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“50 members, pastor of my church were killed by bandits,” says Plateau Baptist Conference President
Rev. Keoleh Saleh, the President of the Baptist Conference in Plateau, has lamented the killing of 50 members of the church, including a pastor, in recent attacks in Mangu and Barkin Ladi Local Councils of the state.
The clergyman disclosed this in Jos, yesterday, adding that over 500 members were also displaced.
“This unfortunate carnage affected the Baptist Church seriously. In Kantoma, where we have a big church, we lost over 31 members, including a Moderator.
“Twenty-three women were made widows on account of the attack. We lost nine members in Jwak Maitumbi, and a member in Kombili. Most of our members displaced in over 10 local churches are taking refuge in different places.
“We have located four centres in Jos metropolis, where a family is hosting between 10 to 20 people, and we have over 200 displaced persons in Jos.
“We have 50 in Barkin Ladi, over 200 in Salama Baptist Church in Mangu and 78 others that include 44 little children at Bwarak, Pankshin,” he said.
Saleh explained that in the last week, the church spent over N3 million to cater for the needs of its displaced members taking refuge in its various local churches.
He said: “Within one week, we spent about N2 million to get relief materials. But this was not enough, and our Baptist partners assisted us with N1million to make it N3 million. But it was still not enough. We provided foodstuffs, clothing, shoes, mats, blankets and other items.”
Also, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna, yesterday, lamented that with hours to the exit of President Muhammadu Buhari, 15 worshippers abducted in the state were still in captivity.
“CAN is worried. CAN is disturbed. I can say CAN is in a mood of mourning. Instead of us to be thinking of what would happen in the next 24 hours…sincerely, as an association, we are worried about our people, which is the most important thing,” said Rev. John Joseph Hayab, CAN Chairman, Kaduna State chapter.
Speaking with journalists in Kaduna, Hayab said: “This is third Sunday. That is three weeks, 21 days.
“Over 40 worshippers were abducted at Bege Baptist Church, Madallah, near Buruku, in Chikun Local Council. Fifteen of them are still with the bandits.”
“All efforts to get the bandits to release them have not yielded any fruit. As I speak to you now, the bandits are still making huge demands.
“These poor villagers don’t have the money to get these people out. The bandits are demanding bikes, demanding cash. Where would these people have such money to give? These are poor farmers that couldn’t even get to farms in a year, yet you keep their wives, their children, their parents in the bush. Nobody is saying anything.
“Those in power are just thinking of what to grab. Nobody has even shown concern on how to get these people delivered to their respective families.”
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, on Saturday, charged the newly commissioned officers to place national interest above all else and uphold absolute loyalty to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria..
He gave the charge while presiding over the Passing Out Parade (POP) of Executive Commission Course 2/2025 at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry (NASI), Jaji,
General Shaibu said the commissioning of this new set of officers form a critical component of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s renewed drive to reinforce Nigeria’s security architecture as contained in the declaration of a State of Emergency on Security.
He also said that the commissioning is part of the fulfilment of the President’s directive to expand manpower, strengthen frontline deployments and accelerate security stabilisation efforts nationwide.
The Army Chief expressed confidence in the quality of training received by the officers, noting that their exceptional display of parade and weapon handling reflects the Army’s rising standards at a time when the nation demands heightened operational vigilance.
He urged them to remain uncompromisingly apolitical, disciplined and subordinate to civil authority, stressing that professionalism and constitutional loyalty remain the bedrock of military service.
A Nigerian Air Force jet has ccrashed near Karabonde, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
This was disclosed by a Niger State-based online digital television network, Lapai TV, in a post on its official Facebook page on Saturday evening.
“Two Nigerian Air Force Pilots Reportedly Survive Alpha Jet Crash Close to Karabonde, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State,” the post stated
The incident was said to have occurred Saturday evening.
At the time of filing this report, the military has yet to make any official communication about the incident.
Nigeria’s security agencies have reportedly uncovered a plan by some opposition politicians to organise protests in Sokoto and other northern states against President Bola Tinubu and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
Fresh intelligence reports made available to journalists on Friday show that former Senator Kabiru Marafa is the main arrowhead of the plot.
The group is allegedly working to discredit NSA Nuhu Ribadu and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, by falsely linking them to bandit groups and using a Sokoto-based militia to trigger violent protests.
Sources say the Zamfara State Government, led by Governor Dauda Lawal, is strongly backing the plan and providing funding, determined to paint the federal security team as incompetent and force the removal of both Ribadu and Matawalle.
Security operatives detected the scheme this week, monitored several planning meetings in Gusau and Abuja, blocked funding channels, and quietly disrupted the operation.
No arrests have been made, but all the key figures are now under close surveillance.
The key figures are now being monitored by security agencies to track their key sources of funding.
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