In a development tinged with both relief and sorrow, bandits have released the children of a Federal University Dutsinma (FUDMA) lecturer who was killed during their abduction.
The gunmen, however, struck again, killing another father in a separate incident.
Derrick and Caleb were freed after their father, Dr. Tiri Gyang, was murdered by the bandits. The criminals had initially demanded a ransom of N20 million for their release.
Read Also: Reps blame bureaucracy for failure to effect 50% pay cut
Tragically, another family is mourning the loss of their breadwinner as fresh details have emerged about the fate of Mallam Garba Funtua, the father of the female student, Aisha, who was kidnapped alongside Dr. Tiri’s children.
Mallam Garba had taken the demanded ransom for his daughter’s release by himself.
Unfortunately, the bandits took him captive and released his daughter after collecting the ransom and later killed him.
The recurring attacks by bandits in Katsina have continued to pose a significant security challenge to the state government and its residents.
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Bandits release children of slain Katsina varsity lecturer, kill another victim
Bullfighting is a sin, animal rights activists tell Pope
Animal rights activists briefly interrupted Pope Francis’ weekly audience at the Vatican on Wednesday, holding up signs demanding an end to bullfighting.
Two activists from PETA, an international charity which defends animal rights, shouted slogans just as the audience got underway, before being escorted out by security.
“Bullfighting is a sin,” read the signs in English and Italian, while the activists’ T-shirts read, “Stop blessing corridas.”
“Corridas” or bullfights, are a controversial tradition practised in Spain and several Latin American countries as well as in parts of southern France and Portugal.
Each year, thousands of bulls are slaughtered in bullrings around the world, according to PETA.
Wednesday’s protest was one of several over the past couple of years calling on the Argentinian pope to take a stand against bullfighting.
In the 16th century, Pope Pius V banned bullfights as “cruel” and contrary to “Christian piety and charity.”
But Catholic priests still officiate at religious ceremonies in bullfights and minister to bullfighters in chapels built inside arenas, PETA said.
While considered a venerated cultural tradition in Spain, bullfighting is a blood sport involving taunting and stabbing the bull before killing it.
Men on horseback first lance the bull at the neck, at which point others attempt to plant sharp sticks into its shoulders.
The matador then confronts the weakened, confused bull, engaging it in a series of passes with his cape before he performs a fatal thrust between the shoulders to kill it.
It often takes multiple stabs to finally kill the animal.
AFP
Six die after cassava flour meal in Kogi, govt begins probe
The Kogi State Government has commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of six persons after eating cassava flour that may have been contaminated.
Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred last Wednesday in a household in Anyoke, Okunchi Ward, Adavi Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that eight victims were rushed to three different hospitals, where six of them died due to multiple organ failure.
The two surviving victims have since been discharged.
The state Commissioner for Health, AbdulAzzez Adeiza, who had visited the survivors before their discharge, said that a specialised team consisting of state and World Health Organisation’s officials, including the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer, and local health officials, has been deployed to investigate the outbreak.
He said, “Samples of the cassava flour have been collected for toxicological analysis in collaboration with the state Ministry of Agriculture.
“The Kogi State Government has taken responsibility for the victims’ medical bills and will release the final toxicology report to the public.
“The government expresses its gratitude to healthcare workers for their unwavering dedication and efforts in saving the lives of the two surviving victims.
“A thorough case investigation would be conducted, which would involve engaging with community leaders and neighbours, assessing environmental sanitation conditions, and evaluating the water source.
“Thankfully, no additional cases of watery stooling or vomiting have been reported in the household or community.”
The Kogi State Ministry of Health also thanked the community for its cooperation and urged everyone to prioritise healthy living, remain vigilant, and promptly report any suspicious findings.
EndBadGovernance: No room for military takeover, change Tinubu govt – Oshiomhole
The Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, on Wednesday declared that there is no room for regime or military takeover in Nigeria.
Oshiomhole said it’s impossible for a faceless group to demand regime change.
