The Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako has disclosed that traditional open fire cooking causes over 77,000 deaths in Nigeria annually through lung and heart diseases.

The Minister who said this at the National Clean Cooking Fair in Abuja on Thursday, also stated that open fire cooking also causes vision impairment, low birth weight and put people at a higher risk of suffering burnt injuries.

“The gathering of firewood exposes women and girls to gender based violence, snake bites and other physical injuries,” he said.

Salako added that cooking with firewood in open fire is a major driver of deforestation in the country which contributes to the loss of nearly 400,000 hectares of forests annually.

“Emissions from residential cooking represent about 55 million metric tonnes of CO2e and about 700,000 metric tonnes of harmful fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions. This constitutes a significant proportion of Nigeria’s total greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.

He stated that Nigeria has pledged to provide access to cooking gas for 28.8m households and improved biomass cook-stoves for 7.3m by 2030, adding that the intervention when delivered is expected to save over 30,000 lives per annum, build a domestic clean cooking industry and create new jobs, reduce deforestation.

He added that the intervention will assist the government in meeting its climate change commitments like the pledge to reduce Short Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCP) and improve the lives of women and girls in general.

“To achieve this clean cooking targets, a strong regulatory framework is needed. The Federal Ministry of Environment has therefore developed a National Clean Cooking Policy which was recently approved by the Federal Executive Council to provide a clear direction and specified pathway for Nigeria to achieve clean cooking outcomes,” he said.

Salako hinted that the Federal Ministry of Environment developed a National Clean Cooking Policy which was recently approved by the Federal Executive Council in order to provide a clear direction and specified pathway for Nigeria to achieve clean cooking outcomes.

…As Police Await Mental Assessment Result

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Commissioner, Bennett Igweh and human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju will empower Shaibu Yusuf, who attempted to commit suicide 10 days ago with funds to start a business.

Yusuf had attempted to create awareness of the sufferings of Nigerians by climbing a broadband mast, at ASO Radio in Katampe, Abuja.

THE WHISTLER gathered that the command released Yusuf to Adeyanju on bail on Thursday.

The FCT Police command released the Borno-born nine days after it referred him to the Social Development Secretariat for mental assessment.

Adeyanju’s latest post shared across social media also confirmed this. The post was accompanied by pictures of him at the office of the FCT CP, Benneth Igweh along with the suspect and the command’s spokesperson, Josephine Adeh.

The caption of the post further read: “We have secured the release of Shaibu Yusuf who protested climbing a mast in Abuja after a week of back & forth. Let me appreciate the collaborative effort of the FCT CP, Benneth Igwe and FCT PRO, @Jossy_DANNYKING in this regard. CP Igwe & I are supporting Shaibu to start a POS business.”

Recall that the FCT command said that Yusuf’s mental assessment and evaluation were relevant following his troubling action, which stirred apprehension in the polity.

The incident which attracted wide attention had the presence of security agencies, and government agencies like the FCT Emergency Department at the scene, pleading to Yusuf to climb down and halt any attempt to take his life.

However, THE WHISTLER gathered that at the time of Yusuf’s release, “he was sane”. He was only said to have suffered personal and financial setbacks, making him suicidal.

Speaking to our correspondent on the matter, the spokesperson of the police command, SP Josphine Adeh said, it was the state of Yusuf’s living that led the FCT CP to assist the suspect in starting a POS business to gain a certain level of financial freedom to avoid suicidal thoughts.

When asked about Yusuf’s mental assessment result, Adeh said, “It is not out yet”, noting that the command had released Yusuf on bail under the supervision of Adeyanju pending the outcome of his mental assessment.

Adeh did not also reveal when the mental assessment report was scheduled to be out but pointed out that Yusuf’s action was due to the economic situation of the country.

…ask Nigerians to be patient with Tinubu’s government

The House of Representatives on Thursday resolved to support the Federal Government with N648 million for six months by cutting down their salaries by 50% to support food sufficiency across the country and to address the high cost of food.

This is also as the lawmakers begged Nigeria to exercise more patience with President Ahmed Tinubu’s led administration in addressing challenges and hardships faced by citizens.

