The Nigeria Police on Thursday, announced the arrest of the alleged mastermind of the attack on the Abuja-Kaduna where some passengers were killed while scores were abducted in March 2022.

The mastermind was identified as Ibrahim Abdullahi, also known by the ominous moniker of Mandi.

Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who made this known in Kaduna on Thursday, also disclosed that the suspect had also participated in the abduction of students from Greenfield University in 2021.

Adejobi also added that 48 AK-47 rifles were seized during Mandi’s arrest and efforts were underway to identify his sponsor and supplier of weapons.

He said, “On 12th January 2024, police operatives attached to an anti-kidnapping unit of Kaduna State Criminal Investigation Department, based on credible information swooped in and arrested one Ibrahim Abdullahi aka MANDE at Abuja-Kaduna Road flyover by Rido Junction.

“The suspect confessed to being the leader of a kidnap syndicate terrorizing the Kaduna-Abuja highway, ranked among other criminals like Dogo Gide and Bello Turji.

“He had participated in various kidnapping incidents including the kidnapping incident at Green Field University and he partook in almost all the kidnappings along the Abuja-Kaduna highway.”

Meanwhile, the police spokesman also said that no fewer than 81-armed robbers, 40 kidnapers, 73 murder/homicide suspects, 36 rape suspects, 22 suspects involved in cult-related crimes, and 28 suspects engaged in other criminal activities between January to date with particular focus on the Abuja-Kaduna expressway.

According to him, the strategic initiative being implemented by the force along the Abuja-Kaduna highway was responsible for current success stories so far recorded.

Similarly, he added that operatives have successfully recovered 16 firearms of various types along with 226 ammunition of diverse calibres.

“Additionally, our operations have led to the retrieval of 28 stolen vehicles, over 200 harmful weapons, and 600 bags of fertilizers.

“A total of three million, three hundred and fifty thousand Naira (N3,350,000) only, previously paid as ransom to kidnappers, has been successfully recovered, while our swift and coordinated efforts have resulted in the safe rescue of 158 kidnapped victims, all of whom have been reunited with their families unharmed. These achievements include.”

The police spokesman further said that the Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of IGP Kayode Egbetokun, remains steadfast in its resolve to uphold the rule of law, ensure the safety and security of all citizens as well as combat criminal activities in the country.

Some bloodthirsty terrorists had attacked the Abuja-Kaduna bound AK9 train on March 28 and abducted some passengers.

A day after the attack, another passenger who suffered from a gunshot wound died, making it nine, the total number of those killed in that attack.

From the manifest received by the Nigerian Railway Corporation, 398 passengers bought tickets but 362 were validated as having bought tickets.

The Punch

The Special Taskforce set up by Osun State Government to monitor the Petroleum Scarcity has raided filling stations in Osogbo Federal Constituency.

The Taskforce which has the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye as the chairman went round filling stations in Osogbo, Ifón, Ilobu today to ensure that marketers do not hoard the products while people suffer for petrol scarcity.

The Taskforce team which comprises of Commissioner for Government House and Protocol, Honourable Soji Ajeigbe, Commissioner for Youths, Hon. Moshood Olagunju has two Special Advisers to the Governor, Hon. Babatunde Badmus and Alhaji Nurudeen Emiloju Among others.

At Muhy International Investment filling station at Ayekale, the committee ordered the manager to start dispensing as it was discovered to be hording about 800 litres in it’s PMS tank.

Addressing the petrol marketers and members of the public waiting to buy Petrol products, Hon. Soji Ajeigbe appreciated the managers of the filling stations that were seen dispensing the products.

According to him, the Taskforce was not out to shut down or witch-hunt any petroleum marketer but to ensure that any station found hoarding the product start dispensing the products immediately to the members of the public.

The team also took time to address members of the public on the need be orderly and law abiding assuring that the state government is doing everything possible to facilitate more allocation of PMS to the state from the depots in Lagos and Port Harcourt.

Members of the public who were happy at the activities of the Taskforce were full of appreciation to the state government for being responsive to the public cries.

It was carnival-like from Agunbelewo where okada riders started following the taskforce from one filling station to another as those who were not selling before started dispensing the products ahead of the taskforce ‘s visit to their stations

The Taskforce inspected PMS tanks of the stations that were not dispensing the products to ascertain that they were not hording the product.

Parts of the stations visited include Major and Independent marketers as well as NNPC retail stations in Osogbo, Olorunda, Irepodun and Orolu local Governments.

Members of the Taskforce include Honourable Niyi Olaniyan, S A policy Coordination, and security agents.

The National President of the National Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has described the federal government increase of civil servants by 35% as mischievous, insisting that the minimum wage should not be below N615,000

Ajaero who made this statement in an interview with Channels TV on Wednesday, said the federal government should pay workers a “living wage.”  

According to the union boss, a living wage is such that at least keep the workers alive for the month, without resorting to borrowing and malnutrition.  

Ajaero said the President promised to pay a living wage, and it was legislated upon by the National Assembly.  

However, he said the government is yet to reconvene a meeting with the organized labour after they submitted a report of N615,000 to the government as the amount for living wage. 

“And the last minimum wage of N30,000 expired on the 18th of April. By now, we assume today on the regime of a new minimum wage.

“Discussions were supposed to be concluded. The national assembly legislated on it before now. The discussion entered voicemail because the federal government refused to reconvene the meeting that was adjourned.

We had public hearing in the six geopolitical zones and we came back to collate the submission. And the committee asked NLC and TUC to do their submission which they did and came up to about N615,000.

“The moment they got that up till this moment, no meeting has taken place.

“Living wage is such a wage that will at least keep you alive. That should be N615,000.”

Speaking further, Ajaero further broke down the proposed living wage to the federal government.  

He said this wage will cover things such as utility bill payment, transportation, feeding, hospital, electricity and education, among others. 

“We are asking for accommodation of N40,000. We are asking for electricity for N20,000. We look at utility that is about N10,000 and kerosene and gas which is about N25,000 and N30,000.

“We look at food for N9,000 for the family of six, in a day. For thirty days, that’s about N270,000. We look at medical for N50,000  and education N50,000, and sanitization for N10,000.

“Because of subsidy removal and the fact that workers stay in fringes, that amounted to N110,000. That brought the whole thing to N615,000. And I want anybody to subject this to further investigation and find out if there will be any savings after these payments”, Ajaero added.

On Tuesday, the Federal Government approved an increase in salaries across various salary structures in a move aimed at boosting the welfare of civil servants.

These salary structures include the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS), and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).

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