TheNewsGuru

Tag: Kidnapped

  • BREAKING: Kidnapped FRSC officials regain freedom

    BREAKING: Kidnapped FRSC officials regain freedom

    Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has revealed that all the remaining kidnapped officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), out of the initial 26 recently kidnapped along Maraban-Udege, have regained their freedom.

    He disclosed this Tuesday while playing host to the Market Enterprise Development Advisor, Fatima Mukthar Buhari at the government house Lafia.

    While congratulating the state Police Commissioner, Bola Longe, for the wonderful job of securing the release of the remaining kidnapped FRSC operatives, the Governor further thanked all the security agencies, as well as all those who worked hard to achieve the feat.

    “I am happy to announce that all the 26 members of the FRSC that were recently kidnapped have been released Tuesday.

    “I want to thank all the security agencies and all those who worked very hard to ensure that we achieved that feat. I want to thank them for all the efforts they are making in order to ensure that Nasarawa remains safe,” Sule stated.

    Recall that 26 FRSC officials travelling for a training programme in at the FRSC Academy in Udi, Enugu State, were abducted by suspected bandits, with three of the kidnapped operatives earlier rescued.

  • JUST IN: Kidnapped Delta LG boss, Aduge Okorodudu regains freedom

    JUST IN: Kidnapped Delta LG boss, Aduge Okorodudu regains freedom

    Abducted chairman of Warri North council area of Delta State, Hon. Aduge Okorodudu, has regained his freedom.

    The Nation gathered that Okorodudu was released in the early hours of Tuesday.

    Circumstances surrounding the release were still sketchy as of the time of filing this report, but a source claimed that some money was paid as ransom for his release.

    The Delta State Police Command confirmed his release on Tuesday.

    The Police spokesperson, DSP Onome Onowakpoyeya, said “it is true. He has been released but we are yet to get the details”.

    Recall that unknown gunmen around 8pm, Saturday, kidnapped the council boss along Mabiaku Road, near Nana Model College, Warri.

    His driver was reportedly shot on the leg during the incident.

  • Abducted wife of former Edo Speaker released

    Hassana, the wife of former Edo Speaker, Zakawanu Garuba, who was abducted along the Lokoja-Abuja highway on Saturday, has been released.

    She was kidnapped with the driver on her way to Auchi to bury Garuba, who died of undisclosed ailment in the early hours of Saturday in Abuja.

    Hassana, her three children and aged mother of the late Speaker were travelling from Abuja for the burial when they ran into kidnappers at Kabba junction in Kogi state.

    The kidnappers were said to have made away with the widow while leaving the three children and their grandmother.

    But younger brother to the deceased Speaker told The Nation on Saturday night that Hassana has been released unhurt by her abductors.

    He however said the whereabouts of the driver remained unknown.

    Meanwhile, The Nation also gathered the remains of Garuba would be interred tonight in his Auchi residence.

  • Army rescues kidnapped victims, recovers weapons in 3 states

    Army rescues kidnapped victims, recovers weapons in 3 states

    Troops of the Nigerian Army under Operation Sahel Sanity have rescued eight kidnapped victims and recovered weapons in Sokoto, Zamfara and Kastina States.

    The Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters, Abuja, Brig.-Gen. Benard Onyeuko, disclosed this at a press briefing on Sunday in Faskari, Kastina State.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, had on July 6 flagged off the Operation Sahel Sanity at Special Army Super Camp in Faskari as part of the Nigerian Army Day Celebration.

    Onyeuko said the Chief of Army Staff flagged off the exercise to flush out armed bandits, cattle rustlers, kidnappers and other criminal elements from the North West Zone.

    “The troops quickly moblised to the area and engaged the criminals, neutralising scores in the process.

    “The situation was quickly brought under control and the troops subsequently dominated the area with patrols denying criminal elements freedom of action,” he said.

    He said on July 9 while responding to a distress call, troops deployed at Gidan Baure in Jibiya Local Government Area of Katsina State rescued three young girls kidnapped by armed bandits at Sayau village.

    Onyeuko said on the same day, troops also rescued three kidnapped victims in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

    “Two other kidnap victims who were kidnapped on June 1, 2020 at Yayi village in Sabon Birni LGA of Sokoto State have been rescued by the troops.

