Category: Crime

Fear has gripped the students and management of the Federal Government Girls College, Lejja, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State following a suspected attack on a JSS 3 student by yet-to-be-identified hoodlum.

It was gathered that the said student came out in the early hours of Saturday morning to ease herself when the hoodlum emerged from nowhere and attacked her with a knife.

It was learnt that the attacker severed his victim’s body until she managed to alert her fellow students.

At that point, the hoodlum bolted on sighting other students who emerged from the hostels to rescue their fellow student.

It was further learnt that the student was in pool of her blood when her fellow students rushed her to the school clinic for medical attention.

Following the incident, sources said fear has gripped the entire students and staff alike since such an incident should not have happened with the many internal security outfit guarding the school premises.

“We are afraid since the incident happened. The school is fenced round, so I wonder how the attacker gained entrance into the girls hostels.

“There is no police station nor police post in the school. Though there is internal security but I don’t think they are enough to secure the school,” a source disclosed.

A parent who visited the school on the day of the incident said they were not allowed free access to their children like before.

The source who spoke on condition of anonymity said “Before they allowed us to go close to the hostels but last Saturday was different.

“They will not allow parents to go near the hostels but rather asked students to come to the field and corners to receive their parents and guidance who came to visit them,” he said.

However, when contacted, the principal of the school, Dr. C.A Ogar, denied the incident but refused to provide more information on what happened at her school.

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Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a military officer, Anayo Nwambam, for allegedly plotting to implicate his brother.

A spokesperson for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, said Nwamban, after planting a drug in his brother’s house, reported him to the agency.

However, the truth came to light after the drug supplier was arrested.

Babafemi said, “In Ebonyi State, a military officer, Anayo Nwambam, who bought 1.1 kilogrammes of cannabis from Mami market, planted same in his elder brother’s house and then made a report to the NDLEA office with a view to implicating his brother, was arrested on Friday, September 3. After the arrest of his supplier, he admitted to purchasing and planting same in his brother’s house.”

The official said the agency also arrested a 22-year-old member of the National Youth Service Corps, Arnold Maniru, for allegedly importing four kilogrammes of drugged candies from the United Kingdom.

“The youth corps member serving with a government agency in Abuja was arrested on Saturday, August 28, 2021, following the interception of a consignment at the warehouse of a transport company.

“A controlled delivery of the parcel, which contains the candies laced with Arizona, a strong variant of cannabis and some liquid, was subsequently carried out,” he added.

In a related development, operatives attached to courier companies in Lagos reportedly intercepted 1.2kg of cannabis concealed inside locally-made cookies going to Dubai, UAE and 920grams of cocaine hidden inside synthetic hair heading for Saudi Arabia.

Another 1.08kg cannabis concealed in spray cans going to Pakistan and 625g of methamphetamine hidden in clothing heading to Australia were also reportedly seized.

The statement said, “Across the states, operatives also intensified arrests of traffickers and seizures of illicit drugs. A total of 384.7kg of assorted narcotics being transported to the nation’s capital, Abuja, for sale were intercepted and seized at patrol points in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Monday, August 20, and Thursday, September 2, 2021.

“A truck, with number plate, Plateau AA 462 QAP, driven by 50-year-old Danlami Dodo, coming from Onitsha, Anambra, with Abuja, FCT as destination, was intercepted at a patrol point in Lokoja.

*Upon a search, the following psychoactive substances were discovered packed in sacks and cartons: 1,975 bottles of cough syrup with codeine, weighing 282kg; 199 packets of Exol-5 tablets weighing 75.4kg; 250 packets of Diazepam tablets weighing 15.4kg; Cannabis Sativa weighing 5.9kg; and one packet of Ketamine injection, all weighing 378.7kg.”

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Marwa (retd.), commended the commanders, officers and men of the agency for maintaining the heat on drug traffickers and dealers in the country.

PUNCH.

The Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu has said the Fulani are also victims of kidnapping in the country.

Bagudu, however, stressed that Nigerians never get to hear the abduction of Fulani people.

The Governor, who spoke on Channels Television, lamented that Nigerians attribute all kidnappings to Fulani people.

Bagudu maintained that a lot of Fulani people were decent and peaceful residents who just want to make a living.

