Recall that Atilade arrested Madueke over his missing gun and transferred her to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department after detaining her for three days at the Denton Police Station.
Jennifer Madueke, the 29-year-old lady who was detained by the Lagos State Police Command over the missing pistol of Divisional Police Officer, CSP Adegoke Atilade has been released.
The police also removed Atilade as the DPO of the Denton Police Station, Ebute Meta. A resident in the Ebute Meta area confirmed that a new DPO, Segun Abifarin, has replaced Atilade, PUNCH reports.
Atilade arrested Madueke over his missing gun and transferred her to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, after detaining her for three days at the Denton Police Station, Ebute Meta, Lagos.
The embattled police officer, who confirmed losing his pistol, however, insisted it was taken by Madueke, who he claimed also stole N50,000 from him.
Atilade denied sleeping with her, stating that he only assisted her to pass the night at the police station after she claimed to have been stranded.
According to PUNCH, a source close to Madueke said the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the SCIID, DCP Adegoke Fayoade, contacted Madueke’s relative to come for her bail.
The source said, “After the DCP discovered that the press had been involved, he called the girl’s family member to come for her bail. That was how she was released on Thursday when you called him.”
The pupils have been released by the bandits and have been reunited with their families.
The released pupils
Bandits have released 75 pupils of Government Day Secondary School, Kaya, in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State who were kidnapped on September 1, 2021.
The Nigerian Television Authority broke the news via its verified Facebook page overnight.
Nigerian Police had reported that gunmen abducted more than 70 students in the country’s northwest state of Zamfara.
Zamfara State Police spokesman, Mohammed Shehu, had said in a statement that a large group of attackers stormed the Government Day Secondary School in the remote village of Kaya that Wednesday morning, seizing the pupils. He had given the number of seized children as 73.
“The abduction followed the invasion of the school by large numbers of armed bandits,” he had stated.
Shehu said that Police rescue teams were working with the military to secure the release of the pupils.
The bandits later returned five of the pupils within 24 hours.
A former councilor of Kaya ward, Yahaya Kaya, said that his niece was among those released by the bandits; adding that the five freed pupils had been returned to their hometown of Kaya.
It is not yet clear if any ransom was paid before the pupils were released.
Following the abduction, the Zamfara State Government had ordered the immediate deboarding of boarding facilities in 30 schools.
The attackers stormed the area while it was raining and divided themselves into groups and targeted houses.
Panic As Armed Militia Kill 11, Injure Others In Southern Kaduna
Eleven persons have been killed and others severely injured as suspected Fulani militia, on Sunday evening stormed Apiye Jim village, in Atyap Chiefdom, Zangon Kataf local government area of Kaduna state.
The attackers, according to a source in the village, stormed the area while it was raining and divided themselves into groups and targeted houses.
According to the source, “Many people are missing as a result of the attack. It is impossible to ascertain the number of those injured and those killed, but so far, l have counted 11 dead bodies in different locations this morning.”
The source told DAILY POST that the attackers executed their operations in about 10 minutes and left while it was raining heavily in the evening.
He called on the Federal and Kaduna State governments rise to the occasion and save the people from total elimination in the hands of the suspected Fulani militia.
A phone call and text put to the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige on the incident could not be responded to as of the time of filing this report.
The cleric cursed bandits, kidnappers, terrorists, their sponsors and declared that an end has come to insecurity and violence nationwide.
The Head Teacher of the school, Alhassan Garba disclosed this on Sunday
The released students
The abducted students of the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya school, Tegina, in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger who were released have been reunited with their parents.
The Head Teacher of the school, Alhassan Garba disclosed this to newsmen on Sunday in Minna.NAN reports.
“I personally supervised the handover of the pupils to their parents on Friday and Saturday.
“All the parents were happy to have their children back and willing to allow them to continue to acquire their education in the same school,” Garba said.
He said the management of the school would soon meet with the community to work out the modalities for the reopening of the institution which had been closed for three months now.
He said the Chairman of Rafi Local Government, Ismail Dan Modibi, councillors and other stakeholders would soon deliberate on various forms of security measures to be adopted if the school resumed normal academic activities.
