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Kebbi Rep Recounts How 300 Bandits with AK47 Operated for Eight Hours in Constituency

Published

4 years ago

June 18, 2021

Eric

The lawmaker representing the Igaski/Shanga/Yauri in Kebbi State at the House of Representatives, Yusuf Sununu, has recounted the trauma his constituency experienced in the hands of bandits the previous week. His narration was a followup of the attack on Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, by bandits where yet to be confirmed number of students and staff were whisked away.

Addressing newsmen, he said:

“However, we were able to convince people and they started going back to their respective areas. But they (bandits) left a message that they would be coming back. Taking it seriously, some people refused to go back and in the early hours of today, they repeated what they had done earlier, and they came into the constituency, somehow around 10:30am or thereabout. They were able to gain access after strong fights with some security guards and policemen guarding the Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, and they made their way into the school. They succeeded in kidnapping some teachers and an unaccounted number of students. Some of the students and security men are currently receiving care at the General Hospital Yauri following gun injuries.

“This is a cause for concern and as representative of the people, I had to come here and make a call on the Federal Government to look at Yauri’s position with its neighbouring Niger State. It has direct access to Zamfara State and west of Yauri is back of River Niger. Our fear is that their major target is to enter Yauri. Now, we are calling on the Federal Government to provide adequate security. I have got in touch with security agencies. We had discussions and it has been confirmed to me that military aircraft are in surveillance in the area.

“We have to make it clear that Kebbi State and indeed Yauri holds a unique position in the food security of this country. Over 90 per cent of the land of Yauri is for rice farming. But as of today, no farmer can comfortably go back to his farm and farm and come back to sleep with his eyes closed.

“We are right now facing an influx of a number of people into Yauri with a higher rate of internally displaced persons. Accommodation, feeding and other logistics that are necessary are being affected. The worst part of it is that a nation can only develop when it is sound educationally wise.

“The so-called Boko Haram is almost becoming a reality because parents cannot feel free to send their wards to school for fear of being kidnapped. As it is now, a lot of primary schools in the emirate in Yauri town are being occupied by IDP. This has a tendency to deter the progress so far achieved by the Kebbi State Government in terms of agriculture and in terms of promoting access to education.

Featured

Glo Foundation Celebrates Lagos Sanitation Workers

Published

30 minutes ago

May 12, 2025

Eric

Sweepers across Lagos State on Saturday took time off the streets to be celebrated by Glo Foundation, the social responsibility arm of Globacom. It partnered their employers, Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) to host a special day to celebrate those who keep the streets of the state clean.

Hundreds of sweepers from all local governments and LCDAs in the state participated in the event, which was held at LAWMA’s Ijora Olopa Head Office in Lagos. Thanks to Globacom, the sweepers, who are often overlooked by society despite their demanding responsibilities, became the event’s main attraction as they danced and took part in a number of entertaining activities, such as games and prize draws.

Speaking at the event, Jumobi Mofe-Damijo, the head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Globacom, said that the organization had chosen to honour the cleaners with a Rest and Relaxation event as a way of showing appreciation for the vital work they do every day, which often puts their lives in danger on the state’s highways. She added that the Glo Foundation’s efforts would also expand to other states in various forms of intervention.

Said she: “We recognize the important and thankless jobs that you do all over the state in ensuring that our roads and streets are clean every day. We recognize the hazards you face from drivers who don’t appreciate you and are at times impatient while you are by the roadside sweeping. It is the reason why we are here today to let you know how much we value you and your huge contributions to keeping Lagos clean on a continuous basis”.

She also disclosed that empowerment and skills acquisition programmes would be held for the sweepers in the following months. They include Fashion Skills (Fashion Design, jewelry making, Fabric Embellishment & Beading); Baking skills: (Basic cake and decoration, Fried and baked pastry, Bread making, soft skills and Entrepreneurship class); Digital Skills (Digital marketing, social media management, and e-commerce).

LAWMA’s Managing Director, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, was full of admiration for Globacom’s offer to create a day to honor sweepers around the state. He also said the agency is pleased with the telecommunications company’s partnerships which he believed would encourage and motivate the sweepers to do even more.

He urged other corporate entities to follow Globacom’s example and reaffirmed the significance of the sweepers’ work in promoting the health and welfare of the populace.

Some of the sweepers thanked Globacom and the LAWMA Management for the chance to relax with their coworkers and for Glo’s exceptional gesture of appreciation to them. Lagos-born Rejoice Aniekwe Ifeoma revealed that working with LAWMA has given her the chance to better herself and establish a second source of income to support herself. Ifeoma, who is presently undergoing computer literacy training, stated that she spends her leisure time selling Tigernut and Zobo beverages. She was grateful to Globacom for providing this chance for leisure.

