TheNewsGuru

Tag: Katsina

  • Miyetti Allah, security operatives rescue 77 kidnap victims in Katsina

    Miyetti Allah, security operatives rescue 77 kidnap victims in Katsina

    Security operatives on Thursday evening handed over 77 kidnap victims to the Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Masari.

    The Governor said the victims were rescued by the state government in collaboration with the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Air Force, the Department of State Security and other security agencies.

    He said in all, 104 kidnap victims have recently been rescued through such collaboration.

    The Governor said out of the 104 victims, 16 were from Sabuwa, Faskari and Dandume axis of the state; 10 from Danmusa axis, adding that the 77 handed over to him on Thursday were from Batsari and Jibia axis.

    He revealed that their rescue was in continuation of an exercise that started with the recovery of the recently abducted 344 schoolboys of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara.

    Masari said, “We saw an opener and we are working with the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in cooperation with the police, the army, the DSS, the Air force and other security agencies to bring back as many of the kidnapped victims as possible.

    “And the process is still ongoing, we are doing this as quietly as we can to make sure that nobody is harmed and further kidnapping is stopped”.

    The Katsina Commissioner of Police, Sanusi Buba, in his remarks, said the bandits themselves made several appeals for peace to reign in their domains.

    He said, “This process has been on for some days. We are making efforts to ensure that all those that are still in captivity are safely rescued without the payment of any ransom or hindrance. We hope and pray that this method will not be limited to Katsina State but will go beyond all other vulnerable states.”

    It was learnt that the rescued 77 victims are to be reunited with their families on Friday.

  • Sorrow as bride-to-be dies on her wedding day in Katsina

    Sorrow as bride-to-be dies on her wedding day in Katsina

    A bride-to-be, Fatima Hassan Fari has died on her wedding day in Funtua Local Government Area of Katsina State.

    It was gathered that Fatima died at 7:am on Saturday, January 2, 2021, three hours to her wedding Fatiha slated at 10:am.

    She was buried at 2:pm same Saturday, according to Islamic rites.

    Beautiful bride-to-be dies 3 hours to her wedding in Katsina

    Meanwhile, friends and family members have taken to Facebook to mourn her death. A school friend, Mallam Muhammad Sani Isah described Fatima as an upright lady and a humanitarian.

    “Farewell to my school friend Fatima Hassan Fari , who left us today’s morning to go to a better place where there is no pain and she can join her father,’ he wrote.

    “I truely had her in a million, she was a perfect upright ledy and total humanitarian. No matter what people said or if they did her wrong she would not judge but look for an amicable solution.She faced foe with a brave heart and would not retreat from the cause until all parties were happy. I at times accused her of making excuses for the devil. Her motto was “even if the other person is wrong you do what is right!”

    “Innallahi wainnailaihirajiun Fatima is no more May Allah SWT forgives her shortcomings and reward her good deeds with Jannatil Firdaus. My sincere to condolence to her family and Especially Asacosa’s members . May Allah SWT give them the fortitude to bear this great loss.”

    Muhammad Sani isah

    2nd January 2021
    See more posts below…

  • Gunmen abduct newlyweds, kill lawmaker’s uncle in Katsina

    Gunmen abduct newlyweds, kill lawmaker’s uncle in Katsina

    Gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed one person and abducted a newly wedded couple at Runka community in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Gambo Isah, confirmed the incident on Monday.

    Isah, however, stated that he was making efforts to contact the Divisional Police Officer in the local government for more details.

    A resident of Runka said the community was attacked by the armed men in the early hours of Monday.

    The victim, according to the resident, was simply identified as Sama’ila Super, an uncle to the lawmaker representing Safana Constituency in the Katsina State House of Assembly.

    Super, who was reported to have been killed after he resisted attempts by the bandits to kidnap him, was buried hours after the incident.

    The resident decried that a similar attack was carried out on Sunday where some scores of villagers were abducted at Babban Duhu Community.

    He noted that many locals were wounded during the incident and were taken to a hospital for medical treatment.

  • BREAKING: Katsina troubled again as gunmen kidnap students in fresh attack

    BREAKING: Katsina troubled again as gunmen kidnap students in fresh attack

    Fresh reports indicate that gunmen suspected to be bandits have abducted many students of Islamiyya school in Mahuta town, Dandume Local Government Area of Katsina State.

    The attack comes a few days after gunmen invaded Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, kidnapping 344 students.

    According to a report published by a local news website in Katsina State, Katsina Post, the Islamic students were abducted on their way home after they graced a maulud procession at Unguwar Al-Kasim, a nearby village.

    The actual number of the abducted students is yet to be known, but the vigilante groups in the community have already begun a rescue operation.

    When contacted, the Katsina State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Gambo Isah, said he was out of the state on an official assessment and could not comment on the issue.

