₦airaland Forum

What are the events that led to your kidnap?

I must say that I had no premonition that such could happen to me. But when the kidnap happened, it all looked like something I had dreamt about before, especially the shooting and killing of the driver. It felt like it was happening in a movie. Actually on that day, I was supposed to leave Bayelsa for Delta State by 3pm but I shifted it to 4pm. On my way to the park, I saw a bus belonging to Sunny Ero Motors, which took me to the park where I boarded the bus going to Warri. So, I got my ticket but it took a while for the bus to fill up. For the first time, I didn’t write my name in the manifest because I got my ticket from the first park where I boarded the bus. But some things happened, like people coming into the bus and alighting because of one reason or another. I kept faith in God, believing that I would get to my destination without any hiccup. We left Yenagoa around 5pm and I expected I should be at my destination by 7pm. I was also sure of arriving at my destination safely; there had been no kidnapping on that route for a while. I am surprised to have been kidnapped.

Do you think leaving late contributed to your kidnap?

I don’t think so. We were kidnapped around 6pm when the day was still bright. I was thinking we should arrive in Ughelli soon but we were attacked and kidnapped five minutes’ drive to Ughelli. When we were leaving the park, there was another bus loading after the one I boarded and going towards the same direction we were going. It was a random thing and we were unfortunate to be there at that time.

There were almost 15 police checkpoints that we passed before we were kidnapped. The last one we passed was just one or two minutes before we were abducted. I have learnt my lessons, the moment it is after 4pm, I will never leave for a trip again, no matter how short.

Can you explain how the kidnap took place?

was making a call to my sister to wish her a happy birthday but her phone was not reachable as we passed a village called Uwelli. So I called my sister’s friend so she could let her know I was going to stay with her till the following day before travelling further. It was at this point that I started hearing gunshots. It was like I was in a trance. All I noticed was that we all lay down in the bus trying to avoid being hit by bullets. It was a war situation. Two other passengers were lying on me. The first thing I saw was a man shooting in the air. He then pointed the gun at the driver and shot him dead. The driver’s blood started flowing to where I was and even stained my phone. But my phone was still on and I was sure that my sister’s friend heard all the commotion that took place. The kidnappers just came out from the bush and hell was let loose.

How many of you were taken into the bush?

They took about seven or eight of us from the bus. Two boys, who sat at the back, escaped, I suppose, through the window. They also kidnapped people from two Sienna buses that were behind us, one from Port Harcourt and another had a man and his wife. Initially they separated us. Immediately, they took our wallets, phones (which they switched off) and other personal effects. They couldn’t switch off my phone and they put it in airplane mode. They took us through a bush path and I was the one who carried all the things they took from us, which was added burden. After about 10 minutes walk into the bush, I heard police siren and gunshots and we diverted into a thick forest that was waterlogged and they told us to lie face down. They instructed that nobody should talk. After about an hour of lying face down in the water and they were sure the police had gone, they told us to stand up, by which time, it was dark and it was difficult to see who was beside you.

We started walking, not knowing where we were going. I had lost my leather slippers during the initial commotion and I was walking barefoot. It was horrible because we didn’t know what we were stepping on. They used the torchlight from a small phone to find their way and ours was to follow them. They didn’t care about any discomfort any of us was going through. If you were not keeping with the pace, they hit you with the butt of the gun or beat you with a stick. When you also tried to break a small tree branch impeding you, they will think you intended to use it as a weapon and they would beat you. So, I had no choice but to move on no matter what was impeding me. I sustained several cuts on my arms. After several hours, we got to a spot where we were again told to lie face down.

They called us one after the other, asking us where we worked and other personal questions. It was like profiling us to see what they could get as ransom. They then separated us because they felt that there were some people they would not get money from even if they threatened to kill them. Those ones were thoroughly beaten and there were some female students who were released the next day.

What did the kidnappers look like?

The people who kidnapped us were southerners but they handed us us to Fulani or Hausa-Fulani (men) in the bush, who made sure we did not escape while the negotiation was on. It was obvious that the Fulani knew the forest so well.

The Federal Government on Friday approved the reopening of four additional land borders shut in August 2019 as part of efforts to curtail smuggling and boost local production of rice.

