Crime
Enemy within: How blood-thirsty house helps kill bosses in cold blood
Several housemaids employed to assist with household chores have increasingly posed significant risks to their employers. Reports of maids physically and sexually abusing children, poisoning, and even murdering their employers have become alarmingly common. GODFREY GEORGE investigates this troubling trend, uncovering the underlying causes and the impact on families
“Why would you urinate in my teacup? Is there no toilet in your room? Why are you this wicked?” thundered Aisha’s madam, her voice quivering with anger and disbelief.
The scene, captured in a viral video that trended on July 7, 2024, showed a woman in Abuja confronting her young housemaid after discovering the shocking act.
The maid, a girl in her teens, had been caught on CCTV urinating into her madam’s teacup.
After performing the disgusting act, she nonchalantly poured the contents into the kitchen sink and placed the mug back on the rack.
The CCTV footage didn’t end there. On another occasion, the maid was seen sneaking into the kitchen, stuffing various food items—milk, salt, rice, spaghetti, and more—into a black bag, which she then hid under a table.
The video further revealed her opening the fridge, using her bare hands to eat stored food directly from the plates, and then returning the remnants to the fridge.
After each act, she would wipe her hands on her dress and proceed with her duties as if nothing had happened.
When confronted by her madam, the maid broke down in tears, pleading desperately for forgiveness.
“Please, forgive me. I beg you in Allah’s name. I won’t do it again. Please, forgive me,” she sobbed, her voice trembling.
The madam, her patience and trust shattered, remained resolute.
“You will be taken to the police station,” she declared, her voice firm despite the emotional turmoil evident on her face.
The incident, highlighted by the raw footage and the emotional confrontation, underscores the complex dynamics and the breach of trust that can occur between employers and their domestic staff.
Reacting to the video, a Nairaland user, Point Zerom, said, “The worst people to keep in your home are strangers called maids.
“You can never satisfy them, even if you punish her together with your own children, she’ll view her punishment as hatred and wickedness towards her.
“The moment you finally send her home, you’ll be shocked at what she’ll tell people that you did to her, including raping or trying to rape her.”
Another user, Omo Awoke, said it did not seem like the maid in the video meant any harm.
“She is just lazy and dirty. She used the mug to urinate, emptied it in the sink, and washed it. But seriously, some people in third-world countries are a disaster to humanity.
“Humanity does not deserve poverty, as poverty causes oppression and human rights to be trampled upon. I imagine who you would be in the United States/United Kingdom/Canada to hire a full-time housemaid.
“If you can afford one, she will be well-paid and will know her rights. You can’t oppress anybody cheaply like that, no matter who you are.
“She’s your staff, and if she does something wrong, the best thing to do is to call the police to settle the matter, not harass her. I hope Africa will work someday and poverty and illiteracy will end.”
Another user, Elevation D, speaking, noted that the young maid was lazy and dirty.
“That was an act of laziness or dirtiness. If that was her own mug, would she urinate in it, wash it, and keep it as if nothing was wrong? Why not take her bath in the kitchen or poop inside the mug?
“She definitely knew what she was doing and thought she could get away with that irresponsible act. Thank God for CCTV. It has saved many families from the evil intentions of too many so-called housemaids. I do not understand the Hausa language, but the image was enough to form my opinion that the girl was purely wicked with such an act.
“Did you not notice that the cup was not washed with soap? She simply rinsed it with water and placed it on the table. She deserved to be first beaten and then returned to wherever she was brought from.”
He further wrote, “It’s a global issue, and families must remain vigilant. What started as urinating in a cup could have escalated to something far worse. John believed that people must pray to avoid accommodating such evil-minded individuals in their homes. Families must be cautious, aware, and proactive in protecting their loved ones from potential harm.”
A growing menace
In recent times, the role of housemaids in Nigerian homes has come under intense scrutiny due to a rising tide of alarming incidents.
Reports of maids physically and sexually abusing children, poisoning, and even murdering their employers have become disturbingly frequent.
This trend has not only instilled fear among families but also highlighted the critical need for stringent vetting and monitoring of domestic workers.
