HOW KIDNAPPING MADE ME A MILLIONAIRE-Suspect

A 33-year-old man, Anthony Egidi, has said he joined kidnapping business in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, out of frustration and had made millions from kidnapping no fewer than seven persons in Lagos, Benin, and in Delta State.

According to the Police, other suspects include Steve, Tony, Nyerowo, Steve and late Apopfure, who died during a gun duel with police in Lagos.
It was gathered that the suspects operated with two AK-47 rifle and three local guns, which have been recovered from them.
Egidi was arrested on October 26 in Ekenwan, Benin, Edo State, by Lagos State Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, led by Abba Kyarri.
His story

Egidi, who is a native of Delta State and married with two children, resides at Awoyaya Ibeju, Lekki Road, said his first operation was “when we kidnapped a woman in Warri, Delta State on October 2011 and I got N280,000.
“During the first and second operations, the gang did not disclose the venue to me. They blindfolded me because I was new in the team.
“After the second job, we moved to Benin to kidnap a man. I was given N100,000. I believed it was a cool business.

“The third operation made me a millionaire, because I was given N2.8 million.
“I drove the gang in that operation, but I did not know where they kept the woman. We collected N9 million in the fourth operation. When we kidnapped a man in Benin, I was also given N1.5 million.
“We moved to Delta State between Oroku and Abeh Road, where we kidnapped a man. I was given N3.5 million.

“After making millions of naira in South-East, we moved to South-West. Our sixth operation was at Eleko Junction, Ajah in June. We collected N1.6 million ransom from the person and I was given 300,000.
“The seventh operation was when we kidnapped a Keystone Bank worker on her way home. We were seven when we attacked her.
“We took her to a bush, where she spent six days. We did not rape her. We gave her everything she requested for and we usually buy her food from Mr. Biggs and some other places.

“We told her family to pay N6 million. Even the woman was ready to give us N10 million.
“One of our guys was arrested when he went to collect the money. When police arrived, we exchanged fire with them and lost two members.

“I used the money to buy a car, four plots of land in Benin, one plot in Lagos and opened a supermarket for my wife.
“My wife believed I was a welder. She only got to know what I do when I was arrested.”
Source: Vanguard

Boko Haram attacks Gombe as police avert blast in Jos

The Boko Haram Islamic sect on Thursday launched a devastating attack on Bajoga, the headquarters of the Funakaye Local Government Area of Gombe State.
Investigations revealed that the insurgents who were dressed in military uniforms attacked Bajoga in about 20 Hilux jeeps by 8am.

It was stated that the members of the community did not suspect early enough that the people who drove in the convoy of the hilux jeeps were insurgents because of the uniforms they wore.
A security source who confided in one of our correspondents said that the insurgents started the attack on the town when the traders were fully out to display their wares for sale.
The source said that the insurgents opened fire on the people at the market square and recorded an unspecified number of casualties in the area.

It was however added that soldiers had been drafted to the besieged community and were in control as of the time of filing this report.
The insurgents were said to have attacked the Local Government Secretariat, and also set ablaze a police station and some unnamed government buildings in the town.

The source said, “The Boko Haram fighters entered Bajoga town around 8am today. The people did not carry out the attack on the town very early in the morning because they wanted the people to come out fully for the market. Today was a market day.
“They went there in about 20 hilux jeeps, and all of them were dressed in military uniforms. The people did not know that they were insurgents until they opened fire and started shooting and everybody started running.

“They killed some people but it is difficult to state a casualty figure now.
“They attacked the local government headquarters, burnt a police station and some government buildings.
“However, there is the information that soldiers have been deployed there and were in control in the town.”

When one of our correspondents contacted the Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, he said that the military would ensure that the insurgents were not allowed to have their way in Bajoga.
Meanwhile, what could have resulted in death of many was averted in Jos, the Plateau State capital, on Thursday as men of the state police command discovered a highly explosive device carefully placed between two schools in the metropolis.

The object was said to have been neatly tucked in sacks and positioned in between a private secondary school, Tin City College and Fatima Primary School in the early hours of Thursday.
It was learnt that the explosive was discovered by a pupil of the primary school who alerted the school authorities of the strange object while the headmaster and other teachers alerted the nearby Laranto Police station.
The police, who suspected that the objects could be a bomb called in the state anti-bomb squad which condoned off the area and defused the explosive.

