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Street fight in Rivers: Wike, Amaechi trade assassination claims

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… I escaped being killed — Gov Wike

…They threatened to shoot me — Minister

…Police says minor trafic incident

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Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, yesterday, took their battle for supremacy to the street  of Port Harcourt, the state capital.

Both men gave conflicting accounts of the incident which occurred at Trans Amadi Road, by Nwanja Junction.

Wike called the confrontation a bid to assassinate him.

Scene of the attack on the convoy of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike by soldiers and SARS Personnel attached to the Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi on Saturday at Wanja junction on the Trans-Amadi road in Port Harcourt

Amaechi, on his part, said he was nearly shot by the governor’s security aides.

Since Wike succeeded Amaechi in 2015 as governor of Rivers, both men had engaged in political war.

In the governor’s account of yesterday’s incident, he claimed to have escaped assassination attempt as soldiers and men of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, allegedly in the convoy of  Amaechi, attacked his convoy.

A statement by his media aide, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, immediately after the clash, said the incident happened when the governor was inspecting ongoing road construction job at Trans Amadi Road.

The statement alleged that the governor’s outrider was hit by the Minister’s convoy and the policemen in the pilot car attacked.

Wike, according to the statement, was not hurt, as he continued with his inspection of the road project after the incident.

Amaechi’s account of the clash, which came later at night, detailed in a statement entitled, ‘Wike’s security men pull guns on Amaechi, vandalise his car’, described the incident as a blatant show of naked raw power.

According to the statement, the Minister narrowly escaped being shot by security men attached to Wike. “His car wasn’t that lucky though. The car was vandalized with a broken side mirror”, the statement said.“The statement went on: “The incident occurred in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, along Trans-Amadi road, Nwaja axis.

The Minister had arrived Port Harcourt this afternoon.““Accompanied by cars of many of his supporters, the Minister’s black jeep was intercepted and blocked at the junction by the security motorcycle outrider attached to Wike after two cars had passed through.

One of the two cars had security men assigned to protect the minister in Port Harcourt. Suddenly, gun-toting security men attached to Wike’s convoy surrounded the Minister’s car, threatening to shoot him. They hit the car, tried to smash the windscreens, back and side windows and broke a side mirror.

Wike and Amaechi

All through this attack, Amaechi remained calm, inside the fortified Jeep. While the attacked occurred, Wike remained inside his vehicle.““The Minister eventually passed through after the intervention of the security team on ground to protect him in Port Harcourt. ““This is a crass show of high handedness, arbitrary behaviour and abuse of public office by a State governor who has no care for the safety of Rivers people”.

Efforts to get the spokesman  for the  6 Division, Nigerian  Army in Port-Harcourt, Colonel Aminu Ilyasu,  and the police to comment on the incident were futile. At press time, Ilyasu  did  not respond to a text message from our correspondent to him.

But the spokesperson for the police in Rivers State, DSP Omoni Nnamdi, told Sunday Vanguard  he was waiting for information on the incident, promising to get back. He  never did.  “I will get back to you please”, he said in a text message.

Yesterday’s incident was not the first time  Wike and Amaechi  would confront each other on Port-Harcourt street. The two men almost clashed at the Mile One Police Station in March last year  when a female staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mrs Ekwi Adebisa,  deployed to Ward 10, PHALGA, was taken to the station over allegations bordering on attempt to tamper with then election process.

It took efforts of security men at the station to calm the supporters of both men. They have also been locked severally in war of words, throwing weighty allegations at each other, some touching on  sponsorship of political violence.“

 

Source: Vanguard


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Kebbi Governor Blasts Security Agencies Over Failure to Act on DSS Intel Before School Kidnap

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Kebbi Abduction: DSS Raised Alarm Before Attack, Governor Alleges Sabotage
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Kebbi State Governor, Mohammed Nasir Idris, has expressed outrage over what he described as a shocking failure by security agencies to act on credible intelligence warning of an impending attack on the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area.

In the early hours of Monday, suspected gunmen invaded the school, killing the vice principal and abducting 25 female students. Three of the abducted girls reportedly escaped hours later.

Governor Idris, who arrived at the scene at about 6:45 pm on Monday, accused unnamed security agencies of undermining the security measures put in place by his administration.

“This is clear sabotage. We got credible intelligence from the DSS that this school was likely to be attacked. DSS further advised that we convene an emergency Security Council meeting, which we did. And the decision was that we would provide round-the-clock protection for the students,” the governor said.

FIRS

He recalled that he acted promptly on the DSS alert, mindful of the security lapses that led to the infamous December 2020 kidnapping of over 300 students from a secondary school in Kankara, Katsina State.

According to Governor Idris, security personnel were deployed to the school to guard the students. However, what followed left him “deeply disturbed.” Security operatives allegedly spent hours taking photographs with the students before abandoning their posts barely 30 minutes before the bandits struck.

The governor, accompanied by top security chiefs in the state, announced the establishment of a special investigation panel to uncover the circumstances surrounding the attack despite the advance intelligence and government’s proactive efforts.

The panel, to be headed by the State Director of the DSS, will also coordinate efforts to secure the safe return of the kidnapped students.

A teacher who escaped the attack expressed shock over the turn of events, recalling that heavily armed operatives had been deployed to the school on Sunday and engaged students and teachers in emergency drills.

“The heavily armed security men spent the entire night guarding the school. Sadly, for yet-to-be-determined reasons, they left the school before dawn. About 30 minutes after they withdrew, the kidnappers struck,” the teacher recounted.

He added that the accuracy of the DSS intelligence may have influenced the governor’s decision to appoint the DSS director to lead the investigation committee.

