There was pandemonium in Mareri Community, an outskirt of Gusau as armed bandits again, invaded the community and attempted to kidnap the Managing Director of Zamfara State Transport Authority (Mass Transit) Aminu Adamu Papa and his family members.

A neighbor who pleaded anonymity told newsmen that the heavily armed bandits invaded the community around 11:30 pm on Saturday night and started shooting sporadically.

According to the source, the bandits went straight to Papa’s house and engaged the security operatives stationed there in a gun duel before overpowering the two policemen and disarming them.

“Papa and his four family members were abducted, but thank God that Soldiers and local vigilantes were quickly mobilised, they quickly engaged the bandits with serious gunfire,” the source added.

He said the gun battle with the military subsequently forced the bandits to release the abducted family members.

“The security forces went after them and killed six of the bandits including two females among them, others escaped and left the man with a gunshot wound in his leg.”

The source thanked the troops and local vigilantes for their prompt response, noting that it was not the first time the bandits will invade the community.

“We are living in fear, my house fence is marked with bullet shots, I and my entire family could not sleep.”

The attack comes weeks after the wife and two daughters of a lecturer at the Federal College of Education Gusau, had been abducted in the same community on New Year’s eve.

They were, however, released after a ransom was paid.

The member representing Nassarawa Federal Constituency of Kano State in the House of Representatives, Nasiru Ahmad, has called on the state government to convene a security summit to address the ‘rising cases’ of missing children in the state.

Ahmad said this on Saturday, following the murder earlier in the week of Hanifa Abubakar, a five-year-old schoolgirl, by her teacher.

The lawmaker said he has petitioned the National Assembly over the disappearance and killing of children in his constituency.

Nassarawa Local Government Area has seen cases of disappearance of children rise, with one John Onne recently sentenced to life imprisonment for kidnapping a child.

Ahmad, who spoke during a condolence visit to Hanifa’s family, said his petition requested the House of Representatives to prevail on the federal government to take drastic measures to arrest the phenomenon.

“I have already petitioned the National Assembly and followed it with another move to convene a security summit that will see chief imams, pastors, district and village heads coming together to tackle the disturbing scenario,” the lawmaker said.

Ahmad said the number of missing children in his constituency ‘is alarming’ and called for immediate action to curtail it.

“We cannot fold our hands and allow children being stolen and even killed by some disgruntled elements who are hell-bent on creating chaos and uncertainty amongst us. We must take all necessary measures to stop it,” he said.

“Let me assure you that this matter of Hanifa Abubakar would never be swept under the carpet. We will follow it to its logical conclusion and ensure justice to the deceased Hanifa.

“That is why I have written a personal petition to the National Assembly to have the full support of my colleagues in fighting this troubling scenario disturbing my federal constituency,” he said.

Ahmad said he would suspend most of his activities to ensure that the security summit is quickly convened and achieves the desired results.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have raided a relaxation centre, popularly called Garden in Abuja and arrested six persons for selling drug cookies and noodles.

The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Babafemi said following credible intelligence, NDLEA’s operatives raided the garden at Wuse Zone 5 behind Shoprite, where a lady, Rachael Famiyesun, 29, was arrested along with her salesgirl, Stella Sunday, 20, for dealing in drug cookies.

He added that they were also caught selling bottles of a drink called ‘Zobo’ prepared with cannabis.

Babafemi said another business operator in the garden, Moses Obi, 30, was also arrested with his salesgirl, Aisha Abdulrahman, 19, for selling indomie noodles prepared with cannabis.

He said a barman, Ahonye Jonah, 31, who worked with the garden owner, was equally arrested while one of their customers, 38-year-old Ngozi Justina Emelogu, was also picked during the raid on Jan. 19.

“Two days earlier, officers of the FCT command equally raided the Zuba Yam Market, where a drug dealer, Haruna Hassan, was arrested with 19.3kg cannabis,” he said.

