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BREAKING: ₦1m ransom paid for my release, says kidnapped corper

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1 year ago

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Brig Gen Yusha’u Dogara Ahmed, NYSC DG

BREAKING: ₦1m ransom paid for my release, says kidnapped corper 

A National Youth Service Corps member, Miss Esther Akande, with Call-up No.: NYSC/IFE/2023/201810 (Batch B stream 2), who was kidnapped on Wednesday, August 16, while on her way to the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Magaji Dan Yanusa Keffi, Nasarawa State, and released on Saturday, August 19, has revealed that the sum of ₦1 million was paid to secure her freedom from her abductors.

Family sources had confirmed to The PUNCH on Saturday that the kidnappers demanded a ransom of ₦1million, adding that the police were nonchalant about the situation, while the NYSC urged the family to play along and pay the ransom.

However, Miss Esther in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Wednesday, gave the full details of her abduction and subsequent release.

Esther said, “I was on my way to camp there, because our bus, our car (driver), actually handed us over to another car (driver) at Lokoja. So, he dropped us off. So we entered another car and continued the journey from there. As we were about to enter, I think, Abaji, these people, we just met them on the road, asked us to stop.

“They started shooting the car, and before we knew it, the driver was shot. The person beside him was shot also. So I think the driver was shot in the head. The other person was shot and he died on that spot immediately. So we were tried to escape from the car because the car actually turned upside down and smoke was coming out of it.

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“So we were trying to escape because we feared the car might catch fire. As we were about to escape, I was dragged out from the car by these men. And they dragged me into the bush and later I saw them drag another lady that was in the car too into the bush too. Then, the other two that were in the car, I don’t know how they managed to escape. I don’t know. So that was how it happened. We were in the bush for four days. They tortured us,” she said.

When asked about her release, Esther revealed, “I spent four days. From Wednesday, I was released on Saturday. The incident happened on Wednesday. They released me on Saturday after collecting money from my parents. So, they actually requested money. At first, they were requesting N300m. Later, it was reduced to N100 million. Then after begging, it was later reduced to ₦1million.

“They asked my dad to bring the money to Abaji. So, I don’t know how it happened there, because I know they delayed him, he was there since 12pm, but they attended to him by 9pm. So after they collected the money, they later released me.”

She further explained that she was taken to the NYSC camp from there and she received treatment. She further added that although her aunty informed the police, she wasn’t taken into custody after her release. The police weren’t involved in the transaction process as well.

However, when contacted, the NYSC Director, Press and Public Relations, Eddy Megwa, denied the payment of the ₦1million ransom to the kidnappers, claiming that she was released following pleas and the combined efforts of security agencies and the NYSC.

“The important thing is that she’s out of their hands now, and she’s not hurt. She’s in the orientation camp now with her colleagues. It took the combined efforts of security men and pleading for her to be released. We at the NYSC worked with security agencies to ensure that she was released. We’re not aware that any ransom was paid,” Megwa said.

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Also, Esther’s father, Mr Akande, who is also a pastor, denied the payment of ransom to the kidnappers, despite contrary revelation by his daughter, the victim.

“No ransom was paid. We didn’t pay any ransom. They requested it (the ransom), but we begged them, we prayed, and at last, my daughter was released. The only thing I can say is that, the transport there and everything was done, but about the paying of this and that (ransom), I can’t say that was done,” Pastor Akande said.

Also, confirming Esther’s narration, a family source privy to the development told one of our correspondents that the victim was only released following the payment of the ₦1million ransom.

“She was released on Saturday night after the ransom was paid. Although the NYSC was duly informed, we only reached out to the police once, as we were later advised (by the kidnappers) not to involve the security agencies.

“It was later taken up by the school authority – the higher institution she graduated from – Adeyemi College of Education. Corps members, undergraduates and staff members from the school helped raise over half of the ₦1million ransom,” the source revealed.

Reacting to the denial by the NYSC, the source added, “The question should be, is it possible for the police and other security agencies to get a victim from kidnappers and not arrest the kidnappers?

“It is either they’re arrested, or they collect the money. So, how come she was released and they were not arrested? The family had to travel down from here to go give them the money. The kidnappers even gave an ultimatum. I don’t need to deny it, especially now that she has been released.”

BREAKING: ₦1m ransom paid for my release, says kidnapped corper

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FG declares three days as public holidays

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17 minutes ago

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December 23, 2024

By

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo

FG declares three days as public holidays

The Federal Government has declared Wednesday 25th, Thursday 26th December 2024, and Wednesday 1st January, 2025 as Public Holidays to celebrate Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year respectively.

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government.

The Minister in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Magdalene Ajani extended warm greetings to all Nigerians.

He called on Nigerians to use the festive period to reflect on the values of love, peace, and unity that the season signifies.

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Dr. Tunji-Ojo emphasised the importance of the season as a time to foster harmony and strengthen bonds across families and communities.

The Minister also called on Nigerians to remain committed to the peace, unity and progress of the nation for national development.

“The Christmas season is a good moment for both spiritual reflection and national renewal. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, let us demonstrate kindness and extend goodwill to one another, irrespective of our differences,”  Dr. Tunji-Ojo said.

He assured citizens of the government continued commitment to ensuring peace, security, and prosperity across the nation.

While wishing Nigerians a merry Christmas and a prosperous 2025, the Minister expressed his confidence in the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu’s administration ushering in the new year, a better and prosperous economy that will be the envy of the world.

