Crime
Man shot dead during fuel queue disagreement in Lagos
The family of a young man, Toheeb Eniafe, has been thrown into mourning after he was shot at a petrol station belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited at Obalende in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State.
The incident, our correspondent learnt, happened late Wednesday and has left residents in the area in fear.
Our correspondent, who is currently at the scene of the incident gathered from residents that Eniafe was in the queue to get petrol when the incident happened.
While in the queue, two men, believed to be military officers, attempted to drive into the station to buy petrol even though they were not in the queue to get the product.
This, our correspondent learnt, was met with stiff resistance from people in the queue; many of whom had been waiting for hours.
Several eyewitnesses confirmed that Eniafe spearheaded the argument, telling the men to join the queue like everyone else.
This further degenerated into a fisticuff and the eventual death of the young man after one of the men shot him and fled the scene.
Nigerians have been struggling to buy fuel in the last few days.
The scarcity has led to an increase in transport fares and queues at various filling stations selling the product.
A resident, who gave his name as Mr. Amos Ayo, who said he witnessed the incident, alleged that the officers were from the Department of State Services as they had their branded polo shirts.
Ayo narrated, “I saw them. They are men of the DSS. They came to the scene to buy fuel but refused to join the queue.
“That is what they always do. It was not Toheeb’s turn yet but he confronted them, asking them to join the queue or be polite about the way they went about the purchase.
“One of them was so impatient. He slapped Toheeb and he retaliated with more words. Before we could know it, we heard gunshots and Toheeb fell to the ground.”
A woman who said she was clearing up her alcoholic bitters stand close to the station but refused to give her name for security reasons, told our correspondent that she heard the gunshot at about 9.30 p.m. and fled the scene.
She said, “I did not even wait to see what was happening. I ran as fast as I could before any stray bullet will hit me. But, I heard from the people who were there that it was two soldiers.
“They are not policemen. One shot the young man and ran away. I learnt they caught one but he still managed to escape eventually.”
Also speaking, a young man who gave his name as Capo told PUNCH Online that he knew the deceased.
“One hid under a bus so we set it on fire. He also ran away. We initially thought they were policemen but they are not. I can tell you that for free. Just imagine how they have taken the life of that young man now for nothing.”
Another young man who spoke on condition of anonymity because of his safety also said he was at the scene.
“I was at Obalende. I was coming back from work. I can tell you that the shooter is not a policeman but a DSS officer who came to buy fuel but was stopped by Toheeb and his friends.
“They told him that he must join the queue. The man, from what I learnt, told them that the manager was aware of his coming but Toheeb and some other men refused him entry.
“Some guys in the area broke a bottle and were about to attack the officer during the argument and that was when the shots were fired, and they ran away,” he said.
The man added, “They burnt two vehicles yesterday. I was so scared as I walked home that night because there were no buses. Everyone was scared. Even the long queue dispersed and the station was closed.”
Efforts by our correspondent to reach the branch manager of the station to speak were abortive, as his staff members said he was not around and that no one was authorised to speak on his behalf.
However, a young staff, whom our correspondent convinced to speak, said military officers, veterans and the aged were given preferential treatment during fuel purchases.
“Whenever there is a scarcity like this, we prioritise military men and the like. That is one thing Nigerians need to know. Our manager was aware they were coming and told us to open the gate for them but the people in the queue were just not cooperative,” he said.
Police confirm shooting
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident.
He said a young man, Toheeb Eniafe, was killed and two vehicles burnt. He, however, said the identity of the shooters was not yet ascertained as investigations were ongoing.
He said, “I can confirm that somebody was shot dead. I can confirm that the body has been deposited in the morgue.
“Two vehicles were burnt. The identity of the shooter is still unknown but investigations are ongoing to unravel that. The deceased’s name is Toheeb Eniafe.”
Reacting to the incident via a text message, DSS spokesman, Peter Afunnaya, denied any of its officers was part of the imbroglio.
He said, “It is not true (that a DSS officer shot Toheeb). Kindly deepen your investigations to uncover the truth. No single DSS staff was involved in the matter.”
At least nine passengers have been killed after gunmen opened fire on a commercial bus at Dungus Junction in Kuru community, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The attack reportedly occurred around 9:40 p.m. when the bus, which was travelling towards Jos, stopped at the junction to drop off some passengers.
Several other passengers were reportedly injured in the attack and rushed to hospitals for treatment.
Lawan Suleiman, a neighbour and teacher of one of the victims, identified the driver as Ibrahim and said three of the victims were from his community in Bukuru.
