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Greenfield Abduction: 10 Students released, 5 Students Murdered, others still Captives (Highlights)

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Parents Of Abducted Students, SU Leaders Protests At National Assembly

Parents of the abducted students of Greenfield University,  Kaduna State occupied the National Assembly complex Abuja, in protest on Tuesday.

The protesters which include members of the Students Union Government, SUG, of the institution are lamenting over what they described as the negligence of the state and Federal Government in securing the release of the children.

They chanted songs of solidarity and displayed placards demanding prompt rescue of the students.

The main entrance of the National Assembly was however manned by security agents who denied the protesters entrance.

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On March 11, 2021, 39 students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization Afaka in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State were abducted from their hostels by bandits dressed in military uniform.

Ten of the students were released in two batches of five each but 29 others have remained in captivity.

 Presidency Urges all hands to be on deck with Kaduna Govt to ensure the Remaining Students are rescued

The Presidency has pledged to ensure that the surviving students are rescued unhurt. Parents of the abducted students had stormed the federal capital, Abuja, on Tuesday to demand action from the Federal Government toward the students’ rescue.

This came after the abductors reportedly killed five out of the abducted students over the federal and Kaduna State government’s failure to pay N100 million ransom.

But the Presidency, in a terse statement tweeted from its official Twitter account (@NGRPresident) on Tuesday night, said it was working closely with security agencies and Kaduna State Government to rescue the students.

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“We deeply share the anguish of the parents of the abducted Greenfield University students. The Federal Government through the military and intelligence agencies is working to support the Kaduna State Government to bring this tragic saga to an end with no further loss of innocent life.

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“We will ensure that good triumphs over evil, and that all of the bandits and criminals terrorizing innocent lives and communities are brought to book. This is a time for all Nigerians to unite, regardless of religion, ethnicity or partisan affiliation against a common, dastardly enemy,” it stated.

“CBN Should Pay N100m Greenfield Students’ Ransom Before It’s Too Late” – Gumi

An Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmad Gumi, on Tuesday urged government not to take the threat by the kidnappers of students of Greenfield University, Kaduna lightly.

Gumi, who stated this in an interview with The PUNCH, said the Central Bank of Nigeria should pay the N100m ransom being demanded by the kidnappers of the students.

He made the call as a parent of one of the abductees lamented that the kidnappers were insisting on a ransom of N100m.

The parent, who spoke to one of our correspondents in Kaduna on condition of anonymity, lamented that the bandits were still insisting on their demands and threatening to kill the students.

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No fewer than 23 students and a member of staff of the university were abducted from the school on April 20, 2021. Few days later, five of the students were killed by the bandits.

Gumi, speaking on Tuesday during a programme of the African Independent Television said he needed the support of the Federal Government to rescue the students.

When asked if he was aware of the kidnap of the students of Greenfield University and the Federal College of Forestry, he said “As for the forestry students, we have been trying to see whether we can get some of the herdsmen’s contact so that they can release these people.

“We have also been trying our best but you know we have limitations, there are lots of obstacles on the way but the parents have been really consulting with us.”

On the Greenfield University students, the cleric said, “The issue of the Greenfield students is a little bit more complex.

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“There are two groups of bandits. We have the ordinary Fulani ethnic herdsmen and the religious elements, terrorists. That is why we have been telling the government to support us so that we can go in and bring the children out.

“The issue is getting compounded because this element is coming in; Boko Haram is coming into the scene now. They are the ones that captured Greenfield students. It is not a question of sleeping. You have to act very fast.”

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On Monday, one of the bandits, Sani Jalingo, in an interview with the Hausa service of the Voice of America, demanded N100m and 10 motorcycles for the students to be freed.

He threatened that the failure of the Kaduna State Government or families of the students to meet the demands by Tuesday (yesterday), would lead to the killing of the abductees.

Bandits not shifting ground, insist on N100m, 10 motorcycles – Parent cries out

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The parent, who spoke to The PUNCH correspondent in Kaduna at 9pm on Tuesday, called on the Federal Government to do everything possible to rescue the students.

He also called on corporate organisations to assist in rescuing the students.

He said the call became imperative as the bandits stood their ground that unless their demands were met the remaining students would be killed.

He said, “The bandits still stand their ground of demanding N100m and ten motorcycles; no individual negotiation.

“We are calling on the government to do whatever it can to see to the release of our children. Our children have stayed long in the forest.

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“We don’t know the state of their health at the moment. We don’t know whether they are being fed or how they are treated by the bandits.

“All that we can say now is for the government of the day, especially, the Federal Government and well-meaning Nigerians to come to our aid. We can’t afford the N100m and the motorcycles demanded by the bandits.

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“We are also calling on corporate organisations to come under their corporate social responsibilities to assist us to get our children out of the bandits’ den.

Gumi, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the telephone, lamented that his efforts, which had been yielding fruits, were not being appreciated by the government.

He said, “ The money they are asking for is too much; if I give you that money, you cannot run away with it. Nobody can run. So, why not give them the money, they release the boys and then we pursue them and get our money back and do what is necessary; it is simple logic. So, bring the money from the central bank. How can they move that money? We should not be stupid.

