Crime
China-trained medical student shot dead in Enugu, family cries for justice
The family of an ex-medical student of the Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China, Evaristus Tochukwu-Aligwe, is still in sorrow after suspected gunmen shot him dead in Enugu State on May 7, 2022.
Our correspondent gathered from family sources close to the incident that Tochuwku-Aligwe went out to buy groceries when he was killed.
The incident, it was gathered, occurred at Four Corners Junction, Ozalla, Enugu State.
It was gathered that the young medical student was shot four times in the chest before his car was stolen by the criminals.
An eyewitness identified only as Ndukwe said, “I operate a Point on Sale by the junction and I was there in the shop that Saturday when it happened. It was around 9 pm and I was attending to a customer when I heard gunshots from across the road.
“I and others ran there to see what was happening and we saw a young man covered in a pool of his own blood on the floor. His car was taken by the gunmen and another man was shouting for help.
“After a few minutes, a tricycle rider offered to take him to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, but we later learnt that he didn’t make it. He died before he got there.”
Another source who gave his name as Fabian Nnadi, said the young man just returned to Enugu for an exchange programme in UNTH, Enugu before he met his death.
“He was in China but COVID-19 forced him to return. We were good friends and I knew we chatted when he was going to return to Enugu. I even advised him against it but he said he wanted to know his roots. It was not even up to two years after his return that he was shot dead,” Nnadi said.
One of the sisters of the late student who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorised by the family to speak on the matter, said the deceased was only 25 years old when he died.
“He was born on November 11, 1997. He was schooling at the University of Port Harcourt for about a year before he was offered admission in China. He was studying Pharmacy in UNIPORT but we (family) didn’t want that for him. He wasn’t able to get medicine at UNIPORT, so he was sent abroad to study.
“It is sad for us as a family that after struggling to raise millions of naira to send my brother to school in China, they (gunmen) waited for him to graduate and ended his life,” the sobbing sister said.
Explaining why the victim returned to Nigeria, the sister said, “He had returned to Nigeria when COVID happened. That was in 2020. The surge was much in Asia so many international students were urged to return to their countries where they would be taught online for the next year.
“He did that till the end of the year before applying for the exchange programme at the UNTH, Enugu, alongside some of his colleagues. He chose UNTH because we are actually from Enugu State but are not really that close to our roots.
“I remember we spoke about it and he said he just wanted to be close to his fatherland, being away for such a long time, schooling in China.”
She further said that the deceased medical student moved to Enugu and rented an apartment around the busy Four Corners Junction, Ozalla, Enugu, where he lived and was killed.
On how the family heard the news of the incident, she said, “It was one of the colleagues who called us and told us that our brother was shot and was being rushed to the hospital.
“I almost fainted. I didn’t know what to do and I didn’t want anyone to panic. So, I called my other sisters and they relayed the information to my parents. They (parents) were so devastated that they asked that we find out where he was so we could go see him.
“In fact, my mum had even fallen sick almost immediately. One can imagine sending a child to China to study medicine and when he is about to begin his life, he is cut off like a fickle flower! It is sad indeed.”
She noted that the lady who called her told her that her brother went out with a friend, who drove behind him when the gunmen attacked and shot only Evaristus.
“What we know as a family is that Evaristus had gone out that day with his friend and they ended up buying some food at a place in Enugu. It was on their way home that they were attacked by the gunmen. In fact, it was my brother who was attacked. The friend was driving behind him and he said he saw the gunmen in their car, trying to overtake my brother’s car.
“Evaristus’ friend said he was honking for my brother to run away but he (Evaristus) was not fast enough. He wasn’t able to run away. They (gunmen) overtook him, packed right in front of his car, cajoled him and shot him four times in his chest. They came with their own vehicle and some of them drove off in his car,” she added.
She also noted that an eyewitness told her that she heard Evaristus begging for his life before his attackers shot him and left him for dead.
“It happened close to his house. So, some neighbours came out and saw my brother trying to breathe. He was on the ground in a pool of his own blood. The friend was said to have run to the police station to report the case. It was on the way to the hospital that my brother gave up the ghost. He was pronounced dead on arrival by the doctors.
“They initially didn’t tell us this, but when they did tell us, my world stopped for a moment. July 7 makes it two months since he passed and you can imagine the strings of emotions going on in my mind. He was a lovely boy and didn’t deserve that kind of painful death.”
She added that his Toyota Camry car was found a few days later a few streets away from where the incident took place and all the valuables in the car were intact.
“Our family is in mourning. I call on the Inspector General of Police, the Minister of Police Affairs, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Minister of Youth and others who can help us to come to our aid.
Contacted on June 25, 2022, the state police spokesperson, ASP Daniel Ndukwe-Ekea, said he was driving and would get back to our correspondent when he alighted. He, however, asked our correspondent to narrate the incident to him, which he did. He later said he was unaware of the incident and would get across to the Divisional Police Officer for information.
