22 Zamfara varsity students, staff members released after six months in captivity

Twenty-two abducted students and staff members of the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, have finally been released after six months in captivity.

The victims, comprising 15 students and seven workers of the university, were abducted from the university in September 2023.

They were received on Monday April 15 in Abuja by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

The captives were released in three batches, with the last batch returning home on Sunday April 14.

Ribadu said the rescue operation was coordinated by the National Counter-Terrorism Centre.

He urged them not to allow their experience to break them, but should rather make them stronger.

He said, “On behalf of the President, I thank all those involved in the successful rescue of the victims without losing anyone of them or paying any ransom.

“This is yet again a success story in our efforts to free all those being unlawfully held in captivity.

“We have so far released over a thousand of such victims without noise and with complete respect to their privacy and safety.

“This occasion marks a final juncture in a series of rescues we have undertaken in the last few months, to free victims of recent cases of mass abductions.

“Going forward, we are strengthening law enforcement and security measures to prevent these abductions, and strengthen physical security across vulnerable communities.”

National Coordinator, NCTC, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, recalled that those rescued were abducted from the school on September 22, 2023, at about 0230hrs.

He said the bandits armed with various weapons attacked three off-campus students’ hostels at Sabon Gida in Gusau and kidnapped a number of female students alongside some male artisans.

Others, he said, were a private security guard and a protocol officer of the university.

He added that the bandits ransacked the hostels, and carted away foodstuffs, mobile phones, laptops, ATM cards, cash and other valuables.

According to him, the abductees were subsequently herded on motorcycles and foot to a location through a town in the Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara.

Laka said, “Search and rescue was conducted by a combined team of law enforcement agencies and the abductees were subsequently released in three batches, after 207 days in captivity.

“The first batch was rescued on March 15 while the second batch was rescued on April 12 and the last batch was rescued on April 14.

“All the abductees were profiled at the NCTC while the ONSA Medical Team examined them and administered minor treatments on the bruises sustained by 3 of the abductees.”

Oromoni’s death natural but avoidable, coroner rules 

Sylvester Oromoni died of a natural cause and not due to any action by his school, Down College, or accused five students of the college.

This is the verdict of a coroner, Mikhail Kadiri, who presided over the matter on Monday during a seven-hour magistrate court sitting in Ogba, Lagos.

The judgement coming after a two-year inquiry, affirmed that the 12-year-old died of sepsis emanating from an infection of the lungs and kidney due to an ankle injury.

The coroner however said his death was an avoidable case of parents and medical team’s negligence.

Sylvester Oromoni Junior who was a student of Dowen College in Lekki, Lagos, died on November 30, 2021.

The coroner cleared the five students of the college accused in the case, ruling that they played no part in the death of Sylvester and should not have been involved in the matter.

He also advised parents not to take their children’s health with levity.

The magistrate also called for better cooperation between the police and medical team and that the police must exercise caution before making arrests in the future.

Ekpa offers to strengthen Israeli army with 15,000 IPOB ‘troops’

A factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Simon Ekpa, has offered military support to the Israeli government in its fight against Hamas militants and Iran.

Ekpa, in a statement on his verified X page on Sunday, noted that no fewer than 15000 well-trained Biafran Liberation troops are ready to support Israel “if need be.”

Ekpa’s statement comes after Iran fired missiles at Israel in retaliation for the attack on its embassy without an adequate response from the United Nations Security Council.

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Reacting to Iran’s attack on Israel, Ekpa stated that “the Biafran government is ready to help Israel with ground forces if needed, up to 15,000 well-trained Biafran Liberation troops. The Biafran government will also offer maximum protection to @IsrealinNigeria within 4 hours of notice.”

It will be recalled that the factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra has been declared wanted by the Defense Headquarters over terrorism.

Newstrends reports that he was declared wanted by the DHQ along with no fewer than 96 people. They include terrorists and rebels, wanted for their involvement in terrorism in the country.

Ekpa offers to strengthen Israeli army with 15,000 IPOB ‘troops’