News

Bandits Burn Reverend Father to Death in Niger

Published

3 years ago

January 16, 2023

Eric

Terrorists on Sunday swooped on a church in the Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, abducting five worshippers.

The terrorists also shot and injured the church pastor, who was not abducted along with the worshippers.

The spokesman for the Katsina State Police Command, SP Gambo Isah, confirmed the incident.

He identified the abducted worshippers, who were all females, as Rabi Isiaku,15; Rabi Saidu,36; Rabi Baba,49; Nooseba Shuaibu,13; and Saratu Hadi, 27.

The police spokesman also identified the injured cleric as Pastor Haruna.

The worshippers and the pastor arrived at the church, ‘New Life for All,’ in Jan Tsauri, Gidan Haruna, Kankara LGA, around 7am.

They were just settling down for service when the terrorists swooped on them.

Isah said, ‘’The terrorists stormed the church in large numbers at 7am and abducted five worshippers, who were all women. They shot and wounded the pastor, identified as Pastor Haruna. They did not go away with him, but they abducted the women.”

Reports from the community said all was calm while many residents stayed indoors throughout Sunday after the incident, while nothing had been heard from the terrorists.

In a related development, suspected bandits on Sunday burnt a reverend father to death in Kafin Koro community in the Paikoro LGA of Niger State.

The bandits were said to have invaded the community around 1am and shot sporadically while heading for the uphill residence of the priest, Isaac Achi, of SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Kaffi Koro.

A resident, who identified himself only as Paul for security reasons, said the bandits divided themselves into two.

According to him, while some went to the Catholic priest’s official residence, others stayed in the town, shooting to stop any form of interference.

Paul stated that when the bandits couldn’t access the late Achi’s residence, they set the building ablaze and waited until it was burnt to ashes with him in it.

The Divisional Police Officer was said to have been called, but help did not get to Achi until he died.

The Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident in a statement to our correspondent in Minna, the state capital.

He said, “The bandits reportedly attempted to gain entrance into the residence, but it seemed difficult and they set the house ablaze, while the said reverend father was burnt dead.

“A colleague of the reverend father identified as Father Collins was equally shot in the shoulder while trying to escape from the scene.

“The lifeless body of Father Isaac was recovered while Father Collins was rushed to the hospital for treatment.”

The Christian Association of Nigeria, in a statement by the Chairman, Most Rev Bulus Yohanna, condemned the killing of the priest.

The CAN chairman called on the government, the police and other security agencies to double their efforts in tackling banditry and insecurity.

The Punch

News

Appeal Court Affirms Ruling Barring VIO from Impounding Vehicles, Fining Motorists

Published

3 days ago

December 4, 2025

Eric

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday upheld the judgment that stopped the Directorate of Road Traffic Services and Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) from seizing vehicles or imposing fines on motorists.

In a unanimous decision by a three-member panel, the appellate court found no basis to set aside the Federal High Court’s ruling of October 16, 2024, which restrained the VIO from harassing motorists.

The appeal filed by the VIO was dismissed for lacking merit. Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi delivered in the lead judgment.

The high court had earlier ruled, in a judgment by Justice Nkeonye Maha, that no law authorizes the VIO to stop motorists, impound vehicles, or impose penalties for alleged traffic offences.

The case arose from a fundamental rights suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023) filed by lawyer Abubakar Marshal.

Marshal informed the court that VIO officials stopped him at Jabi in Abuja on December 12, 2023, and seized his vehicle without lawful reason. He asked the court to determine whether their actions violated his rights.

Justice Maha agreed and ordered the VIO and its agents not to impound vehicles or impose fines on motorists, describing the actions as unlawful. She held that only a court can impose fines or sanctions.

She ruled that the VIO’s conduct breached the applicant’s constitutional right to property under Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 14 of the African Charter. She further held that the VIO has no legal authority to seize vehicles or penalize motorists, as doing so infringes on rights to fair hearing, movement and presumption of innocence.

Although Marshal, represented by Femi Falana, SAN, requested ₦500 million in damages and a public apology, the court awarded ₦2.5 million.

The Directorate of Road Traffic Services, its Director, its Abuja Area Commander at the time (identified as Mr. Leo), team leader Solomon Onoja, and the FCT Minister were listed as respondents.

They appealed the decision, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.

News

Tinubu Nominates Ibas, Dambazau, Enang, Ohakim As Ambassadors

Published

4 days ago

December 4, 2025

Eric

President Bola Tinubu has nominated Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, the immediate past sole administrator of Rivers State and a former Chief of Naval Staff, as a non-career ambassador.

Tinubu also nominated Ita Enang, a former senator; Chioma Ohakim, former First Lady of Imo State; and Abdulrahman Dambazau, former Minister of Interior and ex-Chief of Army Staff, as non-career ambassadors.

News

Senate Confirms Chris Musa As New Defence Minister

Published

4 days ago

December 3, 2025

Eric

The Nigerian Senate has confirmed General Christopher Musa, the former Chief of Defence Staff, as the country’s new Minister of Defence.

The announcement was contained in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu.

Musa, who retired from the military just 40 days ago, was nominated by President Tinubu on Tuesday to succeed former Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who stepped down on health grounds.

According to Onanuga’s statement, the Senate approved Musa’s appointment on Wednesday through a voice vote, following a thorough screening session during which lawmakers posed numerous questions.

“Senate confirms Gen. Christopher Musa as Minister of Defence The Senate has confirmed the former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, as the Minister of Defence. The Senate confirmed Musa on Wednesday via a voice vote after a rigorous screening session in which lawmakers asked him many questions,” the statement read in part.