The headlines paint a grim picture: housemaids trusted to care for children and manage household chores have been implicated in heinous acts. These incidents reveal a dark side of domestic work that has long been overlooked.
The stories often begin with a desperate need for help. Families, burdened by work and other commitments, seek domestic workers to ease their load.
However, beneath the surface of this seemingly simple arrangement lies a complex web of deceit and danger. Maids, some with hidden grudges or sinister motives, infiltrate homes under the guise of assistance.
The twists in these tales often involve a sudden change in the maid’s behaviour, leading to catastrophic consequences.
Stealing without mercy
No one believed that 22-year-old Odiong Emmanuel was capable of theft.
He had been living with the Attonis since he was 16. He was originally employed to work as a fuel attendant at a fuel stand in the Bonny Island Local Government Area of Rivers State.
His family had come to drop him off with Mr Fidelis Attoni and his wife, Comfort, to ‘assist with housework’.
“We saw how things were going and decided that we should let him work as the chief attendant in my husband’s fuel stand. He was living with us. We gave him an en suite apartment in our home, but he eats from my kitchen.
“We placed him on a salary of N30, 000 and we still provided clothes for him and also sent money to his parents. What we never knew was that he was stealing from us,” Comfort told our correspondent.
A few years down the line, Mrs Comfort said she noticed that Odiong was becoming too defensive and didn’t want anyone to get into his room.
“We would ask him to wash the cars, but he wouldn’t do it. He started bringing women to our home and it was becoming really uncomfortable for my kids and me. I told my husband who was always away but he said I was overreacting. So, I let it be.
“In 2018, this boy brought a new phone to the living room to charge. We asked him who owned it; he said it was one of his friends who gave it to him. After our investigation, we found out the phone belonged to him. We dug further and found out he had rented a house in the area and had fully furnished the place with a TV, an air conditioner and a full sofa set. He also lodged two girls from the neighbourhood there. One was already pregnant for him as I learnt. Her mother had been searching for her for weeks not knowing she had gone to live with him in his new location.
“I didn’t know how to approach the matter. I just called my husband and told him. I also asked that he audited his account. What we found out will shock you. This guy used to make a daily contribution of N2000 in three places.
“His account statement showed he always sent N50,000 every week to a particular account number, believed to be that of a family member of his. This guy has been stealing from my husband and has started a building in his village. I cannot even believe it,” she said.
The woman said when Odiong was confronted; he first lied about it and was acting like the victim until her husband involved the police.
“The auditor we hired had given us all the documents that showed the wreckage he had done for more than the four years or so he lived with us.
“This boy just wanted to ruin my husband’s business. He would make N500,000 and he would write N50,000. The guy was a clear thief.
“My husband would be lamenting that the business was not making any profit and we were losing money every time. We never knew this boy was stealing from us daily and enriching himself,” she said.
“We involved the police who began an investigation, and the things we found out were heartbreaking. After some time, my husband said we should withdraw the case. We did and we called his people and sent him back to them.
“To date, I have not been able to get over it. My family decided that whoever was coming to work for us would stay in their own homes and come from there and we wouldn’t have any affiliation with them other than paying them their salaries.”
When our correspondent reached out to Odiong on Wednesday, he said he did not steal anything from the Attonis.
“Don’t listen to them. I didn’t steal from them. They expected me to look tattered because I was working for them. They are lying against me. They thought if they sacked me, I would be homeless. I am not homeless. I am fine and I will rise again,” he said.
Asked if he was into any daily saving scheme, he said, “That one is not their business. Bros, I didn’t do anything to those people. They were accusing me of sleeping with their daughter. I did not touch that girl.”
Our correspondent reached out to the Attonis to share Odiong’s reaction, stressing the issue of sexual intercourse with their daughter.
Mrs Attoni, responding angrily, said, “That boy wants us to send him to prison. If he dares us, we will send him to prison.”
Mrs Comfort said her husband enrolled Odiong in a sandwich programme with a college of education based in Enugu that ran a satellite programme in the area and was footing the bills.
According to her, he was in his third year, studying social studies education.
