₦airaland Forum

Residents living on Douglas road, Ama-JK, Ikenegbu, Royce, Njamanze, Orji, Amakohia, Akwakuma and MCC road in Owerri, the Imo State capital, are now keeping vigil against unknown gunmen whose activities had wreaked havoc in the state.

DAILY POST correspondent who interacted with some of the residents reports that the crisis-prone areas seemed to have experienced relative peace as residents now thread with caution.

A provisions seller who lives in Amakohia said, “you can see that people are now closing their shops early for fear of the unknown gunmen. Because no one knows when they will strike.

“I used to close my shop by 11pm but not anymore. This time around, I close by 8pm. I have to save my life.”

The woman who refused her name in print recalled the series of armed robbery and kidnapping incidents that had taken place in the past couple of weeks.

She said, “my neighbour was recently kidnapped. She was released just last week after the family paid a huge sum for ransom.

“There is virtually no day that passes without any case of robbery or kidnapping in Owerri. We are really scared of the situation.

“The government, on its own, is not doing well in arresting the situation. They should know that peoples lives are involved and beef up the security architecture.”

A survey along the Orji, MCC and Douglas areas of the state capital revealed that traders occupying the busy roads have taken the same step of closing up their wares on time because, according to them, the bandits often strike at night.

Unknown gunmen early hours of Thursday invaded Obiozara police station in Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi state and killed one inspector on duty.

The gunmen were said to have invaded the station at about 3am, burnt offices of the director of Police Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and that of the administrator.

A source within the area noted that the main police station at the local government area was burnt down during #EndSARS saga and gunmen now attacked the temporary station, police are using for their office.

“I called one of the police officer who said they were attacked early this morning by 3am. One Inspector was shot dead. They burnt two offices and that of the DPO and the admin’s office.

“They had burnt the main office during #EndSARS with some vehicles. They now relocated to another block around the station where this attack took place,” he said.

Blueprint as at the time of this report could not ascertain if the gunmen made away with any equipment belonging to Nigeria police.

Also, it was gathered that SWAT team with Ebonyi state police command Wednesday night killed two persons at a popular area in Abakaliki known as Spera ‘N’ Deo park.

Though information on what led to the killings is not yet known, it was gathered that the SWAT team after killing the people ran away from the park, while another set of policemen came and evacuated the bodies.

All effort to get police reactions failed as the spokesperson of the command did not pick her calls as at time of filing the report.

Pastor Dare Adeboye, the son of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God Worldwide, Enoch Adeboye, is dead.

The PUNCH gathered that the 42-year-old, who is the third son of the revered cleric, died in his sleep on Wednesday in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, where he was based with his family.

Our correspondent gathered from reliable sources in the church that the deceased, who was the Assistant Pastor in charge of Region (Youth) 35, had ministered the previous day.

He was said to have retired to his bed and did not wake up.

His wife, Temiloluwa, was said to have raised the alarm.

“He was not sick and did not complain of anything before the incident. Pastors in the church were summoned to pray for him, all to no avail,” a source added.

Several leaders of the church, who confirmed the incident, said they could not comment on it.

The Head of Media and Public Relations, RCCG, Pastor Olaitan Olubiyi, however, confirmed the tragedy on Thursday morning.

He said, “It is true. The incident happened in Eket where he was based. I don’t have the details for now. Maybe before the end of today, we will issue a statement.”

Dare would have been 43 years old next month, June.

Last year, on his 42nd birth, his dad, Adeboye on a social media post described him as his first miracle child.

He wrote on his Facebook page,
“Our first miracle child. We pray that God will keep his miraculous working power in your life and all those who needs a miracle today, will use you as a point of contact for their own in JESUS name. (Amen) love from Dad, Mom and the whole Adeboye dynasty.”

Dare was happily married with children.

Parents of the 29 kidnapped students of the College of Forestry Mechanisation Afaka, Kaduna state have narrated their ordeal while negotiating with the abductors of their children.