He said: “I have met with many Fulani communities in my state, who explained that they are also victims.

“They are the major victims of kidnapping and then the wider kidnapping that is conducted by other Fulanis and non-Fulanis, who have come to form criminal gangs.

“A lot of Fulani are naturally victims and they are pauperised by it.

“We don’t even hear their stories. We don’t hear their side. We just think they are complicit. They are not. Majority of them are peaceful and decent people, seeking to make a living.”

In the past few years, the Fulani have been linked to violence and crime in Nigeria.

Crisis between herders and farmers across the country, banditry have also been linked to the Fulani tribe.

The wife to a member of Katsina State House of Assembly, Dr Ibrahim Kurami has been kidnapped by suspected bandits.

Shehu Sani, a former Kaduna lawmaker raised the alarm on Twitter in the early hours of Sunday.

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to save Katsina State from the hands of bandits following recent incidents of kidnapping in the state.

His tweet read: “While the elder brother of the Katsina state Secretary to the Government is still in the hands of bandits, the terrorists have struck again this night and kidnapped the wife of a member of State House of Assembly Dr Ibrahim Kurami.

“It’s time for the President to save Katsina state.”

The worsening state of insecurity in Katsina and most parts of North has continued to cause panic in the nation.

Recently, members of Katsina House of Assembly broke down in tears while lamenting the increasing state of insecurity in Katsina State.

They appealed to the government to take a new approach to solving insecurity in the state and act fast before bandits destroy more communities and lives.

Katsina State is the home State of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Police in Edo State, on Saturday confirmed the killing of one Mr Olajide Sowore, the younger brother of social activist, Mr Omoyele Sowore.

The police said the deceased was shot dead in Edo by gunmen in the early hours of Saturday.

He was said to be coming from Igbinedion University, Okada, near Benin, where he was studying Pharmacy, before he was shot dead on the Benin-Lagos highway.

It added that five other persons were abducted in the process.

According to Kontongs, the body of the deceased has been deposited at the Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital (IUTH).

“Good morning all. This is to confirm to you that suspected kidnappers at about 0645hrs along the Lagos-Benin Expressway by Isuwa kidnapped five unidentified persons.

“And in the process, they shot dead one, Sowore Felix Olajide, male, a pharmacy student of Igbinedion University Okada.

“His remains have been deposited at IUTH mortuary, Okada, while efforts are ongoing to rescue the five kidnapped victims.

“Search and rescue operations are ongoing,” he added.

The elder Sowore, had in a statement earlier on Saturday announced the killing of his younger brother by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.

Daily Post

The commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, Andrew Amiengheme, has ordered the arrest and detention of one Joweigha Michael, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, over the death of one Kubiat Isaac, a prospective National Youths Service Corp member.

He has also ordered an autopsy to verify the remote and immediate cause of Isaac’s death while in detention

A statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Odiko Macdon, on Saturday, titled, ‘Death of Kubiat Isaac, CP orders arrest of ASP,’ said Isaac, who was being investigated for suspected criminal offences, took ill and was taken to Police clinic where he died.

Macdon, however, denounced the news in the social media that the said Isaac was beaten to death by a Police personnel.

According to the statement, Isaac was traced to and arrested at Eni Stores in Uyo on the 29th of August, 2021 and taken for questioning and later transferred to CID, where his case was pending investigation before his eventual death.

“The attention of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command has been drawn to a news making the rounds on social media that one Kubiat Isaac, who was arrested at Eni Stores, was beaten to death by a Police personnel.

“It is expedient to state that the said Kubiat Isaac was being investigated for the offence of suspected armed robbery and cultism, and had been evading arrest for sometime.

“Unfortunately, the suspect said he was sick. He was taken to the Police clinic for treatment, but gave up the ghost in the process.

“The Commissioner of Police, Andrew Amiengheme, has ordered an autopsy to be conducted in order to determine the cause of death.

“The CP, who has great respect for fundamental rights, notes that contemporary policing isn’t about torture and should not be tolerated, hence, has vowed that a diligent and transparent investigation will be conducted.

“To actualise this, the CP ordered for the immediate arrest and detention for questioning of one ASP Joweigha Michael, who, preliminary investigation revealed, was the officer who effected the arrest of the said Kubiat,” the statement said.

