By Mohammed Tijjani

The Kaduna State Government on Tuesday said troops of the `Operation Thunder Strike’` have laid ambush and neutralised two bandits in Kagarko Local Government Area (LGA), of Kaduna State.

Mr Samuel Aruwan, the state’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs disclosed this in a statement.

Aruwan said the troops, following intelligence reports, carried out the operation on Monday night along the Sabon Iche-Kagarko Road, Kagarko.

He said the information was an operational feedback to the government, and the troops laid ambush along the route, following the credible information on the bandits’ movement around the area.

“While attempting to invade the road for an operation, the bandits entered the killing zone and the troops opened fire.

“The bandits returned fire as they beat a hasty retreat.

“After the firefight, the dead bodies of two bandits were retrieved by the troops, and the rest are suspected to have escaped with gunshot wounds.

“The troops suffered no casualties,” he added.

The Commissioner said local sources had confirmed that the bandits were indeed part of the notorious group terrorising the area.

He said following the incident, Gov. Nasir El-Rufai, had praised the troops’ gallantry and congratulated them for a successful operation.

He, however, said aggressive patrols will continue in the area.

Aruwan advised communities around the area to report individuals seeking medical attention for suspicious injuries.

“Such reports can be forwarded via the Kaduna State security operations room on the phone lines, 09034000060, 0817018999 and via email: Internal.Security@kdsg.gov.ng

“Citizens are to note that any locals found harbouring or providing medical aid to bandits with bullet wounds, will be charged as bandits,” Aruwan warned in the statement. (NAN)

By Ibironke Ariyo

The Centre for Ethical Rebirth Among Nigerian Youths (CERANY) has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa as Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Mr Chuks Akamadu, President, CERANY, said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

He described the appointment as timely, urging Marwa to strive to implement the reports of the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse (PACEDA).

This he said, would be in the interest of Nigeria whose youths were currently being hurt by the worsening scourge of drug abuse.

“With his background as a fine soldier, erudite scholar and an accomplished public administrator as well as the painstaking, rigorous and exhaustive job he did as Chairman, PACEDA, this appointment is a square peg in a square hole.

“As military administrator of Lagos State, he literally ran criminals out of town through his administration’s ingenious Operation Sweep initiative, which brought crime and criminality in the nation’s commercial capital to its knees.

“It is for these compelling reasons that a broad spectrum of stakeholders in the fight against drug abuse in Nigeria are super-excited about this brilliant choice of Buhari.

“And we are breathlessly waiting for the NDLEA, under his watch, to commence the urgent task of sweeping Nigeria clean of all narcotic substances and illicit trafficking,” he said.

Buhari approved the appointment of Marwa as the new NDLEA chairman on Jan.15, after the expiration of the tenure of the former chairman, retired Col. Muhammad Abdallah.

Marwa was Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse (PACEDA) between 2018 and December 2019 which developed a blueprint on how to end drug abuse in Nigeria.

CERANY is a voluntary civil society organisation which seeks to invent for Nigeria, a morally healthy nation, rich in the cultural-cum-attitudinal capital required to give the nation a sustainable purposeful direction. (NAN)

By Mustapha Yauri

Gunmen have kidnapped Prof. Aliyu Mohammed of Department of Agriculture, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, and killed his son, Abdulaziz.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the don, who is also the Wazirin Wusasa, was abducted Sunday night at Wusasa, Zaria, Kaduna State.

Mr Usman Aliyu, another son of the kidnapped professor, told newsmen in Zaria that the incident took place on Sunday at about 10.30 p.m.

He said besides kidnapping his father and killing one of his brothers, they also shot Malam Abubakar Kabir, who is a younger brother to the deceased (Abdulaziz Aliyu).

Aliyu said no sooner than he returned to the family house at 10.30 p.m. on Sunday, he heard sudden gunshots and took cover by hiding somewhere in the compound.

According to him, when the gunshots stopped, he called out to one of his younger brothers who informed him that they (gunmen) had killed their brother and kidnapped their father.

He said the deceased had already been buried according to Islamic rites while the one shot was receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

Alhaji Ahmad Amfani, the Ward Head of Kuregu, Wusasa, said the community made effort to reach some security agencies, but their effort was not successful as none responded to the distress call.

The state police command is yet to react to the development.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Government had also confirmed the report through its Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan.

Aruwan said in a statement on Monday that intelligence information said the bandits kidnapped Mohammed and killed his son. (NAN)

By Peter Okolie

Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra has constituted a 15-member committee to look into the boundary dispute between Aguleri and Umuleri communities in Anambra East Local Government Area.

The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, disclosed this in a statement in Awka on Monday, pointing out that the committee would be chaired by AVM Ben Chiobi (rtd.).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two communities renewed their age-long hostilities on Saturday, following a disagreement over land ownership.

The Spokesman of the state Police Command, CSP Haruna Mohammed, had told newsmen that no casualties were reported before the crisis was brought under control.