In March, bandits attacked the college located in Igabi LGA and abducted the students, but 172 of them were rescued, leaving 39 in captivity.

Out of the 39 in captivity, 10 have regained their freedom.

On Tuesday, the parents staged a protest at the national assembly, asking the federal government to help them secure the release of their children.

Speaking with Roots TV, one of the parents said they have been trying to secure the release of the abducted students to no avail.

She said the parents had attended several meetings and were taken to Ahmad Gumi, prominent Islamic cleric, who directed them to a Fulani man named Ahmed.

She said the parents paid N800,000 to the man but he said the money was for transportation and insisted that they pay an additional N500 million.

“We kept going for meetings. They took us to Gumi’s house who said we should meet one Ahmed. I’ve forgotten the name. A Fulani man was invited, we contributed almost N800,000 to him but he said the money was just for transportation. Then I started crying and pleaded with him that I am a widow, training my boy to become my helper in the future but he said that was not his concern,” she said.

She said the unidentified Fulani man was invited to an office in Kaduna to meet the parents.

“We kept begging him but he insisted that we must pay N500 million.”

Another parent, who said the trauma was too much to handle, said they have become “walking corpses”.

She said: “The trauma is too much, I can hardly sleep. We are walking corpses. People see us as being alive but we are already dead. In the night, one cannot sleep, if you want to sleep you will be thinking about the condition of your child; if the child is dead, alive, eaten.

“They (kidnappers) were after the government paying that money– N500 million. Like me in particular, they kept calling me ‘Madam, go and talk to the government to pay the money’. All I kept telling them was that I am a widow, I don’t have access to the government.

“Maybe if my husband were to be alive, he would know somebody who would help him to talk to the government. They kept calling me for almost two weeks and I told them the same thing.”

She said the bandits have started calling them individually to negotiate for their children’s release.

The Kaduna state government has maintained that it will not negotiate with bandits to secure the freedom of the abducted students.

The Department of State Services (DSS), on Sunday alerted on sinister moves by misguided elements to wreak havoc on the government, sovereignty and corporate existence of the country.

Championed by some disgruntled religious and past political leaders, the intention is to eventually throw the country into a tailspin, which would compel a forceful and undemocratic change of leadership.

Further unimpeachable evidence shows that these disruptive elements are now recruiting the leadership of some ethnic groups and politicians round the country, with the intention of convening some sort of conference, where a vote of no confidence would be passed on the President, thus throwing the land into further turmoil.

The caterwauling, in recent times, by these elements, is to prepare the grounds adequately for their ignoble intentions, which are designed to cause further grief for the country.

The agent provocateurs hope to achieve through artifice and sleight of hands, what they failed to do through the ballot box in the 2019 elections.

Nigerians have opted for democratic rule, and the only accepted way to change a democratically elected government is through elections, which hold at prescribed times in the country. Any other way is patently illegal, and even treasonable. Of course, such would attract the necessary consequences.

These discredited individuals and groups are also in cahoots with external forces to cause maximum damage in their own country. But the Presidency, already vested with mandate and authority by Nigerians till 2023, pledges to keep the country together, even if some unruly feathers would be ruffled in the process.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity)
May 4, 2021

The lives of about seventeen remaining students of the Greenfield University in Kaduna is currently in danger, as the leader of the gang, Sani Idris Jalingo, who kidnapped them on April 20, 2021, has vowed to kill them if N100 million and 10 Boko Haram motorcycles ransom are not paid.

Sani Jalingo last month kidnapped about twenty three, (23) Greenfield students and had killed five over failure of the state government to comply with their demands.

El’Rufai had vowed not to negotiate with terrorists and bandits. He equally promised to root out bandits from the state.

“El Rufai says his government is not and will never negotiate with bandits. He advocates their prompt elimination when they are identified”.

Reacting to his statement: Sani Idris Jalingo told the Hausa Service of the Voice of America that his group will kill the remaining 17 students if the stated ransom is not paid.

However, when contacted the Kaduna state government declined to comment on the issue.