FG declares three days as public holidays

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Obi’s comment on stampede deaths as systemic failures, uncharitable, says Omokri

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42 minutes ago

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December 23, 2024

By

Reno Omokri, Peter Obi

Obi’s comment on stampede deaths as systemic failures, uncharitable, says Omokri

A former presidential aide, Mr Reno Omokri, has urged the former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, not to politicise the recent fatal stampedes in some parts of the country, saying doing so amounted to politicising the people’s tragedy.

About 39 persons were feared dead in Okija, Anambra State and Maitama in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, on Saturday following stampedes at food-sharing events to usher in the Xmas festivities. Both incidents came on the heels of an earlier disaster in Ibadan, during which 35 children died.

Obi, in a tweet on his X handle last week, condemned the scores of children’s deaths in Ibadan during the pre-Xmas fair as a reflection of the nation’s “systemic failure”.

“The devastating news of innocent children reportedly trampled to death during a Christmas celebration in Ibadan is both heart-wrenching and a stark reflection of the systemic failures that plague our nation today,” he said.

He said the tragedy called for deep reflection and decisive actions by leaders to prioritise policies that address poverty, inequality, and equitable resource access while ensuring the highest safety standards for public events, especially those involving children.

However, Omokri reacted on his X handle by accusing Obi of being insensitive to the victims’ plight. He said rather than seeking to reap political benefits from the tragedy, the Labour Party candidate should have empathised with the people who lost their loved ones.

“One would have expected Mr Peter Obi to have condoled with the families and moved on,” he said.

The former presidential aide said the Labour Party’s erstwhile flagbearer’s attempt to blame the federal government for the stampede was hypocritical because the occurrence was a global phenomenon, pointing out that it occurred recently in the US, South Korea, Israel and multiple European countries.

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Besides, he recalled that under Obi’s watch as governor of Anambra State, a similar event happened on November 3, 2013, during which 28 persons died. “Funny enough, Peter Obi himself was at the scene of the incident and was accused by survivors of triggering the stampede,” Omokri stated.

He said, “It is hypocritical for a man under whom these events occurred to now use the Ibadan tragedy to stigmatise the Tinubu administration. Genuine opposition politics involves providing alternative solutions to issues. It is an abuse of the idea of opposition to lazily sit and wait for tragedies to occur and then seek to profit from them. That is wickedness, not politics.”

Omokri queried the moral basis of Obi’s persistent criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, pointing out that the former Labour Party’s presidential candidate underperformed during his time as Anambra State governor.

He said, “This is sad coming from a man under who, as Governor of Anambra State, poverty almost doubled, as revealed by his immediate successor, Mr Willie Obiano, and Governor Chukwuma Soludo.

“Before Peter Obi took over as Governor of Anambra, poverty in that state was 41.4%. However, under Mr. Obi, it grew to 53.7%, partly because Peter Obi refused to use the state’s allocations to build infrastructure.

“In his eight years as Governor, Mr. Obi did not initiate, start, complete, or commission even one nursery, primary, secondary school, or university.”

Shortly after Omokri’s severe criticism, Obi deleted his tweet, and yesterday he made another tweet, adjusting his position on the stampedes.

Incidentally, on Saturday there was stampede in Okija, a prominent town in Obi’s home state, during which some people also died. Another occurred in Maitama, Abuja, the nation’s capital.

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Reacting to these tragedies, the former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan commiserated with the victims. He called on state governments to learn lessons from the frequent events and implement better crowd control mechanisms.

Obi: my position on stampedes

In his new tweet, Obi said: ”I am deeply saddened and distressed by the tragic loss of lives in desperate searches for food. A few days ago, about 35 people, mostly children, lost their lives in a stampede at a Christmas Funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State.

“This morning, reports emerged of at least 10 people losing their lives in Abuja while scrambling for palliatives, with many others injured.

“Now, I just heard that about 19 more lives were lost in another stampede in Okija, Anambra State, as people struggled to receive food items.

“While I will not cast blame, but instead appreciate the organizers of these respective events for their kind gestures in providing palliatives and support to society, especially the poor, these tragedies reflect the systemic failures that plague our society.

“The desperate quest for survival in these harsh economic times has driven our people to extremes in their search for food, often at the cost of their lives.

“How do we explain that in a nation blessed with abundant resources, our people are dying of hunger in such numbers? How is it possible that we cannot feed our citizens despite the vast, fertile lands our nation is endowed with? My heart bleeds.”

“One can only imagine the pain their families are enduring at this moment. My heart goes out to them. I sincerely commiserate with all the affected families and the good people of Oyo, Anambra, and the FCT over these tragic incidents. May God grant them, and all of us, the strength to bear these painful losses.

“May God Almighty grant the departed souls eternal rest, and may the injured recover swiftly.”

 

Obi’s comment on stampede deaths as systemic failures, uncharitable, says Omokri

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North is an asset not liability to Nigeria – Ndume

Published

1 hour ago

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December 23, 2024

By

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume

North is an asset not liability to Nigeria – Ndume

The senator representing Borno South, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has said the North is not parasitic as far as matters of economic survival are concerned.

Ndume in a statement yesterday, however, said all states and regions in the country need one another to survive no matter how rich.

The Borno senator was reacting to claims in some quarters that the North cannot survive on its own, and that northerners don’t like paying taxes.

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The lawmaker said, “The North will never be a parasite or dependent on any region or even the country. We are assets not liability to Nigeria.

“Those who think that the current tax reforms is only against Northern interest are naive. As it is, the law is against all the low and middle income Nigerians.
“The FIRS should concentrate on expanding the tax net and collecting more. Also, accountability and transparency should be increased,” he said.

North is an asset not liability to Nigeria – Ndume

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