Headline

CAN: Fish Out 61 Abducted Baptist Worshippers, Or …

Published

4 years ago

November 28, 2021

The Christian Association of Nigeria ( CAN ) has urged government and security agencies to be serious in locating 61 worshippers of Emmanuel Baptist Church who were abducted by bandits in Kaduna State.

The Christian body said failure to free the Baptist worshippers would make CAN think there was connivance in the kidnap incident.

Rev.Joseph John Hayab, Vice President of CAN in the North, and Chairman of the Kaduna chapter, told Vanguard that ” the
worshippers must be released,if truly there is something going on.”

“Or else we would even think they are conniving with the people and making propaganda in the media that they are working. “

“Okay, what’s the result of all these punishment that Kaduna state people are going through?That the network has been shut down and no practical result to show that criminals have been arrested? They showed us some videos sometimes ago, pictures of Fulani settlement ,claiming to be the bandits settlement that has been chased..But our people are still with the bandits, somewhere here,what’s goings-on?.

“How would bandits carry 66 people, now 61 people and they’re moving and nobody seems to know where they are?Nobody is doing anything?So that government or security agencies must go out there and get our 61 worshippers of Emmanuel Baptist Church released,if truly there is something going on..Or else we would even think they are conniving with the people and making propaganda in the media that they are working.

” This is because we cannot understand, 61 people at the time there’s no network, if 300 soldiers are put in a particular place, they would fish out these bandits and bring our people. What is happening, why the silence?Why is everybody keeping quite about our people who are in the hands of the bandits?Why is everybody keeping quite about our children who are suffering?These young children !! How can you expect these children to come tomorrow and want to serve Nigeria haven gone through this?.”

He said Nigerians need to know that their students are still with these bandits.

“The Bethel Baptist High School students have not come back all ,3 are still with them now since they have released the Head boy.They aremanding from us N5 million per Head for the remaining 3.We have paid them huge sum of money but look at how they are treating us.

“This makes us ask questions. All this shutting down of network, what has happened to it?Have we not used it to track criminals?Have we not used it that these bandits could still keep our 4 children to be demanding money from us?Because our understanding is they would’ve been able to track them.”

“So they came up with an unpopular policy that is just punishing citizens and is not bringing any succour to the people. Look at what we are back to, now. So this is the challenge we face.As I speak to you ,the bandits that took away the 66 worshippers at Emmanuel Baptist Church Kakau Daji ,a week after ,they took them on 31st of October ,and you will remember on the 6th, Sunday was 31st October, then on the 6th of November, they now picked 5 young people between the ages of 15 to 24,as if ithey were to release them, not knowing that they had an evil intention. When they came near home.,they opened fire on all of them. Two died ,one later died .So we buried 3,and the other 2 who sustained gun injuries are still been treated. But the 61 are with them in the bush and nothing has happened.

“They asked us to give then food,we did. First they even refused the food,they later accepted it.Then they are demanding for N99 illion from us for those 61 people that are there with them in the bush. So where is the security that is working to fish out these criminals?That is the question we are asking. Where is the security that is working to fish out these criminals?They’ve done videos,the first video they were showing them and put an old man to speak and one other speaker. The second video they showed them,they even sarcastically said in the 2 videos , “let the world see these are Christians, they are Christians. They forced the people to be saying that they are angry with government, “,but we are the ones suffering the brunt. Christians and Southern Kaduna people. If I pass the video to you, you can listen to it very clearly. I am translating what was said in the video.

“So what’s going on? Are security no more? When there was kidnapping on Abuja road few days ago, the police and others quickly went. So where have they been that this thing is happening and nothing is happening? From the 31st of October to today ,these people have spent 26 days in the hands of these bandits and no effort whatsoever. Our children have over 150 days in the hands of the bandits and no effort whatsoever.

“We are paying money and there is nothing. We rejoice that our Head boy is back but we are sad because of the other 3 and we are sad because of the experience that these whole children are going through, through out this period. That’s why I said I needed to share the concern of the church with you people so that Nigerians would know that our children are not yet back. If anybody is thinking that all is well about Bethel Baptist High School children, now we still have 3.We just got…and they are demanding about 5 million again, per head. What we got to give them, which was almost N5 million, they just released one person. They are still insisting for 5 for each person.” he said.

Headline

EU Fines Elon Musk’s X €120m For Violating Digital Content Rules

Published

16 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Editor

Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, has been hit with a €120 million ($140 million) fine by European Union tech regulators for violating multiple provisions of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).

