TheNewsGuru

Tag: unimaid

  • Families of freed lecturers, policewomen laud FG for their release

    Mrs Hassana Ibrahim, a relative to one of the freed University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) lecturers, Yusuf Ibrahim, has expressed joy over their release from Boko Haram captivity.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government, on Saturday, announced the release of Ibrahim and 12 other persons abducted by the insurgents in Borno, sequel to negotiations anchored by the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC).

     

    The freed persons included one lecturer, two geologists and 10 police women.

     

    Hassana, who appeared highly elated, told NAN that the family received the news of the release of her younger brother with “great joy”.

     

    She said that friends and well wishers had been calling to register their happiness and rejoice with the family over the development.

     

    Hassana recounted that she experienced trauma and lost hope of seeing her brother in view of their long stay under the insurgent’s captivity.

     

    “My family lost hope of seeing him again because of the circumstances leading to his abduction. We were confused.

     

    “We thanked God and President Muhammadu Buhari over his commitment to secure their release, we are really grateful to all the parties involved,” she said.

     

    Ms Lucy Yunana, a relative of one the abducted policewoman, who corroborated Ibrahim, expressed the hope that the remaining Chibok girls and others persons in Boko Haram captivity would soon be released.

     

    Also, Sen. Ali Ndume (APC-Borno South), lauded the Federal Government and ICRC over the release of the 13 abducted persons.

     

    Ndume said, in a statement issued in Maiduguri, that the development had rekindled people’s hope to rescue the remaining Chibok school girls and other persons in Boko Haram captivity.

     

    “The development not only gladdens our hearts but also renewed our hope that the remaining Chibok school girls and other persons still in captivity will regain their freedom in due course.

     

    “On behalf of the good people of Borno State, I commend all actors that partook in the latest negotiated release of police women and lecturers.

     

    “I specifically commend the leadership of the President Muhammadu Buhari for keeping faith with his promise of ensuring that all abducted persons, especially the Chibok schoolgirls, are released”, Ndume said.

     

    NAN recalls that the university workers were abducted in July 2017 when the insurgents attacked an oil exploration team in Gubio and Magumeri Local Government areas of Borno.

     

    Also, 10 police women were abducted on June 20, 2017 when the insurgents attacked a motorcade of police convoy on Maiduguri-Damboa Road.

  • UNIMAID denies resignation of 70 lecturers

    The management of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), has denied report of the purported resignation of 70 lecturers due to upsurge in Boko Haram attacks on the university community.

    A statement signed by Prof. Danjuma Gambo, Director, Radio and Public Relations, on Thursday in Maiduguri, stated that none of the school’s personnel resigned from duty due to attacks by the insurgents.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the university had recently being the target of suicide bomb attacks by the insurgents.

    On July 7, the insurgents attacked a team of oil exploration workers from the university and the National Nigeria Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    They killed five staff of the university and abducted four others.

    Gambo dismissed the report as “false and misleading,’’adding that it was aimed at disrupting academic activities in the university.

    He said that the report was attributed to the Chairman, Academic Staff Union (ASUU) in the university, Dr Dani Mamman, who was erroneously misrepresented by the media.

    “Our attention has been drawn to a false and misleading report indicating that 70 lecturers resigned their appointment due to incessant insurgents’ attacks in the university.

    “The management wish to clarify that it has not received any resignation letter from academic or non-academic staff since the attack took place.

    “Having successfully completed the second semester 2016/2017 examinations, academic staff are rather busy processing results preparatory to promoting and graduating students,” Gambo said.

    He called on members of public to disregard the misconception generated by the report, which he noted, did not reflect on the reality of the situation in the university.

  • 70 lecturers quit UNIMAID over Boko Haram attacks

    About 70 lecturers of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) have resigned since Boko Haram began terrorising the North-East, Punch reports.

    Chairman, UNIMAID chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Dr. Dani Mamman, said this in an interview with the newspaper.

