‘Nearly $11m paid as ransom in four years’ — report examines Nigeria’s kidnap industry

Families and friends of kidnap victims paid $18.34 million to secure the release of their loved ones between June 2011 and March 31, 2020, a new report by SBM Intelligence has shown.

According to the report, seen by TheCable, a large proportion of the amount (just below $11 million) was received between January 2016 and March 2020.

The report is titled Nigeria’s Kidnap Problem: The Economics of the Kidnap Industry in Nigeria.

“Between June 2011 and end of March 2020, What we have found shows that between June 2011 and the end of March 2020, at least $18.34 million has been paid to kidnappers as ransom,” the report read.

“Even more frightening is that the larger proportion of that figure ( just below $11 million), was paid out between January 2016 and March 2020, indicating that kidnapping is becoming more lucrative.”

The report said four of the top 10 states with the highest number of reported kidnap incidents are in the south-south region with three of them (Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers) being a part of the Niger Delta.

“Kaduna – the state with the second-highest number of incidents – also has a significant history of violence, especially along its connecting road to Abuja,” the report read.

“While it is not in the top 10, Abuja has the 11th highest number of kidnap incidents over the last decade, and there is anecdotal evidence that some of the perpetrators responsible for Kaduna’s high rate of kidnap attempts have extended their operations into the federal capital.”

Analysing deaths and fatalities in kidnap incidents, 18 states were reported to have fewer deaths per kidnap attempt.

The states are Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Kano, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba and Yobe.

States in the northern region, which have existing ongoing violence from other sources, were reported to have the highest fatalities.

“It would appear that such existing violence has made the kidnaps much deadlier in these places,” the report said.

“Our conclusion is that where existing violence and/or historic violent norms have devalued human lives, crimes such as kidnapping tend to result in more fatalities.”

According to the report, Bayelsa is the only state to have witnessed a decline in incidents compared to the 2011-2015 period while Kaduna, Rivers, Katsina, Zamfara and Taraba, have witnessed the sharpest rises.

- THECABLE

Five COVID-19 patients burns to death in hospital

The fire broke out in a makeshift isolation unit made for (COVID-19) patients in United Hospital Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Reuters reports that the fire service director, Zillur Rahman, who confirmed the incident, said the cause of the inferno could not be immediately ascertained.

Rahman stated that the flames were extinguished in about an hour.

All five victims were identified as four men and a woman aged between 45 and 75.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh has a total of 38,292 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 544 deaths.

Recall that fire had earlier this month burnt a Moscow hospital treating patients infected with coronavirus.

The inferno which started from a patient’s room killed one of them.

- DAILY POST

Transfer: Coutinho offered to Man Utd ahead of summer transfer window

Manchester United have reportedly been offered the chance to sign attacking midfielder, Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona ahead of the summer transfer window, according to ESPN.

Barcelona could demand between £72million to £81million for Coutinho.
DAILY POST had reported that Coutinho had been linked with a move away from Barcelona this summer.

The Brazilian star is currently on loan at Bundesliga champions, Bayern Munich, from Barca until the end of the season.
The 27-year-old has struggled to find his top form since joining the Catalan club from Liverpool in 2018 for £142million.

Coutinho has netted nine goals and provided eight assists from 32 appearances in all competitions for Bayern Munich so far this campaign.

But Bayern has already confirmed they won’t be signing the playmaker permanently this summer.

-DAILY POST

COVID-19 : EPL to resume with Man City vs Arsenal, Villa vs Sheffield

The Premier League season is set to restart with Aston Villa vs Sheffield United and Manchester City vs Arsenal on June 17, BBC reports.

The fixtures are the two games in hand of the 92 left to play.
The first complete Game Week would then be played on the weekend of June 19-21.

Clubs reached an agreement in principle during a meeting on Thursday.
The Premier League was suspended on March 13 because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
On Wednesday, clubs unanimously voted to resume contact training, having started non-contact training last week.

Matches are now set to resume behind closed doors.

- DAILY POST

Gunmen abduct CAN Chairman, demand N20m

The Police Command in Nasarawa State has confirmed the abduction of Bishop Joseph Masin, the state Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), by gunmen in Lafia.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Bola Longe, confirmed the development to newsmen on Thursday in Lafia.

