NEWS
Cross River House of Assembly To Enact Stricter Kidnapping Laws
The Speaker of Cross River State House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, has announced plans to enact a state law that will impose severe punishment on kidnappers.
He made this disclosure during a meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), who sought the Assembly’s support in rescuing their colleague, Prof Ekanem Ephraim of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, who had been kidnapped a week earlier.
According to reports, the kidnappers had disguised themselves as patients. The Speaker expressed his deep concern over the rising cases of kidnappings in various parts of the state.
He emphasized that once the law is enacted, anyone caught in the act of kidnapping within the state will face significant consequences for their actions.
He said “I really feel very sad by the frequency of abductions. The recent case of Professor (Mrs) Ekanem Philip Ephraim of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital is very worrisome.
“I understand your pain and want to assure you that we will do everything possible to secure her immediate release from the kidnappers’ den. The State governor and the security operatives are working round the clock to bring her back safely.
During the meeting, the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly appealed to the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) not to follow through with their threat of withdrawing their professional services.
He assured the NMA that the kidnapped doctor of Neurology, Prof Ekanem Ephraim, would be safely released.
Dr Felix Archibong, the chairman of the NMA, led the delegation and expressed the unspeakable trauma that the victim was enduring.
He highlighted the recurring incidents of kidnapping targeting their members and called on the government and security agencies to take decisive action to put an end to it.
Dr Archibong pleaded for the prompt and unhurt release of Prof Ephraim
Panic and outrage erupted in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Wednesday as farmers staged a mass protest following the alleged killing of five people by suspected herdsmen in Aba Oyinbo, a community in Akure North Local Government Area.
According to sources, the attackers stormed the village in the early hours of the day, opening fire on residents.
READ ALSO: Ebonyi Residents Abandon Homes As Herdsmen Kill 16 In Brutal Attack
The latest incident adds to growing insecurity in the region, coming barely two weeks after at least 14 people were reportedly killed in separate attacks across four communities—Ademekun, Aba Pastor, Aba Sunday, and Alajido—within the same local government area.
In response to the escalating violence, a large number of aggrieved farmers marched to the Governor’s Office, chanting slogans and demanding urgent intervention from Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
One of the protesters, identified simply as Jonah, expressed frustration over the continuous loss of lives and alleged that the attackers were infiltrating the state from Edo.
“We are being slaughtered without anyone doing anything. Akure North is under siege. We are farmers, not criminals. We are appealing to the governor, the police, the army, and Amotekun to save us before more lives are lost,” he said.
Security personnel, including police officers and operatives of the Amotekun Corps, were swiftly deployed to the protest scene to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
As tensions remain high, residents are calling on the state government and security agencies to take decisive action to curb the rising wave of attacks in the region.
More to follow………
A massive fire outbreak has destroyed a recycling hub and a market in the Dakata metropolitan area of Kano State, leaving properties worth billions of naira in ruins.
The inferno, which started in the early hours of Wednesday at around 4 a.m., quickly spread from the recycling hub to the nearby groundnut mill market, where food items and provisions were sold.
According to Adamu Umar, a security guard at the recycling hub, the fire began after electrical sparks were noticed on the poles within the facility.
READ MORE: Kano Gov Threatens To Reclaim Vacant Homes In Kwankwasiyya, Others
Within minutes, the flames engulfed the area, spreading rapidly to the market and reducing goods, equipment, and structures to ashes.
The newly appointed Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Bakori, visited the scene, describing the incident as unfortunate.
He confirmed the arrest of a looter who attempted to steal equipment amid the chaos.
Bakori assured the public that a thorough investigation would be conducted to determine the cause of the fire and prevent future occurrences.
The swift intervention of the Kano State Fire Service and private fire service providers helped contain the blaze, preventing further destruction.
However, many business owners and traders who lost their goods were seen in tears, calling on both the state and federal governments for urgent assistance.
Suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has spoken for the first time since President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state.
In a statement Fubara described the development as unfortunate but urged residents to remain peaceful and law-abiding.
“Even in the face of the political impasse, we have remained committed to constitutional order and the rule of law, putting the interest of our people above all else,” he said.
READ ALSO: Tinubu’s Intervention Saved Fubara From Impeachment – APC Chieftain
He accused the Rivers State House of Assembly of frustrating efforts to restore stability despite his administration’s compliance with peace agreements and a Supreme Court ruling.
Fubara emphasized that governance had continued under his leadership, with salaries paid and key projects progressing. He also insisted that Rivers was peaceful before the emergency rule was imposed.
“At this critical time, I urge all Rivers people to remain peaceful and law-abiding. We will engage with all relevant institutions to ensure that our democracy remains strong and that Rivers State continues to thrive,” he added.
The declaration of a state of emergency comes amid a prolonged political crisis in Rivers, with tensions between the governor and state lawmakers leading to high-profile defections, legal battles, and federal interventions.
Fubara assured Rivers residents that he remains committed to democracy and stability, urging them to face the situation with “wisdom, patience, and unwavering faith in the democratic process.”
Protest In Ondo As Suspected Herdsmen Kill Five Farmers
Billions Lost As Fire Razes Kano Market, Recycling Hub
Securing Edo State: Gov Okpebholo’s Unwavering Fight Against Crime
DCP Zambia Bags Three Sustainability Awards
Palliatives: ADF Gifts 80,000 Bags Of Rice To Lagos
