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18-year-old Katsina student narrates his escape from bandits
An 18-year-old student of Government Science School, Kankara, in Katsina State, Osama Aminu Maale, has narrated how he escaped from bandits who kidnapped hundreds of his colleagues last Friday.
About 520 students, he said, were abducted when the armed bandits invaded the school Friday night.
He told AFP on the telephone, “There were a total of 520 of us that were taken by the gunmen from the school.”
“After they took us away we stopped inside the bus where they made the older students take a headcount. We counted 520,” he said.
The hostages were split into groups before Maale and four others escaped.
“One of the gunmen hit me repeatedly when I failed to keep up with the rest of the group due to my failing health before he let me trail behind, giving me the chance to escape,” he added.
Although the Federal Government says it is making efforts to rescue the students abducted by armed men who raided their hostels, UNICEF condemned the assault on the school, the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Katsina State governor, Aminu Masari, who visited the school on Saturday, said soldiers were working to locate and free the hostages.
“Soldiers are currently in the bushes fighting the bandits. We will do all we can to ensure all the abducted children are reclaimed,” he said.
Masari said it was still not clear how many students were “in the hands of the bandits” and how many had managed to escape.
“The school has a population of 839 and so far, we are yet to account for 333 students,” Masari told an FG delegation on Sunday.
“We are still counting because more are still coming out of the forest,” said the governor.
“Up till this moment, no one can give a precise figure of the children abducted,” he stated, adding that students who escaped confirmed some of their peers were taken.
Since the attack, all secondary schools in the state have been shut.
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I was not removed by Tinubu – Ex-Women Affairs minister [VIDEO]
I was not removed by Tinubu – Ex-Women Affairs minister [VIDEO]
Former Minister of Women Affairs, Barr. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye has said that she was sacked, not removed by President Bola Tinubu.
Kennedy’s dismissal in October was part of a cabinet reshuffle that saw four other ministers relieved of their duties, including the ex-Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John; ex-Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman; ex-Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo; and ex-Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim.
Following their dismissal, the Presidency attempted to downplay the nature of their departure, with Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s special adviser on information and strategy, stating that the term “sacked” did not accurately describe their departure.
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However, in an appearance on Channels TV’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday, Kennedy said she was sacked.
She said, “I was sacked, but my vision remains; my visions are not sacked; it still remains.”
She also acknowledged that her appointment and subsequent sacking were both done for a reason, but humorously declined to comment on the exact reasons, saying, “I’m not a witch to know why I was sacked.”
I was not removed by Tinubu – Ex-Women Affairs minister [VIDEO]
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Waiting for palliative: Ndume shares on X video of long queues outside Tinubu’s Lagos residence
Waiting for palliative: Ndume shares on X video of long queues outside Tinubu’s Lagos residence
Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has shared a video showing long queues of Nigerians on Christmas Eve waiting for palliatives from President Bola Tinubu at his Bourdillon residence in Lagos State.
The lawmaker posted the video on his X account on Wednesday to emphasise that poverty transcends ethnicity and religion, calling for urgent action to address the challenge.
Mr Ndume’s comment came days after three deadly stampedes were recorded during palliative distributions in Oyo, Anambra, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), leaving no fewer than 60 people dead.
Mr Tinubu’s philanthropic gesture of providing assistance to poor Nigerians who queue at his residence during this period has been ongoing for years. A similar video went viral during the same period in 2023.
Mr Ndume’s statement seeks to highlight that poverty in the North, primarily caused by the Almajiri system, is also rising in the South due to the president’s harsh economic policies since assuming office on May 29, 2023.
According to the World Bank in its Nigeria Development Update titled ‘Turning the Corner: From Reforms & Renewed Hope, to Results’ released in December 2023, the country’s poverty rate rose from 40% in 2018 to 46%, representing an increase in the number of poor people from 79 million to 104 million.
The World Bank noted that the significant increase, caused by “sluggish growth and rising inflation,” has pushed “an additional 24 million people below the national poverty line.”
Despite the rising poverty figures, Mr Tinubu, during a media chat with journalists on Tuesday, insisted that Nigerians need to “manage.” However, after assuming office, he reportedly acquired a new luxury Airbus A330 aircraft, a yacht, and a bulletproof Escalade.
Queues for presidential handouts at Bourdillon on Christmas Eve highlight a sobering reality:
Poverty knows no tribe, religion, politics, or region. It is a universal challenge that demands collective action and sustainable solutions. pic.twitter.com/UFRuQ65n21
— Senator Ndume (@Senatorndume) December 25, 2024
Waiting for palliative: Ndume shares on X video of long queues outside Tinubu’s Lagos residence
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Military denies bombing civilians in Sokoto
Military denies bombing civilians in Sokoto
The Nigerian Military has denied claims that it bombed civilians during its operations in Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
In a statemnt released on Wednesday, December 25, Lieutenant Colonel Abubakar Abdullah, the coordinator of the Joint Media Coordination Centre for Operation Fansan Yamma denied the claim.
Various media organisations had reported that a military fighter jet struck the community destroying civilians structures in the area.
However, in the statement, Abdullah said the reports are a cause of concern.
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He also noted that it crucial to clarify that military operations are carried out basic d on thorough intelligence and reconnaissance missions.
“This rigorous process is particularly important when targeting groups like the Lakurawa terrorist organisation, as it aims to ensure precision and protect civilian lives,” Abdullah said.
He further urged the public to always rely on only confirmed information.
He said, “There is a significant risk that terrorist groups may attempt to undermine military successes through media disinformation, necessitating caution concerning unverified claims, especially in the ongoing fight against terrorism and banditry.
“Importantly, the targets struck in the vicinity of Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa have been positively identified as associated with the Lakurawa group, reinforcing the justification for the military action taken,” Abdullah said.
Military denies bombing civilians in Sokoto
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