News
Kidnappers ask for N270m ransom to release nine ABU students
Gunmen who kidnapped nine students of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, along the Kaduna-Abuja highway on Sunday, have demanded N30m on each of the students as their ransom.
The kidnappers have reportedly reached out to the families of the abducted students, asking for N30m ransom on each person.
A female relative of one of the kidnapped students told the Voice of America (VOA) Hausa Service monitored in Kaduna that the kidnappers had reached out to the family demanding N30m per student.
She pleaded with the kidnappers to have mercy and release the victims, saying they were only students.
One of the students, who was in the bus in which they were abducted but succeeded in escaping, Dickson Oko, also confirmed this to DailyTrust.
He said he was devastated by the thought of his colleagues in captivity.
Oko and the bus driver, Nuruddeen Mohammed, told Daily Trust that 12 of them were on the bus but nine students were kidnapped.
The students, who were on their way to the French Village in Lagos for their language immersion programme, were trapped at the Akilubu-Gidan Busa axis on the highway when gunmen blocked both lanes of the road and opened fire on motorists.
The university has confirmed that eight people were kidnapped. But Mohammed, the driver, said he had 12 students in the bus – 10 females and two males.
He succeeded in evading the kidnappers and returned to Kaduna with three students while the whereabouts of the remaining nine are unknown.
Mohammed said they were trapped sometime around 3pm at Busa, a few kilometres after Akilubu.
“Immediately they came on the road, the armed men opened fire. They shot two of the students in the bus, and we noticed that they had erected a roadblock behind us and another in front. There was another roadblock mounted on the other lane. So the only thing I could do was to stop,” he said.
He said with gunshots directed at their bus and other vehicles ahead of them, he suggested to the students to get ready to flee, adding, “I opened the door and crawled into the grass. The gunshots were everywhere; the person on the passenger’s seat in front also came down even though he was shot. I crossed onto the other lane. I never knew I would survive because there were gunshots directed at me.”
He said he saw the gunmen open fire at a Gulf car with people in it. He said the attack, which scared him, aided his decision to run.
“I can’t say how many people were killed but what scared me was how they opened fire at the Gulf car even though it had stopped and there were people in it. But the bandits opened fire and kept shooting. That was when I decided that it was better they killed me while on the run than face a gruesome fate in the vehicle,” he added.
News
UCL: Arsenal ease into last eight as PSG humiliate Chelsea, Madrid dump Man City
UCL: Arsenal ease into last eight as PSG humiliate Chelsea, Madrid dump Man City
Arsenal booked their place in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals with a composed 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in Tuesday’s round of 16 second-leg clash.
Mikel Arteta’s side, widely tipped among this season’s contenders, delivered a disciplined performance, with Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice finding the net to seal progression.
After an evenly contested opening, Eze broke the deadlock just before halftime, rifling a superb half-volley into the top corner to hand the hosts the advantage. Rice then put the tie beyond doubt in the 64th minute, finishing calmly from the edge of the box for his first goal of the campaign in Europe.
The victory saw Arsenal overcome a German opponent in European competition for the first time in six attempts, while also securing a third consecutive quarter-final appearance.
They will next face Sporting CP, who staged a remarkable comeback to overturn a first-leg deficit against Bodo/Glimt with a 5-0 rout in Lisbon.
At Stamford Bridge, Paris Saint-Germain delivered a ruthless display, thrashing Chelsea 3-0 to complete an emphatic 8-2 aggregate victory. Goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Bradley Barcola and Senny Mayulu underlined PSG’s dominance.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid continued their European pedigree with a 2-1 win over 10-man Manchester City, sealing a comprehensive 5-1 aggregate triumph. It marks the second straight season the Spanish giants have eliminated City from the competition.
Results:
Arsenal 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen (Arsenal advance 3-1 on aggregate)
Chelsea 0-3 Paris Saint-Germain (PSG advance 8-2 on aggregate)
Sporting Lisbon 5-0 Bodo/Glimt (Sporting advance 5-3 on aggregate)
Manchester City 1-2 Real Madrid (Real Madrid advance 5-1 on aggregate)
News
Obasanjo, Jonathan, Shettima witness Soludo’s second-term inauguration
Obasanjo, Jonathan, and Shettima Witness Soludo’s Second-Term Inauguration
AWKA – Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has officially commenced his second term as the Governor of Anambra State following a high-profile swearing-in ceremony at Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square.
The event, which drew a diverse crowd of local and international dignitaries, reached its peak at 11:50 am when Soludo took the oath of allegiance. Accompanied by his wife, Dr. (Mrs.) Nonye Soludo, the Governor signed the official documents before the State Chief Judge at 11:55 am, signaling the formal start of an administration set to run until 2026.
A Gathering of Giants
The inauguration was a “who’s who” of Nigerian leadership and tradition. Among the prominent figures in attendance were:
* Federal Representation: Vice President Kashim Shettima.
* Former Heads of State: Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
* Diplomatic & Traditional Leaders: Former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
With the formalities concluded, Soludo enters his final four-year stretch, carrying the mandate of the Anambra people through to 2030.
News
“No Place to Hide”: Tinubu dispatches security chiefs to Maiduguri after deadly blasts
“No Place to Hide”: Tinubu dispatches security chiefs to Maiduguri after deadly blasts
ABUJA – President Bola Tinubu has ordered Nigeria’s top security chiefs to immediately relocate to Maiduguri, Borno State, following a series of devastating bomb blasts that claimed at least 23 lives.
The President characterized the attacks as “desperate and frantic” acts of terror, staged by criminals reeling from the sustained pressure of military operations.
In a stern warning issued on Tuesday, Tinubu declared that there is “no place in Nigeria where terrorists will find safety,” promising that the perpetrators will be tracked, confronted, and “completely defeated.”
Immediate Federal Response
The Presidency has outlined a multi-pronged strategy to stabilize the region and support the victims:
* Command Shift: Security chiefs are now required to take direct charge of operations on the ground in Maiduguri.
* Medical Emergency: Emergency management agencies have been mandated to provide comprehensive care for the injured.
* Reinforcements: The President highlighted recent approvals for additional military equipment and operational support to bolster troop capabilities.
Honouring the Frontline
Despite the tragedy, President Tinubu praised the “courage and fighting spirit” of Nigerian troops, who successfully repelled coordinated attacks on military positions within the state. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to intensifying efforts against criminal elements nationwide, ensuring that security forces remain equipped to dismantle terror networks.
“We will continue to intensify our efforts against all criminal elements, wherever they may be.” — President Bola Tinubu
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