The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Gunmen

  • 25 prisoners die in Adamawa attack

    25 prisoners die in Adamawa attack

    … 127 escape

    The police on Sunday confirmed that 25 persons were killed during an attack on Ganye Town, the headquarters of Ganye Local Government Area in Adamawa State by gunmen on Friday.

    The Nigerian Prison Service also confirmed the killing of the Deputy Comptroller in charge of Ganye Prison, Malam Baba Musa, and the release of 127 prison inmates.

    The Public Relations Office of the Adamawa State Police Command, Mohammed Ibrahim, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Yola that among those killed by the gunmen was a policeman.

    “At least 13 places were attacked, including the Divisional Police Station, DPO’s house, prison, beer parlour, bank, library and courts,” he stated.

    Ibrahim said the police could not contain the rampaging gunmen because they were armed with sophisticated weapons.

    The Prison Comptroller in the state, Mr. Andrew Barka, said the 127 prisoners released by the gunmen escaped during the attack, corroborating the killing of the deputy comptroller.

    “We lost a deputy comptroller, Baba Musa, in the attack and some parts of the prison were also destroyed.’’

    Ibrahim said that none of the 127 inmates that escaped had been re-arrested

    NAN recalls that the gunmen attacked Ganye, a border town at about 6pm on Friday, in an operation that lasted more than two hours.

     

     

  • Gunmen abduct journalist in Ondo

    The Ondo State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists [NUJ] on Friday expressed shock over the kidnap of one of its members, Mrs. Olubunmi Oke, of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Akure.

    Sources said she was abducted by four unknown gunmen on her way home from work on Thursday, along Oba-Ile road in Akure.

    Oke, a nursing mother, was abducted shortly after she read the news on NTA that evening and was with her child and housemaid when she was abducted and driven away in her car, while the baby and the maid were dropped from the car.

    Her car has since been recovered along Igbara-Oke road at the outskirt of Akure, leading to suspicion that she may have been taken outside the state to an unknown destination.

    The union has since informed the state government and the various security agencies in the state on the development.

    The state NUJ Secretary,Mr.Ebenezer Adeniyan, said ”We condemn this barbaric act in its totality and we therefore seek the support of the security agencies and the government in securing her release from the den of the kidnappers.”

     

  • Abducted varsity lecturer regains freedom

    A female lecturer at the University of Uyo (UniUyo), Dr .Ime Udotong, who was kidnapped by unknown gunmen on March 16, has regained her freedom.

    The news of her release is contained in a statement signed by the Chairman of the UniUyo Branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Mr. Nwachukwu Anyim, on Thursday.

    Anyim stated that the female lecturer was released on Wednesday.

    On whether any ransom was paid to affect her release, he said: “the family would not want to be dragged into that now.

    “What we can say is that we are happy that she has regained her freedom.”

    The union chairman expressed gratitude to security agencies in the state for living up to expectation.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Udotong, who is a lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry, was kidnapped by gunmen when she was returning from work.

    ASUU on Tuesday carried out a protest and issued 24-hour ultimatum to security agencies in the state to hasten the release of their colleague.

     

  • Gunmen kill 20 in Plateau

    Twenty people have been killed by gunmen in Jos, Plateau State, when people suspected to be Fulani invaded two villages in Riyom Local Government.

    A member representing Riyom Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Daniel Dem, who confirmed the attack, said: “Some armed Fulani have just launched an attack on two villages in my constituency, killing at least 20 people and burning several houses.”

    The Chairman of Riyom Local Government, Mr. Sam Gyang Audu, an engineer, who also confirmed the incident, said: “From the figures made available to me by my people, the casualties could be more than 20 because the area under attack is divided between Plateau and Kaduna states.”

    Police Commissioner Chris Olakpe confirmed the incident, but said no life was lost.

    He said: “I am in charge here and I am telling you that no life was lost in Riyom. My men are on ground there, led by the DPO of Riyom. They have restored peace.”

    The Chairman of Riyom Local Government has asked the Federal Government to withdraw soldiers from the peace-keeping operation in the area and replace them with police.

    He spoke at a news conference in Jos.

    The council boss alleged that peace would have been restored to the local government long ago, but for the activities of the soldiers attached to the Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crisis code-named ‘Operation safe haven’.

    Audu said: “Having carefully followed the activities of the STF members in Riyom Local Government, the council and its people believe the STF has overstayed its usefulness.

