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333 Katsina schoolboys still missing, says Governor Masari as parents protest
Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State has said 333 students are still missing after an attack on Government Science Secondary School, Kankara in the state.
He gave the number when a Federal Government delegation led by National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, visited him on Sunday.
Gunmen had invaded the school on Friday night, shooting into the air to scare away people in the area, giving them the opportunity to abduct many students.
Some people including parents of the abducted students took to protest on Sunday over the abduction and demanded immediate rescue of their children.
This came as Northern Governors Forum (NGF) condemned the Saturday’s attack by bandits on the school, describing the development as “unfortunate, regrettable and intolerable”.
The school is said to have a population of around 800 students. The police said when the gunmen attacked the school; some of the students scaled the fence to escape.
Spokesman for the Katsina Police Command, Isah Gambo, had earlier said 200 students were rescued as of Saturday morning.
On Saturday evening, Spokesman for President Muhammadu Buhari, Garba Shehu, said the armed forces had located the hideout of the bandits in a forest.
The president directed the security agencies to ensure the rescue of the abducted students and urged parents whose children fled home during the attack to notify the school.
The protesters in Katsina on Sunday demanded the immediate rescue of students abducted by bandits.
The protest was led by a woman who identified herself as one of the mothers of the abducted students.
They went around the school’s premises and some parts of the town with placards showing messages such as ‘Government must speak out’, ‘We want our children back’ and ‘We want security in Kankara’.
The Northern Governors Forum also condemned the attack and said through their Chairman and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, in a statement signed by his Director of Press, Dr Simon Macham, that they remained solidly behind the security agencies in the pursuit of the bandits to ensure that normalcy was restored and the abducted students rescued.
They appreciated the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to the security forces to deploy every available resource needed to deal with the situation.
They also expressed solidarity with the Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari, the government and people of the state and urged that everything possible should be done to ensure that no student was left behind in the bandits’ captivity or harmed
Lalong said the prayers of the forum were with the families of the students, the school authorities and called on the citizens to volunteer useful information to the security agencies and relevant government bodies to assist in the quick arrest of the situation.
Coalition of Northern Groups had earlier threatened to mobilise students and youths to go on protest in if the abducted students were not rescued on time.
Chairman of the North-West zone of the group, Jamiu Aliyu, who addressed a press conference in Katsina, said, “We condemn in totality this barbaric act and call for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the culprits, we equally stress the inability of the government to protect those young, innocent, vibrant students from this horrible attack as uncalled for.
“Failure of the government to rescue the missing students within a shortest period of time, CNG will not hesitate to mobilize hundreds of thousands on the streets of Katsina state for a continuous protest, until the students are fully rescued, even if it’s going to cost our lives.”
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the deployment of additional forces to Katsina to assist in the rescue operations.
“The deployment, which includes personnel from the Police Tactical Squads and crack detectives from the Force Intelligence Bureau, will provide investigative support to the Katsina State Police Command,” a statement by the Police spokesman, Frank Mba, said.
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Police bust Nigerian prostitution ring in Cyprus
Police bust Nigerian prostitution ring in Cyprus
Authorities are in the process of dismantling a Nigerian prostitution ring in Limassol, following the arrest of three women, in collaboration with the anti-trafficking unit, according to reports on Wednesday.
The case came to light last year when a woman filed a complaint, initially claiming she was a victim of theft.
However, during questioning, police grew suspicious that she was, in fact, a victim of sex trafficking. Further investigation confirmed this, and the woman was subsequently relocated to a safe house, police spokesman Christos Andreou stated.
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The investigation was prolonged due to the victim’s limited information about her traffickers, Andreou explained.
Through coordinated police efforts, a 44-year-old woman was arrested on October 9, suspected of involvement in the trafficking operation.
Another woman was apprehended on October 18, followed by the arrest of a third woman, aged 33, on Tuesday.
Authorities are still searching for two men believed to be connected to the case.
Andreou added that police have gathered significant evidence and expect the case to be brought to court in the coming days.
Police bust Nigerian prostitution ring in Cyprus
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Lagos-Ibadan road: Mother of 4 dies from tanker fire burns
Lagos-Ibadan road: Mother of 4 dies from tanker fire burns
In a similar incident, a nursing mother was hospitalised after suffering serious injuries while trying to save her children from the flames.
