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Ibiyeomie Calls for Collective Fight Against Invasion of Schools, Abduction of Students
By Eric Elezuo
The Presiding Pastor of renowned Christian denomination, Salvation Ministries, with headquarters in Port Harcourt, Pastor David ibiyeomie, has called for collective efforts to fight incessant invasion of schools and kidnapping of students.
The global Evangelist made his observation on Sunday while delivering his sermon during the fourth service.
Ibiyeomie said the scourge of kidnapping which he called ‘monster’, has gradually eaten into the fabric of Nigeria’s social life, and must be collectively fought to bring an end to it.
“This is a monster. Do not say it is happening in the North; it is a Nigerian problem, and everybody must arise irrespective of religion or tribe to fight it, he said.
He noted that those who are perpetrating the crime are humans, not spirits, and they live in communities among everyone.
He alluded to the fact that the kidnapping has turned to business as it is obvious that ‘something’ is exchanged for the return of the students, each time they were abducted.
The renowned pastor, who has touched the lives not a few in the society, said it was nonchalant attitude of the leaders that made the problem escalate, adding that no one paid a heed when it was happening in the south south region, and now, it has spread nationwide.
Admitting that the first kidnapping took place in Rivers State, he called on every Nigerian to rise, and join to end invasion of schools and kidnapping of innocent students.
Only on Friday, bandits invaded the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna State, abducting hundreds of students. While it was reported that 172 students and 8 staff were immediately rescued by troops of the Nigerian Army, 39 others were successfully kidnapped, and taken to the forest.
In April 2014, about 279 students were abducted from a secondary school in Chibok. While some of the girls were rescued, some of them have not been heard of till date.
On February 19, 2018, 110 schoolgirls aged between 11 and19 years old were kidnapped by the Boko Haram terrorist group from the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi in Bulabulin, Yunusari Local Government area of Yobe State. About 106 were release later which the remaining were unaccounted for including Leah Sharibu, who was held for refusing to denounce his Christian faith.
Again on December 11, 2020, over 300 pupils were kidnapped from a boys’ secondary boarding school on the outskirts of Kankara, Katsina State, by a gang of gunmen on motorcycles.
On February 17, 2021, a school pupil was killed and 27 others were abducted by armed men at around 3am from their school in Kagara, Niger State, Nigeria. Three members of the school’s staff and 12 of their relatives were also abducted. They were later released.
The spare of kidnapping of school children has reached alarming proportion.
The first hostages freed from Gaza under a long-awaited ceasefire agreement are back in Israel. The news sparked jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv where large crowds gathered ahead of their release.
The three freed Israeli hostages – the first of 33 to be released over the next six weeks – are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. They are said to be in good health and are receiving treatment at a medical center in Tel Aviv.
In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are set to be released by Israel from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military withdrew from several locations in southern and northern Gaza after the truce began earlier on Sunday, an Israeli military official told CNN.
Displaced Gazans have started returning to their homes, while the aid trucks laden with much-needed supplies have crossed into Gaza. Here’s what we know about how the ceasefire deal will work.
Hamas, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself, and a failure for Israel.
One of Hamas’ main goals for taking some 250 people during its brazen October 7, 2023, attack on Israel was to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. As Israel pounded Gaza in response, Hamas vowed not to return the hostages until Israel withdrew its forces from the enclave, permanently ended the war, and allowed for rebuilding.
Source: CNN
The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has said she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.”
Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience.
“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.
“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
Badenoch has been in the news of late after she dissociated herself from Nigeria, saying she has nothing to do with the Islamic northern region.
She also accused the Nigeria Police of robbing citizens instead of protecting them.
She said: “My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.
“The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”