  • Abduction of schoolboys on my visiting day to Katsina meant to embarrass my administration – Buhari

    Abduction of schoolboys on my visiting day to Katsina meant to embarrass my administration – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari said on Friday that the abduction of 344 students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara in Katsina State, was targeted at embarrassing his administration.

    Buhari made the statement when he met with the rescued Kankara students and representatives of their parents at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Katsina.

    The president, who spoke in Hausa, said it was not a coincidence that the bandits struck on the very day he visited his home town, Daura after about 18 months.

    He explained that his trip to Daura had become necessary in view of the fact he last visited home 18 months ago, disclosing that he planned to retire to the town after completing his second term in May, 2023.

    “I normally visit my home town because I swore by the holy Quran that I will safeguard the nation’s constitution, hence I must hand over power on May 29, 2023 to the next government.

    “So, if God spares my life, I’ll definitely come home. This informed my visits home.’’

    Buhari vowed to leave behind a stable and prosperous nation by the end of his administration.

    The president thanked God for sparing the lives of all the 344 rescued students, urging them to put behind them their ordeals in the hands of the bandits.

    He called on the students to take their studies seriously to enable them accomplish their missions in life.

    Buhari said that he was at the Katsina Government House to rejoice with the students on their release from captivity, saying that government would do all it could to prevent future occurrence of the incident.

    The president lauded Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State for his untiring efforts in ensuring the release of the abducted students.

    He also commended security officials involved in the rescue operation.

    The president reminded those saddled with the responsibility of safeguarding lives and property of citizens to bear in mind that they would also be judged by God after their earthly sojourn.

    Buhari, however, said the military and other security agencies still had a lot to do to secure the country and its citizens.

    “This is their job. They signed for it. Whether they like it or not, they will have to provide security for the country,’’ the president stated.

    In his remarks, Masari suggested that the security architecture in the country should be upgraded to ensure safety of citizens, assuring that the “kidnap of school children will never happen again’’.

    The governor said the release of the children was through collaborations, negotiations and discussions, thanking the president for consistently supporting the process, creating time for regular updates and taking actions when needed.

    Buhari had since departed Katsina State after his week-long visit to Daura, his country home.

    Masari and the Deputy Governor of Katsina, Mr Mannir Yakubu, were among dignitaries, who bid the president farewell at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Airport, Katsina.

  • Army counters Gov Masari for praising Miyetti Allah over release of kidnapped schooldboys in Katsina

    Army counters Gov Masari for praising Miyetti Allah over release of kidnapped schooldboys in Katsina

    The defence headquarters on Friday countered the narrative of Katsina Governor, Bello Masari who praised Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association for playing a major role in the release of the schoolboys.

    Masari had on Wednesday, said that the gunmen who attacked Government Science Secondary School in Kankara Local Government Area of the state and kidnapped schoolboys have been contacted.

    He added that the government was negotiating the boys’ freedom through the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN).
    says the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji successfully rescued all 344 abducted students of Government Science Secondary School Kankara, Katsina state.

    However, on Friday, John Enenche, spokesman of the Defence Headquarters, posited that the military rescued the captives, thanking “the members of general public who volunteered information are also appreciated”.

    He said the students were rescued “on the heels of credible intelligence by the gallant troops”, with high degree of professionalism to ensure they were all rescued alive.

    “Keeping to its promise to ensure the safe return of all abducted students of Government Science Secondary School Kankara, Katsina State, troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI rescued all 344 abducted students on Thursday 17 December 2020,” he said.

    “The Military High Command commends troops of Operation Hadarin Daji including all security agencies for their dexterity.”

    Corroborating Masari’s standpoint, Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle said the 344 schoolboys who were abducted from Katsina and taken to a forest in the state were released with no ransom paid to their kidnappers.

    The governor also told newsmen that the state was able to secure their release through the help of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and repentant bandits.

  • BREAKING: Finally Katsina Govt confirms release of Kankara schoolboys

    BREAKING: Finally Katsina Govt confirms release of Kankara schoolboys

    Reports reaching TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) has it that the schoolboys kidnapped by bandits from Government Secondary School, Kankara in Katsina State at the weekend have been rescued.

    A senior Spokesperson to Governor Aminu Masari confirmed the release of the schoolboy abducted at the Government Science Secondary School Kankara on Thursday evening.

    Also, according to several sources involved in the matter, all the abducted schoolboys were released, and would soon be allowed to be reunited with their families after checks have been conducted.

    The schoolboys boys are currently in Tsafe, Zamfara, where they would be brought to Kankara on Friday.

    Earlier, a video emerged reportedly from Boko Haram, showing dozens of young boys in a forest begging the Nigerian armed forces to stop looking for them.

    The terror group said they are the children kidnapped from their school last Friday.

