Headlines
Kaduna Train Terrorists Demand Release of 16 Detained Commanders for Abductees
- /home/rhoncare/pointblank.ng/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://pointblank.ng/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Militants-1000x600.jpg&description=Kaduna Train Terrorists Demand Release of 16 Detained Commanders for Abductees', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/rhoncare/pointblank.ng/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 69
https://pointblank.ng/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Militants-1000x600.jpg&description=Kaduna Train Terrorists Demand Release of 16 Detained Commanders for Abductees', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
The bandits, who attacked the Kaduna-Abuja train, are demanding the release of 16 top commanders and sponsors in government custody in exchange for the release of the over 100 individuals abducted from the derailed train on March 28.
Dependable security sources said the bandits carried out the violent attack on the train just to abduct passengers who could be used to bargain for the release of their commanders and sponsors in detention.
The PUNCH gathered on Monday that the arrest of the suspects had severely hampered the deadly activities of the bandits who are collaborating with the Boko Haram terrorist group to unleash malevolent attacks across the country.
The terrorists had on March 28 at Katari, Kaduna State, attacked the train which was heading for Kaduna from Kaduna.
After the attack, security agencies reported that eight bodies were recovered from the attack scene and 26 persons were injured
The Nigerian Railway Corporation said it was unable to establish contact with 163 passengers and seven crew members who boarded the train.
On Monday, multiple sources explained that the bandits in their ongoing negotiations with the Federal Government were demanding prisoners’ exchange.
The gang had last week released one of their hostages, the Managing Director, Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Hassan, due to his age. In a video showing the victim in their midst, the gunmen said the government knew what they wanted and threatened to kill the remaining hostages if their demands were not met.
On Sunday, the terrorists released another video where some of the captives were seen calling on the government to come to their rescue.
But a senior official said the terrorists were being hampered by the arrest of their top commanders, noting that their sources of funding had been greatly impacted by the arrest of their sponsors.
He stated, “The bandits have made contact (with the government) but the issue now involves the Interpol because they have international collaborators. Security operatives are working to identify their connection to Boko Haram.
“The bandits are after their people who are in custody. They are demanding the release of 16 sponsors and commanders in exchange for the abducted train passengers. That’s why they said in a video that the government knows what they want.”
“We arrested some of their commanders and those sponsoring them in Dubai and Nigeria. We have about 16 commanders and sponsors in custody, so they are demanding their release because their sources of funding are declining. I hope the authorities would not release the commanders and sponsors to them because we are getting information on the bandits from the suspects,” the source noted.
Commenting on the group’s threats to kill the hostages, the security officer argued that such an action would not give the bandits what they were demanding from the government.
“If they kill their hostages, they would not achieve what they are looking for. The fact is that they are being starved of funds and that is why they are making the threat and it is also the reason for the attack on the train. They attacked the train just to get government attention and negotiate the release of their commanders and sponsors,” he stated.
An intelligence official also corroborated the report that the bandits were demanding the release of commanders and ransom, noting that the marauders had been cooperating with Boko Haram fighters in their attacks in Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara, Katsina and others.
The official noted, “What they want is prisoners exchange and money. It is a lie that they don’t want money; they want both money and prisoners exchange. They would release the passengers in exchange for many of their members in custody. They are collaborating with Boko Haram to pool resources together and constitute a bigger security threat to the country.”
Efforts to get the reaction of the Military was not successful. As calls to the number of the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Benard Onyeuko indicated it was not reachable.
He has yet to respond to message sent to him on the matter. However, a military source said the military does not negotiate with bandits
The source said, “It is not our duty to negotiate with the bandits or any other criminal elements. Ours is to fulfill our constitutional duties which we have been doing.”
The Punch
The Senate has passed a bill to establish State Police in Nigeria.
The Senate plenary was presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The Senate adopted manual voting for the consideration of the State Police Bill after the electronic voting device developed technical issues during plenary on Wednesday.
