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PDP accuses APC of plot to take over Zamfara
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plotting a forceful take over of Zamfara State because of the security challenges confronting the state. The party levelled the accusation in a statement on Wednesday by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan. The North-west state is governed by a PDP governor, Bello Matawalle. Hundreds of students were abducted from the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara State by some bandits on Friday last week. They were, however, released in the early hours of Tuesday. On the same day, the APC-led the federal government declared the state a ‘no-fly-zone’ just as it again banned mining activities in the state to curb the rising insecurity. Before the Zamfara incident, at least 27 male students were abduct...
AFCON: NFF confirms date of final qualifying matches for Super Eagles
On Wednesday, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) took to the official Twitter account of the Super Eagles to officially confirm the dates and kickoff times for the final stage of the senior men’s national football team’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. For Matchday five, the Super Eagles will meet the Squirrels of Benin Republic on Saturday, March 27, in Porto-Novo, the capital of Republic of Benin, for a 1600 hours (GMT) kickoff. The next fixture against the Crocodiles of Lesotho, which will be the last of the series, will take place on Tuesday, March 30, in Lagos at 1600 hours (GMT) as well. At this point of the qualifiers, Nigeria has eight points from their first four Group L games and a draw from either of these matches will earn the Super Eagles the point they need ...
Senator Saraki urges President Buhari to include opposition, others in fight against insecurity
A former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to include opposition parties and the international community in the fight against insecurity in Nigeria. He spoke with newsmen shortly after he met with a former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, behind closed doors at his penthouse residence located within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, Ogun State. Saraki, who is the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Reconciliation and Strategy Committee, was joined in the meeting by former Governors, Ibrahim Dankwanbo (Gombe), Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Ibrahim Shehu Sema (Katsina) and former Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Mulikat Akande Adeola. Speaking after about two hours c...
Imo hunter kills lover for ‘cheating on him’
A hunter identified as Chidube Onyema has killed his girlfriend over allegation of infidelity. The tragic incident happened at Umuokirie village in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo state, on Sunday. A source in the community told newsmen that the victim simply identified as Chinwendu visited the suspect from her village, Ohabele in Obosima community in Ohaji/ Egbema LGA of the state after returning from Aba in Abia state. The source, who pleaded anonymity, told newsmen that trouble started when Chinwendu, who was billed to return to Aba same day, answered a phone call in the presence of her lover. The suspect reportedly asked Chinwendu whom she spoke with over the phone but she refused to tell him. He had asked her to hand over the phone to him but she still refused. The source sai...
Ebonyi: Gunmen attack police station in Izzi
Some gunmen in the early hours of Monday attacked the Iboko Divisional Police Station in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria’s South-east. A police station was similarly attacked by gunmen in Akwa Ibom State on Monday. It is unclear, for now, if the attacks on police facilities, which are on the increase lately in the South-east and South-south regions, are coordinated. Details of the Ebonyi attack were unavailable at the time of filing the report. The attackers were said to have set the building ablaze, using fire bombs. Police Commissioner in Ebonyi State, Aliyu Garba, confirmed the incident. “Yes they attacked the station around 1a.m. but there was no casualties. “They threw improvised fire bomb at the station and it ignited but it only affected a small part of the build...
NANS asks Nigerian government to declare abductors of students terrorists
Following the gale of abductions of school children in the Northern part of the country, the National Association of Nigerian Student (NANS), has advised the federal government to list bandits perpetrating such horrendous crime as terrorists. Newsmen averred that the abduction of over 300 schoolgirls from Government Girls Junior Secondary School, Jangebe, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State in the early hours of Friday, was an indictment and clear indication of the failure of the nation’s security apparatuses. Again, NANS advised the government to convey a National Security Summit towards galvanizing the best brains in providing ideas and innovation to combating the country’s multi-faceted security challenges. In a statement in Ado-Ekiti, on Sunday, NANS National President, Com. Su...