    For two nights, the parents of the abducted Kankara schoolboys have been keeping vigil at the school premises.

    Meanwhile, Governor Masari himself has called President Muhammadu Buhari to brief him of the rescue of the abducted schoolboys.

    Following the briefing, President Buhari welcomed the release of the kidnapped students, describing their safe return as a big relief to their families, the entire country and international community.

    In a short remark shortly after their release was announced, President Buhari expressed the nation’s appreciation for the steps taken by all involved to make their release possible.

    President Buhari specifically cited what he called the “spirit of partnership and the collaborative efforts of the government of Katsina, Zamfara and military leading to the release.’’

    He commended the nation’s intelligence agencies, the military and police force for providing the environment for safe release of the hostages.

    “The Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, and the army worked extremely hard. As soon as I got the information I congratulated them. The Armed Forces know their job. They have been well trained and properly motivated.”

    On the issue of detainees held elsewhere in the country by either terrorists or bandits, the President gave assurances that his administration is aware of its responsibility to protect the life and property of the Nigerians.

    President Buhari urged the citizens to be patient and fair to the administration as it deals with the problems of security, economy and corruption.

    He noted that the administration was fully aware that it was elected to resolve challenges.

    “When we came, we made efforts that yielded the return of the Chibok Girls. When a similar incident of school abduction happened at Dapchi, we successfully returned all but one of the more than one hundred abductees. When this latest incident happened, we put in our efforts and today we have this result to show.”

    The President pointed to the successes of the administration in dealing with security in the South South and North East.

    He said the North West now presents a challenge which his administration is determined to deal with.

    “We have a lot of work to do, especially now that we have re-opened the borders. It is unfortunate that the bandits and terrorists continue to get weapons even under the circumstances of the border closure. We are going to dare them. We will deal with all that,” the President further assured.

    He prayed for the full recovery of the students, whom he said had endured significant hardships in the course of their six-day ordeal.

    The President assured of the determination of his administration to return to safety all citizens held against their will.

  • BREAKING: Police Stop #BringBackOurBoys Protest in Kastina [PHOTOS]

    BREAKING: Police Stop #BringBackOurBoys Protest in Kastina [PHOTOS]

    The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) are currently meeting in Kastina to launch the #BringBackOurBoys Campaign meant to pressurise the federal government to speedily rescue the kidnapped school boys of Government Science Secondary Kankara, Kastina State.

    Nastura Ashir-sharif a member of CNG told Journalists on Thursday that the protest was meant to begin from the Kastina Airport to President Muhammadu Buhari’s house in Daura, but operatives of the Nigerian Police stopped the protest.

    DETAILS SOON……

  • #BringBackOurBoys: The Kankara kidnap, one kidnap too many – Ozioma Onyenweaku

    #BringBackOurBoys: The Kankara kidnap, one kidnap too many – Ozioma Onyenweaku

    By Ozioma Onyenweaku

    It was in 2014 that we woke up to the news of the abduction of over 200 girls from a girls’ school in Chibok. After all the hues and cries over the abduction, the girls remain missing more than 6 years after. With all the security paraphernalia Nigeria can boast of, actions did not go beyond condemnation; and the girls are still missing to date.

    That inaction has emboldened a greater one. 623 school boys have been abducted from Government Science Secondary School Kankara in Katsina State.
    The ease with which the 623 boys were abducted at once from the school raises serious concern. How were the students moved in that number from the school without rescue? It is petite for someone to suggest that motorcycles were used in moving 623 boys into the forest; so also for someone who said the boys were moved in buses.

    The students must have been herded into the forest; and nobody stopped them!

    This situation is more worrisome if we realise that Kankara is less than 200km away from Daura the home town of His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari. The area should experience and enjoy the heavy security presence for being close to Daura. So it is worrisome to even imagine the dare-devil’s confidence in staging and successfully carrying out the abduction with the presence of the President and all his huge and vast security paraphernalia. Yes, we understand that the President was in town on vacation at the time. So heavy security must have been on ground. So what went wrong? How did the whole evacuation of the boys take place?

    Aligning with the populace assertion of wrong use of security operatives in Nigeria, the grief-stricken mothers of the abducted students were said to have been teargassed by the Nigerian Police Force. Are we still a sane people? Mothers were peacefully protesting and begging government to use its powers to rescue their children, and the Police used teargas on them! The same State apparatus of power that could not be used to save the innocent students from being abducted is what was used on the grief- stricken mothers thereby aggravating their pains and sorrow! Who did this to us as a nation? Such insensitivity to the plight of these mothers can send some of them to an earlier grave.

    If children are not safe in their country where else will they be safe! We cannot ignore the fact that protection of life is the first line of duty of the government. It falls squarely on the government to protect life and ensure security of all citizens including the children. The government has been sleeping on this duty. The thought alone of the insecurity in the country is so destabilizing and mental torturing. Nobody feels safe any more any where.

