Tragedy As Two Children Die In Niger Boat Mishap

Two children have been confirmed dead while two others sustained various degrees of injuries in a boat mishap that occurred in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger. The Overseeing Director-General of Niger Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) /, Alhaji Salihu Garba, disclosed this in Minna on Saturday. He said the incident occurred on Friday at about 6pm when the boat engine caught fire due to a mechanical failure and inflamed a gallon of petrol stored inside the boat. He said that 145 passengers were in the boat, adding that they were from Danbo community in Kogi. Garba disclosed that the passengers were on their way back from Katcha Market when the incident occurred. He said that the body of one of the deceased children had been recovered while the search for that of the second missing child was still ongoing.

Police To Sanction Man Who Fired Shots To Celebrate Ladipo Market Reopening

The spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has confirmed the identification of the man seen firing celebratory shots at the Ladipo market reopening in Lagos State. The incident, which went viral on Tuesday, showed the individual discharging rounds into the air while a crowd cheered him on. Adejobi had initially announced a probe into the matter and assured the public that the man’s identity would be revealed. In an update provided on Wednesday via his X (formerly Twitter) account, Adejobi disclosed that the man had been positively identified.  He further stated that the Lagos State police command would address the issue, adding, “The man has been identified. The Lagos state police command will speak on it asap. Let’s wait for their reaction on the matter. I really commend the efforts of the CP on it. Excellent indeed. Thanks.”

Tragedy As Transformer Explosion Kills Many In Plateau

In a devastating incident, Gada Biu community, located in the Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, was rocked by a fatal electric transformer explosion on Saturday.  The incident, which occurred around 3 a.m., not only claimed several lives but also caused significant damage to residential buildings and shops in the area. Witnesses on the scene recounted a harrowing scene, describing how the transformer explosion ignited a fire that quickly spread, leading to multiple casualties.  Among the victims, four individuals from Kabong village in the Gada Biu community were tragically electrocuted.  Moreover, the extent of the disaster remains uncertain, as more people were reportedly trapped in the inferno, with their fates yet to be determined. John Silas, a resident of the community, expressed the shock and grief that enveloped the area, stating, “The people of Kabong village in the Gada Biu community woke up this morning around 3 a.m. to mourn the death of four persons.  They were electrocuted due to an electric transformer explosion in the area. I understand that more others were trapped in the fire, and we don’t know their fate now.” Plateau State Police Command’s Spokesman, Alabo Alfred, confirmed their awareness of the tragic incident.  He revealed that several individuals sustained injuries and were promptly transported to the hospital for medical attention.  In response, the police force has dispatched its officers and personnel to the affected area to conduct a thorough investigation and shed light on the circumstances leading to the catastrophe.

