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INEC Officials Abducted, Rerun Elections Suspended In Three States

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Ondo Bye Election

By Akinwale Kasali

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has suspended rerun elections in 20 Polling Units in Three States, following the abduction of its Officials.

The affected areas are Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State.

Suspension of elections in two Polling Units (Village Hall, EdemUrua 003 in Ini LGA and Village Hall Mbiabong Ikot Udo 003 in Ikono LGA) where all election materials were carted away by hoodlums.

The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun disclosed this in a statement issued Saturday in Abuja, stressing that the suspension of the ongoing re-run elections in some constituencies is due to what it described as “disruptions, irregularities and abduction of election officials”.

“Enugu South 1 State Constituency, Enugu State. Suspension of elections in all eight Polling Units where the original results sheets were not available for inspection by voters before the commencement of polls.

“Kunchi/Tsanyawa State Constituency, Kano State. Suspension of elections in all ten Polling Units in Kunchi LGA due to invasion, vandalization, and disruption by thugs”, he stated.

Olumekun added that the decision of the Commission aligns with the provisions of Section 24(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022.

“Further necessary measures for the affected constituencies will be announced after the Commission’s meeting on Monday.

“INEC invites the security agencies to investigate the incidents, while the Commission commits to thoroughly interrogating any breaches involving its officials”, he added.

INEC Gives Bye Election Updates, Confirms Violence In Three States

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INEC By Elections

By Ayodele Oni

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given an update on the bye election in some states to fill existing vacant positions mainly at states and national assembly.

The commission announced on Saturday that it is monitoring cases of thuggery and hijacking of electoral materials in some states in the ongoing rerun and bye-elections in some states.

INEC, in a statement on its X handle, listed the affected states where violence was reported as Akwa Ibom, Kano and Enugu.

According to the electoral body, polls opened promptly and accreditation went on smoothly in the 8,934 Polling Units in 26 States involved in Saturday’s bye-elections and re-run elections.

“We are monitoring reported disruption of processes by acts of thuggery and hijacking of materials in some locations in Akwa Ibom, Enugu and Kano States.”

“In Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State, we are investigating reported incidents in Village Hall, EdemUrua 003 in Ini LGA and Village Hall Mbiabong Ikot Udo 003 in Ikono LGA.

“In Enugu South 1 State Constituency of Enugu State, we are investigating reports of disruption in 8 Polling Units in Uwani West Ward.

“In Kunchi/Tsanyawa State Constituencies of Kano State, processes have been disrupted in Kunchi Local Government Area involving 10 Polling Units.”

Besides the three states, other states where the elections are being conducted include: Ebonyi, Yobe, Kebbi, Lagos, Ondo, Taraba, Benue, Borno, Kaduna, Plateau and Anambra.

Others are Cross River, Delta, Jigawa, Katsina, Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Nasarawa, Niger, Oyo, Sokoto and Zamfara.

Earlier, the commission said a total of 4,613,291 Nigerians who have collected their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) are expected to participate in the exercise.

The elections are conducted to replace members who died or resigned their memberships of the national and state assemblies, as well as rerun elections at designated constituencies or polling units (PUs) as ordered by the election appeal tribunals.

According to INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, the elections would fill vacancies in not less than three senatorial districts, 17 federal and 28 state constituencies spread across 80 local government areas, 575 registration areas/wards and 8,934 polling units involving 4,904,627 registered voters, out of which 4,613,291 PVCs have been collected.

Ondo Bye Election: INEC Commissioner Applauds Process, Ballot Box Snatching Recorded

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Ondo Bye Election

By Ayodele Oni

Few hitches were recorded during Saturday’s bye election in Akoko North East/Akoko North West federal constituency in Ondo state as voting was disrupted at some centres.

There was report of ballot snatching at Unit 5, Ward 13 in Oyinmo, Ikare-Akoko, as suspected political thugs hijacked the ballot box.

Report explained that the attack by the hoodlums caused panic with many voters taking to their heels during the attack, which occurred just before noon after not less than 63 people had cast their votes.

