Ikorodu Abduction: Kidnappers Demand N200m To Free 3 Schoolgirls

The kidnappers of three girls from Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary (BMJS) have demanded N200 million ransom. it was learnt.

The three girls, Deborah Akinayo, Timilehin Olisa and Tofunmi Popoolaniyan all in SS2 were kidnapped from their classroom at about 9:00pm on Monday from their hostel.

It was gathered that the kidnappers contacted Timilehin’s father, Ven. Victor Ayo Olisa, who is also the Executive Secretary of the Lagos Anglican School Management Board.

During the conversation on Tuesday, it was learnt that the abductors demanded N200 million to free the three girls.

Although, there are unconfirmed report that the kidnappers may have reduced their demands to N20 million for each of the pupils.

This development was said to have provoked an emergency meeting between the school’s management, the victims’ parents and security agencies, led by the state Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni, which lasted till the early hours of Wednesday.

There was heavy presence of security personnel within and outside the school premises yesterday.

We spoke with some parents and former students of the school. They confided in us, saying this is of the many kidnappings that had happened in the school. They blamed the management for treating secuity of the children with kid gloves.

But the school principal, Venerable Olaoluwa Adeyemi who looked very frustrated yesterday, vented his anger on reporters who he accused of sabotaging rescue efforts.

He said: “The girls have not been found till this moment and why do you want me to start addressing the press? Is that the only job we are going to do all day? People are busy searching for the girls while you are busy asking questions.

“All you need do is to join us in prayers. Honestly, you people are not helping matters. In fact, you’re adding to the problem by disturbing what people could have done at the right time.

“The deputy governor was here and we recounted the whole issue in her presence and the press men asked various questions. Both the Assistant Inspector-General of Police and Commissioner of Police have addressed the press but for everybody to be coming here as if this place is a pilgrimage is not good enough.” thanks for reading.

Share:

Read More

Senate Reduces JAMB Application Fee To N2,500

The Senate on Wednesday reduced the fee payable to Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to N2, 500.

The upper chamber also extended JAMB entrance examination validity period to three years from one year.

The resolutions followed the submission and consideration of the report on JAMB admission policies submitted by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, Senator Binta Masi Garba.

JAMB applicants’ currently pay N5, 650 to obtain JAMB application forms.
The upper chamber also said that its relevant committees should work to ensure the amendment of JAMB Act to reflect resolutions.

The lawmakers adopted the recommendation of its committee that JAMB fee should not exceed N2,500, while institution and course forms and all other incidental activities around the examination should be free. Thanks for reading.

Share:

Read More

We’ll Ensure Safe Rescue Of Abducted Schoolgirls – Ambode

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday said his government will ensure the safe release of the three female students of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School in Ikorodu area of the state kidnapped by a group of an unknown armed gang on Monday evening.

The Governor made this known in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde. He condemned the unfortunate incident and assured that the Police and other security operatives have swung into action to track down the perpetrators of the act.

His words: “We have not been silent on this unfortunate development. In a delicate security matter of this nature, where young innocent people are involved and management of information demands utmost circumspect, we were convinced that swift and coordinated reaction, guided by intelligence reports on the part of the Police, was a better and more sensitive approach to take, rather than a sensational, panic-stricken reaction,”Governor Ambode said.

According to him, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, and the Assistant Inspector General of Police for the Lagos/Ogun Command were fully on ground at the scene and vicinity of the incident leading the entire coordinated effort involving every military apparatus.

He said, “We believe in the capacity of the Police to lead this rescue mission. I have had a ceaseless briefing with them since the incident happened and God helping us, we shall spare no effort in securing the safe release of the girls and continue to secure the school and indeed every part of Lagos”.

Governor Ambode noted that the incident may not be unconnected with his recent visit to some parts of Ikorodu where he read the riot act to vandals and criminal gangs on the resolve of the state government to take the battle to their hideouts in a spirited effort to secure the pipelines.

“We believe this is a case of an evil fighting back. But Lagos will neither succumb to threats of lawlessness nor bow to terror. Our resolve is very clear; we will assist the Police and other security agencies in dealing decisively with this one unfortunate case and prevent future reoccurrence. We will deploy the resources at our disposal to safeguard every life and property within our care,” the governor stressed. Thanks for reading.

Share:

Read More

Just In: Massive 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Indonesia

A Powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of western Indonesia, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reports.

There have been no immediate reports of damage.

