Category Nigeria News

Dr. Sani Shinkafi, the head of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, has vehemently condemned the recent murder of more than 35 kidnapped victims by armed bandits in the state’s Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area.

The former head of the committee, Shinkafi, addressed journalists in Gusau, the capital of Zamfara State, and demanded that the government be prosecuted for killings of bandits in the state. He also criticized the Federal Government for breaking its constitutional obligation to protect lives and property.

He narrated how the bandits executed the victims who had been taken from Banga village in February despite receiving ransom from some of their relatives.

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The bandit kingpin imposed a ransom of N1 million per head, and only 18 relatives were able to pay, he said, adding that 53 of the innocent people who were kidnapped since February had already been done.

Shinkafi claimed that the victims’ accounts of being released showed horrifying crimes by kidnappers while they were being held captive.

“One of the bandits who was released informed the community that the other people had been brutally murdered.”

They were not murdered by bandits, but you carried your relation and killed him by yourself, two people who fought against the bandits’ demands and were immediately shot dead.

One newborn was brutally murdered while three women gave birth in captivity, according to Shinkafi’s harrowing tale.

One of the three women who gave birth to the child was crying, and the bandits complained that the baby was disturbing them after the three women had delivered the baby. The baby was smashed head-on by them as they pulled him out, held his legs, and slammed into a rock. His skull disintegrated, and the mother suffered a serious heart attack and passed away within thirty minutes.

Bello Turji, the notorious bandits’ leader, is accused of attempts by federal authorities to broker peace with Shinkafi, which raised other serious issues.

He claimed that higher authorities had issued orders to the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) to stop its efforts to capture Turji.

According to Shinkafi, “The civilian JTF were on the verge of hand-to-hand arresting Turji, and the governor at the top had ordered the governor to put an end to the conflict,” Turji said.

Additionally, he further revealed that a committee led by an Bauchi State senator was allegedly having a peaceful conversation with Turji inside his hideout.

Senator Buba, a member of the Bauchi state’s Senate, traveled to Shinkafi, and he also traveled to our Emir. The Emir called me and confirmed to me that this committee had visited our Emirate, met Turji in his hideout, and agreed to meet him.

“After that visit, Turji released parts 1 and 2 of two videos exhorting other armed bandit groups to embrace peace. What are the methods, how do they embrace peace, and what are their tactics? He inquired.

Dauda Lawal, the governor of Zamfara State, was therefore instructed by Shinkafi to resist any pressure from bandits, under the pretext that previous peace efforts had been unsuccessful.

There is no need for the governor to engage in any peace talks with bandits because they are unreliable, untrustworthy, betrayers and blood lickers, as we hereby request.

Bello Matawalle and Abdulaziz Yari’s previous government negotiated with bandits, but negotiations have failed to produce any agreements.

More than 10,000 trucks have been registered, according to the Lagos State government, with more onboarding as of August 1, 2025, as the E-Call Up System will start to be implemented along the Lekki-Epe Corridor.

The enforcement came after several months of strategic planning, stakeholder involvement, and public awareness, according to a statement released on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Transportation said in a statement that key stakeholders had been engaged and had taken important recommendations, that the park usage fee had been lowered from 12 to 10 000, and that seven truck park facilities had been fully stocked and ready to operate in preparation for this rollout.

In collaboration with E-Call Up Technologies, the Ministry has conducted a familiarization exercise throughout the designated parks to ensure a smooth transition.

Truck drivers receive free system testing and practical instruction on registration and operating procedures as part of the initiative.

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It aims to improve operator compliance, ease traffic congestion, and reduce illegal parking.

The outcome is anticipated to significantly improve traffic flow, safeguard road infrastructure, boost public safety, and spur regional economic activity.

Six people have died in Zangwan Maje, Jigawa State, in a tragic canoe accident, and two are still missing.

The incident took place on Sunday, July 27, 2025, when a canoe carrying 15 children from a Jejin Gunka farm back to their village capsized due to flooding, strong winds, and overloading, according to a press release from the Jigawa State Police Command on Tuesday.

Seven children were saved alive, according to the police, and six bodies had been found as of Tuesday morning. The two missing children are still at large, despite efforts.

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The rescued people were identified as Sakina Sule (11) and Rukayya Abdullahi (9), Ibrahim Garba (12), Fatima Yusuf (10), Suwaiba Yahaya (20), Rukayya Saleh (18), Jawahira Samaila (10), and Fatima Yusuf (11).

The bodies recovered include Hare Abdullahi (12), Halima Ma’azu (12), Nasiba Yahya (15), Saima Yusuf (25), Amina Sule (11), and Saiya Abdullahi (18). A doctor confirmed the death of all of them.

The canoe operator fled the scene after the accident, according to SP Shi’isu Lawan Adam, the public relations officer for Jigawa State Police. He stated that “efforts are being made to locate, apprehend, and ultimately prosecute him in court as a deterrent to others.”

The Zangwan Maje community as well as the bereaved families and the Commissioner of Police, CP Dahiru Muhammad, expressed their condolences over the incident.

This unfortunate event has deeply sadden us. I advise all riverine residents to avoid nighttime excursions, steer clear of canoe overloads, and always wear life jackets,” CP Muhammad said.