The fire ignited when a petrol-laden tanker overturned near a commercial bank at midnight, reportedly due to the driver falling asleep at the wheel.
Eyewitnesses described how the vehicle lost control, leading to the explosion.
In the aftermath, the community experienced significant damage, with petrol spilling through drainage systems and impacting homes approximately a kilometer away from the expressway.
Many buildings suffered shattered windows, damaged roofs, and cracked walls.
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Ismail Emmanuel, the husband of the deceased, recounted the harrowing events.
He explained that the smoke obstructed Mercy’s escape, and she inadvertently fell into a burning drainage as she tried to flee.
Despite urgent efforts to save her, Ismail faced a daunting demand for a N6 million deposit at the hospital, which he could not afford.
“I was at work when my son called about the fire,” he said. “He couldn’t find my wife, and after some time, he informed me they were heading to the hospital with her injuries.”
They moved from Sagamu to Abeokuta and finally to Igbobi Hospital in Lagos, but it was there that he learned of the hefty deposit required. Ultimately, they transferred her to Gbagada General Hospital, where she died.
Ismail has since placed his wife’s body in a private morgue and is seeking government assistance for his family.
Another resident, Bidemi, shared that a neighbour, known as Iya Ada, was also injured while attempting to rescue her children. Her home was severely damaged, losing furniture and other belongings to the fire.
“She fell and suffered burns on her side,” Bidemi reported, noting that Iya Ada is currently hospitalised.
Several other victims have called on Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, for support after losing vehicles that were crucial for their livelihoods.
The vehicles represented their only means of income and sustenance for their families.
In response, the governor has expressed his condolences to those affected and urged tanker drivers to be more cautious while on the road.
Lagos-Ibadan road: Mother of 4 dies from tanker fire burns
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BREAKING: Nigerian court convicts crypto firm for unlicensed USDT-Naira trading
BREAKING: Nigerian court convicts crypto firm for unlicensed USDT-Naira trading
A Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted a Nigerian crypto dealing company, Official Gredo Limited, for illegally conducting USDT to Naira transactions without a banking licence.
Justice Inyang Ekwo convicted Official Gredo on Wednesday in accordance with the company’s plea bargain arrangement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court ordered the forfeiture of N140 million held in the company’s account to the EFCC recovery account.
The sentencing in suit no: FHC/ABJ/CR/308/2024 followed a guilty plea by Nnamdi Okereke, the company’s director, when the amended money laundering charge was read to him.
At the arraignment on Wednesday, the company was accused of failing to report in writing to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) a single transfer of N76,462,500.00 paid from Renderstack Technologies Ltd into the Providus Bank Ltd account No. 5400608751 operated by Official Gredo, as specified under section 10(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.
The company and Okereke among several firms and individuals were indicted by the EFCC for negotiating United States Dollar Tether (USDT) against the Naira with the public, despite not being an authorized dealer in the Nigeria Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market.
Okereke pleaded guilty to the one-count charge.
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Subsequently, EFCC lawyer Martha Babatunde, Esq., and the defendant’s counsel, I.O. Offodili, urged the court to affirm the contents of the plea bargain as agreed by the parties.
According to the plea bargain, the defendant admitted committing the offenve and has restituted N140,000,000 to the EFCC, being part of the amount associated with the disputed transaction.
Passing his ruling, Ekwo convicted the company and affirmed the plea bargain agreement.
The judge stated that the plea bargain agreement between the complainant and the defendant should not prevent further investigations from being carried out on other persons or companies with respect to the case.
“The Defendant shall forfeit the sum of N140,000,000 recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the course of the investigation to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“The sum of N140,000,000 being the amount restituted by the Defendant shall be deducted from the account of CZMUNCH FABRICATORS AND WIRING VENTURES—CHIMERA LOGISTICS AND HAULAGE SERVICES, with account number 5435830566 domiciled in Moniepoint Microfinance Bank, which will be transferred to the EFCC Recovery Account,” Ekwo said.
The judge subsequently sentenced the company to a fine of N1 million, which would be paid to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Ekwo held that the defendants should pay the amounts within 14 days or the EFCC should bring the director back to be sent to prison.
BREAKING: Nigerian court convicts crypto firm for unlicensed USDT-Naira trading
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