Babafemi also said attempts by drug traffickers to export 1.53 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside hair cream to London was foiled by operatives of the NDLEA.

He added that another 880 grams of cocaine concealed inside synthetic hair to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; three grams of cocaine and five grams of cannabis to Cyprus packed inside locally made shoes were intercepted.

This, he said, was through two major courier companies in Lagos and were foiled by narcotic officers attached to the firms.

In another development, NDLEA operatives on Jan. 18 intercepted a Toyota Camry car with Reg. No. FKJ 897 DG (LAGOS), which was heading to Abuja, loaded with 360.4kg Cannabis sativa in Edo state.

Babafemi said the driver, Nurudeen Subaru, 42, from Auchi, Etsako West area of the state was also arrested.

He said officers of the Edo command also evacuated 111kg cannabis stored in a bush at Iruekpen, Esan West LGA on Jan. 19.

“276 compressed blocks of the same substance weighing 248.4kg were recovered from one Austin Okongwu (a.k.a Igwe), 45, at Agenebode, Etsako East, while moving the drug in a Lexus saloon car with reg. no. ABC 583 MJ (ABUJA).

“Also on Wednesday, Jan. 19, a raid on a drug joint in the Edo State capital, Benin, led to the arrest of three drug dealers: Kelly Ogbebor, 38, Daniel Oviawe, 35, and Kelly Kenmakonam, 29 with different quantities of cocaine and heroin seized from them,” he said.

Babafemi said the attempt by 29-year-old Ifeoma Sade, wife of a drug dealer, Ifeanyi Onyeasi, 34, to swallow 12 grams of cocaine found in their house at Agingi, Rukuba road, Jos, in Plateau was foiled.

He said operatives retrieved the drug from her throat on Sunday Jan. 16 during an arrest operation.

“Also recovered from them was a monetary exhibit of Two Hundred and Thirty-Four Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty Naira Only (N234, 650),” said Babafemi.

Meanwhile, the NDLEA spokesman, noted that different quantities of cannabis, methamphetamine and tramadol were seized from two suspects: Aliyu Abdullahi and Ishaya Emmanuel.

Babafemi said operatives intercepted a commercial bus with reg. number GME711YX along Abuja bringing the suspects from Lagos to Yola, Adamawa on Jan. 19.

He said the long arm of the law eventually caught up with a notorious drug dealer, Adamu Musa, who had been on the run for nine months in Adamawa, Jan. 19.

“His 31-year-old elder sister, Hannatu Sini, had been arrested on April 16, 2021, at Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa with 14.400kg of cannabis sativa.

“And she admitted keeping the exhibit for her younger brother, Adamu Musa, who was subsequently placed on the wanted list of the command.

The Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of the FCT, Edo, Plateau, Adamawa, Kano and Directorate of Investigation and General Investigations, for the arrests and seizures.

Marwa charged them and their counterparts in other commands to remain vigilant and always proactive.

The Trade Union Congress on Saturday gave conditions for the removal of fuel subsidies.

The Federal Government has hinted that it may end the subsidy programme in June but the move has been opposed in several quarters.

At the end of its National Executive Council, the TUC in a communique said the government must ensure that local refineries are operational before such a move is implemented.

While highlighting the “worrisome economic situation and the rising cost of living in the country”, the TUC said both federal and state governments should put in place measures to ensure “food security and infrastructural development.”

It directed its state councils and affiliates to prepare for “industrial actions” if the government goes ahead with its removal plans without meeting the conditions.

“The Proposal by National Council of State on the final removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) as from June 2022 should take into consideration the attendant economic impact on the masses,” the TUC communique, signed by its President Quadri Olaleye and Secretary-General Musa-Lawal Ozigi, said.

“There must be assurances that refineries are fully overhauled and establishment of modular refineries encouraged.”

The trade congress noted that the effective policing of the nation’s borders to stem the rate of petroleum products smuggling must also be implemented.