By Deborah Coker

The Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, has assured that the abducted female students of  the Federal University in Gusau will be rescued and returned safely to their respective homes.

This is contained in a statement by Mr Hope Attari, Acting Director of Press and Public Relations, of the ministry.

The minister who condemned the abduction of the students, extended his heartfelt sympathy to the parents, academic community and entire residents of Zamfara for the tragic incident.

“I share in your pain and strongly condemn this reprehensible act carried out by suspected bandits.

“I therefore call on the nation’s dedicated security forces to intensify efforts and deploy every available resources to secure the safe return of the abducted students.

“All hands must be on deck in securing the release of the abducted students,” he said

He added that as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinibu’s eight point agenda of strengthening national security for peace and prosperity, the ministry would secure the release of the abducted students.

Matawalle said that the air and ground components of the military have already been massively deployed within Zamfara as every measure would be taken to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians.

He further assured residents of the state of the Federal Government’s commitment to providing security for lives and property of all her citizens. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Kingsley Okoye

The Senate has called for the mmediate rescue of abducted female students of Federal University in Gusau, Zamfara by yet to be identified bandits.

NAN reports that the police said on Friday, at about 0250hrs, suspected bandits, riding on about 50 motorcycles, armed with sophisticated weapons invaded three students’ rented apartments in Sabon Gida Village near the Federal University Gusau and kidnapped an unspecified number of students.

The Chairman Senate Committee on the Army, Sen. Abdulaziz Yar’ Adua made the call in a statement in Abuja on Monday.

He said rescuing the innocent female students from captivity of the bandits , must be the topmost priority of the country now .

Yar’Adua decried that the scourge of banditry and insurgency by criminal elements in the country with attendant abduction of law abiding citizens was a serious dent on image of the country and collective conscience of Nigerians .

“This is a moment that demands swift and decisive action. We cannot underestimate the trauma and anguish that these young girls and their families are experiencing right now.

” It is our duty as leaders to prioritize their safety and well-being above all else”, he said .

He said that the Nigerian Army and other security agencies , must be well equipped and positioned , to stop the menace already threatening the nation’s unity , peace and progress .

” The recent kidnapping of more than 24 innocent school students of Federal University of Gusau, Nigeria, particularly the young girls, is not just another unfortunate incident but a clear indication that the insecurity plaguing our country has reached alarming levels.

“We can no longer stand idle and allow our nation’s future to be continually threatened.

“I call upon all stakeholders in government, from the executive to the legislative, and the judiciary, to immediately divert our attention to this heinous attack and ensure the safe rescue of our young daughters.

” Furthermore, let us use this unfortunate incident as a wake-up call the Nigerian government must intensify its efforts in curbing the escalating insecurity that has permeated our land.

“We cannot continue to allow bandits, insurgents, and criminal elements to terrorize our communities, disrupt the educations of our children, and instil fear in the hearts of law-abiding citizens.

“As the head of the committee on the Nigerian Army in the National Assembly, I pledge to lend my unwavering voice, support, and resources to this cause.

“We must bolster our security forces, equip them with the necessary tools, provide adequate training, and enhance intelligence gathering mechanisms to counter these threats effectively.

“We must ensure that the Nigerian Army and other security agencies have the capabilities to rescue these kidnapped students without delay”.  (NAN)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Taiye Agbaje
A former member of the House of Representatives, Mr Robinson Uwak, on Sunday, listed some approaches to solving the increasing insecurity challenge facing the country.
Uwak, who represented Oron, Mbo, Okobo, Ure-Offong/Oruko and Udung-Uko Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom at the 7th Assembly, state this in a statement made available in Abuja.
“There must be two approaches to solving the security challenges.
“First is a soft approach, which is ensuring employment opportunities to the teeming youths in productive sectors and engaging all genuine grievances.
“Second is the hard approach which will be the deployment of modern equipments to end the nefarious activities of non-state actors,” he said
He said the security strategy to be implemented must not be that of witch-hunt of political opponents or self-preservation of the ruling elite but that of protection of lives and property of the people, and putting in place law and order in the entire country.
The ex-lawmaker, who urged the federal and state governments to make security their utmost priority, said the increasing insecurity rate was dangerous for the survival and progress of the country.
“No nation attracts the needed investment and achieves the necessary growth and overall wellbeing of its citizens when swaths of its territory are under the control of criminal non-state actors,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Ismail Abdulaziz

President Bola Tinubu has directed security agencies to rescue the remaining female students of the Federal University Gusau, abducted by terrorists on Thursday.

