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Bungudu Council Chairman, Four Others Escape From Terrorists’ Captivity In Zamfara
The Chairman of the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Nura Umar Abdullahi, and four other kidnap victims have escaped from terrorists’ captivity and been received by troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA.
The five victims escaped in the early hours of Thursday in the general area of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
According to a statement issued by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Lt Col Aliyu Danja, the victims escaped during an intelligence-led military operation targeting a suspected terrorists’ location in the area.
Danja said the victims were received by troops deployed in the vicinity after regaining their freedom.
“Troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANAN YAMMA, have received and secured the Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Hon. Nura Umar Abdullahi, and four other kidnap victims who escaped from terrorists’ captivity in the early hours of Thursday in the general area of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area,” the statement said.
Abdullahi was abducted from his residence in Bungudu town in July 2026. The Theatre Command had previously issued a statement concerning his abduction.
The military said the victims were provided with security cover and evacuated to a military medical facility after they were rescued.
“They were provided with security cover and evacuated to a military medical facility, where they are responding to treatment and undergoing evaluation and routine debriefing,” Danja said.
The victims are expected to undergo further assessment as part of the military’s routine process following their recovery from captivity.
The Joint Task Force also disclosed that one of the five victims had already been reunited with their family, while arrangements were being made to reunite the remaining victims with their families and the Zamfara State Government.
The Theatre Command commended the victims for their conduct during their captivity and their efforts to regain their freedom.
“The Theatre Command commends the courage, resilience and determination of the victims in regaining their freedom after a prolonged period in captivity,” the statement said.
It also praised the troops involved in receiving and securing the victims following their escape.
The command described the return of the victims as “a welcome relief” to their families, residents of Bungudu Local Government Area and the wider Zamfara State.
“The return of the victims is a welcome relief to their families and the people of Bungudu Local Government Area, and Zamfara State as a whole,” the statement said.
The development comes as security forces continue military operations aimed at disrupting terrorist activities and improving security in parts of Zamfara State and the wider North-West.
The Theatre Command said troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA would sustain clearance and dominance operations across the general area to disrupt terrorist activities and protect communities.
“Troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA will sustain clearance and dominance operations across the general area to disrupt terrorist activities and protect communities, and remain committed to securing the safe return of any other persons still held or missing,” Danja said.
Earlier in July, SaharaReporters reported that suspected bandits abducted the Chairman of the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Bungudu, after attacking his residence in a late-night raid that left four security personnel dead.
The attack occurred in the Zango area of Bungudu town, less than 20 kilometres from Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.
According to residents, the gunmen stormed the council chairman’s residence, where they engaged security personnel in a fierce gun battle before abducting the chairman.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the assailants killed two police officers and two vigilantes assigned to protect the chairman’s residence.
“They killed two policemen and two vigilantes, including one volunteer vigilante who had been actively helping to protect the town from bandit attacks,” the source said.
Francis-Xavier Sosu, Ghanaian member of parliament, collapsed on stage while delivering a speech.
Sosu was addressing students at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in Accra on Thursday when he began to show signs of dizziness, according to video posted by Joy Online, a local media outlet.
Pausing his address, the lawmaker attempted to hold on to the podium but was unable to continue his speech or stand upright.
A man and a woman approached the podium from the side of the hall to assist the lawmaker, who later collapsed into their arms as they rushed him out of the building.
A statement issued by Ivan Dzakpasu, Sosu’s chief of staff, said the MP has received the necessary medical attention following the incident.
The statement did not provide details on the nature of the incident, the medical attention received or what may have caused the MP to become unwell.
The statement urged the public to remain calm and avoid relying on unverified reports or speculation about the lawmaker’s condition.
The federal high court in Gombe has nullified the emergence of Isa Pantami as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2027 governorship election in the state.
The court, in a judgment delivered on Thursday by Amina Aliyu Mohammed, also ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary in compliance with its constitution, guidelines and relevant electoral laws.
The judgment followed a suit filed by Usman Garry, a PDP governorship aspirant, who challenged the process through which Pantami emerged as the party’s candidate.
In May, Pantami withdrew from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election scheduled for May 21 in Gombe state.
Pantami attributed his withdrawal from the race to the alleged breaches of the electoral process.
He eventually joined the PDP and emerged as the party’s 2027 governorship candidate in Gombe state.
The former minister secured the ticket through voice affirmation during the party’s gubernatorial primary.