The House further mandated it’s Committee on Appropriation, Humanitarian affairs, Finance and Budget to ensure compliance.

The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion moved on the floor of the House tittled “An appeal to the proponents of proposed nationwide protest to maintain peace, eschew violence and open the windows for meaningful engagements with the government at all levels in order to address their issues”, by Hon. Ibrahim Isiaka (APC- Ogun State) during plenary in Abuja.

Moving the motion, Isiaka said though Nigerians have the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and protest to address their grievances, the house presents with a humble plea, a plea for reason, understanding, and unity in the face of adversity.

According to him, maintaining peace and engaging in constructive dialogue with the government is crucial for the resolution of issues facing the nation.

“This honourable House appeals to the proponents of the proposed nationwide protest in Nigeria to consider a different path, a path of patience, dialogue, and collaboration, prioritize peace and open channels for meaningful engagements with the government at all levels.

“All stakeholders should uphold the principles of democracy, respect human rights, and uphold the rule of law in their actions and engagements; we trust that through peaceful engagement and dialogue, we can collectively work towards building a better and brighter future for Nigeria.

He further admitted that it is undeniable Nigeria is facing significant challenges, challenges that have plagued the nation for far too long, adding that the issues of insecurity, unemployment, and poverty weigh heavily on the hearts of every Nigerian.

“Further aware that the challenges we face are not unique to Nigeria alone. These are issues that countries across the globe grapple with on a daily basis. In a world that is constantly changing and evolving, no nation is immune to the complexities of governance and development.

“The road to change is not easy, and the journey towards a brighter future is often fraught with obstacles. But we must not lose sight of the incremental steps that have been taken, the reforms that have been implemented, and the strides that have been made towards a more prosperous Nigeria. Belief that change does not happen overnight It requires patience, perseverance, and a commitment to working together towards a common goal. While peaceful protest is a fundamental right in a democratic society, it is also important to allow the government the space and opportunity to consolidate the progress that has already been achieved.

“Let us engage in constructive dialogue, let us seek solutions through peaceful means, and let us stand united as one nation, one people, with a shared vision for a better Nigeria. Together, we can overcome the challenges that lie before us. Together, we can build a future that we can all be proud of.

“We plead with our fellow Nigerians to consider the broader perspective, to act with wisdom and foresight, and to support efforts towards a more stable, secure, and prosperous Nigeria. Let us reason together. let us listen to one another, and let us work hand in hand towards a brighter tomorrow. 

Contributing to the motion, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu who moved the motion for lawmakers to support the federal government with 50% of their salaries for six months said Protest is not a Solution to solving the problem of hunger in the country.

He said “Solution not found in raising placard, Rome is not built in a day. Let us give support to all policies of govt to better the lives of citizens.

“This time is calling for sacrifice. People here are willing to make sacrifices. Please bear with the government a little. Let’s make sacrifices with our salaries.

On his part, Ahmed Jaha (APC- Borno) said that it takes a reasonable period to correct what has been damaged for a reasonable period.

He said “Remember, tough times do not last forever for tough men. And there is always a light at the end of every struggle. Mr Speaker, Honourable members, this government is doing what we have hoped. We are appealing to our young men to give the government the benefit of the doubt. Bearing in mind the people’s oriented policies, and programs that are laid down for this government to pursue especially in the area of school and student loans. 

“Just yesterday, the President launched, under the distinguished leadership and chairmanship of a distinguished financial engineer and banker, Jim Hogan. And he stated categorically that in the next one or two weeks, students will be allowed to have access to apply to that and that has been transmitted or presented to some schools in the country.

“Secondly, Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, we should understand that President Tinubu can not do anything to destroy his hard-earned reputation and theocratic capabilities.

“We should give him and any other stakeholder in this government the benefit of the doubt. So that at the end of the day, we can come out of the cock-map the country is in. In addition to this, I am calling on the collaboration between the tiers of government, the federal, the state and the local government to be on the same page, to bring an end to the current crisis we are facing.