The president’s media aide, Mr Ajuri Ngelale, stated on Sunday in Abuja that Tinubu condemned the reprehensible act of abduction.

He added that the president said there was no moral justification for such heinous crime against innocent victims whose only “offence’’ was their pursuit of quality education.

The president assured the families of the abducted students that no effort would be spared in ensuring their safe return.

Tinubu pledged that the Federal Government would ensure that educational institutions remained sanctuaries of knowledge, growth, and opportunity, and totally free from the menacing acts of terrorists.

Bandits stormed three female students’ hostels at Sabon Gida, where students reside outside the main campus of the university about midnight on Thursday and abducted an unknown number of students.

Many female students were kidnapped, but some escaped. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Alli Hakeem

By Reporters

Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have described the rate of kidnapping and robbery within the city centre in recent time, as alarming.

The residents, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, described the spate of insecurity in the FCT as worrisome, alarming and unacceptable.

They urged security agencies and the FCT Administration to take urgent measures to save residents from the criminals.

Mr Joel Adewale, a civil servant, told NAN that his daughter was attacked recently on her way from Wuse to Gwagwalada.

He said she was taken to a lonely road off Airport road before being dispossessed of her belongings.

Adewale added that the girl was forced to put a call across to him to transfer money to her account, which was removed using a PoS machine by the criminals.

“It was more like a case of kidnap for ransom, but I was lucky to have my daughter back after parting with N150,000,” he added.

Mr Joshua Orogun, the former President of Abuja Newspapers Distributors Association, said the increasing rate of insecurity the FCT, had been allowed to linger for over 15 years.

“Though the previous governments tried their best, more need to be done to safeguard the lives of residents.

“I implore the present administration to put in place measures to address the ugly situation headlong.

“I particularly called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to do the needful to come to our aid by deploying the necessary machinery to salvage the situation.

“The situation we found ourselves now, calls for a very sincere approach and fervent prayer,” Orogun added.

According to him, one of his friends and chairman of a motor park in Area 10, was recently kidnapped in Keti, a suburb of Pyakasa, and had to pay N1 million ransom before he was released.

Orogun urged residents to be very vigilant, while going about their legitimate businesses “as everybody is now at the mercy of the perpetrators of these heinous crimes”.

Another resident, Mr Friday Odekina, a communication expert, blamed the increasing insecurity on the rising number of people with no means of livelihood in the FCT.

According to him, the number of people with no means of livelihood trooping to the city has tripled, with some of them taking to crime for survival.

“Everybody is now allowed to be in Abuja against its original master plan that emphasised on a particular set of people.

“To me, if government is serious of fighting the menace headlong, those set of people should be gotten rid of, because they not only constitute nuisance, but are the ones  terrorising residents,” Odekina said.

Also, Adeniyi Olajide, a public servant, said that of recent, the rate of insecurity in the FCT had taken a new dimension.

“Just about two weeks ago, a friend of mine was kidnapped and up till now, he is still in captivity.

“The kidnappers made contact and demanded for ransom, but after paying the ransom, he hasn’t regained his freedom up till now.”

He therefore urged the FCT Administration to look inward and checkmate the activities of the criminals.

“The criminals are having a field day in the territory, people now live in perpetual fear, especially while trying to board a cab whether painted or not, because of the fear of the unknown.

“Just recently, a friend of mine boarded a taxi from Lugbe to Wuse District, only for him to be taken to Bwari and dispossessed of everything on him, including all the money in his bank accounts,” he added.

Another victim, who worked with one of the paramilitary agencies died of trauma after he was abducted and dispossessed of all the money in his bank account.

