Category Nigeria News

The gunmen who kidnapped Mr. Omoniyi Eleyinmi, a staff member of Adekunle Ajasin University in Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, have contacted his family, demanding a ransom of ₦7 million for his release.

Mr Eleyinmi, a Faculty Officer in the university’s Faculty of Education, was abducted on Sunday at his residence in Supare-Akoko, Akoko South West Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that the gunmen had lurked around his residence, and upon his arrival on a commercial motorcycle, they quickly got hold of him and took him away while shooting sporadically to scare away people who might try to resist them.

According to a family source, who pleaded to remain anonymous, the kidnappers, who made contact with Mr Eleyinmi’s family on Thursday for the ransom, had on Wednesday allowed the wife of the victim to briefly speak with him for her to verify that he is alive.

The source disclosed that the kidnappers had initially demanded 100 million naira ransom, but it was later reduced to seven million naira, after a series of pleas and negotiations.

Following the development, the Alumni Association of AAUA, which Mr Eleyinmi belongs has called for donations from Nigerians in order to raise the funds to pay for his ransom.

In a statement issued by the Global Publicity Secretary of the association,
O’Seun Ogunsakin, it appealed for timely donations, saying it would go a long way in ensuring that Mr Eleyinmi reunites with his family hale and hearty.

“Distinguished Alumni, I am sure that the majority of you must have heard the news of the kidnapping of one of us, Niyi Eleyinmi, who is the Faculty Officer of the Faculty of Education, AAUA”, the statement read.

“Eleyinmi was kidnapped on Monday, and the kidnappers have demanded a sum of seven million Naira (₦7, 000, 000). It is on this note that I want to passionately appeal to you to donate towards securing the safe release of Niyi from his captors”.

“We have just 24 hours to raise the aforementioned sum. Kindly make your donation into the account below:
Polaris Bank 1011167606 Akinwande Joyce Morenikeji. May God help us as we make the donation”.

Reacting, the Public Relations Officer of Ondo State Police Command, DSP Olusola Ayanlade, said that the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, had directed tactical commanders to ensure that the victim was rescued unhurt as well as apprehend those involved in the abduction.

While distancing the police from ransom negotiation, Mr Ayanlade said, “The Commissioner of Police has directed all tactical commanders to swiftly act and ensure that the victim is rescued.

” He also directed that all suspects connected with the crime be apprehended.

Political economist, Pat Utomi, has urged Nigerian public servants to shun the use of taxpayers ‘ money for luxury purchases such as Land Cruisers and new presidential jets, describing such spending as “unjust” in a country where many citizens “struggle” to afford one meal a day.

“If you’re using public money, please don’t use it to buy a Land Cruiser”, Utomi said on Channels Television’s Hard Copy, aired on Friday.

“Go around as a permanent secretary in a Toyota Corolla, please, it is a public resource. If you’re president, please don’t buy a new presidential jet. South Africa’s president used to travel around Africa in business class. I have sat in the same aircraft class as Thabo Mbeki when he was president of South Africa”, the economist said.

The 69-year-old drew comparisons with Egypt, noting the country’s infrastructural strides despite its leaders ‘ modest lifestyle choices

“Go to Cairo in Egypt. See the remarkable infrastructure revolution that has taken place, power, they have twice as much as they need and strategies to keep having a buffer. New Cairo is going up, but look around and see what their elites drive, they’re in Peugeot 504s, they’re in Toyota Corollas.

” Abuja, you all are driving big SUVs, money going out of the country for what we don’t produce. I don’t have anything against SUVs, if you earn it, please buy your SUV, “he said.

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Utomi also criticised Nigeria’s large presidential fleet, describing it as unnecessary and unjustifiable, especially when many citizens cannot afford even one meal a day.

” Why must we have a presidential fleet that is bigger than most Nigerian airlines? They think it’s befitting when it’s public resources, resources of people who can’t eat one square meal a day. That’s unjust, that’s unfair thinking, “he said.

Asked about the culture of Nigerians aspiring to wealth and flaunting extravagant lifestyles, he warned that the elite’s behaviour was setting a dangerous precedent for younger generations.

” The elite are setting the bad example, so they are learning from them. In my writing on why nations are poor, I tried to describe how leadership comes to matter. What really sets the tone of human progress are essentially institutions and values, culture, but who sets the tone of culture?

As Rann, a village in Lake Chad along the Nigerian–Cameroon border, was attacked by soldiers of the military, killing seven Boko Haram terrorists.

The terrorists attempted to elude Nigerian troops in the Kalabalge Local Government Area of Borno State on Thursday night, but they were met by resistance. They continued to attack until early on Friday before successfully thwarting the attack.

Major General Abdulsallam Abubakar, the theater commander of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), revealed that several weapons were recovered as the terrorists fled with injuries from the gunfight that ensued in a conversation with Channels TV shortly after leading troops on the offensive.

He continued, “Troops of OPHK repelled a Boko Haram attack yesterday in the Rann community,” while explaining. Our troops were engaged in a fierce gun battle on Friday at eleven o’clock on Thursday night from the Cameroonian border until around two o’clock in the morning.

In the more than three-hour fight, seven terrorists were killed. Many of them escaped with gunshot wounds. More casualties will be recorded if more troops follow them using blood stains.

An RPG bomb, AK-47 rifles, magazines, and other explosives were found in Rann, according to the report.

They entered from Cameroon and exploited our country’s porous borders. However, our soldiers are always inspired to fight any obstacle. The success of this operation depended greatly on OPHK’s air component command. They assisted the ground forces with air support and surveillance as well.