    “All the victims have been handed over to Katsina and Sokoto State Government officials for further action.

    “Receiving a credible intelligence, the troops sprang an ambush at Gidan Jaja in Zurmi LGA of Zamfara, the bandits fled with heavy gunshot wounds, abandoning one AK 47 rifle in the process.

    “While on aggressive mobile patrol, our troops intercepted three armed bandits who opened fire on troops.

    “During the fire fight, one of the bandits was neutralised while others fled in disarray, one AK 47 rifle and one motorcycle were recovered,” he said.

    Onyeuko also said on Saturday, July 11, troops laid ambush between Daki Takwas and Tashar Kuturu villages of Anka and Talata Mafara Local Government Areas of Zamfara.

    He said troops made contact with the bandits who escaped with various degrees of gunshot wounds in the cover of darkness.

    Onyeuko said troops had continued to dominate the area as a means of confidence building for the residents and farmers to continue their agricultural activities.

    He added that items recovered included one motorcycle, 10 dane guns, one catarpult and one knife.

    Others, he said, were one saw, 16 plugs, one axe and three cell phones.

    Onyeuko, on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, commended the troops for their gallantry, successes and the professionalism exhibited within the short period of the operation and urged them not to rest on their oars.

    He reassured the people of the North-West Zone of the army’s commitment to restoring peace in the region.

  • Just in: After spending one week in kidnappers den, Delta doctor regains freedom

    After spending one week in kidnappers den, Principal Medical Officer at Ojobo General Hospital in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, Dr. Wisdom Iboyitete, has regained his freedom.

    Iboyitete was kidnapped by gunmen who had disguised as patients at the hospital premises.

    According to reports the Delta doctor was released by his abductors in the early hours of Sunday.

    Delta State Secretary of the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP), Dr. Ikechukwu Okoh, confirmed the release of the abducted doctor to journalists in Warri.

    Okoh could not give details of the modalities of his colleague’s release as of the time of filing this report.

    Recall that NAGGMDP, Delta State Chapter had declared an indefinite strike to protest the abduction of Iboyitete.

    The Nigerian Medical Association, in the same vein, directed its members across the state to down tools if the victim was not released before Monday, June 8, 2020.

    The kidnappers had reportedly demanded N5 million ransom for the release of the abducted medical doctor on Wednesday.

    It was however not clear if the ransom was paid to secure the release of the doctor as of the time of filing this report.

  • Lebanese Nollywood actor rescued from kidnappers

    Lebanese Nollywood actor rescued from kidnappers

    The Police Command in Rivers State on Saturday said that it had rescued the abducted Lebanese actor who acts in Nollywood movies, Bilal Nosser.

    The command’s spokesman, DSP Nnamdi Omoni, said in a statement that it took the swift intervention of operatives from Okehi Police Station led by the Divisional Police Officer to rescue the abducted Lebanese actor on Saturday in Port Harcourt.

    Nosser was kidnapped in the early hours of Friday in Imo State and kept in a thick forest of Ndashi community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    Omoni said: “Operatives from Okehi Police Station led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) rescued Bilal Nosser, a Nollywood actor popularly known as ‘Mr B’, in a sting operation on Friday night.

    “Nosser was kidnapped in the early hours of Friday in Imo State and taken to a forest in Ndashi where he was rescued by the DPO and his team,” he said.

    Omoni said that the operatives arrested one suspect in the hideout while others fled on sighting the police team.

    “The male suspect was arrested while he was keeping watch over Nosser. The suspect had confessed to the crime as well as named other gang members.

    “Consequently, efforts have been intensified to arrest his fleeing members and recover their operational weapons,” he said.

    The police spokesman also said that the team recovered a Toyota Venza car belonging to the abducted Lebanese actor from his abductors.

  • Four prospective corps members kidnapped on their way to orientation camp

    Four prospective corps members travelling to Zamfara State for the NYSC orientation camp, have been kidnapped by unknown gunmen.

    It was learnt that the corps members; three males and a female, and some other graduates from Rufus Giwa Polytechnic were kidnapped around Funtua in Katsina State while the driver fled.

    They were said to have boarded a bus from Owo, Ondo State to the Zamfara State camp ground where they were posted to.

