News
Killings, abduction in Oyo, Ondo, Kaduna, Enugu, Delta
By Bisi Oladele, Ibadan; AbdulGafar Alabelewe, Kaduna; Osagie Otabor, Akure; Justina Asishana, Minna; Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja and Elo Edremoda, Warri
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Abductors of Kaduna varsity students demand N800m
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Amotekun operative shot dead
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3 policemen killed in another attack on station
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Three construction workers taken away from site
It was a bloody day on Wednesday as gunmen went on the rampage in various parts of the country.
They killed two policemen in an attack on the Adani divisional headquarters in Enugu State.
In Kaduna State, bandits killed a worker and abducted a yet-to-be specified number of students from the Greenfield Univerity, Kasarami.
An operative of Amotekun, Suleiman Quadri, was gunned down in Oyo State.
In Ondo, kidnappers abducted three construction workers on the Ikaram-Akunnu-Akoko Highway.
Bandits attacked a military base in the Zazzaga community, Munya Local Government Area of Niger State, killing a civilian, Jacob Auta, and burning a military vehicle.
Two policemen killed in Enugu
The onslaught on police formations in the Southeast continued with the attack on Adani Police Divisional Headquarters in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area in Enugu in the early hours.
Nsukka Area Commander, Mr Hassan Yahaya, confirmed the attack.
A source told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that two policemen were killed and some others injured; the divisional office was razed.
“We started hearing sporadic gunshots around 2.am on Wednesday morning which created fear and panic in the area.
“We don’t know who the gunmen were because the incident happened in the night.
“It was at daybreak that we discovered that the attack was on Adani Police Division. Two policemen were killed,” the source added.
A statement by the Enugu Police Command said the operatives engaged the attackers in a gun duel, during which two of the officers were injured and later died.
“The assailants, who attacked the station in their numbers, were resisted by police operatives on duty. In the ensuing gun duel, some of the gunmen escaped with gunshot injuries,” the police said.
Enugu Police Commissioner Mohammed Ndatsu Aliyu, ordered the deployment of operational and intelligence assets to identify and apprehend the attackers.
He commiserated with the families and friends of the slain police officers who he said paid the ultimate price.
He also called on the public to help the security agencies by providing credible information on the incident.
Staff member killed, students abducted in Kaduna
Bandits killed a porter, Paul Ude Okafor, and abducted an unspecified number of students from the Greenfield University, Kasarami in Kaduna.
One of the rescued students told our reporter that Okafor was shot while trying to lock the male hostel door to prevent the bandits from gaining access.
The matron of the female hostel, simply identified as Beatrice, was abducted along with the students.
Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said: “Last night, the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs received distress calls of an attack by armed bandits on the Greenfield University, situated at Kasarami, off the Kaduna-Abuja Road in Chikun LGA.
“Troops of Operation Thunder Strike (OPTS) and other operatives swiftly moved to the location and the armed bandits retreated.
“After search-and-rescue operations, a staff member of the university, Paul Ude Okafor, was confirmed to have been killed by the armed bandits, while a number of students were kidnapped.
“The security operatives took custody of the remaining students who have been handed over to the institution, as at noon Wednesday.
“The actual number of students kidnapped is still being sought from the institution’s records.
“Troops and other security operatives are working in the general area, and the public will be informed of further developments.”
One of the students rescued by troops said the bandits, stormed the university campus around 9:30 pm.
He said: “The bandits are young boys between the ages of 17 and 20. They were fully armed. They came in shooting into the air.
“They hit some of the students, inflicting injuries on them. They killed our porter and went away with some of our colleagues but I don’t know the specific number. I know they are mostly girls, including the matron.
“The porter was shot when he was trying to close the door against the bandits to protect us.”
The Registrar, Bashir Muhammad, who was at the Operation Thunder Strike camp where the rescued students were kept before they were released to their parents, said the bandits had contacted some of the parents to demand ransom.
Abductors demand N800m ransom
The abductors are demanding a collective ransom of N800 million.
They threatened to kill the undergraduates if the money is not paid.
Sources said between 17 and 23 students were abducted, including about 14 females and eight males.
It was learnt that negotiation of the ransom was already ongoing.
A cousin to one of the kidnapped students, Georgina Stephen, said the abductors asked for ransom.
Another parent confirmed the development, saying that the kidnappers had called to demand the sum collectively.
Gunmen kill Amotekun operative in Oyo
Amotekun operatives Suleiman Quadri was killed.
Quadri was ambushed by the bandits numbering about 11 while escorting staff members of a farm in Fiditi.
The gunmen opened fire on the security operative and his colleague Amoo Yisau, who survived with gunshot injuries.
Yisau is currently receiving treatment at a General Hospital yesterday.
The commandant of the Amotekun Corps, Col. Olayinka Olayanju (rtd), confirmed the incident.
Quadri, 25, has since been buried according to Islamic rites.
Three construction workers abducted in Ondo
Kidnappers abducted three construction workers on the Ikaram-Akunnu-Akoko highway linking Akoko Northwest and Akoko Northeast local governments areas.
The road is a major gateway for travellers plying the North and the Southwest.
Ondo State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Raimi Aminu, last week inspected the 16km road and promised that it would be completed in 60 days.
It was gathered that the gunmen struck in the afternoon and shot into the air before taking the workers away.
No ransom demand had been made as at last night.
Ondo Police spokesman, Tee-Leo Ikoro, confirmed the abduction and said security agencies had been deployed into action.
He said hunters were also engaged to comb the forests.
Bandits kill one, raze military camp in Niger
Bandits invaded a military camp in the Zazzaga community in Munya Local Government Area of Niger state.
Sources said they invaded the community at about 4 am in three groups.
A group went to the military camp located at the Junior Secondary School. The second group laid ambush to the major road to the community; the third group went into the community to prevent any reinforcements from the vigilantes and the youths.
The bandits reportedly engaged the soldiers in a gun duel for about two hours.
While no soldier was killed, an officer identified as the regimental sergeant major of the camp, was declared missing.
The bandits set one of the military vehicles ablaze when the soldiers retreated and burnt the food store in the camp.
One civilian identified as Jacob Auta, was reported killed.
Eyewitnesses said the gunmen numbered about 100 and rode on motorcycles.
Some of the bandits were believed to have been killed in the attack and their bodies taken away by their colleagues.
The camp was set up by the military in 2017 following incessant attacks in the area.
Gunmen kill man, abduct two in Delta
A young man, Peter Erubore, was killed during a kidnapping attack in the Omadino community, Warri South council area of Delta state on Tuesday morning.
Gunmen stormed the riverine community in a speedboat and abducted the owner of a timber shade, Tunde Ekedie, and a resident, Jolomi Diden.
According to community sources, the hoodlums shot into the air when people got wind of the attack and raised the alarm.
The council chairman, Dr Michael Tidi, said investigations were ongoing.
Acting spokesman of the Delta State Police Command, Edafe Bright, confirmed the killing of Erubore and the kidnapping of Ekedie and Diden.
