BREAKING: Police engage bandits in gun duel, kill 14 in Benue

No fewer than 14 bandits who attacked a police station in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State have been killed.

DAILY POST gathered that the incident occurred on Sunday norning when the assailants invaded the police station to launch a reprisal attack on the operatives for arresting some of their members.

This was contained in a statement issued by the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Anene Sewuese Catherine.

The statement reads, “on 19th June, 2021 five bandits were arrested and detained at Kastina-Ala Police Division for investigation and prosecution.

“On 20th June, 2021 at about 0130hrs more than fifty other gang members of the detainees mobilized and invaded the police station to rescue their counterparts”.

“Officers at the division who were already at alert engaged them in a gun duel and were able to subdue the bandits. Fourteen (14) of them were brought down during the exchange of fire while several others escaped with gunshot injuries. Operatives in the area are currently on the trail of suspects at large.”

While assuring people of Kastina-Ala town of adequate security from the force, DSP Anene advised members of the public to avail every useful information about the bandits to the police.

Woman reveals what stranger did to her along Kaduna-Lafia express road

A Nigerian woman has taken to Facebook to narrate on how she was treated by a total stranger while she was traveling with her family along Kaduna-Lafia express road.

According to her, her car broke down in the middle of the road while she was apprehensive and concerned about her safety and that of her kids, a man who appeared to be a villager appeared in his old car and rendered her the much needed help

Read her full story below:

I was traveling from Kaduna to Lafia with my kids, then suddenly in d middle of no where, my car developed a fault, I had to park. I was alone with my kids in d car. While I was thinking of what to do, I couldn’t leave the kids there in the bush in search of a mechanic.

Just when I decided to lock the car so that we all join a commercial bus to d next town in search of a mechanic, a small old car just parked in front of me with nylon bags packed in it. it was an elderly man who from my observation supplies nylon bags to shops around d villages.

He picked me and the kids to the next town, got a mechanic for me, brought us back to d car and stayed there until d car was fixed. I tried to transfer money to the mechanic to buy d affected spare part but my village pple refused to allow d transfer go through.

This baba paid cash and he settled d driver too. Then he copied his account number for me on a piece of paper for me to transfer his money when I get to my destination. The Baba became my friend. Once in a while I call him to check on him. He was an angel.

Shar

Bandit attack: Kebbi governor vows to lead search, rescue operations in forest

The Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Bagudu, has vowed to lead a search and rescue mission into the forest where over 100 students kidnapped on Thursday from Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, are believed to be held by their kidnappers.

Newsmen reported that bandits abducted a large number of students and teachers at the federal secondary school in the state. A police officer was killed during the attack.

Meanwhile, addressing a crowd of sympathisers who visited him on Saturday at the Government House in Kebbi, Bagudu said he was ready to lead hunters and vigilantes to face the bandits.

Flanked by state governors who were in the state on a solidarity visit, led by the chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Bagudu told a crowd including hundreds of local hunters to get ready for the mission.

A video seen by newsmen and a statement from his Special Adviser on Media, Yahaya Sarki, captured the governor speaking at the event.

“We will go out there and like I promised, the day we will move out, I will not be in the office because I will lead the movement and this will be done to rescue the abductees.”

Bagudu said it is not weapons that win war, “it is the will that bad people cannot triumph and we will show that we have enough willpower.

“President Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies have been doing the best they can with limited resources. But, we also need to mobilise, kit ourselves and take on these bandits. Our various scriptures as Muslims and Christians allow us to put our lives at risk in defence of our honour, property and our faiths.

“In what the bandits are doing, they have challenged all these , so we can’t let them.”

Bagudu asked the hunters to go back and mobilise, pending when he would get the necessary clearance from the security agencies, adding, “and we will meet in the field.”

Fayemi said he was in the state as a representative of Nigerian governors to commiserate with the government and people of Kebbi over the unfortunate incident.

“We are here in solidarity with our brother, the governor of Kebbi State and all the good people of Kebbi State on the unfortunate incident at FGC Birnin Yauri.

“Whatever you can do to make it the last one in Kebbi, please put up the effort,” he charged the hunters.

The NGF Chairman also conveyed the message of President Buhari to the people, expressing how deeply concerned he is over the Birnin Yauri incident.

He prayed it will be the first and last incident of school attack in Kebbi State.

The leader of the hunters in Gwandu emirate, Hassan Muhammad, who holds the traditional title of Sarkin Dajin Sarkin Gwandu, told the governor and his entourage that the hunters have no fear in facing the bandits to save the school children but they need the support of the government.

“Our local hunters will join the operation as they are also ready to sacrifice their lives for the success of the mission,” he said.

Earlier on Friday, the Nigerian military said operatives had rescued two of the kidnapped teachers and five of the students. The military also said it rescued 800 rustled cows from the bandits.

“Nigerian Army troops operating under the auspices of Operation Hadarin Daji who have been on a hot pursuit of kidnappers and bandits following an unfortunate abduction incident in Federal Government College, Birnin Yawuri yesterday 17 June 2021 have so far, rescued two teachers and five students after a fierce exchange of fire with the criminals,” Onyema Nwachukwu, the army spokesperson, said on Friday.