JUST IN:

PRESS RELEASE

Revenue Projection in Letter to AGF Not Reflection of Corporation’s Financial Standing, @NNPCgroup Clarifies

…Pledges to Optimize Cost, Boost Remittance to #FAAC

1. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (#NNPC) has clarified that the revenue projection contained in the letter to the Accountant General of the Federation being cited in the media pertains only to the Federation revenue stream being managed by the Corporation and not a reflection of the overall financial performance of the Corporation.

2. A press release by the Corporation’s spokesman, Dr. Kennie Obateru, stated that the clarification became necessary in the light of media reports insinuating that the Corporation was in financial straits.

3. #NNPC maintains that it is conscious of its role and was doing everything possible to shore up revenues and support the Federation at all times.

4. “The shortfall will be remedied by the Corporation as it relates only to the Federation revenue stream being managed by the #NNPC and does not reflect the overall financial performance of the Corporation. The NNPC remains in positive financial trajectory for the period in question,” it stated.

5. The Corporation pledged to continue to pursue and observe its cost optimization process with a view to maximizing remittances to the Federation Account.

6. It would be recalled that NNPC, in a letter to the Accountant General of the Federation entitled: Re: Impact of Hike in Crude Oil Prices on the Deregulated Downstream Sector: Projected Remittance to the Federation Account for April to June 2021, which was inappropriately shared by unscrupulous persons, had projected that it would deduct the sum of N112bn from Oil and Gas proceeds for the month of April 2021 to ensure continuous supply of petroleum products to the country and guarantee energy security.

7. This has fueled reports of impending revenue shortfalls with dire consequences for the various tiers of government.

8. #NNPC, however, assures that it would continue to meet its financial obligations to the Federation.

Dr. Kennie Obateru (@kennieobateru)
Group General Manager
Group Public Affairs Division
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
NNPC Towers, Abuja.
30th April, 2021.

The Governing Council of the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti (EKSU) has lifted the ban placed on four labour unions in the institution.

The workers’ bodies include the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Union of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic (NAAT) Technologist and Non-academic Staff Union(NASU).

The Governing Council last Friday proscribed the labour unions until further notice and suspended academic activities following continuous strike action embarked upon which disrupted activities on campus.

The university came under heavy attacks for proscribing the unions as its decision generated array of condemnation from parents of students, the general public and the national secretariat of the four proscribed labour unions.

However, the institution, in a statement on Thursday by the Head, Directorate of Information and Corporate Affairs, Bode Olofinmuagun lifted the ban placed on activities of ASUU, NASU, SSANU, NAAT.

He said the decision to lift the ban was sequel to series of passionate appeals by influential individuals and the Alumni Association of the university, adding academic activities hitherto suspended were to resume immediately.

“Since the four unions in the university were proscribed and academic activities suspended, the Governing Council has received series of pleas and intervention from well-meaning individuals, corporate bodies as well as the Alumni Association of the university.

“As part of efforts to create an enabling environment for further dialogue on all the issues towards the restoration of peace on campus and continuation of academic activities, Council has therefore directed that the ban placed on the activities of ASUU, SSANU, NAAT and NASU on campus be lifted immediately.

“Arising from the above, the normal academic activities hitherto suspended are to also resume without further delay.

“Accordingly, students are to resume on campus to continue with their normal academic activities,” the statement reads.

Suspected herdsmen have abducted two students of the Calvary International Ministry popularly known as CAPRO in Barkin Ladi Local government area of Plateau State.

The school, a few kilometers away from the Yakubu Gowon International Airport Haipang, was attacked on Wednesday night by the gunmen.

An eye witness told The Nation the gunmen attempted to kidnap dozens of students who were asleep.

Some of the students however noticed strange moves and quickly alerted security agencies who responded swiftly, forcing the attackers to flee with two of their colleagues.

Read Also: Gunmen hit more police assets in attacks
The Nation however learnt one of the abducted students later escaped during a gun duel between security personnel and the abductors.