According to a member of the deceased family, who preferred anonymity, the victim encountered the criminals in early August when he boarded a vehicle on his way home after closing from work.

The source said the deceased officer was robbed of huge sums of money kept in his possession by a friend.

He said the trauma of how to refund the money to his friend pushed him into depression and he later died.

Also, a journalist with one of the government owned media organisations in Abuja, was abducted on Sept. 14, after closing from work at about 6 pm.

The lady journalist said she boarded a taxi from Central Area to Lugbe, but was taken to an abandoned building on the outskirts of the city by four armed men.

According to her, the kidnappers forced her to transfer all the money in her bank account amounting to millions of naira.

They further forced her to call her relations and friends who also paid over a million naira in ransom before her release.

When contacted, the FCT Police Command, downplayed the reports of increasing incidences of robbery, kidnapping and other criminal activities in the territory.

According to the command Spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, the command is doing its best to safeguard lives and property of residents.

“It is not true that the activities of “one chance” is increasing in the FCT because the command is not relenting in its efforts to protect lives and property.

“We have deployed appropriate assets and personnel across the territory to track criminals and protect residents,” Adeh said.

She urged residents to be security conscious and support the police and other security agencies with actionable intelligence reports to track and apprehend criminals.

“The fight against criminality is a collective one, so residents must be careful of places they board taxis because most of these criminals take advantage of such places.

“The command has over time embarked on enlightenment campaigns on the strategies the criminals usually deploy in carrying out their operations.

“Residents must play their part by ensuring that they board taxis in approved places and be watchful of the people in the taxi before boarding,” she added.

Meanwhile, the FCTA Task Force on City Sanitation, said it had been clamping down on the “one-chance” robbery syndicates in the city.

The Secretary, Command and Control of the Taskforce, Mr Peter Olumuji, explained that the syndicates usually use unpainted taxis in unapproved motor parks to perpetrate their evil acts of kidnapping and seizing people’s valuables.

Olumuji said that the taskforce comprised the Nigerian Police, Civil Defence, Department of State Security, Immigration and Correctional services, and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

Others, he said, were the Directorate of Road Traffic Service, Abuja Environmental Protection Board, Social Development Secretariat, and other relevant agencies in the FCT.

He added that the task force had been very active in dislodging miscreants known for attacking unsuspecting residents, mostly at night, from their hideouts.

According to him, the raid is part of a holistic security operation to ensure the safety and free movement of residents within the city.

“We have been receiving reports about the operation of “one chance” syndicates in some locations in the city.

“The enforcement team is all out to ensure that we raid any location that harbours “one chance” motorists, illegal motor parks, or unapproved parking spaces.

“We have also realized that besides causing public nuisance, some beggars are being used to gather information for criminals,” he added.

On her part, Mrs Deborah Osho, Head of Operations, FCTA Directorate of Road Traffic Service, said that taskforce was also enforcing the ban on the operations of motorcycles and tricycles constituting security threat in the city.

Osho explained that motorcycles were being used by criminals to quickly escape from crime scenes.

“They are also being used for many criminal activities including snatching valuables and mobile handset from unsuspecting passersby.

“This is in addition to the rising number of casualties from accidents involving Okada riders,” she said.

The head of operations said that security agencies had tagged the commercial motorcycles as “security threat” and wanted them off the city routes.

Osho, however, advised residents against boarding okadas and patronising unpainted taxis for their safety. (NAN)

Edited by Thompson Yamput/Maharazu Ahmed
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By Opeyemi Gbemiro

The Police Command in Ekiti has alerted the general public about the sudden disappearance of a female undergraduate of Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti.

The alert is contained in a statement by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Sunday Abutu on Saturday in Ado-Ekiti.

“This is to inform members of the public that one Hellen Okorie of No.15, Ayoba Quarters, Behind Sadiat Hotel Irona Area, Ado Ekiti, left home on Sept. 13, at about 08:00 hrs to an unknown destination and never returned.

“She is 23-year-old, chocolate in complexion, speaks English and lbo languages fluently and has no tribal mark. She is a 500 level student of Ekiti State University.