It was gathered that it would have been a calamity if the bomb had gone off because, it would have rocked the college and the primary school which have large concentration of students including the PHCN office and few residential buildings within the vicinity.
The incident caused pandemonium and apprehension in the area and other parts of the state capital as traders became more vigilant and suspicious of any strange object around.

The traders also prevented any strange vehicle from parking near them.
The Media Officer, Special Task Force, Captain Ikedichi Iweha, who confirmed the incident urged the people of the state to be more vigilant and report any strange object they discover within their vicinity for prompt investigation.

He said that the object had been taken care off, adding that there was no imminent danger to the inhabitants of the area.
Source:Punch

Damaturu, Maiduguri Aattacks : 38 policemen, 6 soldiers, 106 others dead

ABUJA—The Police High Command in Abuja, yesterday, confirmed that 38 Police officers were killed during Monday and Tuesday’s attacks on Damaturu and Maiduguri by Boko Haram terrorists, who targeted police stations and other security agencies. More than 150 persons, including two medical doctors, a staff of the Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu and his two children were also killed during the attacks, a rescue official and a health worker told AFP.

The Police confirmation came just as a top security personnel confided in Vanguard that about 60 terrorists were killed by troops of the Nigerian Army backed by Air Force helicopters, thereby successfully repelling the terrorists from both towns.
The military has also raised the alarm that the Boko Haram terrorist group was getting both human and equipment reinforcements from Chad as many of their members either captured or killed in battle turned out to be Chadian citizens or mercenaries.

Police confirms 38 officers dead
Confirming police casualties during the terrorists’ attacks on Damaturu, Yobe State capital, Force Public Relations Officer, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu in a telephone chat with Vanguard, said that “the 38 policemen were killed in battle with the insurgents while fighting jointly with other security agencies to ensure Boko Haram did not succeed in taking Damaturu and infiltrating Maiduguri.”
Eyewitness reports had indicated that during the attacks on Damaturu and Maiduguri, the terrorists swooped on some police stations and targeted the armouries before setting the stations ablaze.
A senior rescue official and a medical source at Sani Abacha Specialist Hospital, Damaturu said 115 bodies were brought to the morgue after Monday’s attack, although it was not clear whether they were insurgents or civilians.

“All 115 were in civilian clothing, but it was not certain whether they were all non-combatants and among the dead were two medical doctors, a staff member of the federal polytechnic in the Yobe State capital, and his two children. Six soldiers were also killed”, the sources added.
The medical source said it was “likely” that most of the 115 persons who died were insurgents.

Rescue team still searching for more bodies
He added: “Rescue teams are still looking in the bushes around the city for more bodies. It’s believed that people might have died from gunshot wounds while trying to flee.”
The senior rescue official said 78 people were injured. Of those 53 were treated and discharged.
Most of the policemen killed were at the Mobile Police base in the Gujba Road area of the city, according to the police spokesman, Emmanuel Ojukwu, confirming eye-witness accounts from residents that the facility was attacked.

Monday’s raid came just hours before two female suicide bombers attacked a market in Maiduguri, less than a week after two other women hit the same location, killing more than 45.
Also, a top security source said soldiers from the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, stationed in Kawuri which is the major town before Konduga got wind of the plot by the terrorists to invade Konduga, from where they would advance to Maiduguri.

Konduga, which is the closest town to Maiduguri from the eastern part of the capital, has been the scene of several fierce battles. It was gathered that the terrorists were determined to capture Konduga, because if the town falls and Maiduguri is invaded, it would be difficult for the military to retake Maiduguri because the fight back will come through Konduga that would become their ambush base.
A military source in Maiduguri and a civilian vigilante both confirmed the attack in Konduga and said it was a likely reprisal for the failed Damaturu raid.
Konduga, 35 kilometres (20 miles) from Maiduguri, has been attacked repeatedly in recent months but has high military presence.

Musa Yohanna, who fled Lassa on Tuesday to the Adamawa State capital, Yola, said the attack on his town followed a previous unsuccessful raid on Saturday.
The attack on Konduga left scores of militants dead, according to a military source and a civilian vigilante, while one resident said many civilians were feared killed in the town of Lassa.