CAPRO is an international interdenominational Mission Agency with over 700 missionaries from 26 countries operating in 35 countries in North and sub-Saharan Africa.

The school management is yet to issue an official statement on the incident but Plateau Police spokesperson, ASP Gabriel Ubah, confirmed the development.

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, said in a statement that the palliative entailed the cutting and removal of asphalt as well as the placement of a steel plate on the affected parts of the bridge.

Lagos commissioner for information, Gbenga Omotosho, says the Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration is not seeking to protect any personality with the anti-graft law it recently signed.
[i][/i]
On Sunday, newsmen reported that the governor signed a law establishing an anti-corruption agency with “exclusive” rights to probe cases of corruption that have to do with the state.

This nascent agency will take over cases relating to Lagos from agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The news stirred criticism on social media as some Nigerians questioned the motive of the law.

But speaking on Arise TV on Tuesday, Omotosho said the law was not enacted to protect any personality, adding that the insinuations are a product of the fertile imagination of critics.

He said the law is to enforce accountability on anyone dealing with the state’s funds.

“The idea that the law is to protect either Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu or anybody is highly speculative, presumptuous and in the conjectural imagination of anybody thinking so. It’s out of place for anybody to think that a law will be made because of a section of the society or some personalities,” the commissioner said.

“That’s not the aim of the law. Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor, said very clearly when he signed the law that he signed it for accountability so that people won’t misappropriate the state’s funds and get away with it.

“Why is it that people are talking about some personalities when you talk about corruption, they are not even talking about contractors who may go away with the state’s money without doing any job. There are many people who are supposed to be reined in through this law, not just some people.”

Islamic cleric Ahmad Gumi has warned that Nigerians will regret it if communication minister Isa Pantami is removed from office, saying the minister is “stabilising the government among a section of youth.”

Mr Pantami has come under heavy pressure to resign or be sacked since his past public declaration of support for terrorist groups al-Qaeda and the Taliban re-emerged into national discourse in the past ten days.

But Mr Gumi, a Kaduna-based Islamic preacher who has embarked on a self-imposed mediatory role between bandits ravaging parts of the North and the authorities maintained that Mr Pantami was not a terrorist sympathiser.

He said in an interview with Roots TV that the embattled minister was rather a nationbuilder who was working to attract other youths of his Ilk to support the government.

“Show me, one person, he has killed?” Mr Gumi queried. “He has not killed anybody. He has not ordered the killing of anybody. The man is stabilising a government among a section of youth which we want them to come and join in nation-building.”

The cleric’s assertion however appears to contradict available facts. Media reports indicated that in 2004, a fatwa for the killing of Samuel Achi, a 400L student of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi was issued under the authority of Mr Pantami as the Chief Imam of the university’s mosque.

Peoples Gazette had also exposed how Mr Pantami offered to lead Islamic fighters into a Christian dominated areas of Plateau State, following a religious clash in the 2000s.

Still, Mr Gumi who has been advocating for amnesty for bandits who have been terrorising citizens across northern states, says Mr Pantami was a victim of wicked campaigns to remove him from office.

“And you people are fighting them. No. You should get more people like Pantami and put them in power. Don’t remove him. You’ll regret,” Mr Gumi warned.

The Islamic cleric’s stand tallies with that of the Nigerian presidency which claimed that Mr Pantami has not committed a grievous offence. Aso Villa insists Mr Pantami would not be sacked from office since he has apologised for his past pro-terrorism utterances, claiming he was young when he made those reckless takes.

Just In: Palace of Igwe Ifitedunu in Dunukofia Local government Area of Anambra State, has been razed down by unknown Gunmen @WillieMObiano @Anambrastate_ng @PoliceNG

Unknown gunmen have attacked the country home of the governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma.

The gunmen who invaded the governor’s house in Omuma in the Oru East Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of Saturday killed two security men on duty before torching it.

It was gathered that one of the security men killed was an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

According to a source who pleaded anonymity, cars parked at the compound and part of the building were affected by the fire.

