NAIJAFEED

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Terrorists attack military camp, kill five soldiers, injure 11 others in Nigeria

Five soldiers of the Nigerian Army were killed and 11 others injured on Sunday afternoon by terrorists who attacked a military camp in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State.

A member of a vigilante group, Aliyu Tukur, 30, was also killed in the attack, according to a military internal memo seen by PREMIUM TIMES.

“Terrorist attack on military camp causing grievous hurt and death of military personnel,” the memo stated.

According to the memo, the incident occurred at about 2 p.m. on Sunday when over 200 terrorists armed with sophisticated weapons and led by a terrorism kingpin, Ado Aleiru, attacked the military camp situated at the village of Yar Malamai.

“On receipt of the information, Supol Faskari, proceeded to the scene with his team and engaged the bandits on a gun battle as reinforcement (of) Air Components were also called upon and responded promptly.

“The battle lasted for over two hours after intervention from the Air Force; sadly five soldiers and one vigilante by name Aliyu Tukur, 30 years (old), of the same address, lost their lives.

“Eleven soldiers sustained different degrees of gunshot injuries, all the injured were rushed to hospital by the military, all the corpses were also removed.

“The attack led to the withdrawal of all the remaining military personnel from the village to a nearby camp 25 kilometres away situated at Ali Kere village due to heavy casualty recorded.

“The bandits also suffered heavy casualties but have succeeded in removing them away from the scene (sic). Residents of the area are currently migrating.

“Investigation has commenced further development would be communicated above for your information, please,” the internal memo stated.

By Abubakar Ahmadu Maishanu, Premium Times

Monday, May 13, 2024

Video - Gunmen abduct over 100 people in Zamfara state, Nigeria

The incident marks the latest mass kidnapping incident in the northwestern state of Zamfara. A district head and residents said on Saturday that three villages were targeted in the Friday night raids.

CGTN

14 kidnapped University students rescued

Fourteen students of Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara in Kogi State, abducted by bandits on Thursday night, have been rescued

Bethrand Onuoha, the commissioner of police in the North-central State, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lokoja.

The CUSTECH students had been abducted by the bandits who invaded the institution while they were reading for their first semester examination slated to commence 13 May .

“A combined team of security operatives, including local hunters, who ran after the bandits, successfully rescued 14 of the kidnapped students.

“One of the rescued students told us that 24 students were captured.

“The security operatives will not relent. We are determined to get the remaining students back alive and unhurt,” Onuoha said.

Kingsley Fanwo, the commissioner for information, who also confirmed the rescue, said the 14 students were getting the required attention.

He expressed joy that the rescue came hours after Gov Usman Ododo visited the institution and assured parents of his readiness to rescue everyone taken.

“Our local vigilante men and security agents engaged the kidnappers in a fierce shootout and the kidnappers fled. Some escaped with gun wounds.

“They fled and left the kidnapped students who also ran in different directions to avoid being caught up in the fire exchange.

“Many of the students kidnapped, and even other people in captivity, have been rescued and taken to medical facilities for proper attention.

“Some were rescued in the early hours of today.

“The security agents are currently combing the forests to ensure that all the kidnapped students are found and brought home safely.

“It is unfortunate, however, that in the sporadic gun battle to rescue the students, a local hunter and a security operative sustained injuries. They are currently receiving medical attention,” he said.

The commissioner, however, commended the local hunters and the conventional security agents for their bravery and gallantry.

According to him, the success recorded so far was made possible by the support of Ododo who is bent on securing every Kogi resident.

He urged residents to report anyone with gun wounds to law enforcement agents.

Premium Times

Friday, May 10, 2024

Nigeria records 857 cases of lassa fever, 156 deaths in four months

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said the country has recorded 857 confirmed cases and 156 deaths of Lassa fever across 28 states of the federation from January to 28 April.

NCDC, in its latest Lassa fever situation report, noted that cumulatively from week 1 to 17, the fatalities were recorded with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 18.2 per cent which is higher than 17.0 per cent recorded in the same period in 2023.

The NCDC report for week 17 spanning from 22-28 April, also noted an increase in the number of confirmed cases from 11 in week 16 to 14 in the reporting week.

According to the reports, 63 per cent of all the confirmed cases in 2024 were from Ondo, Edo and Bauchi while 37 per cent were reported from 25 states.

It further stated that the number of suspected cases in 2024 (5963) increased when compared to that which was reported in the same period in 2023 (5084).

According to NCDC, no health worker was affected in the reporting week, adding that the predominant age group affected by Lassa fever is 21-30 years.

NCDC added that the National Lassa fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Incident Management System has been activated to coordinate response at all levels at the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC).

The agency also enumerated some of the challenges in its fight against Lassa fever across the country, listing; late presentation of the cases leading to an increase in CFR, and poor health-seeking behaviour due to the high cost of treatment and clinical management.

Other challenges are poor environmental sanitation conditions, and poor awareness reportedly observed in high-burden communities.

By Leshi James, Premium Times

Senate in Nigeria proposes death penalty for drug trafficking

Nigeria's Senate on Thursday proposed significantly toughening penalties for drug trafficking, making the death penalty the new maximum sentence through a law amendment.

The amendment, which is not yet law, replaces life imprisonment, which was previously the harshest punishment.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country of more than 200 million people, has in recent years gone from being a transit point for illegal drugs to a full-blown producer, consumer and distributor.

Opioid abuse, especially tramadol and cough syrups containing codeine, has been widespread throughout Nigeria, according to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, which banned production and import of codeine cough syrup in 2018.

While cannabis is cultivated locally, cocaine, methamphetamine and other narcotics are trafficked through the country alongside opioids to feed a growing addiction problem.

The legislation stemmed from a report by the Senate committees on judiciary, human rights and legal matters, and drugs and narcotics, which Senator Mohammed Monguno presented during Thursday's plenary session.

Supporters argued the threat of execution would serve as a stronger deterrent to drug traffickers than life imprisonment.

Lawmakers who opposed the measure expressed concerns about the irreversible nature of the death penalty and the possibility of wrongful convictions.

The House of Representatives earlier passed the bill but without a death penalty provision. Five select members of the Senate and House will need to harmonize the two versions before it goes to the president.

By Camillus Eboh, Reuters

Related story: Video - Opioid crisis in Nigeria