Connect with us

News

Abducted LG boss regains freedom, narrates ordeal

Published

on

Spread the love

The abducted chairman of Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, Rev. Gideon Haanongon, who was released on Wednesday has narrated his ordeal.

The LG chairman, his driver, police orderly and personal assistant were abducted while they were going for the burial of Ter Katsina-Ala, Chief Benjamin Fezaanga Wonbo, penultimate Saturday.

Barely five days in the kidnappers’ den, a family source told journalists through phone call in Makurdi, the state capital that the kidnappers demanded N50m ransom.

Speaking to journalists at the 72 Battalion in Makurdi on Thursday, the released chairman said that the persistent pressure mounted on the kidnappers by military personnel helped his release and that of his personal assistant who were abducted.

He said on the day of his abduction, he was on his way to the burial of a traditional ruler in Katsina-Ala when he came in contact with some strange boys who were shooting sporadically and even killed someone.

Maduka College Advert

He said, “At that point, I told my driver to stop the car and they took us (himself and personal assistant) straight into the bush. They covered my face throughout the period of my captivity. I did not know when it was daytime or night. They kept us inside a thatched house without air.

“Each day, the soldiers would come shooting but they manoeuvred their way through a bush path and hid us inside a river. The soldiers destroyed their camps and they kept moving us to another place.

“They did not feed me because they did not have food themselves to eat. I was urinating often so they gave me banana leaves and it stopped.

“At a point, they told me that these soldiers were disturbing them because of me and that the governor had appealed to them to release me and he would forgive them.

“They said I should tell the governor to keep to his words and get them out of the bush. So, at about 8pm on Wednesday, we crossed a stream and trekked a very long distance almost like from Makurdi to Abinsi and they removed the blindfold and asked me to take a path that leads to Zaki-Biam.“But I recognised the village which is Tse Wombo in Katsina-Ala because my daughter is married there.

“I must appreciate immensely the efforts of the military because it was their persistent pressure that made the kidnappers to release me. Also, the Special Adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Security, Lt. Col. Alexander Ashungu (retd.), played a significant role in my release.”

Earlier, the 72 Special Force Battalion under 401 Special Brigade Commander, Brig. Gen. A. Rabiu said that troops recovered the council chairman and his Personal Assistant who had been in the kidnappers’ den for more than two weeks on Wednesday in Katsina-Ala between 5 and 6 pm.

In the process of rescuing the abducted chairman and his PA, the commander said that troops who acted on distress calls carried out a rescue mission and destroyed three camps of the kidnappers.

“When we recovered him, we brought him down to our barracks in Makurdi. We administered first aid on him and also, gave him food to eat. He is in good condition.”

Rabiu further said, “Early this year, we rescued eight female abductees who were kidnapped on their way to a wedding along the Benue-Enugu Road and even neutralised one of the kidnappers.

“We are determined to secure the state as we have our men in all the 23 local government areas of the state.

News

Soldiers kill ISWAP cameraman, uncover foreign terrorist trainer, doctor in Borno forest

Published

on

Spread the love

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have neutralised an Islamic State West Africa Province cameraman and recovered video materials indicating the presence of three foreign facilitators, including a Palestinian Arab identified as a trainer and a Moroccan Arab serving as a medical doctor for the terrorist group in Borno State.

The Acting Military Information Officer, Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai, Capt. Muhammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

According to him, the operational success was recorded on Saturday following a failed infiltration attempt by members of ISWAP terrorists into Cross Kauwa, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

Goni said the terrorists attempted to exploit the cover of darkness to breach the troops’ position and loot cholera medical supplies.

The statement read, “Troops of 19 Brigade, Sector 3, Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have decisively foiled an attempted infiltration by ISWAP terrorists into Cross Kauwa, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, inflicting heavy casualties on the attackers and forcing them to retreat in disarray.

Maduka College Advert

“The successful defence of the location further demonstrates the vigilance, combat readiness and operational effectiveness of troops who continue to deny terrorist elements freedom of action across the North East Theatre.”

The failed attack, he said, occurred at about 10:20 p.m. on July 11, 2026, when the terrorists attempted to exploit the cover of darkness to breach the troops’ position.

“Alert troops swiftly detected the hostile movement and responded with coordinated and overwhelming firepower, compelling the terrorists to abandon their mission of looting cholera medical supplies and withdraw in confusion after suffering severe losses,” Goni said.

According to him, the attempted looting further lends credence to recent intelligence reports of a cholera outbreak within terrorist enclaves, as well as reports of the execution of some affected members by the group.

“The neutralisation of a terrorist cameraman during the failed assault led to the recovery of a Sony camcorder containing highly sensitive recordings of terrorist activities, including operational footage and propaganda materials.

“Preliminary forensic analysis of the last available video recorded prior to the attack indicates that the operation was coordinated by four senior ISWAP commanders (Qai’ds), alongside three foreign terrorist facilitators. They include a Palestinian Arab identified as Abu Ishaq, assessed to be ISWAP’s overall trainer; a Moroccan Arab identified as Abu Thaiba, a medical doctor serving within the terrorist network; and another Arab operative whose identity is yet to be established,” he added.

He said the presence and active involvement of the foreign nationals further reinforced intelligence assessments that ISWAP continued to benefit from external support, specialist expertise and transnational terrorist linkages.