Amnesty International condemns Salihu Yakasai’s arrest
Global rights group, Amnesty International, has condemned the arrest of Salihu Tanko Yakasai, who was arrested hours after criticising President Muhammadu Buhari, over the rise in school kidnappings. Yakasai, who was until Saturday afternoon, a media aide to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, was arrested by the Department of State Services on Friday. Amnesty said in a tweet, “Amnesty International condemns the arrest of Salihu Tanko Yakasai for exercising his freedom of expression through a tweet. We call on the Nigerian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release him. #FreeDawisuNow “Nigerian authorities must respect the right of citizens to express critical opinions. #FreeDawisuNow.” Get more stories like this on Twitter You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are look...
Abia government reacts to attack on police station, places N1 million bounty on information leading to recovery of arms
Abia State Government has reacted to yesterday’s attack on Abayi police station in which two policemen were killed and arms carted away by gunmen. The state government is also placing a N1m bounty on anybody who will give infornation to the recovery of arms looted by the hoodlums. To further checkmate criminal activities in the state, Government imposes a ban on Keke/Okada operations between 7pm and 7am in all major cities of the state starting from yesterday. A statement by the commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi-Kalu said her attention was “drawn to a mindless and cowardly attack on a police station in Aba by yet to be identified armed hoodlums in the early hours of today (Tuesday), leading to loss of precious lives and carting away of arms and ammunition. “We wish to assure m...
Police arrest two with truckload of mattresses meant for flood victims in Bayelsa
The police in Bayelsa State have arrested two suspects with a truckload of mattresses allegedly meant for flood victims. The mattresses, it was learned, were warehoused in an undisclosed location in Yenagoa the state capital when the suspect’s break-in and stole the mattresses. Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) in the state had raised alarm over the stolen mattresses which prompted the police to react. Confirming the incident, Spokesman of the command, Mr Asinim Bustwat said in a statement “Following a tip-off, Operatives of Bayelsa State Police Command have arrested one Shehu Yola ‘m’ 42 years and one Sunday Emmanuel ‘m’ 28 years, at Okaka, Yenagoa. “The suspects were arrested on 18 February 2021, at about 2100hours, with a truckload of mattresses suspected to be stolen property. “The Co...
Sheikh Gumi: GSC Kagara victims to be released in days
Staff and students kidnapped from GSC Kagara early Wednesday are expected to be released in days, according to a source on the delegation of Kaduna-based cleric Sheikh Ahmed Gumi. Gumi has been on a tour to visit bandit leader Dogo Gide and other top commanders at Dutsen Magaji forest for talks. The source said Niger government, which initially ruled out payment of any ransom to secure freedom of the kidnappees, would enter a dialogue and had sent a strong delegation. Passengers abducted earlier and the students are in good state, the source said. During the visit, Gumi was shown an entire community said to have been razed in a military bombardment and corpses dumped in wells. Gumi and his entourage are back in Minna, after travelling more than seven hours from Dutsen Magaji. Earlier, anot...
Sheikh Gumi: GSC Kagara victims to be released in days
Staff and students kidnapped from GSC Kagara early Wednesday are expected to be released in days, according to a source on the delegation of Kaduna-based cleric Sheikh Ahmed Gumi. Gumi has been on a tour to visit bandit leader Dogo Gide and other top commanders at Dutsen Magaji forest for talks. The source said Niger government, which initially ruled out payment of any ransom to secure freedom of the kidnappees, would enter a dialogue and had sent a strong delegation. Passengers abducted earlier and the students are in good state, the source said. During the visit, Gumi was shown an entire community said to have been razed in a military bombardment and corpses dumped in wells. Gumi and his entourage are back in Minna, after travelling more than seven hours from Dutsen Magaji. Earlier, anot...
NUT demands declaration of emergency on security
Nigeria Union of Teachers The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, has frowned at the abduction of students and teachers of Government Science Secondary School, Kagara, in Niger State by bandits. To this end, the union tasked the federal government to adopt different approach in tackling insecurity as according to it, the current strategy being deployed by security agencies was not yielding any meaningful fruit. This was as it demanded a declaration of total state of emergency on security situation in the country by the government. The NUT, reacting to the development in a statement tagged:” Terrorist Attack on Schools and Abduction of Students/Teachers One Incident Too Many”, signed by its General Secretary, Dr Mike Ike Ene, regretted the reported incident. “We call on the Federal Government t...
