Crime / News / Transportation

Bandits: We’ll kill train passengers if FG fails to meet our demands; Records video at Army base + Photo

The bandits who abducted passengers on a Kaduna-bound train last month have threatened to kill them if the Federal Government fails to meet their demands.

In a video released on Wednesday, the armed men said they were not interested in money, adding that the Federal Government knows what they were asking for.

The video, which was less then two minutes, had four of the bandits with one of the abducted passengers: Alwan Hassan, Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture.

One of them, who spoke in Hausa, said the MD was released due to his age and in the spirit of Ramadan. Daily Trust observed that the terrorists, clad in military uniform, made the video at the Forward Operational Base in Polwire, Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, which was attacked on Monday.

One of the Armoured Personnel Carriers that was burnt during the attack was used as a background in the video.

The spokesman said: “We are the group that kidnapped passengers on the train few days ago.

“Among them is this man that was pleading with us due to his old age and we felt pity on him due to the month of Ramadan, so, we want to give him back to his family.

“But the government should not misunderstand this, as it is a gesture we made because of the pity we had on him.”

The bandits then asked the MD to make some remarks.

Speaking briefly, Hassan said he was released out of pity.

He said: “I want to witness to everyone that they took pity on me due to my old age.

“I was told to go out but I want to assure everyone that I left huge number of people behind and they are in situation that requires help for them to be released fast.

“I hope that government will meet the head of this group to release as them as soon as possible.”

One of the bandits added: “I want to reiterate that what he said is true.

“Don’t try to try to investigate us immediately …

News / Security

Police confirm second death in abduction of Edo IPMAN Chairman

The Edo Police Command says the driver to the state Chairman of the Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Abdul-Hamid Egele, has died.

The command’s spokesman, SP Kontongs Bello, confirmed the death to the News Agency of Nigeria in Benin on Tuesday night.

NAN reports that the deceased, whose identity could not be ascertained, was driving Egele’s backup car, when they were attacked by gunmen that abducted him.

Egele was abducted in his Jattu home on Monday evening, when his assailants intercepted his motorcade, killing his driver on the spot.

The hoodlums also shot and wounded the second driver and security operative attached to him.
Bello said that the second driver died as a result of the serious bullet injuries he suffered during the attack.

He said that Egele’s abductors had yet to contact his family, adding that the command had begun a rescue operation in the area.

“I got the news that the driver of the second vehicle, who was severely injured in the attack, is dead.

“The chairman’s family has yet to be contacted and we hope that the bush-combing exercise will lead to the rescue of the victim and arrest of his abductors,” Bello said.

According to eyewitness account, Egele, popularly called Baba Petrol, was abducted at about 7.00pm, when he was returning home after the day’s business.

“The gunmen, who drove in two unmarked vehicles, ambushed him near his house and fired at his jeep.

“He was taken away by the gunmen after they overpowered and injured his security,’’ the eyewitness further said.…

Crime / News

Two abducted students escape in Kaduna – Police

The Kaduna State Police Command on Thursday confirmed the escape of two of the abducted students of Bethel Baptist High School, Maraban Damishi in Chikun Local Government Area of the state.

ASP Mohammed Jalige, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, confirmed this in a press statement.

Jalige said the information reached the Command about the escape of the students on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalled that bandits had invaded the school and kidnapped unspecified number of students in the early hour of June 5. Jalige said on Wednesday at about 3:30am, the Command was informed by a good samaritan that two students of the school were sighted and believed to have escaped from their captors.

He said a report was lodged with the Divisional Police Officer, Rijana, who got hold of the students, after which investigation confirmed they were victims of the bandits.

He said: “The students said that on Tuesday, July 20 , 2021, at about 6pm, they were tasked by their captors to go and fetch firewood from the nearby forest where they were held hostage.

“They however, decided to take the opportunity of not being monitored and escape to Rijana community along Kaduna-Abuja highway.

“The two boys are currently undergoing medical examination at Police Medical facility before re-uniting them with their family, while tactical approach is being intensified to secure the release of the remaining students.”

In another development, the Command’s spokesperson also disclosed that mob lynched two unknown armed men on Wednesday in Kakuri area of Kaduna metropolis.

Jalige reiterated the call of the Command on the people of the state to avoid taking laws into their hands but should instead report suspicious characters to the appropriate authorities.…