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One abductor killed, two captured during rescue operation of 20 medical students
One abductor killed, two captured during rescue operation of 20 medical students
It was a bloody day in Ajide forest, Benue State on Friday as security agents swooped on the gunmen who had been holding 20 medical students of the Universities of Jos and Maiduguri captive.
The abductors had demanded a N50million ransom to free the victims but the government was not prepared to meet such a demand.
Force became inevitable and a shootout soon ensued.
It was not clear yesterday who fired the first shot ,but by the time the dust settled,one of the bandits had been gunned down and two others captured by the security team comprising soldiers, members of the Police Special Squad and Department of State Security (DSS) operatives.
All the victims were rescued alive nine days after they were seized on the Otukpo-Enugu Highway.
They were moved to Abuja yesterday by the Office of the National Security Adviser which co-ordinated the rescue operation for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment.
They were Enugu bound on the fateful day to participate in the annual convention of the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students before they ran into the gunmen that abducted them.
A security source confirmed the death of the kidnapper and the arrest of two others.
The Nation gathered that the security operatives had massed around Ado and Okpokwu Local Government Area where the forest is located preparatory to their storming the kidnappers den.
Deployed to assist them in the operation were drones and helicopters.
The Benue State Police Command broke the news of the rescue late Friday but gave no details.
The Chief spokesman for the Police Olumuyiwa Adejobi said yesterday that no ransom was paid for the freedom of the victims.
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Olumuyiwa ,in a terse statement on his X handle @Princemoye1 said: “We confirm the release of our brothers and sisters and some other Nigerians who have been in captivity on Friday 23rd August 2024 in Ntunkon forest, Benue State. Without any ransom paid. Contrary to some tweets and unconfirmed stories that some money was paid, no kobo was paid to release them. They were actually rescued tactically and professionally. We commend the security agencies, locals, and ONSA for their commitment and resilience. Thanks to you all. More details soon. “
UNIJOS VC: It’s the Lord’s doing
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof. Tanko Ishaya was all joy yesterday as he savoured the rescue of his students.
“Absolutely.We’ve been very, very glad since last night when we received that good news,” he said on phone yesterday.
He added: “It is a great, great relief for the university management and of course the parents, who had been suffering psychological trauma, and all the students themselves. It was quite a great relief for us.”
Asked how he felt when the news of the rescue first reached him, he said: “Of course, when we got the information, some of us stayed on until we were sure and told that all the students were actually with the security agencies.”
He said no ransom was paid to the gunmen.
He expressed gratitude to the federal government,the NSA and the security agents for getting the students freed.
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He looked forward to seeing the students and taking them “straight to the Jos University Teaching Hospital to make sure that they are medically and psychologically revived and stabilised before they are integrated back into the society and into the university system.”
On his reacting to the abduction,he said: ” when we heard about the kidnap issue, the first thing that came to my minds was, what do we do to get this students out? Immediately, the first thing that we did was to go and report to the security agencies.
“But beyond the efforts of the security, we raised a prayer altar, and we kept praying that nothing harmful should befall these students and when we got in touch with the various security agencies, they kept giving us assurances, particularly myself (the Vice Chancellor), as we kept on discussing with the team from the security adviser’s office, STF Commander, DSS directors, the Police.
“They kept giving us assurances, that by the grace of God nothing would happen to them and we were just praying and hoping the students would be released.The security agencies kept their promises, and our students have been released. And to the best of my knowledge, no ransom was paid for their release.”
One abductor killed, two captured during rescue operation of 20 medical students
News
NNPC has no right setting price of Dangote petrol – Falana
NNPC has no right setting price of Dangote petrol – Falana
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, says the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, do not have the power to fix the price of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, for the Dangote Refinery after deregulation.
Falana said the NNPCL action violated the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, which stipulated that the price of petrol must be determined by the market forces
In a statement on Tuesday, the legal luminary said it was an aberration for the NNPCL to peg the price of petrol produced and refined in Nigeria at 950 per litre.
“On September 5, 2024, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) stated that foreign exchange (forex) illiquidity had been a significant factor influencing the fluctuation in prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) governed by unrestrained market forces, as provided for in the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA.
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“The NNPCL was explaining the pump price of PMS imported into the country at the material time. Specifically, the Executive Vice President of Downstream NNPC Ltd Mr. Adedapo Segun, explained that Section 205 of the PIA, which established NNPC Ltd, stipulated that petroleum prices were determined by free market forces.
“But contrary to the well-publicised statement, the NNPCL has fixed the price of PMS produced by the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited. The action of the NNPCL is a violent contravention of section 205 of the PIA, which stipulates that the prices of petroleum products shall be determined by market forces.
“Furthermore, since the petrol sold by Dangote is not imported into the country but produced at the Lekki Economic Free Trade Zone, the NNPCL cannot justify the sale of petrol at N950 per litre without freight cost, lightering cost, jetty depot fees, storage fees, foreign exchange costs, NPA charges: NIMASA charges, Customs duties etc,” he said.
Falana’s outburst followed the commencement of PMS lifting by the NNPCL from the Dangote Refinery.
You would recall that as soon as lifting commenced, NNPCL announced that the product would sell for N950 per litre in Lagos State and its environs, and above N1,000 per litre in states such as Borno.
Reacting, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, on Monday, criticised NNPCL, saying it was not right for petrol lifted from the Dangote Refinery to cost higher than imported ones
NNPC has no right setting price of Dangote petrol – Falana
News
Coffee prices double in Nigeria after global supply disruptions
Coffee prices double in Nigeria after global supply disruptions
Nigeria is feeling the impact of the global coffee crisis as futures prices surge by over 30% due to severe supply disruptions caused by drought in Brazil, the world’s largest Arabica coffee producer.
In Nigeria, coffee prices have doubled in 2024, with popular brands like Nescafe and TopCafe experiencing significant hikes.
For instance, “Nescafe 3 in 1” spiked to N34,000 per carton in August, up from N28,000 in May, and a steep rise from N18,000 last year.
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The rainfall shortage in Brazil, which began in April, has led to a sharp decline in coffee production, sparking a global rush to secure supplies.
This has driven up coffee futures, with U.S. Coffee Futures and Arabica Futures both soaring by more than 30% in 2024, impacting markets worldwide, including Nigeria.
Coffee prices double in Nigeria after global supply disruptions
News
UN donates $6m to support Borno flood victims
UN donates $6m to support Borno flood victims
The United Nations has announced the donation of a $6 million fund in support of the Maiduguri flood victims in Borno State.
In a statement on Tuesday, the UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohammed Fall, said a joint mission comprising UN agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), alongside the Nigeria Red Cross Society, visited the main city of Maiduguri over the weekend.
According to Fall, the team met with people who had been impacted, many of them had already displaced multiple times by conflict and insecurity in the area.
The flood was caused by an overflow in the Alau Dam located just over 10 miles to the south of Maiduguri.
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“We and our partners are providing them with hot meals, we are facilitating air drops of food in hard-to-reach areas cut off by flood waters, and we are also trucking in water.
“We are also providing water and sanitation hygiene services and water purification tablets to stem disease outbreaks.
“This is in addition to supplying hygiene and dignity kits to women and girls, as well as emergency health and shelter services.”
He added that the staff of the UN Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs were also working closely with donors to secure additional funding.
UN donates $6m to support Borno flood victims
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