Train attack: Shock as terrorists vow to kidnap Buhari, el-Rufai

Irked by Federal Government’s inability to meet their demands, terrorists who kidnapped the Kaduna-Abuja train passengers on March 28, 2022, have vowed to abduct President Muhammadu Buhari and governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai if their requests are not met.

The terrorists, suspected to be members of Ansaru, also stated that they would abduct other prominent Nigerians, as well as cause mayhem in the country.

These were contained in a new video the group released yesterday. The viral video saw the terrorists flogging the remaining male passengers of the ill-fated train attack, while female passengers were asked to line in front of the male passengers.

The nearly three minutes video showed a bearded passenger, who was asked to speak on their behalf, saying the terrorists told them that they did not plan to keep them as hostage for more than a week, but for government’s nonchalance. He, therefore, called on the international community and the United Nations (UN) to come to their aid since the government has failed to ensure their freedom.

Also, in the background, an elderly woman, about 85 years old, was heard cursing the Federal Government in Hausa, saying, “Allah ya isa” (meaning We leave you with God). She lamented that they voted the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Buhari with the hope that the North and entire country would be secured, but it was all in vain.

The terrorists threatened to kill and sell off some of the remaining train passengers in captivity.

“This is our message to the government of Nigeria and just as you have seen these people here, by God’s grace, you will see your leaders; your senators and governors will come before us. These ones you are seeing here, we will keep some as our slaves and sell them off just as our Imam told you in the past.

“Just like the Chibok girls that were sold off, we will equally sell these ones as slaves. If you don’t adhere to our demands, we will kill the ones we need …

How our staff, two Poly students were kidnapped in Oyedepo’s church — University

Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, Kogi State has stated the circumstances that led to the kidnap of a staff of the institution, Joseph Arome Simeon, and two students of the Kogi State Polytechnic, Itakpe Campus.

The university, in a statement on Monday by its spokesman, Balogun Omeiza David, said the trio were kidnapped on Sunday.

They were kidnapped inside the Living Faith Church, also known as Winners Chapel, founded by Bishop David Oyedepo.

The university, however, denied earlier media reports that the students were its.

It said in the statement: “For the past two days, different news blogs have written erroneously without proper investigation on the kidnapping that actually took place on Sunday 29th August 2021 at Osara the community serving as host to the newly founded Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara.

“Without mincing words, there was actually a kidnapping case on Sunday 29th August at Osara, Adavi Local Government Area, Kogi State around 7:30 p.m. A staff of CUSTECH working with the ICT department by the name Joseph Arome Simeon was kidnapped alongside two female students of Kogi State Polytechnic, Itakpe Campus.

“From the details made available to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Salawu Sadiku and the Information Unit of CUSTECH, the trio had gone to the Living Faith Church located in the outskirt of Osara for a voice training session only for them to be kidnapped around 7:30pm on that fateful day.

“Further reports made available by the security agents said the kidnappers shot sporadically into the thin air before they finally abducted their victims from the Living Faith Church, Osara.

“The general public should be well informed that no student of CUSTECH, Osara was kidnapped as wrongly reported and shared widely by other news blogs.

“Also, the two female students that were kidnapped are of the neighboring Kogi State Polytechnic, Itakpe Campus. The male staff of CUSTECH, Osara that was kidnapped is a Data Analyst and not a lecturer as wrongly reported.

“It is also of great importance for the general public to know …

19-year-old girl and friend plans her own kidnap

19-year-old Dorcas Adilewa, who planned her kidnap to defraud her father of N600k in Lagos, has been charged to court.

The Lagos State Police Command following a report by the suspect’s father at Ketu Police Station arrested her on July 13 together with one Ifeoluwa Ogunbanjo, her friend, who provided location and a phone to contact her parents.

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Confirming the arrest in a statement, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police,Imohimi Edgal said:

“On July 7 at about 5 p.m., Adilewa Taiwo of No. 3, Kosumi Lane, Bello-Ketu, Lagos, reported at Ketu Police Station that he received a call from phone number 09057432362. He was told that his daughter, Dorcas Adilewa, was being held hostage and that if he does not want her killed, he should pay a ransom of N600,000 to secure her release.

 

 

Investigation into the case was immediately commenced and the above phone number that was used by the suspects was geo-located to Ijebu-Igbo area of Ogun State. The O/C Anti-Kidnapping led his operatives to Ijebu-Igbo on July 12 and combed the area in search of the supposed victim till the following morning”.

The commissioner said that while the search was ongoing at Ijebu-Igbo, the location of the supposed kidnappers changed to Ikotun in Lagos and the search party had to move from Ijebu-Igbo to IKotun in Lagos to rescue the victim.

“When the fake kidnappers realised that the Police were closing in on them, the supposed victim decided to call the complainant to inform him that she has been released, after he had deposited the sum of N8,000 naira in her UBA account number: 2087804991.” Imohimi  said that when Adilewa was being debriefed upon her release, she confessed that she actually planned the fake kidnap with her friend, one Ogunbanjo.

“She provided her with accommodation at No. 174, Adeboye road, Okesopin, Ijebu Igbo in Ogun State to hide and the phone that they used in demanding for the ransom. Investigation is in …