Tag: Niger State

“Niger government not fair to us” – Parents of abducted Tegina children cry out

Aminu Imam

Parents of the abducted children of Tegina Islamiyya school in Niger State, have raised the dust over the claim that State Commissioner of Information, Mohammed Sani Idris, was released without payment of ransom. The parents, who claimed they had been barred from speaking to the media, said bandits could not have released the Commissioner without ransom and still keep their children in captivity despite them paying over N70 million demanded by the bandits. The parents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also pointed out the APC Zone-C chairman who was…

Read More

Abductors of Niger commissioner demand N500 million ransom

Aminu Imam

The abductors of the Niger State Commissioner for Information, Idris Sani Mohammed, are said to have established contact with his family, demanding N500 million in ransom for his release. The abductors reportedly crossed the border of the State with Commissioner Mohammed, who they reportedly abducted on Sunday, to an unknown destination. Although there was no official update from the State government on the incident apart from the confirmation by the Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Matane, on the abduction, the government conducted an extensive security meeting at Government House, in Minna,…

Read More

Niger: Non-indigenes to pay over N200,000 as IBB university jerks up school fees

Aminu Imam

Non-indigene students in Ibrahim Babangida, (IBB) University, Lapai, in Niger State, appears to be bracing up for hard times, as management of the institution has announced an upward review in school fees for its 2020/2021 academic session. According to a circular issued by the Registrar of the state-owned university, M.A Abdullahi, returning students (indigenes) are to pay N67,925, while new students (indigenes) are to pay N129,675. The circular, which has sparked major concern among students, revealed that non-indigenes students (returning) are to pay N171,325 while new students (non-indigenes) are to…

Read More

Niger: 4 abducted Tegina Islamiyya pupils abandoned by Govt. feared dead

Aminu Imam

Abductors of 136 pupils of Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School Tegina in Niger State have indicated that four of the pupils are dead. It was gathered at the weekend that the courier of the ransom, one Kassimu Daragana, who arrived Tegina at the weekend, reported that the bandits took him to four graves they purportedly buried the dead pupils. It was learnt that the parents have further strengthened their scout for money, as a 3-man team reportedly left Niger State at the weekend to appeal for funds. A government source however…

Read More

NDLEA uncover bandits’ drug supply warehouse in Niger

Aminu Imam

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have raided a warehouse at Mailefe village in Kontagora local government area of Niger State, suspected to be a storage facility for drug supplies to bandits operating in parts of the State. The operatives who acted on a tip-off said 125 bags of Cannabis Sativa were recovered after a thorough search of the warehouse. According to reports, a man who was seen praying in front of the house fled into the forest when he sighted the narcotic officers from afar, and…

Read More

Three abducted Tegina School girls reportedly dead

Aminu Imam

Three of the abducted students of the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School Tegina have died in captivity, bandits have told their parents. The deceased were said to be girls while some of the students are seriously ill, the bandits further informed. The students were abducted in their school in Tegina in Rafi local government area of Niger state two months ago. The Nation learnt the bandits communicated with parents of the abductees on phone but refused to reveal identities of the deceased. Chief Imam of Tegina disclosed these after one of…

Read More

Niger: Bandits refuse to release Islamiyya pupils after collecting N20m

Aminu Imam

The abductors of pupils of Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School, Tegina in Niger State, have collected N20 million from parents of the children but have refused to release them, sources said on Friday. The latest development followed the signing of a law by Niger State governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, for kidnappers, bandits and their informants to die by hanging. The law also empowers the operational capacity of the vigilante corps. Parents of the pupils were reportedly told to pay N30 million earlier in the week, but sources hinted yesterday that they…

Read More

Niger State to hang convicted kidnappers, informants

Aminu Imam

Niger State governor, Abubakar Bello, has signed a Bill prescribing death by hanging for cattle-rustlers, bandits, kidnappers and their informants into law. Recall that the State’s House of Assembly passed the Bill on July 1. Bello said the kidnapping and cattle rustling special provisions law of 2016 was amended to provide for the punishment of informants and all those involved in the aiding and abetting of kidnapping and cattle rustling in the State. He warned that anyone found guilty of the offense of banditry, kidnapping, or giving out information to…

Read More

PDP declares party activities in Niger illegal

Aminu Imam

The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), says it did not authorise the inauguration of local government area chairmen in its Niger State chapter. In an issued statement, the party’s National Vice-Chairman, North-Central, Theophilus Dakas Shan, warned the general public to be wary of such individuals who carried out the illegal inauguration. The statement condemned the action and described the purported inauguration as an abuse of privilege which would not be condoned. Shan said the move came to the party as a shock that some leaders, conducted the said illegal inauguration at…

Read More

Niger Islamic School: ’15 abducted teachers have escaped’, Headmaster discloses

Aminu Imam

The headmaster of Salihu Tanko Islamic School in Niger State, Abubakar Alhassan has disclosed that 15 of the teachers abducted from the school have escaped from captivity. This was stated by Alhassan when the State governor, Abubakar Bello, met with parents of the abducted schoolchildren at the palace of Emir of Kagara, yesterday. Recall that many students and teachers were abducted from the school, located in Tegina town in Rafi LGA of the State on May 30. The bandits had demanded N110m ransom for the release of the 156 abducted…

Read More