“We celebrate his birthday. We give him money for Christmas and send food and money to his family every month together with the salary we pay him. He enters my kitchen and dishes his own meals. He cooks what he wants. He sleeps in my children’s rooms. I treat him as my own son. How can he be that wicked to us?” she queried.
On Thursday, Odiong called back and asked this reporter to help beg the Attonis for forgiveness, saying that he did not do it all alone.
He mentioned some names which have been shared with the Attonis who have promised to take the matter up with the police and their lawyers.
Ran off with employer’s kids
In 2016, Mr Suliyat Azeez, a resident of Okokomaiko, Lagos, hired Grace as a home-help to assist with household chores and look after her two young children, six-year-old Kafaya and four-year-old Farouk.
Grace, who had recently started working for the Azeezs, perpetrated the abduction barely 24 hours into her employment.
The abduction unfolded when Grace, seemingly under the guise of buying food for the children, took Kafaya and Farouk out of the home of the Azeezs and did not return.
Upon discovering that her children were missing, Mrs Azeez promptly reported the incident to the police, triggering an immediate search and investigation.
The case quickly garnered significant public and media attention due to its shocking nature and the vulnerability of the abducted children.
It raised concerns and questions about Grace’s intentions and background, as well as the risks associated with employing domestic staff without thorough background checks or safeguards.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force, launched a widespread search operation to locate Grace and safely recover Kafaya and Farouk.
Details regarding the eventual recovery of Kafaya and Farouk or the apprehension of Grace are not extensively documented in public records. However, the Nigeria Police found the children and arrested the perpetrator who said she was going to sell the children for a fee.
Kidnapped kids, used them for begging
In the same year, there was another unsettling case – Asmau’s. Asmau, a housemaid, exploited the trust of her employer, Hawau, to kidnap her two children, six-year-old Amina and seven-year-old Rukayya, from Ogun State and subjected them to a life of begging in Lagos.
Hawau had employed Asmau to help with household chores and care for her children, Amina and Rukayya.
Trusting her housemaid, Hawau sent the children with Asmau to their grandparents in Lagos, believing they would be safe and cared for.
However, Asmau had different intentions. Instead of taking the children to their grandparents, she took them to Lagos and used them to beg for alms on the streets.
The children, dressed in tattered clothes, were subjected to harsh conditions.
Asmau forced them to beg, and any resistance or display of emotion was met with beatings.
The young girls, Amina and Rukayya, endured unimaginable hardship as they navigated the dangerous streets of Lagos, far from the safety of their homes and the comfort of their families.
Hawau’s nightmare began when she learned that her children were not with their grandparents as expected.
Frantic and desperate, she reported the incident to the authorities, sparking a search for Asmau and the missing children.
The case drew significant attention, highlighting the perils faced by children who fall into the hands of unscrupulous individuals.
Law enforcement agencies and child welfare organizations in Lagos collaborated to locate Amina and Rukayya.
The search efforts involved appeals to the public for information and a thorough investigation into the whereabouts of Asmau.
The community rallied together, driven by the hope of finding the innocent children and bringing them back to safety.
The rescue of Amina and Rukayya was a moment of relief and joy for their family and the community. However, the trauma they experienced left a lasting impact.
Nanny kidnaps three-year-old in FCT
In June 2023, in Abuja, a nanny who was said to have abducted her employer’s three-year-old son was arrested alongside her accomplices.
The nanny was said to have disappeared with the child in the Gwarimpa area of the FCT that weekend.
In an update on Thursday morning, July 13, the boy’s uncle, Jesse Dan Yusuf, confirmed that the suspected kidnappers have been arrested and the child rescued.
He wrote, “On Saturday, my three-year-old nephew was kidnapped by his nanny. The kidnappers called and threatened us to pay a ransom.
“We’ve been praying and trusting God. God showed up. My nephew is home, safe and sound and the perpetrators were caught too. Please, dance with me!”
Narrow escape
In another startling incident that unfolded in Ondo State, Mr Nasiru Akinlosotu, a 63-year-old former medicine store operator, narrowly escaped death by the grace of providence.
Mary Akinnifesi, a primary four pupil and the family’s housemaid had harboured a sinister plot against her master to kill him off over a dispute.
