Metro
Teacher Narrates How Bandits Invaded Kaduna School, Abducted 287 Pupils
Details have emerged of how bandits kidnapped 287 pupils of Kuriga Primary and Secondary School in Local Government Area of Kaduna during an attack on Thursday.
Sani Abdullahi, one of the teachers of the Government Secondary School Kuriga, narrated the incident when Governor Uba Sani led senior government officials and security chiefs to the palace of Kuriga Village Head.
Abdullahi said: “I resumed to the school today at exactly 7:47am. I entered the Acting Principal’s office and signed. All of a sudden, the acting Principal asked me to look at my back and when I turned, we discovered that bandits had surrounded the school premises.
“We became confused; we didn’t know where to go. Then, the bandits asked us to enter the bush, so we obeyed them because they were many and the pupils, about 700 were following us. So, when we entered the bush, I was lucky to escape along with several others.
“So, I returned to the village and reported what happened to the community. So, immediately our vigilante and personnel of KADVS followed the bandits but the vigilante did not succeed. In fact, the bandits killed one of the vigilante, we just buried him hours ago.
“It was when we came back from that pursuit that we briefed the Village Head and we started making efforts to know the actual number of pupils and teachers taken away by the bandits.
“At GSS Kuriga, 187 students are missing. In the primary school, 125 pupils were initially missing, but 25 of them escaped and returned home,” he narrated.
Governor Uba Sani assured the community that he would do everything possible to ensure all the children return home unhurt.
The governor said: “In my capacity as your elected Governor, I am assuring you that, by the grace of God, all the children will return unhurt.
“Before coming here, I spoke with the National Security Adviser (NSA) Malam Nuhu Ribadu, and we are making efforts, the security forces have swung into action and by God’s grace, we will rescue the children.
“We will do whatever we need to do to ensure safe return of these children, even if it means coming to Kuriga to stay with you. The essence of government is protection of citizens lives and property. We recognise the fact that we are holding this position in trust for the people and by God’s grace, we will protect the citizens’ rights.
“I am one of the prominent voices on the issue of security. When I was in the Senate, I moved the motion for the creation of State Police.
We have realised that there are not enough boots on ground that is why we feel that, if State Police, every community like Kuriga will have people in the Police and they would be armed with AK47 rifles. That is the only way we would be able to protect the lives and property of the citizens.
“The vigilantes are not as armed as the bandits, because they do have AK47, that is why the bandits are constantly causing us destructions. They come in to humiliate, kill and abduct our citizens.
“Since I received the sad news of this incident, I have not had rest of mind because every child in Kaduna State is my child. So, I don’t want to you people to be disturbed. Let’s us pray to God to help and on our part as a government, we will not rest until these children return home.”
While addressing the community members, Governor Sani also promised to establish a Police Station and build a permanent camp for the military in the community.
Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, has sentenced the husband of late gospel singer, Osinachi, Peter Nwachukwu, to death by hanging.
Justice Nwosu-Iheme found him guilty of culpable homicide resulting in the death of the deceased on April 8, 2022.
The judge sentenced Nwachukwu to death while sentencing him after the court had held that the prosecution had proven the burden of proof placed on it by the law and subsequently found the defendant guilty.
Nwachukwu was arraigned on June 3, 2022, by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), on behalf of the Federal Government, on a 23-count charge bordering on culpable homicide punishable with death, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, criminal intimidation of children, spousal battery, among others.
In the course of trial, the prosecution called 17 witnesses, including two children of the late Osinachi, who testified as fourth prosecution and fifth prosecution witnesses, PW4 and PW5 respectively, while it tendered 25 documents as exhibits before the court.
The defendant testified for the defence and further called four other witnesses and tendered four exhibits in his defence.
Shortly before sentencing the defendant, counsel for Nwachukwu, Reginald Nwali, pleaded with the court to be lenient in its judgment, while the prosecuting counsel, Mrs Aderonke Imala, urged the court to give force to the law as stipulated.