A circular released by the Nigeria Customs Service, signed by Deputy Comptroller-General E. I. Edorhe, on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, listed the borders as Idiroko border post in Ogun State, Jibiya border post in Katsina State, Kamba border post in Kebbi State and Ikom border post in Cross River State.

The circular titled, ‘Re-opening of four additional Nigerian border posts’ sighted by Saturday PUNCH read, “Sequel to the Presidential directive dated December 16, 2020, granting approval for phased reopening of land borders namely; Mfum, Seme, Illela and Maigatari borders across the country, I am directed to inform you that four additional borders listed below have been approved for re-opening.

“Idiroko border post, Ogun State (South-West Zone); Jibiya border post, Katsina State (North-West Zone); Kamba border post, Kebbi State (North-West Zone); and Ikom border post, Cross River State (South-South Zone).

Consequently, all Customs formations and Joint Border Patrol Teams are to take note and ensure that proper manning takes place in compliance with extant operational guidelines.”

The circular, which copied all Assistant Comptrollers-General/Zonal Coordinators, Area Controllers, Comptroller, Federal Operations Unit & Marine Commands, Comptroller, Customs Intelligent Unit, JBPT Sector Coordinators, Strike Force Commanders and Heads of Units, added, “Above is forwarded for your information and compliance.”

IN SPITE of the raging waves of insecurity in the country and the killing of one of its staff on voter registration duty last week in Imo State, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has vowed to continue with its preparations for next year’s General Elections, declaring that the exercise must hold.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed, yesterday, in Abuja at the official presentation of the INEC Strategic Plan 2022-2026 and the INEC Election Project Plan for the 2023 General Election.

The election umpire spoke as President Muhammadu Buhari expressed sadness over the persistent insecurity in the country, which the nation’s security agencies have been unable to end, according to the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno, retd.

The President, who was not happy that his previous directives to the military to end insecurity in the country had not yielded many results, further directed all the operational and intelligence agencies to rescue unhurt all kidnapped persons by terrorists, including those in the Abuja-Kaduna bound train.

Briefing State House correspondents after a three and half hours meeting of the National Security Council presided over by the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the NSA said Buhari cannot be happy when people are being killed on a daily basis.

No going back on 2023 polls – INEC

The INEC boss said the Strategic Plan 2022-2026 and the 2023 Election Project Plan drew lessons from and thoroughly reviewed the level of implementation of the last plans.

“They build on the successes of the preceding plans, especially in the planning and conduct of the 2019 General Election as well as off-cycle and bye-elections. Against the backdrop of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current security situation in the country, both plans had to prioritise the institutionalisation of the Commission’s processes for the effective delivery of its mandate by focusing on capacity-building, promotion of professionalism, encouraging greater synergy among departments, improving efficient utilisation of resources, increased deployment of technology as well as greater sensitivity to threats to the electoral process as well as election personnel and infrastructure.

“We are also aware of the security challenges and their impact on the electoral process. We will continue to engage early and intensely with the security agencies to ensure the safety of our personnel and materials, accredited observers and the media and, above all, the voters. Clearly, these are challenging times but we are determined that the election must hold in 2023.

“However, this is a shared responsibility. INEC plays a critical role but the Commission alone cannot deliver the elections we all desire. I, therefore, appeal to all Nigerians to join hands with us in ensuring that we make a success of the process,” Yakubu pleaded.

He said by next week, the Commission will conclude the revision of the Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

“Work has also commenced on the review of the manuals for the training of election duty personnel. With the planning processes virtually completed, the Commission will now focus its attention on election technology and election administration.”

The General Overseer, Christ Apostolic Church, Arogungbogunmi, Prophet Richard Kolawole, has said that God told him that only two of the presidential aspirants who have disclosed their intentions so far have the love of the country at heart.

He urged Nigerians to shun ethnic and religious sentiments by allowing a man after God’s heart to emerge as the President in 2023 instead of voting blindly for candidates with self-serving intentions.

Pastor Kolawole gave the advice on Wednesday at a briefing on what he called ‘Shedding light on the mind of God to Nigerians’ in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Noting that God does not contend with men in decision-making, he alluded to the experience of the Israelites in the Holy Bible who made a choice of being ruled by kings instead of a judge.