Some protesters under the EndBadGovernanceInNigeria had demanded the ousting of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the face of the hardship in the country.
However, speaking on Arise News Morning Show, the All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain said: “There is no room for regime change or military takeover. It’s impossible for an amorphous group to demand regime change.
“I commend Tinubu’s patience and the way he addressed those issues. He said I have listened and heard you, but I will like to see the commissioning of industries because this will tackle hunger.
“At no time did I call for a regime change of government during my protest days, now I see politicians trying to hijack these protests.
“A peaceful protest can be used to emphasize regime change.”
EndBadGovernance: No room for military takeover, change Tinubu govt – Oshiomhole
Group urges Tinubu to address hunger, hardship
The Delta State Obidient Elders’ Council has advised President Bola Tinubu to address the lingering hunger and hardship crises in the country.
The council also described the nationwide hunger protest as a show of the determination of the Nigerian youths to overcome the intimidation and propaganda of the Federal Government and its agencies.
The protests, tagged, #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria, which started on August 1, 2024, aim to spur the Tinubu-led administration to address hunger, and economic hardship, among others.
The council stated this in a statement signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Chris Biose and Solomon Akeni, respectively; and made available to journalists on Tuesday in Asaba, the state capital.
The statement partly read, “We, the Delta Obidient Elders’ Council hereby respectfully urge President Tinubu to desist from his grandstanding and address realistic issues that affect the masses.
“The fact that the youth population ignored the hypocritical pleas by traditional rulers and religious elite to dissuade them from the protest is abundant evidence of the disconnect between these institutions and the younger generation of Nigerian citizens.
“The charter of demands of the youths is designed to bring about a better, more livable and just Nigerian state. These include a drastic reduction in the cost of fuel, cost of governance, bridging the yawning gap between emoluments of political officeholders and that of other public servants among others.”
The council noted that “it is regrettable that the civil protest degenerated into violence, looting of property and destruction of public facilities in some parts of the country.
“The complaints by government functionaries and police about unruly behaviour of some protesters have their root cause in the political culture and social practices which the Federal Government refused to address,” citing an instance in which the Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum “complained that over 95 per cent of protesters in Maiduguri were under-age.”
The statement added, “On a general note, we find it shocking that President Tinubu failed to address the issue of horrendous killings of crop farmers in many parts of the country by armed Fulani herdsmen,” which it labelled as the “root of the inability of Nigerian farmers to produce sufficient food for local consumption in the past few years.”
The council also said “the president was silent about rampaging oil thieves that run down the economy. Worse still, he made no mention of investigating the brutal killing of Nigerian citizens by his policemen.”
EndBadGovernance: 16-year-old-boy allegedly killed by soldier in Zaria
A 16-year-old #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protester in the Samaru community in Zaria, Kaduna State, was on Tuesday shot dead by a soldier with the Nigerian Army.
Confirming the development in a statement on Tuesday titled “Unfortunate death of a protester by a soldier in Zaria,” the Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyeama Nwachukwu, said that the teenage protester was identified as Ismail Mohammed.
According to Nwachukwu, the incident happened on Tuesday when troops of the Nigerian Army received a distress call to help disperse some hoodlums, who had gathered in Samaru, burning tyres and attacking security personnel.
He explained that the mob attempted to attack the troops, which led a soldier to fire a warning shot to scare the hoodlums away, which led to Mohammed’s death, saying that the soldier involved has since been arrested and is undergoing interrogation.
The Director of Army Public Relations said, “On August 6, 2024, troops of the Nigerian Army received a distress call that some hoodlums gathered in Samaru in large numbers, burning tyres on the road and pelting stones at security personnel. The troops immediately mobilised and arrived at the scene to disperse the mob and enforce the curfew imposed by the state gtroops,ment.”
He further explained that on arrival at the scene, the hoodlums brazenly attempted attacking the troops prompting a soldier to fire a warning shot to scare the hoodlums away, which unfortunately led to the death of a 16-year-old boy, Ismail Mohammed.