    Not only were the students abducted, there is growing fear for their lives. Nobody knows how many of them would make it back alive. This is in no way being pessimistic because report has it that two have already been killed. Innocent lives being wasted, and we have a responsibility towards these young ones.

    The attack on schools and the abduction of students is an attack on education. For how long will we keep toying with the education of our children? It is enough that the schools are neglected and ill-equipped In Nigeria but adding insecurity and loss of life to it is too grave.
    Somebody has to take responsibility for all these and do the needful. This is no time to play politics with the lives of the students. We owe the students a duty of care. Now their lives are in danger; even those that escaped, and those that would be rescued would have had their emotional, mental and psychological health messed up. So a lot is at stake here.

    We have been failing the children, may we not fail them further. We must show commitment towards rescuing the Kankara students.
    All hands must be on deck. We must be intentional at getting to the root of this particular kidnap. It is one part today; it could be another tomorrow. Insecurity in one part is an insecurity in all the parts of the country

  • Katsina abduction: Teachers threaten nationwide strike

    Katsina abduction: Teachers threaten nationwide strike

    The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike pending when the safety of its members to teach and guide pupils without fear of abduction is guaranteed.

    The union said this while reacting to the abduction of their members and over 300 students of the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State.

    According to the strike notice issued in a statement released on Tuesday, December 15 by the Secretary-General of NUT, Dr. Mike Ene, he said NUT may be compelled to down tools, and go on a nationwide strike if the Federal Government does nothing to ensure the security around schools across the country.

    The statement in part reads;

    “The wicked and merciless hands of anti-education terrorists clinched Mr. Alu Ola Paul a Headteacher with Olagua Primary School Ohordua in Edo State and Kidnapped him on his way to work on December 1, 2020, and released six days later.

    “In the same view on December 8 2020, Mrs. Gladys Niemogha Belleh and Mrs. Blessing Emunefe both of whom are teachers of Ohorhe Secondary School, Effurun in Delta State were kidnapped in their school premises by armed bandits and are yet to be released, thereby throwing both families, students, and the school community into emotional and overall destabilization.

    READ ALSO Fulani bandits kidnapped 333 Kankara students: Resident
    “Similarly, the night of Friday December 11 2020 Government Science Secondary School Kankara in Katsina State, was invaded by armed bandits with reports that 333 students are yet to be accounted for as at today, this dastardly act has sent shivers through the spine of other members of the entire school community of Katsina state.

    “In light of these recent developments, the NUT may be compelled to down tools, pending when it is safe for our members to teach and guide our pupils and students without fear of abduction by these faceless enemies of educational prosperity of the Nigerian nation.

    “The NUT herewith extend our appeal to all stakeholders to join hands with the government and security agencies to provide adequate protection for the students, pupils, teachers and the school communities, to ensure that educational activities are not hampered by enemies of the nations educational system using schools as soft targets.

    “In order not to escalate the disruption of our academic calendar which is in a fragile state as a result of COVID–19 pandemic, NUT unequivocally calls on the Federal, States and Local government to ensure adequate security and 24-hour surveillance around our schools.

    READ ALSO 333 Kankara schoolboys likely kidnapped, largest abduction ever
    “Also, the government must begin to consider the implementation of Life Insurance and Hazard Allowance to teachers in our Basic and Senior Secondary Schools as approved by His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR on the occasion of the World Teachers’ Day 2020.

    “Our prayers are with families of the abducted teachers and students as we hold unto government on their promise to ensure their safe release to be reunited with family members and relatives without further delay.

    “These incidences are sad reminders of previous ugly events in Chibok and Dapchi, where Boko Haram terrorist had attacked and abducted students creating a monumental disruption of school activities and impeding our nations educational growth and advancement while subjecting family members and relatives to unimaginable trauma.

    “The recent condemnable events of Bandits attack on schools, if not immediately addressed will largely affect the 2019/2020 academic calender which has already been disrupted by the six-month-long lockdown caused by the COVID–19 pandemic.

    READ ALSO UNICEF demands unconditional release of abducted students
    “As a union, the NUT will not fold her hands and watch enemies of educational development to threaten the nation’s educational system to suffocation. As such, we wish to remind our government at all levels, of their primary responsibility as enshrined in the constitution which is the security of lives and property of the entire Nigerian citizens.

    “The NUT make bold to demand that government must rise to these challenges and take up its responsibility to guarantee and execute this general principle and commitment of providing adequate security to all our educational institutions and the nation at large.

    “Unfortunately, it is becoming apparent that the government cannot provide security and safety of our teachers, students and the educational community across Nigeria. This unfortunate situation must be addressed without further contemplation.”