NSCDC Deploys Undercover Agents To Schools

The Commandant General (CG) of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence (NSCDC), has ordered the immediate deployment of undercover agents to schools and host communities to enhance security in schools nationwide. The CG gave the order on Friday in Kaduna at the closing ceremony of a five- day capacity building on Safe School Response. No fewer than 200 NSCDC personnel and other stakeholders from the seven states in the North West attended the five-day programme. The capacity building was organised by the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC). Audi said that the Corps would partner with the Ministry of Education in each state and Local Education Authorities for the successful implementation of the directive. According to him, the capacity building is to strengthen the resilience of relevant stakeholders including vigilante groups, retired security personnel, host communities and serving personnel of NSCDC. He explained that the programme was to imbue in them all strategies and knowledge on how to provide protection for schools and host communities from violence and attacks. Audi who was represented by ACG Training and Capacity Building, David Abi, said that the NSSRCC was a critical component of the implementation strategy of the National Plan on Safe Schools. He said that the plan was developed by government to mobilise synergy among security agencies and relevant stakeholders towards schools’ protection. The CG acknowledged the rising cases of attacks and violence on schools in Nigeria and its attendant negative impacts, including increasing the rate of out of school children in the country. “The strategic plan is based on the whole-of-society approach with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps as the lead agency. “The Corps is also hosting the headquarters of the Centre, saddled with the responsibility of coordinating safety and security response for schools and host communities in collaboration with all security agencies and other relevant stakeholders. “The Centre is the first of its kind in Africa; available records indicate that no other country has this kind of facility with the sole responsibility of providing safety and security prevention and protection measures for schools and host communities.” He CG said in view of the recurring attacks and violence in schools in the country, the task ahead of the centre was enormous. “It requires effective synergy and collaboration from all stakeholders including the Federal, State and Local Governments. “It is also pertinent to state that the Standard Operating Procedure of the Centre provides for creation of state coordinating centres and local government response centres for effective and seamless operation. “It is for this singular fact the I respectfully present on behalf of the centre, the request for the kind consideration for allocation of an existing structure within each of the state capitals in the North-West to serve as the safe school coordination centres,” he said. The CG told the participants that the task ahead of them was enormous. “Be reminded that aside being ambassadors of the centre, you are equally the foot soldiers who are in direct contact with the members of schools and host communities,” he said. He charged them to ensure that the knowledge gained from this training was put into effective practice in the discharge of their duties. “Furthermore, members of the vigilante groups and private guards’ company must be ready to collaborate and work in harmony with security agencies to facilitate effective protection of our schools.” Also, the General Officer Commanding (GOC)1 Division Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Valentine Okoro, said that the national plan for safe schools was a programme developed by government to mobilise synergy among security agencies. The GOC, represented by Brig.-Gen. Henry Yanet, Commander 51 Signals, said already, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, had directed enjoined army units and formation to work with other security agencies in protecting the civil populace. In his remarks, Kaduna State Governor, Sen. Uba Sani, reiterated the state government’s commitment to partnering with all security agencies to enhance public safety. The governor was represented by the Administrator, Kaduna Capital Territory Authority, Mr Samuel Aruwan.

Police neutralise 2 suspected kidnappers, rescue victim in Enugu

The Police Command in Enugu State has neutralised two suspected kidnappers and rescued one male kidnap victim at the outskirt of Enugu metropolis. The Command also recovered the victim’s black-coloured Lexus 350 SUV alongside one locally made revolver gun loaded with four cartridges and another locally fabricated pistol belonging to the criminal elements. This is contained in a statement issued by the Command’s Spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, on Tuesday in Enugu. Ndukwe said that police operatives, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Mr Olasoji Akinbayo, carried out the successful operation on Aug. 20 at about 8:00 p.m. at Centenary Layout along Enugu/Port-Harcourt Expressway. He said that the police operatives were drawn from the NPF Special Forces, Awkunanaw Police Division and tactical teams of the command. “Following the policing thrust and renewed crime fighting impetus of the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Kanayo Uzuegbu, a combined team of police operatives rescued a male kidnap victim after a gun fight with the hoodlums. “One of the miscreants, simply identified as “Baron”, was neutralised on the spot in the ensuing shootout, while others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds. “However, further manhunt for the fleeing members of the gang led to the discovery and recovery of the lifeless body of the second neutralised hoodlum. “The second neutralised hoodlum was simply identified as Chukwunonso a.k.a. “Nolly”, in the morning hours of Aug. 21 in a forest at the location of the gun duel,” he said. Ndukwe said that the two neutralised criminals had been on the watch-list of the command. According to him, the operational success was due to the swift response to a distress call on the kidnap of the victim along Agbani Road, Enugu, in the night. The police spokesman commended the operatives for quickly adapting to his newly introduced crime-fighting strategies. He said that the commissioner had previously tasked police officers and other personnel of the command to sustain the tempo. “There will be no breathing space for unrepentant criminals in the state, under his (Uzuegbu) watch as the Commissioner of Police,” he added.

NAF Special Forces rescue kidnapped victims in Kaduna

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Special Forces on night patrol on Sunday rescued seven kidnapped victims, comprising six females and one male near Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State. This is contained in a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, on Monday in Abuja. Gabkwet said the female victims on interrogation revealed that they were kidnapped from Paikoro in Niger State while the lone male victim said that he was abducted from Rijau in Niger State. He said the terrorists, on sighting the troops, abandoned their victims and fled into a nearby forest. According to him, six of victims were subsequently taken to NAF Medical facility at Birnin Gwari for review and subsequently released. Gabwet said that the last victim, the male, was still being observed at the facility. “The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar has since commended the efforts of the troops, while calling for intensified efforts toward ensuring all areas within Kaduna State and environs are free of terrorists, kidnappers and other criminal elements,” he said.