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BANDITS ATTACK: 200 FLEEING STUDENTS RETURN TO SCHOOL IN KATSINA – POLICE

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Two hundred students who fled for safety on Friday night after bandits attacked the Government Science Secondary School, Ƙanƙara in Katsina State, have been safely returned.

IGP Mohammed Adamu


Police Spokesperson, Gambo Isah and the Principal of the school, Usman Abubakar confirmed this on Saturday. This comes amid reports that hundreds were abducted during the raid.

Although the school and police authorities are yet to confirm reports of an abduction or casualties, the principal said the school management and the police are currently conducting a headcount of the students.

Armed with sophisticated weapons, the bandits stormed the school in their numbers and attacked the students in an operation that last about an hour.

BUHARI CONDEMNS ATTACK ON KATSINA SCHOOL
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Saturday condemned the bandits’ attack at the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara in Katsina State, where students were reportedly abducted.
He has also directed men of the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Police Force to go after the attackers to ensure that no student gets missing or harmed.

Buhari’s position was contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, titled “President Buhari strongly condemns bandits’ attack on Katsina school.”

According to the statement, the President urged the school authorities to carry out an audit of the population of the students following shootings in and around the school that sent hundreds of them fleeing and scrambling over perimeter walls.

He also asked that parents who rushed to the school and took their children and wards away should notify the school and police authorities in order to have a full account of the school population.
“I strongly condemn the cowardly bandits’ attack on innocent children at the Science School, Kankara.
“Our prayers are with the families of the students, the school authorities and the injured,” the statement qouted the President as saying while pledging to continue to support the police and military struggle against terrorists and bandits.

Shehu also disclosed that in the latest briefing received by the President from Governor Aminu Masari, with whom he has been in touch, and the Chief of Army staff, General Tukur Buratai, the military, supported by air power has located the bandits’ enclave at Zango/Paula forest in Kankara and there have been exchange of fire in an ongoing operation.

President Muhammadu-Buhari


He further qouted the police authorities as saying that so far, there has not been reported any student casualty.
“The President has directed the reinforcement of security of all schools in line with the safe schools policy of the administration.,” the statement added.
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STUDENTS ABDUCTION DESPITE BUHARI’S PRESENCE IN KATSINA BAFFLING —PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party has slammed the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) over the abduction of yet-to-be ascertained number of students from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State.
The opposition party said it was perplexing that gunmen attacked the school and abducted the students on Friday, the same day the President arrived in Katsina for a week-long visit.

The party’s position was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.
PDP in the statement titled, ‘Terrorism: Account For 600 Kidnapped Katsina Students, PDP Tells Buhari’, condemned the abduction on Friday and asked the president to immediately ensured the students were freed.

It partly read, “The PDP, standing with the entire Katsina people, charges President Muhammadu Buhari, as the commander-in-chief, who promised to lead from the front, to account for the abducted students, as the large-scale abduction happened a few hours after the President and his security machinery took over the state.
“Our party holds as perplexing that at a time the people of Katsina should have heaved a sigh of relief because of his presence, the abduction happened right under Mr. President’s nose; in his home state, where he had gone holidaying.”

The statement further read, “The PDP demands that President Buhari should immediately quit his needless holidaying in Daura and go in search of, and rescue the abducted students, particularly having earlier admitted that issue of security is his exclusive responsibility.

“The PDP, working in concert with other patriotic Nigerians will not rest until President Buhari finds and returns each of these students.
“The PDP urges Nigerians to remain alert and prayerful as the nation wades through this nightmare under an insensitive, inept and uncoordinated administration.”
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GUNMEN ATTACK: AMNESTY CONDEMNS ABDUCTION OF KATSINA STUDENTS

Global rights group, Amnesty International, has condemned the abduction of students from the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State.
The PUNCH had reported that armed bandits attacked the boarding school last night, abducting a yet-to-be ascertained number of students.

Reacting, @AmnestyNigeria tweeted, “Amnesty International strongly condemns the abduction of many students of Government Science Secondary School Kankara, Katsina State by armed bandits who attacked the school last night.”
It also called on the government to protect the citizens, especially women and children in rural communities.
“Terrifying attacks on rural communities in the north of Nigeria have been going on for years. The ongoing failure of security forces to take sufficient steps to protect villagers from these predictable attacks is utterly shameful,” Amnesty Director in Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, stated.

Meanwhile, the Katsina State Police Command on Saturday said over 200 students of the school were rescued from gunmen who attacked the school on Friday night.

The command, however, did not specify the number of students abducted by the bandits but said efforts were being made to free the abducted students.

The incident happened barely a few hours after the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), arrived in his home state of Katsina for a week-long private visit.

