Breaking: Gunmen attack Sokoto market, kill over 30 – Newstrends
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Breaking: Gunmen attack Sokoto market, kill over 30

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Gunmen from a criminal gang have attacked a village market in northwest Nigeria’s Sokoto State killing dozens of people, the state government said Monday.

The gangs known locally as bandits have terrorised northwest and central Nigeria for years, but attacks have become more violent in recent months.

“We’re not sure of the (death toll) figure. But it is 30 something,” Sokoto government spokesman Muhammad Bello said in a statement, adding that the attack occurred on Sunday evening in Goronyo district.

Bandits raided another village market on October 8, in Sabon Birni district near the border with Niger, killing 19 people.

Since last month, Nigerian troops have been conducting air and ground operations on bandit camps in neighbouring Zamfara State.

Telecom services have also been shut down to disrupt communication between the gangs.

Officials in Sokoto are worried that bandits are relocating to the state as a result of those operations and network disruptions.

“We’re faced and bedeviled by many security challenges in our own area here, particularly banditry, kidnapping and other associated crimes,” wrote Bello, on behalf of the state governor.

Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal,  had requested “the presence of more forces in the state and the deployment of more resources”.

Last month, 17 Nigerian security personnel were killed when gunmen attacked their base in Sabon Birni’s Dama village, an assault the military blamed on Islamic State-aligned jihadists.

AFP/Eagle Online

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Troops destroy terrorists hideout in Taraba, kill 3 bandits

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Troops destroy terrorists hideout in Taraba, kill 3 bandits

Troops of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3 Operation WHIRL STROKE (OPWS) have neutralised three bandits, destroyed several camps, and recovered arms and ammunition in a daring clearance operation in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The operation which took place yon April 5, 2025 is in continuation of the ongoing military operations codenamed Operation Lafiya Jamaa aimed at flushing out criminal elements from Taraba State.

This is contained in a press statement issued by the Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 6 Brigade, Captain Olubodunde Oni.

According to the statement, the operation, which targeted suspected bandits’ hideouts, saw troops advancing to Achalle where they thoroughly cleared the general area before projecting further force into Chibi.

“On arrival at Chibi, the troops made contact with the bandits, who began fleeing upon sighting the advancing forces,” the statement read.

“In the engagement that ensued, three bandits were neutralized, and several makeshift camps used by the criminals were destroyed. Troops also recovered 2 motorcycles, 1 AK-47 magazine, and 13 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition from the scene.”

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The troops also conducted a thorough combing of the Dutsen Zaki and Achalle axis where over seventy criminal camps have been dismantled in recent weeks.

Oni stated that no human activity was observed during this latest sweep, indicating the sustained success of previous operations.

While commending the troops for their resilience and tactical success, the Commander 6 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Kingsley Uwa, reassured the people of Taraba State that there would be no haven for terrorists and criminal elements in the state.

He urged residents to remain vigilant and law-abiding while continuing their lawful daily activities without fear or intimidation.

General Uwa further encouraged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, noting that such collaboration remains vital to supporting ongoing operations and enhancing the safety and security of communities.

Troops destroy terrorists hideout in Taraba, kill 3 bandits

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Ban smartphones, social media in varsities, don advises authorities

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Ban smartphones, social media in varsities, don advises authorities

Dr Saeed Olorunnisola, the interim Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at Al-Hikmah University in Ilorin, Kwara State, has urged the federal and state governments to prohibit the use of smartphones in secondary and tertiary schools.

Olorunnisola stated that the prohibition will help students concentrate in class.

During the Mission for the Eradication of Examination Malpractice’s second national symposium in Osogbo, Osun State, on Saturday, Olorunnisola expressed concern about the impact of examination malpractices on education and national development, citing social media as a major impediment to students’ concentration even in secondary schools.

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“Social media is causing distraction in secondary schools. Tertiary institutions are the worst.  Students don’t care any longer. Some of them are taking photo shot of notes and they will not read them. They are usually on social media.

“What we have right now is a misuse of technology and it must be taken away. We have a university that has banned their undergraduate from using mobile phones,” he said.

Speaking on the need for government to act and assist young learners to concentrate in class, the don said ban on the use of smartphones by a particular university that he did not disclose eventually assisted its students to concentrate more in class.

In his remarks, Prof Buniyameen Abdulkareem, Chairman of the MEEM Board of Trustees, stated that the group, a non-governmental organisation founded by the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria B-Zone, organised the symposium for policymakers, students, and teachers after realising the need to stem the tide of rising examination malpractices in the country.

Ban smartphones, social media in varsities, don advises authorities

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Nurse leaves US, seeks new life in Nigeria, says everything not money

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Nurse leaves US, seeks new life in Nigeria, says everything not money

A Nigerian nurse, Judith Okoli, has made headlines after leaving her nursing job in the United States and relocating permanently to Nigeria in pursuit of a more fulfilling and balanced life.

At a time when many Nigerians are seeking greener pastures abroad, Okoli’s decision has stunned many and sparked intense conversations about wealth, happiness, and the true meaning of a good life.

“Everyone is asking me, ‘Why did you leave America? Are you okay? You want to suffer in Nigeria?’” she said in Pidgin English in a heartfelt video shared online. “But I hope you guys know that money is not everything — at least, to some people. At least, to me.”

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According to Okoli, her decision was not a spontaneous one but born out of deep reflection and an increasing awareness that wealth doesn’t always equate to wellness or fulfillment.

“Someone can make N100 but be miserable — insulted at work, restless, disconnected from life. Then another person makes just N50, but they are happy, they spend quality time with their family, they sleep well, they enjoy peace of mind. For me, it’s about quality of life.”

She lamented how the pursuit of economic gain in the West often strips people of the things that matter most — community, connection, and contentment.

“Look at what the Western world is doing to us,” she said. “Families are scattered. One child is in Germany, another in Canada, another in Dubai. Six siblings haven’t seen each other in three years — all in the name of seeking a better life, but forgetting about the quality of life.”

 

Nurse leaves US, seeks new life in Nigeria, says everything not money

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