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Train attack: Terrorists contact hostages’ families

Published

3 years ago

March 31, 2022

•Sober mood at bank over MD’s abduction •They use buses to take away victims, says survivor •Amaechi: we need N8b to replace four coaches •Two-kilometre rail tracks destroyed •Helicopters, drones to shadow trains •Governors: violent attacks threaten our capacity •Katsina commissioner loses finger •El-Rufai: we are at war

The terrorists who attacked a Kaduna-bound train and abducted unspecified number of passengers on Monday, have contacted their families.

They are yet to demand ransom, the families said yesterday.

No fewer than eight people, including Trade Union Congress (TUC) Secretary-General Musa Ozigi-Lawal, TUC Kwara State chapter Chairman Akin Akinsola, National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) director at Kaduna office, Abdul Isa Kofar-Mata and a dentist Dr Chinelo Nwandowere killed by the gunmen. About 41 others were injured.

A member of one of the families told our correspondent that the abductors informed them that their family members and many other passengers were safe.

The family member, who pleaded not to be named for security reasons, said the bandits made a telephone call on Tuesday night.

”They told us our sister and other missing passengers were with them in their camps and that she was safe. They didn’t say more than that before ending the call.

”We are scared. We are just praying for God’s intervention and her safety. We are pleading with the kidnappers to release her for us,” he said.

A journalist, whose mother and sister were kidnapped, said the bandits also contacted his brother.

He said his mother and sister arrived in Nigeria from Saudi Arabia and boarded the train to Kaduna.

”My mum and sister were on the train and are among those not accounted for.

”The bandits have contacted my brother but didn’t ask for ransom yet. They have told us that my mum and sister are with them in the forest.

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”Please, join in prayer for their safe return. We are praying fervently that nothing bad will happen to them and others in their custody,” the journalist said.

Staff members of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), whose Managing Director Alwan Hassan is still missing, were in a sober mood at the headquarters in Kaduna.

Some of the survivors yesterday accounted their encounter with the terrorists in interview with our correspondent.

The Federal Government said it was working on measures to ensure there are no further attacks on trains, including recruiting villagers to secure the tracks and deploying aircraft and drones.

The police have acquired five additional high-powered unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), otherwise known as drones.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, in a statement by the Acting Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, a chief superintendent of police (CSP), said the equipment was part of a policy to integrate the use of innovative technology in law enforcement duties.

”The drones will assist the [olice in monitoring active crime scenes, coordinating response operations, and providing aerial support to responding officers.

”The UAVs include an ALTI Transition, capable of covering up to 150km in a single flight with high endurance of up to 14 hours, and an Elistair Orion fixed-wing aircraft, capable of covering up to 92m altitude with high endurance of up to 50 hours and other sensitive and forensic-based features,” he said.

A police source said most of the drones will be deployed to monitor the Kaduna/Abuja rail track.

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said there were plans to work with the Department of State Services (DSS) to employ villagers to man the rail tracks.

He thinks Monday’s attack succeeded because the Airforce could not deploy aircraft to accompany the train due to poor weather.

Amaechi said the Airforce had promised to resume escorting the train when operations resume, pending the installation of the integrated security surveillance and monitoring solution.

He spoke in Kaduna during a visit to the victims.

Amaechi said the damage caused by the attack would require significant expenses to repair. He put the cost at N8billion.

He said: “The level of damage supersedes the request we made for the purchase of equipment that will help install security, especially as it pertains to surveillance.

”We are going to repair the track, between one and a half to two kilometres and that is huge. We are going to replace the locomotives. About one or two of the coaches were damaged. We are going to buy some coaches.

THE NATION

Related Topics:families Featured hostages Terrorists Train Attack

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

The federal government has unveiled a proposed budget of N47.9 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year.

Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

Bagudu revealed that the council had approved the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2025-2027.

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According to the minister, the government has pegged the crude oil benchmark at $75 per barrel, with an oil production target of 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd).

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EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

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6 hours ago

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EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told FIJ that they have arrested Timber Wabote, the former executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCMB), on the grounds of a failed $35 million Bayelsa refinery project fraud.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s spokesperson, confirmed this to FIJ on Thursday.

“It is true,” Oyewale responded to FIJ’s inquiries.

Wabote is accused of misappropriating public funds for a refinery project that should have improved local energy production.

Vanguard reported that the NCDMB under Wabote paid $35 million to support the development of energy infrastructure in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, yet there was nothing to show for it.

The EFCC picked Wabote up following the arrest of Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, for alleged misappropriation, money laundering and diversion of $35 million in public funds.

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“NCDMB under the watch of Wabote allegedly paid the $35 million to Akindele to build a 2,000 barrel per day (BPD), refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass free trade zone (FTZ), Okpoama Community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State,” a source with the EFCC had explained.

Since December 2020 when the payments were made, Akindele abandoned the project with little or nothing to show for the huge sum he received.

Preliminary investigations showed that Wabote’s NCDMB financed 17 different projects, including the 2,000 BPD refinery in Brass LGA.

There has been a series of public fund misappropriation cases in the energy sector in recent times.

FIJ earlier reported that members of the House of Representatives summoned three ministers to defend how over $2 billion was spent on renewable energy with not much to show for it.

A recent FIJ report also recently detailed how residents of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, have not had power in their homes since July due to the vandalisation of the Ahoada-Yenagoa transmission towers caused by unidentified persons.

The Bayelsa state government told FIJ it was the federal government’s responsibility to provide electricity for residents. The state has no renewable energy options reliable enough to power its capital despite the multi-million-dollar NCMB energy project.

Transparency in the energy sector has become necessary at a time when Nigerians have suffered power instability due to frequent grid collapses.

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Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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November 14, 2024

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Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested an adjournment in the new case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, stating that the 30-day window for the previously issued summons is still active.

The commission has granted administrative bail to his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and asked the court for an extension of time for Bello to appear.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro noted that the court’s order from October 3rd had not yet expired.

“In that wise, we feel it will not be appropriate for us to take proceedings while that 30 days is still running. So we have discussed and agreed to come back on the 27th day of November, 2024, my lord,” he told the court.

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He also mentioned that the previously set date of November 20th was not convenient for the prosecution counsels.

Counsel to the second defendant, Aliyu Saiki, SAN, confirmed that his client had been granted administrative bail by the prosecution and had no objection to the adjournment request. The third defendant’s counsel, ZE Abass, concurred.

The prosecution counsel also requested the court to allow the notice of hearing to be pasted on the last known address of the first defendant.

After hearing from all counsels, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and the issuance of the hearing notice.

“I have considered the application for adjournment by the complainant and issuance of hearing notice and the submission by the second and third defendants. The application is granted,” she said.

Justice Anenih then adjourned the case to November 27th for arraignment.

The former governor, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are being prosecuted as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively, in a fresh 16-count charge instituted against them by the EFCC.