By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command says its patrol and guard unit intercepted 59 male children suspected to be victims of human trafficking

According to the FCT Police Commissioner, Olatunji Disu, the children are aged between 4 and 12.

Disu, at a press briefing on Wednesday, said the incident has been classified as a case of suspected child abuse and trafficking, given the absence of proper documentation or parental consent for the movement of the minors.

Disu said a preliminary investigation revealed that the children, who came from different families, were being transported by one Idris Usman, a male resident of Nasarawa State.

He said Usman allegedly travelled to Kano State to convene the children en route to Nasarawa State under the pretext of training them.

The statement reads in part, “On 6th January 2025, at about 1530 hours, a team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sarki Umar intercepted a white Peugeot 15 bus with Reg. No. KMC 283 ZJ along the Abuja-Kano route.

“The vehicle was driven by Ali Ibrahim, a male resident of Kano State, accompanied by his motor boy, Al Hassan Ibrahim, also of Kano State.

“The bus was found to be transporting 59 male children aged between 4 and 12 years. Preliminary investigations revealed that the children, who came from different families, were being transported by one Idris Usman, a male resident of Nasarawa State. He allegedly traveled to Kano State to convene the children en route to Nasarawa State under the pretext of training them.”

“At present, the suspects, the vehicle, and all the children are in custody while a thorough investigation is underway. The Police Command is working closely with FCT Social Development Secretariat (SDS), to ensure that the children are safely reunited with their families and to bring all those involved in this act to justice,” he added.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, says that telecom tariffs will soon increase but assures Nigerians that it will not be the 100 per cent that telecom operators are pushing for at the moment.

The Minister disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) on Wednesday in Abuja. He said consultations and engagements were ongoing to arrive at an acceptable rate, assuring that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), would soon approve the new tariffs and make it public to Nigerians.

“You have seen over the past weeks that there has been agitation from some of these companies to increase tariff. They are requesting for 100 per cent tariff increase

“But it will not be by 100 per cent. We are still looking at that study and NCC will come up with a clear directive on how we will go about it.

“We want to strike the balance as a government to protect our people, but also protect and ensure that these companies can continue to invest significantly.

“We need to ensure that as a sector, we get our acts together, ensure that from the regulation side, we put the right regulations in place that can ensure the growth of this sector.”

The Minister also noted that the Federal Government would no longer leave investments on infrastructure in the sector to private companies alone

As a country, over time, we have left this investments in the hands of the private sector. They typically invest where they can see returns in the short to medium term.

“We will not want this conversation to just be about tariff increase. I think what the world is talking about today is meaningful connectivity.

“You want to have access to very good quality service.

“A part of it that the consumers may not be aware of is the investment that needs to go into the infrastructure that is used to deliver these services,” he said.

The Executive Vice-Chairman (EVC), of the NCC Dr Aminu Maida said that the meeting with stakeholders was about the sustainability of the industry.

“We have looked at all of these factors, and that is why, like the Minister said, it is not likely that we are going to approve 100 per cent tariff increase.

“I know that Nigerians are agitated to hear the exact percentage approved. There is still some stakeholder engagements that we are going through, but you will hear from us within a week or two.”

He said that the NCC had put a number of tools and instruments into place by revising its quality of service regulations for compliance service quality.

He said that the MNOs must comply simplified templates to show Nigerians charges per minute for voice calls, SMS and a megabyte of data.

“We are moving away from the regime where you will have a main rate, then you will now have a bonus which is at a different rate.

“It makes it often complicated and difficult for Nigerians to actually understand what they are being charged for.

“This is one of the things when we took a lot of time over the past year looking at data there is this agitation that the MNOs are stealing our data,” he said.

The CEO of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, represented by Femi Adeniran, Airtel media spokes person, noted that for the telecoms commitment to delivering superior connectivity and fostering digital inclusion, there is need for tariff increments.

“The economic realities of rising operational and capital costs, necessitated the proposed tariff adjustments.

This is aimed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector while unlocking significant benefits for Nigerian consumers,” he said.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Two Catholic reverend sisters, Vincentia Maria Nwankwo and Grace Mariette Okoli, were abducted by unknown gunmen on Tuesday evening in Anmbra State.

The nuns were returning from a vocational association meeting in Ogboji when they were taken along Ufuma Road in the Orumba South local government area.

Sr. Vincentia Maria Nwankwo is the Principal of Archbishop Charles Heerey Memorial Model Secondary School, Ufuma, while Sr. Grace Mariette Okoli is a teacher at Immaculata Girls Model Secondary School, Nnewi.

Their abduction was announced on Wednesday in Awka, in a statement signed by Sister Maria Sobenna Ikeotuonye, IHM Secretary General, on behalf of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of Christ.

Although the statement did not say whether the abductors had established contact with any of the victims’ families or groups, it enjoined all priests, religious, and lay faithful to offer fervent prayers and supplications to God for the unconditional release of the sisters.

The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the incident and launched a joint operation to rescue the kidnapped sisters.

Commissioner of Police Nnaghe Obono Itam visited the scene and assured that the command is working with clues to arrest the suspects and rescue the victims.

A statement issued by the spokesperson for the state police command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, on Wednesday, said, “Police-led Joint Operation is already ongoing for the possible rescue of two catholic nuns allegedly kidnapped along Ufuma Road, Orumba North Local Government.

“The sad incident occurred in the evening of yesterday 7/1/2025 when the nuns were returning from a Vocational service meeting in Ogboji.”

Unfortunately, insecurity has become a major concern in Anambra State, with frequent abductions.