Abductors of Kaduna-Abuja train victims release 11

 

Terrorists, on Saturday, reportedly released five male and six female abducted Kaduna-Abuja train victims. Gunmen suspected to be terrorists had on March 28, 2022, abducted Kaduna-Abuja train passengers, after killing nine passengers, and wounding others.

Eleven victims were released on Saturday, after reaching an agreement with the Federal Government. The terrorists had threatened to start killing the victims if the Federal Government refuses to negotiate with them.

The Publisher of Desert Herald, Tukur Mamu, who served as a mediator, confirmed the development. He said his sources confided in him that the terrorists released the male captives on health grounds, adding that the women were among the vulnerable in captivity.

“It was expected initially that all the abducted women will be released in the first batch while negotiations for the release of the remaining victims will continue but the abductors had cut down the number of women they initially agreed to release because the Nigerian Government had demanded that they include those with life-threatening injuries among the released,” he said

The names of the 11 released Kaduna-Abuja train victims have been released. However, on Saturday 11, 2022, the terrorists released five males and six females whose names were given below;

Amina Ba’aba Mohammed
Rashida Yusuf Busari
Jessey John
Hannah Ajewole
Amina Jibril
Najib Mohammed Dahiru
Hassan Aliyu
Peace A. Boy
Danjuma Sa’idu
Gaius Gambo

One other boy whose name was not released was among those released.

Publisher of Desert Herald, Tukur Mamu, served as a mediator in the deal that led to their release.

 

Source: DailyPost

Abia doctors threaten strike over kidnap of colleague

 

The Abia State branch of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has threatened to embark on strike by Monday June 10, if their kidnapped senior colleague, Prof. Uwadinachi Iweha, is not released within 48 hours. Prof. Iweha was kidnapped in front of his country home in Umuajameze Umuopara in Umuahia South LGA on the 6th of June, 2022. 

The aggrieved doctors barricaded the major entrance gate to the Government House Umuahia on Friday, June 10, demanding the immediate release of Iweha. The doctors carried placards with different inscriptions such as: “Dr Iweha should be released”, Doctors lives matter”

 

Speaking on behalf of the doctors during the protest, the state chairman, Dr. Chimezie Okwuonu, told the governor, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Okey Ahaiwe, that they are there to register their displeasure over the abduction of Professor Iweha, adding that the incident is depressing and dehumanizing.

According to the state chairman, arising from their meeting held at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, the doctors demanded for Iweha’s immediate release, stating that “if not, in the next 48 hours, we will embark on strike.”

They also requested that the federal government and state government should prevent further occurrence. While urging members to pray for the release of Prof. Iweha, the Abia NMA boss pleaded with Ikpeazu to put all mercenaries in motion to ensure Prof. Iweha is released.

Responding, the Chief Of Staff, Okey Ahaiwe, assured the doctors that the state government and security agencies will not rest until Prof. Iweha is released.

 

INEC move to send more machines to Southeast, Kano, Lagos over surge in Continious Voter Registration

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has vowed to register all eligible Nigerians interested in participating in 2023 general elections, following surge in the registration process. 

Against the backdrop of outcries in certain parts of the country, particularly in the South East, Lagos and other parts of the country, over sundry problems such as long delays, unavailability of INEC staff and even outright rejection to perform their duties, the electoral body, said every complaint was being addressed.

Festus Okoye, spokesman of the commission, who said that INEC leadership met with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), on Thursday over the issue, assured further that it would also hold another in the coming weeks to further review the exercise.

Read the full statement

INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION

PRESS RELEASE

ONGOING CONTINUOUS VOTER REGISTRATION (CVR) EXERCISE

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received reports from our States indicating an unprecedented surge in the number of citizens that wish to register as voters and the challenges they face across the country. In some States, the sudden turnout of prospective registrants is overwhelming.

Consequently, the Commission convened an urgent meeting with all the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) yesterday Thursday 9th June 2022 to review the situation so that eligible Nigerians who wish to register are able to do so. The necessity to urgently deploy more voter enrolment machines to ease the congestion at the registration centres was identified as a priority.

In response, the Commission has immediately released additional 209 machines deployed mainly to the five South Eastern States, Lagos and Kano where the pressure is most acute.

The Commission will monitor the situation over the next few days. Thereafter, it will meet to review the progress of the exercise. Every step will be taken and all options will be explored to ensure that eligible Nigerians are given the opportunity to register as voters.

The Commission appeals for patience and understanding of all citizens. Every Nigerian who is 18 years of age and above has the constitutional right to register and vote in any part of the country he/she resides without let or hindrance.

The sudden surge is an affirmation of the increasing confidence Nigerians have in our electoral process. The Commission will continue to ensure that this confidence is sustained.