The hoodlums caused some commotion, while security personnel at the polling unit were trying to restore peace and order, one of them snatched the ballot box and fled the scene.

The results sheet, BVAS machine and other materials were intact.

It was gathered that 407 voters were registered at the polling unit for the election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission,(INEC)  lauded the turnout of voters in the election for Akoko North-East and Akoko North-West federal constituency in the State.

The National Commissioner supervising Osun, Ogun and Ondo, Osun and Ogun States, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, gave the commendation in an interview with newsmen at Okeagbe in Akoko North-West LGA, after monitoring election.

He said “From what we have observed since morning, the election is going on peacefully, and the turnout is impressive, no violence, no vote buying anywhere.

“So, we have not recorded any terrible incident since the start of the election and by grace of God everything will end peacefully.

“Everywhere we have been to, there was no report of challenges with the BVAS machine or cases of it malfunctioning.”

Commenting on the incident of ballot box snatching at the Unit 5,Ward 13, Oyinmo, Ikare-Akoko, the national commissioner said that the situation had been restored to normalcy.

“Is normal that miscreants will remain miscreants, they attempt to disrupt the election there, but the police over powered them and we have restored everything to order and no other incident apart from that.

Benue University Academic Staff Begin Indefinite Strike

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Benue State University

By Ayodele Oni

The Benue State University, (BSU) chapter of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has received the nod of the national body to proceed on an indefinite strike due to the institution’s failure to uphold its agreements.

This was contained in a statement signed by Kwaghfan Tarnongo, Chairperson, and  Terrumun Gajir, Secretary of ASUU-BSU.

The union, however, exonerated the Benue Government of any wrongdoing and commended it for regular funding of the university.

The statement reads “The National body of the Academic Staff Union of Universities has approved the request by the BSU to resume the strike it suspended on June 26, 2023.

“The permission to proceed on this strike was formally communicated to members of the Branch on Thursday at an emergency congress.”

The union listed its demands to include the implementation and payment of accrued arrears of 2021, 2022, and 2023 promotions and annual incremental steps.

Others are April 2023 salary arrears, the shortfall in the salaries of staff of the College of Health Sciences, payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), and payment of sundry allowances.

The demands also include the non-enrolment and implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme amongst other issues.

It said that the management of BSU had refused to address the welfare concerns of the union after a series of engagements with it.

“The most provocative of all is the tripartite agreement reached in January 2023 between the Benue Government, BSU management and the Governing Council and ASUU-BSU.

“This agreement which stipulated increased funding to the university to address the issues of promotion and annual increment is a road map to industrial harmony in BSU.

“The state government has kept its part of the agreement and has continued to sustain the additional funds to the university for specific purposes.”

It further alleged that the management of the BSU  had collected the additional funds from the government but refused to pay the staff their entitlements.

“This breach of the January 2023 agreement by the management of BSU led to the May 2023 strike by the branch.”

It said that the union suspended the strike in June 2023 following assurances by the management of BSU to adhere to the January 2023 agreement.

The union added that the university breached the agreement by failing to pay the arrears of annual increment since it started collecting the funds from the state Government in January 2023.

Kidnapped ABSU DVC: Police Working For Rescue, As Governor Otti Laments, Says DVC Ferried Outside State

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Professor Godwin Emezue and Governor Alex Otti

By Daniel Maduka

The Abia State Commissioner of Police,  Kenechukwu  Onwuemelie has assured that plans are afoot ,in concert with other sister security agencies in the State to secure the release of kidnapped Deputy Vice Chancellor, DVC, (Academics), of Abia State University, ABSU, Uturu Professor Godwin Emezue from  kidnapers den.

This is even as he has hinted that Security agencies in the State ,will be leveraging on the tool of modern technology in the task of properly securing the State.

The Source (Magazine) reports that Prof. Emezue was on January 26, 2024, abducted by some gun men in Amachara area of Umuahia South Local Council of Abia State, while refilling his vehicle at a refilling facility. He has, since then,  been held in captivity by his abductors.

