NEWS : Troops rescue 10 kidnapped victims in Zamfara, kill bandits, arrests others

 

Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji have rescued ten kidnapped victims from bandits at Yenyewa Village in Zamfara State following a tip-off.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major-Gen. John Enenche stated this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

Enenche said the troops had on Sunday responded to a distress call on bandits’ activities in the area and engaged them accordingly.

According to the Coordinator, the troops overwhelmed the criminals with superior firepower and forced them to abandon ten kidnapped victims before fleeing in disarray.

He said, “The rescued kidnapped victims have been reunited with their families.”

Enenche also said that troops of Operation Whirl Stroke killed one bandit, arrested two others in two encounters in Benue on Monday.

According to him, the troops received credible intelligence on the presence of some bandits around Anguwa-Onmbaagbu general area in the state.

He said the bandits were linked to the recent killing of a Makurdi based lawyer and his wife.

“Troops swiftly mobilised to the identified location where they had contact and engaged the criminals in a firefight.

“During the encounter, troops overwhelmed the bandits and killed one of them, while others fled with various degrees of gunshot wounds.

Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji have rescued ten kidnapped victims from bandits at Yenyewa Village in Zamfara State following a tip-off.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major-Gen. John Enenche stated this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

Enenche said the troops had on Sunday responded to a distress call on bandits’ activities in the area and engaged them accordingly.

According to the Coordinator, the troops overwhelmed the criminals with superior firepower and forced them to abandon ten kidnapped victims before fleeing in disarray.

He said, “The rescued kidnapped victims have been reunited with their families.”

Enenche also said that troops of Operation Whirl Stroke killed one bandit, arrested two others in two encounters in Benue on Monday.

According to him, the troops received credible intelligence on the presence of some bandits around Anguwa-Onmbaagbu general area in the state.

He said the bandits were linked to the recent killing of a Makurdi based lawyer and his wife.

“Troops swiftly mobilised to the identified location where they had contact and engaged the criminals in a firefight.

“During the encounter, troops overwhelmed the bandits and killed one of them, while others fled with various degrees of gunshot wounds.

“Troops recovered an AK-47 rifle and a magazine loaded with four rounds of 7.62mm Special Ammunition from the criminal elements,” he said.

BIAFRA : Security Network’ll operate without you – Nnamdi Kanu fires back at Southeast govs

 Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has declared that the Eastern Security Network, ESN, would operate without the approval of Southeast governors.

Kanu made the declaration in response to remark by Dave Umahi, Governor of Ebonyi State despising ESN.

Umahi, who is Chairman of the Southeast Governors’ Forum, had said the ESN was a laughable distraction.

The governor urged people of the region to ignore ESN because governors were doing their best to secure the Southeast.

However, Kanu said Southeast governors should stop terrorism first before tempting to stop ESN.

The IPOB leader spoke through the group’s Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful.

A statement by Powerful reads partly: “We the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, condemn in very strong terms, the recent shameful statement credited to Gov. Dave Umahi on behalf of his fellow lilly-liverd and coward governors of South East against the newly established Eastern Security Network, ESN.

“They only further exposed their emptiness and detachment from the people.

“But our message to the treacherous South East Governors and their South South counterparts is that ‘the train has since left the station’ and can’t reverse it’s course.

“May we remind the traitors that the Eastern region cannot be sacrificed at the altar of their political interest. It’s either they key in or shape out! The East can exist without them. They should steer clear because they can’t withstand the force behind ESN.”

NEWS : NIN, FG reveals how Nigerians in diaspora can register

 

The Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has directed Nigerians abroad to visit the website of the National Identity Management Commission to enable them register for the National Identity Number, NIN.

Dabiri-Erewa said that the details of the agents who are accredited to register Nigerians for NIN could be found on NIMC’s official website.

She made this known on Monday via her Twitter handle while responding to @woye1 who wanted to know how Nigerians abroad will enrol for NIMC.

The Twitter user asked, “Nigerians abroad are asking how will they enroll for @nimc_ng pls @DrIsaPantami @FMoCDENigeria @nidcom_gov @abikedabiri @GeoffreyOnyeama @ProfOsinbajo.”

And in response, the NiDCOM Chairman wrote, “Nigerians abroad should visit NIMC website http://nimc.gov.ng for details of their agents accredited to register Nigerians abroad all over the world.”

DAILY POST recalls that Dabiri-Erewa’s statement is coming a few days after the Nigerian Communication Commission ordered telecommunications companies to suspend mobile phone SIM cards that are not linked to NIN.

However, the Federal Government extended the deadline to connect National Identification Number (NIN) with SIM card registration records.

The new deadline is now January 19, 2021, for those with NIN.

