Metro

Banditry: We’re Under Siege, Kaduna Communities Natives Cry Out

Published

2 years ago

November 21, 2023

Editor

…say in Garun-Kurama, many kidnapped, killed, no help in sight

The prevailing rate of bandit attacks that are going unabated is causing sleepless nights to the members of communities in Lere and Kauru local government areas.

Recently, Garun-Kurama, Kahugu, Ungwan Kerau, and Mariri in the Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State have been under attacks of the bandits, kidnapping people indiscriminately for ransom.

A resident of Garun-Kurama, a suburb town of Saminaka who prefers to be anonymous for fear of being kidnapped, said recently the wife of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chairman of the Lere Local Government Area, was kidnapped and a whopping undisclosed amount of money was said to have been paid as ransom.

He said the APC chieftain, Mr. Jonathan Shekarau Ukissa, who is well known as Ba’are has been experiencing attacks by the men of the underworld in recent times.

According to him, some months ago, his eldest son was also kidnapped and spent days in the custody of the kidnappers until money was paid for his release.

He expressed worries that the kidnappers are more deadly as the younger brother to Kaduna State former deputy speaker and a lecturer with the Kaduna State University, Professor Matoh Dari Dogara was kidnapped and killed within a few hours.

He said last week, another person was kidnapped and still under their custody as ransom negotiation is still ongoing and his fate to come out alive is uncertain.

“I’m afraid they may kill the man because truly there is no one to help him with the ransom and the kidnappers have been threatening to kill him if nothing is done,” he said.

This medium also gathered that Damakasuwa and Bakin Kogi communities in Kauru LGA are also facing the myriad of attacks of kidnappers.

Another person who also prefers to be anonymous, said people in Damakasuwa are now more of refugees, leaving the town at dusk and coming in the wee hours over fear of being kidnapped.

He revealed that the kidnappers are using people within the communities as their informants to leak information about who has farmed well and started bringing farm produce home.

It would be recalled that Yadin Garun Kurama was where some Catholic priests were kidnapped and killed two years ago.

They expressed worries that the insecurity challenges in the areas are rampant, despite having the Commissioner of Environment, Hon Abubakar Buba who was Lere’s former council chairman and close to the government of Kaduna State.

“All complaints are falling on deaf ears, we don’t seem to have leaders with political will, all they care about is to amass wealth for personal gains.

“Our House of Representatives member, Engr Manir is doing nothing about it too.

“God will judge them, I’m suspecting a foul play of the government too. They are complacent about all the activities going around our communities.

“We are afraid and we are in a dilemma, You dare not bring back your farm produce home, you can be the next victim,” they lamented.

This is coming when the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu recently addressed stakeholders on issues of insecurity that the present government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing everything possible to secure the country, despite inheriting many leadership liabilities.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kadunà State Command, ASP Mansur Hassan said that their men are on ground dealing heavy blows on criminal elements and bandits.

“It is not true anywhere in Kaduna State is under siege. Our men are everywhere dealing with the bandits. If you check the papers today, you will see that over 30 bandits and kidnappers were arrested.

“We are doing our best, we solicit credible information from the general public to rid the state of criminals. If anyone has credible information, he should bring it to our notice,” he said.

Metro

JUST IN: Ex-soldiers Resume Protest Over Unpaid Benefits

Published

1 hour ago

September 4, 2025

Editor

A group of discharged Nigerian soldiers on Thursday resumed protests in Abuja, demanding the payment of their entitlements.

The ex-soldiers called off their protest on August 4, after a meeting with officials of the Ministries of Defence and Finance, who assured them that their outstanding entitlements would be paid by August 10.

The ex-servicemen, who converged on the Ministry of Finance headquarters in the nation’s capital, accused the authorities of neglect and failure to honour promises made after their meeting last month.

One of the protesters, identified as Mama G, said they were forced to return to the streets after previous assurances yielded no results.

“We are here because the promises made to us were never fulfilled. We had no choice but to return to the streets. This time around, the protest will be massive”, Mama G said.

This is not the first time the group has demonstrated. In recent years, retired soldiers have repeatedly taken to the streets in Abuja and other cities over what they describe as unfair treatment and neglect.

The Ministry of Defence, Defence Headquarters and Military Pension Board have yet to issue an official response as of the time of filing this report.

Details later…

Metro

20-year-old Mother Buries Newborn Alive

Published

15 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

Kebbi State Police Command has arrested a 20-year-old mother, Maryam Atiku, for allegedly attempting to kill her newborn baby girl by burying her alive in Kamba, Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

According to a police statement, made available to newsmen on Wednesday by the command spokesman, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, “the incident occurred on June 25, 2025, when Maryam allegedly tied the baby’s neck with wrappers, covered her mouth, and buried her in a shallow grave at Malam Yaro bush.

“The following day, June 26, a farmer, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad, while working on his farm near the area, discovered a patch of disturbed soil resembling a fresh grave.

“He raised an alarm and, with the help of nearby residents, exhumed the baby, who was found alive. The infant was rushed to General Hospital, Kamba, where doctors confirmed her condition as stable after receiving medical attention”

The statement said police detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department promptly arrested Maryam, who confessed to the crime during interrogation.

“Commissioner of Police, CP Bello Sani, described the act as “inhuman and unacceptable,” reiterating the Command’s zero tolerance for child abuse, exploitation, and gender-based violence.

”He urged parents, guardians, and community leaders to protect children under their care and not compromise their future due to poverty or other pressures.

“The Police Commissioner commended the wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Hajiya Zainab Nasir Idris, for supporting the welfare of the rescued baby and praised Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad for his timely intervention.

“The suspect will be arraigned in court, where she will face prosecution aimed at serving as a deterrent to others.”

Metro

Fresh Boat Accident Kills 29 In Niger

Published

15 hours ago

September 3, 2025

Editor

29 persons have been confirmed dead in a boat accident that occurred on Tuesday in Niger State.

The incident happened in a community called Gausawa in Borgu LGA. at about 11:30am.

The boat was loaded with 90 people including women and children who were going for a condolence visit in another community.

The cause of the accident was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stomp, according to The PUNCH.

It was learnt that the passengers were not wearing any life jacket when the boat accident occurred.

An anonymous source in the ministry of transport disclosed that the boat passengers were not wearing life jacket, pointing out that if they were wearing life jackets more people would have been rescued.

“The passengers were obviously not wearing life jackets, because if they had been, more, if not all of them would have survived the accident.

“Borgu is very far and a lot of these passengers do not like to wear the life jackets for reasons best known to them,” the source said.

As at the time of filing this report, 29 corpses had been recovered with 50 persons rescued alive while two people are said to be still missing.

The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Abdullahi Baba-Arah confirmed the accident saying search and recue operation was still ongoing.

He said, “NSEMA has received a report of boat mishap incident at a community called Gausawa in Malale area/ward of Borgu LGA.

“According to our desk officer who led the search and rescue operations, the boat took off from a community called Tugan Sule in Shagunu ward with 90 people on board which includes women and children on the boat heading to Dugga for a condolence visit”

NSEMA DG added that, “The incident happened yesterday, 2nd September 2025 at about 11:30am and the cause was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stomp.

“As at the time of filling this report 29 dead bodies have been recovered with 50 persons rescued alive while 2 people are still missing.

“Search and rescue operations are still on going for possible recovery of missing persons.”

This is the second boat accident in Niger State in 2025.

The first one happened in July and was attributed to tree stomp.

The National Inland Waterway Agency had distributed life jackets in Mokwa after the flood incident which killed over 200 people.