But speaking at the end of a security council meeting in Umuahia on Friday, February 2 , CP Onwuemelie promised that the kidnapped University Don will soon regain his freedom unhurt.

He lauded the efforts of men of  Operation Crush ” in combating kidnappings, and other criminal activities in the State since its launch about three months ago.

According to Onwuemelie,the security outfit  has been able to restore normalcy in all the areas hitheto ravaged by criminality, particularly the Isukwuato/ Umuneochi/ Isuochi axis which  for a long time, served as a safe haven for kidnappers and other criminal elements .

The CP noted that the trust of the current security measures in the state  is on crime displacement and  prevention using technological tools.

“Most of the crimes and criminal activities are conceived and executed with the help of technology. In the same vein, we are using the same  technological tools in preventing crimes,and combating criminal activities.

The plan is to install CCTV at some strategic places in the state and use same to effectively control the security situation .

So far, we are satisfied with the security measures in place as well as the security situation in the State. But we are also working hard to improve on  what are on the ground”  CP Onwuemelie assured.

Meanwhile, the Abia state Governor, Dr Alex Otti has described the  kidnap of Prof Emezue as very regratable, more so with the ugly incident taking place in the heart of the city.

Governor Oti, who spoke during an interactive section with the media on Thursday February, however, reassured that efforts are being made to reunite Professor Emezue with his family and loved ones.

“What we understand is that, the abductors took their victim outside the State after the operation.

The incident is quite unfortunate, taking place at the center of the town.

Contacts are being made ,and we strongly believe that very soon he will be rescued” Governor Otti stated

“My Brother Was Stubborn, So They Killed Him” – Murdered Kwara Monarch’s Brother On How/Why He Was Killed

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Oba Olusegun Aremu-Cole - Olukoro of Koro
Oba Olusegun Aremu-Cole, Olukoro of Koro

By Adesina Soyooye

Adeleja Aremu, immediate younger brother to the murdered Monarch of Koro in Ekiti, Kwara State, Oba Olusegun Aremu-Cole, Olukoro of Koro, has revealed that His Royal Highness was killed because he refused to obey the orders of his assailants to stand up and follow them.

His Royal Highness, 66, was a retired Senior Military Officer and, apparently, not used to taking orders from bloody civilians, especially, strangers.

A devastated Adeleja who narrated how his elder brother, the Oba, was killed, said the Oba’s aide who was present, but escaped as soon as the assailants fired gunshots, narrated to him the circumstances under which the Oba was killed.

According to Adeleja, when the hoodlums met the Oba, they ordered him to stand up and follow them. Perhaps, their initial plan was to abduct him. But the Oba refused to obey their order to “stand up and follow them.” They followed their order by firing some shots to scare him. But, given his Military background, the gunshots did not scare him. That infuriated  them. They knew they were dealing with a stubborn man, so, they killed him in cold blood. They also abducted the Monarch’s wife and two of their neighbors after shooting him to death.

Adeleja who lives close to the village and  spoke to The Punch said: “They came into the Palace and met him and asked him to stand up. They  wanted to abduct him. He refused to get up, saying that nobody could command him like that. He refused to take orders from unknown people. So, they shot in the air to scare him. But they saw he wasn’t afraid.

“Of course, they know they met a stubborn person. And that was how they shot him. This was what the houseboy told us. He bolted out through the back door when my brother was shot, but he saw all that transpired.”

Born in 1958, Aremu-Cole was installed the Traditional  Ruler of his Community in 2017 after his retirement from the Military. He is the third Traditional Ruler to be killed by assailants within one week. Two of them had earlier been killed in Ekiti State on their way home from attending a Security meeting.

Wahala: He’s A Maradona In Bed, Mother Inlaw Says After Sleeping With Daughter’s Husband

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Trouble is rocking a family in Nasarawa State following claims by a housewife that her husband cheated on her by sleeping with her mother.

Doris (surname withheld) said the lid on the secret affair between her 46-year-old husband and her mother was blown open by her six-year-old son.

Curiously, Doris’s mother, Madam Cynthia (surname withheld), did not deny the alleged romance between her and her son-in-law when her daughter confronted her with the allegation.