Why curfew was lifted
Abdullahi Bego, spokesman for the Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, told AFP the curfew on the town was lifted “following the return to normalcy”.
Vanguard gathered that yesterday morning, troops in Konduga, Borno State destroyed a vehicle laden with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) meant for suicide bombing operation by the terrorists.
“This is the latest incident in the series of recent attempts by terrorists to make incursions into the town and other surrounding communities”, a source said.
The source disclosed that an undisclosed number of terrorists were killed, noting that no personnel or civilian was affected in yesterday’s incident.

A top military source who commented on the development, urged residents to always report suspicious movements as well as strange people to appropriate authorities for investigation and appropriate actions.
He said: “What we need from Nigerians is their support, their encouragement and prayers to enable us overcome this insanity from unrepentant terrorists.”

Source: Vanguard

50 female suicide bombers on the prowl

MAIDUGURI—A female suicide bomber, who was arrested by the vigilante group also known as civilian JTF, revealed, yesterday, that 50 other female suicide bombers have been let loose in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital with a mandate to kill 100,000 persons before the end of December 2014.

The arrested female bomber disclosed this on a day the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Kenneth Minimah vowed that Boko Haram will be defeated. This came as former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon charged the army chief and his commanders to urgently correct the negative perception about Nigerian soldiers abandoning their weapons and running away in the midst of the fight against Boko Haram terrorists.
The female suicide bomber was said to have been arrested by civilian JTF at the entrance gate of the University of Maiduguri, while another was apprehended at the busy Post Office area of the metropolis, yesterday.

The arrest came barely a day after two female suicide bombers blew themselves up in Maiduguri Market on Monday, killing 22 civilians and injuring 48 others.

Upon their arrest, one of the suicide bombers was said to have confessed before being handed over to security operatives that 50 female members of the sect have been initiated and are ready to wreak havoc in Maiduguri and environs before the end of 2014 .
Following this disclosure, sources said, tension is now very high in the Borno capital as students of the University of Maiduguri had to undergo serious check by security operatives before being allowed into the campus.

It was gathered that already, students have been banned from entering the campus with their vehicles as only lecturers enjoyed this privilege after rigorous checks and identification.
The civilian JTF have also been put on red alert. It would be recalled that, already four female suicide bombers have caused the deaths of over 100 people in two incidents in Maiduguri recently.

Troops repel attacks in Konduga
Meanwhile, attempts to launch fresh attacks in Konduga and Maiduguri have been repelled by troops of the 7 Division in Konduga Local Government area of the state.
Konduga is south east and about 40 kilometres drive from Maiduguri, the state capital. Recently troops in the area with support from civilian JTF repelled insurgents, killing more than 200.
Sources said the insurgents numbering more than 300 armed with sophisticated weapons using Hilux vehicles and motorcycles had an encounter with troops while attempting to overrun Konduga and Maiduguri towns. The insurgents were, however, overwhelmed as the troops killed unspecified number of them before they abandoned some of their vehicles, arms and ammunition.
Another source said: “The attacks on insurgents in Konduga by the military on Monday at about 9 p.m left more than 200 terrorists dead”.
A top military source confirmed the killing of hundreds of insurgents in the failed attack on Konduga town.
He said: “Our troops repelled attack by Boko Haram sect on Konduga Council Area where the insurgents suffered casualties with none of our troops killed or injured”.

Save image of Army— Gowon
In a related development, former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon has charged the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Kenneth Minimah and his commanders to urgently correct the negative perception about Nigerian soldiers abandoning their weapons and running away in the midst of the fight against terrorists.
Gowon gave the charge just as the Chief of Army Staff, declared that the war against terrorism will be won. “We would be undertaking a review of ongoing operations in the North-East with a view to bringing a speedy end to the reign of terror unleashed on innocent Nigerians by these elements”, the Army Chief said.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Chief of Army Staff Conference in Uyo, Gowon, who was represented by former Lagos State Administrator, General Buba Marwa, said: “Ordinary Nigerians in high and low places have expressed reservations that they are not happy that their military who ought to defend our territorial integrity and protect people from internal and external threat appear to be losing ground to Boko Haram insurgents.

“But from the pictures of Boko Haram seen, apart from being mounted on Toyota vehicles, they look rag-tag — certainly no threat to well-trained and better soldiers of the Nigerian Army. The COAS and commanders need to urgently correct this negative perception about our soldiers who have in the past, a record of professionalism and competence.”

