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Tag: Attack

  • Nigeria may benefit as oil prices soar after attacks on Saudi facilities

    Nigeria may benefit as oil prices soar after attacks on Saudi facilities

    As an oil-producing country, there is a likelihood that Nigeria may benefit from the surge in oil prices after two attacks on Saudi Arabian facilities on Saturday knocked out more than 5% of global supply.

    While the attack on Saudi Aramco could cause a drastic shortage in global oil supply, and drive oil revenue [but also increase subsidy cost or increase the price of fuel], Nigeria’s oil supply cut by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) may, however, change the dynamics for Nigeria.

    if Saudi Arabia’s output is disrupted for a significant amount of time – meaning weeks at least – Asian buyers seeking heavier grades of crude to feed their refineries will have a reason to try to take more from Nigeria regardless.

    – Brent crude jumped 10% to $66.28 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate rose 8.9% to $59.75 in Asian trading.

    The Saudis have not gone into any detail about the attacks, barring saying there were no casualties, but have given a few more indications about oil production.

    Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said some of the fall in production would be made up by tapping huge storage facilities.

    The kingdom is the world’s biggest oil exporter, shipping more than seven million barrels daily.

    “Saudi authorities have claimed to control the fires, but this falls far short of extinguishing them,” said Abhishek Kumar, head of analytics at Interfax Energy in London. “The damage to facilities at Abqaiq and Khurais appears to be extensive, and it may be weeks before oil supplies are normalised.”

    Saudi Arabia is expected to tap into reserves so that exports can continue as normal this week.

    However, Michael Tran, managing director of energy strategy at RBC Capital Markets in New York, said: “Even if the outage normalises quickly, the threat of sidelining nearly 6% of global oil production is no longer a hypothetical, a black swan or a fat tail. Welcome back, risk premium.”

  • Tribunal judgement: Omo-Agege condemns ‘barbaric attack’ on Buhari’s supporter

    Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has condemned what he described as the barbaric stabbing of an All Progressives Congress loyalist in Delta State for allegedly celebrating President Muhammadu Buhari’s electoral victory at the Electoral Tribunal on Thursday.

    Noting that such vicious resort to self-help can never reverse the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) electoral and judicial losses to the ruling APC, Omo-Agege said the PDP supporter’s alleged vicious stabbing of a Buhari loyalist is condemnable and must be thoroughly investigated by the police.

    Expressing shock and dismay over wide media reports that a PDP member allegedly stabbed an APC member who was celebrating President Buhari’s Thursday judicial victory in Effurun, Delta state, Senator Omo-Agege decried the use of violence in politics, stressing that the police and all political parties in Nigeria should further ensure measures to tackle the menace.

    In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga, Senator Omo-Agege noted that reports of the ugly incident indicate that the police have already started looking into the matter and urged his constituents in Delta Central Senatorial district to keep calm and cooperate with the law enforcement agents investigating the matter.

    “Even though our party, APC and President Muhammadu Buhari had a decisive populist electoral victory, as respecters of the law and democracy, we submitted ourselves to the judicial process and again, achieved incontrovertible victory.

    “It is alarming to hear that, last Thursday when all Nigerians who respect the laws of the land were applauding the judicial triumph, someone from the other party took the loss so badly and allegedly took the laws into his own hands in such barbaric manner by attacking an APC loyalist with a broken bottle and almost snuffed out a life in the process.

    “Again, I urge the police to ensure thorough investigation and prosecution as deemed necessary in the eyes of the law; our society must not condone such violence and all political parties have a duty to help give their members the orientation of due respect for the law.

    “It is futile for anyone to hope that such barbaric reaction can help reverse an overwhelming electoral and judicial loss,” he stated.