According to the source, the security men on duty repelled the gunmen, leading to the death of the two cops.

An unconfirmed report say that the gunmen killed two other security men at Oguta-Mgbidi Junction, a road that leads to the governor’s country home.

A government house source who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that firefighters were battling to stop the fire from spreading to other parts of the building.

Another village source told our correspondent that the military had taken over the community .

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, confirmed the incident when our correspondent contacted him.

He also confirmed that two security men at the governor’s house lost their lives during the attack.

The Commissioner said, “It is true, but the information is not still clear. It is not true that several security men lost their lives. About two security men on duty at the governor’s house were killed. NSCDC personnel was among the security men who lost their lives during the attack.”

The Governing Council of Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti has directed the immediate closure of the University.

The Council has also proscribed all the Staff Unions in the Institution that make up the Joint Action Committee (ASUU, NASU, SSANU & NAAT).

A statement by the University Spokesman, Bode Olofinmuagun predicated the moves on alleged disruption of lawful activities on campus which have endangered lives and property in the last one week.

Consequently, all students have been advised to vacate the campus immediately .

Earlier, The meeting between Joint Action Committee comprising all Staff of the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti & Ekiti State Government on Friday Evening ended in a deadlock with Representatives of the workers walking out of the meeting after the University Council failed to accede to their demands.

Further reports indicate that a separate delegation that met with the Govt were equally stunned by the defiant position of Govt not to immediately accede to the demands which includes payment of 3month salary arrears from 2019, 14 months half salaries & pension deductions.

Breaking: Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle orders immediate closure of four markets following attacks by bandits.

The Nigeria Labour Congress, on Thursday declared a five-day strike in both public and private organisations in Kaduna State to protest mass sack of workers by the state government.

The decision to withdraw the services of workers was taken by the Central Working Committee of the NLC at a meeting in Abuja which held at Labour House.

Addressing journalists at the end of the meeting, President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, said the five-day withdrawal of service by workers in the state will become total if there is no remorse from the state government.

The decision of the administration of Governor Nasir El-Rufai to disengage 4000 workers across the 23 Local Government Areas of Kaduna State has sparked outrage.

Daily Trust reports that on April 6, over 4000 staff across 23 local governments received their disengagement letters.

Reacting to the development, Ayuba Wabba, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), described the action as “arbitrary and cruel”, and called on the Kaduna State Government to reverse the mass sack.

Hours after abducting students of Greenfield University in Kaduna state, gunmen on Thursday kidnapped two nurses who worked overnight at the General hospital in Idon of Kajuru Local Government,

While confirming the incident, Chairman of Kajuru local government area, Hon. Cafra Casino, called on the people to remain calm as investigation has commenced into the kidnap of the two nurses.

Though the authorities are yet to respond to the incident, Dr. Shingyu Shamnom, Medical Director of the hospital, told journalists that the gunmen wielding dangerous weapons gained access to the hospital through the fence.

According to Dr.Shamnom, the gunmen forcefully gained entry into the hospital, shot sporadically and whisked away the two nurses on night duty who came out and identified themselves as medical workers.

He explained that after hearing the gunshots, they had to stay at their various houses. “We were in our homes until a call was put through to us that it was kidnappers who invaded the hospital, only to discover that two of the nurses on night duty have been taken away by the bandits.

“The kidnappers went away with the phone of one of the staff whom we thought was also kidnapped but he later returned,” he said.

Atlético de Madrid's Board of Directors, which met on Wednesday morning, has decided to formally communicate to the Super League and the rest of the founding clubs its decision not to finally formalise its adhesion to the project.

Atlético de Madrid took the decision on Monday to join the project due to circumstances that no longer exist today.

For the club, harmony between all the groups that make up the Red & White family, especially our fans, is essential.

The first team squad and the coach have expressed their satisfaction with the club's decision, as they understand that sporting merits must prevail over any other criteria.

FC Internazionale Milano confirm that the Club is no longer part of the Super League project.

