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Truckload of Bandits Reportedly Arrives Abuja Border Town, Schools Shut

Published

5 years ago

May 6, 2021

Eric

One of Nigeria’s newspapers, Leadership, has reported the presence of about 200 unidentified men suspected to be bandits, who were dropped off by a truck in Sabon Wuse area of Niger State, a border town with Bwari, Abuja.

The report added that consequent upon the discovery, most private schools in the metropolis have closed down and ordered pupils and students to vacate premises.

The newspaper publication narrates as follows:

Despite assurances by the police authorities that Abuja is safe, private schools in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, yesterday, hurriedly shut down their activities over fear of possible attack by kidnappers.

LEADERSHIP learnt that some schools hurriedly sent their students home when news got to them over 200 unidentified men suspected to be bandits were dropped by a truck in Sabon Wuse area of Niger State, a border town with Bwari, Abuja.

A source told LEADERSHIP that some private schools closed their schools with instructions to student to remain at home till further notice.
Some parents who do not want their identities revealed told our correspondent that the schools gave the instructions on various group WhatsApp platforms of the schools.

LEADERSHIP gathered that in the last two weeks, over ten persons have been kidnapped in Bwari area council with ransom of about N10million paid to secure their release.

Last week, about seven persons were kidnapped in Sabon Fulani area of the council and about N5 million ransom was said to have been paid.

According to residents, the fear was heightened following the report that over 200 unknown persons were dropped from a truck in Sabon Wuse area.

A parent who spoke to LEADERSHIP said, “We were asked to come for our children in their school before the time they were supposed to close for the day.

”I don’t know if they will be going to school tomorrow because we are still waiting for further directives from their school group WhatsApp platform”, the parent, who does not want her identity revealed said.

Another parent told LEADERSHIP that there was specific instruction for students to remain at home until further notice from the school authorities.

”My children came back home before the usual closing hour. When I enquired, the school said there were reports that kidnappers had surrounded Bwari area council and they (school authorities) do not want to be responsible for any kidnapped student, hence the closure of the school.

”As we speak, the school has been shut down indefinitely,” he said.

Some of the schools in Bwari area council that sent their students home yesterday for fear of possible attacks by kidnappers include De-Goopherwood Montessori School (close to Nigerian Law School), Glorious Bright School, Tundun Fulani and Asusi International School.

A parent, who has children at Glorious Bright School said she got a call from the school management to come and pick their children before the normal closing hour for fear of attacks by kidnappers. Another parent who has children at De-Goopherwood Montessori School also confirmed that his children closed before the normal closing hour.

According to her, the students were asked to go home after information got to them that there is a likelihood of a breach of security in Bwari.

LEADERSHIP learnt that Veritas University, in Bwari, has been closed down and students sent home.

According to a senior lecturer of the school, who said she was not authorised to speak with journalist, ”The school was shut this morning by the vice chancellor. ‘We received a circular that everyone should vacate the school by 11am today (yesterday).”

She said the students had been on holiday since last week but the academic staff and other staff were still going to school before the circular was sent out.

”Though the students were on holiday, we were still going to school until we got a circular today (yesterday) from the office of the Vice Chancellor that everyone should leave the campus,” the source said.

Another polytechnic in the area also sent its student out of the hostel.

A 200-level student of Dorben Polytechnic, Bwari, told LEADERSHIP that the school authorities issued a circular asking the students to vacate the hostels and that henceforth they will holding lectures online.

The student who studies public administration at the polytechnic said all the student promptly complied with the directive and quit the hostels.

About three days ago, the FCT Police Command faulted information that the territory was under possible the attack of Boko Haram terrorists. The command had, in a press statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Yusuf Mariam, said, “The attention of the FCT Joint Security Team has been drawn to a viral publication in the social media purporting that the ‘Federal Capital Territory is under the attack of Boko Haram Terrorists’.

”The Joint Security Team of the FCT wishes to refute the mischievous publication targeted at creating palpable tension amongst the well-spirited residents of the FCT.”

Featured

UNN Appoints Chimamanda Adichie, Others Visiting Professors

Published

10 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Eric

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has appointed a renowned novelist, Chimamanda Adichie, isiting professor as part of the drive to reposition the institution on the global academic stage.

Also appointed visiting professors are African Development Bank (AfDB) executive, Prof Kevin Urama, and Prof James Robinson of the University of Chicago.

The appointments were announced through official letters dated December 18, 2025 and signed by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Simon Ortuanya.

Among the roles expected of the trio, according to the letters, included teaching engagements, research collaboration, mentorship, and strategic academic interactions.

Adichie, it was gathered, was appointed based on her outstanding contributions to literature, creative writing, and global intellectual discourse.

According to the university, Adichie’s visiting professorial would enrich the arts and humanities of the institution through lectures, scholarly engagements, and mentorship of students and young academics.

Prof Urama, a renowned development economist and senior official at the African Development Bank, was appointed because of his “versatile expertise in development economics, climate policy, and evidence-based policymaking”.

“His engagement is expected to strengthen teaching, research, and policy-oriented programmes, particularly in economics, development studies, and related disciplines,” UNN said.

On Prof James Robinson, a political economist at the University of Chicago, UNN said his appointment was intended to deepen academic collaboration, advance research, and expose students and lecturers “to cutting-edge global scholarship in political economy and development studies”.

The acting Public Relations Officer of the institution, Inya Agha Egwu, said that the appointments align with the commitment of “the vice-chancellor to attracting eminent global scholars and industry leaders to UNN, in line with the vision of its founding fathers”.