For those without NIN, the deadline has been extended to February 9, 2021.

NEWS : COVID-19, Immigration issues advisory to air travellers

 

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has appealed to travellers to comply with the clearance procedures at the airports to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

NAN reports that the appeal was contained in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by NIS Public Relations Officer, Mr Sunday James.
He stated that NIS Comptroller General, Mr Muhammad Babandede, commended the Comptroller of Immigration at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, Sadat Hassan, for doing a “wonderful job’’.

It stated that Hassan had helped to instil sanity by operating an airtight entry and exit points that had resulted in various arrests.

According to the statement, the outgoing year birthed a global pandemic, COVID-19, that has prompted nations to enforce mandatory lockdowns and border closures.

“NIS, as the lead agency in charge of migration control and border management at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), had to step up personnel protection to insulate them from contracting COVID-19.

“The personnel protection insulate was done through the installation of glass shields that separate the operatives from passengers, use of face masks, hand gloves, hand sanitisers, among others.

“No fewer than 239,114 outbound and inbound migrants passed through NAIA, Abuja, between Jan. 1 and Dec. 15, 2020.; so far, 73,582 Nigerians and 46,665 non-Nigerians departed NAIA, Abuja for various destinations abroad.

“Similarly, 81,277 Nigerians and 37,590 non-Nigerians arrived through NAIA airport within the period under review. A total of 625 Nigerians were deported and 24 repatriated for various criminal and immigration related offences.

“In the same vein, 12 foreign nationals who failed to comply with Nigerian entry requirements were refused admission and returned,” the statement revealed.

It added that 34 Nigerians, predominantly young ladies, were refused departure for non-compliance and violation of immigration regulations and other extant laws.

NEWS : Edo Head of Service, Anthony Okungbowan regains freedom

 

Mr. Anthony Okungbowa, the Edo state Head of Service (HoS), who was kidnapped on Saturday evening along Oza Road, in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state, has regained his freedom, NAN reports.

Okungbowan was released by his abductors on Monday night according to a family source, who pleaded anonymity.

The source said that Okungbowa was set free after payment of an undisclosed amount as ransom demanded by his kidnappers and that the HoS was hale and hearty since his release.

The family source disclosed that the ransom was paid through a collaboration between the family and the State government.

“We just want to thank God that our brother has been set free and in good health condition,” said the source.

The source, however, lamented that the Police orderly attached to the HoS, who was shot during the process of the abduction, died on Monday evening following complications from the gunshot injury he sustained.

NEWS : Yuletide , Police ban use of fireworks in Kogi

 

The Nigeria Police Force, Kogi State command, has banned the use of fireworks during this festive period.

The Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Ayuba Edeh Ekpeji disclosed this while briefing the senior officers of the Command at the Police State Headquarters, Lokoja on Monday.

A statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) DSP William Ovye Aya on Tuesday morning, said the police boss advised parents and guardians to warn their children and wards to stay away from knockouts as policemen across the State were directed to arrest anyone who violated the order.

He directed the Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, as well as Operational Commanders to review their crime fighting strategies and increase visibility of policemen to ensure peaceful Yuletide in Kogi State.

The Commissioner of Police further assured members of the public that the police in synergy with other security agencies in the State were putting more efforts to ensure a peaceful festive period.

NEWS : NIMC confirms shutdown of enrolment centers, reveals next plan for applicants

 

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has confirmed that some enrolment centers across the country were shut down due to the non-adherence to the COVID-19 pandemic prevention protocols.

NIMC also advised applicants that the Commission would be adopting a number-issuing style in the meantime in order to manage crowd, in line with established COVID-19 regulations.

NICM disclosed this in a tweet via its official Twitter account on Monday.

“Shut down of some enrollment centres:

Dear esteemed applicants,

The NIMC wishes to inform members of the general public that some enrolment centers were shut down today.

“This was due to the non-adherence to the Covid-19 pandemic prevention protocols:

No Face mask, no physical distancing, etc.

“As a control measure, the Commission would be adopting a *number-issuing* style in the meantime. A determined number will be issued daily on a first-come-first-served basis.

This is to manage the crowd in line with established covid-19 regulations.

“We hereby regret any inconvenience this action must have caused.

The Commission will continue to devise ways to serve the public better.

Thank you,” NIMC tweeted.

Recall that the Federal Government had approved 173 centres and 30 state government institutions for the enrolment of all persons, including legal residents into the National Identity Database (NIDB) on behalf of the NIMC.

The FG also extended the deadline to connect National Identification Number (NIN) with their SIM cards registration records.

The new deadline is now January 19, 2021, for those with NIN.

For those without NIN, the deadline has been extended to February 9, 2021.