While consoling with the family over the untimely death, the CP assured that the officer would face the full weight of the law if found culpable and would be held accountable for his action.

Punch

An Upper Area Court in Zuba, on Friday ordered that two security guards get 12 strokes of the cane each for stealing N65, 000 and vehicle spare parts.

The Judge, Gambo Garba also sentenced Jeremiah Yahaya, 25 and Gideon Bulus, 24 , to 24 months imprisonment each after they pleaded guilty to joint act and theft.

Garba gave them an option to pay a fine of N60, 000 each.

He added that Yahaya and Bulus should pay the complainant, Victor Okorie, compensation of N142, 000 and warned them to desist from committing crimes.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Chinedu Ogada, told the court that the complainant reported the matter at the Gwarinpa Police Station on Aug.18.

Ogada said Yahaya and Bulus, security guards attached to Gostu Plaza, 1st Avenue, Gwarinpa, Abuja conspired and burgled the complainant’s motor spareparts shop at the said address sometime in July.

He said they stole N65, 000 cash, a Toyota Camry 2011 model shock absover valued N25, 000, four litres of Total engine oil valued N9, 000 and air conditioner hose valued N25, 000.

The prosecution counsel said Yahaya and Bulus also stole a motor gearbox valued N18, 000 amounting to a total of N142, 000.

Ogada said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 79 and 288 of the Penal Code.(NAN)

A Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has frozen assets and funds worth N19.17bn allegedly kept in 24 banks by a convicted former Managing Director of the defunct Bank PHB, Francis Atuche.

Justice Lateefat Okunnu made the order sequel to an August 17 application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in a suit between the Federal Government and Atuche, as well as Ugo Anyanwu, the first and second defendants respectively.

Anyanwu, a former Chief Financial Officer of the bank, is also serving time in jail following his conviction and sentencing to six years’ imprisonment on June 16, 2021 for fraud involving about N25.7bn.

Justice Okunnu, while sentencing the duo, had ordered that they should make a restitution of the N25.7bn to the Federal Government in order to replace the funds stolen from the public to bail out the bank.

The judge, therefore on Thursday, granted the agency’s 12 prayers pursuant to sections 6(d), 20, 24, 26(1), 30, and 34(1) of the EFCC Act, as well sections 290, 294 and 297 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2015.

The application was filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission prosecution team, led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Kemi Pinheiro.

Justice Okunnu held, “An order is made restraining the first defendant, whether by himself, or acting through the persons or entities listed from dealing with the value of the assets and proceeds of economic and financial crimes or otherwise in the name of the first defendant.”

The judge further froze any bank account being run and operated by Atuche, personally or jointly, whether in his personal name or otherwise in any of the respondent banks to the tune of N19.17bn.

The judge added, “A mandatory order of injunction is made directing the named respondent’s banks to file within 48 hours of service of the order of this honourable court on them returns of the statements of account of the first defendant.”

They are Anthony Atuche, Emeka Atuche, Paul Okobi, Felix Oyiana, Moruf Adisa, Olatunji Abiodun, Daniel Enebeli, Aina Olugbenga, Augustine Nwabueze, Omonua Benedict, Oliver Nduaaron, Chris Ogbechie, Murat Bektaslar, Attah Olukemi, and Thomas Etuh.

PUNCH.

Lagos State Government, yesterday, issued an abatement warning to 7-Up Bottling Company Limited, located on Mobolaji Johnson Avenue, Oregun, over its incessant creation of traffic bottlenecks and environmental nuisance with indiscriminate blocking of the road by its trucks.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, while giving the directive, stated that the trucks of the company created environmental and traffic nuisance for over an hour in recent times, inhibiting the free flow of traffic across all the sections.

Bello said: “Even at night, officials of the company do remove the median provided by the State to regulate traffic movement thus causing accidents to unsuspecting members of the public.

“The directive has been given to the State Task Force on Special Offences and the Lagos Traffic Management Authority to henceforth tow away any of the trucks that blocks the road in a quest to enter the 7-Up plant.

“Same will apply to staffer and personnel seen around the littered drains in front of the premises which have become a major source of concern to the Environment Ministry.”

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