Kolawole said, “Of all the presidential aspirants that have indicated their interest to contest in the 2023 elections, God told me that only two can steer the ship of the nation. The first person is from the South-West while the second person is from the South-South. One of the two personalities is Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo while the second person is Nyesom Wike.”

He stressed that, “God told me that Osinbajo would perform well if he is elected as President. Under his administration, God says that the citizens would feel the effects of democracy and the land would be free from bondage.

“On the other hand, God said that he put the zeal to serve Nigeria into the heart of Nyesom Wike. This implies that if he is elected as the President, he would perform creditably. Under his watch, the country would witness development.

Other aspirants are there to just mark their time and under them, corruption would rise to an embarrassing peak. They would milk the land dry and it would turn into desolation. There won’t be any notable development. He said that one of the serving ministers from the South who is jostling for the presidential position has no clue to solve Nigeria’s problem.

“The two aspirants that God told me about on the 2023 presidential election are Osinbajo and Wike. If any of the two is voted for to be president of Nigeria.

"It should not be a matter of which zone or person should be favoured but about who God wants to use for the country’s liberation. The people should vote in the right person as president.

“When, in 2015, I told Nigerians what God said to me that Muhammadu Buhari could not bring any good to the land, people were agitating; today, they can see for themselves. Most ministers predicted doom and we can see the way things are today.”

The police in Mumbai, India have arrested a Nigerian man identified as Oliver Diba Nikki with hard drugs worth Rs 30.20 lakh (N16.4 million).
Nikki, according to a report by the Times of India, was arrested in Andheri West in Mumbai with 200 grammes of mephedrone and 34 grammes of cocaine.

The 42-year-old Nigerian, police sources said was arrested on Friday evening from a bus stop near Azad Nagar metro station by the Marol unit of the Anti-Narcotics Cell.
"He has told us he was released in December 2021 in an NDPS Act case and had gone back to drug peddling. We seized 200 grammes of mephedrone and 34 grammes of cocaine cumulatively valued at Rs 30.20 lakh from him," the policeman added.

mighty2:
May his soul rot in hell and his supporters will never know peace

Rivers State Governor and 2023 presidential aspirant, Mr Nyesom Wike, has said he would remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), even if he does not win the presidential ticket.

Wike said this while addressing stakeholders of the Niger State chapter of the PDP at the party secretariat in Minna on Saturday,

The Governor said there was nothing wrong with a consensus candidate if it is based on equity, justice and fairness.

While soliciting the stakeholders’ support he said he is the only candidate who is capable of defeating the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2023 presidential election.

“I am here today to tell you that I have made myself available to run for the seat of the president of this country under our party, PDP, I have been a member of the PDP since 1988, I have never left the party and I will never leave.

"I can become the president if I get the mandate of delegates to make me the flag bearer. The country needs someone will who sees white and call it white and black and call it black and that person is me,” he said.

He promised to address the security challenges in the country, alleging that the present administration had not adequately protected lives and property.

The Northern Elders Forum on Tuesday asked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to resign for failing to provide security in the country.

The forum made the demand in a statement by its spokesperson, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed.

It said it was disappointing that after nearly seven years of being in office, Buhari still has no answers to security challenges across the country.

The statement read, “The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari does not appear to have answers to the challenges of security to which we are exposed.

We cannot continue to live and die under the dictates of killers, kidnappers, rapists and sundry criminal groups that have deprived us of our rights to live in peace and security.

“Our constitution has provisions for leaders to voluntarily step down if they are challenged by personal reasons or they prove incapable of leading.

It is now time for President Buhari to seriously consider that option, since his leadership has proved spectacularly incapable of providing security over Nigerians. Our forum is aware of the weight of this advice, and it is also aware that we cannot continue to live under these conditions until 2023 when President Buhari’s term ends.

"Killers and other criminals appear to have sensed a paralysing vacuum at the highest levels of leadership, and they grow more confident and acquire more competence in subverting the State and our security.

“Nigerians have shed enough tears and blood without appropriate response from those with responsibilities to protect us."

The youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has condemned the violence that marred the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, meetings in some local government areas in Enugu State.

DAILY POST reported that PDP meetings in Nsukka and Aninri local government areas turned violent, leaving many injured.

