Terrorists planning to disrupt election in North East –Commander
New Theatre Commander of counter-terrorism operation in the North East, Maj. Gen Ibrahim Ali has raised the alarm that terrorists and insurgents plan to disrupt the forthcoming general elections in the region.

Ali disclosed this, yesterday, at the Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai headquarters in Maiduguri at his first meeting with journalists covering insurgency and military operations in the area.

He, however, assured that troops were prepared to guarantee security in the region to allow election.

“We are aware of terrorists who have sworn to disrupt the election process, but we are prepared to ensure security throughout the elections and even after elections,” Ali said.

He said the theatre has put in place strategies to tame Boko Haram and its rival, Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) based on specific instructions from military and army authorities to ensure safety of the election process and electorate.
Source: The Sun

Rampaging bandits abduct Plateau female councillor
A female councillor in Plateau State, Hannatu Bawa, has been abducted by bandits.

The councillor represents Kabwir-Fadar Ward in Kanke Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that she was in her house located along Kabwir-Dawaki Road in the council area when the bandits stormed the community in the early hours of Tuesday and abducted her.

A resident of the Kabwir community, Julius Godiya, confirmed the kidnap of the female councillor to PUNCH Metro in Jos on Tuesday.
Godiya said, “It was around 3am on Tuesday that the bandits came and abducted the female councillor.

“She was sleeping in her house in Kabwir when she was kidnapped. Her abductors gained entrance into her apartment through the window which has no burglary proof and forcefully removed her through the window.

“Her door was still locked when community members gathered at her place later.”
Godiya added that the matter had been reported to the security agents who later arrived in the community.

The spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, Alabo Alfred, also confirmed the incident when contacted.
Source: Punch

Ortom’s endorsement of Obi excites Ndigbo
Igbo Elders Consultative Forum has hailed the endorsement of Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, by Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.

The Benue governor announced his support for the former Anambra State governor when he addressed Igbo Community Assembly in Markurdi saying he was ready to sacrifice his senatorial ambition for Obi to win.

He challenged the Igbo to seize the opportunity of Saturday’s polls to work for the election of Obi as Nigeria’s next president even as he flayed those from the South East working agains the LP candidate who he described as a detribalised Nigerian.

He described the Igbo that are against Obi as outcasts.
“I hear some prominent Igbo personalities castigating Peter Obi for contesting this election, i feel sad. Is it not you the Igbo that are lamenting that you have been marginalized since after the war? An opportunity has come today and you are still complaining, what do you want? What are you looking for? The whole country, North, South, East and West are saying that it is Peter Obi, and you hear some people saying we don’t want it. Haba! Those people should be outcast,” he said.

Speaking on the backdrop of this support, Chairperson of Igbo Elders Consultative Forum, Dr Simon Okeke, at a press briefing, yesterday, in Abuja said anybody from the region against Obi, his deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), should be checked to ascertain the authenticity of his genealogy.
Source: The Sun