metro
Fear grips Enugu community, herdsmen kidnap seven holidaying residents
There is uneasy calm in Eha-Amufu, in the Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State after suspected herdsmen allegedly kidnapped in one week seven residents who returned for Christmas and New Year celebrations.
PUNCH Metro gathered that about five persons were abducted on Monday along the Eha-Amufu-Agu-Amede-Ikem road.
A community leader, Mr Divine Nwonye, who hails from Agu-Amede community in Eha-Amufu, told our correspondent that his younger brother, who came home to celebrate Christmas, was among those kidnapped.
He said there was no week without a report of people being kidnapped by bandits suspected to be herdsmen along the Eha-Amufu-Ikem road.
“There is no road or security in Isi-Uzo LGA and it is made worse because of bad road. I am begging the governor to look into our plight and save us from the incessant kidnapping along the Eha-Amufu-Agu-Amede-Ikem federal road. Within this year alone, we have recorded no fewer than 10 abductions with 23 people involved.
“Our people have paid several millions of naira in ransom to herdsmen, while about three people were killed along the road by the same bandits,” he added.
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Nwonye stated that in the last one week, they recorded seven kidnap cases on the road.
“The same bandits after releasing a Catholic priest in one of the parishes in Eha-Amufu, yesterday (Monday) kidnapped about five people just after the Federal College of Education.
“As it is now, the abductors have not contacted us. The last time they kidnapped the eight-year-old daughter of the chairman of Agu-Amede community, the Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Lawal, told us to go and pay ransom to the kidnappers. That has worsened our situation as police hardly come when contacted for any case of kidnapping,” he stated.
While lamenting the incessant kidnapping along the Eha-Amufu-Ikem road, Nwonye said he had abandoned his rice farm for fear of being abducted.
Another community leader, Raymond Ugwu, said it was unfortunate that the state government could not stop the abductions by fixing the road, which was less than five kilometres.
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He said, “The kidnapping along the Eha-Amufu-Ikem road is largely because of bad road. Every time, our people are running on that road and we don’t have any option than that. On Monday, they kidnapped our people, but I don’t know exactly the number; but they are more than two.
“The report I got was that the kidnappers started their operation from 5pm and that was the time our people were returning to their villages and communities. Kidnappers are making the road miserable for us. Our people are no longer going to the market. They are no longer moving around safely; everybody is running helter-skelter.”
Efforts to get the reaction of the state police command were unsuccessful as the police spokesman, Daniel Ndukwe, could not be reached on his telephone line.
He also did not respond to a text message sent to him on the abductions.
Punch
metro
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
metro
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
metro
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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