From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja

After spending over two months in kidnapper’s den, the owner of Always Petroleum and Energy Service Limited in Okene, Kogi state,  Alhaji Mohammed Jamiu has finally regained freedom.

Jamiu was kidnapped  July 9th 2022 at his residence located at Idare quarters in Okene Local Government Area of Kogi state.

The kidnappers, numbering four, entered the house posing as business associates shortly after Mohammed Jamiu returned from Eid praying ground in Okene town.

A family source who never wanted his name to be mentioned said the oil mogul was released on Thursday night.

According to the source, the family paid ransom before they could secure the release of their brother.

“They just release our brother Alhaji Mohammed Jamiu Idris. We have been praying for over two months to see that this come to pass.

Our Correspondent recalls that this is not the first time that the oil mogul was abducted.

Jamiu was also abducted in 2019 at one of his fuel station in Okene but was rescued by military officials after few days in captivity.

The military lost one of their officers while one of the kidnappers was also killed during the rescue operation.

The Police Command in Zamfara has arrested eight people suspected to be supplying ammunition, military uniforms, motorcycles and foodstuffs to bandits in the state.

Some of the areested suspects were also said to have successfully negotiated and delivered several sums as ransom from families to the kidnappers for a commission.

The command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Muhammad Shehu, told newsmen on Saturday in Gusau that the suspects were arrested by the Police Tactical Squad in Gusau and Tsafe Local Government Areas.

Shehu said five of the suspects specialized in providing information, supplying military camouflage and ammunition to the bandits.

“Police Tactical Operatives of the command acted on intelligence information about some suspected activities of a suspect, Zainu Lawali.

He said Lawali, who claimed to be an ex-soldier, was arrested in possession of a locally fabricated revolver, military camouflage uniform, fake military I.

The PPRO said one of those arrested, Alhassan Lawali, had allegedly confessed to have supplied 14 new motorcycles to the bandits at the rate of N750,000 each.

Shehu added that the operatives while on surveillance patrol along Gusau-KotorKoshi-Mada axis, intercepted a notorious bandit, Umar Manaro, who was terrorizing people in Mada and Kotorkoki areas of the state.

“On spot search, one AK-49 and one Lar rifle and 174 round of live ammunition were recovered in his possession,” he added.

The PPRO said that the suspects would soon be charged to court. (NAN)

From Jude Dangwam, Jos

The Plateau State Commissioner of Police, CP Bartholomew Onyeka has disclosed that the   Chairman of Kanke LGA, Hon. Henry Jan Gotip, who was kidnapped on Wednesday  by unknown gunmen has been released unhurt.

He said the Chairman was since reunited with his family and will soon be debriefed by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Command to build up available intelligence that will lead to the arrest of his abductors.

Onyeka through the Command’s Public Relations Officer DSP Alfred Alabo made this known in a press statement signed and made available to Journalists Thursday in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

The statement reads in part: “The Plateau State Police Command wishes to inform members of the public that Hon. Henry Jan Gotip, the Executive Chairman of Kanke LGA who was kidnapped on 06/09/2022 by unknown gunmen, has been released by his abductors unhurt yesterday, 07/09/2022 at about 2300hrs.

“The Kanke Local Government Council Chairman has been reunited with his family and will soon be debriefed by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Command to build up to available intelligence that will lead to the arrest of his abductors.”

In a related development, Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, a Lawyer of the

Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria (ECCVN) has disclosed that gunmen suspected to be Fulani militias have attacked a mining site at Ruku village of Barkin-Ladi, where three women were said to have sustained major injuries from gunshots.

“Armed men suspected to be Fulani militias attacked a mining site at Ruku village of Gashish District, Barkin Ladi LGA at about 10:45pm of 7th September, 2022. As a result, 3 women namely, Rose Bitrus age 41, Polina Mathew aged 43, and Grace Pam age 42 have been confirmed injured fatally from gunshots”, he said.

Mwantiri maintained that a local source recount their ordeals to the Centre thus, “the attack became a confirmation on security early warning given last week that the site will be invaded by Fulani militias, buy the victims took the information for granted,” he said. 

One of the survivor further narrated “were it not that most of the miners gave heed to the early warning that made them vacate the site every evening time. It would have been very devastating, that’s why the incident could not affect many people even though injuries were sustained.”

Security agents were alerted on the attack and personnel of Operation Safe Haven(OPSH) stationed at Tenti swung into action and curtailed further casualty with victims rushed to Barkin Ladi General Hospital, where they were receiving medical attention.