We are always committed to giving fans the best football experience; innovation and inclusion are part of our DNA since our foundation. Our engagement with all stakeholders to improve the football industry will never change.

Inter believes that football, like every sector of activity, must have an interest in constantly improving its competitions, to keep on exciting fans of all ages around the world, within a framework of financial sustainability.

With this vision we look forward to carry on working together with institutions and all stakeholders for the future of the sport we all love.

SaharaReporters gathered that the fire started at the chamber and spread to other sections of the Assembly complex.

The fire according to a source, destroyed some property including sensitive documents of the House.

Men of the state fire service stations were still battling to put out the fire as at the time of filing the report.

An unidentified number of students of Green Field University located along the Abuja-Kaduna highway have been abducted when armed men attacked the school, Daily Trust gathered.

Our correspondent gathered that the armed men, who attacked the school around 10.30 pm on Tuesday, shot a security guard.

The police Public Relations Officer, ASP Muhammad Jalige, who confirmed the incident, said they were yet to get the exact number of students that had been abducted.

He said a row call was being taken to ascertain the identity and number of the students abducted.

Jalige noted that the police and the military moved to the school immediately after they got wind of the attack, adding that unfortunately, some students had already been abducted.

He said the police would update the public on the number of students abducted as soon as it is confirmed.

Daily Trust reports that the school abduction is coming barely 40 days after 39 students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Mando were kidnapped.

Daily Trust had earlier reported how the arrival of female soldiers drafted to the Abuja-Kaduna highway in December 2020 had brought sanity to the road.

We can confirm that we have formally commenced procedures to withdraw from the group developing proposals for a European Super League (ESL).

Chairman Daniel Levy said: “We regret the anxiety and upset caused by the ESL proposal. We felt it was important that our club participated in the development of a possible new structure that sought to better ensure financial fair play and financial sustainability whilst delivering significantly increased support for the wider football pyramid.

“We believe that we should never stand still and that the sport should constantly review competitions and governance to ensure the game we all love continues to evolve and excite fans around the world.

“We should like to thank all those supporters who presented their considered opinions.”

A 25-year-old passenger who was allegedly raped at gunpoint by a taxi driver and a conductor in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa on Monday, said she was scared to reveal she is HIV-positive.

The woman‚ who was dumped in a cane field after the ordeal‚ told Reaction Unit SA (Rusa) security officers on Monday, she wanted to let her attackers know about her status but was afraid they would shoot her.

HIV positive woman raped at gunpoint by taxi driver and conductor in South Africa says she was afraid they would shoot her if she revealed her status

Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram said they were called by a passing motorist just after 3pm after the driver was flagged down by the victim on the northbound lane of the N2 near Sibaya Casino.

"Reaction officers and medics were dispatched to the scene. On arrival they located the hysterical female seated in the emergency lane. She told a female reaction officer she operates a stall in Durban‚” he said.

Balram said she boarded a taxi to visit her boyfriend.

"As they left Durban she asked the two why there were no other passengers in the minibus‚” he said.

The conductor put a cloth over her face and instructed her to be silent.

"She was driven to a cane field where both men took turns raping her at gunpoint. They then drove off and left her in the field‚” he said.

Police spokesperson Capt Nqobile Gwala said a case of rape was opened at Verulam police station.

"It is alleged by the complainant that [on Monday] at 2.30pm she stopped a taxi near the Moses Mabhida Stadium as she was going to KwaDukuza. While the taxi was on the N2 Sibaya turn off‚ the conductor covered her mouth while [the driver] pointed a firearm at her. The victim was then raped by the suspects before they left her on the side of the road‚” she said.

Two days after a fuel tanker explosion in Oshigbudu, in the Agatu Local Government of Benue State, another explosion has occurred in the community.

The fresh explosion occurred around 3 am on Tuesday.

A member of the community, Otache Gabriel lamented the situation on his Facebook wall, saying, “Another fire outbreak in my community again. After first tanker explosion on Sunday, another one today around 3 am this morning; houses are burning.

