metro
19 children, two adults killed in Texas school shooting
Nineteen children and two adults have been confirmed dead in a shooting at a primary school in south Texas, of the United States Tuesday night.
The gunman opened fire on Robb Elementary School, where young children aged seven to 10 are being taught, in the city of Uvalde before he was killed by law enforcement, officials said.
Accoding to a BBC report, investigators say the 18-year-old suspect had a handgun, an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and high-capacity magazines.
The teenager is suspected of shooting his grandmother before the rampage and local media report he may have been a high school student in the area.
Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Chief of Police Pete Arredondo said the shooting began at 11:32 local time on Tuesday, and that investigators believe the attacker “did act alone during this heinous crime”.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the shooter, whom he named as Salvador Ramos, abandoned a vehicle before entering the school to “horrifically, incomprehensibly” open fire.
One of the adults killed was a teacher, who has been named in the US media as Eva Mireles. Her page on the school district’s website said she has a daughter in college and loved running and hiking.
Nearly 500 pupils are enrolled in the predominantly Hispanic school around 85 miles (135km) west of the city of San Antonio.
The Associated Press news agency reports that a US Border Patrol official who was nearby when the shooting began rushed into the school and shot and killed the gunman, who was behind a barricade.
Border Patrol is a federal agency that guards US ports of entry. Uvalde, which is fewer than 80 miles from the border with Mexico, is home to a Border Patrol station.
Two border agents were reportedly shot in an exchange with the gunman. One agent was shot in the head, officials say, adding that both were now in a stable condition in hospital.
According to CBS News, the attacker was wearing body armour as he carried out the attack. Another 18-year-old who is suspected of attacking a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, on 14 May was also wearing body armour and carrying a semi-automatic rifle – both of which are commercially available in the US.
The Uvalde Memorial Hospital posted on Facebook earlier that 13 children had been taken to hospital “via ambulances or buses”.
A 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl were in a critical condition at a hospital in San Antonio, University Health hospital officials said.
There have already been 27 school shootings this year alone. Young school children routinely rehearse what to do if a gunman enters their classroom.
It’s only 10 days since ten people were killed in a mass shooting in New York.
Politicians recognise this a problem almost unique to America, where guns have overtaken car crashes as the leading cause of death for children and teenagers. But it’s a problem that politics seem incapable of solving. Deeply entrenched views on gun control are not changed in response to events like the tragedy in Uvalde.
“Why do we keep letting this happen?” asked President Biden. “Why are we willing to live with this carnage?”
But there is no sign that Democrats will get any closer to passing tighter gun control legislation. Some Republicans are already accusing of them of using this latest school shooting to cynically further their own political objectives.
Robb Elementary School will join the roll call of school shootings along with Sandy Hook and the Parkland shooting. The killing of innocent schoolchildren has reignited the debate over guns in America, but has not brought it any closer to a resolution.
As evening fell police remained outside the community centre in Uvalde braving an intense rainstorm.
Earlier, cries and sobs could be heard from outside as family members who gathered there received the devastating news that their children had been killed.
Others were asked to give DNA samples to help identify some of the young victims.
Just a few blocks from the Robb Elementary school, a small vigil was held for the victims and survivors of the attack.
Karla Bohman’s voice cracked as she told the group about a family friend whose young daughter, a student at the school, was among those still unaccounted for.
“They don’t know if she’s in surgery or one of the fatalities, but they know she’s a victim of some sort because she’s missing,” Bohman cried. “I can’t believe this.”
Cheryl Juhasz, a lifelong resident of Uvalde, quietly wept during the prayer.
“You can’t comprehend evil like this. No matter where it happens, but it’s harder when it happens at home.”
School district superintendent Hal Harrell said the school year had been ended early in the wake of the shooting.
In a speech from the White House, US President Joe Biden said he was “sick and tired” of responding to mass shootings, as he called for gun control.
“How many scores of little children who witnessed what happened – see their friends die, as if they’re in a battlefield, for God’s sake,” he said. “They’ll live with it the rest of their lives.”
He ordered that flags at the White House and other US federal buildings be flown at half-mast in honour of the victims in Uvalde.
School shootings have become recurring emergencies in the US, with 26 recorded last year, according to EdWeek, an education trade publication.
metro
Borno Police Defuse Unexploded Bomb Under Network Mast in Maiduguri
Borno Police Defuse Unexploded Bomb Under Network Mast in Maiduguri
The Borno State Police Command on Monday successfully defused an unexploded bomb planted beneath a network mast in Chuskon, Federal Low Cost Area, Maiduguri, averting a potential security threat to residents.
According to Police Public Relations Officer ASP Nahum Daso, the EOD-CBRN Base 13 unit responded promptly after receiving a report from the Divisional Police Officer, ITE Police Division. The explosive device, featuring two protruding wires, was rendered safe following standard bomb disposal procedures. Items including a hand plier, a T-shirt, and a pair of shoes were recovered at the scene, suggesting deliberate placement by unknown individuals.
READ ALSO:
- Aisha Buhari Key to DSS DG Removal, Thwarts Alleged APC Primary Manipulation
- Dangote Raises Alarm Over Widespread Sabotage Crippling Nigeria’s Oil Sector
- Four Suspected Bandits Killed, 13 Abducted in Kogi Shootout
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid, has charged all Divisional Police Officers across the state to intensify patrols and fortify critical infrastructure, especially communication facilities, to prevent sabotage and maintain public safety,” ASP Daso stated.
Following the operation, the police held community sensitization and safety awareness sessions, urging residents to remain vigilant, report suspicious objects promptly, and collaborate with security agencies.
