Bandits have reportedly demanded N40 trillion as a ransom to release the 16 residents abducted from the Gonin Gora area of Kaduna. Speaking with TheCable on Monday, John Yusuf, a community leader, said the bandits contacted family members of the victims and also demanded 11 Hilux vans and 150 motorcycles. This is the first time bandits would make such a huge demand since abduction for ransom started in Nigeria. On February 28, bandits killed two residents of Anguwan Auta in Gonin Gora and abducted several others. After the attack, residents of the area on February 29 blocked the Kaduna-Abuja highway for several hours to protest against the killing and abduction. Yusuf said the bandits attacked the community twice within the week. “The bandits have contacted us. They are demanding N40 trillion, 11 Hilux vans and 150 motorcycles for the release of 16 people they are holding captive,” he said. “Where are we going to get this kind of money? Even if we sell the entire community, we cannot raise N40 trillion. Even Nigeria as a country has never made a budget of N40 trillion. “The abductions happened twice within four days interval. During the first attack, three people were kidnapped while in the second attack, 13 people were abducted bringing the total number of people being held captive to 16.” He said the communities in Birnin Gwari are surrounded by bushes serving as hideouts for the bandits, adding that the establishment of a military base would tackle the criminal operations in the area. “We are pleading with the government to come to our aid by establishing a military base behind our community where the bandits take advantage of the bushes to invade our community,” Yusuf said. “From our community down to Birnin Gwari which is over 150 kilometres is a stretch of bush. “We also have another stretch of bushes from Gonin Gora down to Niger state. “So when the criminals have free access through the bushes to our community. We are pleading with the government to help us. “The army are really trying, despite the fact that they are seriously overstretched. Whenever we make distressed calls they come. “But the problem is that before they reach the community, the bandits would have done what they wanted and left.” The community leader commended the Nigerian Army for their efforts in fighting bandits. He called on the federal government to take necessary actions to address banditry saying, “if not it is going to consume all of us”.

  President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appealed to state governors to start paying the wage awards pending the determination of the new minimum wage to reduce the hardship of the economy on the people. The president implied that if the states had implemented the wage awards, it would provide much-needed relief without causing inflationary pressures. Speaking in Minna at the flag-off of the agricultural mechanization revolution for food security and the commissioning of the remodeled domestic terminal of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport in Minna, the President stated that all states need to adopt the wage award saying that the National Executive Council would also adopt it. He said: “If all of you, the sub-nationals have been paying the wages award, pending the determination of the new salary wage. Let all the states start paying the wages award. Whatever they are taking now plus the wage award would relieve the public. “Please, I am not giving an order, I am appealing to you states, start paying the wages awards, let everyone start paying it. It is a relief to the people. The mechanism is the fact that it won’t be inflationary if we announce the new salary wage in a few weeks or months, they would have gotten used to the basic wages of N30,000 plus the wages award, and it will have a dampening effect on the market. Please get sub-nationals together and NEC should adopt this.” The President assured that the student loans and other economic measures would soon commence as steps are being taken by the government to relieve the people of hunger. “The student loan programme will commence, there will be unemployment benefits for our graduates, and the social security programme for the elderly and vulnerable will commence, we are fine-tuning all these areas. We will relieve people of hunger.” Tinubu also outlined plans for a comprehensive programme to address the challenges of violent attacks, cattle rustling, and other related issues pledging to organize an inauguration of the Livestock Change programme in Nigeria within the next few weeks, aiming to transform the current challenges into economic opportunities. “Give me two to three weeks. You will be part of the inauguration of the livestock change in Nigeria. I know what it means to economic sabotage for roaming cows to eat up the crops and vegetation of our lands, it could be painful but when we reorient the herders and make provision for cattle rearing. The Governors should provide the lands and as the President, I am committed to giving you a comprehensive programme that will solve this problem.” He applauded the continued and aggressive determination of the Niger state governor in ensuring agricultural revolution for food security including efforts being put in place for Niger state to be one of the top food producers in the country while pledging his support to the state government. He added: “We have seen the level of commitment here from the state level, we have seen leadership and the success story of any leader is the ability to do what they ought to do at the time they ought to do it. You are doing the job, you are walking the talk and I must support you. “Whatever support you need, you will get. We appreciate your efforts in the infrastructure development of the state, and I guarantee you the federal support. We flag off the hope, you deliver the hope and you reassure Nigerians.” He stated that his administration is not concerned about making excuses or blaming the past government adding that he intends to take action, do his best to reengineer the finances of the country, and stay ahead on the right path. Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago said that agriculture is key to the government’s commitment to addressing the challenges in critical sectors of our economy adding that his administration intends to seize every opportunity for the attainment of growth and engender prosperity for the people of the state and Nigeria. He disclosed that when he assumed office as a Governor, he met the infrastructure of the state comatose including the rural and urban roads adding that despite the strategic roles the state plays in the nation’s economy as a crucial transit corridor connecting the North and South parts of Nigeria, the current state of dilapidation of these infrastructures across the state is terrible. He noted that the state government had embarked on some ambitious initiatives to rehabilitate and expand some federal roads to address these challenges and establish efficient road infrastructure and cost-effective and secure movement of goods and services. The governor stated that the state has approved 3,000 hectares of land for the special Agro-processing Free Zone out of which 1,000 hectares is dedicated to greenhouses, 1,000 for dairy and meat processing, and the other 1,000 hectares for Agro-processing storage, aggregation, and other value chain development components. Bago then stated that the state government has prioritized agricultural development as a catalyst for economic growth and poverty alleviation in the State as part of its efforts to advance the federal government’s aspiration towards food security in Nigeria. “To further buttress the lead role Niger State is playing in agriculture and contributing to the overall food security of Nigeria, we shall explore over three million of the 8.3 million hectares of arable land, large water bodies with a multitude of tributaries, 23 grazing reserves, and 94 forest reserves. Therefore, Niger State stands as a beacon of hope and promise in the realm of agriculture and our springboard to harvest our potentials in the Green Economy and associated gains. The Governor assured the President that Niger State shall serve as a champion for the food security agenda in the country stating that the state had procured a substantial number of agricultural equipment and inputs for enhanced agricultural activities in the state The Governor disclosed that the state is well positioned to produce 50 million metric tons of assorted food crops annually utilising about three million hectares

