Connect with us

Trending News

Gunmen kidnap Catholic priest in Benue

Published

on

 

Yet-to-be-identified gummen have kidnapped Mark Ojotu, a Catholic priest of Otukpo diocese in Benue state.

Ojotu, the chaplain of St. Mary’s Hospital, Okpoga in Okpokwu LGA was abducted along Okpoga-Ojapo road on Thursday evening.

Joseph Itodo, chancellor of the diocesan secretariat, confirmed the abduction in a letter addressed to priests and religious faithful.

“We write to notify you of the kidnap of one of our priests, Rev. Fr. Mark Ojotu,” the letter reads.

“He is the Chaplain of St. Mary’s Hospital, Okpoga. The sad incident occurred today, 22nd December 2022 at about 5.00pm along Okpoga-Ojapo Road, Okpokwu LGA, Benue State.

“The Local Ordinary, Most Rev. Michael Ekwoyi Apochi, has called on all Christ’s Faithful in the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo and beyond to earnestly pray for his quick and safe release as we intensify efforts to ensure his release.

“We commend our brother and all those in the kidnappers’ den throughout the country to the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for their speedy and safe release from the hands of their abductors.”

READ  Must-see raunchy photos of Iyabo Ojo @ 44

Catherine Anene, the spokesperson of Benue police command, said the incident was reported to the command on Friday morning.

“The abduction was reported this morning. We have commenced investigations,” Anene said.

The last reported priest abduction in Benue was in July when Peter Amodu was seized while working in the Catholic diocese of Otukpo.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

Good morning! Here Are Some Major News Headlines In The Newspapers Today: VGC chairman found dead inside his car in Lagos

Published

on

By

 

1. A Lagos-based man, Gihan Mbelu, has reportedly died in his vehicle in the Victoria Garden City area of Lagos State on Friday. It was gathered on Sunday that 42-year-old Mbelu had reportedly parked his car, a Mercedes C300 4Matic, running for several hours while he sat motionless in the car.

 

2. In response to the devastating tanker fire incident in Rivers State, President Bola Tinubu has directed federal agencies to continue providing support to the state government in addressing the aftermath of the tragedy. President Tinubu’s message, contained in a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, also extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of the fire incident.

 

3. As the demolition of properties along the right of way for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway begins, the federal government has promised to conduct the process with sensitivity, aiming to minimize disruptions to the lives of those affected.

READ  Three alleged Invaders of Justice Odili’s house to remain in prison over inability to perfect N5m bail

 

4. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, says two notorious drug kingpins: Uwaezuoke Ikenna Christian and Agbo Chidike Prince have been sentenced to life imprisonment for dealing in cocaine. Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, said this brings to an end to their years of criminal enterprise of exporting cocaine across continents.

 

5. No fewer than 40 observers have been deployed by the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, to Togo, ahead of the parliamentary and regional election. The elections have been scheduled for April 29, 2024. This was revealed in a statement by the regional body.

 

6. Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Sunday, April 28, warned petrol stations against hoarding of fuel as scarcity hit the state. Adeleke through his chief of staff, Kazeem Akinleye, who is also the chairman, Petroleum Monitoring Taskforce, warned against creating artificial scarcity.

READ  Insecurity: Gani Adams writes UN, other Intnl. organisations, seeks urgent intervention

 

7. Former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has tackled Northern governors over their recent trip to the United States. In a Facebook post, he said the trip exposed the governors’ ignorance of the country’s constitution. According to him, security is solely the responsibility of the federal government because it is on the exclusive list.

 

8. The naira has demonstrated signs of strengthening against the United States dollar, appreciating by N125 to reach N1,275/$1 over the weekend. The new rate represents a 9.8 per cent increase when compared to N1,400 to a dollar it traded at the close of trading activity on Friday.

 

9. The immediate-past governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, on Sunday, asked his counterpart in Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to come out of his hiding and answer his case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Speaking at a Redeemed Christian Church of God in Makurdi, Benue State during the thanksgiving service organised by his aides for his 63rd birthday celebration, Ortom advised Bello to come out of hiding.

READ  LG Elections: Lagos APC releases list of candidates

 

10.
The campaign coordinator of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa in Supare, Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Alaba Abbey, has been shot dead. Late Abbey was shot dead on Saturday evening at his residence in Supare.

 

Continue Reading

Metro News

Dark Sunday: 19 people burnt to death in Okene-Lokoja highway auto crash

Published

on

By

 

Nineteen people were, on Sunday, burnt to death in an auto crash along the Okene-Lokoja highway in Kogi state.

 

In a statement by Jonas Agwu, its public education officer, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said the accident involved a Dangote truck with registration details NSH680YJ and a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number KMC455ZE.

 

According to the FRSC, both vehicles suffered a head-on collision after a route violation by the truck, resulting in an inferno.

 

The agency said out of the all-male 22 passengers involved in the accident, three were rescued.

 

“The TYT bus loaded from Kano was on its lane on the highway when the Dangote Truck driver who drove all the way from Port Harcourt wrongfully overtook a vehicle & collided head-on with the bus. The impact of the collision resulted in an inferno that burnt the victims to death,” the statement reads.

 

“Unfortunately, 19 people out of the 22 victims were killed and 1 injured. The remaining 2 victims who got rescued by FRSC operatives without injuries survived the crash because they complied with traffic regulations on compulsory use of seatbelt.

READ  2023: Tinubu most qualified for presidency- Uba Sani

 

“The corpses of the dead victims whose lives were claimed by the crash have been deposited at Okene General Hospital.”

 

Dauda Biu, the FRSC corps marshal, said the agency will continue its ongoing prosecution of drivers “who by their actions cause road traffic crashes in Nigeria”.

 

Biu further called on the judiciary and leadership of transport unions and other relevant stakeholders in the road transportation sector to join hands with the corps to ensure speedy and effective prosecution of offenders.

 

Continue Reading

Metro News

Man trying to escape arrest drowns in Lagos Lagoon

Published

on

By

 

A man, simply identified as Azeez, has allegedly jumped into the lagoon in Lagos and drowned while trying to evade arrest for stealing some bags of cement.

The Spokesperson of the Police Command in Lagos, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this on Sunday.

 

Hundeyin said that the Director in charge of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) operations in Lagos Central, (name not mentioned), reported the case to Ikoyi Police Division on Friday at about 12.20 p.m.

Hundeyin said that the director reported that at about 10.45 a.m. on Friday, he received a call that there was an incident at Lekki/Ikoyi Link Bridge.

 

According to him, on getting to the scene, he met a large crowd gathered by the waterside, watching the lifeless body of a man who had drowned.

“The deceased was later identified as Azeez. He was later confirmed dead by paramedics of Pre Hospital Care, Lagos.

 

“It was discovered that one Elijah Amos, the seller of the cement, was pursuing the deceased before he jumped into the Lagoon because he was alleged to have stolen some bags of cement,” Hundeyin said.

READ  CAC pastor kidnaps Catholic priest, says he's a disgrace to family

 

Hundeyin said that the scene was visited by the police, while the corpse had been evacuated to Mainland General Hospital Mortuary, Yaba, for autopsy and preservation.

 

He added that an investigation into the case was in progress.

 

Continue Reading

Trending News