A video has been released of a student kidnapped and pregnant by bandits who was abducted alongside 38 other students in March from the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna State.
It happened between April 5 and April 8, bandits released 10 of the abducted students, leaving 29 of them in captivity.
Details later…
There is apprehension in the Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, following the shooting of two soldiers and a civilian at a checkpoint. The incident happened on Monday night. It was learnt that unidentified gunmen shot the 2 soldiers and the civilian at a checkpoint in the Timber Junction place, at the state, Vanguard reports. Those injured as a consequence of the episode were rushed to an undisclosed hospital for treatment while the deceased had been deposited at the hospital.
It was gathered that the sufferers were attacked around 8.48 pm along the guns of the soldiers were allegedly removed.
After the assault, other soldiers at the checkpoint fled into the bush for safety. An origin from the community told Vanguard that the gunmen arrived at the checkpoint in a bus and since the army men stopped them to search them, they opened fire on them.
According to him, the situation drove Amasiri and Afikpo towns into a state of panic, as sailors, particularly petty traders hurriedly packed their merchandise and went home.
“It is a really sad situation. They stated suspected gunmen came to the checkpoint at Timber Shade (boundary Ehugbo and Amasiri) from the snowy bus.”As usual, it appeared that the military was assessing them and all of a sudden, they opened fire. Two of the army men, a woman and man, died. Others hurried away.”The area is as silent as the graveyard. These adjoining villages used to be quite busy and people here are farmers and traders. However, the moment that happened, people started going home. Nobody is observed outside as I talk to you. Every area is calm. There is fear here now. The world is about to finish,” the source said.
The Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari has Accepted the Updating of This Marhai Forest Reserve, at Wamba Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, to a National park.
Conservator-General and Chief Executive Officer, National Park Services, NPS, Ibrahim Goni, revealed that while on a courtesy call to the Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, in the Government House, at Lafia that the State Capital.
Goni further revealed that President Buhari declared the updating of another 9 kinds of wood reservations throughout the nation, from the 23 previously asked.
“I am seeing Your Excellency, to communicate for you, the President’s acceptance for the updating of this Marhai forest book to some national park,” he said.
Based on Goni, in 2013, the Nasarawa State government, along with other 22 nations, asked for the updating of this Marhai forest book, after which President Buhari accepted the updating of ten forest reserves throughout the nation.
Directive
The Conservator-General clarified that “the acceptance came with a presidential directive for the National Park Services to participate the states that were armed, to install modalities for its smooth handling and take more of their new federal parks”
Goni equally asked for the immediate setting up of a deadline, involving representatives from the State Government, to fine-tune modalities such as the handing over the Marhai Forest Reserve into the NPS.
The Governor explained; “Since its beginning, his government was encouraging the Farin Ruwa tourism abilities, together with the State government building the 15-km Sisin Baki/ Farin Ruwa street to open the region.”
Governor Sule equally valued the NPS because of its recommendations and also for recognising these concealed resources belonging to the nation.
“because this government came in, we’ve been doing everything possible to market which park…We have encouraged many characters, such as a delegation headed by the Minister of Information, Tourism, and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to come along and endeavour the playground,” the Governor noted.
Governor Sule was optimistic that its transformation into a national park, the Marhai Forest Reserve, will surely lead to additional national parks in the nation due to its natural endowment, particularly attracting tourists.
He expressed confidence that at the end of the afternoon, host communities throughout the park, could be beneficial concerning employment, amongst others.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has warned citizens against travelling to countries that are documenting the third wave of their COVID-19 pandemic.
The states that are currently documenting a third wave of the pandemic are India, Brazil, South Africa and Turkey.
The National Incident Manager (NIM) of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, Dr Mukhtar Muhammad, disclosed this at the media briefing from the committee on Monday.
Muhammad also cautioned Nigerians against obeying security protocols against COVID-19, insisting that the virus wasn’t over.
Read also: Tension as Igboho’s men repel soldiers in attempt to arrest activist overnight
He said, “While we continue to reopen the economy, we must also know about the happenings around the world. Mr Chairman (Boss Mustapha) along with the Honourable Minister of Health (Osagie Ehanire) have made reference to particular incidents in India, Turkey, Brazil and South Africa.
“We sympathise with those of those countries [India, Brazil, South Africa and Turkey] because it is actually a very stressful time, especially for India that’s recording more than 300,000 cases each day and recording within 2,000 deaths.
“India is a prime destination for health tourism for Nigeria. We are aware that many Nigerians prefer to journey — to go to India but today… we urge Nigerians to restrict all travels to only essential travels, especially to these affected countries.”
Gunmen, suspected to be bandits, today abducted some students of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM) in Benue State.