She decided to poison Akinlosotu’s meal with rat poison, an action that would have led to tragic consequences for his family.
The motive behind such a drastic measure from a young girl left both the victim’s family and the police baffled.
The trigger was a simple rebuke for spilling water in the living room the night before she was directed to prepare dinner by Sikirat, Akinlosotu’s wife.
Sikirat, a primary school teacher who also managed a shop after school hours, had no inkling of the brewing malice in their home.
Unaware of the grudge Mary held against her husband, she instructed the maid to prepare beans for dinner and serve them to Akinlosotu.
Sensing an opportunity for revenge, Mary allegedly decided to lace the meal with rat poison that had been purchased to deal with a rodent problem.
For two years, Mary had lived with the Akinlosotu family without displaying any malicious tendencies, making her sudden act all the more shocking.
That evening, Akinlosotu, weary and hungry, returned home and asked for his meal almost immediately.
The poisoned food was promptly served by Mary, and as he began to mix the beans, he noticed an unusual smell emanating from the dish. Despite this, he took a spoonful, only to spit it out immediately due to the awful taste.
Suspicious of the unusual odour and taste, Akinlosotu summoned Mary and questioned her about the meal.
Initially, she lied, claiming she had only added spices to enhance the aroma. Dissatisfied with her explanation, Akinlosotu pressed further, sensing something was amiss.
After much pressure, Mary confessed to her heinous act, admitting she had crushed rat poison into his portion of the food.
The revelation prompted Akinlosotu to raise the alarm, inviting neighbours to witness the shocking confession.
However, despite the gravity of the situation, Akinlosotu decided not to press charges against Mary.
Femi Joseph, the then-spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, confirmed that Mr Akinlosotu had formally applied to withdraw his complaint.
Beninoise cook poisons three, steals N51m
In March 2023, the Police at the Ikoyi Division, Ikoyi, Lagos, arrested a cook from the Benin Republic, 35-year-old Amoussou Wilfred.
He was charged before a Lagos Magistrates’ Court for allegedly administering poisonous substances into the food he prepared for his employer, 80-year-old Musibau Fashanu; his wife, Jumoke, and their three domestic servants which led them to fall into a coma for about five days.
As they battled for their lives, the cook was said to have used the opportunity to steal the couple’s properties worth N51m and fled.
The police alleged that Wilfred also poisoned the food he prepared for the security man, Friday Agoh; the house help, Theresa Odite, and the nanny, Margaret Dewene, which led them to also fall asleep during which the cook carted away his employer’s property such as five android phones valued at N1.9m; assorted gold jewellery, wrist watches, laptops and money all valued at N51m.
The police further alleged that when the complainants recovered from the coma, they reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Ikoyi Division, Ikoyi, Lagos who swiftly directed his crack team to fish out the defendant.
The team swung into action and after days of intelligence gathering tracked the defendant to a hideout in Lagos and arrested him.
Wilfred was charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island, Lagos on a seven-count charge bordering on attempted murder and stealing.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the Presiding Magistrate, Mrs Gbajumo Ayoku granted him N1m bail with two sureties in like sum.
Ayoku adjourned the case till 24 April 2023 for mention and ordered that the defendant be detained at the Ikoyi correctional facility till he can perfect the bail conditions.
Killer maids
On October 31, 2023, the Niger State Police Command arrested 14-year-old Joy Afekafez, over the murder of Funmilola Adefolalu, a lecturer at the Federal University of Technology, Minna.
Miss Afekafez was the housemaid of the slain lecturer.
The deceased was killed at her residence in the Gbaiko Area of Minna on Sunday.
A statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Wasiu Abiodun, said the suspect was arrested on Monday at about 9 pm at a residence within the Gbeganu area of Minna for culpable homicide.
Mr Abiodun alleged that during interrogation, the suspect confessed that she worked as the deceased’s housemaid for about three weeks and she was laid off for an undisclosed misdeed.
He further alleged that after the suspect was laid off, she met her classmates called Walex and Smart, narrated her ordeal to them and conspired to attack the lecturer at her residence.
“They went to the residence on Saturday at about 4 pm with a motorcycle and she surfaced at the gate, while the lecturer opened the gate for her.