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“These people are getting infiltrated; Boko Haram is getting close and they don’t respect the clergy. I need support to get them inoculated against the infiltration of these ideologies, whether Boko Haram or Ansaru, whatever it is. We need to shield them because they are naïve. If there is too much pressure on them, and they see help from Boko Haram, who are richer and have more weapons, it is going to consume everybody.”

 

 

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Gunmen Attack Anambra Police Station, Kill Four Officers

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Gunmen Attack Anambra Police Station, Kill Four Officers
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Unknown gunmen in the early hours of Wednesday attacked a police station located in Atani, the headquarters of Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.

It was gathered that the gunmen launched the attack on the police facility around 1:30 am on Wednesday.

A further report had it that four police officers were killed in the attack.

Since the emergence of Charles Soludo as the Governor of Anambra State there had been series of attacks on police and government facilities in the state.

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Meanwhile, the spokesman of the state police command, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, has confirmed the development.

He said, “The hoodlums came around 1 a.m., and unlucky for us, four police operatives paid the supreme price.”

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng on hearing of the attack immediately mobilized men of the command from various units to the area.

“The hoodlums were still there when the CP personally led men of the command to the affected area, and the timely arrival saved the day and the hoodlums were successfully repelled, and the facility was saved.

“We have commenced intelligence already, and we hope to unravel the persons behind the attack.”

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Troops repel attack, eliminate scores of terrorists/bandits in Sokoto — Official

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By Gistflash News

Sept 27, 2021

Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji, in conjunction with other security agencies have eliminated scores of Islamic States for West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists and bandits in Sokoto State.

Defence Headquarters said on Monday in Abuja.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Director, Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Benjamin Sawyer.

He said the terrorists were eliminated during a foiled attack on the Forward Operation Base (FOB) at Burkusuma, a remote border settlement with Niger Republic in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

“The aggressive operations of troops of the FOB as witnessed in recent months in the North West region, had been a thorn in the flesh of ISWAP terrorists and bandits.”

Sawyer stated that the attackers who came in large numbers using telecom network provided from neighboring country, capitalised on the lean rear area protection force.

“This was when the main troops were out conducting offensive operations within their area of responsibility.’’

He disclosed that, the troops recorded an undisclosed number of casualties during the encounter.

“However, the swift reinforcement by own troops helped to counter the attack as many of the ISWAP fighters were eliminated, while some scrambled with various degrees of injuries.

“Troops are currently in hot pursuit of the criminals to Bassira in Niger Republic,” he said.

Meanwhile, Nigerian and Nigerien forces in a collaborative operation are currently trailing the remaining ISWAP fighters.

“General security within the FOB and its environs has been stabilised,” he said.

NAN

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Arms proliferation: Navy urges FG to build walls across borders

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By Gistflash News

Sept 27, 2021

The Nigerian Navy has urged the Federal Government to build a wall across the country’s borders to stop proliferation of arms and ammunition.

Commodore Jemima Malafa, who represented the Nigerian Navy, said this during an interactive session on four bills pending before the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence on Monday in Abuja.

“We should build a wall between our country and the  neighbouring countries,” she said.

“I was in Chad recently and discovered that most of the countries that surround us do not have armouries and that is why most of their citizens get arms that they sell to make money.

“I blame foreign countries that sold and donated arms and ammunition for them without recourse to where they would keep them after use.

“It is as a result of this that Nigeria is in deep crisis; these arms and ammunition will always find their way to Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the four bills – the first is a bill for an act to establish the National Commission against the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons.

Others are a bill for an act to repeal the Explosives Act, and bill for an act to make provision for the integration of private Close Circuit Television (CCTV) into the national security network in Nigeria.

The last one is a bill for an act to designate the month of November as the National Appreciation Month for Security Agencies.

Mr Shehu Ahmed, representative of the Department of Security Service (DSS) in his contribution said the proposed bill for the establishment of the commission was commendable.

He, however, said that the appointment of members to be in charge of the commission should have nothing to do with politics because of the sensitive nature of the commission.

He said that the Director-General of the commission should not be encumbered with too much power, adding that people of questionable characters should not be allowed to work in such office.

He called for the independence of the commission, adding that henceforth, it did not have to source for staff from other security agencies.

He said that on CCTV, all the security agencies should have access to it to aide investigation of any kind, adding that the explosive act bill would help achieve the desired national security.

Commodore Friday Ogohi, a representative of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) said that the bill on National Commission would help in the effective control of light weapons.

He said that the structure of the commission should be hinged on command and control, adding that membership should be drawn from existing security agencies based on experience.

He said that though the supervising ministry was not indicated in the proposed bill, adding that it was advisable that the Ministry of Defence oversaw the commission.

Ogohi also called for the establishment of special court to arrest the menace of arms smugglers and illegal arms, stressing that the CCTV would further boost the fight against bandits and other criminality.

According to him, public places such as schools, churches and work places should be considered for CCTV as this will help to monitor the activities of scavengers by security agencies.

Air Commodore Olasunkami Abu, who represented the Chief of Air Staff, said that proliferation of arms was posing a great threat to Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

He said that this portends a great danger to national security, adding that membership of the commission should be drawn from the armed forces and the immigration.

NAN reports that other security agencies that made presentation are the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency, among others.

NAN

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