Longe said the bishop was abducted by the gunmen who stormed his residence in Bukan-sidi, Lafia metropolis, on Wednesday night.

He said that a Police team had been deployed to trail the abductors to ensure the safe rescue of the victim and possible arrest of the perpetrators.

Corroborating the incident, Elder Yohanna Samari, a former CAN Secretary in the State, said the bishop was abducted by the attackers at midnight at his Bukan-sidi residence.

Samari said that the abductors took the CAN chairman away on a motorcycle.

He said that although nobody was hurt during the incident, the family had been greatly traumatised.

Meanwhile, Pastor Tayo Samuel, the CAN Vice Chairman in the state, said the abductors had contacted the family demanding for N20 million ransom. (NAN)

FG: We’ll release guidelines for reopening of schools

The federal government says it will roll out guidelines for the reopening of schools across the country.

Boss Mustapha, chairman of the presidential task force on COVID-19, disclosed this during a briefing in Abuja on Wednesday.

“​Today, 27th May, 2020 is also Children’s Day worldwide and this brings to mind the need to build a legacy that would guarantee a safe and secured future for our children. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation was faced with the challenge of out of school children. This has now been compounded by the compelling need for closure of schools as part of the measures to limit the spread of the virus,” he said.

“​The PTF has been deliberating on this situation and wish to inform Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Education will roll out measures to be put in place for safe re-opening of our schools. The Hon. Minister of Education (State) will be elaborating on the subject, this afternoon. He will also clarify the purported announcement of the resumption date which went viral last week.”

He congratulated Nigerian children on the celebration of their day, saying the government is working hard to make sure they are safe.

“The Presidential Task Force wishes to use the occasion of this celebration to congratulate our children and assure them, their parents and all stakeholders alike that all hands are on deck to reopen schools at a safe time.

“We, therefore, use this medium to urge states, local governments, proprietors and all other stakeholders to begin to take steps that will facilitate an early and safe reopening.”

- THECABLE

NDDC: Finance Director, Bassey Etang reportedly dead after alleged poisoning

The Acting Executive Director, Finance, of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Ibanga Bassey Etang, is reportedly dead.

Details are of demise are not clear yet, but circulating information says he might have been poisoned.
Etang’s body has been reportedly taken to a section of the Braithwaite Memorial Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

The director’s demise occurred amid probe of the NDDC by the Nigerian Senate.
The intervention agency is under investigation for alleged mismanagement of N40 bilion.
On Wednesday, the Red Chamber of the National Assembly vowed to unearth the truth and expose the culprits.

On February 19, President Muhammadu appointed an Interim Management Committee (IMC) for the commission.

Joy Nunieh was replaced with Kemebradikumo Pondei as the Acting Managing Director.
Again, on February 26, Buhari approved the composition of a Monitoring Committee. Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio is the Chairman.

Two months later (April 30), the IMC tenure was extended from May 1 to December 31, 2020.
DAILY POST reports that in the past few years, the series of fire and hire, occasioned by alleged corruption and power play, seem to have dragged the agency to the background.
NDDC, tasked with developing oil-producing states, remains enmeshed in scandals with no major prosecution of culpable officials.

Nigerians now await the report of the forensic audit ordered by the President, although many are skeptical about the outcome.
This is not unexpected as previous probes did not achieve much; officials indicted still walk freely.
The current audit, according to Akpabio, costs about N318 million. Messrs Olumuyiwa Bashiru and Co. are the lead consultants.

The minister added that estimated period given by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to conclude the exercise was nine months.
Meanwhile, the federal lawmakers have been charged to rescue the NDDC from “the grip of criminal elements in the ministry, the illegally constituted IMC and collaborators in the presidency”.
The call was made by Uwem Bassey Okon, Founder of the Akwa Ibom Patriotic Front.
A statement he issued on Thursday suggested that Etang was “poisoned to death”.

He said those behind the act wee desperate to frustrate the inquiry of the commission.
The rights activist said the situation at NDDC was an “injustice to the Niger Delta region and an unending debacle caused by executive recklessness”.