“Walex and Smart later entered, beat the deceased, hit her head with a stool and stabbed her with a knife brought by Walex while Smart took another knife from the kitchen, and stabbed her ‘severally’.
“She said the deceased phone and laptop were taken away, while they also removed the battery of the vehicle parked in the compound and fled the scene,” Mr Abiodun said.
Mr Abiodun further explained that on Sunday some friends and Church members visited the deceased‘s residence in Gbaiko Area of Minna because she could not be reached on the phone.
Maid to face hangmen for killing ex-gov Igbinedion’s mother
In March 2023, an Edo State High court, hordered a maid, Dominion Okoro, to die by hanging for killing Madam Maria Oredola Igbinedion, mother of former Governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion.
The 25-year-old convict murdered the deceased, who was her Madam with a stool with intent to rob her of the sum of N100,000 on December 1, 2021, at her residence in Ugbor Community, Oredo Local Government Area of the state.
The trial Judge, Justice Efe Ikponmwoba, who gave the verdict on Monday, held that the convict, after committing the act, also used cotton wool to stoke the nose of the deceased and thereafter, called a cab man to escape from the house early the following morning.
The convict confessed to the police that she bought Indian hemp, which she used in preparing meals for the deceased to weaken and kill her without a struggle, according to the court.
The judge, therefore, held that with the evidence of the pathologist on the cause of death, evidence of other prosecution witnesses in addition to the convict’s confessional statement, it was safe for the court to send the convict to the gallows.
In the case of Patience Okoro, elder sister of the convict in the case, the Court noted that the only evidence linking her with the case was that Dominion called her to inform her after committing the act.
Patience was, therefore, discharged and acquitted of the charge of the offence of accessory after murder, accordingly.
PUNCH
The Enugu State Police Command says it has recorded major operational successes in its ongoing border security operations under the Inspector-General of Police’s “Handshake Patrol” initiative.
The operations, carried out at different border locations across the state, led to the foiling of an attempted armed robbery, the neutralisation of one suspected armed robber, the arrest of four other suspects, and the recovery of two firearms, suspected illicit drugs and other incriminating exhibits.
According to the Command, operatives attached to the Amechi-Idodo Division, working with members of the Neighbourhood Watch, foiled an armed robbery attempt along the Enugu–Abakaliki Road at about 6:15 a.m. on June 28, 2026.
The police said the gang had blocked a section of the highway to rob commuters but was confronted by security operatives in a gun battle. The gang, which was already on the Command’s watchlist for a series of armed robberies along the border route, was forced to flee.
Its alleged leader, Ifesinachi Kenneth, sustained gunshot injuries during the exchange of fire and was arrested. Information obtained from him reportedly led to the arrest of another suspect, Izuchukwu Nwanga, who allegedly kept the gang’s proceeds of crime. Kenneth was taken to hospital but was later confirmed dead.
In a separate operation at about 5:30 p.m. the same day, operatives from the Umumba Division, acting on credible intelligence, raided a suspected criminal hideout at Umumba Ndiagu in Ezeagu Local Government Area, near the Anambra State border.
The operation led to the arrest of two suspects, identified as Uwah Ifesinachi Sunday, 23, and Chinonso Okafor Paul, 25. Police recovered a locally fabricated pistol, a knife, a pair of scissors and quantities of substances suspected to be Indian hemp.
Also on June 28, at about 10:00 a.m., operatives of the Command’s Distress Response Squad (DRS), during a stop-and-search operation along the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway at Ugwuoba in Oji River Local Government Area, intercepted a commercial tricycle carrying passengers.
A search led to the recovery of a locally made cut-to-size gun allegedly belonging to 21-year-old Ifediri Nwobu. Police said the suspect attempted to escape by jumping into a nearby river but was successfully apprehended.
The Command said investigations are ongoing to arrest other fleeing suspects, while all those arrested will be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, commended the professionalism and bravery of the operatives and members of the Neighbourhood Watch, reaffirming the Command’s commitment to strengthening border security and combating violent crime through intelligence-led policing. He also urged residents to remain vigilant and continue supporting security agencies with credible information.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has explained the circumstances surrounding the public arrest of former Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, saying the action followed his repeated failure to honour invitations and a valid court order.
