Gunmen Kill Soldier, Kidnap Expatriates In Bayelsa

Armed gunmen on Tuesday shot dead a soldier attached to the military task force code named ‘Operation Pulo Shield’ and abducted two expatriates workers with Setraco construction company, during a shootout along the Ogbia-Nembe road in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The incident, which threw road users and passersby along the Opume Junction axis of Ogbia Local Government and the Bassanbiri/Ogbolomabiri axis of Nembe local council area into pandemonium occurred at about 8am on Tuesday morning. The killing of the two soldiers came just a day after authorities of the Joint Force operating in the region disclosed that its troops have rescued a soldier who was kidnapped by suspected sea pirates along the Nembe creek on the 24th of March. The soldier who has spent ten days in the kidnappers den was rescued by troops from Sector 2 of the command during a search and rescue Operation in the creek around Otakeme Community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Though it could not be ascertained if the killing of the soldiers was in retaliation for the four sea pirates killed by the task force in the course of rescuing their colleagues from their den, eyewitnesses said the operation was carefully planned by the gunmen as they took the soldiers unaware. One of the eyewitnesses confirmed our to correspondent that the soldiers, who were attached as security detail to the Setraco personnel on the site of the road project, were suddenly attacked with sophisticated weapons from the bushes in what could be described as an ambush and did not notice until it was too late. Though no other life was lost some of the indigenes of Nembe kingdom, who were returning to Yenagoa en-route Opume road, were caught in the early morning gun battle between the gunmen and the soldiers A Hilux utility vehicle driver identified as Monday, who witnessed the scene, said it was a like a movie scene. “The soldiers were shooting and the armed men were shooting. We later saw signs of blood everywhere when the soldiers removed the blood soaked colleague and some expatriates.” Attempts to get confirmation from the spokesman of the Bayelsa Police Command, Asimin Butswat failed as his phone rang out and replies were not sent to different messages sent. But the Coordinator of the Joint Media Centre of the Security Task Force, Col. Isa Ado,denied knowledge of the incident and stated in a terse text message that “Not confirmed as no such report at our disposal at the moment.” Guardian

 

I won’t resign – Senate President, Bukola Saraki

Embattled Senate President Bukola Saraki on friday said he would not yield to growing calls from Nigerians that he should step down amid growing corruption scandals. Mr. Saraki said those calling for his resignation were being sponsored by politicians who had always opposed his leadership since he emerged Senate President last June, He added that his detractors were trying to circumvent the country’s judicial system. Mr. Saraki was responding to a story published by PREMIUM TIMES earlier today, in which the Transition Monitoring Group lend its voice to a growing call for the Senate President’s ouster. In a text message sent to our reporter by his Special Adviser on Media, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Mr. Saraki said he was not contemplating resignation.

Ntel Begins Operation In Abuja, Lagos

Ntel, Nigeria’s most advanced 4G Long Term Evolution(LTE) Network on Friday announced the commencement of its phased and commercial operations. Mr Kumar Abass, the Chief Executive Officer of ntel, made the announcement during a news briefing held in Lagos. According to Abass, the operation will come with bumper offers for early bird pioneers and data users. He said the earliest customers would be able to buy and use their services in clusters across Lagos and Abuja from sales outlets, and agents featuring their bright new brand name: ntel. “ntel, Nigeria’s 5th mobile network operator start of operation is the culmination of its journey from acquiring the old Nitel/Mtel assets. “The first 100,000 to redeem and activate their ntel SIMs will get free on-net calls for life, while data subscribers will get 3-months unlimited data usage.” He said that ntel had established the Pioneers Club to reward early bird joiners to its network and those who had reserved their numbers, and who subsequently activated its SIM this month. The ntel chief executive said the company’s 4G/LTE-Advanced technology built on the 900/1800 MHz spectrum would deliver unbeatable and game changing customer experience of high-speed internet access up to 230Mbps. He said that the access was the fastest available in Nigeria and it would enable a world of full mobile broadband experience that would transform both lives and livelihood. He said that the 800 sites bought from Mtel and NITEL would serve for coverage area but that there was also room for collocation. Abass said that mobile coverage would grow steadily and strongly over the next four to six weeks across Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. “We are passionate at ntel about the power of broadband to boost productivity, and thereby transform lives. “We expect to see this happen as ntel helps to accelerate the ongoing migration from existing 2G and 3G services to genuinely high-speed mobile broadband on 4G/LTE-advanced.” Abass said that ntel was offering an exciting range of price bundles with high quality mobile experience to improve productivity and it came in three forms; Smartphone Starter, Smartphone Standard and Smartphone High. He urged subscribers to buy a 4G LTE device from ntel so as to enjoy the many features that the network would offer.