Recalling how he tackled security challenges of the civil war, Gowon said: “At a critical period during the civil war, I had only 500, 000 rounds of ammunition as total reserve for the armed forces. I could not continue with operations with such quantity of ammo, and no money.
“I only relied on some patriotic and committed businessmen in Nigeria who were able to get 15million rounds of ammunition within a very short time on their own account — they were paid later by government.”

While noting that the Federal Government can buy military equipment directly from friendly and obliging governments as he did during the civil war, Gowon said: “The government recently acquired a loan of $1billion for fighting the insurgency. Make demands for equipment from it”.
Continuing, he said: “I have not lost confidence in our armed forces. I want you to retrieve your honour by reversing some of these lapses into successes, losses into victories; negative opinions into positive opinions. I charge you to go all out to flush those insurgents out of our territories, all the way back to where they came from. That is the task the armed forces must accomplish without delay”.

The biggest threat
On his part, Lt. General Minimah noted that the upsurge of terrorism and violent extremism in the North East of the country has remained the most significant threat facing our dear country today.
“The Nigerian Army is aware of the enormity of this national challenge having fought a 30-month civil war to unite Nigeria and taken part in operations to protect the territorial integrity of other countries which faced similar threats.

“In the last 10 months since my assumption of command, our attention has been focused primarily on tackling the insurgency in the North East and other security challenges in the North Central and North West. Our key priorities have been to maintain all round professional readiness, improve the standard of training, modernize our equipment, pay attention to troops’ welfare and enhance force posture.
“During the year, we also developed and implemented new strategies not only to contain current threats but also to better prepare us to combat future security challenges,” Minimah said.

Safety of Nigerians, my priority — Jonathan
Also speaking, President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by the Minister of Defence, General Aliyu Gusau noted that one of the cardinal pillars of the Transformation Agenda is the safety, security and well-being of all Nigerians and other residents irrespective of their tribes or religious affiliations.
“It is a duty that I have devoted my entire being to and resolve towards its attainment. It is in line with my government’s resolve that we are ever committed to provide a safe and enabling environment for all Nigerians to carry out their businesses and contribute to the building of a strong, united, prosperous and stable nation.

“Under my leadership, the Federal Government will continue to provide ready assistance to the armed forces to meet operational needs”.
The President said resources have been made available to ensure recruitment and training of capable army personnel.

Source: Vanguard

100 killed as Boko Haram hits Yobe, Borno

MAIDUGURI—Suspected Boko Haram insurgents, yesterday, intensified terrorist activities, targeting two state capitals in the North-Eastern part of the country with co-ordinated bomb explosions in Maiduguri, Borno State capital and gun attacks in Damaturu, Yobe State capital.
More than 100 persons were feared dead in the attacks as several places, including police formations, were burnt. Damaturu is 135 km west of Maiduguri.
Umar Sada, who lives in the Gujba Road area of the city, said the latest raid happened at about 4:45 a.m (0345 GMT).

In Damaturu, residents in the Gujba Road area of the city were jolted out of bed by the sound of gunshots and explosions at about 4:45 am as many fled.
Sada said: “I was woken by huge blasts and the sound of heavy gunfire around the Mobile Police barracks. The gunmen came in numbers. They burnt down the Police barracks. They are now advancing towards two housing estates. We have left our home. We are now in the bush. We don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Another local resident, a government official who asked not to be identified, said: “It’s chaos all over the town. All I can hear are explosions and gunfire from my house. I couldn’t go out for morning prayers because this started before dawn and I’m afraid to leave in case I get caught up in it.”
There was no immediate comment from the military in Damaturu, where government troops were also stationed, nor from Abuja, although Air Force jets were seen overhead.

But the Yobe State Police Commissioner, Marcus Danladi, said they were dealing with a “serious situation”. Vigilantes in the city claimed that more than 40 Boko Haram fighters were killed.
A staff of the Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu said the fighting was still raging by mid-morning and some shells had landed in the school compound.

Other residents said fighting was taking place near detention facilities where Boko Haram suspects were being held near the state governor’s residence, and the jets were bombarding the militants.
The fresh attacks in Damaturu were targeted at Police and military formations as well as selected houses, a situation that sources said left many people dead.