The USGS said the earthquake struck at 19:49 local time (12:49 GMT). It said the epicentre was 805km (500 miles) south-west of the city of Padang, and 24km deep.

Indonesia’s National Meteorological Agency lifted its tsunami warnings several hours after the tremors.
Australian tsunami warnings for Cocos Island, Christmas Island and Western Australia were also lifted.

No tsunami warnings were issued in India or Sri Lanka.

Share:

Read More

Buhari Duped Nigerians, Says Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of exhibiting “the peak of political 419″ by making promises without fulfilling them.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, Fayose said APC deceived Nigerians to get their votes in the last election by promising to create 3 million jobs per year, yet the president had “not created a single job”.
“President Muhammadu Buhari prefers and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), duped Nigerians by obtaining their votes by trick. Everything Buhari and his party promised Nigerians when they were looking for votes, they have denied and it won’t be a surprise if one day, Buhari comes out to even deny that he was elected on the platform of APC.
“Buhari’s declaration that he would not pay the N5, 000 stipend he promised to unemployed youths in the country and minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed’s claim that creation of three million jobs per year was not promised by the APC as the peak of political 419 that the president and his party represent.
“They have not fulfilled any of the promises they made to Nigerians. In fact, they have even told us that they never made any promise. It is close to one year that Buhari assumed office; no single job has been created. Instead of the three million jobs per year that they promised, what we have been witnessing is job losses, economic hardship and budget padding”, the statement reads. Thanks for reading.

Share:

Read More

Oil prices fall before US energy report Oil prices fall before US energy report

Oil prices fell Wednesday as traders awaited the release of US crude inventory data, which are expected to show a further rise in stockpiles.
At around 1100 GMT, the US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for delivery in April slid 74 cents to stand at $33.66 a barrel.
In London, Brent North Sea crude for May shed 36 cents to $36.45 a barrel compared with Monday’s close.
Crude futures had risen Tuesday on fresh Russian calls for a production freeze to reduce the global supply glut.
“US crude oil inventories increasing is almost becoming a norm. Inventories are already at a historic high” and markets are taking a nonchalant stance towards a continued inch upwards, said Daniel Ang, analyst at Phillip Futures in Singapore.
“US production, on the other hand, is slightly more interesting as it is finally starting to show corrections. We highly expect to see US oil production drop a lot more now that prices are in the $30 region, which could result in the easing of global oil supply,” he added in a note.
A Bloomberg News survey ahead of Wednesday’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) report showed that US crude stockpiles probably increased 3.4 million barrels from an 86-year high last week.
The EIA is projected to report that supplies of gasoline and distillate fuel, a category that includes diesel and heating oil, dropped, Bloomberg added.
Oil prices had risen Tuesday on increasing optimism of an output freeze to shore up the market as Russia said domestic oil groups supported the proposal.
Opening a meeting with Russian oil group chiefs, President Vladimir Putin said Energy Minister Alexander Novak had led discussions on forging a freeze agreement between producer countries.
He said the idea was to “fix Russia’s 2016 production level at that of January,” which was a post-Soviet record of 10.8 million barrels per day on average.
The market gained a lift in the latter half of February when OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and non-OPEC member Russia agreed to freeze output to January levels, if other major producers followed suit.
But disappointment that there was no output cut, and skepticism that such a freeze could be agreed, has contributed to recent market volatility.Thanks for reading

Share:

Read More

Don’t Trust Politicians, Kashamu Tells Nigerians

Senator Buruji Kashamu, representing Ogun East Senatorial District at the Senate has told Nigerians not to be deceived by politicians, stating that public office holders including lawmakers play politics with everything.
He made this disclosure when he disagreed with Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose on his comments against President Muhammadu Buhari.
Kashamu, during an empowerment programme in Ijebu-Igbo urged Buhari’s critics to shun destructive criticism.
He said, “President Muhammadu Buhari is on course. Why it looks as if there are some dislocations is because of the blockage of lose funds and sources of financial leakages in the system. I am persuaded that in a short while things will pick up.
‘’Nigerians should not allow politicians to deceive them. We tend to play politics with everything. We forget that the elections or campaigns are over. Now, we have a government in place. We should rise above selfish and narrow partisan interest and join hands to build our country by offering constructive advice just as some senior citizens like Prof. Wole Soyinka and Chief Emeka Anyaoku have done. We have no other country than Nigeria.’’

Share:

Read More