    “The call is arising from the unpatriotic activities of some of its personnel in the course of performing their duties.

    “We appeal to the Federal Government to set up a machinery to ensure the gradual withdrawal of soldiers from our locality, replacing them with police and other security agents.

    “We believe peace between the Fulani and the Berom can be achieved through dialogue and not by peace enforcement.

    “We have enough facts to prove that the STF is not interested in promoting peace between the Fulani and the Berom. It is rather fuelling the conflict, to enable them remain in the state.

    “Soldiers should be returned to the barracks to ensure peace in our communities. They are fuelling conflicts, they are behind the protracted crisis between the Fulani and the Berom.”

  • Gunmen kill village head, five others in Plateau

    Six people in Barkin Ladi and Riyom local government areas of Plateau State, including a village head, have been killed by unknown gunmen.

    Four persons were reportedly killed at Tapo village in Heipang District of Barkin Ladi Local Government by gunmen.

    Two others were killed at Torok Rim village in Riyom Local Government.

    An eyewitness, who preferred anonymity, said three members of a family were shot by the attackers and an 80-year-old village head, Da Dung Bot Gwom, was believed to have died from exhaustion when trying to escape from the gunmen.

    The eyewitness said the gunmen stormed the village about 11pm and broke into the home of Rwang Davou (71), killing him, his 47-year-old son, Pam Rwang Davou and his six-year-old grandson, Martins Pam Rwang.

    Pam’s wife reportedly escaped with injuries and is receiving treatment in a hospital.

    The source said the victims were buried yesterday and the body of the village head had been deposited at the mortuary.

    A villager said the funeral was witnessed by the Chairman, Management Committee of Barkin Ladi Local Government, Mr. Emmanuel Loman and a member representing the constituency in the House of Assembly, Mrs. Kaneng Gyang Fulani.

    The Media Officer of the Special Task Force (STF) in the state, Captain Salisu Mustapha, said he was yet to be briefed on the incident.

    Two persons were killed yesterday by gunmen at Torok-Rim village in Riyom Local Government.

    The Nation learnt that those killed were children aged between two and four years. They died following gunshot injuries.

    According to an eyewitness, the incident occurred about 5:30am. The injured have been taken to Vom Christian Hospital.

    The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Samuel Dido, who confirmed the death of the two children, said four others were unconscious in the hospital with gunshot injuries.

    The Majority Leader and a member representing Riyom in the House of Assembly, Mr. Daniel Dem, who visited the scene, decried the attack and enjoined the STF Commander, Gen. Henry Ayoola, to redeploy the Sector 9 Commander, Col. Jimoh, to ensure peace in the area.

    Police Commissioner Chris Olakpe confirmed the incident. He said the command, in collaboration with the STF, was investigating the incident.

     

  • Gunmen kidnap UniUyo teacher

    Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers yesterday whisked away a female lecturer in the University of Uyo, Dr. (Mrs) Ime Udotong.

    Udotong, a lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry, was said to be returning home from work when heavily armed gunmen numbering about four blocked her vehicle as she tried to make her way into her residence off Idoro road in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

    An eyewitness said the kidnapped lecturer is the wife of Prof. Ime Udotong of the Department of Microbiology in Uniuyo.

    The source said: “She was driving a jeep while her abductors followed her with a salon car and ensured that she was blocked and not allowed to gain access into her compound.

    “I suspect she was trailed from school to her house because there is no other way her place would have been known by people other than those close to her.

    “I noticed she had observed the car trailing her and attempted to rush and turn into her compound when the kidnappers crossed her car, blocked her and forced her into their own car.

    “Immediately they got her into their own car, they zoomed off through a different direction.”

    The Nation learnt that officers of the police arrived the scene minutes after the hoodlums had abducted her victim.

    At the time of filing this report, it was not sure if kidnappers had contacted the family members for ransom.

    The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Etim Dickson, could not confirm the incident.

    Several calls to the Commissioner of Police, Umar Gwadabe, were not answered.

     

  • Gunmen kill two PDP chiefs in Borno

    Gunmen in separate attacks on Tuesday, killed two chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Southern Borno Senatorial District and Shehuri Ward in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, about 8pm.

    The PDP chieftains were Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Gula, the PDP zonal vice-chairman in Southern Borno Senatorial District and Hajiya Gambo, the PDP Woman Leader in Shehuri Ward in the Maiduguri metropolis.