“The driver is Ibrahim and he was my student. Three of them are from our community here in Bukuru. Their bodies have been deposited at the hospital. But relatives are preparing to collect them for burial,” Suleiman said.
The bus was reportedly riddled with bullets, with bloodstains visible inside the vehicle after the attack.
Rwang Tengwong, spokesman for the Berom Youth Moulders (BYM), also confirmed the incident, saying the victims were passengers travelling to Jos when the attackers opened fire on the vehicle.
Tengwong said one of those killed was a member of Operation Rainbow.
“The incident happened around 9.40 p.m. The victims were all passengers travelling to Jos when the terrorists opened fire on the vehicle. Among those killed was a member of Operation Rainbow. It is a very sad development and we lament the loss of lives,” he said.
He added that some passengers sustained gunshot injuries and were taken to hospitals, while some of the injured reportedly later died.
The attack has raised fresh concerns over the safety of commuters travelling along the route at night amid continuing security challenges in parts of Plateau State.
As of the time of filing this report, the Plateau State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
The Enugu State Police Command has ordered an investigation into two separate incidents of alleged disruption of political gatherings in Nkanu West Local Government Area of the state.
The incidents reportedly occurred on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at Ndiuno-Obuoffia community and St. Joseph Primary School, Agbani.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to thoroughly investigate the incidents and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
According to the statement, armed hoodlums allegedly disrupted a National Democratic Congress (NDC) ward meeting at Ndiuno-Obuoffia with sporadic gunshots, leaving two attendees injured.
In a separate incident at St. Joseph Primary School, Agbani, hoodlums allegedly destroyed canopies and chairs arranged for a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally.
The police said operatives were promptly deployed to both locations after receiving reports of the incidents to prevent further breaches of peace and track down the fleeing suspects.
The Command, however, noted that neither of the political gatherings had been formally brought to the attention of the police for security coverage.
CP Giwa reiterated his warning that all political activities in the state must be conducted peacefully and in accordance with the law.
He stressed that electoral offences are punishable under the law and warned political parties, candidates, supporters and other stakeholders against violence, intimidation, destruction of property and other acts capable of disrupting public peace or the electoral process.
The Commissioner urged political parties and other stakeholders to notify the police ahead of campaigns, meetings, rallies and other political gatherings to enable the Command to make adequate security arrangements.
He assured residents that the police would continue to maintain a peaceful and secure environment for lawful political activities while dealing decisively with anyone found violating the law.
The Sokoto State Police Command has confirmed the death of a man who was allegedly stabbed by a suspected attacker after Friday prayers in Sokoto.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Rufa’i Ahmad, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday that the deceased was among those involved in the incident that followed the stabbing of prominent Islamic cleric, Malam Musa Lukuwa.
According to Ahmad, the suspect used a knife to stab Lukuwa in the stomach immediately after the Jumu’at congregation.
He said the suspect was subsequently killed by a mob, while Lukuwa was rushed to Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), where he is receiving treatment.
The PPRO added that no arrest had been made in connection with the incident, saying the situation was under control and urging residents to remain calm and law-abiding.
The incident reportedly followed allegations that Lukuwa made remarks considered blasphemous against Prophet Muhammad, which had generated anger among some Muslim faithful.
A Sokoto-based gangster, Dahiru Maibarewa, had also reportedly threatened to kill Lukuwa over the alleged remarks, while demonstrations had taken place in parts of Sokoto metropolis.
NAN further reported that a coalition of Islamic groups had petitioned the Sokoto State Government and security agencies, calling for action against Lukuwa over remarks they described as capable of provoking violence.
At a September 4 press conference, Islamic cleric Sheikh Abubakar Yagawal urged Muslims to oppose what he described as blasphemous content by clerics, while calling for peaceful coexistence.
Yagawal, Leader of the National Sufi Council of Nigeria and a National Commissioner at the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), said Lukuwa’s alleged utterances were unbecoming and capable of triggering violence among Muslim communities.
He said the coalition had called on the Federal and Sokoto State governments, as well as security agencies, to investigate and take appropriate action over the matter.
The Nigeria Police Force has allegedly arrested the General Manager of JKD Television/Hamada Radio Network, Kaduna, Charles Abah, and a security guard following a video produced by the station about Ibrahim Kabir Masari, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Political Affairs.
The station’s management, in a statement issued on Friday, alleged that police operatives invaded its premises while searching for a staff member, Zainab Salihu Yabagi, who presented the video explainer.
According to the management, the officers insisted on seeing Yabagi in connection with the video before arresting Abah and the security guard.
