Category: Crime

Gunmen, weekend, kidnapped the traditional ruler of Owa Onire, the Onire of Owa-Onire in Isin Local Government Area of Kwara State, HRH Abdulrahaman Ifabiyi and his driver.

The monarch and his driver with one of the natives of the town yet to be identified were kidnapped at gunpoint while returning from a social function.

It was learnt that wife of the monarch was also kidnapped but rescued by police, during which two of the suspected kidnappers were arrested.

Already, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Paul Odama has dispatched a team of investigators, joined by vigilante to rescue the monarch and others still in captivity.

It was gathered that, unknown to the monarch and his entourage, who were inside the Lexus 300 SUV, the kidnappers were said to have laid ambush on the road for them and stopped the SUV at gunpoint.

The kidnappers took away the monarch, his wife, the driver and another passenger inside the SUV before the wife was later rescued.

Sources in the town, however, confided  that, the wife of the monarch was said to have been let off hook after the kidnappers noticed that she was having problem with one of her legs.

The kidnappers have reportedly been operating in the area over a long period of time but that the vigilantes of the town have been resisting their dastardly act.

Contacted, the state Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mr. Okasanmi Ajayi, who confirmed the incident to Vanguard, said men of the command in conjunction with the vigilante of the town had arrested two persons in connection with the incident.

An Italy-based Nigerian single mother of five, Taye Funmilayo, has narrated how N3.7 million was mysteriously transferred from her United Bank for Africa (UBA) account.

According to victim, she maintained the UBA account for savings only.

“I have a UBA savings account back in Nigeria, which I’m maintaining here. I only use the account to save the money I get from my business here in Europe.

“On August 28, I got the shock of my life when I suddenly got a debit alert of N2,600 and my balance was N87. I had to quickly call my sister to ensure I wasn’t seeing her wrongly. She also confirmed what I was seeing.”

Funmilayo said she wondered how over ₦3.7 million left her account without her knowledge.

“I’m even confused at the moment because I can’t explain how all these happened.

All my cards and documents are here with me in Europe, so they were not compromised from my end.

“I’ve never misplaced my phone, neither do I have any application on my phone that could have deducted my hard-earned money.

“I have just been crying since then.”

Her attempts to know what happened to her money had yielded nothing, saying “That N87 balance was the only alert I got. I had to call my UBA branch in Lagos, and I was asked to do a couple of things, which I did.

“They even told me to send them a mail, which I did immediately.

“They started giving dates, telling me they would get back to me regarding the investigation.

“I requested the bank statement and they sent it to me. That was when I realised that the money had been removed in July.

“UBA never sent me alerts of deductions till the money was remaining N87,” Funmilayo noted.

“I’m currently frustrated. I just need my money back.”

When contacted the head of Corporate Affairs of UBA Bank, Nasir Ramon, said that, “The customer and the Bank have been in contact and the issue is being resolved.”

Suspected hoodlums have unleashed a reign of terror in some border communities in Ogun and Lagos states, killing a 40-year-old man, Fatai Asha, who was shot in the process.

No fewer than nine communities under Sagamu and Ikenne/Remo on the Ogun side of the border were under attack during the invasion by the suspected hoodlums which degenerated and extended to neighbouring communities in Lagos.

Affected communities include Eyin Ogbe, Maya and Odogunyan in Lagos State and Fakale, Igbosoro, Igode, Iki, Liadi and Maya in Ogun.

The deceased, a cobbler, was said to be standing in front of his house in Iraye when the suspected hoodlums came shooting and he was hit by stray bullets but neighbors rallied around and rushed him to a Sagamu hospital where he gave up the ghost.

The assailants were said to have then stormed a nearby police station and shot three policemen.

Residents claimed a similar invasion happened earlier in the year, saying the latest, which occurred about two weeks ago, has crippled academic, commercial and religious activities in the area.

It was learnt that some shops were not spared during the latest invasion as they were reduced to ashes while goods worth millions of Naira were carted away as the suspected hoodlums operated unchallenged.

When our correspondent visited some of the affected communities, some buildings were seen vandalized while their occupants had fled.

Findings also showed that two public schools, Ipaye Community High School and United African Methodist Church Nursery & Primary School, Eleja Iraye, founded in 1955, had been shut down for fear of attacks while the only health center in Ipaye was under lock and key. Some teachers in the schools, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said hundreds of students had stayed away for fear of being molested by the suspected hoodlums.

Lamentations galore

Lamenting the incidents, 75-year-old Tawa Lawal said goods worth over N250, 000 were carted away from her shop during the latest invasion.

An event planner, Mariam Owode, said one of the victims, a trader in Ipaye, lost about N1m to the invasion as her shop was razed by the suspected hoodlums.

‘’In apprehension, she has fled the community to an undisclosed location because she recently stocked the shop from a loan took’’, Owode said.