  • Two killed in Boko Haram’s attack on Maiduguri IDP camp

    Two killed in Boko Haram’s attack on Maiduguri IDP camp

    Normalcy has returned to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp at Dalori, Maiduguri, after Thursday night attack by Boko Haram.
    Two persons –an old man and a child – died in the attack.
    Dozens of hoodlums on motorcycles and two motorised rickshaws invaded the IDPs at about 8pm after gaining entry through the back perimeter fence.
    They broke into shops emptying them of food items and then started shooting sporadically.
    “We have recovered two dead bodies from the attack which also left several IDPs (internally displaced persons) with injuries,” said Bello Danbatta, head of security in the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
    “The insurgents looted and burnt shops in the camp and also carted food supplies from the main store where food aid is stored,” he said.
    Abba Aji, a top commander of the youth vigilance group known as Civilian-JTF, said the gunmen first attacked the soldiers’ station near the camp before they moved in, shooting sporadically.
    “It happened a few minutes after 8 p.m. when they (Boko Haram) broke into the camp and killed two persons, an old woman a very little child,” he said.
    The attack sent panic around the university especially as soldiers manning the gates also responded with their guns.
    The sporadic shooting forced some students and many residents living around the locations to flee into the town.
    Hauwa Ibrahim, a female student, said she had to flee from the school campus against the warning of the security men at the gate.
    “I had to call my uncle who rushed to the University gate to pick me and some of my friends,” she said.
    “We could not take the risk of sleeping in my hostel because the sound of the shootings and what sounded like bombings seemed very close to our hostel,“ Ms Ibrahim said.

  • Attack on Police: IGP orders immediate arrest of perpetrators

    Attack on Police: IGP orders immediate arrest of perpetrators

    The Acting Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu has ordered the immediate arrest and prosecution of all persons involved in the unprovoked and gruesome attack on Police officers who were on a legitimate mission to arrest some suspected armed robbers and receivers of a stolen vehicle in a community in Cross River State.

    The attack which occurred on the 17th April, 2019, at Ogoja Community, was masterminded and executed by one Ikenga, a notorious receiver of stolen property, and his gang members. Four (4) Police officers attached to IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT) unit were seriously and grievously wounded, with deep matchet cuts on their heads and other parts of their bodies.

    A statement issued by Force Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba said the detectives (the victims of the savage attack) were investigating a case of a stolen Toyota Sienna Bus earlier reported by the Master Chapel Church, a Pentecostal church based in Lagos. The detectives had, after a painstaking investigation, arrested four male suspects – Peter, Ben, Ebuka and Johnson.

    “The suspects, who were positively implicated in the crime by Police investigation, confessed to indeed stealing the vehicle. They stated further that they had sold the vehicle to another criminal in Benue State. Hence, detectives moved to Benue State with one of the suspects. On arrest of the suspect in Benue State, he stated that he had sold the vehicle to another notorious receiver of stolen goods based in Ogoja for a sum of N250, 000. With this discovery, the detectives proceeded straight to Cross River State, where the notorious receiver Ikenga was apprehended and the stolen vehicle recovered.

    “However, in a bizarre twist, shortly after his arrest, the suspect raised the alarm in his native language which attracted his gang members. Subsequently, the policemen came under serious physical attack from weapon- wielding hoodlums. The officers were savagely butchered by these armed gangs. Consequently, Ikenga, the notorious crook escaped with the stolen vehicle,” Mba explained.

    According to Mba, the IGP, while condemning the attack in very strong terms, warned that the Police under his watch would not tolerate criminal attacks and assault on its personnel or facilities.

    He enjoined traditional rulers and community leaders not to allow such attacks to take place in their domain as they might be called to account.

    The IGP has therefore ordered for the immediate manhunt and arrest of Mr IKenga and other members of his gang. He also urged members of the public to avail the Police with credible and useful information that will lead to the apprehension of all persons involved in these unwholesome and illegal acts

  • Gunmen attack, abduct travellers on Abuja Kaduna Highway

    There was pandemonium on the Abuja-Kaduna Highway on Monday evening as kidnappers in their numbers took centre stage of the busy highway robbing and kidnapping several people.

    According to eye witness reports, before they could apply brakes, several vehicles crashed because of the speed with which the drivers were moving. Distress calls were later put across to different security agencies to rescue the victims.

    The Nigerian Army later responded by dispatching about three truckloads of soldiers.

    However, the dare devil kidnappers operated for about 30 minutes on the highway without intervention of security agents.

    Before a team of soldiers and police officers arrived, many travellers had been abducted and taken into the bush, witnesses said.

