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Bandits strike again in Benue, gun down 2 soldiers, 3 others

Published

4 weeks ago

March 21, 2025

Bandits strike again in Benue, gun down 2 soldiers, 3 others

Five people, including two soldiers, were killed when armed bandits launched an attack in Jato-Aka, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State on Wednesday, according to local residents.

Eyewitnesses reported that the bodies of the slain soldiers were found at the scene shortly after they were shot by the assailants.

Joseph Har, Special Adviser to the Benue State Governor on Internal Security, confirmed the attack but stated that he was still gathering details on the incident.

The President General of Mdzough U Tiv World Wide and Chairman of the three main socio-cultural groups in Benue, CP Iorbee Ihagh, also confirmed to journalists in Makurdi that five people—two soldiers and three civilians—were killed in the attack on Jato-Aka.

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Efforts to reach spokespersons from the Nigerian Army in Benue for comments were unsuccessful, as those contacted claimed to have been transferred out of the state and could not verify the incident.

Meanwhile, in a statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Tersoo Kula, the state government expressed condolences over the soldiers’ deaths.

Kula stated, “In a solemn reflection, the deputy governor (Barr. Sam Ode) bemoaned the tragic loss of two gallant soldiers from the Nigerian Army, who were murdered by armed herders while on duty, protecting civilians in Turan, Kwande Local Government Area.”

Bandits strike again in Benue, gun down 2 soldiers, 3 others

metro

Police rescue 2 pastors abducted from Lokoja mountain

Published

30 minutes ago

April 18, 2025

Trends Admin

Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP William Ovye Aya

Police rescue 2 pastors abducted from Lokoja mountain

The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the rescue of two victims of last Friday’s attack on worshippers on the Akpamoba-Igbola prayer mountain in Agbaja area of Lokoja Local Government Area.

The command’s spokesman, ASP William Aya, disclosed this during a chat with our correspondent in Lokoja.

He identified the rescued victims as pastors Adura Kayode and Kingsley Ebong of the City of Grace Prophetic Liberation Church.

He said the rescued pastors had been reunited with their families, adding that security operatives are still combing the forest in the area to rescue more of the abducted worshippers.

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Meanwhile, the chairman of Lokoja Local Government Council, Comrade Abdullahi Adamu, has charged security operatives to sustain the search, rid the forest of all criminal elements and restore sanity.

The chairman, in a statementby his special adviser, Yusuf Bala, called on residents of the area to remain calm as security personnel are on the trail of the criminals.

The worshippers were attacked by some armed men, suspected to be kidnappers during a night vigil last Friday at Akpamoba-Igbola Mountain in Agbaja area. They whisked an unspecified number of them into the bush.

The rescue of the two pastors has brought the number of freed victims to three, including a woman, Mary Adams Gur,who regained her freedom on the night of the incident when men of the state vigilante services stormed the forest.

Police rescue 2 pastors abducted from Lokoja mountain

metro

FG secures release of 6 women arrested for human trafficking in Cape Verde

Published

16 hours ago

April 17, 2025

Trends Admin

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar

FG secures release of 6 women arrested for human trafficking in Cape Verde

The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has successfully secured the release of six Nigerian women who were wrongfully detained in Cape Verde over baseless trafficking accusations.

Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the spokesperson of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, revealed via a statement on Wednesday, April 16 that the Nigerian Mission in Guinea Bissau worked closely with the Cape Verdean authorities to ensure the women’s release.

She noted that the women had travelled to Cape Verde for vacation but were unfortunately arrested on unfounded human trafficking charges, which were eventually proven to be false.

Ebienfa mentioned that the minister expressed his satisfaction with the successful resolution of the matter and reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the rights and well-being of Nigerians abroad.

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The statement read, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to happily inform you that the Nigerian ladies who were detained in Cape Verde have all been released and have left the country, too.

“The Ministry engaged Cape Verde authorities via our Mission in Guinea Bissau to secure their release.

“The six ladies travelled to Cape Verde for a holiday and were unfortunately detained on allegations of trafficking, which turned out to be false.”

FG secures release of 6 women arrested for human trafficking in Cape Verde

metro

Bayelsa lawmaker, Wike’s ally exchange blows amid tension over scheduled event [VIDEO]

Published

16 hours ago

April 17, 2025

Trends Admin

Bayelsa lawmaker, Wike’s ally exchange blows amid tension over scheduled event [VIDEO]

A lawmaker in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and an ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike were captured engaging in a fight.

In a video circulating on social media, the Chief Whip of the Assembly, Hon. Gabriel Ogbara, was seen engaging in a heated struggle with the Ogbia Ward 8 Coordinator of the pro-Wike political group, the NEW Associates.

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The footage was posted by George Turnah, a known supporter of Wike and a former legal adviser to the PDP in the South-South zone.

Turnah, who was recently suspended by the Bayelsa PDP, has been at loggerheads with Governor Douye Diri over plans to organize a rally in Yenagoa in support of Wike. The event is scheduled for Saturday, April 26, 2025.

Despite both Diri and Wike belonging to the PDP, the two powerbrokers have been locked in a quiet political rivalry, particularly over control of the party’s structure in the South-South. Governor Diri currently chairs the South-South Governors’ Forum.