In Nsukka, the fracas was said to have ensued between those for and those against the 5th term bid of Hon. Pat Asadu, representing Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South in the House of Representatives.

Asadu is facing serious opposition over his move to return to the Green Chamber for a record 5th time.

In Aninri, the violence was between supporters of two camps within the PDP over the 2023 governorship election in the state.

Both incidents left casualties.

In a statement made available to journalists in Enugu, the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, Worldwide, OYC, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, he described the development as unacceptable.

Okwu said it was sad that Enugu was returning to the dark days.

He warned that if those behind the mayhem did not retrace their steps, Enugu would soon become a theatre of war.

"What happened in Enugu State on Saturday is most condemnable and unacceptable. We can’t understand that some days to the primary election, Enugu has become a battlefield.

"The Coal City has been one of the safest states in Nigeria, but it is gradually losing that status because of the desperation of some politicians.

"The Enugu State Government must rise to the occasion and show that it did not endorse what happened on Saturday. It must collaborate with security agencies to bring the perpetrators to book,” he said.

Okwu expressed concern that “worst days may be ahead in Enugu State with what we saw on Saturday. It all depends on how the Governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi handles these developments. The Governor should call those behind this to order as the Chief Security officer of the State.

"We call on the commissioner of Police, Enugu state to unravel those behind this dastardly act.”

He sympathized with those that were wounded during the incident, especially the member representing Aninri State constituency.

Meanwhile, Okwu also called on Igbo youths to resist the temptation of being used by politicians to achieve their desperate ambition.

"This is a time for youths to take up leadership positions and not to be used as thugs. Politicians should use their own children to perpetuate thuggery. We must all rise and say no to this madness,” he declared.

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a betrayer saying it committed political suicide by throwing its 2023 presidential ticket.

open to all aspirants, irrespective of geopolitical zone.

A 37-member zoning committee of the PDP, chaired by Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom in its report to the National Working Committee of the party failed to zone the slot.

But President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, George Obiozor wondered why the PDP decided to jettison zoning when it was the turn of the South, and particularly the South East.

He described the decision as “unconscionable political blunder and betrayal” of the Igbo given the price they have paid supporting the party over the years.

Obiozor stated this in a statement signed by the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia condemning “in its entirety the political suicide that has been committed by the PDP by its position on zoning.”

For purpose of clarity, he stated that rotation and zoning principle was engrained into the PDP’s Constitution in 2009.

According to him, article 7 (2) (c) of the PDP Constitution states: ‘In pursuance of the principle of equity, justice and fairness, the party shall adhere to the policy of rotation and zoning of party and public elective offices, and it shall be enforced by the appropriate executive committee at all levels.’

He said that such unscrupulous violation of the zoning principle that has been well entrenched in the PDP constitution simply changed the rules of the game in order to deprive Ndigbo the opportunity to produce a president for Nigeria.

Obiozor said history was never kind to betrayers and the treacherous, stressing that the machinations and conspiracies to deny the Igbo their due place in Nigeria was an ingratitude that daily cried to God.

He urged all the Igbo presidential aspirants to remain focused and undaunted because of the PDP shenanigans, pointing out that history will always vindicate the just.

"Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide reiterates the position of the Southern and Middle Belt Leadership Forum led by Chief E K Clark that any party that does not zone it presidential ticket to the south should not expect the support of the Middle Belt and the entire South. It is therefore curious that the PDP should commit political hara-kiri at a time it is struggling for a fresh air. It is unfortunate that the PDP glomourises inordinate ambitions; any political ambition that undermines nation building should be checkmated.

"Let it be known that it runs contrary to the indomitable Igbo spirit to swallow any form of indignity, disdain or condescension from anybody or group. It is therefore highly inconceivable that the Igbo will validate a party or group that runs roughshod over its sensibilities.”

Reacting to Ohaneze Ndigbo’s assertion that the PDP has committed political suicide by throwing its presidential ticket open to all zones, , Afenifere said it would not be drawn into the partisan affairs of what the party did or did not do.

But, the National Publicity Secretary of the group, Jare Ajayi, however, reiterated the position adopted by the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), under the leadership of Chief Edwin Clerk and the Southern Governors Forum led by Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu that power should shift to the south in 2023.