“Lastly, I want to use this opportunity to tell us that if you compare the cost of living, even among West African countries, you will appreciate the cost of living in Nigeria.

“We must appreciate this. Last two months, I cooked breakfast. I had to pay 25 pounds. In Nigeria, that particular breakfast cost me less than 2,500 naira. So what I’m trying to say is actually, it’s a global issue. It’s not peculiar to Nigeria at all. Our young men should understand this. We are appealing.

“We are pleading on our knees. As young men, we are pleading for peace in the country. So that at the end of the day, we will be out of our current situation.

Another lawmaker, Hon Usman Basiru (Sokoto- APC) said organizing protests will undermine the peace and unity of the country.

According to him, the young people who are calling for the protest have not taken the necessary steps to make their own money. In that way, most Africans are calling protests directly to the streets.

“We must consider the atmosphere that we call a protest and a peaceful protest. The present atmosphere, whose demonstration, any story, or any form of demonstration that is organizing protests is undermining the peace and unity of our dear country.

“It is contrary to how you must consider the national interest about individual or group interest. Most Africans, these people that are calling for protests, I believe don’t know what will happen when they go ahead to call for the protest.

“Yes, we have a lot of challenges. But at this very critical time, it is a matter of fear. What I want you to do, is understand the situation and allow the policies to drive and see where there is a way forward.

“We ask people to please exercise plenty of patience to see where the police’s direction of the present administration is heading before taking any further compensation. Please consult with the foundation before taking any further compensation.

President Bola Tinubu has started the distribution of the first batch of cheques to beneficiaries of the student loan scheme, launching the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND.

Yesterday, the President presented cheques to students from the six geopolitical zones.

Mr Akintunde Sawyer, the Executive Secretary of NELFUND, announced that N32 billion was currently available for disbursement to kickstart the programme.

He added that over 110,000 had applied, and more than 160,000 had visited the Fund’s site.

According to the President, the student loan is key to fighting poverty.

Who can apply for how much, how to

In May, Sawyer said the loan scheme will start with students of federal universities.

Eventually, he said, state-owned institutions, and then a programme on loan provision for those who want vocational skills or vocational qualifications will follow.

He urged students of state-owned institutions to apply, but that they would have to wait until it was their turn.

Also, how much you can apply for depends on your tuition fees and other payments you need to make. This is because NELFUND will pay the institution directly.

Besides, the Fund will also pay a monthly stipend. However, Sawyer did not say how much it will be.

To apply, you have to visit the NELFUND website and create a profile.

You then enter the name of your school, your matriculation number, upload the required documents, and verify your student status.

Disqualification …

NELFUND will run background checks. And you can be disqualified if you have borrowed money from any financial institution and have not paid.

Also, you won’t be eligible for the loan if you submited fake documents, or engaged in exam malpractices.

Again, if your institution does not upload students’ data on the NELFUND portal; or you are involved in fraud, forgery, drug offences, cultism, felony, or any dishonest dealings, you won’t get the loan.

How to pay back the NELFUND loan

Beneficiaries will start to pay back the loan two years after participating in the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, scheme.

If the beneficiary gets a job, the Federal Government will deduct 10% from the person’s salary until the loan is repaid in full.

However, when the person is without a job, but is self-employed, the government will take 10% of his monthly profit. In this case, the NELFUND beneficiary will be paying the money into the appropriate government’s bank account.

Failure to repay the loan attracts a fine of N500,00 or two years imprisonment or both.

Salihu Lukman, former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has criticized the removal of Senator Ali Ndume as Senate Chief Whip and his alleged expulsion from the party.

Lukman claimed that President Bola Tinubu may not stay for a second term in office due to these actions.

On Wednesday, July 17, Ndume was replaced by Senator Tahir Monguno as Chief Whip of the Senate.

The decision came via a directive from the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, and National Secretary, Senator Basiru Ajibola, citing Ndume’s alleged rabid outbursts against President Tinubu.

In a statement titled “Fanatical Mindset” released on Thursday, Lukman expressed concern over the attack on free speech in Nigeria, comparing the current situation to the era of Nigeria’s late military dictator, Sani Abacha.

