Metro
Bandits Strike Again, Abduct Christian Worshippers in Kaduna
Bandits again on Sunday struck in Kaduna State, killing one person and abducting four others when they attacked Haske Baptist Church in Mannai Tasha village in Kuriga ward of the Chikun Local Government Area of the state.
An eyewitness, Yakubu Bala, told one of our correspondents that the bandits invaded the church at 9am.
The attack has been condemned by groups including Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Middle Belt Forum and the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union.
SOKAPU, which lamented the high level of insecurity in the state, said in 2020, families in Southern Kaduna paid N1bn to free their abducted relatives.
The attack on the church was the fourth major assault by gunmen within a week in the state.
Recall that bandits on Tuesday night attacked the Greenfield University, along Kaduna-Abuja road killing a staff member and kidnapping 23 students.
SOKAPU on Friday told Saturday PUNCH that 65 people were kidnapped at the Adara community in the Kajuru Local Government Area of the state, when gunmen attacked the area on Tuesday.
In the early hours of Thursday, gunmen attacked Idon General Hospital also in the Kajuru Local Government Area, and abducted two nurses.
Only 10 out of 39 students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation in the Afaka area of the state, who were abducted on March 11 have been released.
On Sunday, it was learnt that the attack on the Baptist church took place when the church was conducting a service.
The eyewitness, Bala, who spoke to The PUNCH, said, “Zakariah Dogo Yaro, a medical doctor with the Kaduna State Ministry of Health was shot dead.
“As I am talking to you now, we have not seen some of our villagers who ran into the bushes while the shootings were going on.”
The command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, who confirmed the attack, said that only four worshippers were abducted by the bandits during the attack.
The Police Spokesman said, “Today 25th April, 2021 at about 0900hrs the command received the unfortunate report of bandits’ invasion of Manini Tasha village of Kuriga ward in the Chikun LGA of Kaduna State.
“The report has it that the bandits in large numbers bearing dangerous weapons invaded the village and shot sporadically which resulted in people scampering for safety in different directions.
“Preliminary investigation conducted so far revealed that four persons are missing which arouse a suspicion that they might have been kidnapped by the hoodlums, while two others sustained gunshot wounds, namely Dr. Zakariya Doga Yaro, a member of staff of Kaduna State Ministry of Health attached to the Primary Healthcare Center in Rimi village in the Chikun LGA and Shehu Haruna. Unfortunately, Dr. Zakariya Yaro died on the spot while Shehu Haruna is currently receiving medical treatment.”
The Punch
Adron Homes & Properties Limited has congratulated Muslim faithful across Nigeria and around the world on the occasion of Eid, urging them to continue embracing the virtues of peace, sacrifice, love, and unity that the season symbolizes.
In a statement issued by the management of Adron Homes & Properties, the company described Eid as a sacred period that promotes spiritual renewal, compassion, gratitude, and harmonious coexistence among people irrespective of tribe, religion, or social status.
The foremost real estate company noted that the values of selflessness, obedience, and generosity demonstrated during the holy season remain essential ingredients for national growth and societal development.
According to the statement, Nigerians should use the festive period as an opportunity to strengthen bonds of brotherhood, extend love to the less privileged, and pray for enduring peace and economic prosperity in the country.
Adron Homes further reaffirmed its commitment to providing affordable luxury homes and building sustainable communities that promote comfort, security, and family values for Nigerians at home and abroad.
The company prayed for divine blessings, joy, and fulfillment for all Muslim faithful celebrating Eid and wished them a peaceful and memorable celebration.
Metro
Ikorodu Security: CP Tijani Launches ‘Command Sweepers Squad’, Deploys Three LSSTF Refurbished APCs
In swift response to the recent security concerns emerging out of Ikorodu and its environs over the nefarious activities of some criminal elements that are tormenting places such as Ijede, Ginti, among others, the Lagos Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Tijani personally led a major show of Force across different part of Ikorodu to assert the dominance of the Police and other security agencies to thwart any crimes in the areas. This show of Force was also accompanied by the Inauguration of a special tactical security outfit codenamed ‘Command Sweepers’ Squad,’ which is a temporary intervention security outfit created to address the growing incidents of crimes and criminality within Ikorodu and adjoining areas, comprising of Command Tactical Teams, RRS, Lagos Taskforce, Eko Strike Force, 2 PMF, 22 PMF, and 63 PMF of the Lagos Police Command, alongside personnel from other sister security agencies and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), all working collaboratively to combat and stamped out criminality within Ikorodu and its environs. The Squad has been strategically deployed to identify black spots and criminal hideouts to carry out intelligence-led operations, raids, stop-and-search duties, and confidence-building patrols aimed at flushing out criminal elements and ensuring the safety of lives and property.
Top among the security equipment deployed for the show of force and the temporary Inaugurated ‘Command Sweepers’ Squad’ are the three (3) newly refurbished Armoured Personnel Carriers which were just handed over to the Lagos State Police Command by the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF as well as Patrol vehicles.
While Inaugurating the ‘Command Sweepers’ Squad’, the Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani assured residents that the operation will be conducted professionally and in line with the rule of law, while urging members of the public to remain vigilant. He warned all criminally minded persons in Ikorodu and its environs to immediately pack their bags because his Command will not hesitate to decisively deal with them. Noting that the Command wasn’t resting on its oars, he revealed that the Squad will continue to patrol all nooks and corners in its bid to flush out all crimes and vices from the area.
Tijani assured law-abiding residents to continue supporting the Command with timely and credible information, through any of the emergency lines: 07061019374, 08065154338, 08063299264, 08039344870, and 09168630929.
He noted that this valuable information will enable the Police to effectively tackle crime and restore public confidence within the area. He also thanked the Executive Secretary/CEO of LSSTF, Dr Ayo Ogunsan for the logistics support including the 3 APCs which have enjoyed immediate deployment.
The Squad is strategically situated in Ijede to ensure swift deployment and easy access to all parts of Ikorodu and adjoining communities for effective crime prevention and rapid response operations.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja to set aside the judgment that voided the timelines it issued for the 2027 general elections.
The Commission also applied for the stay of execution of the judgment, pending the determination of its appeal.
In the notice of appeal dated May 25, which INEC filed through its team of lawyers led by Dr. Alex Izinyon, SAN, the Commission nine grounds it urged the appellate court to consider and vacate the judgment the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on May 20.
Aside from its contention that the high court erred in law when it failed to determine a jurisdictional issue it raised, INEC maintained that the legal action the Youth Party (YP) initiated against it was not only hypothetical but academic.
It argued that failure of the trial court to make pronouncements on the issues, resulted in the denial of fair hearing to the Appellant.
More so, INEC insisted that the high court erred in law when it held that: “It is clear from the wordings of Sections 29(1), 82 and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the following can be understood. Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 mandates Political Parties to submit the names of candidates in prescribed forms of the candidates who emerged from its valid primaries which such a political party intends to sponsor at the elections, not later than 120 days before the date of the General Election.
“What is required of Political Parties to do under the Electoral Act, 2026 is to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 21 days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, or any conference or meeting convened for the election of its executive committees, other governing bodies for nominating candidates.
“The Defendant is not mandated to impose a timeframe for political parties to conduct their primaries provided that it will be done and submitted not later than the 120 days provided by the Electoral Act, 2026. See Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.”
INEC argued that the verdict of the trial court was against the weight of evidence placed before it by the parties.
Consequently, it prayed the appellate court for an order allowing the appeal and setting aside the judgment
The electoral body further urged the Court of Appeal to strike out YP’s case on the ground that it lacked the locus standi (legal right) to institute and maintain the action it said was merely academic.
