30 bodies of Residents killed by suspected Ritualists found inside river –Monarch

Over 30 unidentified bodies of suspected ritual killing victims have been found on Imo River in Oriendu autonomous community, Umuahia North local government area of Abia State since last year.

The traditional ruler of the community, HRH Eze Philip Ajomiwe, stated this while speaking with LEADERSHIP Sunday in his palace after the body of a woman was found

“The bodies, like the recent one, are either completely naked and without their private parts or in a bag. There’ve also been cases of two decomposing bodies seen beside the NNPC pipeline,” he said.

Explaining that there had not been any arrests since then by the security agents, he expressed concern that the situation was getting out of hand and had created fear in and around the community.

According to the monarch, efforts by the community’s vigilante group to arrest the suspects had failed too, because the group is not as equipped as the suspects are said to be.

“So, we’re appealing to the state government to empower the vigilante group with the necessary logistics and the wherewithal to enable it to match the suspects,” he said.

He argued that nobody ever embarks on such a mission with empty hands especially when the enemy is fully armed with sophisticated weapons and is ready to fight back.

He asserted that his complaints about the situation to the agents had been to no avail, noting that the latest was a letter to the speaker of the State House of Assembly on February 7.

The monarch, who appreciated the government’s upward review of monthly stipends of the traditional rulers, however, noted that the amount is not enough for them to handle insecurity.

He maintained that as the monarchs do not have security votes like the governor to equip their communities’ vigilante groups, the communities need the intervention of the government for peace and security.

Two Reverend Fathers abducted by suspected gunmen CP reacts, vows swift action

The kidnapping of Reverend Father Abraham Samman from the Jalingo Diocese and Reverend Father Mathew David Dusami from the Yola Catholic Diocese has been harshly denounced by CP Dankombo Morris, the Commissioner of Police in Adamawa.

The two pastors were kidnapped early on February 22, according to a statement issued on Saturday by SP Suleiman Nguroje, the Command’s spokesperson.

The public was reassured by CP Morris that security personnel had been called in to guarantee the safe return of the priests who had been abducted and to prosecute those responsible.

“The unfortunate incident occurred at the priest’s residence situated at Gwaida Malam, in Numan local government of Adamawa State.

“The kidnappers, armed with offensive weapons, arrived at the victim’s house around 4:00 a.m and whisked them away.

“The CP in concerted effort to rescue the victims, has deployed the command’s operational and manpower assets to give a hot chase to the kidnappers, rescue the victims unhurt, apprehend the perpetrators and their collaborators if any,” he said.

He stated that the command’s ongoing efforts will undoubtedly ensure that the perpetrators, along with anyone involved, are held accountable and face the full force of the law.

He further highlighted the command’s unwavering commitment to protecting lives and combating all forms of violent crime in the state.

“This unprovoked kidnapping of religious leaders is totally unacceptable as they are not only stakeholders but also people who are actively working to promote peace in the society.

“The command, while appealing for calm, therefore, seeks the support and cooperation of the general public to give useful and timely information that will aid its quest to rescue the victims and apprehend the criminals,” he stated.

REVEALED; Why ex–President Buhari stayed away from Babangida’s book launch in Abuja

Jonathan Vatsa, the former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in Niger State and a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has expressed little surprise at former President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to skip the public presentation of General Ibrahim Babangida’s autobiography, ‘The Journey of Service’, in Abuja on Thursday.

Vatsa suggested that Buhari’s absence was rooted in lingering resentment over the 1985 coup that ousted him from power.

Speaking to reporters in Minna on Saturday, Vatsa emphasized that he would not rush to comment on the book, as he had already read it. He quipped that it would have been a world-changing event if Buhari had attended the launch.

Vatsa went on to allege that the memory of what he called the “mother of all betrayals” — referring to his detention by Babangida after the coup, which prevented him from bidding farewell to his late mother — still haunts Buhari.

The event, which took place in Abuja, was attended by a host of distinguished personalities, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, military heads of state Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalami Abubakar, as well as leaders from other African nations such as Ghana’s Akufo-Ado and Sierra Leone’s Ernest Koroma. Prominent Nigerian figures such as former Vice Presidents Atiku Abubakar, Yemi Osinbajo, Namadi Sambo, traditional rulers, and state governors were also in attendance.

Vatsa further reflected on his previous statements about Buhari’s disregard for Niger State during his two terms in office, reiterating that he had been vindicated by Buhari’s absence, despite the state’s overwhelming support for him in both of his presidential campaigns.

According to him, “the whole world knows that Niger State was made a scapegoat by former President Buhari because of IBB. For eight years he did not pay any serious official visit to the state, and no single federal project was executed in the state. The Baro port project, which recently generated some political heat in the state, was abandoned by Buhari, including all the federal road projects across the state.

“The people of the state were made to pay for sin they know nothing about. It was the case that when two elephants fight, the grass suffered. He sidelined the state just because of the sin of one person.”

When asked to comment on the book that has continued to generate reactions across the country, the former publicity secretary of the APC in the state said that he will comment on the book after digesting all the contents, stressing that “there are things that I am expecting from the book, so you people should wait until I read it, I will invite all of you when I am ready to comment on the book”, he added