    Mamman said, “About 70 lecturers left, about five died and three are held hostage by Boko Haram. The admission figure of students has been dropping since insurgency started in 2012. We don’t know what will happen to the admission of students this year.

    “The exit of some lecturers has affected research and learning because some are specialists in their fields. Usually, such exodus affects accreditation of some programmes and courses.

    “We requested the government to increase security personnel, security gadgets and construction of the 23.7 km perimeter fence. In the interim, the state governor has started building a 10.3 km perimeter fence.

  • Professor among 3 UNIMAID staff abducted by Boko Haram

    Investigations have revealed that a Professor of Geology at the University of Maiduguri was among the three staff members of the institution ambushed and abducted last Tuesday by Boko Haram.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the don, Dr. Solomon Yusuf, was one of the trio in the photograph released on Friday by the terror sect.

    It was also learnt that security has been beefed up in the university and its vicinity to prevent any further attack.

    A reliable source said: “A Professor of Geology was among the three captured by Boko Haram terrorists while on oil exploration in the Lake Chad Basin.

    “We are really sad in this academic community, we are feeling unsafe really: I mean the staff and students.

    “We are appealing to the government to do anything to negotiate the release of these staff who only set out to serve their fatherland.

    “Their families are distraught, we are all demoralised because it could have happened to anyone. Their children are inconsolable. We are really sad.”

    A military source however said: “We are probing the incident and reviewing how the insurgents got to know about the movement of the oil exploration team.

    “The insurgents have changed tactics because they have been decimated and we will respond accordingly.

    “As mandated by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, we are all putting heads together to avert a recurrence.”

    On the fate of UNIMAID, the source said: “We have beefed up security in and around the university to protect the community. We have done that successfully in the past few years, we will strengthen it.

    “This was why the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu” insisted that the university will not be shut. A closure will amount to conceding to the insurgents.”

     

  • FG won’t shut UNIMAID over Boko Haram attacks – Education minister

    Despite the recent attacks by Boko Haram terrorists on the University of Maiduguri, UNIMAID, Borno State, the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, said the Federal Government would not shut down the institution.

    The minister said this during a condolence visit to UNIMAID, yesterday while commiserating with the school’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Njodi, and other top officials over the brutal killings of some workers of the institution by the Boko Haram insurgents in an ambush.

    About 30 civilians and 18 soldiers reportedly died in the ambush.

    Adamu said the government was not willing to truncate academic activities in the institution despite the security situation in the state.

    He said, “You demonstrate great courage and resilience to stay here to do your work despite the security challenges.

    “We commend you and the government appreciates what you are doing; even to work in Maiduguri requires courage. Before I came here, I had thought of closing down the university, but after listening to the Vice-Chancellor and seeing what you are doing, I felt proud of you.

    “The Federal Government will not shut down the university and we will provide you with all the necessary support.”

    Speaking earlier, the Vice-Chancellor, Njodi, said four workers of the university were still missing following the tragic incident.

    “We are seriously concerned about their safety; we have contacted the security to know their whereabouts,” Njodi said.

  • Boko Haram releases photo of 3 abducted UNIMAID staff

    Boko Haram has released image of kidnapped staff of the University of Maiduguri, UNIMAID.

    The three staff were kidnapped during Tuesday’s ambush of oil exploration workers in the Lake Chad Basin by the terrorist group.

    Meanwhile, no fewer than 48 bodies of the victims of the attack have been deposited at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) mortuary.

    The number is said to have risen.

    Corpses deposited were remains of 18 soldiers, 15 Civilian JTF members, 5 university staff and 4 NNPC drivers.

    Some names of UNIMAID staff killed are Dr. Joseph Millitus, Dr. Manaja Uba and Idris Njodi.

    Also, bodies of six persons who were wounded in the attack but escaped to somewhere in Yobe State where they were later found dead had been brought to Maiduguri.

    Apart from the wounded soldiers admitted to the military hospital in the town, many members of the Civilian JTF are also currently on admission at the UMTH.