The explanation appears to validate earlier media reports that Nnaji was arrested at the airport, following initial denials from some quarters.
In a statement issued on Thursday, ICPC spokesperson John Odey said the commission obtained a court warrant authorising Nnaji’s arrest after he allegedly ignored several invitations for questioning over allegations of certificate forgery.
According to the commission, Nnaji was arrested on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, upon his arrival at the Abuja airport with the assistance of the Department of State Services (DSS) and was subsequently taken to the ICPC headquarters for interrogation.
The anti-graft agency also disclosed that it had secured a 14-day remand order to keep the former minister in custody while investigations continue, adding that the detention could be extended if necessary.
Odey said the commission had earlier sent formal invitations to Nnaji through a letter dated May 15, 2026, referenced ICPC/HC/CSTF/GUN/GBT/T.1/VOL.V16, which were delivered to his known addresses in Abuja and Enugu as well as via email. However, he allegedly failed to appear for the scheduled investigative interviews.
Following his refusal to honour the invitations, the ICPC approached the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1160/2026, where it obtained an order on June 11, 2026, authorising his arrest to facilitate investigation.
The commission said the investigation centres on allegations that Nnaji submitted forged academic credentials, including a degree certificate purportedly issued by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate during his 2023 ministerial screening.
“The Commission assures the public that the matter will be pursued diligently in accordance with the law,” the statement said.
A student of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), identified simply as Ademola, has alleged that she was assaulted when soldiers from the Army Depot in Osogbo reportedly invaded student hostels.
Speaking in a video shared by OsunDefenderNG, Ademola recounted that the incident occurred while she was alone in her room preparing a meal.
According to her, she initially noticed soldiers around the hostel but assumed the situation had calmed down before they allegedly returned.
The development follows Monday night’s reported invasion of student hostels by soldiers from the Army Depot, Osogbo. During the incident, several students were allegedly assaulted, while more than 60 mobile phones and other electronic devices were reportedly taken away.
There were also allegations that some female students were stripped naked and forced to dance unclothed by some of the soldiers, who were said to have participated in the Army Depot’s passing-out parade held last Saturday.
Recounting her experience, Ademola said she was cooking in her room when the soldiers returned to the area.
“They started shining their torch into my room and asked who was inside. They told me to open the door, and I did. One of them asked how many people were in the room, and I told him there were two, explaining that my roommate was not around,” she said.
Fighting back tears, the student alleged that one of the soldiers became physically aggressive.
“He pinned me against my bathroom door, told me I would like it and warned me not to shout. I begged him and struggled to free myself. I managed to get to the door and told him to leave, but he asked if I really wanted him to go,” she alleged.
Ademola further claimed that another soldier entered the room and attempted to calm her while encouraging her not to resist.
“His colleague came in and told me to calm down, saying I would enjoy it and shouldn’t shout. When they started moving towards me, I screamed loudly. After I shouted, they both left, and I quickly forced the door shut,” she said.
She added that shortly afterward, a fellow hostel resident knocked on her door to check on her after hearing the commotion.
In response to the allegations, the Army Depot, Osogbo, on Tuesday announced that it had launched an investigation into the alleged misconduct following a complaint by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest Zone D.
The Army said the investigation is aimed at establishing the facts surrounding the incident and assured the public that any personnel found culpable would be held accountable in accordance with the law.
The incident was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Executive Committee of the Nongo u Kristu u i Ser u sha Tar (NKST) Church.
According to the church, the victims were abducted in the early hours of Tuesday from the pastor’s residence at NKST Church, Andyar, in Ishan Classis, Benue State.
“It is with a heavy heart, yet with unwavering confidence in the sovereignty of Almighty God, that we announce the unfortunate abduction of our cleric, Rev. Dr. Samuel Gbinde, along with two members of his congregation, in the early hours of today, 30 June 2026.
“They were abducted from the pastor’s residence at NKST Church, Andyar, in Ishan Classis, Benue State,” the statement read.