The school authorities confirmed the incident, saying an unspecified number of students were taken away at gunpoint on Sunday night.
The Director of Information, Protocol and Public Relations Unit (IPPR), Mrs Rosemary Waku, made the disclosure on Monday.
The development comes less than a week after students of Greenfield University, Kaduna, were also abducted on campus.
Less than 72 hours after their abduction, three of the students were found dead.
The World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with Yobe state government has undertaken Covid-19 House-to-House risk communication awareness to over 90,000 residents of the state in an effort to curb the spread of the deadly Corona virus disease in the state.
Mr. Muhammad Shafiq, WHO Emergency Manager, Health Emergencies Programme, represented by Doctor Ibrahim Salisu, a Public Health Officer revealed that it was intended to sensitize the larger populace of the society who may not have access to information through the mainstream and social media.
“We are working closely with the Yobe state Ministry of health to meet the covid-19 response across all the pillars, in addition to the ongoing risk communication programme such as radio and television jingles and motorist campaigns”.
“We have also deployed teams of community health champions who are working to improve community sensitization in the second wave of the pandemic. In the last one month alone, we have reached out to more than 90,000 people with covid-19 prevention messages” he said.
According to Mr. Shafiq, WHO is also providing the necessary technical support for the state government in health system strengthening so as to mitigate the challenges of covid-19 pandemic.
The World Health Organization is currently undertaking the strengthening of the state’s surveillance system and has donated 400,000 Information Education Materials, built capacity of health workers on Gender Based Violence, trained doctors on covid-19 clinical management, supplied assorted drugs and provided psycho-social support for covid-19 survivors.
Yobe state which recorded its covid-19 index case on April 30, 2020, now has 390 confirmed cases with 9 deaths across its 17 local government councils as at Sunday, April 25, 2021.
Soka part of Ibadan, Oyo State was tension soaked overnight till the early hours of Monday as Sunday Igboho’s men and soldiers engaged each other in gun duel when they attempted to arrest the Yoruba activist.
In a video recorded live by Igboho’s spokesman, Olayomi Koiki, said, soldiers of the Nigeria Army were alleged to have put the house under siege, in attempt to arrest Igboho.
Igboho’s spokesman called on the International Community, tje Civil Society Organisations and the Yoruba people worldwide to rise to the ocassion of justice and freedom for the land.
“We are more than capable to secure ourselves, we have chased them far from here, I am sure you can hear gunshots.
“That is them shooting from afar, we cannot be intimidated because we are fully prepared and ready for them.” Koiki stated.
On who could be responsible for the alleged attack, Koiki who linked the situation to the Federal government explained that the Governor Seyi Makinde-led Oyo state government would have a hand in it.
“By tomorrow morning, I am sure the government would come with false press statements, that it was a set of unknown soldiers, that was the same tactic they used to attack Fela’s mother. They equally used it during #EndSARS.
“They brought us letter sometimes ago but we rejected it because letter was what they used to kill Dele Giwa. We have chosen to be peaceful only for them to keep looking for our trouble which we won’t hesitate to give to them.” Koiki boasted.
Nigeria Police and their counterparts from the Department of State Service (DSS) in February was alleged to have teamed up and reportedly tried to arrest Igboho on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
However, the allegation was denied by both the Police and the DSS, describing it as a fake.
The whereabouts of Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State have been unknown since Boko Haram insurgents swooped on Geidam on Friday.
It’s unclear if Buni is in the state or in Abuja where he usually spends most of the time attending to issues of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which he chairs.
Buni has been in charge of APC since Adams Oshiomhole was sacked by a court.
Many residents of Geidam have been on the run since Boko Haram insurgents and the military exchanged firepower on Friday.
After airstrikes by the military, the insurgents beat retreat but they returned hours later and have been wreaking havoc on the town since then.
About 11 persons of the same family were reportedly killed as a result of an explosive that struck their home at Saminaka Area close to military camp in Geidam.
A resident, Abba Nura, said nobody can authoritatively tell if it was the military or the insurgents who released the explosive.
“I heard the sound, but I can’t tell where it came from, whether it is from the military airstrike or the side of the insurgents because they engaged in a serious gun battle.
“Upon entering their house after the shooting had stopped, we found 11 of them died as a result of the injuries they sustained with no first aid support.”
He said the funeral procession cannot be performed in Geidam due to the current situation.
“We conveyed their corpses to neighbouring communities and Damaturu the state capital for the burial. We are just confused. The attack is so tragic; only God can save us.
“As I speak to you now, people are still fleeing the town, and the insurgents did not utter word when we passed in front of them.”
The Executive Secretary of Yobe State Emergency Management Agency; Dr Mohammed Goje, on his part said some survivors have been evacuated and are currently receiving treatment as directed by Governor Buni.
