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Bandits Kill Nine Travellers on Kaduna Highway, Kidnap 11
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Some bandits killed no fewer than nine travellers, including infants, in Zankoro village along Birnin Gwari-Kaduna highway on Sunday.
Also, a total of 11 people were kidnapped by the bandits on the same day at Dan Kungi village in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
This was contained in a statement by the chairman of the Birnin-Gwari Progressives Union, Mr Salisu Haruna, on Monday.
The statement titled, ‘Alarming rise of banditry and killings in Birnin Gwari general area,’ added that more than 40 persons were abducted by the bandits between December 20, 2020 and January 4, 2021, adding that “some of them (abductees), have been reported terribly ill.”
The statement read in part, “The New Year 2021 has begun in sorrow and tears for the people of Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
“On Sunday, 3rd January, 2021, bandits laid siege on innocent travellers at Zankoro, along dreaded Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna Highway, killing nine people (including three infants) that are on their way for a ceremony at Doka, Birnin-Gwari LGA.
“Similarly, the bandits came out today, Monday, January 4, 2021 at the same Zankoro around 9am, shooting indiscriminately and abducting unspecified number of people and wounding six others that are now receiving treatment at Buruku.
“In the last two weeks, bandits terrorising the people of Birnin Gwari, especially those travelling along Birnin Gwari-Funtua and Birnin Gwari-Kaduna highways have become intensely aggressive as they continue to kill and abduct innocent citizens unabated.
“There are more than 40 abductees currently at the mercy of the bandits who were kidnapped between December 20, 2020 and Monday January 4, 2021; some of them have been reported terribly ill.
“BEPU, therefore, calls on the government to deploy immediate response squad to mount offensive operations along Birnin Gwari, Kaduna and Birnin Gwari-Funtua highways.”
However, a call put across to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Jalige, rang out and there was no reply to a text message sent to his mobile phone.
The Punch
The Regional Chairman of Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, has denied reports that he prayed for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima in the 2027 presidential election.
Dachomo, who is currently in Israel on what he described as his first International Christian Advocacy Tour, said his visit was aimed at drawing the attention of world leaders to the plight of Christians in Plateau.
The cleric made the clarification in a social media post on Monday night following reports that he had prayed for the success of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket and expressed support for the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Dachomo said his earlier post, in which he prayed for Nigeria, had been misconstrued as an endorsement of Tinubu and Shettima ahead of the 2027 election.
According to him, there was nowhere in the post where he prayed for the President and Vice-President to win the election.
“People are trying to frame me, saying I prayed for a Muslim-Muslim ticket. But I did not, and I will never pray for a Muslim-Muslim ticket because Nigeria belongs to both Muslims and Christians,” he said.
Dachomo said his prayers were for the well-being and success of Nigeria and its citizens, irrespective of their religious affiliations.
“I pray for both Muslims and Christians in Nigeria. I pray for Nigeria to succeed. If you truly want to come to God, come with a clean heart,” he added.
The cleric further stated, “I did not pray for President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima to win in 2027. My prayers have always been for Nigeria to succeed.”
Dachomo’s clarification came amid reactions to his ongoing advocacy tour in Israel, where he is seeking international attention to security challenges and what he described as the persecution of Christians in Plateau.
Ahead of the 2027 election, the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify candidates whose names are not contained in political party registers, as stipulated by the Electoral Act 2026.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Chairman of the committee, Bayo Balogun, drew the commission’s attention to a Supreme Court ruling on Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) and called for their full enforcement across all political parties.
Balogun, a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, said that pending legal proceedings concerning the interpretation, constitutionality and enforceability of the sections had been resolved by virtue of the Supreme Court judgment.
The lawmaker recalled that the Supreme Court, on September 24, 2026, restored the provisions after setting aside the Court of Appeal judgment that had declared them unconstitutional.
According to him, the apex court held that the provisions were not inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.
Balogun explained that Section 77(5) provides that only members whose names are contained in the membership register submitted to INEC are eligible to vote or be voted for at party primaries, congresses and conventions.
He said that Section 77(6) requires political parties to use the register submitted to the electoral umpire for such exercises.
Balogun urged INEC to proceed without further delay to enforce Sections 77(4) to 77(6) in the administration and monitoring of political parties and their electoral activities.
He further urged the commission to audit the membership registers and candidates submitted by political parties to establish whether the names of the candidates are contained in the registers earlier submitted to INEC in compliance with Section 77(5).
“This will be a litmus test for the commission – any culpable political party and candidates should be disqualified.
“Diligent enforcement of the provision would help prevent disputes and reduce the volume of litigation that could arise from alleged irregularities or non-compliance with Sections 77(4) to 77(6) of the Electoral Act,” Balogun said.
An helicopter crashed into a swamp near Naval Base in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Monday.
The incident occurred at about 11.00a.m during heavy down pour, throwing the coastal community into panic.
The number of people on board of the helicopter was yet to be officially confirmed, while the condition of possible survivors cannot be confirmed.
Confirming the incident, Maurice Oripenaiye, the Chairman of the local government, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview that he could not ascertain the number of the victims.
Oripenaye also said he was yet to ascertain the identity of the crashed helicopter and the passengers.
“It happened during the heavy rainfall at about 11.00a.m. I cannot confirm the number of the people on board. I have deployed some youths to the area for rescue purpose,” he told NAN.
Similarly, the Police Command in Ondo State while confirming the crash, said details surrounding the incident were still emerging.
The command in a statement by its spokesperson, Abayomi Jimoh, a deputy superintendent of police, in Akure, said efforts were ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the crash.
“The command urges members of the public, particularly residents of Igbokoda and adjoining communities, to remain calm and refrain from circulating unverified information.
“The public will be duly informed as soon as further credible information becomes available,” it stated.
(NAN)