Okon declared that what is going on was “deliberately foisted to deny the oil rich region human capital and infrastructural development.”
The Akwa Ibom chief told the Senate that it has “the powers to resolve the ongoing charade in the NDDC and right the wrong it created”.

He accused the legislators of allegedly “caving in to coup” after they had vowed not to deal with “the illegal IMC unknown to the NDDC Establishment Act, 2000”.

“The National Assembly must assert its powers and cease all official dealings with the illegitimate body. The time to act is now and save the institution from being regarded as rubber stamp to the executive arm,” Okon charged.

- DAILY POST

LOOTING VENTURE !! Buhari seeks $5.5bn loan for COVID-19, priority projects

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the house of representatives and the senate to approve a loan of $5.5 billion.

This includes $3.4 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which the lender has already approved and disbursed to Nigeria.

In a letter read during Thursday’s plenary session by Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker, Buhari said the funds will be used for the federal government’s priority projects and to support the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also said part of it will be used to fund the revised 2020 budget, and to support the state governments.

A breakdown of the proposed loan, which was also sent to the senate, shows $1.5 billion will come from the World Bank, $500 million from the African Development Bank (AfDB), and $113 million from the Islamic Development Bank.

Some of the listed projects include support of Nigeria’s response to challenges posed by COVID-19, strengthening of the healthcare system, financing smallholder farmers, provision of critical medical supplies to combat COVID-19, enhancing mechanisation of agriculture among others.

Buhari also said the loan will be used to provide fiscal support for the states as well as provide an economic stimulus program that will aid state-level efforts “to protect livelihoods, ensure food security and stimulate economic activity”.

He said the pandemic has resulted in economic and fiscal challenges to many countries including Nigeria “especially with the lower demand for crude oil which has affected our sales and the sharp decline in the price of oil”.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has also created the need for additional expenditure in the health sector. All of these have necessitated a review of the 2020 budget and the medium-term expenditure framework,” he added.

The president also said the revised budget for 2020 has a higher deficit, and that “in order to finance this deficit, the federal government is planning to raise funds from both domestic and external sources”.

Since recording its first case of the coronavirus on February 27, Nigeria has so far had close to 9,000 cases of the disease which has killed 254 persons.

To curb its spread, the federal government had shut down schools and airports in addition to other measures that have dealt a heavy blow on the nation’s economy.

- THECABLE

NTA manager kidnapped in Aba

The Assistant Manager, News and Current Affairs of Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) in Aba, Chinyere Okoye has been kidnapped.

The Sun reports that she was abducted Wednesday night after leaving the office.

Okoye had supervised the 7pm News bulletin and was heading home.

At the front of her compound near Obikabia junction, the abductors ambushed and seized the manager, then drove off in her car.

The abductors reportedly called the victim’s husband Thursday morning and demanded ransom.

NTA General Manager in Aba, Nwadi Elobuike, confirmed the incident to reporters.

Okoye previously worked at Enugu NTA Zonal Office before her recent transfer to Aba.

- DAILY POST

15 die in canoe mishap

The Permanent Secretary, Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Shehu Ningi, on Thursday said about 15 people were killed when an overcrowded canoe capsized at Gwaskaram village, Bauchi Local Governmane Area.

Ningi confirmed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi.

He said the canoe was carrying passengers from Gwaskaram village area heading to the next village, Yola Doka, on a market day.

Ningi said that the accident happened over the weekend on the Gwaskaram river in Bauchi local government area of the state.

He said they had confirmed 15 deaths in the mishap while three persons were rescued, adding that rescue operation was still ongoing.

The SEMA permanent secretary assured that efforts were on to recover the remaining bodies.

Ningi said the canoe capsized due to overload, lack of maintenance and a hole that allowed water to weight it down.

He said the canoe had more than 21 people on board, noting that there were too many people and goods on the canoe.

The Ward Head of Gwaskwam, Alhaji Abdullahi Maikano, also told NAN on phone that there were over 20 passengers on the wooden canoe that capsized.

“Five were rescued while out of the others, only five dead bodies had been discovered so far,” he said.

He added that they were already engaged in searching for other persons missing in the river.

- PM NEWS