“While the command has commenced investigation to unravel her whereabouts, anyone with useful information concerning her present location should kindly contact the nearest police station or call 09064050086,” the statement said.

It urged members of the public to ensure adequate dissemination of the information.(NAN)(nannews.ng).

By Sumaila Ogbaje

Defence Headquarters says troops of the Nigerian armed forces have eliminated 52 terrorists, apprehended 60 and rescued 61 kidnapped hostages in different operations between Sept. 15 and Sept. 22.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Buba said a total of seven terrorists comprising of five adult males and two adult females surrendered to troops within the period under review.

He said the troops recovered a total number of 77 weapons and 658 different types of ammunition.

“The breakdown is as follows: 53 AK47 rifles, two AK47 rifles loaded with 8 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 18 locally fabricated rifles, one beretta pistol, three pump action guns.

“650 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 50 AK47 magazines, two rounds of 9mm ammo, six rounds of 7.62 NATO and five fragmentation jackets.

“Furthermore, troops recovered 15 vehicles, 12 motorcycles, 12 Bicycles, five mobile phones, 12 cutlasses, two generator sets, two gas cylinders, 133 livestock and a sum of N602,000 and Airtel airtime worth N8,000,” he said.

Buba said the troops of Operation Delta Safe denied oil thieves of an estimated N946.38 million being value of seizures in the South-South region.

He stated that the troops recovered 496,250 litres of stolen crude oil, 83,400 litres of illegally refined AGO, 1,200 litres of PMS, four pumping machines, five speed boats, 34 dugout pits, 57 storage tanks, 16 wooden boats, 85 ovens and three outboard engines.

According to him, the mission of the military against terrorist and other violent extremist groups in the country remains unchanged.

“The military will continue with aggressive operations to force these groups to submission,” he added.

The defence spokesman said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai were engaged in ambushes, raids, rescue operations, fighting patrols, attacks as well as cordon and search activities in the North East theatre.

He added that troops of Operations Hadarun Daji, Safe Haven, Whirl Punch and Whirl Stroke had also sustained aggressive postures against bandits and other criminals in North West and North Central.

According to him, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke conducted 22 operations, 13 fighting patrols, six confidence building patrols and one raid operation within the period under review.

He said that the areas covered included Mbaayande, Mbamazu and Mbaagudu villages of Konshiga Local Government Area of Benue.

“Troops of Joint Task Force Operations UDO KA and Operation Search and Flush in the South East region sustained momentum in the fight against insecurity in the region.

“Troops apprehended five suspected IPOB/ESN terrorists in Ikwo and Ihiala Local Government Areas of Ebonyi and Anambra, respectively.

“The military will through its operations continue to make improvements towards ensuring safety of citizens and restoring security across the country.

“Citizens are encouraged to know something, say something and let the military do something about it,” Buba said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Benson Iziama/Maharazu Ahmed

By Hamza Suleiman

Police in Borno have arrested one Musa Dauda, a repentant Boko Haram member who allegedly killed and buried his ex-wife, Hafsat Musa, at a farm at Muhammed Goni stadium, Maiduguri.

Police spokesman in Borno, ASP Sani Kamilu, stated in Maiduguri on Friday that Dauda invited 45-year-old Hafsat to meet with him on her farm in the stadium premises, on Sept. 12.

Hafsat was nowhere to be found after honouring the invitation, Kamilu stated.

“The case was not reported to the police until a few days later when the decomposing body of Hafsat was discovered on the farm by her relatives,’’ Kamilu added.

He stated that the police swung into action immediately; visited the scene and evacuated Hafsat’s corpse to Umaru Shehu Ultramodern Hospital, Maiduguri for autopsy.

Kamilu stated also that Dauda was arrested on Thursday, Sept. 21 and that he confessed to the commission of the crime.

He added that Dauda said he saw Hafsat with another person on the farm and he clubbed her with a hoe on the head before she slumped and died.

Dauda later buried Hafsat on the farm and fled, Kamilu stated.

The suspect would be arraigned at the conclusion of investigation, Kamilu assured. (NAN)

Edited by Alli Hakeem