The two men were subsequently taken to the Kaduna State Police Command, the station alleged.
The management described the arrests as unacceptable and called for their immediate release.
Amnesty International Nigeria also condemned the incident, describing the alleged raid as an “unlawful and outrageous invasion” of the station’s premises.
The organisation alleged that Abah and the security guard were arbitrarily arrested, adding that police authorities had been seeking Yabagi over the video and had previously declared her wanted.
Amnesty International said the incident reflected a wider pattern of alleged attempts to intimidate newsrooms and create a climate of fear among journalists in Nigeria.
It maintained that public officials, regardless of their positions, should remain open to scrutiny and criticism in the public interest.
JKD TV/Hamada Radio Network is chaired by Yusuf Mamman, a former Nigerian ambassador to Spain and former spokesman for former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida.
A 20-year-old woman has recounted how a Nigerian man dragged her into a wooded area in Wrexham, Wales, and raped her after offering to escort her home from a night out.
The victim, whose identity has been withheld, said the attack occurred on September 7, 2025, after 24-year-old Gift Oladele approached her while she was walking home.
According to an account published by the Daily Mail on Wednesday, Oladele told the woman that he was heading in the same direction and offered to accompany her.
However, when they reached an isolated area, he allegedly grabbed her over the mouth and dragged her into the woods.
“He was a lot bigger than I was. I tried pushing him away, but he overpowered me,” the woman said.
She said Oladele covered her mouth and prevented her from calling for help before violently assaulting her.
The victim said she feared that she would be killed after Oladele allegedly asked if it was her first experience of rape.
“My brain just switched into survival mode. It was weird. It was either I do what he says and get home to my mum, or he is going to kill me,” she recalled.
She said the attacker struck her six times on the head and left bruises on her body.
According to her, after the assault, Oladele allegedly told her, “I think you’ve had enough now. At least you have been raped by someone good-looking.”
She also alleged that he threatened to track her down if she reported the incident and warned that he could take photographs of her and publish them online.
Despite the threats, the woman immediately told her parents what had happened after arriving home at about 3:30am, prompting her father to contact the police.
“I felt numb. I was hysterical. My brain couldn’t figure out what had just happened,” she said.
Oladele was arrested the following day at his cousin’s residence in Wrexham. Police reportedly discovered that he had attempted to conceal a mobile phone, which subsequently revealed internet searches relating to sexual attacks.
Oladele was sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court in April to 17 years in prison after being convicted of rape and sexual assault. He was also given an extended licence period of eight years, bringing the total sentence to 25 years.
He had been convicted at Mold Crown Court in March after denying the offences and claiming that the victim had consented.
The court also imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order protecting the victim for life.
At the time of the Wrexham attack, Oladele was reportedly on bail over another rape allegation in Manchester dating back to November 2024. He had also previously been jailed in 2022 for a sexually motivated attack.
Oladele, a Nigerian citizen born in Italy, had previously challenged attempts by UK authorities to deport him to Nigeria on human rights grounds.
Following his earlier prison sentence, the authorities sought to deport him, but he argued that removal would violate his right to private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
An immigration tribunal subsequently ruled in his favour, holding that his deportation would be disproportionate. Two subsequent appeals by the Home Office were also rejected.
Reacting to the decision, the victim’s mother questioned why her daughter’s rights appeared not to have received similar consideration.
Wrexham Chief Inspector Caroline Mullen-Hurst described Oladele as “a dangerous predator” and commended the victim for her courage in reporting the attack.
She said Oladele showed no remorse for his crimes and forced the victim to relive the traumatic experience during the trial.
The victim said the assault had continued to affect her physical and emotional wellbeing, including making it difficult for her to eat.
She added that there were times when she cried uncontrollably and struggled with thoughts about continuing to live.
-
Crime5 days agoMurder of Aiza Nwosu: Niece, 12 Suspected Cultists Arrested, Nephew at Large
-
News5 days agoAnambra Community Petitions Soludo Over Erosion Caused by Illegal Sand Mining
-
Entertainment5 days agoDavido Reveals How Dangote Drove His Mother Home
-
News3 days agoFCC Urges Enugu Youths to Prepare for Federal Job Opportunities
-
News5 days agoNigerian Army Announces Major Reshuffle, Appoints New Theatre Commander
-
Crime5 days agoMob Burns Suspected Motorcycle Thief to Death
-
Politics5 days agoAnambra APC Sidelined Over First Lady’s Visit, Says Chairman Anosike
-
Crime5 days agoWoman Recounts Rape By Nigerian Jailed 17 Years In UK