News

119 inmates escape from Suleja custodial centre after rain damage

No fewer than 119 inmates have escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Suleja, Niger state.

The inmates were said to have escaped, following hours of heavy downpours which destroyed parts of the facility on Wednesday night.

Public Relations Officer of the Federal Capital Territory FCT Command of theNigeria Correctional Service NCoS, Adamu Duza made this known in a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday.

Duza revealed that the Service has immediately activated its recapturing mechanisms, and in conjunction with sister security agencies, disclosing that 10 of the fleeing inmates have been recaptured and taken back into custody.

The statement read: “A heavy downpour that lasted for several hours on the night of Wednesday, 24 April 2024 has wreaked havoc on the Medium Security Custodial Centres, Suleja, Niger state, as well as surrounding buildings, destroying part of the custodial facility, including its perimeter fence, giving way to the escape of a total of one hundred and nineteen (119) inmates of the facility.

“The Service has immediately activated its recapturing mechanisms, and in conjunction with sister security agencies have so far recaptured 10 fleeing inmates and taken them into custody, while we are in hot chase to recapture the rest.

The Service is not unmindful of the fact that many of its facilities were built during the colonial era and that they are old and weak.

“The Service is making frantic efforts to see that all ageing facilities give way to modern ones. This is evidenced in the ongoing construction of six (6) 3000-capacity ultra-modern custodial centres in all the geo-political zones in Nigeria as well as the ongoing reconstruction and renovation of existing ones.

“The Service wishes to assure the public that it is on top of the situation and that they should go about their businesses without fear or hindrance. The public is further enjoined to look out for the fleeing inmates and report any suspicious movement to the nearest security agency,” it stated.

News

Many trapped as one-storey building collapses in Minna

Several people have been trapped as a one-storey building collapsed in Minna, the Niger State capital.

The building which is located in Sabon Gari area of Minna collapsed on Friday, May 17, 2024.

Emergency officials who raced to the scene succeeded in rescuing seven persons who are receiving treatment at the Minna General Hospital.

At the time of filing this report, the manual evacuation of the debris has commenced, and the authorities said machines would be mobilised quickly so that those suspected to be trapped could be rescued.

The immediate cause of the building collapse is not yet known as of the time of this report.

The Director, Information and Special Duties of Niger State Emergency Management Agency, Hussaini Ibrahim, who was at the scene of the incident said the rescue operation is ongoing.

Also, the General Manager of the Niger State Urban Development Board, Bako Ismail, said the building was illegally converted to a story building, claiming that the board has made repeated attempts to stop the property owner from the illegal conversion

News

Court sentences man to 5 years imprisonment for trafficking

A 44-year-old man, Mohammed Usman, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment for trafficking two persons from Kano to Libya.

The convict was prosecuted by the National Agency For the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

NAPTIP in a statement on Thursday, May 16, 2024, said Usman was found guilty on two counts preferred against him by the agency.

“Mohammed Usman from Walalambe, Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano State, was found guilty on two counts and sentenced to 5 years imprisonment for each count, *without the option of fine*, for procuring the illegal entry of two individuals from Kano to Libya. This is a violation of the Trafficking In Persons Act 2015 and is punishable under Section 26(1). Justice is served!,” the statement read.

News

FAAN announces E-tags payment for all travelers at the 24 Federal Airports

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria has announced electronic tags (e-tags) payment for all travellers at the 24 Federal Airports nationwide, starting from Friday, May 17, 2024.

In compliance with the Presidential Directive requiring all citizens to use e-tags to access the nation’s federal airports, FAAN notified the public that it has begun the sale of electronic tags (e-tags) at airports.

“Following the presidential directive that all citizens are mandated to pay for e-tags at all the 24 federal airports across the country, we wish to inform the general public that the e-tags are available for sale from Friday, 17th May, 2024 at the following locations,” FAAN said today, May 17.

“Lagos: Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos, Terminal 1, 5th Floor) Office of HOD Commercial. Contact: 08033713796 or 08023546030.

“Abuja: Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, HOD Commercial Office (General Aviation Terminal) Contact: 08034633527 or 08137561615.”

FAAN said there will be an option to pay in cash at the access gates for motorists without e-tags.

On May 14, Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation, announced everyone, including the president and vice-president, would pay tolls at the nation’s airports.

Keyamo said the government was losing over 82 percent of the revenue it should have earned from the access fee.