“Following the successful engagement, troops immediately dominated the area and conducted exploitation operations to ascertain the full extent of the terrorists’ losses,” he added.

The Army spokesman said troops recovered the Sony camcorder, several rounds of PKT and 7.62mm Special ammunition, terrorist uniforms

Continue Reading

News

Anambra Govt arrests woman over alleged illegal surgeries linked to complications and deaths, seals facility

Published

on

Mrs Onyinyechi Esther Charles with her surgical facilities
Spread the love

The Anambra State Government has intensified its campaign against quackery in the health sector with the arrest of a 47-year-old woman, Mrs. Onyinyechi Esther Charles, over allegations of carrying out surgical procedures without the required medical and surgical qualifications.

Mrs. Charles, an indigene of Abia State who is married to a man from Nteje, allegedly operated a traditional birth attendant (TBA) facility in Umueri, Anambra East Local Government Area, where she is accused of performing caesarean sections, conducting normal vaginal deliveries and carrying out other surgical procedures.

The facility has also been linked to reported cases of medical complications and fatalities.

According to the Anambra State Ministry of Health, the arrest followed investigations initiated by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, as part of the state’s ongoing efforts to eliminate illegal medical practice and protect the lives of residents.

The ministry stated that during interrogation, the suspect allegedly admitted to performing caesarean sections, normal deliveries and other surgical procedures without the required qualifications or authorisation.

Maduka College Advert

It further revealed that she was previously known as Eze Nwanyi before later becoming a church minister and presenting herself as a surgeon.

During an inspection of the facility on Sunday, July 12, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, accompanied by the Mayor of Anambra East Local Government Area, Hon. Ifeanyi Chinweze, and security personnel, reportedly recovered surgical instruments and other medical equipment believed to have been used in the alleged unauthorised procedures.

Mrs Charles

Hospital beds where patients were reportedly treated were also found within the premises, while officials further discovered what appeared to be a shrine and an altar inside the facility.

The state government said the premises have been confiscated pending the outcome of legal proceedings, while the suspect will be arraigned before a competent court.

Continue Reading

News

Hardship: Give account of subsidy removal proceeds – APM tells APC govt

Published

on

APC sweeps Imo LG election
Spread the love

The Allied People’s Movement (APM) has asked the Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to end its rhetoric and immediately provide Nigerians with a comprehensive account of the trillions of naira realized from the removal of fuel subsidy since May 2023.

APM’s demand is predicated on the worsening economic hardship and poverty rate, high cost of living, collapsed public facilities and yawning infrastructure deficit across the country since the emergence of the Tinubu administration despite huge national inflow including the over N20 trillion proceed from the removal of fuel subsidy, which the administration promised would be channeled towards improving the welfare of Nigerians.

This is contained in a press release issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Yusuf.

He said: “For over three years, Nigerians have endured unprecedented hardship following President Tinubu’s May 29, 2023 declaration that ‘subsidy is gone’. This came with an instant surge in fuel price from below ₦200 per litre to now over N1,500 per liter setting off a chain reaction that pushed transport fares, food prices, school fees, medical bills, house rents, electricity costs and the prices of everyday goods and services far beyond the reach of ordinary citizens.

“More distressing is reports of massive corruption, diversion and frittering of bulk of the funds accruable to the Federal Government while officials continue to bandy figures and fictitious achievements

Maduka College Advert

“Under the APC administration hunger has become a national emergency. Millions of families are going without daily meals. Small businesses are collapsing under rising operating costs. The purchasing power of workers has been abysmally degraded, while poverty and unemployment continue to rise at alarming rates. Across the country, frustration is growing as more citizens struggle to survive.

“Today under the APC, Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit has hit an estimated $2.3 trillion, with experts stating that the gap would require approximately $100 billion annually over the next 30 years.”

Continuing, the APM spokesman said “despite the heavy premiums citizens pay daily, the APC administration is not forthcoming with a transparent account of the trillions accrued to it from the removal of subsidy. No comprehensive public record has been presented to demonstrate how much has been realized, how much has been spent, and whether those expenditures have translated into measurable improvements in the lives of citizens.

“The vague claims by the APC government that the proceed is being invested in critical sectors without real figures and specific project or programme is completely unacceptable and cannot substitute for transparency and accountability.”

The APM therefore demanded that the Federal Government should immediately publish a detailed and independently verifiable impact assessment of the subsidy removal policy.

“Nigerians deserve to know the exact amount saved since May 2023, the projects funded and their locations.

“The APM is not opposed to reforms that genuinely advance national development. However, the APC government cannot continue to celebrate figures on paper while millions of citizens can no longer afford decent meals, healthcare, transportation, or quality education. The true measure of any economic reform is not the volume of official pronouncements but its tangible impact on the lives of the people,” it further stated.

The APM therefore called on the Tinubu administration to rise above political rhetoric and immediately release a comprehensive public report detailing the total subsidy savings since May 2023, all expenditures made from the fund, the beneficiaries of every intervention, and the measurable outcomes achieved.

“The APM, the voice of Nigerians today, is not asking the Tinubu-led APC Federal Government to do anything extraordinary. We are simply demanding the transparency and accountability that an APM administration would have seamlessly demonstrated by publicly disclosing and accounting for every kobo that belongs to Nigerians,” Yusuf concluded.

Continue Reading

Trending

Maduka College Advert