“The way things are, it is almost as if President Asiwaju Tinubu has resolved that he will only be a one term President. Under his watch living conditions of Nigerians is continuously getting worse. Instead of making effort to develop clear plans to address the situation, the government is becoming more intolerant to criticism.

“In the last one week, the government has developed a fanatical mindset of condemning and criminalising criticism so much so that it is resorting to bribing religious leaders to declare that protests are ungodly. Everything is being done to suspend free speech in the country. It is almost as if we are back in the Abacha era, or even worse. As it is, personal liberties of citizens are being threatened. Fair hearing is no longer guaranteed. Sadly, we are having democracy without democrats,” said Lukman.

According to him, the APC Constitution does not grant party officials, including the National Working Committee, the authority to summarily remove National Assembly principal officers.

He condemned the APC Senate Caucus for allowing this “act of illegality,” warning it sets a dangerous precedent undermining the National Assembly’s independence.

“Any democracy that cannot accommodate criticism is no democracy. A democracy that subverts fair hearing is a dictatorship. A democracy that permits a ruling party to demobilize its organs and inadvertently expel its members is worse than a military government,” he stated.

Lukman further called on patriotic Nigerians to ensure the defeat of the APC and Tinubu’s government in 2027, and suggested that their current trajectory is self-destructive.

“So long as APC, its leadership and Asiwaju Tinubu’s government have taken the self-destructive path, which is equivalent to a declaration of working end their tenure in 2027, patriotic Nigerians must help them to ensure their defeat in 2027!,” he added,

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and sister unions have bowed to pressure and accepted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s N70,000 Minimum wage offer.

Their acceptance follows the approval of a new national minimum wage of N70,000 for Nigerian workers on Thursday.

The labour unions had rejected the government’s previous offer of N62,000 national minimum wage.

The organized labour leaders have however confirmed their acceptance.

Recall that the organized labour were demanding N494,000 pay for workers.

The government had argued that the N494,000 wage being demanded by organized labour, which cumulatively amounts to the sum of N9.5tn bill, was “capable of destabilizing the economy and jeopardizing the welfare of over 200 million Nigerians.”

But after reaching an agreement in a meeting with the Minister of Information Mohammed Idris, President of NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, confirmed that the unions had accepted Tinubu’s offer.

The President of TUC, Comrade Festus Usifo and other representatives of Nigerian workers were all present at the meeting.

Ajaero explained that organized labour accepted the offer because of other incentives attached.

He disclosed that part of the agreement was that the N70,000 wage would be reviewed every three years.

Since the creation of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria on July 29, 2010 about N1.96tn has been recovered from debtors of banks with toxic assets.

The Managing Director of AMCON, Gbenga Alade said this when the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Banking and Other Ancillary Institutions, Hon. Eze Nwachukwu Eze,visited the Corporate Head office of AMCON on its 2024 oversight visit.

It is the first oversight visit of the Eze-led Committee to the Corporation since the new AMCON EXCO assumed office in February.

The Corporation had been under pressure in recent times to recover the toxic loans inherited from banks that were liquidated estimated at over N5tn.

With the recovery of about N1.96tn, it means that the Corporation is still indebted with about N3tn.

Of the total recovery, cash represents 43 per cent (N842.8bn), sale of bridged banks 13 per cent (N254.8bn) sale of proprietary shares 11 per cent (N215.6bn), clawback and repurchases nine per cent (N176.4) sale of property assets & rentals nine per cent (N176.4bn), investment income seven per cent(N137.2bn), while others represent about seven per cent (N137.2bn).

The nation’s banking sector ran into a financial crisis in 2008 and 2009 – a problem that was partly triggered by the global financial crisis.

AMCON’s seed investment was secured from the capital market through the Central Bank of Nigeria. Subsequently, its operations were funded with levies imposed on commercial banks.

The corporation is funded with 0.5 per cent charge on banks’ total assets on and off-balance sheet items. The levy is a statutory charge imposed by the CBN on all banks operating in the country.

