Group of 20 graduates rescued after being abducted in Nigeria

A group of 20 young people who were abducted in south-east Nigeria last week have been rescued, police say.

The graduates were kidnapped on 1 October while they were travelling for a national community service programme in the Abia and Akwa Ibom states in the south of the country.

They were rescued by the police with the assistance of other security agencies.

Police spokesman Ani Iniedu said in a statement on Wednesday the group were rescued at Amakohia Ubi in Imo State after a sustained search-and-rescue operation. The group are being looked after and have been taken for medical evaluation.

The police, military and other security agencies conducted intelligence-led searches of forests and suspected hideouts, he said, but he did not say whether any ransom was paid or if any arrests had been made.

But the police spokesman did say they were making efforts to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

The police had previously said they had identified the location where the group was being held but could not rescue them because it was mined with explosives.

The group of young people were participating in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), which is a compulsory one-year community service programme for most Nigerian university graduates, where people are posted to different parts of the country.

The group were travelling in two buses travelling on a major highway from Ibadan in south-western Oyo state to NYSC orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states when gunmen attacked the vehicles.

The incident has reignited concerns over insecurity and kidnapping along roads in the south-east.

Before they were released, the father of one of the people who were abducted, Omotosho Adewale, told the BBC that the kidnappers had demanded a ransom of 50m naira ($37,680; £28,440), which he could not afford.

"There's no peace of mind. I've not eaten in three days," he said in between tears.

Kidnapping for ransom is a major security problem in Nigeria, involving criminal gangs and armed groups. The authorities have not released any information about the identity of the attackers.

The government has outlawed paying ransoms to kidnappers in an attempt to remove the incentive for the gangs but this has had little effect.

By Gabriela Pomeroy, BBC

Related story: Nigeria’s worsening insecurity tests president’s second-term bid

Nigeria identifies livestock feed production as key to sustain dairy sector

The Kaduna State Government has identified year-round production of quality livestock feed as a key strategy to sustain gains in the state’s dairy sector under the five-year Advancing Local Dairy Development in Nigeria (ALDDN) programme.

The government noted that the five-year programme, funded by the Gates Foundation and implemented by Sahel Consulting in partnership with state governments and dairy processors, was designed to promote a vibrant and inclusive local dairy sector

This would ensure continuity beyond the programme’s close-out, with improved pasture development and the revitalisation of grazing reserves expected to strengthen feed availability for livestock producers.

The Managing Director, Kaduna Ranch Development Company Ltd., Dr Ibrahim Yusuf noted that the company was already incorporating lessons from the programme into the state’s sustainability framework, particularly in livestock feed production and dairy productivity.

Yusuf identified the availability of quality feed throughout the year as a major constraint to livestock production, noting that ALDDN had introduced interventions to address the challenge.

He said the state would build on those interventions by revitalising grazing reserves and improving pasture development.

He added that the Kaduna Ranch Development Company was currently developing 110 hectares of the 600-hectare Damau grazing reserve in Kubau Local Government Area to produce high-quality livestock feed.

“Of the 600 hectares grazing reserve, the company has started working on 110 hectares for the production of high-quality feeds for livestock in the state,” he said.

The initiative formed part of the state’s sustainability framework alongside collaboration with stakeholders, including the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) and the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI).

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Murtala Mohammed-Dabo, was represented by the Director of Livestock Services, Mr Amwe Akos.

He said the state government would sustain the key gains recorded under ALDDN by integrating successful interventions into existing and future livestock development programmes.

Akos disclosed that some of the initiatives had already been captured in the state’s proposed 2027 budget, signalling the government’s intention to continue supporting interventions that have strengthened the local dairy sector.

Dairy Business Midde East & Africa

Video - Russia vs Nigeria: Super Eagles Secure a 3-3 Draw

The Super Eagles of Nigeria ended the current international window with a 3-3 draw against Russia in an entertaining friendly match played on Tuesday night. 

Nigeria entered the encounter seeking a positive result after suffering a 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. 

Eric Chelle’s side made a bright start, taking the lead through Kelechi Iheanacho, who marked his return to the national team with an impressive long-range strike. 

Russia, however, responded strongly and turned the game around before half-time, with Lechi Sadulaev and Matvey Kislyak getting on the scoresheet. 

The hosts extended their advantage in the second half when Aleksei Miranchuk scored to make it 3-1. 

The Super Eagles refused to give up and mounted a strong comeback, with Peter Edokpolor reducing the deficit before Akor Adams scored the equaliser. The three-time African champions held on for a 3-3 draw, avoiding another defeat and ending the international window on a positive note.

By David Egbede, Real Broadcasting Network

Video - Nigeria launches tech initiative to tackle youth unemployment

Nigeria is expanding a tech-focused labor initiative to get more young Nigerians hired for global remote work. The program will train thousands of young people through more than 1,200 tech hubs, but experts say high power costs and other business challenges could limit its impact.

CGTN Africa

Video - Nigeria plane crash recovery operation faces difficulties

Search and rescue teams in Nigeria’s Ondo state are continuing in efforts to recover the bodies of victims of Monday’s military aircraft crash which killed all 25 people on board, including civilians.

Rescue operations have been hampered by the fact that the plane crashed into a swampy area that is difficult to access. Local media are reporting the wreckage is submerged. Sources at the scene are saying mangroves and murky water have made operations difficult but divers are working at the site.

As a result, the black boxes, which help determine what led to the crash, are yet to be found and it is unclear if any bodies have been recovered. Local resident, Omotayo Orimisan, who has been assisting in the search and rescue operation, said villagers saw the plane crash. 

"The plane flew from that side of town towards the other side of the creek, then its tail broke off with a loud noise,” he said. “It touched the water, then lifted off again, then nosedived into the forest on the other side of the creek. It was as if a loud thunderstorm had struck.”

Villagers rushed to the scene in their boats to try and rescue the passengers. 

“We tried to find the plane but we didn't see it," said Ormisan. 

“The rescue team have not rested, they have been going about it since yesterday without rest to ensure they can bring the people in the plane out,” said Felisia Michel, another villager. 

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Monday declared three days of national mourning following what is one of the country’s worst air disasters in recent years.

Africannews

Related story: No survivors as Nigeria releases names of crew members, passengers killed in crashed aircraft