NEWS
Unknown Gunmen Abduct Benue LG Chairman, Police Orderly, Two others
From Attah Ede, Makurdi
Unknown Gunmen suspected to be Kidnappers’, on Saturday, abducted the Chairman, Ukum Local Government council (LGC), of Benue State, Rev. Haanongon Gideon and three others.
Daily Asset learnt that the chairman was kidnapped alongside his Personal Assistant on Administration, Silas Yuhwam, his driver and police orderly.
It was further gathered that the victims were waylaid along the Zaki-Biam/Katsina-Ala road on Saturday on their way to the burial of late Ter Katsina-Ala, HRH, Chief Ferzaanga Wombo.
Late Chief Ferzaanga Wombo is the father of the member, House of Representatives (HoR), representing Katsina-Ala/Logo/Ukum Federal constituency, Solomon Wombo.
The Secretary to Ukum local government council, Jonathan Modi confirmed this development in a statement he issued and made available to newsmen in Makurdi.
Mr. Modi disclosed that adoptees were captured by the suspected gunmen at about 6:30am on Saturday.
According to the statement, “The Ukum Local Government Area Executive Council, with dismay announce the kidnapping of the Council Chairman Hon. Rev. Haanongon Gideon alongside his PA on Administration, Mr. Ior Silas Yuhwam, his driver and police orderly.
“The ugly incident took place this morning, along Anyagba, Tongov, in Katsina Ala LGA, of Benue State, around 6:30am, while on the way to attend the burial of the paramount ruler of Katsina Ala LG, the Ter Katsina Ala, HRH Chief Fezaanga Wombo.
“The council hereby advised all her citizens to remain calm and be law abiding, while measures are in place to make sure the chairman regains his freedom”, the secretary appealed.
However, when we sought to confirm the incident from the State Command of the Nigeria Police, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Sewuese Anene said, “I have not been briefed on this incident.”
Alia orders release of abducted Benue council chairman, three others
Meanwhile, Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, has ordered the immediate release of the kidnapped Caretaker Chairman of Ukum LGA, Hanganoon Gideon and three others who were abducted by-yet-to-be identified gunmen on Saturday.
Gideon had earlier been kidnapped along with three others on his way to the burial of the late Ter Katsina-Ala on Saturday.
Gov Alia gave the directive during a funeral oration of Ter Katsina-Ala, Chief Benjamin Fezanga Wombo at the Akume Atongo stadium, Katsina-Ala.
He decried the lingering spate of killings and kidnappings in the area by bandits which he said cannot be condoned any longer.
Gov Alia also called on all sons of Sankera political bloc to convene a meeting to ensure lasting peace returned to the area.
He said both serving and former Senators, House of Representatives Members as well as other prominent sons in Sankera convene the meeting immediately to proffer lasting solutions to the insecurity situation in the area.
Alia said they should forward the resolution of the meeting to him for immediate implementation.
He said his administration was ready to engage youths in the area to be useful in the society, if they refrain from criminal activities.
The governor also urged the traditional leaders in Sankera axis of the state to do the same, pointing out that his administration was determined to ensure that peace returns not only to the district but to the entire state.
He condoled the family of Chief Wombo over the demise of their father and urged them to be consoled in the fact that he lived a fulfilled life.
Earlier, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Sen George Akume called for collective responsibility to move the state forward.
The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu has called for a lasting solution to eradicate environmental pollution caused by plastic wastes.
In her message to mark the year 2025 World Environment Day, with the theme ‘Ending Plastic Pollution’, in Abuja on Thursday, the first lady also advised people to curtail the way they consume food and drinks packaged in plastics.
“I join millions of Nigerians and the world in calling for urgent and united action to safeguard our environment.
Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, affecting our health, our environment, and our future.“In Nigeria, we must rise to this challenge by changing how we consume packaged food items and how we dispose of plastic containers and bags.
“I particularly want to speak to our youths, the leaders of tomorrow, be it in schools or within our neighborhoods, each of you has a role to play in creating a cleaner, healthier and greener Nigeria,” she said.
