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Senator Barkiya says everybody knows where the bandits are hiding

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Senator Barkiya says everybody knows where the bandits are

 

***As senate urges FG to send fighter jets to flush out terrorists from hideouts

Apparently piqued by the unending nefarious activities of bandits and Kidnapers in Katsina State and other  parts of the country, Senator Kabiru Barkiya (APCKatsina Central) out of frustration on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday admitted the Government and the rest of them know where the bandits are hiding.

Senator Barkiya was contributing to a motion on urgent need for Federal Government to take drastic actions to bring to an end the act of Banditry and Kidnapping in Faskari Local Government Area where 38 members of the community were kidnapped on Sunday.

Barkiya in his emotion laden voice said, “I can say that enough is enough, what is happening is that we should not only continue to condemn but we must also have to do something very serious.

Directing his comments at the authorities he seemed to be telling the Federal Government to do the needful by giving a marching order to the military to bomb them in their hideouts since they had already been declared as terrorists.

“We can not just sit down after declaring these bandits terrorists and then allow them to continue with all these kidnaping.

“We have to look at it critically, the security agents may be doing their best but for me they need to do another best, just look at 38 person’s, how can they just kidnap 38 persons after declaring these people as terrorists why can we just go and bomb them.

“Condemning, condemning everyday is not enough. I am saying we can not continue to condemn, ask NEMA to do one thing or the other, we have to definitely look at it and then do something more seriously. We know where they are, everybody knows where they are.”

Senator Bello Mandiya (Katsina South) who sponsored the motion  in his lead debate said the act of banditry and Kidnapping has become a daily incidence now in Katsina with consequence of lost of lives, means of livelihood and displacement of communities

He indicated that last Sunday being 31st January 2022  gunmen struck in Faskari Local Government in Katsina State where 38 members of the community were kidnapped

“The federal Government has made Frantic effort in curbing the menace by setting up operation of Sharan Daji an inter agency task force to tackle cases of banditry cattle rustling and kidnapping in Katsina State .

He expressed concern that the continuous security challenges and related attacks by bandits on towns, villages and communities in Faskari Local Government Area have meted untold hardship on the people and have subjected the affected areas under serious survival threat.

“If this menace is not drastically and promptly addressed, the consequence is going to be huge on food sufficiency since the affected communities are mostly farmers.

He urge the Security Agencies to comb all known hide outs of the kidnappers in a bid to rescue the Thirty Eight (38) persons abducted by the gunmen in Ruwan Godiya

He urged the Federal Government to send enough military personnel and tighter jets to apprehend the bandits and restore normalcy in these areas,

Making his contribution to the motion senator Muhammed Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central) said it is a national disgrace that this thing is happening on daily basis adding that something needs to be done urgently

He however asked that the security forces be encouraged or supported. “We have to ensure that every part of this country has enough security agents to take care of every place. If it is the issue of recruitment in the army we should do so.

“We have provided support to the security agents, Last year alone supplementary appropriation we approved over N865b and this year’s budget we have about N1.3trn and we are getting little in terms of the outcome.

“By now we are supposed to have a very peaceful country but unfortunately on daily bases we hear people being kidnapped, killed. Enough is enough, there is need for security agents to do whatever is humanly possible to curb this menace. It is a national disgrace and something needs to be done.”

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, in his remarks said the repeated cases of kidnappings and killings makes it imperative for the military to “wake up” to protect Nigerians.

He wondered why full scale action was yet to be carried out by the military in spite of increased funding for security in the 2022 budget by the Executive and National Assembly.

He said, “The expectation of their Senate is that there is supposed to be a remarkable difference in success in terms of the fight against insurgence, banditry and militancy in Nigeria.

“The military is getting better funding from the government and what we expect is to see an improvement in output.

“I know the resources are not enough, but recently for one and a half years, government has upscaled the level of funding for our military.

“Secondly, when we declared the bandits as terrorists, my understanding was they are going to be dealt with ruthlessly now. I wonder whether that is the case.

“The military like some of our colleagues have said, need to wake up. We want to see a difference because we have made a difference in terms of funding.