Under the manual voting arrangement, each senator had to stand up, announce his or her name, and openly state his or her position on the proposed bill for establishing State Police.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier transmitted a Constitution Amendment Bill seeking the establishment of State Police to the Senate as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s security architecture.
The legislation seeks to amend relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution to create a legal framework for the establishment of state police across the federation.
The move follows repeated calls by the President for constitutional reforms that would enable states to play a more active role in securing their territories.
A fresh spotlight was cast on terrorism financing and security threats on Tuesday as the United States sanctioned a Lagos-based alleged ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) financier.
This came as troops neutralised suspected ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) operatives and the Federal Government deepened counterterrorism cooperation with international partners.
The United States imposed sanctions on Mukhtar Adamu Muhammad and three bureaux de change linked to him over accusations of facilitating funds for the terrorist group.
Muhammad, 35, also known as Adamu Mukhtar and Muhammad Mukhtar, was identified as a key facilitator for ISIS-West Africa. He was listed with an address in Agege, Lagos State.
According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Muhammad allegedly served as a conduit for ISIS financing through bureaux de change operating in Lagos and Kano states.
The three businesses sanctioned alongside him are Generation Currency Bureau De Change Limited and Nine to Nine Exchange Bureau De Change Limited, both based in Lagos State, as well as Manhattan Bureau De Change Limited in Kano State.
According to OFAC, the network includes a France-based facilitator accused of providing information on explosives to ISIS supporters and a Syria-based operator who allegedly used cryptocurrency to transfer funds to ISIS associates in several countries, including the United States.
Announcing the sanctions, U.S. State Department spokesperson Thomas “Tommy” Pigott said the measures were aimed at disrupting the terrorist group’s financial operations worldwide.
“Under the leadership of President Trump, the United States is dismantling ISIS’s ability to finance terrorism around the world.
“We are cutting off the financial lifelines that enable ISIS to fund attacks, support its regional affiliates, and threaten civilians, including religious minorities,” Pigott said.
He added that the actions reflected sustained U.S. efforts to weaken ISIS, which he said had increasingly decentralised its operations and relied on financial intermediaries to sustain its global network.
The U.S. government also reaffirmed its security partnership with Nigeria, citing Abuja’s role in the May 16, 2026, operation that resulted in the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-highest-ranking ISIS official.
Washington pledged to continue deploying diplomatic and legal measures against ISIS and its supporters.
Headlines
Phone Hacking Charge: El-Rufai to Remain in Custody as Court Turns Down Bail Variation Request
The embattled former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has lost his battle to get the bail conditions imposed on him by the Federal High Court in Abuja varied.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, on Tuesday, refused to relax the bail conditions for the former governor while delivering a ruling in an application by El-Rufai.
El-Rufai, through his lawyer Paul Erokoro (SAN), had applied for a variation of some of the bail conditions earlier granted him, describing them as harsh, stringent, outlandish and difficult to meet.
The senior lawyer argued that the bail terms are too stringent, particularly the requirements for level 17 civil servants with properties in Maitama or Asokoro, as well as verification and attestation letters from the Kaduna State Traditional Council.
However, the prosecution, Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), opposed the request, insisting that qualified public officers who meet the conditions exist, urging the court to refuse the application.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik declined the request to vary the bail conditions, holding that there are civil servants who own properties at the said location.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, the Department of State Services (DSS) closed its case against the former governor in the ongoing alleged wiretapping trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
At the resumed hearing, prosecuting counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, informed the court that the prosecution would not be calling further witnesses in the matter, prompting the formal closure of the DSS case.
Following the development, defence counsel, Paul Erokoro told the court that the defence intends to file a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution has failed to establish sufficient evidence against the former governor.
The defence subsequently sought two weeks to file the application, while the prosecution requested two weeks to respond and do the necessary filing.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik then fixed September 22 for hearing of the no case submission and the continuation of proceedings.