Governor Aminu Masari has ordered the closure of all boarding schools in the state till further notice.
Non-state actors had in the past abducted hundreds of secondary school girls from Chibok, in Borno State and Dapchi in Yobe State. Some of them eventually regained freedom while a number of them were detained in the enclaves of their abductors and sexual abusers.
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KATSINA ABDUCTION: MASARI ORDERS CLOSURE OF BOARDING SCHOOLS

Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State on Saturday ordered the immediate closure of all boarding secondary schools in the state.
The directive followed the abduction of an unspecified number of students of the Government Science Secondary School Kankara by bandits on Friday night.

The Governor gave the directive during his visit to the school on  Saturday for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.
He was accompanied by his Deputy, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu, and other top government officials.

Masari – Overwhelmed?


The Governor, during the visit, also met with the school officials, some parents, traditional and religious leaders as well as security officials.

The Governor pleaded with residents to be patient and show restraint and understanding, assuring them that the government will do every necessary thing to ensure the release of all the abducted students.

He said security officials comprising the military, the police, and the Department of State Security had swung into action and were on the trail of the abductors.
Governor Masari further assured that both the Federal and the state governments were doing their best to bring an end to banditry and other debilitating crimes in the state.

According to him, the government is very firm in its resolve to be ruthless in any engagement with the bandits.
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63rd Independence: Tinubu Approves Wage Palliative for Junior Workers, Appeals for Patience Over Reforms

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a temporary wage award for workers on the lower rung of the Civil to cushion the effects of economic reforms by the Federal Government.

In an Independence Anniversary broadcast to the nation on Sunday, the President announced a N25,000 addition to the monthly wages of the affected workers for the next six months.

President Bola Tinubu also said that the Federal Government has been taking the path to economic greatness since his administration assumed office in May, and that he was aware of the hardships being experienced by Nigerians, but affirmed that nothing good comes easy.

He appealed to Nigerians to remain resolute as the gains of the reforms will be visible and felt in a short while.

Full text of Presidential broadcast:

Dear Compatriots,

It is my unique honour to address you on this day, the 63rd anniversary of our nation’s independence, both as the President of our dear country and, simply, as a fellow Nigerian.

On this solemn yet hopeful day, let us commend our founding fathers and mothers. Without them, there would be no modern Nigeria. From the fading embers of colonialism, their activism, dedication, and leadership gave life to the belief in Nigeria as a sovereign and independent nation.
Let us, at this very moment, affirm that as Nigerians, we are all endowed with the sacred rights and individual gifts that God has bestowed on us as a nation and as human beings. No one is greater or lesser than the other.

The triumphs that Nigeria has achieved shall define us. The travails we have endured shall strengthen us. And no other nation or power on this earth shall keep us from our rightful place and destiny. This nation belongs to you, dear people. Love and cherish it as your very own.

Nigeria is remarkable in its formation and essential character. We are a broad and dynamic blend of ethnic groups, religions, traditions and cultures. Yet, our bonds are intangible yet strong, invisible yet universal. We are joined by a common thirst for peace and progress, by the common dream of prosperity and harmony and by the unifying ideals of tolerance and justice.

Forging a nation based on the fair application of these noble principles to a diverse population has been a task of significant blessing but also serial challenge. Some people have said an independent Nigeria should never have come into existence. Some have said that our country would be torn apart. They are forever mistaken. Here, our nation stands and here we shall remain.

This year, we passed a significant milestone in our journey to a better Nigeria. By democratically electing a 7th consecutive civilian government, Nigeria has proven that commitment to democracy and the rule of law remains our guiding light.

At my inauguration, I made important promises about how I would govern this great nation. Among those promises, were pledges to reshape and modernize our economy and to secure the lives, liberty, and property of the people.
I said that bold reforms were necessary to place our nation on the path of prosperity and growth. On that occasion, I announced the end of the fuel subsidy.

I am attuned to the hardships that have come. I have a heart that feels and eyes that see. I wish to explain to you why we must endure this trying moment. Those who sought to perpetuate the fuel subsidy and broken foreign exchange policies are people who would build their family mansion in the middle of a swamp. I am different. I am not a man to erect our national home on a foundation of mud. To endure, our home must be constructed on safe and pleasant ground.

Reform may be painful, but it is what greatness and the future require. We now carry the costs of reaching a future in Nigeria where the abundance and fruits of the nation are fairly shared among all, not hoarded by a select and greedy few. A Nigeria where hunger, poverty and hardship are pushed into the shadows of an ever-fading past.

There is no joy in seeing the people of this nation shoulder burdens that should have been shed years ago. I wish today’s difficulties did not exist. But we must endure if we are to reach the good side of our future.
My government is doing all that it can to ease the load. I will now outline the path we are taking to relieve the stress on our families and households.

We have embarked on several public sector reforms to stabilize the economy, direct fiscal and monetary policy to fight inflation, encourage production, ensure the security of lives and property, and lend more support to the poor and the vulnerable.

Based on our talks with labour, business, and other stakeholders, we are introducing a provisional wage increment to enhance the federal minimum wage without causing undue inflation. For the next six months, the average low-grade worker shall receive an additional Twenty-Five Thousand naira per month.