Experts have said that with the performances of companies indebted to AMCON falling below par, even as they struggle to find their feet amid endless litigations, the corporation may lose some of the money spent repurchasing toxic assets from troubled banks and other entities.

This comes as values of the companies taken over by the corporation have been eroded by challenges, ranging from poor management to a harsh economic environment.

According to experts, some of the companies have become a burden to AMCON with the possibility of turning them into profitable ventures becoming increasingly difficult.

Speaking on the development, the AMCON MD/CEO who hosted the Committee with his Executive Directors – Dr Aminu Mukhtar Dan’amu, and Mr Adeshola Lamidi among other senior staff of the Corporation told the Committee that despite the shaky start-off model, the Corporation, with the support of the National Assembly, has made considerable recoveries.

Alade said, “To date, the Corporation has made recoveries in the sum of N1.96tn. Of the total recovery, cash recovery represents 43 per cent, sale of bridged banks 13 per cent, sale of proprietary shares 11 oer cent, clawback & repurchases nine per cent, sale of property assets & rentals nine per cent, investment income seven per cent while others represent about seven per cent.”

The AMCON boss who took the members down memory lane of what led to the creation of AMCON and the many battles the Corporation had to deal with since its establishment informed that AMCON has disposed of proprietary assets worth about N651bn from inception to date.

In addition, Alade said the Corporation has made a total repayment of N2.929tn to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from 2013 to 2023, which includes contributions to the Sinking Fund by other Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), and AMCON recoveries.

The Chairman said that once transparency, accountability, and efficiency remain the cornerstones of AMCON’s operations, as legislators, the committee members will be committed to providing the necessary support through appropriate legislative frameworks and oversight functions to ensure AMCON fulfills its recovery mandate effectively.

Eze added, “Moreover, we recognize that AMCON cannot achieve its mandate in isolation. Collaboration with the National Assembly, which this Committee represents, other financial institutions, regulatory bodies, and other stakeholders is crucial.

“As representatives of the people, we are committed to fostering an enabling environment that supports AMCON’s efforts and promotes the stability and growth of our financial system.

“As we navigate through the current economic landscape, marked by global uncertainties, and domestic challenges, the role of AMCON becomes even more critical. Resolving non-performing loans, recovering debts, and managing acquired assets are key to ensuring the stability and resilience of our banking sector. It is essential that AMCON remains steadfast in its mission, adopting innovative strategies and leveraging technology to enhance its operations.

“AMCON, since its inception, has played a pivotal role in stabilizing the Nigerian financial system. In the aftermath of the 2009 global economic crisis, AMCON was established to address the non-performing loan crisis that threatened the stability of our banking sector.

“Today, as we reflect on the journey thus far, we acknowledge the significant strides made by AMCON in fulfilling its mandate. This visit aims to ensure that AMCON operates within the legal framework established by the National Assembly and achieves its objectives effectively and efficiently.”

He added that the visit to AMCON is part of their legislative functions, as enshrined in sections 62, 88, and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which empowers the National Assembly to oversight all Government Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs) and Government owned Enterprises (GoEs) for judicious utilization of Government Funds.

It is also in line with Order 21(2) of the House Standing Orders, Eleventh Edition (as amended), which placed AMCON under the oversight jurisdiction of the Committee.

…Strategic Equipment Damaged

Some vandals have been arrested while carrying out an operation at the Port Harcourt Refinery in Rivers State.

Some of the suspects intercepted at night were caught with various items like Motorised Valva (MOV), termination cable assembly and copper cables.

Other items include hack saws, pliers used for cutting cables and rubbing used to shroud stolen materials and other vital equipment.

The suspects were discovered to have pilfered other expensive equipment like armoured cables.

Videos seen by THE WHISTLER showed that two inches of long pipeline connections were used to illegally tap petroleum products to feed suspected bunkering stations, located outside a plant.

The pipeline has an estimated stretch of 800 kilometres illegally tapped from Indorama, a company based in Eleme, Port Harcourt.

The vandals were said to have connected the pipes at a diversion on the Indorama line close to the Port Harcourt refinery police station.

The suspects were said to have also stolen the anodes installed in a storage tank to protect the tank from corrosion.