Mrs Tinubu had recently promised to introduce environmental solutions clubs to schools through her NGO, Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).
“I want to use this opportunity to introduce our students to two programmes that the RHI will be launching soon.
“First is the Environment Club for Secondary School Students and the Environment Society for Students in Tertiary institutions nationwide to help us clean up our environment and grow more trees.
“Second is the “Flow with Confidence” for our girls in rural communities.
“This programme is to provide one year’s supply of disposable sanitary pads to our adolescent girls to support them to remain in school during their menstrual cycle,” She said.
NAN further reports that some of the functions of RHI environmental clubs in schools would include raising environmental awareness; fostering social and life skills; empowering students to take action and promoting sustainable behaviours.
The clubs can also enhance critical thinking and creativity, encourage healthy lifestyles, and strengthen communities.
The club would encourage students to participate in various environmental projects, like tree planting, recycling, and garden projects, gaining practical experience and deeper understanding.(NAN))
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation on Wednesday evening banning citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States.The countries affected are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
Nationals from these countries will be “fully” restricted from entering the U. S., according to the proclamation. Similarly, the entry of nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela will be partially restricted.The proclamation is effective on June 9, 2025 at 12:01 am EDT (5:01am Nigerian time).Trump said the move was needed to protect the U.S. against “foreign terrorists” and other security threats.“We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm,” Trump said in a video posted on X.The U.S. President said the list could be revised and new countries could be added.He said the countries subject to the most severe restrictions were determined to harbour a “large-scale presence of terrorists”.He alleged others failed to cooperate on visa security and had an inability to verify travellers’ identities, inadequate record-keeping of criminal histories and high rates of visa overstays in the U.S..“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States,” Trump said.Trump’s directive is part of an immigration crackdown that he launched at the start of his second term, pledging to restrict people from the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and “anywhere else that threatens our security”.Trump issued an executive order on January 20 requiring intensified security vetting of any foreigners seeking admission to the U.S. to detect national security threats.That order directed several cabinet members to submit a list of countries from which travel should be partly or fully suspended because their “vetting and screening information is so deficient.”During his first term in office, Trump had announced a ban on travellers from seven countries, a policy that generated so much controversies before it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.However, former President Joe Biden, who succeeded Trump, repealed the ban in 2021, calling it “a stain on our national conscience.” (NAN)From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa
The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro has congratulated the traditional ruler of the Okochiri Kingdom in Rivers State, His Royal Majesty, King Ateke Tom on the occasion of his 61st birthday.Otuaro was among prominent guests that graced the colourful birthday celebration of King Ateke at his palace in Okochiri, Okrika Local Government Area, on Monday.
He described the Rivers monarch as “a respectable leader whose reign has brought about unity, peace, progress and development around his community. ”He stressed that King Ateke, who is also the ‘Sekuro of the Niger Delta’, was a great asset who had contributed immensely to the peace, stability, security and development of the region.Otuaro expressed his utmost regard for the traditional institution and the vital role of traditional rulers in the peace and development of communities in the Niger Delta.He noted that traditional rulers were among the critical stakeholders that the PAP was collaborating with to strengthen the programme’s peace-building process in the region.He reiterated that the programme was in safe hands, and strongly motivated by President Bola Tinubu to bridge the region’s human capital development gap through formal education scholarships and vocational training in aviation, maritime, agriculture, and other relevant trade areas.Otuaro said his policy of inclusivity had ensured the involvement of Niger Delta women in the programme’s initiatives, stressing that there were plans designed for their empowerment and contribution to the region’s socio-economic growth.He emphasized that he was focused on rendering quality service to the people of the region, and not distracted by the shenanigans of his detractors.Otuaro called on all stakeholders of the region to remain steadfast in the effort to sustain the prevailing peace in the region so that socio-economic and developmental activities could thrive around the communities.While expressing appreciation to King Ateke for his unwavering support to the programme, the PAP boss prayed to God to grant him long reign, longevity and good health.
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