The headteacher said he personally picked up the pupils at a village called Gwaska in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
He said the abductors of the pupils after collecting ransom insisted that he must personally go there and pick the children.
“I had to take a bike from Birnin Gwari town to a particular destination where I picked the children for the journey back to Minna, ” he said.
They were released on Friday, August 27, and have since been reunited with their parents.
32 Kaduna Baptist Students Regain Freedom, 31 Still In Captivity
32 out of the remaining 63 who were abducted students of Bethel Baptist High School in Damishi, Kaduna state who were abducted by bandits have been released.
The Chairman of the Kaduna state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Joseph Hayab, who confirmed the students’ release to newsmen, said they were released on Friday, August 27, and have since been reunited with their parents.
On July 5, 2021, bandits had invaded the school located some few kilometers from Kaduna metropolis and abducted 121 students.
28 of the students were released on July 25 after their parents allegedly paid N100 million as ransom. Last week, the bandits released 15 of the students who were in their captivity.
The children were left to their fates in hostage for almost three months, where they were made to undergo various inhuman treatments, such as hunger, sicknesses, beatings among others, despite the ransoms paid by their parents.
The victims
Students and staff of Salihu Islamic school, Tegina, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State arrived Minna, the State capital who were abducted by bandits have opened up on their unfortunate ordeal.
The children were left to their fates in hostage for almost three months, where they were made to undergo various inhuman treatments, such as hunger, sicknesses, beatings among others, despite the ransoms paid by their parents.
This is also as the state government which claimed it knows where they were kept maintained its no payment of ransom posture, until two days ago.
Narrating some of their ordeals, one of the victims, Musa claimed that the day they were kidnapped, they trekked for hours without food or water to drink.
“We trekked for days without food and water. We only rested a little when the bandits noticed that we were tired and afterward continued. And it was so difficult since we had to carry the little ones on the back as they could no longer walk because they were weak and tired before we finally got to the hideouts of the bandits in the forest.”
According to them, the bandits fed them with Indomie and some times beans on their hands, which was never enough to satisfy any of them.
”Since we got kidnapped, we never took our bath. We were fed with small amount of Indomie or beans on our hands. Some days, we stayed hungry as there was nothing to eat. We were kept together in one small room in the forest. Some times, we were beaten if we try to complain of hunger or ask questions. We thank God we are alive and reunited with our families.”
Some of the parents appeared very happy with tears of joy appreciated God for the safe release of their children.
Some who spoke to DAILY POST said they thank God for the safe return of their children, “We never prayed that this should happen again or to any parent. It was a painful and traumatic experience for all of us.”
One of the parents, name withheld described the 89 days his children stayed with the bandits as the most agonizing period of his life, especially not knowing if their children were alive or dead.
“Every day we wake up then was with pain. Some of us, parents as a result of this issue became hypertensive. But we thank God that the ramsons kept our children alive until they were rescued. Even though, we sold our valuables, we are happy our children returned back home alive.”
The Proprietor of Islamic school, Mallam Idris Umar and father of a deceased abducted kid said though, he was happy with the safe return of the pupils, he is pained by the inability to give his son a proper burial.
The deceased victim whose name was withheld is said to be between 8 and 9 years of age..
Umar whose five children were among the 91 children kidnapped told journalists in Minna, ” Though, I see the death of my child as the will of God, I would have been more fulfilled if the child had died at home. This would have given me the opportunity to give him a befitting burial. I thank Allah that the other three are alive and also other children that were kidnapped. Their continued stay with the Bandits was a traumatic experience for all of us”
”But despite all that happened, today everyone is happy over the release of the entire children. We thank God that all our pains and sufferings are over.”
Sharing a similar emotion, the Head Teacher of the Islamiya, Alhassan Ahmed expressed pains as well as joy over the release of the children, after a long stay in the hands of the bandits.
Though, he stated that ransoms were paid to secure the freedom of the abductees, parents have no regrets for whatever amount they paid to the bandits that assisted towards the safe release of their children alive.
