amobi, robbed him of two phones and a sum of N32,000, while the manager was dispossessed of N48,000, a wristwatch and an Infinix phone.

As Amobi and Oyinloye ran to escape the torture, the officials were said to have shot at them.

The NSCDC Commandant in Lagos State, Mr. Tajudeen Balogun, on Monday told our correspondent that the enormity of the case required that the command forwarded the outcome of its investigation to Abuja for proper actions.

He said, “The committee has concluded its report. There are public service rules that need to be complied with. The seriousness of the matter is even beyond the command. It is now with the national headquarters. And in view of the ranks of some senior officers involved; the Ministry of Interior handles issues that have to do with senior officers. The ministry will rely on the committee’s report.”

Asked why the identities of the officials had not been disclosed, the commandant said investigations into the case was procedural.

Balogun assured members of the public that the corps would not shield the officials from facing necessary punishments.

He said, “There are some things within the command that you can answer and there are some things which you cannot answer. The organisation will follow the case to a logical conclusion and they will be dealt with decisively. There are public service rules that need to be followed. The first is committee’s recommendation. The committee has met with the victims, interviewed them and submitted its report, which has been forwarded to the national headquarters.

“Despite the busy schedules of the headquarters, they are looking into the matter seriously and as soon as possible, the result will be made known.

“The NSCDC is known for effectiveness and efficiency and our integrity and credibility matter a lot. We don’t condone bad behaviour. The national headquarters will not shield anybody.”

The NSCDC Public Relations Officer in Abuja, Emmanuel Okeh, confirmed the receipt of the command’s report, adding that another committee had been set up at the headquarters to investigate the case.

He said, “It was the headquarters that approved the suspension of the officials in the first instance. In government, everything has procedure. Another committee will invite the officials to defend themselves based on the report received from the command so that nobody would come up with litigation later and say they are unjustly punished.

“The committee will look into the public service rules to know what the law says in such a case – Is it dismissal or suspension? They are still facing a panel; when the panel concludes its job and they are found guilty, their names will be disclosed.”

Source: punch newspaper

N4.9bn fraud: EFCC re-arraigns Fani-Kayode, others before new judge

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday re-arraigned a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, for an alleged fraud of N4.9bn.

He was re-arraigned before a new judge, Justice Rilwan Aikawa, after he objected to being tried before Justice Muslim Hassan of the same court before whom he was earlier arraigned on June 28, 2016.

Fani-Kayode, who was the Director of Publicity of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential campaign organisation for the 2015 election, was accused of conspiring with the others to, directly and indirectly, retain various sums, which the EFCC claimed they ought to have reasonably known were proceeds of crime.

In one of the counts, the defendants were accused of conspiring among themselves to “indirectly retain the sum of N1,500, 000,000.00 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing.”

The four were also accused of indirectly retaining N300m, N400m and N800m, all proceeds of corruption, according to EFCC.

EFCC said they allegedly committed the offence between January 8 and March 25, 2015, ahead of the 2015 general election.

But as they earlier pleaded not guilty before Justice Hassan, the defendants equally pleaded not guilty on Monday.

Following a plea by Usman’s lawyer, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), Justice Aikawa allowed them to continue on the bail earlier granted them by Justice Hassan.

The matter was adjourned till June 6 and 9 for the commencement of trial and for the judge to rule on the defence’s request for the matter to be taken to Abuja.

Alleged Murder: Court sends two Edo APC Chieftains to prison

​​An Oredo Magistrates’court in Benin on Thursday ordered the remand in prison custody of two chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, Osakpamwan Eriyo and Sunday Osagbona, for alleged attempted murder.

Chief Magistrate Mrs M. C. Ojobo, who said she lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case, directed that both accused persons be remanded in Oko Medium Security prison.

She said the prison has proper health facilities and directed that the case file be sent to the Directorate of Public Prosecution for legal advice.

The accused persons were charged with the attempted murder of Chief Osaro Idah, Secretary of the state’s APC.

Eriyo is the State Youth Leader of the APC and Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association (RTEAN) while Sunday is the Ward 3 Chairman of the APC in Oredo Local Government

Their pleas were not taken.

Eriyo protested being handcuffed in the court room.

He said: “Am I a criminal? Did I kill anybody? Why are they charging me for attempted murder?

“I didn’t do anything. It is the governor that is oppressing me.”

Their Counsel, Usunobun Evbayiro, urged the court to grant them custody in the police clinic because of their ill-health.

He said his clients were hypertensive, asthmatic and diabetic and need constant medical attention.

“The first accused person collapsed in police station. It was the police doctors that revived him.

” I urge you to use your discretion to order him to be kept in police hospital so that police doctors can attend to him. It is for him not to die in custody.”

The case was adjourned till Jan. 13 for mention.

News Agency of Nigeria reports that the APC chieftains’ supporters had earlier staged protests at the headquarters of the Edo State Police Command to demand their release.

The police, however,  ignored the protesters and whisked the accused, under heavy security, to the court.

Similarly  officials of RTEAN and suspected thugs  attempted to storm the court room but they were barred by the police.

The APC chieftains were arrested following a petition sent to the police by Chief Osaro Idah that they threatened his life.

(NAN)