“God have mercy on us. Benue state is turning to another thing. God, two tanker explosions in one community."

Secretary of Agatu Local Government, Oteyi Sunday, who confirmed the incident to Daily Post, said the conductor of the heavy duty vehicle had been arrested but that the driver was still at large.

BREAKING: Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans Joachim Watzke confirms that both they and Bayern Munich won't be joining the European Super League and are sticking with the planned Champions League reform.

Gunmen have razed the zone 13 police headquarters in Ukpo, Anambra State, during a violent attack.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday.

While details of the attack were still sketchy at the time of filing the report, it was gathered the gunmen opened fire on police officers on duty.

At least three cars were burnt as a result of petrol bombs they threw into the compound.

Reports say the gunmen sneaked in through the bush around the area, tried to break in through the wall but the policemen engaged them and they ran away leaving their guns including the GMG they collected from the Navy.

The incident comes two weeks after the headquarters of the Imo police command was razed by unknown gunmen.

The attack comes amid the growing security incidents in Anambra State.

The governor, Willie Obiano, recently raised an alarm over the worsening security situation, saying the state was under siege by criminals.

“I call on everybody, irrespective of affiliations to come together and support government and security agencies to fight our common enemy. Those who seek to destroy what we have laboured to build must not be tolerated in any manner,” Obiano had said.

Apart from Anambra, other states in the southeast have been witnessing a spike in criminal attacks and targeted assault against security agencies.

� Leicester will play in their first FA Cup Final since 1969 - 30 different teams have reached the final since their last appearance 52 years ago

Brilliant pace by @Vardy7 down the left to find Iheanacho. @67Kelechi's first attempt is blocked, but makes no mistake second time around! �

Leicester City 1️⃣ Southampton 0️⃣

#FACup #LeiSou

Parents of the kidnapped students of Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna state said they were asked to pay a whopping N500 million ransom before their children would be released from captivity.

They also said they have lost hope in government’s intervention of securing the release of their children.

Although 10 of the students were released by the gunmen and have since reunited with their respective families, the remaining were still held in the bush since 11 of March, 2021.

During a press conference in Kaduna on Friday, spokesperson of the parents, Mr Friday Sani said the gunmen have started calling them personally requesting ransom amounting to N500million for the release of their children.

According to him, “the condition we are in today is very pathetic, and we are calling on the entire world to come to our aid. We held a protest and the Kaduna State Government called us, thinking they were going to give us hope that they will rescue our children. But they told us that anybody caught negotiating with bandits will be prosecuted.”

“That also led to our second coming out to address the world through the media that it will be better for us to be arrested, even though we have already been arrested emotionally since our children’s’ abduction.”

“We are already under the arrest of Government, some of us could not eat and sleep while some of us have developed sickness, so there is no arrest higher than this”, he said.

“We will continue to protest, no matter the number of security forces, the highest is death and we are ready to sacrifice that for our children who have promising futures”, he said.

According to him, “if we can negotiate for the release of our children and succeed and then being arrested afterwards, we will be the happiest people. It is better for us to be in government’s detention rather than allow our children to die.”

“The fate of our children is what we don’t know and that is the problem we have, the government has kept silent since the release of ten of the children.

“May be it is because we are no longer talking and pleaded with not to address the media and protest on the street. The government has remained quiet about our abducted children. We wouldn’t mind if the government take credit for the release of the ten students, be it as it may be, we want them to enable the release of others so that we can applaud them the more.”

“The government may turn Kaduna into Dubai but if there are no people to benefit from it, then it is a waste of resources. People are not secured, the stories of daily incidents of killings, kidnappings and other forms of crime is disheartening.”

“We are pleading with the Government to ensure our children do not lost their lives during course of any action they want to use in securing the release of our children, however their silence” Sani said.

He therefore, on behalf of the parents, called on the minister of environment, Director General of forestry, the United Nations and other Humanitarian Agencies to come to their aid and ensure safe rescue of their children.