“I know funding alone will not be enough, but funding can make a difference and we expect a difference in outcome.

“Thirdly, we need to mobilise our citizens, because when a hundred people are kidnapped and abducted, they are not taken by aircrafts, they are taken by motor bikes, pass through the villages and possibly towns, how come do we then say that nobody has seen something?

“We need our citizens to be part and parcel of our security architecture. In fact, there’s no way we can achieve better security for this country without the participation of the citizens in the fight against Insecurity.”

Accordingly, the Senate urged the Security Agencies to comb all known hide outs of the kidnappers in a bid to rescue the Thirty Eight (38) persons abducted by the gunmen in Ruwan Godiya.

It also called on the Federal Government to send enough military personnel and fighter jets to apprehend the bandits and restore normalcy in the affected areas

The Senate in it’s resolution urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, send fighter jets to flush out terrorists in their hideouts who are behind the kidnappings and killings of Nigerians

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2026 Poll: Osun Ndigbo Backs Adeleke’s Second-Term Bid

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Ahead of the 2026 governorship election, the Ndigbo community across the local government areas of Osun State has declared its support for the second-term bid of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

A government house statement in Osogbo on Wednesday night has it that ndi Igbo cited his administration’s developmental strides across the state for their decision.

The endorsement was made during a courtesy visit by leaders of the Igbo community in Osun to the governor at the Government House in Osogbo, where they commended his leadership and commitment to inclusive governance.

ALSO READ: Adeleke on Why he Deserves Second Term

Speaking on behalf of the association, President-General of the Ndigbo in the state, Chief John Dike, praised the governor for the infrastructural and social development projects being carried out across the state.

He particularly commended the governor for appointing some members of the Igbo community as Senior Special Assistants, describing the gesture as a sign of recognition and inclusion of the community in the affairs of the state.

Chief Dike, however, appealed for further inclusiveness, requesting that more Igbo indigenes be considered for appointments into the state cabinet and other employment opportunities within the government.

He also urged the state government to allocate land for the construction of a modern secretariat for the Igbo community and grant approval for an endorsement rally in support of the governor’s re-election bid.

In addition, the Ndigbo leader sought assistance for Igbo farmers operating within the state, while assuring the governor of the community’s unwavering support for his administration and second-term ambition. Members of the delegation also presented campaign caps to the governor as a symbol of their solidarity.

Responding, Governor Adeleke expressed appreciation for the endorsement, noting that the Igbo community has continued to contribute positively to the social and economic development of the state.

He assured them that his administration would continue to promote their welfare and support their progress, while granting the requests presented during the visit.

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Adeleke on Why he Deserves Second Term

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Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, has declared that his administration’s record of performance and fulfilment of electoral promises justifies a second term in office.

A government house statement in Osogbo on Wednesday has it that the governor made the declaration while hosting a delegation of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria (ADS), Osun State Council, during a courtesy visit to the Government House, Osogbo.

ALSO READ: CNG: Tinubu Orders Deployment of 100,000 Kits in Three Weeks

It was gathered that the delegation was led by the National Vice President of the society, Asiwaju Justice Adeigbe (Rtd), alongside the Chairman of the Osun State chapter, Chief Daud Oladapo.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, the State Secretary of the society, Dr Afeez Akande, praised the Governor’s performance and pledged the support of the organisation for the continuity of the administration.

“We have been following what you are doing and your track records. You are wonderful and you are marvelous in our eyes. The monumental works you have been doing in Osun make it look like we have never had a Governor like this before,” Dr Akande said.

He noted that the administration’s projects are known for timely delivery and strategic impact on the lives of residents.

“We have identified that once you embark on projects, they are time-bound. It shows genuine administrative acumen, love for the state and love for the people,” he added.

Dr Akande also cited infrastructural developments, specifically the ongoing dualisation of roads, notably that of Iwo as an example of the Governor’s vision-driven leadership.

“That road project has helped to boost economic activities in the area. Such development can only come from someone with vision who follows through with implementation. We appreciate what you are doing and we are resolved to support the continuity,” he said.

Responding, Governor Adeleke thanked the delegation for the visit and reaffirmed his commitment to people-centred governance.