    Meanwhile, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday, ordered service chiefs to return to Borno to lead operations against Boko Haram.

  • Two dead as suicide bombers attack UNIMAID students’ hostel

    Two dead as suicide bombers attack UNIMAID students’ hostel

    Three male suicide bombers on Friday attacked the students’ hostel of the University of Maiduguri.

    TheNewsGuru.com gathers that the attack was, however, repelled by security operatives at the University.

    An eye witness, who pleaded anonymity, said the suicide bombers attacked the new male hostel block (A) of the institution.

    He said the attackers entered the hostel in spite of the trenches dug to fortify the security of the school.

    He said two of the bombers detonated their explosives and blew up themselves.

    According to him, the third one was shot down by security men while trying to flee the scene of the attack.

    “The attack came at a time when students are on vacation. Only the suicide bombers were killed but they caused damage to the building,” he eye witness said.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Borno Police Command, ASP Victor Isuzu, confirmed the incident.

    Isuzu, however, said the command had neutralised two suicide bombers before they entered the university.

    He said security men shot dead the bombers before they crossed the university’s fence.

    He said the command had deployed additional personnel to beef up security at the institution.

     

     

     

    NAN

  • 2 killed as multiple explosion hits UNIMAID

    There was a suicide attack at the University of Maiduguri on Eid-el-Fitr night where two persons were killed, the spokesman of Police in Borno State, Victor Isuku has revealed.

    Isuku, who informed journalists on the Borno Police Whatsapp page, said that he was at the scene of the incident at about 12:05 a.m. on Monday, said, “At UNIMAID only one male suicide bomber died. Three university security personnel were injured. One later died.”

    Isuku, who also confirmed that there were other suicide attacks on the town on the Sallah night, promised to give further details.

    Meanwhile, a member of the youth vigilante in the town, who spoke anonymously to our correspondent on phone that the suicide attack was not targeted at the university alone.

    He said: “There was suicide attack at Zannari, a community close to the university at about 10:30 p.m .”

    The member of the youth vigilante group, who called our correspondent at about 5 a.m., said the suicide bomber was still lying in the community.

    He revealed that there was no less that three suicide attacks on Maiduguri on Sunday night.

  • Attacks: NSCDC deploys 50 armed personnel to UNIMAID

    The Borno Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC) has deployed 50 armed personnel to check incessant attacks at the University of Maiduguri.

    Its Commandant, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, told newsmen on Monday in Maiduguri that the measure was necessitated by the rising cases of suicide bombing and other attacks at the institution.

    He said that the personnel had been deployed to strategic locations like the business centres, motor parks, worship and social centres, among other areas.

    The official urged the students and members of the university community to be calm and report any suspicious movement around the vicinity to security agents.

    TheNewsGuru reports that the institution has recorded four incidents of attacks in the last few weeks.

  • 3 suicide bombers die attempting to enter varsity

    Three Suicide bombers have been confirmed dead in the early hours of Friday in Maiduguri, Borno while attempting to enter some locations in the University of Maiduguri.

    Mr Sani Datti, Head of Media and Public Relations of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

    Datti said that the vigilant University’s Security and Vigilantes group intercepted the suicide bombers before they could gain entrance into the University premises.

    He explained that immediately the suicide bombers detonated their explosives strapped on them, it led to injury of the two University’s security officers and two vigilantes.

    Datti said that the incidence occurred when the new Director-General of NEMA, Mr Mustapaha Maihaja is on a two-day visit to Maiduguri to meet with the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

    He said Maihaja would also be meeting with leaders and stakeholders in the states to discuss ways forward in responding to humanitarian needs of the affected persons.

    He said that the remains of the three suicide bombers were evacuated to the Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that amidst stringent security measures in the State, there have been few cases of suicide attacks in IDPs camps and the University of Maiduguri.

    These attacks have claimed lives and left several injured.
    (NAN)