Bandits
Catholic priest shot dead in Benue
A Catholic Priest, Reverend Father Ferdinand Fanen Ngugban, has been shot dead in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State. Newsmen gathered that Fr. Ferdinand Ngugban of St. Augustine Aye Twar parish in Katsina Ala LGA was killed by bandits who raided the community and set many houses on fire. The Council Chairman of Kastina-Ala, Joseph Atera, told our correspondent by telephone that the bandits, who attacked the priest at the church premises, also killed three others. But Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Benue Command, DSP Catherine Anene, confirmed only the killing of the priest. “Attack on St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Aye-Twar village, Agu centre in Kastina-Ala LGA by bandits is confirmed. Rev. Fr. Nguban Fanen lost his life during the attack. “The corpse has been depos...
Governor Makinde: Nigeria’s redemption will begin from Oyo
Governor of Oyo State, ‘Seyi Makinde, has declared that God will redeem Nigeria from its current challenges of insecurity, ethnic and religious tension starting from Oyo State. The governor, who dwelt on the uniqueness of figure seven, said that God will use the seventh election in the Fourth Republic coming up in 2023 to get Nigeria to perfection. According to him, the fact that Oyo State currently produced the Seventh President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), as well as the Worldwide President of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) is a sign that God loves Oyo State and would redeem the country starting from Oyo. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor also challenged Nige...
CAN: Skewed appointments polarising Nigeria
File Photo The National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Reverend Dr Supo Ayokunle, has said the polarisation being experienced was triggered by “skewed appointments” made by leaders of the country. The lopsided appointment, according to him, is polarising the nation on daily basis. He said the worsening security situation has shown that our leaders are at a loss of what to do. This came just as the new nations of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bishop Francis Wale Oke frowned at those calling for negotiation with bandits who kill, kidnap, rape and demand huge ransom saying the government has to put its feet on the ground to prosecute them as the law demands. Rev Ayokunle said this at thanksgiving service marking the election of Bishop Francis Wale Oke as the 7th n...
Sheik Gumi: Shoot-on-sight order hindering rescue of abducted Kaduna students
Renowned Islamic Scholar, Sheik Ahmad Gumi, has said the shoot-on-sight order of President Muhammdu Buhari is hindering the efforts to negotiate the release of the kidnapped students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Kaduna. Earlier in the month, Buhari had asked security operatives to gun down those carrying arms illegally in the forests. Speaking with Daily Trust on Thursday, the cleric said some of the bandits he met in the forest during his peace meetings have assisted in identifying the leader of the gang responsible for the abduction of the students. Gumi said despite identifying the leader of the gang, he has been unable to reach out to him because of the shoot-on-sight order of the president. The cleric added that during his previous tours to the bandits’ dens, he m...
Bandits kill nine in Kaduna communities
Bandits terrorising Kaduna State have killed nine people in communities in Birnin Gwari and Giwa Local Government Areas of the state. The killings were confirmed in a statement on Thursday in Kaduna by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan. Aruwan said security agencies reported the killings to the state government. He said the security report indicated that the bandits barricaded the Dogon Dawa-Kuyello road, Birnin Gwari LGA and shot six people dead. The commissioner said in a similar attack on Ungwan Maje, also in Birnin Gwari LGA, the bandits killed two people. The statement added that the bandits further attacked Kwama village in Giwa LGA and killed one Nasiru Rufai, after he resisted attempts to kidnap him. According to the statement, “Security age...
Group urges service chiefs to fish out criminal elements
Following the activities of armed bandits in the country, group has charged the new service chiefs to address the current Insecurity situation in the North East, particularly Maiduguri, which they noted,was the epicenter of insecurity in the country. By way of appeal the group urge the new security heads adopt a new strategy, hit the ground running by relocating to the theatre of the war against terrorists for at least six months in the first instance and not national tour. In a statement, Wednesday, the experts operating under the aegis of Coalition of Concerned Nigeria Security Experts noted that two months after the current security chiefs assumed office, insecurity was assuming a new dimension. In the statement by its National Coordinator, Prof. Otedola Adekunle and National Secretary,...