The command assured the public that the situation has been brought under control and that normal activities have resumed in the area. Investigations into the bomb plot are ongoing as authorities continue to strengthen measures to safeguard lives and property across Maiduguri and surrounding communities.
Borno Police Defuse Unexploded Bomb Under Network Mast in Maiduguri
metro
Aisha Buhari Key to DSS DG Removal, Thwarts Alleged APC Primary Manipulation
Aisha Buhari Key to DSS DG Removal, Thwarts Alleged APC Primary Manipulation
A new biography, “From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari” by Dr. Charles Omole, has unveiled the pivotal role of former First Lady Aisha Buhari in the removal of Lawal Daura, former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), amid attempts by influential Aso Rock aides to manipulate the 2023 APC presidential primaries for then Senate President Ahmad Lawan.
The book, launched yesterday at the State House Conference Hall by President Bola Tinubu, details how aides close to former President Muhammadu Buhari presented fabricated “presidential orders” to security chiefs—including the IGP, DSS DG, and DG NIA—to deploy forces in favor of Lawan as the consensus APC candidate.
According to the biography, Aisha Buhari was a major instigator in Daura’s ouster, framing it as an early test of Buhari’s commitment to institutional propriety. When then-acting President Yemi Osinbajo approved Daura’s removal, Buhari refrained from intervening, emphasizing respect for the vice president and institutional authority.
READ ALSO:
- Dangote Raises Alarm Over Widespread Sabotage Crippling Nigeria’s Oil Sector
- Four Suspected Bandits Killed, 13 Abducted in Kogi Shootout
- Man United, Bournemouth Share Eight-Goal Premier League Thriller in Old Trafford Classic
Former IGP Usman Alkali Baba recounted a clandestine meeting ahead of the primaries, revealing how the security chiefs sought clarification from Buhari after being presented with the fake orders. The President reaffirmed his stance that Nigerians should freely choose their candidates, dismissing any attempts to manipulate the party’s process.
The biography also highlights a separate Villa incident where a family dispute escalated to gunfire involving a policeman linked to the First Lady’s office. Buhari’s Chief Security Officer Abubakar Idris arrested the officer, and the President held family members accountable, demonstrating adherence to law over personal ties.
The book launch drew high-profile attendees, including President Bola Tinubu, Gambian President Adama Barrow, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Nana Shettima, governors, traditional rulers, Aisha Buhari, and aides of the former president.
The revelations shed new light on Aso Rock power dynamics, the safeguarding of electoral integrity in the APC 2023 primaries, and the influence of Aisha Buhari in upholding institutional order within Nigeria’s security apparatus.
Aisha Buhari Key to DSS DG Removal, Thwarts Alleged APC Primary Manipulation
metro
Four Suspected Bandits Killed, 13 Abducted in Kogi Shootout
Four Suspected Bandits Killed, 13 Abducted in Kogi Shootout
At least four suspected bandits were killed during a violent shootout in Ayetoro Kiri, a farming community in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, Kogi State, on Sunday evening, while 13 individuals were abducted, the state government confirmed on Monday.
Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, said the attack was part of a series of incursions by criminal elements fleeing bandit attacks in neighbouring Niger and Kwara States, prompting a coordinated security response in Kogi.
Local hunters reportedly fought back bravely, engaging the bandits in a gunfire exchange, neutralizing four suspects while others fled with injuries. Security forces, including soldiers from the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, the Kogi State Police Command, and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), have been deployed to the area to track the escaping criminals and rescue the kidnapped victims.
READ ALSO:
- Man United, Bournemouth Share Eight-Goal Premier League Thriller in Old Trafford Classic
- Aisha Buhari Reveals How Rumours, Missed Meals Triggered Buhari’s 2017 Health Crisis
- Nigeria, Egypt Renew AFCON Rivalry in Cairo Friendly Ahead of Morocco 2025 Showpiece
Fanwo revealed that Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is coordinating with service chiefs to secure air support from the Nigerian Air Force to complement ground operations, strengthening the state’s effort to protect lives and property.
“The Governor is steadfast in preserving lives and property throughout Kogi State. Our security network has restricted the bandits’ movements, and we are winning the battle,” Fanwo stated, praising the bravery of local hunters and the cooperation of security agencies.
The recent attack follows another deadly raid less than two weeks ago in Irunda Ile, Yagba East LGA, where suspected bandits killed four people, including two vigilantes, highlighting ongoing security challenges in the state.
The Kogi State Government has reassured residents that a robust joint security team has been established, and continuous efforts are underway to rescue abducted persons and clamp down on criminal activities across the state.
Four Suspected Bandits Killed, 13 Abducted in Kogi Shootout
-
metro3 days agoOoni of Ife Hails Fani-Kayode’s Ambassadorial Clearance as Honour to Ife, Osun State
-
metro3 days ago32 Nigerians Nabbed in Ghana as Cyber Security Authority Raids Kasoa Scam Hub
-
metro3 days agoFrom Sneakers to Suits: Shettima Recalls NBA Dressing Saga at NIPSS Event
-
metro3 days agoNigerian Troops Repel ISWAP Attack on Borno FOB, Kill Terrorists
-
Health3 days agoBauchi Gov Approves 100% Salary Increase for Doctors, Health Workers
-
Politics3 days ago2027 Presidency: APC Unveils South, North-Central Strategy to Secure Tinubu’s Re-election
-
metro2 days agoEnd Biafra Agitation, Tinubu Has Integrated Ndigbo Into National Development — Umahi
-
metro3 days agoAdelabu–Ayodele controversy: Cleric knocks minister, gives reasons (Updated)