“Today marks the starting point of campaigning for the August 15, 2026 governorship election. We need your prayers and support for a free and fair election through which the will of the people will prevail,” the Governor said.

Governor Adeleke also unveiled an upgraded Five-Point Agenda that will drive his re-election campaign.

“Our reloaded Five-Point Agenda will focus on integrated youth, women and workers’ welfare and empowerment; infrastructure consolidation for citizens’ social and economic wellbeing; agro-industrial expansion for human development and collective prosperity; affordable and qualitative health and education access; and an improved and secured business environment for job creation,” the Governor stated.

Explaining why he deserves a second term, the Governor pointed to the administration’s record across several sectors.

“When the opposition asked whether I deserve to be re-elected, I told them yes based on my performance in this first term in office,” the Governor said.

“I deserve re-election because of what our administration has delivered for the people of Osun. We have empowered the cooperative movement with almost four billion naira, strengthened community development associations with grassroots health and infrastructure projects, and implemented the Imole Medical Outreach that has benefited almost eighty thousand residents.”

He added that the administration has also revived agriculture and rural development across the state.

“We revived the cocoa revolution through aggressive seedling distribution and new farmers’ initiatives, acquired brand new tractors now serving farmers across the state, and implemented thousands of local projects through integrated rural development under the O-RAMP programme,” he said.

Governor Adeleke further highlighted achievements in governance, infrastructure and economic management.

“We introduced a 45-day window for the acquisition of Certificates of Occupancy, revived the Osun Free Trade Zone with active investors, digitised tax and revenue collection, and implemented the SIFMIS payroll application to ensure transparency in the management of public funds,” he stated.

The Governor also cited major achievements in infrastructure and social services.

“We have constructed over 350 kilometres of roads, developed three major flyover bridges, revived six moribund waterworks, drilled 332 boreholes across wards, rehabilitated schools and health centres, and paid inherited half salaries and almost one hundred billion naira in pension debts,” he added.

Governor Adeleke assured the people of Osun that his administration will continue to deliver inclusive governance and sustainable development if re-elected.

“My promise to the people of Osun is that now and when we are re-elected, we will continue to run an inclusive and forward-looking government that keeps the people at the centre of our programmes and policies,” he said.

Other dignitaries, and political functionaries present included the Deputy Governor of Osun State, Prince Kola Adewusi, and the Head of Service, Elder Ayanleye Aina.

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Fuel Price Shock: Nigerians May Soon Pay ₦1,500 Per Litre – Marketers Warn

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Oil marketers have warned that Nigerians may soon pay as much as ₦1,500 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, as global oil prices surge following the escalating conflict involving Iran in the Middle East.

The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, issued the warning on Tuesday while speaking on a television programme on the impact of the global crisis on fuel prices.

According to him, the current volatility in the international oil market has already pushed petrol prices above ₦1,000 per litre at the depot level, with the ex-depot price from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now standing at about ₦1,175 per litre.

He explained that once logistics, transportation, and other operational costs are added, the final pump price could rise significantly, possibly reaching ₦1,500 per litre in the near future.

Despite concerns about the rising cost of fuel, Gillis-Harry noted that steady availability of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery remains a major relief for Nigeria, stressing that consistent supply is better than a nationwide fuel scarcity.

He added that the refinery’s production capacity is helping to stabilize supply across the country at a time when global markets remain highly unstable.

The latest price adjustment by the Dangote Refinery marks the fourth review within two weeks. Petrol prices increased from ₦995 per litre to ₦1,175 per litre, while diesel rose from ₦1,430 to about ₦1,620 per litre.

The development comes amid a sharp spike in international crude oil prices triggered by fears of supply disruptions due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Brent crude recently climbed above $102 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose to around $101 per barrel.

Industry analysts say the rising oil prices are already having a ripple effect on Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, forcing depot operators and fuel marketers to adjust their prices in response to the global market trend.

Meanwhile, the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stated that although Nigeria introduced a crude-for-naira arrangement to support local refineries, the facility still purchases crude oil at international market prices, leaving it exposed to global price fluctuations.

 

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