    Amongst them were occupants of a Toyota Hilux truck and a Toyota Corolla sedan. Some other vehicles were riddled with bullets, witnesses said.

    Police and military spokespersons did not return separate calls seeking comments late Monday.

    The highway has remained one of the most dangerous in the country with rampant kidnapping and robbery happening there frequently.

    The police regularly conduct raids of remote villages on the highway’s fringes, but the kidnappers usually regroup shortly afterwards.

  • Several dead, others injured as bandits attack Zamfara communities

    Several dead, others injured as bandits attack Zamfara communities

    Armed persons on Saturday attacked some communities in Zamfara State killing at least 10 people.

    According to a report by Premium Times, the attackers invaded Kursasa, Kurya and Gidan Achali communities in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State shooting sporadically.

    Residents say over 40 people, mainly farmers, were killed in the attacks. The police, however, say 10 people were killed.

    “At Gidan Achali community alone, over 20 people were massacred. And at Kursasa community, 10 people were killed while at Kurya, 13 persons were reported dead,” an official of the Shinkafi Local Government Area said under anonymity.

    He said the “number of people killed at Gidan Achali community is terrible because the high number of casualties in the area is worrisome.

    The source lamented that despite the repeated attacks on Shinkafi and other local governments in Zamfara, the armed persons still moved freely during the act without being challenged by any security operative.

    “It is just like there is no constituted authority in Zamfara State. Nobody cares about our lives.

    “We have now become easy prey for bandits in Shinkafi,” he said.

    When contacted, the Zamfara police spokesperson, Mohammed Shehu, said only 10 people were killed at an onion farm in Kursasa community.

    He said security personnel have been mobilised to the area.

    Attacks on communities in Zamfara have continued in the past year despite the deployment of thousands of military and police personnel to the state.

    Apart from killing residents of the communities, the attackers also kidnap people for ransom.

  • Kano Supplementary Poll: Investigate attack on voters, journalists, AI tells FG

    Kano Supplementary Poll: Investigate attack on voters, journalists, AI tells FG

    Human rights group, Amnesty International, has called on the Nigerian government to investigate the violent attack on voters and journalists during the supplementary governorship election in Kano State on Saturday.

    The group made the demand in a message posted on Twitter on Wednesday.

    “Amnesty International is calling Nigerian authorities @MBuhari @ProfOsinbajo to investigate allegations of widespread violence & intimidation unleashed on voters and journalists during Saturday’s re-run election in Kano.

    “The unprecedented violence in Kano also led to fatalities,” the group said through its Twitter handle@AmnestyNigeria.

    There were reports of widespread violence during the supplementary election in Kano.

    One report said some journalists covering the elections escaped being lynched by suspected thugs at Suntulma Primary School in Gama ward, Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state.

    Abdullahi Ganduje, the governor of Kano, who ran on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), won the election. But the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the election result.

    Several groups, including the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM), said the election was characterised by violence and other irregularities.

    “Extensive electoral security problems were observed in some areas, with groups of men with weapons intimidating and obstructing the process, and security agencies ineffective at protecting citizens’ right to vote,” the EU said in its report.

    “In particular, parts of Kano were largely inaccessible to EU observers, and citizen observers and journalists were also obstructed. EU observers also witnessed increased interference by party agents and cases of vote-buying.”

  • LG Chairman confirms death of 10 persons in fresh attack on Kaduna village

    Mr Charles Danladi, the Chairman Sanga Local Government Council, Kaduna State, has confirmed the death of 10 in an attack on Nandu village in the area.

    The chairman told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kafanchan on Saturday that the attack occurred on Friday and 11 houses were burnt.

    Danladi however said that normalcy had since returned to the affected village, as the local council intensifies efforts at dousing tension to prevent reprisal.

    He said youths of the area had been summoned and counselled against embarking on any acts capable of escalating the ugly situation.

    A resident of the affected village, who pleaded anonymity told NAN that the attack was suspected to have been launched by Fulani herders in retaliation for an attack on them by locals before the general election.

    He said, at least 11 cows and 28 sheep were killed during that attack.

    Efforts to get police reaction was unsuccessful as the Spokesman of Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Yakubu Sabo did not respond to calls on his handset.