A young woman was seen with an infant taking inventory in her husband’s shop who deals on cell phones and complimentary services after the shop was attacked during the invasion.

She lamented, ‘’Our-four-year old investment has disappeared in a jiffy and I have been feeding my baby with soaked gari.

“On a fateful day, my husband had hurriedly locked the shop and ran for safety but 30 minutes later, he received a call that his shop was being looted by the hoodlums. “At the last count, items worth over N900, 000 are gone and we are left with nothing.’’

Another resident, Titilayo Ashamu, said during the invasion, over 40 motorcycles were snatched at gunpoint while the suspected hoodlums made away with valuables including plasma televisions, cell phones and household items even as they molested female residents.

Narrating the incident, an Islamic cleric, Yusuf Bello, whose teeth were damaged, said he was fortunate to be alive despite the attack on him.

“They broke into our house in a bid to kidnap my two brothers and I raised the alarm after which they pounced on me and destroyed my teeth in the process”, Bello stated.

‘’After they left, neighbours rallied around me, put me on a bike and took me to hospital in Lagos State because the health centres within our environment were also sacked by the attackers.

“But we ran into the hoodlums in Lagos communities and they attacked us again, snatched the motorcycle but we managed to return home.

‘’The day after, my neighbour assisted me to a dental centre but, unfortunately, there was no remedy as the staff said I ought to have been there when the injury was fresh.’’

Genesis of invasion

Findings revealed that the communities had been peaceful until recently when hoodlums first attacked Ipaye without security forces challenging them.

Residents claimed policemen only visited the affected areas after the hoodlums had finished operating.

‘Three policemen shot’

A spokesperson for Ogun State Police Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, speaking on the hoodlum’s activities in the communities, said the Command was doing its best to ensure that peace reigns there.

Oyeyemi told Sunday Vanguard: “There is a suspected land grabber behind the attack. Three policemen were injured in the process and are currently receiving medical treatment.

“We are after the suspect and I am sure we will get him because nobody is bigger than the law.

“We cannot fold our arms and watch him operate with impunity especially when the shooting of policemen is involved.”We are after him and will not relent until we get him.

“The Command is doing everything possible to fish him out of his hiding place.”

The police in Lagos State, on Sunday, said that a mob carried out jungle justice on two men, who allegedly robbed a POS attendant in the Igando area of the state.

The command’s Spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident in his verified Twitter handle monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday.

Hundeyin said the incident happened on Independence Day, stressing that the mob set the victims ablaze and burnt them beyond recognition.

” Police arrived at the scene but the mob had fled. The investigation has commenced,” he said.

The image maker, however, frowned at the action of the mob, wondering how to put a stop to the archaic and criminal practice.

Hundeyin said jungle justice was a criminal case in Nigeria, calling on members of the public to stop the crime.

He said rather, they should hand over the suspect to the police for prosecution.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson has commended crime reporters for doing a fantastic job in reporting the arrest of criminals in Lagos state.

He, however, urged judiciary correspondents to do more, to update Nigerians on the progress of prosecution of criminal cases in various courts in Lagos.

“This would halt the fallacy that, Police were collecting money and releasing suspects,” he said.

THE popular mechanic village located along Abak Road in Afaha Offot Uyo Local Government Area, of Akwa Ibom State has been shut following the crisis that erupted in area on Friday.

It was gathered that what started as a disagreement ensued between an indigene of the State and an Igbo resident in the Mechanic village, later turned violent, leaving many people to scamper for safety.

Sources around the area told newsmen that trouble started when an Akwa Ibom indigene arrived in the morning, opened his shop and swept the environment and tried to burn the waste close to an Igbo man’s shop.

Many persons sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving treatment, even as different people are giving different version of what actually led to the crisis.

However, one Wisdom Effiong, a mechanic at the market said that a fierce encounter between the duo, eventually degenerated into an ethnic war between the Igbos and the indigenous Akwa Ibom spare parts dealers in the area.

He narrated: “It was when the Akwa Ibom man gathered the heap of wastes and tried to burn it a shot distance from his shop, that an Igbo trader confronted him and ordered that he should not burn the wastes near his shop.

“The Igbo man used sharp object to pierce the Akwa Ibom man on the head forcing angry reaction from other indigenes, who demanded that the culprit, who escaped after the incident be brought out to be handed over to the Police.

“It  was when the person could not be produced that the fierce argument degenerated into a serious crisis”

It was gathered that the crisis would have turned bloody but for the  intervention of joint team of the Army and the Police drafted to restore calm in the area before the place was shut down.

Meanwhile, in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday the Uyo LG Council Chairman, Dr. Uwemedimo Udo,  directed that the mechanic village be shut down.