Rather, she told her daughter that she was in a relationship with her son-in-law (her daughter’s husband), Joseph, before they got married, and it was the best romance opportunity she had 20 years after she lost her husband.

Madam Cynthia said: “My husband died about 20 years ago, and I never found another man of my dream until I met Joseph.

“He is a kind and generous gentleman. He is also very strong and very good in bed.

“He gave me the most satisfaction I ever had with a man in bed. Because of that, I did not want to lose his company, so I recommended him to you (Doris).

“I insisted that he must get married to you so you could have a taste of what he is made of.”

Doris, 28, had got married to Joseph, a sales manager with a private company, oblivious of the fact that he and her mother were dating.

As it later turned out, it was Madam Cynthia that actually persuaded Joseph to marry her daughter (Doris), who at that time was based in Keffi as a student of Nasarawa State University.

Since Doris was not visiting Lafia regularly, she had no idea how intimate her mother and Joseph were.

To worsen matters, Doris was not coming to Lafia most times her school was on holiday as she chose to take up some casual jobs in Keffi despite that her mother was running a big restaurant in Lafia where Joseph got to know her.

Our correspondent gathered that Joseph’s affair with Madam Cynthia was so discreet that it was difficult for any observer to know what was going on between them.

Joseph was said to be in the habit of closing late in the office, after which he would wait for Madam Cynthia at his Lafia apartment after closing her restaurant.

The bubble burst on January 18 when Madam Cynthia visited her daughter’s matrimonial home in New Nyanyan, Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State. Joseph was said to have moved to Nyanyan for the sake of proximity to his wife for whom he had secured a civil service job in Abuja.

As it was customary between them, Joseph and his mother-in-law (Cynthia) decided to engage in fresh sessions of romance during the visit. Unfortunately, their six-year-old son ran into them in one of the sessions and later let the cat out of the bag.

Distraught Doris, who narrated the incident to a close friend of hers in a recorded telephone voice, said:  “I met my husband through my mother in Lafia in 2018.

“I had just completed my NYSC (national youth service) and she introduced him to me as someone who was very good and generous, and would never maltreat me.

“Looking at Joseph, although he was not too young, he actually appeared gentle and promising.

“He would come to my mother’s restaurant every evening after close of work, but I never suspected that he was also going out with my mother.

“She actually hid her main reason for linking the two of us together. My mother did not want my husband to get married to another woman basically because of his sexual prowess and kindness.

“To my admiration, Joseph actually showed commitment, making sure that all my needs were met even without me asking.

“Within a short time, he proved to me that he was actually a good man in addition to what my mother told me.

“We eventually got married in 2018, and two years later, we relocated to New Nyanyan because he had secured a civil service job for me in Abuja and also opened a salon for me.

“I have three kids and I am presently four months pregnant.

“My mother, a very careful woman, had told me after my marriage that she felt fulfilled that I got married to Joseph.

“She was always coming on visits, and would always ask whether I was enjoying my marriage. And I truly was enjoying it, because my husband did make life easy for me and my kids.

“She was always calling or visiting, and I thought it was because I am her only child.

“When I gave birth to my first son, she was very excited and often came to help out with house chores.

“She was always taking care of my kids who she loves so much. It was as if she was living together with us.

“We live in a three-bedroom apartment, so there was enough space for her to stay for as long as she wanted.

“On January 13, my mother came around and it coincided with the time my husband took a week off to rest at home.

“It never occurred to me that my husband’s one week rest was tactically planned to coincide with my mother’s coming.

“The setting in my matrimonial home was the best for them because of the kids. They took care of the kids while I went to work, but I did not know that they were also taking care of themselves.

“My mum loves a particular brand of alcohol while my husband also likes a brand of wine, which he always ensured was in the refrigerator.

“So while I was away to work and the kids had gone to school, they kept each other company with their drinks. It never occurred to me that their relationship was beyond mother in-law and son in-law.

“On Thursday, January 18, I returned from work and my eldest son came into my room as I was pulling off my dress.

“He looked worried and confused, so I asked whether his aunty beat him in school or he was not given food, but he said nothing.