”Except for the child that we lost, we thank Allah that all of them returned alive and well.”
However, Ahmed was tactical on the issue of ramsons paid saying, “on the issue of ransoms payment, I meant the ones gathered by the parents, it doesn’t doesn’t mean the state government.”
In the battle that ensued, the head of the IPOB/ESN group and others were neutralised.
Items recovered during the raid
There was a clash between police officials and some members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) as some were killed and others sustained injuries during a raid on their camp located at Akata in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State on Friday, August 27.
The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Hussaini, confirmed this to newsmen in Owerri.
He said that credible information by the Imo Command’s intelligence unit revealed that a group suspected to be IPOB/ESN members were seen mobilising to attack police formations and government installations from their camp located at Akata in Oru East LGA of Imo State.
It was learnt that the Commissioner of Police, Hussaini Rabiu, immediately dispatched the command’s Special Forces and tactical teams led by the officer-in-charge of Operation Restore Peace, ACP Evans Shem, to dislodge the group as a proactive measure to nip their planned attack on the bud.
The Police spokesman CSP Michael Abattam, who disclosed these in a statement, said on approaching the camp, the police teams were attacked by the secessionist group.
Abattam said in the battle that ensued, the head of the IPOB/ESN group and others were neutralised.
He said items recovered include three Improvised Explosives Devices (I.E.D), two Pump Action Guns, nine Cartridges, One Locally Made Pistol and One Toyota Highlander SUV vehicle with registration number IMO DFB 535 LC.
According to Abattam, on their way back unknown to police teams, the bandits reinforced and regrouped, using palm tree logs to block the entire exit paths in the bush.
The police spokesman added: "It was at the fourth blockade that the police teams came under heavy attack while removing the fourth palm tree log used in blocking the exit path.
"The bandits threw petrol bombs and Improvised Explosives Devices (I.E.Ds) at the police vehicles."
He said that the police teams successfully dislodged the suspected IPOB/ESN group. Several of them were neutralised and others fled into the bush with bullets injuries.
He said: "Unfortunately, one of the police Hilux vehicle was burnt due to the petrol bombs thrown on it."
Abattam disclosed that three police officers sustained bullet injuries and were rushed to the hospital while one of them died on the way.
The two other officers, according to him, were in stable condition undergoing treatment in a government hospital.
The lawmaker explained that although the government didn’t pay a dime to the abductors, the distraught parents however took up the initiative of selling their possessions to secure the release of their children.
Senator Mohammed Musa
Senator Mohammed Musa, the lawmaker representing Niger East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has disclosed that no dime was paid as ransom by the Niger state government to secure the release of abducted Islammiya students.
Though some news platforms reported that over N60m and new motorcycles were given as ransom to the bandits, Senator Musa in an interview on Channels Television noted that the Niger State Government has repeatedly said it would never pay ransom to the bandits.
He said;
“The Niger State Government has made it very categorically clear and one of the policies of the state government His Excellency initiated, there is no payment of ransom for whatever reasons.
“I so much agree with him (Governor Abubakar Bello) because the more you give the ransom, the more the trade will continue because they have turned it into a trade. When they approached the government asking for ransom, the government felt it cannot go against its policy.”
The lawmaker explained that although the government didn’t pay a dime to the abductors, the distraught parents however took up the initiative of selling their possessions to secure the release of their children.
He also disclosed that though the Niger state government got wind of the information when 13 of the kidnapped children escaped from their abductors, the state government was however not aware that some parents parted with some sums to the bandits.
Senator Musa further revealed that one of the parents that took the money to the bandits, was held back alongside the children.
He said;
“After they escaped, these people opened a new request. They now asked for more of the ransom and the state government insisted that they are not going to pay a kobo.
“These people now complained that they are feeding these children, they have spent so much of their money but the policy of the government is that no ransom will be given.
“They pleaded, the parents pleaded. I don’t know the number of calls Mr Governor was receiving from these parents but I have received so many calls appealing that we should do something about it.”
Kyari had taken to Facebook on July 29, 2021, to chronicle his denial against the allegations but he later deleted the post after series of editing and tweaking.