Kaduna assemblyman condemns bandits’ attack on Kauru
Dr Isaac Auta, Deputy Speaker, Kaduna State House of Assembly, has condemned recent attacks by bandits on some communities in Kauru Local Government Area. Auta told newsmen in Kaduna on Tuesday that the attack on Kizachi Dawai community in Chawai chiefdom was inhuman, unreasonable and barbaric. The deputy speaker who represents Kauru-Chaiwai constituency in the assembly, said that the attack had left the people hugely devastated. “People died during the attack, property and sources of livelihood were destroyed, this is unreasonable and barbaric. “It is unfortunate that people still indulge in criminal and violent activities irrespective of government’s effort to enthrone sanity,” he said. The lawmaker urged the people not to be dismayed by the activities of a few lawless persons, saying, “...
Ebonyi governor: South East benefited more from APC government than PDP’s 16 years
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State and Chairman of South East Governors’ Forum weekend, said the South East benefitted more from the Buhari-led All Progressives Congress, APC, federal government than from Peoples Democratic Party’s sixteen years of governance. Speaking to newsmen in Lagos through his Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji, Umahi said the Igbo have had a fair-play under Buhari’s administration in terms of economic and infrastructure development. According to him, the N10Billion Airport rehabilitation, the 2nd Niger Bridge, the Enugu-Port-Harcourt Expressway and other infrastructures are pointers to the benefits the South East States are getting from the Buhari administration. “These are indications that this administration is helping t...
Bandits kill 13, injure 7 in Kaduna
Thirteen persons have been killed by bandits following multiple attacks on communities in Zangon Kataf, Kauru and Chikun Local Government Areas of Kaduna state. Seven people were also injured while 56 houses and 16 motorcycles were burnt by the hoodlums. The Kaduna state commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan confirmed the killings in a statement on Friday in Kaduna. According to him, the killings were reported to the Kaduna State Government by troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH). He said, in Gora Gan village, Zangon Kataf LGA, bandits killed one Irmiya Godwin who was returning from the farm while his brother escaped. The commissioner said, in another incident in Kizachi village, Kauru LGA, bandits killed 10 people, while four others were injured, adding t...
Police arrest 17 kidnap, robbery suspects in Sokoto
The Police Command in Sokoto State on Thursday said it arrested no fewer than 17 suspects over armed robbery, kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state. Mr Kamaldeen Okunlola, the state Commissioner of Police, disclosed this to newsmen in Sokoto. Okunlola said that the command on March 4, arrested one Jabbi Wanto, over criminal conspiracy and kidnapping of two persons in Tamba Garka village of Wurno Local Government Area of the state. “The people of the village reported that on March 4, at about 3 a.m unknown bandits in large number invaded their houses and kidnapped two persons to unknown destination. “The villagers mobilised themselves and followed the bandits where the victims were rescued and Wanto was arrested, who during investigation confessed to have conspired with one ...
WTO chief: ‘Safe Schools Initiative’ to stop abduction of students
The Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Wednesday expressed hope that the ‘Safe Schools Initiative’ will help stop the incessant abduction of students across Nigeria. Nigerian women on Wednesday came out en masse to welcome Okonjo-Iweala in her first homecoming since she became the director-general of WTO, during a visit to the Ministry of Women Affairs in Abuja. Addressing the crowd which included Senators and members of the National Assembly, former Ministers, wives of former governors, women in the Armed Forces, women societies, female political aspirants, Civil Society Organisations, as well as students, Okonjo-Iweala expressed deep concern about the incessant abduction of girls and boys in schools. The WTO boss who noted that it is shamef...
Yoruba monarchs warn Nigerians to stop making inflammatory comments
Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, and the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Akanbi, yesterday, cautioned Nigerians against making inflammatory statements that could ignite ethnoreligious crisis in the country. The monarchs gave the warning during the visit of Oba Akanbi to the Alaafin’s palace, in Oyo. Asking those stoking ethno-religious crises to have a retrospective look at the past, the monarchs advised that anything that could fan the embers of discord should be avoided. They said: “Nigerians must exercise restraints; they must bear in mind Nigeria’s long history of ethno-religious conflicts, as people use this type of deep-seated animosity in their speech precisely because of the culture of impunity which reigns in the country.” “What is more, hate speech is an agent provocateur ...