Plateau Govt, DSS Rescue 25 Abducted Children, Hand Them over to Families

Yemi Kosoko in Jos

The Plateau State Government has announced the successful rescue of 25 kidnapped victims—mostly children—following a coordinated security operation led by the Department of State Services (DSS).

The victims were handed over to the Wase Local Government Area yesterday for reunification with their families, nearly three weeks after their abduction.

The children were seized on December 21, 2025, along the Zak–Sabon Layi Road in the Bashar District of Wase Local Government Area while travelling for a Maulud celebration. Their abductors, disguised as vigilante operatives, reportedly mounted a fake security checkpoint and intercepted the tricycles conveying the victims.

Speaking during the handover ceremony at the Little Rayfield Government House in Jos, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Samuel Nanchang Jatau, described the incident as deeply unfortunate but expressed gratitude for the safe return of the children.

Jatau commended the DSS for what he called a “painstaking and professional operation,” noting that sustained pressure from security operatives, backed by the Plateau State Government, led to the rescue on January 9, 2026.

According to him, the victims—six females and nineteen males—were immediately subjected to medical evaluation and were found to be in stable condition aside from minor injuries.

He clarified that although 28 children were initially travelling together, three managed to escape during the abduction.

“The DSS has done a remarkable job. Their commitment to securing lives across the state continues to yield results, and the government will keep supporting them,” he said.

He added that the Wase Local Government Council has been directed to monitor the children for the next few weeks to ensure their full recovery.

Jatau reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Caleb Mutfwang to strengthening security architecture across the state and ensuring a peaceful and inclusive environment for all residents, regardless of ethnic or religious background.

He further assured that the state government, through the Wase Local Government Council, will provide psychosocial support to the affected families to help the children overcome the trauma of their captivity.

The rescue has drawn widespread commendation, with many residents praising the swift collaboration between the state government and security agencies.

Umahi: Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway Already Serving Purpose, to Be Tolled after Inauguration

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is already serving its purpose as the federal government intensifies efforts to complete its Section One, the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, has said.

Umahi remarked yesterday during an inspection tour of the project in Lagos.

He said the road would be tolled once it is completed and inaugurated.

“I am very eager to see how we can fully complete this Section One by April this year, so that we can have it fully commissioned – a stretch of Section One and a significant part of Section Two.

“I must emphasise that this road is going to be tolled by the contractor; it is part of the package.

“I will be inviting the contractor to give us the programme. I don’t want to open this permanently to traffic and then start discussing tolling.

“The contractor has to give us the programme and begin to build infrastructure before the end of April, so we have to toll this route as soon as we complete it and as soon as it is commissioned,” he said.

He said that despite the challenges, the contractor handling the project, Hitech Construction Company Ltd., was performing well and committed to meeting deadlines.

“We are terribly challenged because of the realignment that we have encountered.

“What we are witnessing in Kilometre 34 has nothing to compare with what we had in Kilometre 20, where we had a pit of over 25 metres deep, and Hitech was able to remove them and then loaded them with lumps and sharp sand.

“I continue to thank Hitech. Lagosians and other Nigerians have been enjoying the road, and I have seen the reason behind the dreams of over 27 years,” Umahi said.

‎He said he would inspect the project monthly to ensure the President would fully inaugurate it by the end of April.

According to Umahi, President Bola Tinubu might also inaugurate about 50% of Section Two of the highway project in April.

“We have not been here since we temporarily opened it for traffic, and we are delighted that the coastal road is serving ‎its purpose.

Regarding the impact of challenges (following the realignment of the highway) on the project budget, the minister said there would be no room to increase it further.

“We have concluded the re-measurements, and we are a country with a lot of other issues, and we have gone to the Bureau of Public Procurement; so, there is no opening to increase the project further.

“We have a total of N170 billion increments on the project as a result of this and the diversion of the projects to save those high-rise buildings at the beginning of the project, the shore protection we encountered, and then a lot of refuse dumps that were evacuated – some up to 15 metres deep and stretching over many kilometres.

“Hitech has to be at this risk, and that is part of its contribution in building our nation,” he said.

Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olufemi Dare, told the Minister that Hitech was encountering challenges at Channaige 34.

“We encountered another intense swampy area here, as we can see. We have dredged here and there from 34 to 37, 38,” the minister said.

He, however, said the contractor handling the project was on top of the situation.‎

“The dredging operation is ongoing to fast-track the process, and whenever we finalise, and we push the sand on top of the water level, we are continuing with sharp sand as well as a stone base.

Akpoti-Uduaghan Secures Full Regulatory Compliance for Electric Vehicles, Trains 100 Beneficiaries

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Electric Motor Vehicles (EMV) initiative under the Kogi Central Constituency Development Programme has been restored to full implementation following the completion of all regulatory and structural requirements, the senator, representing the zone, Mrs. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has announced.

In a statement by her Media Office yesterday, she explained that the temporary suspension of the programme earlier disclosed at a town hall meeting in Ihima, Okehi LGA of the state, was a deliberate step taken to ensure transparency, accountability and long-term sustainability.

She explained that the pause enabled the formal registration of the EMV management company with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), a move aimed at strengthening institutional oversight and safeguarding public confidence in the programme.

According to her, empowerment initiatives must go beyond distribution of assets and be anchored on clear structures and regulatory compliance to guarantee durability and public trust.

The lawmaker disclosed that, in addition to the CAC registration, electricians and technicians involved in the programme have undergone extensive training to ensure proper maintenance and efficient operation of the electric vehicles.

She noted that the regulatory process has now been successfully concluded, while the registration of the vehicles is ongoing. She assured that deployment of the locally assembled electric motor vehicles would commence immediately after the final documentation is completed.

The senator stated that the beneficiaries, particularly women and youths, would soon begin commercial operations as initially planned, stressing that the initiative was designed to promote dignity of labour, reduce transportation costs and create sustainable livelihoods across Kogi Central.

Describing the EMV project as a flagship intervention, Akpoti-Uduaghan said it strategically combines economic empowerment with environmental sustainability by promoting clean and renewable energy solutions.

To further institutionalise the programme, she revealed that a Trust Fund has been established to manage the EMV initiative alongside other constituency assets, including the SNAU Foundation Maternity Centre and the modern markets located in Okene and Ihima.

She said the Trust Fund framework would ensure proper governance, accountability and equitable access to benefits, adding that structured management remains central to the success of all constituency interventions.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Kogi Central Senatorial District has announced the opening of applications for the Electric Motor Vehicle Technical Training Programme under the Operate and Own Model (OOM).

Under the scheme, 100 eligible indigenes and residents of Kogi Central will be trained in the operation and maintenance of electric and solar-powered tricycles. 

Successful participants will receive hands-on technical and operational training, with the opportunity to own and operate the eco-friendly vehicles as a source of sustainable income.

The programme is expected to create jobs, promote innovation and deepen local technical capacity in clean energy transportation.