In the heat of the police probe of his alleged involvement in a $1.1m Internet scam allegedly carried out by an Instagram influencer, Abbas Ramon, popularly known as Hushpuppi and four others, suspended former Head of the Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari on Thursday resumed on social media after a three-week self-imposed hiatus.
Following the outrage against his Facebook post on August 4, 2021, Kyari had deleted the post and disappeared from the Blueville.
However, the Borno State indigene took to his verified Facebook page with over 450,000 followers on Thursday.
Kyari shared a 21-second hilarious TikTok video posted by one Sanda Tobacco wherein a cart pusher was videoed displaying some roller skating skills while the videographer laughingly said the cart pusher “is very crazy wallahi!”.
Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent, Andrew Innocenti, in a document titled, ‘Criminal Complaint By Telephone Or Other Reliable Electronic Means’ filed before the United States District Court for the Central District of California, had alleged that Hushpuppi contracted the services of Kyari after a “co-conspirator,” Chibuzo Vincent allegedly threatened to expose the alleged $1.1m fraud committed against a Qatari businessman.
Innocenti, who said he ransacked the voice calls and WhatsApp conversations between Kyari and Hushpuppi had also alleged that the latter paid the police officer N8m or $20,600 for the arrest and detention of Vincent.
Kyari had taken to Facebook on July 29, 2021, to chronicle his denial against the allegations but he later deleted the post after series of editing and tweaking.
Aghast, many Nigerians had called for stern sanctions against Kyari for his alleged complicity with a self-confessed fraudster like Hushpuppi.
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, had subsequently constituted a Special Investigation Panel headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike, to probe the allegations.
But it was gathered that the Egbunike panel was too lenient with Kyari due to past relationship.
The development could have been responsible for the Police Service Commission’s recent announcement that it had set up an in-house panel to study documents related to the indictment of Kyari by the FBI.
The commission stated that it had the final say on the investigation of Kyari, adding that it was not bound to accept the recommendations of the Special Investigation Panel set up by the IGP to probe the DCP’s indictment by the FBI.
The Commissioner in charge of Media in the PSC, Austin Braimoh, had said, “We are awaiting the report from the IG which is constitutional as well. The in-house panel is also working, starting from the department to the standing committee.
“We assure Nigerians that justice will be done and there is no way anyone will teleguide the commission.
“If there is a need for the FBI report, we will request for it; if it requires sending someone to the United States, we will send people there without prejudice to what the IG panel has recommended.
“We are only following the constitutional procedure; the IG must forward all his recommendations to us. We are not bound to accept the IG’s recommendations but he must forward the report to us because we are the one that would take the final decision.”
President Muhammadu Buhari had expressed interest in such a pact with Russia as far back as 2019 when he met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at a Russia-Africa summit.
President Muhammadu Buhari and Vladimir Putin
To tackle insurgenct, Nigeria and Russia have signed a military pact, providing a legal framework for the supply of equipment and the training of troops.
President Muhammadu Buhari had expressed interest in such a pact with Russia as far back as 2019, when he met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at a Russia-Africa summit.
The Nigerian ambassador to Russia at the time said Buhari felt Russia could help defeat the Boko Haram Islamic insurgency in the northeast of the country, which remains a major problem.
“The Agreement on Military-Technical Cooperation between both countries provides a legal framework for the supply of military equipment, provision of after sales services, training of personnel in respective educational establishments and technology transfer, among others,” the Nigerian embassy said in a statement.
It described the pact as a landmark development in bilateral relations between Abuja and Moscow.
Nigeria already uses some Russian fighter jets and helicopters, alongside military equipment purchased from Western powers such as the United States.
Recall that bandits on Tuesday, August 24, attacked the permanent site of the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna State, killing two officers.
According to a report by The PUNCH, the Kaduna State Government on Thursday announced the evacuation of its indigenes who are students of the University of Jos and other tertiary institutions in Plateau State.
This followed the escalation of killings in Jos, Plateau State and the reimposition of curfew in some parts of the state.
The Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Scholarship and Loans Board, Malam Hassan Rilwan, who announced this, said that the evacuation was concluded last weekend.
The development, he said, followed the state government’s directives that all students of Kaduna State trapped should be evacuated in view of the security situation in that state(Plateau).
According to him, 87 students were evacuated on Friday, August 20, 2021, by security agencies under the supervision of the board, adding that the students have since been reunited with their families.
Rilwan said the Board shall continue to remain proactive in such kind of volatile situations and assured citizens of the government’s commitment to securing the lives of the state’s students in Plateau State and elsewhere.
“The board also noted the support it received from the Senator representing Kaduna Central, Senator Uba Sani who assisted immensely in the evacuation of the students,” Rilwan added.
The latest heinous action, Buhari said, would accelerate the total uprooting of evil in the polity.
The gunman believed to be of Somali origin was however gunned down outside the French Embassy gate by security officers.
Gunman Shot Dead After Killing Two Police Officers Near French Embassy In Tanzania
A trigger-happy man who went on a shooting spree in a highly guarded area housing several foreign missions including the French embassy has killed two police officers on Wednesday, August 25, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The gunman believed to be of Somali origin was however gunned down outside the French Embassy gate by security officers.
Videos posted on social media show the trigger happy man, who was carrying two assault rifles, opening fire indiscriminately along Ali Hassan Mwinyi Road which is occupied by foreign missions such as the French Embassy, Japanese Embassy, Kenyan embassy, Russian embassy and is a close proximity to financial institutions.
Tanzania’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) Simon Sirro, who confirmed the incident said they are following on the incident to establish the identity of the attacker and the motive.
"As you can see in that circulating short video clips on social media but our police officers managed to shoot him down, he was holding an SMG,” he said.
A report on Tanzanian local daily The Citizen quoted an eye witness saying that the man arrived at a bank headquarters and went straight to a police shed which had two policemen and shot them dead at point blank before taking their weapons.
Motorists along the usually calm Oyesterbay/Upanga area were forced to abandon their cars as they ran for dear lives.
Before coming down under a hail of bullets the man who was wearing a checked shirt and khaki trousers was seen punching in the air and chest thumping.
The motive of the attack remains unclear.
Watch The Video Below;
The DHQ, in a release by Maj Gen Benjamin Sawyer, the Director, Defence Information, stated this.
The Defence Headquarters, Abuja, has revealed that its search and rescue operation is still ongoing for Major Christopher Datong, who was abducted by bandits during an attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna State.
The DHQ, in a release by Maj Gen Benjamin Sawyer, the Director, Defence Information, stated this.
He said, “Let me use this opportunity, to reiterate that the NDA authorities, acting on the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff has constituted a board of enquiry to ascertain the remote and immediate cause(s) of the breach of security with a view to sanction any personnel found culpable and also prevent future occurrence.
“Let me also assure that we shall continue to update the general public as events unfold as we are all aware the search and rescue of the abducted officer is still on. Troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria will continue with its operations to ensure all those involved in the dastardly act are brought to justice.”
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that Datong is still alive, according to a family source.
On Tuesday night, there were widespread reports that the lifeless body of the Major was discovered with insinuations that the terrorists had killed him.
However, a family member of the officer told SaharaReporters on Wednesday that he had not been killed and he was still alive.
“He is still alive. I can confirm it to you,” the source told SaharaReporters.
The massacre reportedly occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, August 25, while women, children and the aged were sleeping.
The victims
Bandits invaded Zangam community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing about 36 persons.
The massacre reportedly occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, August 25, while women, children and the aged were sleeping.
The attackers also burnt houses with food items.
Shocking footage of the aftermath of the attack has been shared on Facebook.
David Zaion, a member of the community, who confirmed the attack, said the bandits invaded the community and started killing.
‘We have recovered 36 corpses of people who were killed by the Fulani, most of the corpses were burnt beyond recognition,’ he said.
The ex-Navy officer made the claim on Wednesday, during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
Nigerian Army College of Nursing has announced it is currently admitting students.