“I don’t know anything about any young man shot dead in that place,” he said.
Our correspondent called again on July 27 but the phone line rang out. Text messages were sent on that day but they weren’t replied. It was for Saturday, July 2 and Wednesday, July 6, when this reporter called the police spokesperson for the command’s reaction.
Reacting to the development, the victim’s sister said, “The police cannot say they are not aware of the matter. No one has been arrested.’’ The victim was buried a few days after the incident in his hometown in Enugu.
A colleague of Evaristus, Najeeb Maigatari, in a tribute, on behalf of his colleagues, said Evaristus was the Assistant Class Representative for his class, noting that it was devastating for the class to hear of his demise.
Some human rights lawyers urged the family to petition the Inspector General of Police if the state command was not attending to the matter.
An Abuja-based lawyer, Mr Hussani Hussani, said the nation’s security system was seriously failing to guarantee safety of the citizens. He said, “Nonetheless, the law is what holds our bond together as law-abiding citizens. I advise the family of the victim to urgently report the matter to the police station where the incident is suspected to have occurred. Information should also be given about any suspected individual to the police. However, if the police failed to take action, a petition should be written to the Inspector General of Police, and where there is no action, the family may go to court to seek an order compelling the police to act.”
Another lawyer, Mrs Selena Onuoha, said the family should not only petition the IG but also sue the state command if it failed to carry out its duties.
“The job of the police is to protect life and property. They did not do so and this young doctor-in-the-making lost his life at a junction that is supposed to be manned by police officials. Two months is enough time to launch a probe into the matter and if the police are cooperating, the family should take them up. It’s human life we are talking about. We should not joke about it,” she said.
The United States has said Nigeria has yet to make sufficient progress in addressing attacks on Christian communities, warning that the country’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) should remain in place.
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Frank Garcia, stated this while responding to questions from US Congressman Riley Moore during a congressional hearing on violence in Nigeria on Thursday.
Moore questioned the Nigerian government’s efforts to dismantle militia strongholds and kidnapping camps in the Middle Belt, particularly in Benue and Plateau states.
He also demanded explanations for the exclusion of Benue and Plateau from the 10 states covered by Nigeria’s new forest guard initiative, despite persistent attacks in the areas.
The congressman further expressed concern that 1,000 presidentially approved forest guards for Plateau State had yet to be deployed.
Moore maintained that the US should not remove Nigeria from the CPC list, arguing that the country had not done enough to address the violence.
“Before you answer that, we cannot take this CPC designation off of this country. They have not done enough,” he said.
Responding, Garcia acknowledged that Nigeria had not made sufficient progress but maintained that the government was taking steps to address the concerns, although the measures had yet to produce the desired results.
“I think we would agree, as Under Secretary Hooker stated, after our CPC meeting that progress has not been there, but that doesn’t mean that Nigeria is dismissing concerns, and it doesn’t mean that they’re not taking actions, but it does mean that it hasn’t had an impact to this point,” Garcia said.
He identified the establishment of the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group as an important step towards ensuring accountability, noting that the platform would provide a framework for monitoring Nigeria’s commitments and assessing their implementation.
Garcia also acknowledged US-supported counterterrorism operations in the Lake Chad Basin but noted that such efforts had not necessarily addressed the activities of Fulani militants operating across the Middle Belt.
“I would have to characterise the Nigerians’ placement at this point as in building capacity. And that capacity is not deployed, is not being effective yet, and is not moving fast enough, as far as I’m concerned. But we do see a seriousness, and a deployment underway with the Nigerian government,” he said.
In his prepared testimony, Garcia said President Donald Trump’s administration had prioritised the persecution of Christians in Nigeria since the country was redesignated a Country of Particular Concern on October 31, 2025.
He noted that attacks had continued despite diplomatic engagements, citing an attack on a Christian community in Kaduna State on July 27 and killings in Plateau State in August and September.
“Unfortunately, the violence has not stopped,” Garcia said, describing the attacks as an ongoing atrocity.
According to him, the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group, which held its inaugural meeting in Abuja in January and another meeting in Washington in August, had been engaging the Nigerian government on improved security deployments in vulnerable Middle Belt communities, faster responses to early warnings and accountability for perpetrators.
He added that Washington had provided training and equipment to police units responsible for protecting vulnerable communities through its Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
The US had also expanded biometric information-sharing with Nigeria to help identify and prosecute perpetrators and engaged Nigerian financial institutions on measures to disrupt terrorist financing networks allegedly funding attacks on churches.
Garcia further disclosed that US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, had raised concerns about civilian casualties, the safe and voluntary return of internally displaced persons and transparency in humanitarian aid delivery during the Joint Working Group’s second meeting.