The church called on its clergy, members, congregations and friends to pray for the safe and unconditional release of the abducted persons.
The statement also said, “The leadership of the NKST calls upon all clergy, members, congregations and friends of the Church to unite in earnest prayer during this difficult time for the safe and unconditional release of Rev. Dr. Gbinde and the two church members.
The church also appealed to security agencies and the Benue State and Federal Governments to intensify efforts to rescue the victims and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“We further call on the relevant security agencies, as well as the Governments of Benue State and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to act swiftly and decisively to secure the safe rescue of the abducted persons and ensure that those responsible for this criminal act are apprehended and brought to justice,” it said.
It urged both governments to adopt more proactive and sustained measures to tackle kidnapping and other security challenges.
“Furthermore, the Church urges both the Benue State and Federal Governments to adopt more proactive and sustained measures in addressing kidnapping and other forms of insecurity. It is imperative to take the fight to the perpetrators rather than merely responding after these heinous crimes have been committed,” the statement read.
The church expressed confidence that the victims would return safely and prayed for peace and security across the country.
The Benue State Police Command has yet to issue a statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report. Efforts are ongoing to obtain the command’s reaction.
The attackers stormed the school at about 9 a.m. on Monday, shooting sporadically before abducting students and women selling food items within the school premises.
Confirming the deployment to PUN, the spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, Nahum Daso, said security operatives confronted the attackers, preventing a larger-scale abduction.
“Around 9 a.m. in the morning, ISWAP attacked Lassa Day Secondary School. They shot sporadically. An unspecified number of students have been abducted.
“Security forces confronted them. For now, we have an unspecified number of students who were abducted. The CP deployed the Area Commander in Askira/Uba. They are currently combing the bush,” Daso said.
The Special Adviser to Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, on Media and Strategy, Mr Solomon Kwamagar, a resident of Lassa, also confirmed the incident Monday morning.
He disclosed that the attackers arrived on motorcycles and invaded the school.
“Today is Lassa market day. I was informed that they came through the market on motorcycles and went to Government Day Secondary School, Lassa. They shot and killed one teacher and took away all the students who were in their classrooms,” he said.
Kwamagar added, “Lassa in Borno State is predominantly inhabited by my people, the Margi. We are in both Adamawa and Borno states. I am from Lassa, but I chose to reside in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State.”
He further said, “I’m still making contacts to ascertain the total number of students and teachers who were kidnapped from the school.”
Earlier, the President of the Borno South Youth Alliance, Samaila Kaigama, said that the attackers wore military and forest guard uniforms.
Kaigama said one teacher was killed while another sustained gunshot injuries.
“They killed one teacher from Chibok. They shot another, but not dead yet. They also kidnapped some students and women selling on the school premises. The numbers are not yet out,” he said.
When contacted, the Chairman of Askira/Uba Local Government Area, Mada Saidu, declined to comment.
“I am very busy now. We are in a situation,” he said.
Efforts to obtain comments from the state Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, were unsuccessful as he neither answered calls nor responded to messages.
However, residents claimed that two teachers and one student were killed during the attack.
“They killed two teachers and one female student. The student was shot in her mouth,” a resident who requested anonymity said.
On May 16, 42 students and pupils were abducted after suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area.
The senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, had said the abductees comprised four students of Government Day Secondary School, 28 primary school pupils and 10 children abducted from their homes.
-
Politics4 days agoUmahi Vs Nwifuru: Gov’s candidate dropped as APC Forwards Approved National Assembly Candidates List to INEC (See List)
-
Politics4 days ago2027: APC submits INEC list, drops 8 Senate, Reps Candidates
-
News4 days agoGovernor sacks Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, Others In Cabinet shake-up
-
Crime4 days agoObi, Kwankwaso lead NDC’s battle against deregistration
-
News4 days agoNigeria Raid Killed 199 Jihadists In One Operation – US
-
Sports3 days agoMorocco Fans In Netherlands Arrested By Police While Celebrating World Cup Victory
-
Crime5 days ago
IGP: Every state should emulate Enugu’s Command and Control Centre
-
Crime4 days ago
Bandits attack School again, abduct NECO students