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How I escaped from kidnappers’ den, abducted Kaduna pupil narrates ordeal

Published

1 year ago

March 11, 2024

How I escaped from kidnappers’ den, abducted Kaduna pupil narrates ordeal

Mustapha Abubakar, one of the kidnapped students from Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area, Kaduna State, who managed to escape, has described his suffering at the hands of his kidnappers.

This was reported to a BBC Hausa Service story released online on Monday, March 11, 2024.

Abubakar said the kidnappers treated them like a ‘herd of cows’ grazing in the jungle.

On Thursday, March 7, 2024, bandits abducted approximately 280 kids and teachers from the Government Secondary School and the LEA Primary School in Kuriga, Kaduna State.

The bandits reportedly raided the Kuriga region of the Chikun Local Government region of Kaduna State on Thursday, firing at their victims before abducting at least 280 students and instructors from both schools.

Recall that the secondary school was relocated to the primary school on account of the insecurity in the council.

Narrating his experience, Abubakar said he escaped by craftily hiding in the bush while they were being transported into the forest on foot by the bandits.

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He said, “We trekked in the bush; sometimes we crawled. We were so thirsty that some of the girls were becoming weak and falling due to tiredness. The bandits were lifting them and putting some of them on motorcycles.

“We reached a big river, where we drank water and continued trekking. There was a plane that hovered above us. That was when the bandits ordered us to remove one of our clothes and lie down.

“The bandits themselves are tired, they didn’t have anything to eat but they are eating grass and rope in the forest, they didn’t give us anything to eat.

“While we were trekking, I noticed a shrub that was brown in colour, like my trouser. I hid inside and crawled like a snake. I was there until it was completely silent before I came out and headed to the bush.”

He noted that he met an old man who could hardly walk, so he could show him the way to the side of the road or another town to get drinking water.

According to Abubakar, he travelled a long distance until he later arrived at Gayan, a community from where he finally escaped.

Meanwhile, Senator Uba Sani who led senior government officials and heads of security agencies in the state to the scene of the attack on Thursday evening, assured the community that those abducted by the bloodthirsty bandits would return unhurt.

The governor said he had spoken to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu on the matter and that security operatives had swung into action in search of the abducted pupils.

How I escaped from kidnappers’ den, abducted Kaduna pupil narrates ordeal

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Lagos taskforce arrests 52 suspects in Island clean-up operation

Published

3 minutes ago

April 26, 2025

Trends Admin

Lagos taskforce arrests 52 suspects in Island clean-up operation

The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Taskforce has apprehended 52 individuals during a late-night clean-up aimed at tackling crime on Lagos Island.

Tokunbo Wahab, the Commissioner for the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, announced the arrests in a statement shared on Saturday via X.

According to Wahab, the enforcement exercise began at around 12:35 a.m. on Saturday, April 26, 2025, and covered several key locations, including Lekki, Ikoyi, Falomo Bridge, Eko Hotel, and Ligali Ayorinde.

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Wahab said, “Complaints and distressed calls suggest that some of these streets are populated at night by unscrupulous elements—miscreants, street urchins, pickpockets, and other suspected criminals—denying innocent Lagosians of their hard-earned valuables and belongings.”

He revealed that 52 suspects—51 males and one female—were arrested during the operation. He added that order was restored in all the areas visited.

“The operation today on the Island was part of a series of enforcement and clean-up exercises slated for at least twice a week to gradually rid the area of criminal elements,” Wahab explained.

He further assured residents that the suspects would be prosecuted to ensure a safer Lagos.
“The operation today on the Island was part of a series of enforcement and clean-up exercises slated for at least twice a week to gradually rid the area of criminal elements.”

Lagos taskforce arrests 52 suspects in Island clean-up operation

metro

JAMB candidates die in Oyo road crash

Published

7 minutes ago

April 26, 2025

Trends Admin

JAMB candidates die in Oyo road crash

Several candidates traveling to take the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have sadly lost their lives in a road accident on the Oyo-Ogbomoso highway in Oyo State.

According to reports shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), the tragic incident was caused by a suspected brake failure. While the exact number of casualties and the identities of the victims have not yet been disclosed, it was confirmed that they were en route to their exam centers when the accident happened.

News of the crash quickly spread across social media, with many users taking to the comment sections to share their condolences and express their grief.

See some reactions below:

@Plug08066: “May the gentleness of the souls departed rest in peace. This is the reason why we need to elect a person who loves education and health so much but you’ll rather vote for your tribesman because of tribalism and end up regretting it in the long run.”

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@omoiyaonikoko1: “The jamb registra needs to resign man has been bringing policy that make jamb applicant to through hell for God sake what’s wrong with the good old ways of writing jamb??now soul are gone all in the name of writing jamb exam..Goods.. May their soul continue to rest in peace.”

@EsievDarneal: “Everything is wrong with this country you fix exams as early as 6am. Is it, not better student go to the respective school they apply for to write their entrance exam if you pass you get admission.”

@Kickflowdown: “I don’t understand JAMB, I thought candidates choose areas where they write like states and LGA? Has it changed to buying JAMB form and being sent to Zamfara like NYSC? it’s room for racketeering to pay for favorable centres. Everything is business at the expense of lives.”

@comrade_lekan1: “Last year, I wrote an article against JAMB on two factors. Placing students in a centre too far from their residence. Fixing exam for as early as 6:30 am. There is insecurity everywhere and I wonder why JAMB is subjecting these teenagers to so much rigours. Jamb needs to be sued.”

JAMB candidates die in Oyo road crash

metro

Missing student found safe after disappearing en route to JAMB exam

Published

15 minutes ago

April 26, 2025

Trends Admin

Esther Oluwafayofubmi Oladele

Missing student found safe after disappearing en route to JAMB exam

A student reported to have gone missing on her way to write the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) has been found.

On Friday, news surfaced that a female UTME candidate went missing during her commute from the Epe area of Lagos to Ajah.

One Johnson, a Twitter user who identified as a relative of the UTME candidate, had said the girl had sent a panicky message disclosing she had boarded “the wrong car”.

The missing UTME candidate was identified as Esther Oluwafayofubmi Oladele.

She was said to have been commuting on Thursday ahead of her exam scheduled for 9 am on Friday.

Johnson said Esther had texted one of her siblings, saying, “I’m scared. I think I entered the wrong car. My eyes are itchy and I feel sleepy.”

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Calling on netizens for help in spreading the word, he said the matter was reported at Ajiwe Police Station in Ajah.

“They said they will start an investigation, which includes sharing the information with other stations and also airing it,” he said.

“They told us not to rely solely on them, we’re asked to continue looking everywhere else for her.”

TheCable had contacted both JAMB and police sources in Lagos, but none had responded to enquiries as of this report.

In a follow-up post on Saturday, Johnson disclosed that the missing girl has returned home.

Details on what transpired has yet to be disclosed.