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Category: Crime

  • Speeding truck loses control, crushes mother, baby, three others in Anambra

    Speeding truck loses control, crushes mother, baby, three others in Anambra

    An over speeding truck, Sunday night, crushed an unidentified mother, her baby and three others to death at Enugu-Agidi, Njikoka Local Government Area, Anambra State.

    It was learnt that the incident which occured at about 7.20pm along Onitsha-Enugu expressway was between a black Lexus RX330 with registration number KJA182HS and a Red Truck with no registration number.

    An eyewitness, Mr Nonso Ikem, alleged that the truck driver whose identify could not be ascertained at press time, was on speed, and later lost control and rammed into the Lexus SUV.

    As a result, the Lexus was destroyed beyond repair with three men, one woman (probably a mother) and a female child lying in the pool of their blood at the scene of the incident.

    The Acting Sector Public Education Officer, Anambra command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Miss Margaret Onabe, who confirmed the report, said the FRSC rescue team took the victims to a nearby hospital were they were further pronounced dead and deposited in a morgue.

    According to Onabe, the rescue team on ground managed the traffic and ensured that the obstruction caused by the crash was removed.

    “The Sector Commander Anambra State, Corps Commander Adeoye Irelewuyi has sympathised with the family of the dead victims and sends his prayers to the victims’ repose souls. He warned motorist especially truck drivers to avoid speeding and ensure they keep to recommend speed limit,” she added.

  • Suspected pirates kill 5 boat passengers in Rivers

    Suspected pirates kill 5 boat passengers in Rivers

    No fewer than five passengers were killed along the waterways by suspected Sea pirates on Friday morning while traveling from Bille community in Degema local government area of Rivers State, to Port Harcourt, the state capital.

    An indigene of the community, Bebe Oyibo Jacob, who disclosed this on Friday while speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt, said several others passengers were missing as a result of the incident.

    Jacob said the incident occured when the suspected Sea pirates opened fire on a passenger boat which was travelling from Bille to the state capital.

    He said: “This morning (Friday), our passenger boat that was going to Port Harcourt was attacked by some boys, killing about five persons. We have entered the water and succeeded in rescuing one person and also recovered one corpse, which we have taken back to Bille.

    “Let Governor Wike know that these boys have started again. They have blocked Bille River and no other way to come to Bille and no way to go back to Port Harcourt.”
    Jacob called on the Rivers State government and security agencies to act fast to restore sanity on the waterways.
    He added: “The state government and agencies should send a team to come and see what is happening. We wanted peace on the Bille River and we made peace but they have started again. Government should send a team to come and investigate otherwise, we, the Bille people will not accept this”

    The Rivers State Police Command is yet to react to the attack as at the time of filing this report.

  • Bandits Abduct Two Pregnant Women, 13 Others In Katsina Communities

    Bandits Abduct Two Pregnant Women, 13 Others In Katsina Communities

    Bandits have invaded a low cost project quarters at Dutsen Reme, Bakori LGA of Katsina State and abducted four people.

    The development, according to the locals, happened at about 10:00 pm on Friday night while it was raining.
    According one Ahmed Ridwan, a resident of Dutsen Reme low cost housing estate, the assailants took advantage of the rainfall and executed their mission unchallenged.

    “We were informed through phone calls by villagers around Maska that bandits in large numbers were likely heading to our quarters and we immediately informed the police and military personnel. But when they arrived, the bandits had already abducted four people,” Ridwan said.

    Malam Lawal Hamisu Maska, who was absent when the bandits stormed their house, said his co-tenant, Bishir Shitu Sallau, a staff of High Court Funtua, was abducted along with one Safiyanu, a student of College of Education in Abuja.He said, “I was absent when the bandits came and forced their way into the main gate; Bishir and Safiyanu had already hidden their wives in a restroom, so when the bandits broke the door, they asked for the women but could not see them. Therefore, they went away with their husbands.”
    Due to the incident, Hamisu Maska said he will park from his house and the area to relocate forever.

    “I am a medical practitioner and it was my job that brought me to Funtua from Maska. This incessant insecurity has left me with no option but to leave for my village,” he said.

    At the project quarters, they abducted one Lauratu Jibril and her stepdaughter, after her husband, Malam Jibril, narrowly escaped.

    Safarau Sanusi, the younger sister of the victim, said the bandits were at the quarters at 9:45 pm.

    “Lauratu is newly married to Jibril and she spent not more than thirty days in the house before her abduction. When the husband sensed danger, he quickly jumped the fence and escaped,” she said.

    According to the residents seven days ago the bandits abducted two people at the same low-cost housing estate. Similarly, last week, one Tajuddeen, a tyre repairer, and the wife of one Tanimu Mohammed of Unguwar Maitandama, were abducted.

    In a related development, bandits numbering over 20 invaded Kabomo village in Bakori LGA and abducted six people, including two pregnant women.

    Salima Lawal, a wife of one of the victims, said the bandits struck at about 12:15am on Tuesday and kidnapped six people in three different houses.

    “My co-wife that is nine months pregnant was abducted along with her son, but they later released her around Huguma of Kafur LGA at about 3:00 am after so many kilometres of trekking. They also kidnapped one Alhaji Sa’adu Gulafa, a metal scrap dealer, as well as another pregnant woman with her two children.”

    Lawal added that their husband was in far away Lagos where he was eking out a living when the unfortunate incident happened.

    When contacted for confirmation, the police spokesman in Katsina, SP Gambo Isah, promised to contact the DPO of the area and revert. But at the time of filing this report, he was yet to confirm the incidents.