Barr. Festus Okoye

Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee

Friday 10th June 2022

Owo Terror Attack: CAN blames Govt’s focus on Election 2023

  

The Christian Association of Nigeria has condemned  what it called “the unprovoked attacks and killing of several innocent worshippers” during service at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, Owo, Ondo State, on Sunday. In a statement issued on Sunday following the attack, CAN called on the nation’s security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators of the “dastardly criminality”.

The Christian group blamed the impunity with which the terrorists operated on the focus of the government on the 2023 elections, noting that “it has no time for the unending killings in the country”. Death toll from the attack has been put as high as 50 dead, with several others wounded and admitted in hospitals. CAN’s statement was titled, ‘Owo carnage: No explanation for the carnage’, and was signed by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, Media Assistant to the CAN President, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle.

 

Below is the full statement:

  “This is sad, wrong, condemnable, outrageous, unacceptable and satanic. There is no explanation for this unprovoked attack and assault on a place of worship. This is raw persecution. These people are possessed, demonic, and are not working for the good of the country. May God descend heavily on them and fight them mindless agents of Satan from their roots in Jesus’ name.

“We are once again reiterating our quest for a total overhauling of the security architecture and are asking President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the recycling of those criminals and terrorists in the name of de-radicalising programme. If the programme is not counterproductive, how come the criminalities are always on the increase and nowhere is safe again.

“This menace of insecurity has gotten out of hand and is embarrassingly sore. Criminals are operating with impunity all over the country and unfortunately, our government appears to be so busy with the 2023 general election that it has no time for the unending killings in the country.

 “What legacy is the government and those who are the managers of our security architecture leaving behind for the unborn generation? We are praying for the government and the security agencies to get it right before it will be too late.

“If the Federal government is not interested in the State Police, what efforts are being put in place to arrest this unpleasant situation? We call on the State Governors to meet with the President to find a lasting solution to these killings. Issuing mere press statements of condemnation and what looks like an empty threat is apparently not a way out of it.

“CAN commiserates with all the bereaved, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Gbadegesin Ogunoye, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria and the Ondo State Government.”

(SOURCE: Huhuonline)

11 Northern APC Govs tell Buhari to rotate power to South

 

Eleven Governors and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the northern part of the country on Saturday evening asked President Muhammadu Buhari to rotate power to the South in 2023.

This came ahead of the party’s Convention scheduled for Monday at which APC will choose its presidential candidate. The governors, which include 10 serving governors and one former governor, told  Buhari to limit his search for a successor as the APC’s presidential candidate to the South.According to the governors, shifting power to the south will be in the interest of building a stronger, more united and more progressive country.

The governors therefore advised all the northern presidential aspirants from APC to withdraw in the national interest, so that only the aspirants from the south to proceed to the primaries.Following on this, the Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru, has withdrawn from presidential race. The governors’ decision was made in a communique they issues at the end of their meeting in Abuja.

 

Statement by Northern States’ APC Governors and Political Leaders

 APC governors and political leaders from the northern states of Nigeria today met to review the political situation and to further support our Party in providing progressive leadership amidst our national challenges. During our discussions, we welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari’s invitation to governors and other stakeholders to contribute to the emergence of a strong presidential candidate for the APC. 

After careful deliberation, we wish to state our firm conviction that after eight years in office of President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the APC for the 2023 elections should be one of our teeming members from the southern states of Nigeria. It is a question of honour for the APC, an obligation that is not in anyway affected by the decisions taken by another political party. We affirm that upholding this principle is in the interest of building a stronger, more united and more progressive country.

We therefore wish to strongly recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari that the search for a successor as the APC’s presidential candidate be limited to our compatriots from the southern states. We appeal to all aspirants from the northern states to withdraw in the national interest and allow only the aspirants from the south to proceed to the primaries. We are delighted by the decision of our esteemed colleague, His Excellency, Governor Abubakar Badaru to  contribute to this patriotic quest by withdrawing his presidential aspiration. 

The APC has a duty to ensure that the 2023 elections offer a nation-building moment, reaffirming that a democratic pathway to power exists for all who value cooperation and build national platforms. This moment calls for the most sober and inclusive approach to selecting our party’s candidate, and we call on all APC leaders to fulfil their responsibility in this regard. 

 

 Signed, 4th June 2022:

Aminu Bello Masari                    Governor of Katsina State

Abubakar Sani Bello                    Governor of Niger State

Abdullahi A. Sule                        Governor of Nasarawa State

Prof. B.G. Umara Zulum             Governor of Borno State

Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai                 Governor of Kaduna State

Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya          Governor of Gombe State

Bello M. Matawalle                     Governor of Zamfara State

Simon Bako Lalong                     Governor of Plateau State

Senator Aliyu Wamakko              Former Governor of Sokoto State

Dr. A.U. Ganduje                          Governor of Kano State

Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu   Governor of Kebbi State

(SOURCE: Huhuonline)