Each storage tank contains at least 70 sacrificial anodes, each up to one meter in length and weighing 10-20 kilograms, welded to the bottom of the tank internally.

Storage tanks’ sacrificial anodes are made from highly-priced aluminium or magnesium alloys and hold great rewards to vandals if they succeed in their quest to cut and move the anodes to the black market.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, Mele Kyari had last Monday assured that the Port Harcourt Refinery will begin operation by August this year.

Kyari said this during an interactive session with members of the joint committees of the National Assembly on Finance.

He added that in few months time, oil production level for the country will hit two million barrels per day as every measures have been put in place to achieve that target.

He said, “Mr. Chairman and members of the Joint Committee. Let me just give confirmation that NNPCL and the oil and gas industry is very critical in bringing a turnaround in our current economic situation, and we understand the importance of this. We are taking every step that is practical for us to achieve this..

“We have already seen growth in our oil and gas production because of certain actions that Mr. President personally took, and also the very mere truth that we have also declared a war on production activities, and this is yielding the required results.

“The combination of these two has now seen us restoring production in our country, and we believe that, as the Honorable Minister has said, we will soon hit the target of two million barrels oil production per day.

“I’m aware that there are several comments in the public space around refining business and domestic production, including production that will come from the commissioned Dangote refinery.

“Yes, this country, as we have said, will be a net exporter of petroleum products by the end of this year. We’re very optimistic that by December , this country will be a net exporter. That means a combination of production coming from us, and also from Dangote refinery and other smaller producing companies that we know are in line to do this.

“So, I can confirm to you, Mr. Chairman, that by the end of the year, this country will be a net exporter of petroleum products.

“Specific to NNPC refinery, we have spoken to a number of your committees, that it is impossible to have the Kaduna refinery come to operation before December, it will get to December. Both Warri and Kaduna but that of Portharcourt will commence production early August this year.”

THE WHISTLER had reported that following the mechanical completion of the Old Port Harcourt Refinery in December, last year, a total of one million barrels of crude oil has been supplied to the plant by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd as refining of petroleum products from the facility.

THE WHISTLER gathered that the one million barrels of crude oil were supplied to the refinery in two tranches with the latest coming in last Wednesday.

About 170 litres of refined petroleum products can be obtained from a barrel of crude oil. This implies that the one million barrel supplied by the NNPC to the Port Harcourt refinery can provide an estimated 170 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol and other refined products.

The Newspaper further reported that the importation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, popularly called cooking gas, would reduce as the refinery starts pumping out refined products.

THE WHISTLER’s investigations had also revealed that in preparation for commencement of refining of petroleum products, the license for the refinery had been issued by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has approved 140 as the cut-off mark for 2024 admission into the nation’s universities and 100 for polytechnics and colleges of education respectively.

The cut-off mark for 2024 admission into tertiary institutions was arrived at on Thursday during the 2024 annual policy meeting on admissions, which was held at the Body Benchers, Headquarters, Abuja.

The meeting was held following the successful conduct of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). A total of 1,989,668 registered candidates for this year’s UTME.

Out of the 1,989,668 registered candidates, 80,810 were absent while a total of 1,904,189 sat for the UTME within the six days of the examination.

The policy meeting was chaired by the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, and decided following recommendations by the heads of institutions.

Registrar of JAMB Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, who announced the cutoff marks, explained that individual institutions were at liberty to raise their minimum benchmark approved at the policy meeting but could not go below what was approved for various institutions.

Gunmen terrorising Nigeria’s south east region have abducted eleven travellers in Enugu state

The passengers were kidnapped at the Amechi-Idodo axis of the Enugu-Abakaliki federal highway.

They were said to have been kidnapped on Tuesday while returning to Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, from Anambra State.

A source familiar with the incident disclosed that some tertiary institution students are among the kidnapped victims.

They left Awka, Anambra State capital, before they were intercepted by the heavily armed men at the notorious Amechi-Idodo area in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The kidnappers are now said to be demanding for N30 million to free the victims.

The Enugu State Police Command is yet to confirm the incident