Another sweeper, Awolaja Esther, an Ikorodu resident, revealed that she has been employed by LAWMA for almost 15 years, using the position to establish an additional revenue stream in Ikorodu. She is training two undergraduates at the moment. She commended Globacom for organizing a day to honor and recognize her and her coworkers.

As part of the fun and excitement created exclusively for the sweepers, Globacom also held a lucky dip to give out various items including sewing machine, Inverter Microwave oven and grinding machine to some of the sweepers.

Madam Dorcas Adeniji, a resident of Oshodi in Lagos, won the grinding machine. She could hardly contain her joy as she danced after receiving the item. Mrs Adewusi Bisola, who resides in Alakuko in Agbado Oke Odo LCDA, won an Inverter Microwave oven. Her friends almost mobbed her when she came out to receive her prize. Another winner, Ige Sadatu, who won a sewing machine, thanked Globacom for the gift she was taking home.

Featured

Dele Momodu @65: The Billionaire of Hearts, the Common Man’s King

Published

6 hours ago

May 12, 2025

Eric

By Gite Igiehon

In a world where affluence often breeds distance, and fame creates fences between the privileged and the people, Chief Dele Momodu, at 65, continues to walk a different path—one paved with humility, empathy, and human connection.

Many know him as the media mogul, the respected publisher of Ovation International, the presidential aspirant, and the seasoned journalist with global acclaim. But few truly understand the weight of the name Bob Dee, as we fondly call him, and what it means to those whose lives he quietly touches without headlines or hashtags.

At 65, Dele Momodu is not just a public figure. He is a living bridge—between wealth and poverty, between celebrity and humanity, between the elite and the everyday Nigerian. Despite his exposure to kings, presidents, and pop culture royalty, he has never forgotten how to sit, eat, and laugh with the poor. He listens when others speak over. He shows up when others send excuses.

I remember vividly when I celebrated my 40th birthday. I called him just two weeks before the event. He was in the UK and told me plainly that he had no plans to return to Nigeria anytime soon. I understood. I thanked him and moved on. But a week later, he called back with words that still echo in my heart: “Princess, you’ve never invited me to anything before.”

On the day of my celebration, I looked up—and there he was. My mentor. My inspiration. My “Oga,” in every sense of the word. Dele Momodu showed up. Not because of status, politics, or press. But because that’s who he is—a man of his word, a man of the people.

At 65, it’s not his global network, his powerful interviews, or even his political aspirations that make him remarkable. It is his consistent humanity—a rare virtue in these times. He carries the weight of the world with a smile and wears his wealth not in fabric or fortune, but in the countless lives he has uplifted, empowered, and remembered.

Dele Momodu is not just a man. He is a movement of grace, of loyalty, and of love.

As he turns 65, may the world not only celebrate his achievements but take a moment to learn from his greatest legacy—his heart.

Featured

A Glorious 65th Birthday Tribute to Bashorun Dele Momodu

Published

1 day ago

May 11, 2025

Eric

By Azuh Arinze

On Friday, May 16, 2025, the world will celebrate not just a man, but a living legend – Bashorun Ayobamidele Ojutelegan Abayomi Ajani Momodu – a visionary journalist, media titan, political thinker, cultural ambassador, and an unrelenting force for truth, excellence, and the African dream.

Happy 65th birthday, Bob Dee!

Your life’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary and exceptional. From the newsroom to all the rooms that matter, from political corridors to international stages, you have remained a beacon of hope, courage, and intellectual brilliance – just like your astounding mentors, Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola and Otunba Michael Adeniyi Agbolade Adenuga. Through Ovation International magazine, you ingeniously gave Africa a mirror to see its own beauty, elegance, and potential. You equally created a platform that elevated our celebrity stories and interviews with pride, power and possibilities.

Your voice has echoed across continents – not just reporting history, but shaping it. Your words have inspired millions, your boldness has challenged systems, and your generosity has uplifted countless lives. Even in adversity, especially while in exile, you carried your convictions with grace, proving that truth is not only worth telling, but also worth living for.

At 65, you effortlessly embody the wisdom of a sage and the vigour of a man still on a mission. May this new chapter bring you deeper joy, divine health, and even greater impact. The world may change, but your legacies – your light and your life – will continue to grow brighter and brighter.

On behalf of all those you have touched, mentored, empowered, and inspired – like my good self – I say thank you and thank you and thank you. You are indeed a national treasure and a global gift that will continue to be cherished and adored.

Happy birthday, Sir, and long may you reign.

With deepest admiration and warmest wishes to one of the best things that ever happened to the journalism profession in Nigeria and Africa.

Azuh Arinze, KSM is the
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine and Odenigbo I of Azia