The incident was described as heartbreaking by locals who spoke with this reporter. Elder in the community, Malam Garba Maje, declared, “We are in mourning. Our sons and daughters were here. Our small village would never have been the scene of such a tragedy.

Authorities in Russia’s far-eastern Sakhalin region issued a state of emergency on Wednesday for the northern Kuril Islands, where flooding and building damage have resulted from tsunami waves.

An earthquake and tsunami struck the North Kuril District today, prompting the Sakhalin government to declare a state of emergency, according to a statement from the state’s government.

After spending weeks in protective custody, the Niger State Police Command managed to successfully reunite 35 kidnapping victims, including 16 women and 19 children, with their families.

The victims were rescued from various hideouts in the Agwara, Tegina, and Kagara regions.

The Deputy&nbsp, the Commissioner of Police in charge of investigations, DCP Ibrahim Adamu, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, CP Adamu Elleman, presided over the official handover ceremony. Ayuba Katako, the head of Rafi Local Government Area, was formally presented to the police command headquarters in Dutsen Kura, Minnesota.

During their time in custody, CP Elleman and his representative noted that the victims had been receiving care and support from both the Police and the Niger State Government. According to intelligence reports that bandits were moving from Birnin-Gwari with kidnapped victims to new hideouts, he disclosed that the rescue operation first started on July 3, 2025.

Police officers interrogated the first batch of people in Agwara while crossing a river into New-Bussa, intercepting them at the time. Along the Mekujeri–Tegina road, a second group, consisting of four women and seven children, was interrogated. One Yusuf Abdullahi of Birnin-Gwari, who is currently the subject of a possible complicity investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), later saved from a vehicle.

The victims were subjected to a number of counseling, rehabilitation, and deradicalization procedures in order to be ready for reintegration into their communities, according to the Police Commissioner. He urged the public to continue providing law enforcement with reliable, actionable information for prompt response.

Ayuba Katako, the leader of the Local Government Area of Chairman Rafi, thanked the Nigerian Police Force, the Inspector General of Police, and other security organizations involved in the rescue operation. He also praised the Niger State Government for its assistance, particularly in providing the rescued people with food, medical care, and emotional support.

“This reunion has been eagerly awaited by the families.” We are pleased that the Police and relevant authorities have done the necessary scrutiny before reintegration, despite the need for proper investigation. These individuals are now prepared to make a community return, Katako said.

According to his assurances, the local government would support the victims, particularly the young people, in choosing whether to continue their education or pursue vocational training, depending on their needs and current health condition.

These are well-rounded people, he continued, adding that we will take care of them until they can regain their lives.

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Akilu Isyaku, the chairman of Shiroro Local Government Area, expressed his sincere gratitude to the police and all parties involved in the rescue.

“What God has done for us is impressive.” We have nothing to say to the Police other than thank them for the way our people were saved. He said, “We still have people in captivity and we need your prayers so that God may rescue those who are still held by these criminals.”

“We appreciate everyone who made this happen.” Special thanks to the media, particularly Channels TV, for timely dissemination of important information. Even though some of these victims have been missing for a while, we were concerned that they may have passed away. We continue to pray that those who are missing will survive.

Salma Usman, one of the victims, emotionally recapped her ordeal:

“These bandits abused us in the forest a lot.” We simply had to be patient until security personnel arrived and intervened. We prayed to God to save us, but that was it. We pray never to experience such a situation again in our lives today because we are secure. To keep us safe, we thank the police for providing us with food and medical care. One of my children and I were kidnapped, but I’m now happy to see them back home. My husband and I have two children, one of whom was in captivity with me.

Halima Shehu, a different victim who was also in House, described her agonizing ordeal:

Before being abducted with my husband, I had just married six months prior. I was only sixteen years old. Three women and two men were among the five people who were kidnapped. With my late husband, I had two kids. Before being taken back to the forest in Niger State, where we were eventually rescued by security personnel, we were taken to the Sambisa Forest and later the Cameroon Forest.

As of epidemiological week 28 of the year 2025, 152 people died from Lassa fever, according to the Nigerian Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

The NCDC confirmed in its most recent situation report that the number of new cases identified for week 28 remained unchanged from the previous week.

According to the statement, Ondo, Edo, and Benue states reported the most recent new infections.

This is higher than the 17.3 percent that were recorded during the same time period in 2024, which is higher than the 18.7% rate for case fatalities.

At least 21 states have confirmed one or more Lassa fever cases in 105 local government areas as of 2025, demonstrating the continued spread of the illness across multiple regions.

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The health agency reports that five states were the states where the majority of Lassa fever cases were found this year.

Bauchi came in second with 23% of all confirmed cases, while Ondo had the highest share with 32%. Edo came in second with 17%, Taraba with 14%, and Ebonyi with 3 percent.

The five states combined account for 89 percent of all infections reported so far, while the rest 11% were spread across 16 other states.

The most affected age group, with a median age of 30, is still the age of 21.

One to one point eight is the male-to-male ratio among cases that have been confirmed. The death toll rate is still high despite a decrease in suspected and confirmed cases compared to the same period in 2024.