Justice Nwosu-Iheme subsequently sentenced Nwachukwu to death by hanging on Count 1, while he was sentenced to two years imprisonment each on Counts 2, 3, 8,9, 12, 13, and 18.
The court sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment on Count 10, three years imprisonment on Count 11, while he was fined the sum of N500,000 and N200,000 respectively on Counts 6 and 7, respectively.
The late gospel artist who had several tracks, including Ekwueme died on April 8, 2022, at the age of 42. Her death triggered outrage in the country, with fans and Nigerians calling for justice for the singer.
In a heartwarming display of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Prostar Sport International, a renowned sports equipment and apparel company, has partnered with the ‘Pad Me A Girl Initiative,’ to promote menstrual health awareness and empower young girls.
The project enunciated by Gatmash Media has commended the company, renowned for providing high-quality sports dresses, has supported the initiative with customized shirts.
Theresa Moses, Convener of the Pad Me A Girl Initiative said “We’re thrilled to have Prostar Sports International on board this initiative. Their customized shirts will not only promote our cause but also serve as a symbol of solidarity with the girls we’re working to support”.
Mr. Paul Maduakor, CEO of Prostar Sports International said “At Prostar Sports International, we believe in empowering young girls and promoting menstrual health awareness. We’re proud to support the Pad Me A Girl Initiative and contribute to a more inclusive and supportive community”.
The shirts feature a bold design with the Pad Me A Girl Initiative’s logo. This is aimed to promote menstrual health awareness and obliterates stigmas attached to it. It was disclosed that the shirts are made from high-quality, breathable fabric for comfort and durability.
The initiative has made significant impact, and has reached over 2,000 young girls and women in Abuja and Benue IDP camps, and has provided reusable sanitary pads and menstrual health education, empowering girls to manage their menstruation with dignity.
The next phase of the project will kick off in June/July 2025, with plans to expand the initiative’s reachout and impact. Through the ‘Access PAD Me A Girl,’ PAD Bank, young girls will continue to receive free sanitary pads every month, empowering them to manage their menstrual health with dignity.
Zion Prayer Movement Outreach, a non-denominational ministry, on Monday opened the first ever Old People’s Home and Orphanage in Imo State.
The Seraphic Home, located in Mgbirichi, Ohaji Egbema, near Owerri, was commissioned by Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, who described it as a watershed in the provision of care for the elderly, needy and less privileged.
Uzodimma praised the Spiritual Director of Zion Ministry, Evangelist Chukwuebuka Obi, for “thinking home” and bringing meaningful development to the state, adding that he was delighted with the choice of Imo State for such an impactful project.
According to the governor, “Evangelist Ebuka’s decision to expand the ministry’s operations in Imo has placed the state on a path to greater global recognition” —a vision he said he had foreseen when initially allocating land for the ministry’s headquarters in Ngor Okpala.
Evangelist Ebuka Obi, in his welcome remarks, said that the home was built to provide care for orphans and the elderly, especially those without anyone to support them. He invited the elderly with no caregivers to take advantage of the facility, which offers free accommodation and care.
“This state-of-the-art facility will provide a safe and nurturing environment for orphans and elderly individuals, offering them a sense of belonging and care. The home will provide shelter, food, clothing, education, and healthcare, and ensure that the residents receive the support they need to thrive,” Evangelist Ebuka disclosed. He said that the home would provide comprehensive care for old people and orphans free of charge, adding that more of such projects would be cited in other parts of the country.
The Seraphic Orphanage and Home for the Elderly will be a safe space for vulnerable populations to receive care and support and provide opportunities for community engagement and volunteerism and a platform for skills development and capacity building for caregivers and staff, Ebuka concluded.
Zion Ministry’s Seraphic Home foundation is a non-profit charitable organization with the objective of touching and impacting lives positively and promoting the welfare of others. It runs a whole range of programmes which support disadvantaged and impoverished families by providing scholarships for different levels of Education for over 60 children yearly as well as funding for patients who are unable to afford life-sustaining treatment and pay hospital bills for various health challenges.