“When I prodded him further, he told me that he saw his father and grandmother fighting naked in the visitor’s room and grandma was crying while daddy was on top of her.

“I asked how he got to know, and he said that when he returned from school, grandma bathed him and he slept off after eating because he was tired.

“He said that when he woke up, he went to check on grandma (Madam Cynthia) in her room and found that she and her father were fighting naked and grandma was crying under him.

“Obviously, they did not lock the door.

“He said his father ordered him to go out immediately.

“Although I was shocked at the revelation, I managed to control my anger and inquire to know more of what went wrong in my absence.

“My son’s claims were actually not unexpected because of my mother’s constant visit to us and her unusual closeness to my husband.

“They were so close and were always in the sitting room together.

“But another thought came into my mind: the two of them had known each other before I came in, and I actually met my husband through my mother.

“I walked swiftly across the house and into my mother’s room and asked if there was something going on between her and my husband.

Read Also: Nasarawa accidental air strikes: CAS meets victims, families

“She could not deny the allegation and that caused me to start shedding tears. I just did not know where the tears were coming from.

“My mother calmed me down and narrated the story of her relationship with Joseph and why she insisted that I should marry him.

“She said she got hooked on my husband because he was very good in bed in addition to his good nature. In fact, he described my husband as a Maradona in bed.

“She said that every woman would like such a man and she did not want me to miss out on him because those are the traits that sustain marriages.

“She said she would have felt cheated if Danjuma had married another woman, and that was why she persuaded me to marry him.

“She actually believed she was doing the best for me.

“Yes, the bible says honour thy father and mother, but what do you do with a mother who didn’t even honour her daughter’s wedding vows?

“Before I could say anything, she knelt down and said she was sorry I found out about their relationship the way I did, but she was not sorry she got both of us together.

“She said I should be grateful for our stable home and healthy children, adding that she did what she did because she was hungry for sex, particularly with Joseph.

“My mother confessed that on that particular day, they were together in the parlour when she suddenly grabbed Joseph and dragged him into her room.

“She said there was a flurry of actions without words. Unfortunately, my eldest son came in while they were in the thick of action.”

Doris further told her friend that she never suspected that there was any relationship between her husband and her mother, wondering how they were able to keep it secret for so many years and now leave her to grapple with the nightmare induced by their sacrilegious act.

She said: “I couldn’t send my mother away because the children genuinely love her and she is a good grandmother.

“I used to be happy and grateful to her for giving me a husband that understands how to keep a woman.

“My husband is indeed very good in bed, and I thank my mother for bringing him into my life. But she should not have insisted on sharing him with me.”

She told her friend in the recorded telephone conversation that she has enjoyed life the most since she got married to Joseph.

She said: “I like him because he asks me out, opens the door for me, pours me drink, offers me his jacket, kisses me and says good night. So I need to be his wife all the days of my life.

“His libido is very active. His weak point is his nipples. Once you suck them, he becomes like a lion ready to devour its prey.

“He is someone that can take me on for as long as I want. His sexual prowess is not in doubt. But my mother is not allowing me to enjoy my man alone.

“How can my husband be sleeping with me and my mother? It is wrong, shameful and abominable. I am in distress and I don’t know how to handle the matter.

“It would have been better for my husband to get a girlfriend than sleep with me and my mum.

“It is very shameful and an abomination of the highest order. It is wrong of her and it will be very shameful if people get to know about it.

“When I left my mum in her room and went back to my room wondering on how to approach my husband on his return, I’m sure my mother had informed him about my approach to her.

“So when he returned to the house, he looked calm and guilt was written all over him.

“When I finally asked him about his affair with my mum, he tried to adjourn the discussion to a later date, but I insisted.

“He then sat me down and narrated how he had known my mother while I was away in school, and it was through their relationship that my mother nursed the idea of connecting us for marriage.

“Having monitored my attitude, she strongly believed that I could give her daughter the desired comfort. So whatever has happened now was not planned. Let me call it a devilish act.