    A top official of the party, who preferred anonymity, said Alhaji Gula and Hajiya Gambo were trailed to their homes by the gunmen before they were killed in the presence of their spouses.

    Said he: “They were killed near the Maiduguri International Hotel (MAIH) and Shehuri Ward. The Joint Task Force (JTF) and police barricaded the areas for over an hour to prevent further attacks and killings. The politicians have been buried according to Islamic rites at the Gwange cemetery.”

    Speaking on the motive for the assassination, he said: “Prior to their killings by the gunmen, Gula and Gambo participated in the Town Hall meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan last Friday at the Government House Multipurpose Hall on the Boko Haram insurgency and withdrawal of JTF from Borno State.

    “These killings are a clear case of cold-blood murder and are condemnable. Security agents must unravel the circumstances that led to the killings of these PDP politicians in their homes in Umarari and Shehuri wards.”

    Borno State Police Commissioner Alhaji Yuguda Abdullahi confirmed the incidents in a telephone chat.

     

  • Gunmen kill PDP chiefs in Borno

    There may be no end yet to the orgy of violence and incessant killings in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, as gunmen in separate attacks on Tuesday shot dead two chieftains of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for Southern Borno Senatorial District and Shehuri ward at about 8pm.

    The PDP chieftains are Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Gula, PDP zonal vice chairman of Southern Borno Senatorial District; and Hajiya Gambo, the PDP women leader for Shehuri ward in Maiduguri metropolis.

    A top official of PDP, who does not want his name in print, disclosed that Alhaji Gula and Hajiya Gambo were trailed to their respective residences by the gunmen, before they were shot dead before their spouses.

    He said: “they were killed in cold blood near the Maiduguri International Hotel (MAIH) and Shehuri ward of the metropolis, before the Joint Task Force (JTF) and police cordoned the areas for over an hour to prevent further attacks and killings. The bodies of the slain party officials have already been buried on Tuesday, according to Islamic rites at the Gwange cemetery.”

    Speaking on the motives behind the assassination, he said: “prior to their killings by unknown gunmen, Gula and Gambo actively participated at the Town Hall meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan last Friday at the Government House Multipurpose Hall over the Boko Haram insurgency and withdrawals of JTF from Borno State.

    “These killings are a clear case of cold blood murder and are condemnable. Security agents must unravel the circumstance that led to the gunning down of these PDP officials at their residences in Umarari and Shehuri wards.”

    The Borno police commissioner, Alhaji Yuguda Abdullahi Tuesday confirmed the separate incidents in a telephone chat.

     

  • JTF kills four gunmen in Sokoto

    JTF kills four gunmen in Sokoto

    Four gunmen including a woman were killed on Wednesday in Sokoto after a raid at their hide out by a joint military and police team.

    Briefing journalists on the incident, the Commander, 1 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Sokoto, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Tasi”u, said several arrests were also made.

    He said the security operatives raided the hide out of the suspects located along Line `A”, Alu Estate in Bado area of Sokoto.

    According to him, several arms and ammunitions, cash, 10 handsets, a laptop computer and two vehicles were recovered.

    Tasi’u who declined to entertain questions from journalists said the house had been demolished.

    The News Agency of Nigeria learnt that the gunmen had engaged the security operatives in a gun battle from about 12 midnight to 9am.

    The Commissioner of Police in the state, Alhaji Shua’ibu Gambo, had earlier confirmed the incidence, saying that the raid followed a tip off.

     

  • Headmaster, teachers injured in Kano attack

    Headmaster, teachers injured in Kano attack

    Gunmen on Tuesday in Kano attacked a primary school in Hausawa quarters, Kumbotso local government area, injuring the headmaster and two other teachers

    During the raid, the school headmaster and three of his teachers sustained gunshot wounds and were admitted at the Mallam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano.

    The spokesman the state police command, ASP Magaji Musa Majiya, said the gunmen attacked the school on motorbikes at about 8.30am.

    He said the gunmen immediately fled the scene after the attack.

    Majiya said the wounded teachers have been treated and discharged from hospital, while bullet has been extracted from the body of the headmaster.

    He, however, said the headmaster is responding to treatment.

    According to the police spokesman, the attackers stormed the school at about 8.30am when the teachers and pupils were in the assembly ground.