  No fewer than 300 illegal structures and five plazas built as shops were on Monday, March 11, demolished in Onitsha, Anambra State by the Onitsha South Local Government Council. The demolition followed Sunday’s collapse of a five-storey building in Fegge in the commercial city of the state. The illegal structures were reportedly constructed by traders who purportedly obtained approval from the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA). Governor Chukwuma Soludo stated that NIWA lacks the authority to authorize the construction or allocation of spaces to traders. Soludo had, during the inspection of roads ordered the chairman of Onitsha South local government, Emeka Orji to demolish the illegal structures which he said belonged to the state and not NIWA. The governor said: “The code or by-laws establishing NIWA gave the organization 100 metres from the banks of the River Niger as the right of easement but what we are seeing here are illegal structures and should be demolished.” The area which spans up to two acres of land is located on the fringe of the River Niger housing shanty settlements of street urchins credited to be harbingers of hoodlums. Reacting, the Hausa Community in the area led by its Secretary in Onitsha North and South local government areas, Alhaji Ishawu Imam whose father is Sariki of the Hausa Community lauded the Council Chairman for giving them time to move out of their property. Imam said: “We’re happy with the developmental status of the Soludo-led administration. We pledge continued support to the government.” Onitsha South LGA boss, Orji who was at the site to supervise the demolition said the area would be barricaded and cleared for the establishment of Sea Side Resort which would have green park areas with umbrella trees for relaxation and amusement. He added: “When I was sworn in as Council Chairman last year I came here and issued them notice to move out and the notice was followed by a series of follow-up notices but they remained here. “Then last week Mr Governor came here and told them that this place is not for shops or markets and ordered me to demolish the area but I gave them another one-week notice which ended today,” he said. Orji further announced that most buildings currently under construction would be subjected to integrity tests, namely material tests, and qualify test, adding that after meeting with the Chairman, the Physical Planning Board in Awka, the government would commence the process. “Everywhere cannot be market in Onitsha and we have declared war on illegal structures and we shall ensure that right things are done about building collapse in Onitsha South local government area.”

  Armed hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers attacked again and killed a man yet to be identified when he was travelling with his family in Enugu State. It was gathered from sources that the gunmen attacked the family and killed the man at the spot while his wife and daughter were whisked away.   The incident reportedly happened yesterday, March 10, along Afa/Egede Road in Udi LGA Enugu State. The spokesman of Enugu State Police command Daniel Ndukwe who confirmed the incident said that the manhunt of the armed hoodlums and rescue of the kidnapped victims are ongoing.   “Manhunt of the armed men and rescue of the two reportedly abducted victims are ongoing. Further development will be communicated,” he said. For the past twelve years, Nigerians have experienced high level of insecurity in the country. Vanguard had reported series of attacks from terrorists, bandits, armed men, herdsmen, armed robbers, thuggery, and unknown masked men in virtually all the 36 states in the country. Nigerian security personnel have been killing, arresting and launching counter attacks against these hoodlums. Vanguard had reported how an abducted victims recently freed from captivity revealed that kidnappers use poisonous snakes to terrorise them. The victims noted that there were many snakes in the forests inhabitated by the bandits. They said that the snakes often bite both the kidnappers and the victims. One of them, who craved anonymity, told NAN that kidnappers threw them into snake-infested spots. “The kidnappers know the areas infested with snakes and would often throw the victims there. “Immediately they see snakes, the fear-stricken victims will want to run away. The sight is used to frighten people. “That is the time a victim can ask friends and family members to sell everything – house, land, cars, household items, shoes, just everything – to raise the ransom.”