Headlines

Alaba Excel Abbey, one of the campaign coordinators of incumbent Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo state, has been assassinated.

Mr Abbey, who served as a ward coordinator for the Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organization Foot-Soldiers (LACO-SF), was killed at his home in Supare Akoko, Akoko South West Local Government Area.

Leading reporters learnt that the deceased was the returning officer for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ward 10 in the recently concluded primary of the governing party.

A younger brother to the deceased, Mr Samuel Abbey, who confirmed the sad development, revealed that the politician was shot at the front of his house.

Meanwhile, the Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organization Foot-Soldiers (LACO-SF) has condemned the gruesome murder of Mr Abbey.

The group also called on the security agencies, most especially the police authorities to protect its members from such brutal attacks by assailants.

In a statement by the spokesperson for the campaign organisation, Kayode Fasua, said the late Abbey was actively involved in the campaign activities of Aiyedatiwa until his death.

The Director-General of LACO-FS in Akoko Southwest Local Government, David Ajobiewe, described the killing of Abbey as a big tragedy.

“Excel had been a resourceful coordinator for the Aiyedatiwa campaign organisation in Ward 10 of Supare and was never known to be violent and never had any history of a local or domestic dispute.

“We urge the police authorities to step up investigations into his gruesome murder and bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book,” he said.

Confirming the incident in a telephone chat, Police Public Relations (PPRO), Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya said the state command had launched an investigation into the brutal killings.

“The state command is aware of the incident (killing) but investigation is ongoing to unravel all that happened,” she said.

Military commander of an army camp located at Sabon Garin Dan’Ali, in Danmusa local government area of Katsina state has reportedly been killed in an ambush.

Sources said the incident happened Thursday evening and the corpse of the deceased, a major in the army, was deposited at a hospital in Katsina.

According to report, the commander, (name withheld), was ambushed at Malali village in Kankara local government area, where he was called to provide reinforcement to repel an attack on the village.

“As you know, Malali is along Zangon Pawwa road, and that area is completely taken over by bandits. Whenever there is an attack the security agents usually ask for reinforcement from the Maraban Dan’Ali camp, and this new commander would promptly respond.

“This time around, they asked for his reinforcement and he came using a Hilux vehicle, instead of the Amoured Personnel Carrier (APC), perhaps the APCs were not available at the time. Unfortunately his assailants waylaid his vehicle and shot him in the head.”

A resident, who pleaded anonymity, told our reporter that while retrieving his corpse from the scene of the incident, there was serious gun duel between the bandits and the military personnel during which the officer who picked the body also sustained gunshot injury.

According to the source, “when the residents of the village alerted the security agents of the impending attack, the security personnel went and shot severally in the air without any response from the bandits, and by then the commander was on his way.

“When the security operatives fired some shots at the direction suspected to have the bandits, they left, thinking that no one was there, but by the time the commander arrived, they targeted him and shot him.”

Kankara local government has come under serious attacks in recent times, with villages deserting communities there due to incessant banditry.

Public Relations Officer of the 17 Brigade in Katsina, Oiza Ehinlaidlye, neither answered calls nor responded to a message sent via WhatsApp at the time of filing this report.

Fear has gripped residents of Maradun town, the country home of Minister of Stat for Defence, Bello Matawalle, as bandits invaded the town in the early hours of Friday, killing two persons and abducting about 30 others.

Maradun is the headquarters of Maradun local government area of Zamfara State.

Reports indicated that the bandits attacked the town at about 2:00am and it lasted for about two hours, shooting sporadically and ranscking residents’ houses.

LeadingReporters learnt that, although the actual number of the abducted persons was yet to be ascertained at press time, the figure was, however, put around 30, including women, children and adults given the number of homes affected.

A traditional ruler, whose house was ransacked by the bandits, expressed dismay over the high level of insecurity in the town.

“It was to my hearing the bandits burgled my palour’s door, coming towards my inner room, I managed to hide while my wives and children followed another passage and ran away to hide somewhere,” he narrated.

The traditional ruler, who don’t want his name in print, expressed concern over the rampant attacks on the town, saying even last week Friday similar attack was carried out on the town, where cattle and sheep were rustled by the bandits.

A resident of the twon, Hassan Ibrahim, lamented that the attack was terrible as bandits were stationed at different locations with sophisticated weapons.

“When I heard their movement close to my door, I crossed over to a nearby wall and ran for my dear life and luckily escaped but overheard them saying that we have all hidden,” he added.

He stressed the need for the Minister of State for Defence, who is the immediate-past governor of Zamfara State, to intervene in the security situation of his country home to avert further attacks.

The Nigerian military has closed its camp and withdrawn troops in Allawa community in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

Allawa community is one of the communities facing severe attacks by bandits and terrorists in Shiroro LGA of the state.

The withdrawal of troops, which residents said came to them as a surprise due to renewed attacks in the community and its neighbouring communities, had caused hundreds of locals including women, the elderly and children to vacate their houses, trekking at least 50 kilometres to safe places.

Residents told Daily Trust that they woke up on Thursday seeing the soldiers removing their tents in preparation to leave the community.

