Anambra Police, JTF Rescue 3 Kidnapped Victims

Anambra Police, JTF rescue 3 kidnapped victims. The Anambra Police Command, in collaboration with the Joint Security Task Force (JTF), has rescued three kidnapped victims along the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway in Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area.

The command’s public relations officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the rescue in a statement on Saturday in Onitsha.

“The Joint Security Team, in a coordinated operation on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at about 7:20 a.m., successfully rescued three kidnapped victims along the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway in Ozubulu.

“The victims were immediately rushed to the hospital for medical attention due to the injuries inflicted on them by their abductors.

“They are currently responding to treatment and will be debriefed by the police once they are stable,” he said.

Mr Ikenga explained that security checkpoints across the state were placed on high alert after the victims’ abduction was reported at Nkwelle-Ezunaka in Oyi Local Government Area.

“This swift action contributed to their successful rescue,” he added.

According to Mr Ikenga, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, had directed operatives to intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators.

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He assured the public that security operations would be sustained to deny criminals the opportunity to wreak havoc in the state.

He reassured the residents of Anambra of the command’s unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property while maintaining aggressive security operations to keep criminals at bay.

CAS Abubakar Directs NAF To Sustain Air Offensives Against Terrorist

CAS Abubakar directs NAF to sustain air offensives against terrorist. The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has directed troops of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to intensify air offensives against bandits while ensuring maximum protection of civilians.

Mr Abubakar made the remark in a statement issued by Group Capt. Kabiru Ali, the deputy director, public relations and information, NAF, to journalists in Abuja on Saturday.

The CAS, according to the statement, had visited the Air Component Headquarters of Operation Fansam Yamma in Katsina and Sokoto states.

He said that his directive aligned with NAF’s Civilian Harm Mitigation Action Plan and reinforced its commitment to precision air operations that prioritise civilian safety.

He commended the unwavering dedication of the troops in combating banditry and urged them to sustain the momentum.

Mr Abubakar emphasised that air power had remained a decisive force in dismantling criminal strongholds and providing crucial support to ground troops in the ongoing counter-banditry campaign.

NAF Airstrikes

He reassured the personnel of continuous support in the areas of intelligence, logistics and welfare to ensure operational success.

According to him, timely intelligence, well-maintained equipment and high troop morale are fundamental to achieving lasting security in the region.

The CAS used the visit to conduct a first-hand assessment of operational aircraft and ongoing infrastructure projects in the two states.

He assured that the NAF would be resolute in its mission to safeguard the nation and protect its citizens, leveraging air superiority and strategic coordination to combat threats to national security.

Germany Closes Embassy In South Sudan As Fighting Worsens – Foreign Minister

Germany closes embassy in South Sudan as fighting worsens. Germany is temporarily closing its embassy in South Sudan as a result of the worsening conflict in the east African country.

“After years of fragile peace, South Sudan is once again on the brink of civil war,” said foreign minister Annalena Baerbock on the social media platform Bluesky.

Ms Baerbock said the German government’s crisis management team decided to close the embassy in the capital Juba due to the worsening situation.

“The safety of our colleagues is our top priority,” she added. South Sudan secured its independence from Sudan in 2011 but soon fell into a brutal civil war.

In 2020, President Salva Kiir and his opponent Vice President Riek Machar formed a joint transitional government, but the deal is now in danger of failing.

A militia containing members of the Nuer ethnic group, to which Machar belongs, has been fighting government soldiers for weeks near the border to Ethiopia.

Government forces have bombed civilian targets, while UN helicopters were shot at during a rescue mission.

Dozens of people have been killed in the fighting, with the military accusing Machar’s party of fuelling the conflict, while the vice president accused Kiir of attacking his supporters.

Germany Closes Embassy In South Sudan

Although the fighting is taking place more than 1,300 kilometres away from the capital, the violence could spread to other parts of the country. Parties in neighbouring Sudan are also threatening to get involved.

“President Kiir and Vice President Machar are plunging the country into a spiral of violence,” said Ms Baerbock.

“They have a responsibility to stop the senseless violence and finally implement the peace agreement.”

In recent days, diplomats from the EU, the United States, and other Western countries have offered to mediate between Messrs Kiir and Machar.