News

Kaduna Train Attack: Double Trouble As Abductors Threaten To Kill Hostages

Published

4 years ago

April 9, 2022

Editor

The trending video on social media in which attackers of Abuja-Kaduna bound train of March 28, 2022, threatened to kill all the hostages in their custody if the federal government refuses to meet their demands, has sent shivers into the hearts and minds of their relatives and sympathizers.

This comes as efforts are being made to raise money to pay the terrorists even if it is not the whole amount being asked for. This will be done by relatives acting as ransom-bearers and who are courageous enough to follow the abductors far into the forests.

When Saturday Sun contacted some of the embattled relatives, they avoided him like a leper. “Please save us the additional trouble. Do you want these guys to come after us? Whatever we say here can be misquoted by them and they may kill the people we are struggling to free.”

Though they refused to speak on record, they would, however, want the Federal Government to meet the demands of the terrorists in order to save the lives of their loved ones who have been in captivity for almost two weeks.

When the reporter spoke with other concerned individuals and organisations, they lent their voices to the call by the relatives of the hostages on the Federal Government to do everything within its power to get them freed.

Spokesman of Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU), Mr. Luka Binniyat told Saturday Sun, that, “government should come out in plain terms and explain its relationship with the outlaws.”

SOKAPU, he added, was of the belief that “powerful people in government are in bed with these bandits and terrorists. We believe that what has been said over the years that these cruel people were imported into the country in 2015 to make Nigeria ungovernable should then President Jonathan Goodluck continue in office is true.”

He regretted that in Kaduna State, “human beings have become gold mines and our homes are now gold fields with bandits as the sole miners. If government or people in power are not the owners of the bandits, the solution is very simple: they should train the hundreds of thousands of idle young persons in all affected states, give them basic discipline, arm them and let them loose on the bandits and let’s see if they can last a week.”

Former Secretary General of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Mr Anthony Sani, asked the bandits not to carry out their threat. He said: “The terrorists who go by the name kidnappers should not dare it. Those of them who threaten to kill all the abductees are those who are ignorant of the conversations going on now as to whether the Air Force should bomb all hideouts of the terrorists in all the forests or to tread softly to avoid collateral damages that will come by way of killing innocent people whom the terrorists use as human shields.

“So, the terrorists should not behave as if the government and the security agencies have no option. The government has other options of dealing with them but for the heavy collateral damage.”

In his own view, a Kaduna-based conflicts resolution manager, Mr Patrick Lawson, urged the President to enter re-negotiation with the bandits “because their statement that has gone viral on Facebook suggested that there was a discussion or agreement which appeared to have been breached by government. Whatever government can do to ensure total return of peace and peaceful coexistence in the country is what Nigerians are after now.”

SUN

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

21 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

43 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.

News

N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

Published

3 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.