IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

Bauchi State is witnessing a surge in child trafficking, leaving parents fearful for their children's safety. A recent case highlights how easily traffickers operate— a woman who lived in a compound for just five days managed to abduct three children by gaining the trust of families.

On December 17, 2024, three children disappeared from Gwallameji, Bauchi. The suspect had appeared friendly, often buying snacks and gifts for the children. She promised to take them to the market but vanished instead.

Parents endured 21 days of agony before the children were eventually found in Anambra State, nearly 700 km away. One mother, Maryam Habibu, expressed relief that her daughter returned safely but vowed to take stricter precautions.

Another parent, Abdulkadir Salisu, recounted how the woman had promised gifts before abducting the children unnoticed. Authorities intervened, but the ordeal left families traumatized.

The incident has heightened concerns about child safety in Bauchi, with parents urging increased vigilance to prevent future cases. 

The Yobe State government has granted freedom to 30 inmates held in various correctional facilities for different offenses.

Chief Information Officer of the Ministry for Justice, Alhassan Sule Mamudo, confirmed the release in Damaturu, stating that it was based on the recommendation of the State’s Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, chaired by Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Saleh Samanja.

Before approving the pardons, the council visited correctional centers in Potiskum, Nguru, and Gashu’a to assess eligible inmates.

Mamudo noted that the periodic release of inmates with minor offenses or those who could not afford fines is part of the state’s efforts to decongest correctional facilities. 

The Kaduna State Police Command has rescued 23 kidnapped victims in a joint operation with security forces.

In a statement, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSC Mansir Hassan, said the rescue mission was carried out on February 2, 2025, following credible intelligence on the movement of armed bandits in Kajuru.

Acting on this information, security personnel advanced into the bush near Doka Village in Kajuru Local Government Area, where they encountered the kidnappers attempting to move their victims to Kajuru Forest.

Led by the Divisional Police Officer of Kajuru Division and supported by the military, the operation inflicted heavy casualties on the bandits, forcing them to flee with gunshot wounds.

“The operation resulted in the rescue of 23 victims who had been abducted from Kauru LGA. They have since been reunited with their families,” the statement read.

The police have intensified surveillance and patrols in the area to prevent further criminal activities. Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Muhammad, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to ensuring the safety of residents and pledged continued collaboration with the military and other security agencies to combat crime across the state. 

The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Gusau, Prof. Muazu Abubakar, has refuted claims that members of the House of Representatives Committee on University Education demanded N480 million to approve federal universities' 2025 budgets.

In a letter dated January 27 and addressed to the committee’s chairman, Abubakar Fulata, the VC dismissed media reports alleging that lawmakers pressured vice-chancellors to pay N8 million each as a condition for budget approval.

He clarified that while the report referred to a “stubborn vice-chancellor,” speculated to be him, he initially chose to ignore the claims but later responded to prevent misinformation from being accepted as fact.

“The attention of the Federal University, Gusau, has been drawn to an online report titled Investigation: Nigerian Lawmakers Demand N480 Million from Universities to Approve 2025 Budget,” he stated.

He emphasized that no member of the university’s team involved in the budget defense had any connection to the allegations and urged the committee to disregard the “malicious and misleading” report. Abubakar also praised the committee for conducting a “robust, friendly, and engaging” budget defense session.

Similarly, Fulata dismissed the allegations in a press briefing, describing them as an attempt to tarnish the committee’s efforts to improve Nigeria’s education sector.

“It is absurd to suggest that lawmakers demanded even a kobo to approve budget proposals,” he said, adding that the report sought to mislead the public about the committee’s activities.

House spokesman Akin Rotimi also condemned the report, stating that it was a deliberate attempt to discredit lawmakers. He reaffirmed the 10th House of Representatives' commitment to transparency, accountability, and ethical standards, stressing that the allegations lacked credible investigative effort and were meant to erode public trust in the legislature.

Following the confirmation of an Ebola outbreak in Uganda, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has heightened its preparedness efforts and advised Nigerians to avoid non-essential travel to countries with confirmed cases of the disease. 

Although no cases have been reported in Nigeria, the NCDC is monitoring the situation and strengthening surveillance at points of entry. The public is urged to follow preventive measures such as good hand hygiene, avoiding contact with infected persons, and refraining from consuming bush meat. The NCDC reassured that vaccines and therapeutics are available for some strains of the virus. 

Jay-Z has made history by becoming the most-awarded rapper at the Grammys. At the 67th annual Grammy Awards, the New York icon secured his 25th award, surpassing Kanye West’s 24. Jay-Z earned the honor for his contribution to Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’, which won the coveted Album of the Year award. 

According to Grammy rules, all major contributors to an album are recognized as winners in this category. This victory marked Beyoncé’s first-ever Album of the Year Grammy. Last year, Jay-Z had criticized the Recording Academy for overlooking Beyoncé in this category despite her record-breaking number of awards.