Police mobile base attacked
A reliable source told Vanguard that “the Police Mobile Base in Damaturu was one of the security formations that came under attack by insurgents. As I am talking to you, we are in serious confusion now, gunshots and explosions were everywhere especially from the southern part of the city and people are fleeing,” said an embattled resident, Mallam Usmanu Iliya.
Another resident who did not want his name mentioned in print for security reasons said he was woken up by the gunshots and blasts which started at about 6 a.m.
Another resident who could barely speak as he was panting simply told Vanguard that “We are running for our lives…we are under attack…. We don’t know where to hide, the shooting is all over….”

Although, at press time, the attacks and confrontations by security operatives in Damaturu were still on, the actual casualty figure was yet to be ascertained.
Buba Umar, who left the town for Maiduguri, said the militants attacked the police station armed with assault rifles and petrol bombs.
Another resident, Manassa Samuel said: “While some of the terrorists stormed the palace, others destroyed all the churches in the town. They also destroyed many shops.
“Most of us fled to the bushes, leaving only women and children at home. The good news is nobody was killed,” he said.
Borno State police spokesman, Gideon Jibrin confirmed the attack and said an investigation had been launched.
Jibrin initially said that more than 10 people were killed and many more injured, but he later changed the toll.

“The casualty figure is five dead and not as earlier sent,” he said in a text message.
A previous text said that two female suicide bombers detonated their explosives in two different areas of the market, after initial reports of a single middle-aged woman and two blasts.
One rescue official also said that five people had died and 47 were injured.
But one witness at the scene, Goni Abba, said he counted “10 dead bodies”.
Meanwhile the Defence headquarters in a tweet posted on its handle said the Nigerian troops while carrying out the onslaught, ensured that innocent and panic-stricken citizens were spared the agony of collateral damage.

DHQ said the first approach troops applied in the reprisal attack on the terrorists, was to secure the civil population while repelling or apprehending the terrorists.
The tweets read: “Troops backed by the Airforce are carefully engaging terrorists who attacked the town in the early hours of today (yesterday).
“The approach is to secure the civilian population while repelling or apprehending the terrorists.”

Attack barbaric, heinous — Yobe Gov
Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Press Affairs and Information, Abdullahi Bego condemned the attack as heinous and barbaric and “expressed appreciation to the security forces who worked very hard on the ground and from the air to repel the attack and forced many of the attackers to flee. As a result of their effort, Damaturu remains firmly under government control.”

According to the statement, “the governor has also been told that the security effort is still ongoing. Security agents will continue to track and pursue any remnants of the attackers who might still be hiding in town. The governor urges people in Damaturu and all across the State to continue to remain vigilant and pray to Almighty Allah for His intervention.

“While commending the security forces for their work in repelling the attack, the governor also called on them to remain at their highest alert level and to carry the good work to its logical conclusion. The governor has directed hospital authorities to provide adequate support to innocent victims of the attack who visit hospital for medical attention”.

Source: Vanguard

Residents flee as explosions, gunfire rock Damaturu

Explosions and gunfire rocked the north Nigerian city of Damaturu on Monday, in a suspected Boko Haram attack that targeted police, residents told AFP.

The sound of blasts and heavy weapons being fired woke locals in the Gujba Road area of the Yobe state capital at about 4:45 am (0345 GMT), said Umar Sada, who lives in the area.
“We have left our homes. We are now in the bush. We don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Sada, who added that a police barracks had been destroyed.
Another local resident, a government official who asked not to be identified, said: “It’s chaos all over the town.

“All I can hear is explosions and gunfire from my house. I couldn’t go out for morning prayers because this started before dawn and I’m afraid to leave in case I get caught up in it.”
The raid came after a suicide bomb and gun attack on the central mosque in the northern city of Kano on Friday which bore all the hallmarks of Boko Haram and left at least 120 people dead.

The militants, who have been waging a five-year rebellion to create a hardline Islamic state in northeast Nigeria, have conducted similar dawn raids and attacked Damaturu before.
On June 18, at least 21 football fans were killed when a bomb exploded as they watched a World Cup finals match at a public viewing centre.

Boko Haram claimed responsibility for an October 24 attack on Damaturu, in which four police buildings were attacked with guns and explosives and there was an hours-long gun battle with the security forces.

Thirty people, all thought to be soldiers, were killed.
Yobe was one of three states worst-affected by the violence that was placed under a state of emergency in May 2013.

Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan last month requested an extension to the special powers but a deadline for its renewal has passed.
Source: Vanguard