Bandits ambush security operatives in Katsina, kill nine

Bandits have k!lled nine security operatives in Faskari and Matazu Local Government Areas of Katsina State.

The security operatives, all members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps and Vigilante Corps, were ambushed in separate attacks between Yankara and Faskari on Friday evening.

Additionally, two vigilante officers working to maintain security in the region were also killed.

A source in Katsina, who spoke on condition of anonymity to Punch on Saturday, provided the names of the deceased as Mubarak Shu’aibu Labo, Muhammad Hassan, Mubarak Shu’aibu, and an unidentified officer

According to the source, the slain vigilante members were Babangida Bature, also known as Babangida Doza, and Ibrahim Rishi.

In a separate attack that same Friday evening, the terrorists ambushed vigilante members from Matazu Local Government on their way from Gwarjo to Yalwa, killing no fewer than three officers, while one was seriously injured.

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The Secretary of the Vigilante group in Matazu, Jamilu Aliyu, confirmed the attack to the publication on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Governor Dikko Umaru of the state has sympathised with the families of the deceased.

Umaru, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Kaula, praised the bravery and sacrifice of the security operatives who died in the line of duty.

“Yesterday, October 4, 2024, at approximately 1600 hours, armed bandits ambushed a joint team of Community Watch Corps and Vigilante Corps members who were providing security for farmers harvesting their crops near Unguwar Kafa along the Yankara-Faskari road,” the statement read.

“In the ensuing firefight, which lasted over an hour, four CWC members and two Vigilante Corps members tragically lost their lives

Our security operatives displayed exceptional courage and coordination in repelling this attack. Their prompt action undoubtedly saved many lives and protected our hardworking farmers.

“These brave men who lost their lives are true heroes of our state. Their sacrifice in service to Katsina will never be forgotten. We stand with their families in this difficult time and assure them of our unwavering support.”

Bandits ambush security operatives in Katsina, kill nine

CAN to Lord’s Chosen: Vet every testimony before presentation

The Lagos State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has directed the leadership of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries to review how its members share testimonies during gatherings.

This follows backlash over a viral testimony shared by one of its members, which the Christian body condemned as misleading.

The testimony involved an unnamed member who claimed that an old man appeared to her during an examination and provided answers to questions, which she then shared with a member of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries also present in the exam hall.

Lagos CAN Chairman, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, criticized the testimony, labelling it “an utter fabrication” and confirmed that the church would be summoned for a meeting to address such testimonies.

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Giving an update during an interview with PUNCH, Adegbite confirmed the meeting had taken place and that the church leadership had been instructed to change their approach to sharing testimonies in the future.

“We had the meeting last Friday at the CAN secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos. Representatives of the church were there, and we told them to be careful and review the pattern of their testimonies. It is only a madman who would think otherwise,” Adegbite said.

He also noted that the meeting included the five bloc leaders of CAN and coordinators from all 57 local government areas in the state, with over 100 people in attendance.

“Everybody was on the same page. We reject vehemently any testimony that is not reasonable and sensible, which can be misleading and bring disrepute to the name of Christ. We reject it in its entirety.

“We told the leaders to ensure that they ask their members what they want to say before giving them the microphone. If what they want to say is not good for public consumption, it should be disallowed. God still performs miracles. We must say the truth and nothing but the truth,” the CAN chairman added.

CAN to Lord’s Chosen: Vet every testimony before presentation

NDLEA arrests Canadian woman with 35kg ‘Loud’ at Lagos airport

In a dramatic bust at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), a 41-year-old Canadian woman, Adrienne Munju, has been arrested for attempting to smuggle a hefty consignment of “Canadian Loud,” a potent strain of synthetic cannabis, into Nigeria.

The arrest, made by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), unfolded during routine passenger clearance for a KLM flight from Canada on Thursday, October 3, 2024.

NDLEA‘s spokesman, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday said as officers conducted a joint examination of Munju’s luggage at Terminal 1, they discovered 74 parcels of the illicit drug, weighing an alarming 35.20 kilogrammes, tightly concealed within two of her three suitcases.

Adrienne Munju

It was Munju’s first time visiting Nigeria, but her plans unravelled as officers exposed her dangerous cargo.

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In a statement following her arrest, Adrienne revealed she had been recruited through an online platform and promised a payment of 10,000 Canadian dollars upon successful delivery of the drugs in Lagos.

Desperate to fund her ongoing master’s degree in Canada, she had accepted the high-risk offer.