However, he acknowledged that Nigeria’s security architecture remained stretched, while judicial access to some parts of the Middle Belt remained limited.
Garcia said the US would continue to deploy diplomatic engagements, the CPC designation and targeted security cooperation to press for the protection of Christian communities and accountability for those responsible for attacks.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Federal Government has consistently rejected allegations of a Christian genocide or systematic religious persecution, maintaining that the country’s security challenges are driven by broader issues, including terrorism, banditry, communal violence and resource conflicts, which affect citizens of different religious backgrounds.
Couple Sentenced To Five Years In Prison Each For Attempting To Sell One-Year-Old So
A Nigerian couple have been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment each for attempting to sell their one-year-old son for exploitation in Cross River State.
The couple, identified as 28-year-old Emmanuel Okechukwu Ogbodo and 22-year-old Peace Ufeabuchi Nnamonu, were convicted by the Federal High Court in Calabar after pleading guilty to conspiracy and attempted child trafficking.
The convicts were sentenced on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, after they were arraigned on November 3, 2026, on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and attempted child trafficking.
The charges were brought under Sections 27 and 29 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
Delivering judgment, Justice Rosemary Dugbo Oghoghorie sentenced each defendant to five years’ imprisonment for conspiracy and two and a half years for attempted child trafficking.
However, the court ordered that the sentences should run concurrently, meaning the couple will each spend a total of five years in prison rather than serve the sentences consecutively.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), which announced the conviction in statements shared on its Facebook and X accounts, said the prison terms would take effect from the date of the couple’s arrest.
NAPTIP condemned the couple’s actions and reiterated its commitment to prosecuting human trafficking offences and protecting vulnerable persons, particularly children.
The agency also urged members of the public to report suspected cases of child trafficking to the appropriate authorities.
Six fresh graduates of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), have reportedly been found dead in an apartment around the Hilltop area of the university community in Enugu State.
The incident, which occurred on Thursday morning, has thrown the university community into mourning and sparked panic among residents and students.
According to a report by Daily Post, the victims, comprising five females and one male, were said to have graduated on Wednesday, a day before their bodies were discovered.
Their graduation celebration has reportedly turned into tragedy, with the circumstances surrounding their deaths yet to be established.
Efforts to reach the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, for confirmation were unsuccessful, as calls put through to his telephone were not answered.
Meanwhile, anxiety has gripped the Hilltop area and the wider university community, with students and residents seeking answers over the tragic incident.
As of the time of filing this report, the police had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
Security agencies have launched a manhunt for two convicted inmates who escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Okene, Kogi State.
The Nigerian Correctional Service confirmed the incident, which reportedly occurred on Sunday, November 8, 2026, saying efforts were underway in collaboration with other security agencies to recapture the fleeing inmates.
The Service’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Corrections Jane Osuji, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday.
According to Osuji, the Controller-General of Corrections has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the incident to establish the circumstances surrounding the escape and identify any possible security breaches.
She explained that the investigation would examine potential lapses in the facility’s security arrangements and determine appropriate measures to prevent a recurrence.
The correctional authorities assured members of the public that all necessary steps were being taken to track down the escapees and return them to custody.
The Service also pledged to provide further updates as verified information emerges from the ongoing investigation.
The incident comes weeks after an awaiting-trial inmate escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Auchi, Edo State, where he was being held over allegations of conspiracy and stealing.
Saudi Arabia has executed five Ethiopian nationals convicted of smuggling hashish into the kingdom, bringing the number of executions carried out in the country this year to 205.
The Saudi Interior Ministry announced the executions on Thursday, November 5, 2026, saying the five men were found guilty of participating in the smuggling of hashish into the country.
According to a statement published by the official Saudi Press Agency, the executions were carried out in the Asir region in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
The latest executions bring to 32 the number of Ethiopian nationals put to death in Saudi Arabia in 2026, making Ethiopians the largest foreign nationality among those executed this year.
Five Ethiopians were reportedly executed in June, while another five were put to death in July over similar drug-related offences.
The latest development comes amid growing international concern over Saudi Arabia’s increasing use of capital punishment, particularly against foreign nationals convicted of drug-related offences.
Human Rights Watch (HRW), in a report published in July, warned that at least 79 Ethiopian nationals remained at imminent risk of execution over similar charges.
The rights organisation also raised concerns about alleged violations of fair trial guarantees, including inadequate access to legal representation and interpretation services for some Ethiopian migrants facing capital punishment.
Saudi Arabia recorded 356 executions in 2025, its highest annual figure on record.
Thousands of Ethiopians live and work in Saudi Arabia, many of whom migrate in search of employment through the dangerous Eastern Route connecting the Horn of Africa to the oil-rich kingdom through Yemen.
The route exposes migrants to serious security and humanitarian risks during their journey.
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