Metro

Bauchi: Obidients Hold One-million March, Declare ‘We’re Not Only On Social Media, We Are Real’

Published

3 years ago

October 1, 2022

Our Correspondent, Bauchi

The Bauchi supporters of the Labour Party (LP)’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, have declared that they are not only present on social media but are also real and physically ready for the 2023 general election.

The supporters, who are popularly known as ‘Obedients’ were chanting this in Bauchi on Saturday during their one million man march for Peter Obi and his deputy, Yusuf Ahmed.

The supporters, who trekked 10 kilometers from the popular Wunti market to Rafin Zurfi, a community in Bauchi metropolis, were seen with placards with different inscriptions in support of their candidates.

Speaking to newsmen after the march, Mr Benjamin Edeh, Head of Media, Labour Party, Bauchi State chapter, said that the rally was a success, adding that the people of the state were at the rally to show the party true love.

“They want to show Peter Obi love, they want to show the Labour Party love. They are really in love with the movement.

“The rally was really a success as you can see that the crowd was very close to a million. It was massive.

“They say we don’t have structure, they say we don’t have money, but you can see the crowd,” he said.

Edeh also urged all the supporters to get their Permanent Voter Cards ready and make sure that their votes counted in the 2023 general election.

Similarly, the Chairman of the party, Mr Hussaini Saraki, said that they have proved critics wrong that the party has no strictures.

“The facts speak for itself, when you say we don’t have structure, today we have proved them wrong because we believe structure is not about building.

“Structure is not all about posters or billboards. Structures are the people and we have the people on the ground.

“And I am telling you this is because there was not much publicity about this event, some of our people in the rural areas are not here. But you can see that the crowd is so massive that each and everyone of you here is proud of it.

“We are sending a message back to those people who say we don’t have structure or we only exist on social media that we are real and that Nigeria belongs to the youth,” he said.

According to him, the party appreciated the way it was being underrated, adding that oppositions would be shocked with the outcome of the 2023 general election which would be in favour of the Labour Party.

“We are not going to use religion, ethnicity or any other factors to divide the country.

“We deliberately chose independence day for our one million man march because it was on that first day that Nigeria got independence from colonial masters.

“We want to use the same day to show that by God’s grace, today is the beginning of taking power from those who took it from colonial masters,” he said.

Metro

NAF Airstrikes Kill Scores Of Terrorists, Destroy Hideout In Borno

Published

3 hours ago

September 18, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Air Force said air interdictions by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai have killed scores of terrorists and destroyed their enclave in Borno.

This was contained in a statement released by the Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, on Thursday in Abuja.

Ejodame said the strikes were conducted on Wednesday at about 10:50 a.m. in Bula Madibale, Gezuwa general area of the state.

He said intelligence and surveillance had confirmed unusual movements at the location, where about 45 terrorists were observed converging, some arriving on motorcycles and bicycles from different directions.

According to him, reconnaissance also revealed two terrorist flags hoisted at the site, underscoring its use as a stronghold and rallying point for insurgents.

“Acting on this credible intelligence, the Air Component launched precision strikes, eliminating several terrorists, while the flagged structure and other hostile assets were destroyed,” he said.

Ejodame also said that the strikes denied the terrorists freedom to regroup, reinforce or mount further attacks on communities in the North East.

He assured that the Armed Forces remained committed to restoring peace and stability across the region.

NAN

Metro

Police Arrest Islamic Cleric With Human Flesh In Oyo

Published

3 hours ago

September 18, 2025

Editor

The Police Command in Oyo State has arrested an Islamic cleric, simply identified as Alfa Bashiru, in possession of suspected human flesh.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Adewale Osifeso, confirmed this on Thursday in a post on the verified X handle of the Command.

He said that the Federal Highway Patrol team intercepted a white bus with registration number XA 551 IRG, which the suspect allegedly boarded, at the Toll Gate axis of the Ibadan Expressway at 11:30 a.m., on Wednesday.

Oyefeso said that the suspect, when quizzed, claimed to have bought the suspected human flesh in Lagos.

The suspect, he said, had been transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, for further investigation.

“The suspected item is undergoing forensic analysis to determine its authenticity and source,” Osifeso said.

In a separate development, operatives of the command during a Search and Stop Operation recovered an abandoned Toyota Camry car with Registration number LSD 957 JX.

Osifeso said that police operatives flagged down the Toyota Camry car during a routine search, and the driver of the car jumped down and took to his heels, abandoning the vehicle.

“The car has been taken into custody by the Command while members of the public with legitimate claims to the vehicle are urged to come forward with verifiable documents or contact the Police Command,” he said.

The police spokesman said that Stop and Search operations were not exaggerated security theatrics, but real and deliberate measures to maintain law and order and as well as ensuring the safety of residents and travellers within Oyo State.

Osifeso said that the command under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, Femi Haruna, appreciated the public for their continued cooperation and understanding.

He assured them of sustained police efforts to combat crime and foster a more secure environment.

NAN

Metro

Fake Madman Arrested For Cultivating Cannabis Farm In Anambra

Published

4 hours ago

September 18, 2025

Editor

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 43-year-old man, Patrick Ojele, for allegedly disguising himself as a mentally unstable person while secretly cultivating a cannabis farm in Awka, the state capital.

The Spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, Tochukwu Ikenga, stated in a press release on Thursday that operatives attached to the operations department arrested the suspect during a patrol along the Awka–Enugu Expressway, near Ngozika Estate, on Wednesday.

The statement read in part, “The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 43-year-old man, Patrick Ojele, who pretended to be mentally unstable while secretly cultivating a marijuana farm in Awka, the state capital.

“The police operatives attached to the Operations Department, Awka, nabbed the suspect on September 17, 2025, during a routine patrol along the Awka–Enugu Expressway near Ngozika Estate.

“He later led the team to the hidden farm, where large quantities of weeds suspected to be cannabis sativa were recovered.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, noted that the arrest reflects the Command’s renewed strategy of cutting off criminal supplies by targeting drug dealers who embolden cultists and violent offenders.”

According to him, the CP further directed that the suspect should be handed over to the Special Anti-Cultism Squad, Enugwu-Ukwu, for discreet investigation to trace his buyers and dismantle the wider distribution network.

The PUNCH had reported that the police command has arrested no fewer than 54 suspects, comprising 39 males and 15 females, for various offences ranging from kidnapping, cultism, hard drugs and banned substances.

Ikenga said the arrests were followed by coordinated raids by police operatives in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area, and Ifitedunu, Dunukofia LGA, in separate raid operations.

According to him, the coordinated operations were in line with renewed strategies aimed at restoring sanity in the state and curbing the growing menace of crime among young people between 18 and 26 years.