“He confirmed to me that the only mistake he made was to have succumbed to the pressure from my mum. He really apologised and pleaded with me not to take it to heart no matter the level of anger.

“Although I am still grappling with this nightmare in my life, I have to control my emotions as I don’t want to leave my marriage because of this terrible thing.

“I can’t also stop my mum from visiting us. She loves my children and cares so much about them, and I’m her only daughter.”

Doris explained that both her husband and her mother regretted what happened, saying that it was not meant to hurt her but was done out of emotions from past memories.

“I don’t actually know what to do, though my husband has been begging me to forgive and forget.

“My sickness currently is from the mind. I’m so confused. The emotional pains are too much for me to bear.”

Her friend has, however, advised her to let go of the matter, forgive and forget.

“Please, don’t react angrily. It is not a matter for public consumption.

“Don’t let your marriage crash because of this abominable act.

“Think of your kids and swallow it because of them,” she said

The Nation

Zamfara Launches Community Protection Guard To Fight Terrorism, Banditry

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Zamfara State Community Protection Guard

By Akinwale Kasali

Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has launched a security outfit, Community Protection Guards, CPG

The Security outfit is aimed at fighting and addressing the insecurity challenges in the State.

Governor Lawal said his administration embarked on the arduous task with a commitment to gradual reforms across all sectors of the state’s economy to instill sanity and accelerate development, by bringing an end to the activities of banditry and terrorism in the State.

Speaking at the launch of the security outfit, the Governor said, “while we make these efforts, the lofty goals we set out to achieve will remain a mirage as long as the formidable challenge of insecurity remains unaddressed. This informed our decision to, among other things, establish the Community Protection Guards known as Askarawa. The Steering Committee for establishing the Community Protection Guards traversed the 14 Local Government Areas and screened eligible volunteers for enrollment into the outfit.

“ We believe that the bulk of the challenges we face as a state and region are borne out of severe neglect in advancing public policy to serve the socioeconomic expectations of our people. We will never take for granted the message of the people of our state through their votes in March 2023.

“Today, therefore, the first batch of the Community Protection Guards, 2,645, are graduating. These young, energetic and vibrant personnel have undergone rigorous training, extensive drilling, and an understanding of the rules of engagement, amongst other skills, in the discharge of their responsibility of partnering, assisting and working with the security agencies to defend our communities”.

The event attracted the presence of many dignitaries within and outside the state.

The former National Security Adviser, General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau was Chairman of the occasion. Katsina state Governor Umar Dikko Radda, Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto State, Nasir Idris of Kebbi State, Abba Kabir of Kano State, Umar Namadi of Jigawa State and Kaduna State Deputy Governor Dr. Hadiza Balarabe who represented Governor Uba Sani were among dignitaries at the event.

Also present were the former governors of the state, Sen Ahmed Sani Yarima and Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi, as well as politicians, government officials, traditional and religious leaders and other prominent sons and daughters of the state.

Ekiti School Children Still Being Held, Not Released

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Abducted Ekiti School Pupils

By Ayodele Oni

It has been confirmed that the news Friday night of the release of the kidnapped Ekiti School Children is false.

The false news of the release of the abducted school children  was trigered by the massive deployment, on Friday, of security operatives to track down the abductors.

On seeing the massive deployment, the people mistook it for the release of the  pupils, kidnapped along with three of their teachers and their school bus driver, and began to jubilate.

However, the abductors have reportedly reduced their Ransome from N100 million to N15 million also on Friday. The Community has been able to gather only the sum of N450,000.

Mr Abutu Sunday, the PPRO, Ekiti State Police Command, said that he doesn’t have the information yet about the release, but that the police are working to ensure the freedom of the kidnapped pupils.

He revealed that the NPF AIRWING and IRT have arrived from Abuja to add to the operatives on ground and that operation to rescue the kidnapped school children has commenced.

Therefore, the earlier news that they have been released since Friday evening is not true, but the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji is leaving no stone unturned to ensure their release.

Mr. Yinka Oyebode, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Ekiti State Governor also said on Saturday that he is not yet aware of the release of the abducted pupils in Ekiti state.