However, Nwachukwu said the operatives also found the body of a female student who was believed to have died from exhaustion while the kidnappers were taking them away on foot.

NDLEA boss: At least 10 million Nigerians are addicted to Indian hemp

 

The chairman/chief executive officer of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Gen Buba Marwa (retd), has said at least about 10.6 millions Nigerians are addicted to cannabis consumption saying the trend of drug abuse in the country was highly worrisome.

Marwa disclosed this at the weekend during the celebration of ogidi day in ijumu local government area of Kogi State where he was honoured with the chieftaincy title of Aare Jagunmolu of Ogidi kingdom.

The NDLEA boss who pleaded with parents and guardians to take proper care of their children said the use of illicit drugs has destroyed many families and ruined lives of youths and said all hands must be on deck to arrest the ugly trend.

In his words, “today, no fewer than 14.3 million Nigerians, young people and adults from the age of 16 to 64 years abuse drugs, with cannabis being the commonly abused substance. At least 10.6 million people are addicted to cannabis in the past year.

“What is most heartbreaking is that majority of them are young people who are initiated into cannabis use around the age of 19.
There is also increasing use of other psychotropic drugs, especially heroin, again, by a growing number of young people who are mostly initiated at the age of 22 years.

“The more you unravel the statistics of drug uses in Nigeria, the more damning it becomes. And when you combine these damning data with the recent results of the activities of the NDLEA, then you begin to get worried.

“In the past four months, we have arrested more than 2,180 drug traffickers, intercepted and seized over two million kilograms of assorted illicit substances such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, tramadol and cannabis.

”Broadly speaking, the agency has been able to seize drugs and cash worth over N90 billion within the first four months of this year.

“We have filed over 2,000 drug cases in court. Over 500 have been sentenced and are now serving different jail terms. And we still have over 1,500 of the cases pending in court. With this reality, it will be ironic to expect peace , security and meaningful development in Nigeria’ he added

At the ceremony, the traditional ruler of the ancient town and the Ologidi of Ogidi, Oba Rabiu Oladimeji Sule said the reason the chieftaincy title was conferred on Marwa was because of his steadfast love for the community and especially the i numerous indigenes of the community who the former governor has positively touch their lives.

Oba Sule said most of the development projects in the community were solely carried out through self help and appeal to government and we’ll meaning Nigerians to come to the aid of the community for rapid transformation.

BREAKING: Southeast Govs disown IPOB, say secessionist group not speaking for Igbos

 

Governors in the Southeastern part of Nigeria, under the umbrella of South East Governors’ Forum have declared that members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB are not speaking for the entire region on the call for secession.

The governors who met on Saturday in Enugu State to figure out ways of curbing the current security crisis bedeviling the region condemned all secession agitation in the country.

Chairman of the forum, David Umahi who stated this while addressing newsmen shortly after the meeting, said they believe in one Nigeria.

“We condemn in totality, the activities of violent secessionist groups in the South East and elsewhere.

“We firmly proclaim that we do not support them, they do not speak for South East.

“The impression that South-East leaders are silent over some of our youths’ agitations for secession is not correct.

“South-East Governors, Ohanaeze President, National Assembly members, notable leaders had come out publicly many times in the past to speak against such agitations.

“In order not to mismanage the unfortunate situation, South-East leaders have set up a committee to engage such youths to stop and allow elders speak to address such fears,” he said.

Angry youths allegedly attack Fulani herdsmen, destroy police station at Odo-Owa, Kwara

A group of angry youths in Odo-Owa community of Oke-Ero Local Government Area in Kwara State, on Thursday, protested against the presence of Fulani herdsmen in their community.

It is the second fracas in two months in the community over alleged Fulani invasion.

The first incident happened when the house and hotel of Ramon, an alleged Fulani kidnap kingpin, were destroyed following allegations of criminality against him by the Odo-Owa community.

It was gathered that the youths accused the Fulani herdsmen of being involved in kidnappings in the community.

In the process, they allegedly destroyed houses belonging to Fulani herdsmen during the fracas which occurred at about 2000hours, Thursday night.

The action of the angry youths was to enforce the ultimatum issued to Fulani herdsmen to vacate their community, which expired on Thursday.

It was further gathered that police operatives of Odo Owa police station who attempted to stop the unlawful action of the youths were attacked and their station destroyed.

However, in a response to a text message on the development sent to the spokesman of the state police command, Mr Okasanmi Ajayi said ” The Odo-Owa police station was not attacked by the youths as alleged.

“The youths became agitated as a result of some suspects arrested in connection with a case under investigation,” he added.

Ajayi, said, “the youths dispersed immediately they were made to understand the rationale behind the arrest of those suspects.”

13 injured, 25 cars destroyed as LPG tanker explodes in Lagos

No fewer than 13 persons sustained various degrees of injuries on Thursday night after a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) tanker exploded at Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, opposite Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Ikeja.

Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, Acting Zonal Coordinator, South West Zonal Office, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), confirmed the development to newsmen in Ikeja on Friday, NAN reports.

Farinloye said about 25 cars were destroyed in the explosion which was caused by leakage while the LPG tanker was in motion.

“The fire affected the premises of Ogun State Property Investment Company (OPIC) Plaza besides Sheraton Hotels, which houses different commercial outfits including a Chinese Restaurant.

“After concerted efforts of five fire trucks from the Lagos State Fire Service and two trucks from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency Response Unit the fire was put out.

“The initial search and rescue activities revealed that 13 persons sustained various degrees of burns. Out of this, nine are males while four are females,” Farinloye said.

According to him, the affected victims were attended to at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for First Aid.

“Preliminary assessment of vehicles damaged indicated that about 25 were destroyed as at now,” he added.

Nnamdi Kanu: Place bounty on your leaders’ heads instead – Shehu Sani tells Northern groups

Senator Shehu Sani, who represented Kaduna Central at the 8th National Assembly, has slammed the Northern groups who placed a bounty on Kanu’s whereabouts.

DAILY POST had reported that 17 Northern groups under the aegis of Northern Consensus Movement (NCM) on Thursday declared Kanu wanted over the killings and destruction of properties owned by Northerners in the Southeast.

The President of the group, Dr Auwal Abdullahi, while addressing a press conference, also placed a N100m bounty on Kanu.

Reacting, Senator Sani faulted the move, stating that the group should have channeled their efforts towards ending the terrorism and banditry currently ravaging their region.

The former lawmaker made the remark on Friday in a post on his official Facebook page.

“We have terrorists and bandits here up north, killing and kidnapping our people; why not the Northern groups place a price tag on the heads of their leaders instead of placing them on someone far abroad,” he said.

Abducted Kebbi student shot dead

 

One of the students abducted from the Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State, on Thursday has been shot dead during a gun duel between soldiers and the abductors.

The Deputy Force Commander of the Joint Task Force in the North-West Zone, Air Commodore Abubakar AbdulKadir, confirmed this to reporters in Zamfara State on Friday.

According to him, four students and a teacher were rescued during the operation.

“In the early hours of this morning, we have come across the kidnappers. They came to our blocking point, and we engaged them,” Abdulkadir said.

“At that point, they abandoned five of the students and one of the teachers. Unfortunately, I think we have lost one of the students.”

More to follow……

Ohanaeze Ndigbo slams Northern group over N100m bounty on IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kalu

Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, has slammed the Northern groups for placing a bounty on Nnamdi Kanu’s whereabouts.

DAILY POST had reported that 17 Northern groups under the aegis of Northern Consensus Movement (NCM) on Thursday declared Kanu wanted over the killings and destruction of properties owned by Northerners in the Southeast.

The President of the group, Dr Auwal Abdullahi, while addressing a press conference, also placed a N100m bounty on Kanu.

Reacting, Ohanaeze Ndigbo in a statement by its Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro on Friday, faulted the move and accused the warring factions in the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders and Islamic terror organizations of being behind the killings and destruction of properties in the southeast region.

The group called on the Northern groups to place their N100 million bounty on Miyetti Allah and the slain Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau’s successor whom it alleged had foisted heavy havoc on the citizens.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo, however, dismissed the claim that northerners are being killed in the southeast, maintaining that there had not been any killing of northerners recorded anywhere in the region as it further accused the northern groups of embarking on a mission to thwart the ambition of the southeast zone in producing President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor come 2023.

The Igbo organization said, “we would not want to join issues with faceless groups that are not known in the north but in as much as that they are making some attempts to cause crisis in the country by ensuring that the groups not only placing a bounty on Nnamdi Kanu over alleged killings, they are out to escalate the tension in the country.

“For the purpose of record and from the last time, there had not been any killing, except the accidental killing of Ahmed Gulak in Owerri. There had not been killing recorded anywhere in the southeast about northern people except some nefarious activities of unknown gunmen and killer Fulani herdsmen who had been attacking police stations and government facilities and killing both Igbos and indigenes from other parts of the country.

“We want to tell the groups being sponsored by some northern presidential aspirants to place the bounty on the new leader of Boko Haram terrorist group, that had just emerged after the death of Shekau. Nnamdi Kanu has an address in London or in Germany where his headquarters of IPOB is. There is no need of searching for Kanu. He is not in Nigeria, he has an address in London as a British citizen. They should just use the N100 million bounty given to them by northern politicians, who are trying to destabilize the southeast to have easy root for the 2023 presidential ticket of major political parties in Nigeria, especially of the PDP.

“They should place the bounty on Shekau’s successor who has no address, who is living in the forest, the terrorist group that took arms against the government for the last six years. They should not cry more than the bereaved, we will take care of the southeast and ensure normalcy returns. As far as we are concerned, that bounty is inconsequential and political. It is not necessary, only a means to continue to heat up tension in the polity”.