One of the locals, who preferred anonymity, told our correspondent that the withdrawal came two days after the military vehicle stepped on a landmine along Allawa-Pandogari road, leading to an unspecified number of casualties.

“I don’t know if you were aware that on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 the military personel on their way to Allawa stepped on IED and casuallities including death were recorded. Some of them are in the hospital. The incident happened on Allawa-pandogari road Tuesday,” he said.

The Tuesday incident came less than a week after six soldiers and a vigilante lost their lives in an ambush at Roro when bandits launched multiple attacks on Roro, Karaga, Rumace and other farming communities.

Another resident, Mallam Yahuza Allawa, told our correspondent that dozens of residents had vacated their communities as early as 4am on foot and were heading towards Erena, Gwada, Kuta or Zumba for safety.

“This is a serious issue. Please help us report this issue. We are leaving our communities now and there are insufficient motorcycles and vehicles to take us out as quick as possible. We are afraid. May be if you report it, government will bring vehicles to evacuate us to safe places. Our belongings are there, we can’t pack them.

“Wallah, hundreds of us have left our communities already. We cannot take Pandogari road because it is not safe. So, we are moving to either Erena, Gwada, Kuta or Zumba. And from Allawa to Erena which is the only exit road for us is at least 42km and we are trekking because there are no vehicles to convey us. We have old people among us. Many people left their homes as early as 4am before early morning prayers. We cannot wait to be killed by these heartless bandits and Boko Haram,” he said.

There was tension at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos on Thursday morning following a fire incident at Terminal 1 of the facility.

As a result of the fire outbreak, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) diverted flight operations out of Terminal 1 to D Wing of the airport.

Leading reporters understands that the fire outbreak occured at the E54 Passenger Air Bridge at the domestic wing of the airport.

In a press statement by the director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN, Obiageli Orah, the incident occurred at 5:29hrs on Thursday morning.

The fire was brought under control by the Airport Rescue and Firefighting Services (ARFFS) at 06:41hrs while efforts to ventilate the smoke from the building were in progress as at press time.

“At 05:29 hrs, smoke was detected billowing from the E54 Bridge, leading electrical engineers to immediately cut off power to the entire E Wing. The Airport Rescue and Firefighting Services (ARFFS) team was quick to respond, arriving at the scene by 05:30 hrs.

“Initial suspicions point to sparks from an electrical unit as the cause, but a thorough investigation is ongoing to ascertain the cause of the fire.

“The incident, which had escalated into a fire, was brought under control by 06:41 hrs. Efforts to ventilate the smoke from the building are in progress. In the meantime, all flight operations in Terminal 1 of MMA have been diverted to the D Wing. More details will follow shortly,” Orah stated.

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has confirmed the escape of 119 inmates from the Medium Security Custodial Centres in Suleja, Niger State, following a rainstorm, which destroyed parts of the facility’s structures on Wednesday night.

NCoS, however, said it consequently activated its recapturing mechanisms, and in conjunction with sister security agencies, has so far recaptured 10 fleeing inmates and taken them into custody while it was in hot chase to recapture the remaining 109 on the run.

LeadingReporters had reported that an unspecified number of inmates escaped from the old Suleja Correctional Centre in Suleja local government area of Niger State following a rainstorm that destroyed parts of the facility on Wednesday night. A storm accompanied by heavy rain around 9pm destroyed parts of the custodial centre, a development that led to many of the inmates escaping from the facility.

However, a statement issued by NCoS FCT Command’s spokesperson, DSC A.S. Duza, on Thursday morning, said the Service was on top of the situation, urging members of the public to go about their normal businesses without fear or hindrance.

Duza noted that many of NCoS facilities were built during the colonial era, and that they are old and weak, adding that the Service was making frantic efforts to see that all ageing facilities give way for modern ones with the ongoing construction of six 3000-capacity ultra-modern custodial centres in all the geo-political zones of the country as well as the ongoing reconstruction and renovation of existing ones.

“A heavy downpour that lasted for several hours on the night of Wednesday, 24 April 2024 has wreaked havoc on the Medium Security Custodial Centres, Suleja, Niger state, as well as surrounding buildings, destroying part of the custodial facility, including its perimeter fence, giving way to the escape of a total of one hundred and eighteen (119) inmates of the facility.

“The Service has immediately activated its recapturing mechanisms, and in conjunction with sister security agencies have so far recaptured 10 fleeing inmates and taken them into custody, while we are in hot chase to recapture the rest.

“The Service is not unmindful of the fact that many of its facilities were built during the colonial era, and that they are old and weak.

“The Service is making frantic efforts to see that all ageing facilities give way for modern ones. This is evidenced in the ongoing construction of six (6) number of 3000-capacity ultra-modern custodial centres in all the geo-political zones in Nigeria as well as the ongoing reconstruction and renovation of existing ones.

“The Service wishes to assure the public that it is on top of the situation and that they should go about their businesses without fear or hindrance. The public is further enjoined to look out for the fleeing inmates and report any suspicious movement to the nearest security agency,” FCT Command’s spokesperson stated.