Saddened by the unfortunate incident, according to the statement, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, has sent a high-powered delegation led by the General Officer Commanding 1 Division, Maj Gen Lander Saraso, to visit and condole with the family of the deceased.
He stated that the deceased was buried according to Islamic rites with senior military officers of the Nigerian Army in attendance.
EndBadGovernance: 16-year-old-boy allegedly killed by soldier in Zaria
Protest: Soldiers followed my son home, shot him – Zaria man alleges
The father of the killed Ismail Mohammed in Samaru Zaria, Malam Mohammed, has alleged that soldiers followed his son home and shot him to death.
The aggrieved father, in an interview with newsmen, said the soldiers who were scaring people away, followed his son to their house and shot him.
“My son, about 19 years old, was outside the house when the soldiers started shooting. He ran inside and locked the door, but the soldiers followed him and shot through the door. I was at Hayin Dogo when Abubakar called to tell me what happened. But it was after an hour that I was able to reach home after Ismail was killed,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has vowed to investigate the death of the teenager, Isma’il Muhammad, following the allegation.
The General Officer Commanding, GOC, 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Maj.-Gen. MLD Saraso, disclosed this when he visited the family of the deceased in Zaria on Tuesday.
The GOC later addressed youths in the area, saying that he was in Zaria to commiserate with the family and the community over the incident.
He assured that a thorough investigation would be conducted on the matter and invited any community member with substantive evidence to forward the same for necessary action.
Saraso said the incident was unfortunate, urging the community to live in peace and always abide by the law and order.
The deceased’s mother, Zainab Sani, said the shooting occurred around 9.00 a.m., at their residence at Sarkin Pawa Street, Samaru, Zaria, by a trigger-happy soldier on patrol alongside his colleagues.
She said the late Isma’il was playing with his friends and brother in front of their house when they saw soldiers coming in their direction.
“With one of the soldiers pointing his gun at them, they ran into the house and shut the gate,” she said.
She alleged that the soldier, however, shot at the gate, thereby killing Isma’il, who stood by the gate to prevent the soldiers from gaining entrance.
Protest: Soldiers followed my son home, shot him – Zaria man alleges
#EndBadGovernance Protests: 6 Spaniards, 76 others, sponsors arrested, Police says
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, yesterday disclosed that the Police have arrested some of the real sponsors of the protesters who hoisted Russian flags and called for a change of government in the country in states such as Kano, Kaduna, and Zamfara, among others.
Egbetokun spoke as the Comptroller-General of Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nandap, disclosed that the sponsors of the foreign flags by the protesters had been identified to live abroad.
This followed the Kano State Commissioner of Police, CP Salman Garba, disclosure that his command arrested no fewer than six Spanish nationals in connection with the protest.
Garba noted that the command also arrested 76 others, including the tailor sewing Russian flags, saying the command is on the trail of the sponsor.
“We have arrested six Spanish nationals and 76 others, including the tailor. We recovered 23 Russian flags, we are trailing the sponsor.
READ ALSO: Russian Embassy denies involvement with protesters waving Russian flags
“They have been transferred to Force Headquarters because it has to do with sedition and national security,” the CP stated
The protests in the North had turned violent as the youth took to destroying public property and called for the military to take over the country.
The military had already dismissed such calls and pledged to keep Nigeria’s democracy.
Meanwhile, Kano and Kaduna State Governments have already declared a curfew to quell the raging protesters.
“Since August 1, nobody has fired gunshots and we didn’t use force on innocent protesters. We only provided security for them. Even amid the protest, we have arrested several armed robbers, and criminal elements who stole and committed other offences,” Egbetokun and other security chiefs said in a joint media briefing.
Critics have already dismissed the claim and accused the military of using force on peaceful protesters.
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Nigeria’s creative hub underway – FG
The Federal Government says plans are underway for the construction of the Nigerian Creative City, a one-stop hub for talent development and youth empowerment.
The Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to Musawa, the project is part of initiatives conceived by the ministry to provide a platform to harness creative opportunities across the country for economic gains.
Musawa said, “We are talking about Nigerian Creative City, which I hope is going to be a one-stop shop for the 49 subsectors within the creative industry.
“So, within this creative city, all the sub-sectors can go there to demonstrate their abilities to create and, by so doing, also create jobs and boost tourism for increased contribution to national revenue.
“Although every single state is going to have the presence of the Ministry of Culture, Art and Creative Economy, the huge project of the creative city will be here in Abuja, the FCT.”
She noted that while the ministry is making efforts to “contribute to the economic expansion of our country,” industry players “have been able to organically grow the industry in a way that has given value to the industry and themselves.
“Government has to come in now to close all the gaps, to find the way that we can reposition this value to come back in. This is now where you see this $100 billion contribution already,” she said.
Musawa said the creative city is expected to offer development platforms in all genres of creativity in the arts, culture and entertainment industries, adding that the creative city would create job and business opportunities, and as well become Nigeria’s tourism hub.
According to her, the ministry will be working with state ministries to ensure that such hubs are replicated at state government levels.
“These incubators, these hubs, allow people within their community to go and record music, to go and do capacity building in their locality.
“In every single state, there is going to be a creative and cultural village that will also be able to house the specific and unique sub-sectors that the particular state tends to specialise in.
“So you have your cinemas, you have your arenas, you have your incubators, you have your museums, and I am working closely with the Minister of Tourism,” she said.
Musawa, however, urged Nigerian youths to shun activities that are capable of destabilising the country as no meaningful development could take place in an atmosphere of rancour.
She advised youths to embrace opportunities in the creative space, especially as the Federal Government was keen on ensuring that their Intellectual property rights were protected for maximum gains.
NAN
Yahaya Bello denies sponsoring #EndBadGovernance protests, reaffirms support for Tinubu
The Media Office of the immediate-past governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yayaha Bello, has denied the claim making the rounds that he is one of the sponsors of the ongoing nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests.
His media team described the claim as “reckless and irresponsibly malicious,” adding that the former governor remained a patriot who had devoted his time, resources and energy to building a united and prosperous Nigeria.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by Michael Ohiare, in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, the claim was only a strategy by Bello’s enemies to frame him and make him an enemy of the Bola Tinubu administration.
The statement read: “We have uncovered a high-wired plan by some disgruntled enemies of the nation and persons on the ‘Project Bring Down Yahaya Bello’, to frame him up as one of the sponsors of the #EndBadGovernance protests across the country.
“We wouldn’t have bothered to respond to a clout-chasing criminal, blackmailer and blackmail pawn, a hired gun in the hands of some unpatriotic Nigerians, who published a fake, malicious and unintelligent report about an imaginary involvement of His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, in the ongoing protests across the country.
READ ALSO: Judge denies ex-gov Yahaya Bello’s attempt to delay alleged N80bn fraud trial
“But it is pertinent to respond to the tirades of falsehood by the writer because it borders on national security. Our resolve is further strengthened by the condemnable act of some protesters displaying the flags of other nations.
“What threatened our fragile unity was resolved amicably on the negotiation table provided by Alhaji Yahaya Bello when he mediated between the northern food transporters and their southern counterparts and brought them together as food exchange between the two regions was threatened. That move earned him so much commendation by leaders of the country at that time.”
“In the build-up to the 2023 presidential poll, several impediments and political cum economic landmines were laid on the road, including the naira redesign policy. It was the same Yahaya Bello with some of his colleagues then who dared the system and secured the judgment that set aside the policy at the Supreme Court. It was a landmark intervention at a time that the nation was almost collapsing.
“Can the masterminds of his persecution show the world the results of their state? Yahaya Bello also mobilised the youth of the nation as the APC Youth Mobilisation Committee Chairman, because of his faith in the leadership capacity of Mr President,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, Bello’s whereabouts have remained unknown since the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared him wanted over an alleged N80.2bn fraud.
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