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The Kalabalge LGA’s main office is located in Rann.

It is 184 kilometers away, or 5 hours, to drive from Maiduguri.

Although the LGA has been dealing with inaccessible roads, flooding, and the Boko Haram insurgency, Nigerian Army troops have remained in control of the area overall.

A suspected Boko Haram logistics supplier, Ahmadu Mohammed Dogo, was also detained in Maiduguri by Operation Hadin Kai’s troops and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).

He was discovered carrying fuel that was concealed inside bottle of water and allegedly headed for Gamboru-Ngala, a crucial logistical hub for insurgents.

A CJTF member attached to the operating forces made the disclosure to Channels TV.

At the southern end of Lake Chad, Gamboru-Ngala is a border LGA.

In response to an unresolved issue between the legislature and the executive, Governor Hyacinth Alia wrote a letter to the Benue State House of Assembly asking for the screening and confirmation of commissioner nominees for the state executive council.

The Speaker, Hyacinth Dajoh, presided over the plenary on Friday, and a decision was made.

The House acted in response to Shimapever Jiji’s motion of urgent public importance, according to a statement from Terver Zamber, the speaker’s chief press secretary.

Jiji informed the audience that the governor had repeatedly violated the Assembly’s resolutions and had treated the legislature in a manner he called “total disregard.”

Thomas Dugeri, who supported the House’s position, argued that Alia had not addressed a number of pressing issues that the Assembly had previously raised.

He claimed that “the governor has no respect for this magnificent chamber.”

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Other participants in the discussion made it clear that the decision was intended to compel the executive to fulfill its obligations and not to stall governance.

They claimed that the governor must first demonstrate commitment to previous agreements and respect for the House’s resolutions before they can be denied the screening of commissioners.

The lawmakers listed their demands, including the immediate use of official vehicles by affected members and the enforcement of suspension notices issued to Otukpo Local Government Council, Otukpo Local Government Council, and Benue State Sports Lottery and Marketing Board executive secretary.

Former presidential candidate in the 2023 election under the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has called on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to adopt a compassionate approach in handling its services to students, following the blacklisting of several accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres in Anambra State.

In a post on his official X handle on Friday, Obi said he recently encountered a large crowd of students outside the JAMB office in Amawbia, Anambra State, with some even sitting on the fence. Upon speaking with them, he learned they were there to make changes to their course or institution choice services, which are ordinarily available at CBT centres.

READ ALSO: Niger Assembly Urges Bago To Ban Sign-Out Day In Schools

“While passing through Amawbia, in Anambra State, recently, I noticed a large crowd of students gathered outside the JAMB office – some even perched precariously on the fence. The scene was striking and may likely be the same in some other states across the country. Troubled by what I saw, I stopped to speak with a few of the students,’’ he said.

‘’They explained that they were there to make changes to their course or institution choices. I found this surprising, as such services are ordinarily processed at JAMB-designated CBT centres. When I inquired why they weren’t using those centres, their response was disheartening: most of the CBT centres had stopped offering the service, leaving them with few or no alternatives. ”

Obi said most of these centres had stopped offering the service after being blacklisted by JAMB, forcing students to travel long distances to the state office.  

Out of 28 approved centres in the state, he noted, 17 have been blacklisted, with many of them unaware of the specific reasons except being told they were “under investigation.  

He lamented that the development had caused financial and emotional strain for students, some of whom had made up to five unsuccessful trips before being attended to. A service that should cost about ₦1,500, he added, now costs as much as ₦15,000 at the JAMB office, including unofficial fees.

“Further investigation revealed that out of 28 JAMB-approved centres ( CBTs)in Anambra State, 17 have been blacklisted. Sadly, many of the affected centres were not even informed of the specific reasons behind this action. The explanation given was the vague phrase: “under investigation. ”

“The consequences of this are far-reaching. Students are now forced to travel long distances, sometimes from remote parts of the state, just to access basic services at the JAMB state office. “From my interaction with the students, I learnt that many have made up to five unsuccessful trips before being attended to. What is more troubling is the sharp increase in the cost of processing these changes: a service that should ordinarily cost around ₦1,500 at accredited centres now costs up to ₦15,000 at the JAMB office – often padded by unofficial fees. ”

The former Anambra governor warned that the situation risks derailing the academic prospects of many young Nigerians, especially as some universities have already begun post-UTME screening. urging JAMB to allow the affected centres to continue offering services under close monitoring until investigations are concluded.

The Niger House of Assembly has called on Governor Umaru Bago to issue an executive order banning the celebration of Markers ‘ Day and sign-out activities in all public and private secondary and tertiary institutions across the state.

The resolution followed a motion by the member representing Tafa Constituency, Muhammad Idris, who decried the negative consequences associated with such celebrations.

Idris noted that what was initially meant to be a harmless farewell gesture by graduating students has degenerated into unruly behaviour, rising incidents of misconduct, and immoral activities. He warned that the trend threatens the moral and intellectual development that the state’s educational system seeks to promote.

“The ongoing trend of signing out from schools, which is presumably intended to be a celebration by final-year students, has recently been characterised by unruly behaviour and misconduct”, Idris told the lawmakers.

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The motion received unanimous support from other lawmakers, who described it as a timely intervention in response to growing public concern.

Presiding over the plenary, the Deputy Speaker, Afiniki Dauda, assured the House that she would liaise with the governor and the Ministry of Education to ensure the ban is swiftly enforced.