  • Presidency dismisses reports of attacks on Osinbajo’s convoy in Kwara

    Presidency dismisses reports of attacks on Osinbajo’s convoy in Kwara

    The Presidency has dismissed media reports that the convoy of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was attacked on Thursday in Ilorin, capital of Kwara.

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Office of the Vice President, ‘Laolu Akande described the media and social media as false.

    He also explained that VP Osinbajo did not make his scheduled trip to Abia because of time constraints. “Let me clarify two issues,” Mr. Akande tweeted on Friday.

    “VP Osinbajo’s convoy was not attacked yesterday in Ilorin, Kwara. The reported gunshots were after the VP left the venue.

    “Secondly, due only to time constraints yesterday, VP couldn’t go to Abia from Kwara as earlier billed. He will surely make the Abia State trip soonest,” he added.

    Prof Osinbajo was in Kwara State on Thursday in continuation of the Next Level engagements after the Independent National Electoral Commission had lifted a one week ban on campaigns across the country.

    This is the second time in two days that the Vice President had had to dismiss fake news peddled against him.

    On Wednesday night, speaking at a meeting with young Christian leaders in Lagos, Prof. Osinbajo debunked the fake news of his purported resignation being circulated on some social media platforms.

    The VP emphasized that he has not resigned his position in the Buhari administration, and described the false information as “deliberate propaganda.”

    He said, “Today (Wednesday), they’ve been spreading some information around that I’ve resigned. They said I didn’t attend a security meeting yesterday. I was too busy in my office.

    “The same security people were meeting with me that same evening. Must I attend every meeting? Can’t the President hold a meeting with the security chiefs without me? They said I was so angry that they didn’t bring me to that meeting, that I was excluded, then I resigned! I have not resigned.”

  • Jussie Smollett may have planned his attack- Chicago Police reveals

    Sources inside the Chicago police department have stated that they have strong reasons to believe that ‘Empire’ Star, Jussie Smollett paid Nigerian brothers Abimbola “Abel” and Olabinjo “Ola” Osundairo, to stage the January 29 attack on him which he said was carried out by a two unknown men who hurled homophobic and racist insults at him.

     

    This is coming after the police released the brothers who they said would not be charged for the case. The brothers are said to be cooperating with the probe and reportedly revealed during investigation that Smollett paid them up to $3,500 to carry out the ‘attack’.

    They told policemen that they purchased the rope for the noose recovered from Smollett’s neck after the attack, and have turned over to cops the Ace Hardware receipt for their purchase of the rope, Fox 32 reports.

    Investigators are now eager to speak again with the actor, who has since hired an arsenal of attorneys including Todd Pugh, Victor P. Henderson, and Michael Monico, a high-powered criminal attorney who also reps Michael Cohen, the former lawyer for US President Donald Trump.

    Smollett through his reps has also released a statement concerning the new developments in the case, affirming that he was ‘angered and devastated’ to learn that the perpetrators of the attack are individuals familiar with him. His attorneys also debunk claim that he was involved, saying “Nothing is further from the truth and anyone claiming otherwise is lying.”

    The Nigerian brothers are well known to the actor and have worked as extras on the TV series. They are workout buddies as they use the same gym as Smollett. They travelled to Nigeria on the Night of the attack and were reportedly picked up from the airport when they returned back to the United States.

    Read the full statement:

    “As a victim of a hate crime who has cooperated with the police investigation, Jussie Smollett is angered and devastated by recent reports that the perpetrators are individuals he is familiar with. He has now been further victimized by claims attributed to these alleged perpetrators that Jussie played a role in his own attack. Nothing is further from the truth and anyone claiming otherwise is lying.

    “One of these purported suspects was Jussie’s personal trainer who he hired to ready him physically for a music video. It is impossible to believe that this person could have played a role in the crime against Jussie or would falsely claim Jussie’s complicity.

    “Jussie and his attorneys anticipate being further updated by the Chicago Police Department on the status of the investigation and will continue to cooperate. At the present time, Jussie and his attorneys have no inclination to respond to ‘unnamed’ sources inside of the investigation, but will continue discussions through official channels.”