The statement which was signed by Ubong Udofia the Council Secretary was titled “Uyo Local government shut down mechanic village over Crisis’

It reads: Following the crisis that ensued today, Friday, September 30, 2022 at the Mechanic Village, Afaha Offot in Uyo Local Government Area, the Management of Uyo Local Government Council has ordered the closure of the facility indefinitely.

“This decision of Council is to forestall further break down of law and order within the area.

The Council Chairman, Dr. Uwemedimo Udo, has directed security officials to continue to maintain adequate security around the facility and the entire area until investigations are completed and normalcy returns”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Odiko MacDon, did not respond to calls and text message sent to his GSM at the time of filing this report.

GOVERNOR Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, yesterday, faulted the Presidency on the denial that it has not granted permission to the Katsina State local security outfit to bear arms.

Akeredolu had queried the granting of permission to the Kasina security outfit, whereas other state security outfits were denied to bear arms.

But the Federal government denied that no state in the country has the approval or autorization for its local security outfit to carry weapons.

However, Akeredolu, in response to the denial by the Presidency, said: “The reasons adduced for the continued refusal to approve of the use of sophisticated weapons by state security outfits can no longer be plausible in the face of increasing security challenges being faced by the people.”

The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, said: “The assertion of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu on the use of automatic weapons by State Security outfits betrays the current realities across the country.

“His attempt to justify the use of AK47 by the Vigilantes of Katsina State for training stands logic on its head.

“The report by the TVC News that went viral showed the Kastina State Vigilante training with AK47.

“This is the same weapon which approval has vehemently been refused for the use of Amotekun Corps and other State Security Outfits.

“The questions Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu asks are: Where did the guns come from? , Who approved their use?, Were the guns returned to the armoury after use? And that the AK47, as seen from a news report, was about usage. If not, what purpose does training with the guns serve?

“It is rather suspicious that Garba Shehu elected himself as the spokesperson for the Kastina State government. Whereas, the Katsina State has not come out openly to deny the statement of Governor Akeredolu on the use of AK47 by Vigilantes of Katsina State during training.

“State Security outfits backed by law whether in Western Nigeria, Katsina, Borno, Benue or any Northern state must have access to the same sophisticated weapons that the criminals have. It is time to face these enemies of the people.

“It is illogical to continue to fight hardened marauders who bear sophisticated weaponry to kidnap and maim our people with bare hands. We cannot fight armed enemies of the people with our bare hands.”

Unidentified gunmen have allegedly killed five soldiers, injuring many others in Anambra State.

A source said the incident happened in Umunze community, a suburban town located around the boundary of the state with Abia State.The source said: “I was told the Military men were moving in their vehicle at Umunze, when the assailants struck along that Umunze -Umunneochi road around 1 pm.

“Nobody saw any sign of the presence of those criminals, what we heard was gunshots like a war zone.

“Some of us who were close to the Zenith Bank where the attack happened ran for our dear lives. The criminals took the soldiers unawares, the reason they got all of them,” the source said.Already, there are fears in the community as it is believed that the soldiers may come for a reprisal attack on innocent members of the community.

When contacted the State Police Public Relations Officer, Ikenga Tochukwu, he confirmed the incident, saying that it happened at about 1pm on Wednesday.

He, however, said the details of the attack were still sketchy, as he did not say the number of casualties.

“The details had not been received, but we know there was an incident at Umunze, which happened between 12-1.30pm today.”

UNKNOWN gunmen, last night attacked Igangan Police station in Ibarapa North Local Government area of Oyo State, killing Divisional Crime Officer, DCO, and a suspect who was in detention.

A top senior police officer

said the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, an Inspector and some suspects were on a danger list as a result of gunshot wounds.

When contacted this morning, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, a Superintendent of Police, SP, Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the incident and said: “The Commissioner of Police, CP, is on his way to the place. We are already in Oke Ogun as we speak. I will get back to you when we get there.”

Details later…

The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, yesterday, arraigned a director in Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Solomon Ita, for alleged diversion of N45 million.

The ICPC also arraigned Gabriel Nathaniel, a staff in the Accounts  Department of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, AMMC, over allegations bordering on the diversion of about N3 billion from his office.

They were arraigned separately before Justice Zainab Abubakar of a Federal High Court, Abuja, where they pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.

Ita, a director in the Department of Community and Rural Development of NDDC, was arraigned on a four-count charge while Nathaniel was arraigned on a 14-count charge.

In the charge by the ICPC, through its lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimsingha, Ita was said to have diverted part of the funds paid for a contract awarded to a group, Radiant Women Association.

In count one, Ita was accused of having, sometime in September 2018, or thereabout, indirectly taken possession of the sum of N22.4million through his First City Monument Bank, FCMB, Account Number: 0542393012, received from the Zenith Bank account of one Solomon Eyarebe & Ebikebina.