Garry objected to the affirmation of Pantami as the flagbearer of the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led faction and eventually filed a suit against the former minister.
Garry had asked the court to set aside Pantami’s emergence on the grounds that the PDP did not conduct a valid governorship primary in accordance with its rules and applicable electoral laws.
After hearing arguments from the parties, the court had reserved judgment in July.
At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel to Pantami argued that he had validly resigned from the APC on May 19, 2026, before participating in the PDP primary.
The PDP also opposed the suit and urged the court to strike out the case.
Garry’s counsel, however, urged the court to dismiss the objections and grant the reliefs sought by his client.
The court, however, directed the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary in accordance with its guidelines and applicable electoral provisions.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has noted the steady development that Osun State University has witnessed under the current management of the institution.
He said the visible progress under the current Vice-Chancellor, Prof Clement Adebooye, was the main factor considered to approve tenure extension for the VC.
Adeleke, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Kola Adewusi, asserted on Thursday while addressing the 16th UNIOSUN convocation ceremony held at the main campus of the university in Osogbo,
The governor listed Adebooye’s accomplishments, saying various breakthroughs recorded by the current management had transformed the institution.
Flaunting the multiple achievements in academic and infrastructural growth within the university, Adeleke, in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, further said, “In the last four years, 40 main building projects have been constructed and commissioned for use. There is no year that I have not personally come to the campus to commission legacy projects.
“In August this year alone, I commissioned the ultra-modern FIFA-standard Sports Complex, 3-in-1 Science Laboratory Complex, and two landmark Lecture Theatres.
“In addition to these, there have been well over 30 complementary works that include renovations, procurement and supplies, solar installations, etc., all with a view to making teaching, learning and administrative work conducive.
“Of more importance is the sustenance of the long-established culture of peace and industrial harmony in the university. This is why for the past five years, the university has not missed any academic session, nor has it failed to graduate its deserving students as and when due.
“It is on record that UNIOSUN is the second state-owned university to fully implement the 2025 FGN-staff union agreement.
“So, in terms of staff welfare and overall teaching and learning environment, this university remains a model. This is a major commitment of our government to support the responsible and responsive administration that we have put in charge of this university.
“In a bid to sustain continuity of performance and academic excellence, I approved a two-year extension of the tenure of the vice-chancellor with effect from 4th January, 2027 after strategic consultations and compliance with the state law.”
Speaking further on the development, the governor said his pronouncement has, accordingly, been backed up by the amendment to Osun State University Law (2006), passed by the state House of Assembly earlier this month, vowing “to continue to do everything to support the sustenance of academic and administrative excellence in this University.
“It must also be stated very clearly that my decision was well guided and it is rooted in legality, and in the overall best interest of the university.
“Our choice of the new chancellor followed a similar merit-driven thought process, and the innumerable applause from all parts of the world proved us right on Mama BOVAS’ appointment.
“Our resolve to also dissolve and reconstitute the governing council is another product of painstaking review towards accelerating the progressive development of the university. We are therefore not bound by any law or tradition to accept the dictates of any staff union regarding what we think is the best for our university,” the governor insisted.
Rolling out further achievements of the university under the vice-chancellor, Adeleke said, “In this month alone, the current vice-chancellor and his team attracted five major signature projects from the Federal Government and successfully laid their foundations with a view to completing the projects before December 2027.
“This is a vice-chancellor who met a half-alive medical school but diligently worked to ensure that all accreditation requirements by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria were met by the university, and has presented all 90 pioneer MBBS students both for MDCN induction and award of UNIOSUN degrees.
“This is a vice-chancellor who massively expanded the university’s academic landscape, thus increasing the student population from 14,260 in 2022 to 42,791 in 2026.
“This is a vice-chancellor who worked very closely with the great family of Apostle Folorunso Alakija to ensure the completion and commissioning of the 250-bed state-of-the-art Modupe and Folorunso Alakija Medical Research and Training Hospital.
“The hospital has since started full operation. In terms of global impact and visibility, for the first time in 11 years, UNIOSUN emerged as the third-best state university in Nigeria, 19th out of 312 universities in Nigeria, and 137th out of 2,390 universities in Africa,” he posited.
He urged staff and management to join hands with the governing board to continue to take the university to greater heights.
He restated the readiness of his administration towards providing maximum support for improved university governance and service delivery.
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