Security Operatives

Katsina judge kidnapped inside court

Gunmen have abducted a judge at a Sharia Court in Bauren Zakat village in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State. Witnesses told newsmen that the attackers broke into the court around 3pm on Tuesday and abducted the judge identified as Alhaji Husaini Sama’ila. The court was relocated to Safana due to security reasons. It is not clear why the judge was in court during the industrial action embarked upon by the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN). JUSUN had on April 6 embarked on a strike, demanding compliance with the provisions of sections 81(3), 121(3) and 162(9) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) on financial autonomy of the judicial arm at the state level. Katsina is one of the NorthWest states where bandits are wreaking havoc. Security operatives are yet to react to this ...

Former Nigerian soldier who trains ESN militants arrested in Abuja

The police have arrested a dismissed army lance corporal allegedly responsible for training and recruiting people into the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the militant arm of the outlawed pro-Biafra group, IPOB, according to a report. He was arrested a few days after a top commander of the terror group, Awurum Eze, was arrested in Aba, Abia State. The group is alleged to have been responsible for killings of security agents and destruction of public properties in the South-east and South-south zones. They have, however, denied the allegations. According to sources, the 32 years old dismissed soldier, whose name was given as Livinus Owalum-Barnabas, was arrested on Sunday, at Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT by men of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT). The e...

Oyo council poll: Police, OYSIEC collaborate to ensure hitch-free elections

The Oyo State Police Command on Monday showed its commitment towards ensuring free and fair local government elections in the state. The Command, in its efforts to secure hitch-free before, during and after the poll, has disclosed its partnership with the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), engaged the stakeholders involved, stressing that all hands must be on deck to ensure free, fair and credible elections. The development according to a press release that was made available to pressmen in Ibadan, the State capital, stated that the Command, in conjunction with the Management of Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), today Monday 10th May 2021, played host to principal political actors and critical stakeholders in the state in readiness for the 22nd May 2021...

UNICAL security apprehends suspected cultists with hard drugs on campus

Security operatives in the University of Calabar, UNICAL, have arrested two suspected cultists for being in possession of packs of 100mg of tramadol on campus. The suspect, Abarakwe Darlington, 23, and Asuquo Effiong, 25, were arrested following an interrogation from the security operatives after he allegedly beat up an ice cream vendor, George Emmanuel, who had raised an alarm that he sold the suspects ice cream and they refused to pay him. The Acting Chief Security Officer of the University, So Usani Okon-Etim(rted), told some Journalists on Wednesday on campus that the suspects were arrested close to the moot court on campus. He said: “These two suspects bought ice cream from the seller and they refused to pay him, rather they started flogging him. The boy however raised alarm and some ...

Niger: Bandits kill two, kidnap assemblyman’s mother

The mother of the one of longest serving members of the Niger State house of Assembly, Alhaji Bello Ahmed Agwara, has been kidnapped. The 78-year-old Hajia Salamatu Ahmadu was abducted at about 9p.m. on Thursday night when some heavily armed gunmen riding on four motorcycles raided the country home of the Peoples Democractic Party (PDP) member in Agwara town. This is coming on the heels of the killing of two people and kidnap of several others at Tegina in the Rafi local government also on Thursday. According to eyewitnesses the bandits were armed with different types of weapons, among them AK-47. Immediately they stormed the town they started shooting sporadically making members of the community to scamper for safety. In the confusion it was learnt that the bandits went straight into the ...

Official: Why inmates of Kano prison rioted

The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has clarified why there was violent protest among inmates of Kurmawa Custodial facility in Kano metropolis on Thursday evening. The Public Relations Officer, NCoS Kano State Command, DSC Musbahu Kofar-Nasarawa, told newsmen on Friday in Kano that the riot was not over alleged poor quality food in the facility as was speculated. Kofar-Nasarawa who said that normalcy had been restored as the inmates were confined and security beefed up at the facility said the prisoners rioted in protest against attempt to take away prohibited items from them. “There was an attempt by some inmates to cause pandemonium in the prison yard, however, the situation was brought under control by concerted efforts of the warders and security operatives. “The inmates are not pr...

Bandits kill nine persons, rustle 500 cows in Sokoto

The government and people of Sokoto State are in deep mourning over bandits attack that left at least nine persons dead and several others injured. The attack happened on Thursday in Rarah, a village in Rabbah Local Government of the State. The assailants also rustled away about 500 cows. It has been wailing and gnashing of the teeth in the community since the attack. The Sun reports that a statement from Abdulnasir Abubakar Sanyinna, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Public affairs to Governor Aminu Tambuwal, also confirmed the attack. It stated that the Governor alongside heads of security agencies in the state had condoled with people and relatives of the victims. “Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal today condoled with the people of Rarah town of Rabah LGA over the recent killing of nin...

Plateau senator seeks Nigerian government’s support for victims of yam market fire

Senator representing Plateau South in the National Assembly, Professor Nora Dadu’ut, has appealed to the federal government to support victims of the recent fire incident that engulfed the famous Namu Central Yam Market in Qua’an Pan Local Government Area, of Plateau state which led to the loss of food products and other valuables worth millions of naira. The lawmaker, who made the appeal during a press briefing in Jos, said she was saddened by the heart-rending development, and called on governments at all levels, and well-meaning Nigerians to offer support for the victims to aid their recovery from the tragedy. She said, “We would not rest on our oars until we have done the needful in reducing the damages and ameliorating their challenges through state and federal government intervention...

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...

Official: Three teachers kidnapped in Kaduna school attack

Three teachers were kidnapped in the attack Monday morning by bandits on a primary school in Kaduna State. According to the state government, two pupils initially declared missing after the attack have been found. The state goverment had earlier on Monday announced the attack on the primary school in Rema, about 150 kilometres from the state capital, but said it was awaiting details on the incident. In an update he provided later, the state’s Commissioner of Internal Security and Homeland Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said only three teachers were kidnapped in the attack. He said this was according to the report provided by the school authorities and as gathered by security operatives and the state government. According to Mr Aruwan at a press conference in Kaduna, after the state government com...

FRSC intensifies enforcement of use of helmet – spokesman

File Photo The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) is deploying all its operational energies in enforcing the use of helmets by motorcyclists across the country, its spokesman Mr Bisi Kazeem has said. Kazeem, the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO) of the FRSC, said this on Monday in Abuja in an interview with newsmen. He stressed that the enforcement had reduced fatalities in the event of crash, adding that motorcyclists were vulnerable road users as most of the crashes involving them were fatal. According to him, the use of helmets reduce damage to sensitive parts of their bodies, including eyes, skull, brain and nose. “As such, the use of helmets does not only make them responsible, but saves their lives in most cases. “Currently, our records show that there is significant improvement in...

‘Fulani warlord’ Iskilu Wakili arrested in Oyo

A joint team of Ibarapa security operatives, including Oodua Peoples Congress, Vigilante, and other groups have arrested the alleged notorious Fulani warlord terrorising Oyo communities, Iskilu Wakili. Newsmen gathered that Wakili was arrested after several attempts resulting in a gun battle. There had been reports that Wakili and his gang were involved in the killings and kidnapping of several people in Ibarapa, Oke Ogun, Oyo State. Wakili was nabbed barely seven days after his second-in-command, Isiaka Muhammadu, was arrested alongside four others. The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, confirmed Wakili’s arrest in a statement made available to newsmen by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, on Sunday. Adams said the Fulani warlord was arrested around 7 am on Sunday ...