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333 Katsina schoolboys still missing, says Governor Masari as parents protest

Published

4 years ago

December 13, 2020

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.

Related Topics:abduction Bandits Featured Katsina schoolboys

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Wike’s loyalists kick as Fubara presents N1.18tn budget to three-man Assembly

Published

4 minutes ago

January 1, 2025

Trends Admin

Wike’s loyalists kick as Fubara presents N1.18tn budget to three-man Assembly

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Monday, presented a N1.18tn budget estimate for 2025 to the factional state House of Assembly comprising three lawmakers.

The incident was reminiscent of Fubara’s conduct last year, when he boycotted the 27-member factional assembly loyal to his predecessor and estranged godfather, Nyesom Wike.

In an interview, the opposition All Progressives Congress in Rivers State accused Fubara of violating the law.

Following the disintegration of Fubara and Wike’s friendship, the Rivers State House of Assembly became factionalised in October 2023.

At the height of the turmoil, Fubara survived an impeachment attempt by pro-Wike members, who also declared their departure from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress.

Since then, Fubara has labelled the 27 lawmakers, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, as illegitimate, claiming he will have nothing to do with them.

On Monday, he presented the N1.18 trillion 2025 budget to the three-man factional Assembly, which was led by Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo.

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The Assembly also includes the Deputy Speaker, Adolphus Orubienimigha, and the House Leader, Sokari Goodboy Sokari.

The budget presentation was held at the Administrative Block of the Government House in Port Harcourt.

Fubara stated in his address that the budget, dubbed the “Budget of Inclusive Growth and Development,” will be implemented to promote long-term economic growth, expedite development, and improve citizens’ living conditions.

He said, “The total projected revenue for Rivers State for the 2025 fiscal year is N1,188,962,739,932.36.

Two components of the budget are constituted as follows: recurrent expenditure of N462,254,153,418.98; capital expenditure of N678,088,433,692.03; a planning reserve of N35,688,864,931.16; and a closing balance of N12,931,287,890.19.

“This gives a recurrent/capital expenditure ratio of 44:56 percent, indicating the sincere commitment of our administration to both infrastructural and human capital development of our people and state.”

Fubara stated that over N31 billion had been given to fund agricultural development measures as well as programs to help Rivers youths overcome unemployment.

On education, the governor recommended spending more than N63 billion, or 9.3 percent of the budget.

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“With this, we shall access all outstanding matching grants from the Universal Basic Education Commission to rehabilitate, equip, and furnish dilapidated public primary and junior secondary schools and continue to provide free basic education to our children.

“We will also rehabilitate, equip, and furnish as many senior secondary schools as possible across the state, including the provision of new classrooms, perimeter fencing, water, and electricity, to provide a conducive environment for effective teaching and learning to take place,” he said.

Fubara stated that with the projected N97.750 billion for the health sector, which accounts for 14.4% of the budget, all zonal hospitals, the enhanced neuropsychiatric hospital, and the new general hospital in Rumuigbo, which is under construction, will be completed.

On road and transport infrastructure, the governor stated that over N195 billion had been set aside to complete all ongoing road projects and launch new ones.

“In social development and investments, Mr. Speaker, we have proposed spending N15.4bn to advance youth and gender empowerment, jobs and wealth creation, sports development, and social inclusion,” he said.

The Speaker, Oko-Jumbo, praised the governor for recording a gain in IGR of more than N100 billion, noting that it also demonstrated how appealing Rivers’ business climate has become.

He vowed the legislature’s support for the executive to keep the governor focused on delivering democratic dividends to the people. However, the Rivers APC, led by chairman Tony Okocha, denounced Fubara’s choice to deliver the budget to three MPs while excluding 27 pro-Wike lawmakers.

In an interview with our correspondent, the Rivers APC Publicity Secretary, Chibuike Ikenga, accused the governor of violating court orders.

He said, “I think the trajectory is a continuum where a case is sub judice and the government of Rivers State is continuing to act in disobedience to court processes and procedures.

“It is expected that, having disobeyed the decision of the high court and the decision of the appellate court, we await the final decision from the Supreme Court on who is the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“Our party, the APC, expects the state government to obey the judicial pronouncement and positions and await the determination of these issues before the final court so that we can have a reprieve and begin to develop our state.

“That the government is disobeying those positions is unfortunate and does not encourage peacebuilding and development.”

Wike’s loyalists kick as Fubara presents N1.18tn budget to three-man Assembly

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Fire razes police station, buildings in Lagos

Published

21 minutes ago

January 1, 2025

Trends Admin

Fire razes police station, buildings in Lagos

A fire outbreak has razed the Okokomaiko police station and surrounding buildings in Lagos, according to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency.

According to LASEMA’s permanent secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the inferno started in a diesel tanker carrying 10,000 gallons of fuel.

He stated that the tanker caught fire while supplying diesel to a network tower near the police station.

According to Oke-Osanyintolu, the inferno spread fast to surrounding properties, devouring police station offices, three bungalows, and parts of a hotel.

The statement said, “Following distress calls received via the 767/112 Toll-Free Emergency Lines at 12:38 hrs, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, activated the State’s Emergency Response Plans and its Emergency Response Team from the Igando Base,” the statement read.

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“Upon arrival at the incident scene, a loaded diesel tanker (registration number unknown) was found to have caught fire at the aforementioned location.

“Further investigation revealed that the diesel tanker, laden with 10,000 litres of diesel, was supplying a network mast at the aforesaid location when it caught fire while discharging its contents.

“However, the fire reportedly spread to adjoining buildings, one of which is Okokomaiko police station, due to negligence. No loss of lives nor injuries were sustained as a result of the fire incident.

“Three bungalows were completely burnt down when the fire reignited, with household properties worth hundreds of thousands of naira affected. One lock-up shop and four containerised shops were also burnt down.

“A generator house of an unknown hotel and their kitchen was also affected. Cables of the PHCN transformer nearby were also affected.”

Oke-Osanyintolu stated that emergency response teams from LASEMA, LASTMA, the fire service, the Nigerian Army, and the police collaborated to control the disaster.

Fire razes police station, buildings in Lagos

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EFCC will bring down towers of corruption this year – Olukoyede

Published

31 minutes ago

January 1, 2025

Trends Admin

Chairman of EFCC, Ola Olukoyede

EFCC will bring down towers of corruption this year – Olukoyede

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede has assured that the agency will surpass its 2024 record in the fight against corruption in 2025

Olukoyede who made the promise in Abuja on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, in a New Year Message to Nigerians affirmed that officers of the Commission will be unrelenting in breaking strongholds of corrupt practices across the country in the new year.

“ Our work is more than a vocation but a patriotic calling. We know this and will always offer our best to move the nation forward. 2025 will be another year of bringing towers of corruption down. Our focus is set and our commitment is total”, he said.

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The EFCC Chairman also called on Nigerians from all walks of life to be more determined and steadfast in their rejection of economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption, pointing out that the progress of the country is awaiting their resolve in this regard.

According to Olukoyede, progress and robust development of the commanding heights of the economy and improvement in the quality of lives of Nigerians are hinged on rejection of corruption.

“We can make any progress and development we want for our nation to happen by our support for anti-corruption initiatives. The new year is offering us fresh opportunities to recommit ourselves to the ideals of transparency, accountability, and probity. The commanding heights of the economy and improvement in our lives can only be driven by our dedication to integrity and accountable conduct”.

The EFCC boss also wished Nigerians a happy and prosperous new year.