Despite the tragic incident, the teacher expressed optimism, noting that indications suggest the girls were abducted, not killed.

“With the ongoing efforts by federal and state authorities, we are hopeful that they will all be rescued,” he said.

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Brig-Gen M. Uba Killed by ISWAP After Terrorists Intercepted His Location

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Brig-Gen M. Uba Killed by ISWAP After Terrorists Intercepted His Location
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A senior Nigerian Army officer, Brigadier General M. Uba, has been killed by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists after they reportedly intercepted and tracked his live location along the Damboa–Biu axis in Borno State.

Multiple military sources confirmed that the commander was abducted and later executed by the insurgents shortly after participating in a successful joint air–ground offensive against ISWAP fighters.

Operation Before the Incident

According to reports, the late Brigadier General had earlier led ground troops in a clearance operation, during which soldiers came under heavy ambush. Unknown to the forces, the route had been booby-trapped, leading to an intense gun battle.

The commander issued a distress call, prompting Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft to divert from ongoing missions to provide close air support. The airstrikes dispersed the insurgents and allowed the troops, including the commander and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) members, to regroup.

FIRS

After the operation, General Uba contacted his superiors, assuring them of his safety and confirming that his team was reorganizing. Security sources, however, believe this communication may have inadvertently exposed his coordinates.

Abduction and Execution

ISWAP fighters reportedly intercepted his location and captured him alive. The terrorists briefly interrogated him before executing him, according to security officials familiar with the development.

Earlier reports from SaharaReporters indicated that the attack, which happened Friday night, resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and two CJTF members, alongside the abduction of Brig-Gen Uba and two other soldiers.

Although the Nigerian Army initially denied the abduction, officers confirmed that the Brigade Commander had not returned to base by Saturday morning.

One senior officer disclosed that the commander managed to transmit his live location to colleagues, but troops dispatched to the spot could not locate him. Another soldier abducted during the ambush—who was shot and left behind—was later rescued alive.

Sources also revealed that the General was forced to make a video call to his dry cleaner while in captivity but warned the civilian not to speak, suggesting he was under duress.

High-Level Military Response

Following the incident, top military commanders, including the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, rushed to Damboa to coordinate rescue efforts and boost morale among troops.

In response to the crisis, the Nigerian Army has appointed Brigadier General Mustapha to temporarily head the 26 Task Force Brigade in Damboa pending further directive from Army Headquarters.

Background of the Attack

It was reported earlier that how ISWAP launched a coordinated ambush on a Nigerian military convoy in northeastern Nigeria, killing several soldiers and CJTF members.

The insurgents, heavily armed and well-organized, targeted the convoy during nighttime operations, further heightening concerns over ISWAP’s evolving tactics and surveillance capabilities.

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Technology

2025 Bloggers Bootcamp Opens Registration for Aspiring Digital Creators

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2025 Bloggers Bootcamp Opens Registration for Aspiring Digital Creators
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Aspiring bloggers and digital entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to kickstart their online journey as registration opens for the 2025 Bloggers Bootcamp, scheduled to begin on December 1, 2025.

The intensive training program is designed to equip participants with practical skills needed to build, grow, and monetize a successful blog. Key areas of focus include:

  • Strategic Content Creation & Niche Selection
  • Creating and Designing a Blog/Website
  • Basic Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
  • Monetization Strategies, including Google AdSense

The bootcamp will hold physically in Abuja and Jos, with a virtual option available for participants across the country and beyond.

Interested individuals can register via HERE

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WhatsApp message to +234 08060877989.


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Abuja

FCT Police Refute Claims of Attempted Assassination on Lt. Ahmed Yerima

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FCT Command Dismisses Viral Report on Alleged Attack on Lt. Yerima
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The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has refuted viral social media reports claiming that Nigerian Navy officer, Lieutenant Ahmed Yerima, was the target of an assassination attempt in Abuja.

In an official statement issued on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, described the circulating reports as entirely false, emphasizing that no such incident was recorded or reported anywhere within the FCT.

“The Command wishes to categorically state that no such incident has been reported or recorded within the Federal Capital Territory. The public is advised to disregard this false information and desist from spreading unverified claims capable of causing unnecessary panic,” the statement read.

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SP Adeh urged residents to remain vigilant and responsible, especially regarding the dissemination of information on social media platforms. She noted that spreading unverified claims could lead to unnecessary tension and undermine public safety efforts.

The Command encouraged citizens to report suspicious activity to the nearest Police Division or contact the FCT Police emergency lines 08032003913 and 08068587311 for a prompt response.

The statement, signed by SP Josephine Adeh, ANIPR, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all residents within the Federal Capital Territory.

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Lt. Yerima Escapes Alleged Assassination Attempt in Abuja Days After Clash With FCT Minister Wike

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Lt. Yerima Escapes Alleged Assassination Attempt in Abuja Days After Clash With FCT Minister Wike
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A young Nigerian Navy officer, Lieutenant A.M. Yerima, reportedly escaped an assassination attempt on Sunday evening in Abuja, just days after his widely publicised confrontation with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

According to military sources quoted by Vanguard, Yerima was trailed by unidentified men dressed in black and travelling in two unmarked Hilux vans without number plates. The suspicious vehicles allegedly followed him from the NIPCO Filling Station off the Kubwa Expressway to Gado Nasco Way.

Sensing danger, the officer reportedly carried out what sources described as a “strategic manoeuvre” to evade the suspected assailants. The incident was said to have occurred around 6:30 p.m.

FIRS

The military source added that the matter is already under investigation and is receiving “the seriousness it deserves,” noting that additional information is being withheld to avoid compromising the process.

Source: Vanguard


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