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30 missing in Edo station kidnap, kids freed, ‘Itakpe-Warri train operations not affected’
Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Fidet Okhiria, has said the attack on Ekehen train station in the Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State will not affect the Itapkpe-Warri train service.
This came as indication emerged that over 30 persons including the train station manager were abducted Saturday evening by gunmen who attacked the station.
Okhiria told newsmen on Sunday that despite the attack, the Warri-Itakpe train service would continue operations, adding that additional security measures would be deployed.
He said investigation had commenced to ascertain the number of passengers involved and other details.
Some gunmen attacked the train station on Saturday evening and abducted scores of travellers who were waiting to board the train to Warri.
Minister of Transportation, Mua’zu Sambo, visited the affected train station in the early hours of Sunday to confirm the situation.
He condemned the attack on innocent citizens, describing it as despicable and utterly barbaric.
Meanwhile about 30 people including some personnel of the NRC are believed to have fallen victims of the Saturday’s kidnap.
Vanguard quoted the Liaison officer to the local government area, Best Oseh, as saying security agencies and paramilitary organisations were combing the forests in the area to get more clues.
He said, “As I speak, people are in the field all over the place, vigilantes, security agencies and other people, everybody is concerned but we have to be careful with what we divulge so that we won’t jeopardize the processes we are doing.
“As for the category of people kidnapped, some of them are from Igueben while others are passengers from other places. As for the number, for now, we are looking at over 30 but we can only give a comprehensive number when preliminary investigations are concluded.”
A resident of the area, Comrade Odia Benson, said the abductors released two kids who were with them while a woman reportedly escaped.
He said some workers of the NRC including the station manager and ticket clerk were among those abducted.
He said, “The train normally arrives by 5pm so as at about 20 minutes to 5pm, the bandits just came through the bush path and invaded the place. They took away the station manager, the booking clerk and about 29 other passengers made up of males and females.
“As I speak with you, the Deputy Governor just left the place about an hour ago, the Commissioner of Police and his men are here; the 4 Brigade Nigerian Army Commander is here; the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) is here and many paramilitary organisations’representatives: the DPO Igueben and his men, the Esan Akatakpa Security Network, the hunters association have been in the forest since last night doing bush combing. We are hoping that by the end of today, they will be rescued.
“The railway station is in the forest, there is no security, no police, no vigilante and they are at the mercy of God. The station is in Igeueben town, just about 1.2km away from Igueben General Hospital.
“The kidnappers released two children, it is believed that they felt the children will slow down their movement. They dropped them at an abandoned petrol station, they called the family of the mother of the children that they should go and pick up the children from the place they dropped them off. One woman also escaped with her little baby. The woman escaped and found herself in Opoji, which is in the Esan Central local government Area.”
Minister of Transportation, in a statement signed by his Director, Press and Public Relations, Henshaw Ogubike, assured Nigerians the security agencies were making efforts to ensure the rescue of all the kidnapped persons.
The statement read, “The Public is hereby reassured that the security Agencies are making efforts to rescue the kidnapped Train passengers.
“The Nigeria Police is on the trail of the criminals and have mobilised with a view to protecting the lives and property of the remaining passengers. The government is saddened by this unpleasant development and assures of its prompt response to the ugly situation.”
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Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound
Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound
The Lagos State Government has rolled out stricter measures to combat noise pollution, requiring nightclubs, lounges, bars, and worship centres to obtain permits for events involving amplified sound.
The measure, it said, aimed to safeguard the health and well-being of Lagosians during the festive season and beyond.
Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced this via his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, emphasizing the government’s zero-tolerance stance on noise pollution.
Wahab highlighted that events with amplified sound must be conducted in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect residents from the harmful effects of excessive noise.
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“Establishments such as worship centers, nightclubs, lounges, and bars must now obtain permits for events involving amplified sound and ensure these activities take place in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect neighboring residents,” the statement read in part.
To enforce these directives, the government said it had established a Special Task Force on Noise Pollution under the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
This task force, in collaboration with the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps (LSNSC) and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), would oversee compliance, arrest offenders, and prosecute violators of noise regulations, it stated.
The statement further noted that starting January 2025, the government would roll out a public awareness campaign to educate Lagosians on acceptable noise levels and the benefits of a quieter environment.
Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound
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Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says
Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says
Singer, Dammy Krane has stated that social critic, Very Dark Man, is joking with claims that N180 million was diverted from the NGO account he created in October this year.
VDM shocked Nigerians on Friday, December 27 when he released a video claiming hackers had breached his NGO website and moved N180m leaving only N20 million.
The news shocked many Nigerians who took to social media to slam him.
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However, in a post shared on his Instagram page this evening, Dammy Krane claimed that VDM is renovating a school in Jos, and was only joking with the story of stolen funds.
Also, a Human Rights activist, Omotayo Williams, claimed the man VDM showed in his video as an officer accompanying him to Jos is a well-known member of the Kogi State Taxi Taskforce.
Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says
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Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West
Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West
The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has expressed support for the proposed implementation of Sharia law in the South-West, emphasizing its historical presence in Yoruba culture.
Oba Akanbi noted that Sharia principles have long been part of Yoruba land, citing examples such as Sharia banking and the existence of a Sharia college in Iwo, Osun State.
He stated, “Sharia law has been in Iwo for over 100 years… It’s the right of Muslims to choose customary law or the high court.”
Recall that the discussion around Sharia law gained traction after plans were announced for the inauguration of a Sharia council on January 11, 2025, at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre in Oyo. However, the event has been postponed indefinitely following widespread public criticism.
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Critics have argued that the Yoruba-dominated South-West, where Muslims and Christians coexist, is distinct from the predominantly Muslim northern region where Sharia is more widely practiced.
Addressing concerns, Oba Akanbi explained that Sharia law is already embedded in Nigeria’s constitution and should not cause alarm for non-Muslims.
“Sharia law is only for Muslims and does not concern others. If any other person likes it, they can convert to Islam, and Muslims can also convert to Christianity. Everyone is free,” he said.
The monarch also drew attention to the challenges faced by Muslims under existing laws, particularly in matters such as inheritance and divorce, where Western legal frameworks may not align with Islamic traditions. “Many Muslims feel disenfranchised… Western education doesn’t understand the ways of Muslim divorce, marriage, and inheritance,” he added.
Oba Akanbi emphasized that Sharia law represents the inalienable rights of Muslims and should not be viewed as a threat to other religions. “No government can deny Muslims their inalienable rights,” he concluded.
Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West
(PUNCH)
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