To ensure better grassroots development, we set up an Infrastructure Support Fund for states to invest in critical areas. States have already received funds to provide relief packages against the impact of rising food and other prices.

Making the economy more robust by lowering transport costs will be key. In this regard, we have opened a new chapter in public transportation through the deployment of cheaper, safer Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses across the nation. These buses will operate at a fraction of current fuel prices, positively affecting transport fares.

New CNG conversion kits will start coming in very soon as all hands are on deck to fast-track the usually lengthy procurement process. We are also setting up training facilities and workshops across the nation to train and provide new opportunities for transport operators and entrepreneurs. This is a groundbreaking moment where, as a nation, we embrace more efficient means to power our economy. In making this change, we also make history.

I pledged a thorough housecleaning of the den of malfeasance the CBN had become. That housecleaning is well underway. A new leadership for the Central Bank has been constituted. Also, my special investigator will soon present his findings on past lapses and how to prevent similar reoccurrences. Henceforth, monetary policy shall be for the benefit of all and not the exclusive province of the powerful and wealthy.
Wise tax policy is essential to economic fairness and development. I have inaugurated a Committee on Tax Reforms to improve the efficiency of tax administration in the country and address fiscal policies that are unfair or hinder the business environment and slow our growth.

To boost employment and urban incomes, we are providing investment funding for enterprises with great potential. Similarly, we are increasing investment in micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
Commencing this month, the social safety net is being extended through the expansion of cash transfer programs to an additional 15 million vulnerable households.

My administration shall always accord the highest priority to the safety of the people. Inter-Service collaboration and intelligence sharing have been enhanced. Our Service Chiefs have been tasked with the vital responsibility of rebuilding the capacities of our security services.

Here, I salute and commend our gallant security forces for keeping us safe and securing our territorial integrity. Many have paid the ultimate sacrifice. We remember them today and their families. We shall equip our forces with the ways and means needed to perform their urgent task on behalf of the people,
We shall continue to make key appointments in line with the provisions of the Constitution and with fairness toward all. Women, Youth and the physically challenged shall continue to be given due regard in these appointments.

May I take this opportunity to congratulate the National Assembly for its role in the quick take-off of this administration through the performance of its constitutional duties of confirmation and oversight
I similarly congratulate the judiciary as a pillar of democracy and fairness.

I also thank members of our dynamic civil society organizations and labour unions for their dedication to Nigerian democracy. We may not always agree but I value your advice and recommendations. You are my brothers and sisters and you have my due respect.

Fellow compatriots, the journey ahead will not be navigated by fear or hatred. We can only achieve a better Nigeria through courage, compassion, and commitment as one indivisible unit.

I promise that I shall remain committed and serve faithfully. I also invite all to join this enterprise to remake our beloved nation into its better self. We can do it. We must do it. We shall do it.!!!

I wish you all a happy 63rd Independence Anniversary.
Thank you for listening.
May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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Eid-ul-Mawlid: FG Declares Wednesday Public Holiday

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By Ojone Grace Odaudu

The federal government has declared September 27 as a public holiday to mark this year’s Eid-ul-Mawlid celebration.

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, announced the holiday on Monday in a statement by Oluwatoyin Akinlade, permanent secretary of the ministry.

The Eid-ul-Mawlid celebration is in commemoration of the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Tunji-Ojo congratulated all Muslims in the country and in the diaspora for witnessing this year’s occasion.

The minister urged Nigerians to embrace the virtues of hard work and peaceful disposition towards one another.

“His admonition to Nigerians is to imbibe the spirit of love, patience, tolerance, and perseverance which are deep spiritual virtues that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) exemplified,” the statement reads.

“Tunji-Ojo also urged Nigerians, especially our youths, to embrace the virtues of hard work and peaceful disposition toward fellow humans, irrespective of faith, ideology, social class, and ethnicity, and join hands with President Bola Tinubu’s administration in its effort to build a progressive and enviable Nation that all citizens will be proud of.”

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Female wrestler Adekuoroye Obtains 2024 Olympics Spot

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Female wrestler Adekuoroye obtains a spot in the 2024 Olympics.

By Ojone Grace Odaudu

Odunayo Adekuoroye, a female wrestler representing Nigeria, won the bronze medal in the women’s 57kg division at the upcoming World Championships in Belgrade on Wednesday. She therefore became the nation’s first grappler to qualify for next year’s Olympic Games in Paris.

Adekuoroye overcame Turkish opponent Elvira Kamaloglu in the third-place match 9-5 to earn a spot in Paris.
Adekuoroye will compete in her third Olympic Games in Paris in 2024, aiming to win a medal after obstacles in Rio in 2016 and Tokyo in 2020.

The 29-year-old, who missed the African Wrestling Championship earlier this year, was charged with winning her first world title but dropped 6-4 in the quarter-finals against world No. 1 and India’s Sarita Mor on Tuesday.

She was however able to compete in the repechage on Wednesday, securing her third World Championships bronze medal and a spot to per take in next year’s Olympics.

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