President of the MBF, Dr. Pogu Bitrus, agreed with Ohanze’s position that what the PDP had done amounted to a political suicide.

"We said we would campaign against any political party that chose a northern candidate and if through this open process, a northern candidate emerges, it would amount to a political suicide because the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF), Ohaneze, Afenifere and Middle Belt Forum will all campaign against the candidate, and that, by implication, means that PDP is gone. So, throwing the contest open actually amounts to a political suicide unless if they succeed in electing a southern candidate during the primary,” he said.

However, President of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF), Alhaji Yerima Shettima disagreed with Ohaneze’s assertion of PDP committing political suicide saying there was nothing like political suicide in what the PDP has done.

He said on the contrary, the party’s action amounts to justice, equity and fairness.

The party knew that it was morally wrong to zone the presidency to the south; it also has no moral right to zone it to the north. The last president came from the south and in the 16 years of PDP in power, the north has only three years. And if you combine Buhari’s administration as a northerner, though from the APC, together with that of late Umar Musa Yar’Adua of the PDP, and you zone the presidency to the south, some of us will still feel that the right thing was not done and justice was done to the north. The south cannot have 14 and half years in power while the north has 10 and half years and they say justice has been done to the north; there is nothing justice about that.”

He questioned the imperatives of zoning saying, “In what way has the zoning favoured anybody since we started it Nigeria? Look at what we are going through in Nigeria today. I has never favoured anybody and that is why we are saying that enough is enough. Let us begin to look at competence, no matter where the person comes from, rather than zoning.”

Ortom said the committee only submitted its recommendations to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), which has the final decision on whether the presidential ticket should be zoned to the south or north or thrown open to aspirants from all geopolitical zones of the country.

He stated this on a Channels Television programme, yesterday.

“I want to repeat that the committee’s work at our own level has been concluded; it is now left for the NEC to decide on what they think is the best for the party and Nigerians. We have just made a recommendation to the NEC, but it will now take a final decision. I think that NEC will soon invite us to a meeting because in any case most members of the committee are also members of NEC. So, at NEC, there will be robust discussions on what will help Nigerians and what will help the party to win in 2023,” Ortom said.

On whether the party had not taken the wrong step by contemplating whether to jettison zoning or abide by it as has been the tradition of the party, Ortom said: “We have not shot ourselves in the foot and we will not do that. We listen to the people; we are grassroots-oriented and we want to make sure that whatever we do reflects the interests of our people in the PDP and the interests of Nigerians.”

Although he agreed that there could be some dissenting voices if zoning is finally jettisoned based on where such persons come from and their collective interests within their constituency, Ortom said at the end of the day, they would still come together and look at the larger picture of winning the 2023 presidential election.

The governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has said he has the capacity to take power from the All Progressives Congress come 2023 and that if the Peoples Democratic Party must win, he should be given the ticket to contest.

Wike made the statement while speaking on Tuesday in Gombe where visited stakeholders of the PDP as part of ongoing consultations ahead of the party’s presidential primary election.

He asked the stakeholders, that, as delegates at the party’s convention, they should not waste their votes on candidates who could not win the 2023 general election.

Wike said, “If you want PDP to win election in 2023, I have made myself available. Give me the ticket, let me go and take the power for you. We are talking about who can take this power from APC. That person is me.”

"We need to salvage this country. Let us not pretend about it. Insecurity does not know religion. Insecurity does not know ethnicity. Poverty does not know ethnicity. Poverty does not know religion.

“The people who come to kill us, do they look at who is a Christian? Do they look at who is a Moslem? Do they know who is Hausa-Fulani? Do they know who is Igbo? We are dying.

"So, it is not for sentiment. It is not for people to come and tell you, look, it must come from here, no, no. It is for those who have the capacity. If given the opportunity, I will replicate what I’ve done in Rivers State as President of Nigeria.”

The governor also questioned the APC-led administration its claim of disbursing over N300 billion into agriculture, asking where the food produced was.

“They said they have given over N300 billion for agriculture. I have no problem with that. Even if they have spent N1 trillion, where is the food?” Wike asked.

“I don’t want people going to buy rice and doing pyramid. I want to see to it that agriculture is working,” he said.