He said: “The University of Nigeria was founded to be a globally competitive institution; the latest appointments represent a significant step towards reclaiming that legacy and enhancing its global relevance.”

Inya said the visiting professorships are designed to promote knowledge exchange, strengthen international linkages, and bridge the gap between theory, policy, and practice, adding that the latest appointments “bring the number to four visiting professors appointed by the vice-chancellor in December 2025”.

Featured

Chuks AI Launches NAICOM Aligned Insurance Services on WhatsApp in Nigeria

Published

14 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Eric

Chuks AI, a WhatsApp native insurance technology platform, has officially launched in Nigeria, enabling users to purchase insurance policies and initiate claims directly within WhatsApp, in alignment with applicable National Insurance Commission regulations and established industry standards.

Built specifically for the Nigerian insurance ecosystem, Chuks AI operates as a digital insurance interface that connects customers with NAICOM licensed insurers and approved insurance products. Through a secure, conversational experience on WhatsApp, users can access policy information, receive quotations, complete policy purchases, submit claims documentation, and track claim status, all within a compliant, transparent, and auditable framework.

Key Capabilities

• Distribution of insurance products underwritten by NAICOM licensed insurers.
• Clear disclosure of policy terms, exclusions, premiums, and coverage details.
• Secure digital documentation and record keeping aligned with regulatory requirements.
• Structured workflows for claims notification and documentation submission.
• Ongoing customer engagement and support without replacing licensed insurers,
underwriters, or claims decision makers.
Chuks AI is designed to complement Nigeria’s regulated insurance framework, not circumvent it.

Our focus is on improving access, efficiency, and trust by using WhatsApp as a digital entry point, while fully respecting regulatory oversight and the role of licensed insurance providers.

Driving Insurance Inclusion

By leveraging WhatsApp, Nigeria’s most widely used messaging platform, Chuks AI reduces friction in insurance access, improves customer understanding, and lowers barriers for individuals and small businesses seeking coverage. The platform enables insurers to reach customers more effectively while maintaining full compliance with insurance laws, regulatory guidelines, and consumer protection standards.

Chuks AI does not underwrite risk or independently approve claims. All insurance policies are issued by licensed insurers, and all claims decisions are made by those insurers. Chuks AI functions strictly as a technology enabled distribution, servicing, and engagement layer.

Expansion Plans

Following its Nigerian launch, Chuks AI plans to expand into select African markets and the United Kingdom in Q1 2026, subject to local regulatory approvals and partnerships with licensed insurance providers in each jurisdiction.

Accessing Chuks AI

Users can engage Chuks AI directly on WhatsApp or learn more at www.chuks.ai.

About Chuks AI

Chuks AI is a WhatsApp native insurance technology platform focused on simplifying insurance access, policy servicing, and claims initiation. Built with regulatory compliance at its core, Chuks AI partners with licensed insurers to deliver secure, transparent, and user friendly insurance experiences in Nigeria, with planned expansion across Africa and the United Kingdom

Featured

WSCIJ to Host Public Symposium in Honour of Biodun Jeyifo at 80

Published

18 hours ago

December 24, 2025

Eric

As debates on decolonisation continue to shape global intellectual and political discourse, the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) will, on Monday, January 5 2026, convene a public symposium in honour of renowned scholar, Biodun Jeyifo, Professor Emeritus at Cornell (English) and Harvard (Comparative Literature and African and African American Studies), as he marks his 80th birthday. The symposium will take place at the AGIP Recital Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, at 9:00am (WAT).

The symposium, themed ‘Who Is afraid of decolonisation?’, will examine Jeyifo’s enduring contributions to curriculum reform, cultural resistance, and critical thought, while interrogating the contemporary relevance of decolonial ideas in education, politics, and public discourse.

The programme will feature a keynote lecture by Priya Gopal, Professor of Post-Colonial Studies at the University of Cambridge, titled ‘Who’s afraid of decolonisation? Reflections on particular pasts and planetary futures.’

The event which will be chaired by Yemi Ogunbiyi (PhD), Chairman, Tanus Books, Lagos, Nigeria will have two panel sessions follow the keynote lecture. The first panel will offer critical responses to Gopal’s lecture and will feature Jibrin Ibrahim, Professor of Political Science and Chairman of the Editorial Board, Premium Times; Chidi Amuta (PhD), Chairman, Wilson & Weizman Associates, Lagos; and Akin Adesokan, Professor of Comparative Literature, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA. The session will be moderated by Ropo Sekoni, immediate past Chair, WSCIJ and Professor of Literature in English.

The second panel, themed ‘Pedagogy for liberation: Then and now,’ will bring together former students and mentees of Jeyifo to reflect on his influence as a teacher, thinker, and institution-builder. Panellists include Bisi Anyadike (PhD), Proprietress, Sunshine Nursery and Primary School, Ile-Ife, Nigeria; Kunle Ajibade, Co-founder, TheNEWS and PM NEWS; and Ogaga Ifowodo (PhD), lawyer and poet. The session will be moderated by Chima Anyadike, Professor of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

A major highlight of the symposium will be remarks by the celebrant, Jeyifo, reflecting on curriculum, society, and revolution across generations.

The symposium will convene students, scholars, writers, journalists, and cultural critics, and will conclude with audience interactions, networking, and reflections on Jeyifo’s enduring contribution to African scholarship and critical pedagogy. Members of the public are invited to attend.