This marks the first significant penalty imposed under this landmark legislation.

On Friday, the European Commission announced the fine, citing various violations by X, including misleading platform features and a lack of transparency in research practices.

Regulators pointed out that one of the violations involved the misleading design of the blue verification checkmark. This feature is now linked to subscription payments instead of identity validation, which the EU described as “deceptive and potentially harmful.”

The Commission also criticized X for not maintaining transparent advertising records and for restricting researchers’ access to publicly available data on the platform.

This ruling is likely to heighten diplomatic tensions between Brussels and Washington. U.S. officials from the Trump administration had previously condemned Europe’s regulatory approach toward major tech companies, claiming that EU policies unfairly target American firms and restrict free expression.

However, the European Commission defended its stance, stating that enforcement under the DSA is not influenced by nationality. They emphasized that the legislation is designed to promote online accountability, protect users, and ensure transparency in digital operations—standards that are increasingly becoming global benchmarks.

“The DSA does not discriminate by company origin,” the Commission argued, maintaining that the penalties reflect Europe’s commitment to protecting democratic values and responsible digital governance.

The fine marks a significant test case for the EU’s new regulatory regime and could set precedent for similar action against other platforms not in full compliance with the law.

Headline

Nigerian Ringleader Of Nationwide Bank Fraud, Money Laundering Jailed In US, Says FBI

Published

16 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Editor

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced the sentencing of Nigerian national Oluwaseun Adekoya, the mastermind behind a sprawling bank fraud and money-laundering operation that targeted victims across the United States.

According to investigators, Adekoya, who operated under multiple aliases including “Ace G.,” “BRODA,” “Legendary,” “SANTA,” “SANTANA,” “Sammy LaBanco,” “Sean Maison,” and “Kiing_maison” led a sophisticated criminal network that stole and laundered more than $2 million by impersonating individuals nationwide.

The FBI said the long-running operation, internally code-named Operation Catch Me if You Can, relied on coordinated efforts across numerous law enforcement and banking agencies.

Headline

VIDEO: Nigerians In UK Lament Delayed Passport Capturing At ‘Crowded’ Birmingham Centre

Published

16 hours ago

December 6, 2025

Editor

Nigerians in the United Kingdom (UK) have cried out to the Nigerian authorities over delays in renewing their international passports, describing the capturing experience as frustrating.

According to a video from the Nigerian Passport Intervention Centre in Birmingham, sighted by Tribune Online, hundreds of people are seen lurking around while waiting for officials to arrive for the exercise.

In the video, a lady narrated how the crowd had gathered since around 4am on Friday after their names had been taken down the previous day with the promise that the capturing would be done the next day.

“They promised they’re going to start at 9am and at 12pm when I was leaving, they’ve not even started attending to people. We heard that the officials were not even at the scene,” she said.

Continuing, the video showed the arrival of some of the officials, whom the lady said had asked the crowd to return the next day.

“While I was walking to my taxi, I saw some of the officials. I recognised them from yesterday when he addressed the people saying ‘Go and come back tomorrow’. The one driving that car was the one who was addressing us yesterday,” she added, referring to a vehicle in the viral clip.

The lady further criticised their attitude to the plight of Nigerians at the centre, saying many, including herself, came with babies.

“It’s so shameful that Nigeria will still happen to you even if you’re outside Nigeria. It’s the people, not only the government,” she added.

Reacting to the video, another user simply identified as OduduAbasi Umo-Odiong, posted two short clips showing people agitated at the centre.

“People are already getting agitated today. The frustration is rising and the situation is becoming tense,” he captioned.

However, an X user, identified as Williams Ibironke, disagreed with the information in the video, saying the officials work till midnight.

“The information she posted was purposely made as content to miss direct people. those pple are working til midnight everyday, they closed @3am so how can they resume early again. I did mine @12:33am this morning and I still left people there, meaning they may not close until 2am,” he posted.

Other X users reacting to the video called on the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to act swiftly on the issue, wondering how the positive reform he introduced is addressing the issue.

“Someone has fingered a working system to their benefit. Just a few weeks ago, you can start and finish your passport renewal process on your mobile phone without leaving your home.

“What happened to that positive change?,” a user asked.

All possible efforts to get Nigerian authorities’ reaction to the issue proved abortive as of the time of filing this report as neither the Minister nor the Interior Ministry responded to messages sent to them.

Watch video here

Source: Nigerian Tribune