Chukwulobelu listed the committee’s terms of reference to include the establishment of the boundaries between Aguleri and Umuleri.
Others are: “To establish the immediate cause of the dispute between the two communities, which occurred on Saturday, January 16.

“To invite and interview the families that own the lands in dispute.

“To recommend other possible solutions that will guarantee lasting peace in the area.”

The statement further disclosed that the committee had three weeks to conclude its assignment.

Members of the committee are the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Uju Nworgu, and Commissioner for Lands, Mr Bonaventure Enemali, amongst others. (NAN)

By Ibironke Ariyo
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja has intercepted 21.9kg of Cocaine.

This contained in a statement signed by the NDLEA airport Commander, Mr Kabir Tsakuwa on Monday in Abuja.

The statement signed by the agency’s Spokesman, Deputy Commander of Narcotics (DCN) Jonah Achema, the illicit substance concealed in two suit cases was the largest single seizure by the Command.

He noted that the two unaccompanied and unclaimed suit cases were discovered after the arrival of Ethiopian Airline, ET 910 in Abuja from Addis Ababa.

According to him, during the inward clearance of the flight, the vigilant officers of the Command became suspicious on noticing that the two suit cases were abandoned on the conveyor belt without any of the passengers claiming them.

Tsakuwa directed the officers to keep an eye on the suit cases and informed the Airline and its handlers of NDLEA’s interest in the luggage.

According to him, after few days of not claiming the luggage, we formally contacted the station Manager of Ethiopian Airline and the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO Aviance) being the handler for the Airline, indicating the suspicion of the agency of the luggage.

“I placed a standing order that NDLEA should be invited before the luggage would be released to the owner or in the event that the luggage would be returned to the point of embarkation.

“After many weeks of no claim by the owners, we informed the Airline on the need for search to be conducted on the unclaimed suit cases.

“The Airline officials, including the baggage handler along with the Department of State Services, Aviation Security and Nigeria Customs Service were invited to NDLEA Office where the search was conducted.

“The first unclaimed suit case was searched and found with three blankets out of which two contained parcel of transparent nylon which housed whitish substances suspected to be hard drugs.

”Field test proved positive for cocaine and weighed 10.750kg.

“The second unclaimed suit case contained twenty-two packet shirts, one parcel of drug was concealed in each of the shirts and covered with a blue carbon paper containing a transparent nylon.

“The substance was also field tested and proved positive for cocaine and weighed 11.150KG. The second suit case had a baggage tag with a name Nze Lusaka U. The drug seized made a total of 21.9kg,” he said.

Tsakuwa said that investigation was ongoing and that the Command was currently liaising with Ethiopian Airline to get more information in order to unravel the identity of the couriers.

By Monday Ijeh
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Mohammed Adamu, has commended personnel attached to Police Mobile Force – 9 Squadron, Kano, for repelling attack on their convoy by bandits in Kaduna State.

The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr Frank Mba, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

He said officers who were on their way back to their base in Kano after completing a special duty were attacked on Friday along the Birnin-Gwari Funtua Highway.

According to him, the officers are personnel attached to Operation Puff Adder and deployed to Niger State in the sustained operation to reclaim public space.

He said the team was deployed to tackle incidences of banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes in the area.

“Contrary to unconfirmed reports in some sections of the media that 18 officers were kidnapped, only 16 were attacked in the ambush.

“The officers successfully repelled the attack accordingly and neutralised the bandits in their tens while many others scampered into the bush with gun shot injuries.

“Regrettably, four of the Officers paid the supreme price during the exchange of gun fire between the Police and the bandits while an officer is still missing,” he said.

Mba said the remaining 11 officers led by their Unit Commander successfully recovered the bodies and firearms of their fallen colleagues, adding that concerted efforts were being intensified to rescue the officer still missing.

He said the IGP had commiserated with the families of the officers who paid the supreme price in the service of the nation, pledging to ensure that their deaths were not in vain.

He pledged the commitment of the police to check all activities of bandits and other unscrupulous elements in the area and other parts of the country.

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Defence Headquarters says the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole, has destroyed additional seven gun trucks, and eliminated scores of terrorists who attempted to reinforce attack at Marte, in Borno.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, in a statement on Sunday, said the success came after the earlier destruction of seven gun trucks by combined ground and air operations.

Enenche said the troops had successfully repelled a Boko Haram/Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP), terrorists’ attack on Marte on the night of Jan. 15, into early hours of Jan.16.

He said the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), helicopter gunships had engaged the convoy of ISWAP gun trucks as they approached Marte axis for reinforcement.

According to him, the helicopters delivered accurate hits in their multiple waves of attack, obliterating no fewer than six additional gun trucks, which were seen engulfed in flames across the battlespace.

“Several other terrorists were mopped-up in follow-on attacks as the helicopter gunships continued to strafe the fleeing ISWAP elements.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria, operating in concert with other security agencies and stakeholders, will sustain the offensive against the enemies of our Great Nation.

“We shall not relent until normalcy is restored, not only in the Northeast, but also in every other troubled part of our beloved country,” Enenche said. (NAN)