    The NYSC orientation camp for Batch A 2020 opened for prospective corps members on Tuesday, March 10th.

    The spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, DCP Frank Mba confirmed the incident.

    He disclosed that a manhunt has begun to rescue the kidnapped corps members immediately.

    “It is true that some prospective corps members were kidnapped. Four of them were kidnapped around 11:30 pm.

    “The command has launched a manhunt for their captors in order to ensure their safe rescue.

    ” The command is making progress in its investigation and operation,” Mba added.

  • Just in: Amaechi’s mother released by kidnappers

    Reports reaching TheNewsGuru (TNG) reveals that Mrs. Appolonia, the mother of Ikechukwu Amaechi, the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of TheNiche Newspapers, who was kidnapped by unknown gunmen has regained her freedom.

    According to reports from close associates of the Nigerian publisher, the 79-year-old grandmother and a retired teacher, who was abducted on Tuesday, March 3 has been released by her abductors.

    As at the time TNG filed this report, calls made to her son, Ikechuckwu proved abortive.

    Details sooon…

  • Four NSCDC officers abducted in Kogi

    At least four officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have been kidnapped.

    William Aya, a deputy superintendent of police, revealed that the officers were kidnapped at a spot in Alo-Offoke community on the Itobe-Ayingba road.

    The officials were said to be travelling to Makurdi for promotion examination when their vehicles were stopped by some gunmen.

    “Information gathered reveals that four civil defence personnel were among the kidnapped victims,” Aya said, indicating that those kidnapped may be more than four.

    He said three other persons that sustained injuries during the attack were currently receiving treatment at a hospital.

    Aya said the police responded immediately it received distress calls that some armed men were operating between Alo- Offoke and Ayingba.

    “The Divisional Police Officer in charge immediately mobilised his personnel to the scene where they met two abandoned vehicles, one Volkswagen Sharon bus with registration number Kogi KNA 220 LG and a Volkswagen Gulf car with registration number Lagos EZ 376 SMK,” he said.

    “Both vehicles were riddled with bullets and occupants suspected to have been abducted while 20 expended AK47 ammunition and civil defence kits were recovered from the scene.”

    Aya said the command had flagged off aerial surveillance patrol of Obajana axis and other black spots.

    He said the operation also involved ground troops consisting of police and military personnel who are now combing the bush to rescue victims.

    He said the new operation was being led by the state Commissioner of Police, Ayuba Ekpeji.

  • Kidnapped Staff: Unizik SSANU stages rally in Anambra

    Kidnapped Staff: Unizik SSANU stages rally in Anambra

    Members of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Anambra State, on Friday staged a protest to the state government house, over the kidnap of their colleague, Engr. Emeka Chiaghana

    The Unizik Staff, was kidnaped in his house in Nibo, Awka South council area of the state on October 25, 2019 and had not been seen till date.

    The protesters numbering over 200, displayed placards with various inscriptions on the plight and whereabouts of their colleague.

    Some of the placards read: ‘We want Chiaghana back to us; Governor Willie Obiano please intervene, among others.

    Chairperson of the association, Comrade Njideka Nwangwu ,said the protest was necessitated by the abduction of their member .

    According to her, “By this peaceful protest , SSANU UNIZIK enjoins the government of Anambra State , security agencies , the university community and the general public to note this important development . ”

    Nwangwu noted that though SSANU was aware of the efforts of security agencies and UNIZIK management in trying to ensure the release of their kidnapped member alive , she said the relevant authorities should expedite action for him to regain his freedom and join his family .

    Responding on behalf of the state government, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu , assured members of SSANU UNIZIK that security agencies were on top of the issue .

    Prof.Chukwulobelu also said the state government had not gone to bed on the matter and had been conducting investigations underground to nail his abductors and reunite him with his immediate family.

    He said the state government had been feeding the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Charles Esimone with the latest information regarding Engr. Emeka Chiaghana’s kidnap .

    He said the latest update on the issue was given to Prof. Esimone on January 7, 2020 .

    Chukwulobelu, therefore urged the protesting senior staff of UNIZIK not to despair but to be strong in their faith as the state government and other security agencies would ensure that their colleague is released from captivity .

    Meanwhile, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed, said the Command was not sleeping in making sure the victim was released