  • Court will decide on Evans’ trial on September 19 in the case of kidnapping

    Court will decide on Evans’ trial on September 19 in the case of kidnapping

    Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of a Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos State, has set September 19, 2022 for judgement in the state government’s action against convicted kidnap kingpin Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (alias Evans) and an accomplice, Victor Chukwunonso Aduba, over alleged kidnapping.

    Evans is on trial alongside Aduba, an ex-soldier, for kidnapping businessman Sylvanus Ahamonu and demanding a ransom of $420,000 from his family.

    They are facing four counts of kidnapping and unauthorised possession of firearms.

    Aduba told the court that he was a Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSCE) holder and lived in Ojo Military Cantonment. He said he was arrested in respect of the alleged kidnap case on June 24, 2017 and vehemently denied knowing Evans prior to his arrest.

    However, the trial judge fixed the date for judgment after listening to the submissions and arguments of the counsel in the suit.

    However, at the resumed hearing, defendant counsels, Chuks Muoma (SAN) and Emmanuel Ochai, asked the court to order inquiry into the death of three witnesses in police custody during the trial of the kidnap kingpin.

    They told the court that the three witnesses, which were standing trial with the two, died in police custody and that no autopsy was done to reveal the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

    Court will decide on Evans’ trial on September 19 in the case of kidnapping

    They submitted that the fact that they died in custody whereas they were hale and hearty when the police arrested them raises serious questions into the confessional statements obtained from the leader of the gang.

    The two defence counsel further submitted that the prosecution has failed in several areas to prove the case against Evans and his colleague beyond reasonable doubt and urged the court to discharge and acquit them.

    In his submission, the state prosecution counsel, Mr. Yusuf Sule, however, prayed that the first and second defendants be convicted.

    He said that a defendant needed not to be seen at the scene of the crime to be convicted, stressing that though the confession of one person could not be used against another person, there were exemptions where the nexus correlate and interwoven, quoting a Supreme Court judgment.

  • Police arrest 11 undergraduates over cultism, unlawful possession of firearms

    Police arrest 11 undergraduates over cultism, unlawful possession of firearms

    Operatives of the Nigeria Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, have arrested 11 undergraduates of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma over alleged criminal conspiracy, cultism and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms.

    The Force Public Relations, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said this during a media briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said the suspects were arrested in July at different locations in Epkoma following credible intelligence on activities of cult groups in the area.

    The police spokesman said the suspects had allegedly confessed to being members of a secret cult, the Black Axe Confraternity, during police investigation.

    He said two AK47 riffles, three pump action short guns, one locally made pistol, two AK47 magazines and 22 live rounds of AK47 ammunition were recovered from the suspects.

    According to him, other items recovered from the suspects are 17 rounds of K2 live ammunition and three live cartridges.

    He said police IRT operatives had also arrested four suspects in Bauchi State over alleged criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide and kidnapping.

    Mr Adejobi said the suspects were arrested in June following credible intelligence on activities of a notorious bandit group operating within Bauchi state and its environs.

    He said police investigation had shown that the group actively participated in several kidnapping and armed robbery operations in the area.

    According to him, further investigation revealed that the suspects, in Aug. 2020, masterminded the murder of one Musa Mante, 58, a former member of Bauchi State House of Assembly.

    He said the gang was also responsible for the kidnap of three family members of the late House of Assembly member when they attacked his residence.

    Mr Adejobi said the gang had also confessed to the gruesome murder of a retired police officer who served as the Divisional Police Officer in Tafawa Balewa, Bauchi state.

    The FPRO said the suspects were among the 21 people arrested in connection with offences bordering on criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, armed robbery, culpable homicide, theft and unlawful possession of prohibited fire arms.

    He said 10 AK47 riffles, one G3 riffle, eight pump action guns, three locally made pistols, one locally made revolver, three double barrel guns and one single barrel gun were recovered from them.

    He added that four cutlasses, 48 AK47 ammunition, 100 pistol ammunition, 471 K2 ammunition, 14 live cartridges and eight expended cartridges were also recovered.

  • EFCC arraigns Cubana manager over $164,000 fraud

    EFCC arraigns Cubana manager over $164,000 fraud

    The Economics and Financial Crime Commission on Wednesday arraigned a manager with Cubana Group, Lucky Uchechukwu Ndukwe, for an offence bordering on conspiracy to launder and money laundering.
    Ndukwe, known better as Cubana Prime Minister, was arraigned alongside one Precious Omonkhoa Ofure before Justice Justice O.A. Fadipe of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos State, by the Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC.
    The suspects were arrested recently by EFCC operatives following credible intelligence received about their involvement in the fraudulent activity.
    Items recovered from them include the sum of $164, 000. 00 (One Hundred and Sixty-four Thousand Dollars), iPhone mobile devices and laptop computers.
    The charge against the suspect reads: “That you, Precious Omonkhoa Ofure and Lucky Uchechukwu Ndukwe, sometime in 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspire amongst yourselves and laundered an aggregate sum of $164,000 which form part of $256,314 fraudulently obtained by false pretence from one Elena Bogomaz, a Canadian Citizen, and converted the fraudulent money into the United States Dollars with the help of a Bureau De Change Operator, which was then credited into the bank account of Casa Cubana Estate Limited and Lucky Uchechukwu Ndukwe respectively for the purchase of two and landed properties and committed an offence contrary to Section 330 of lhe Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.”
    During their arraignment on Wednesday, Ndukwe “pleaded not guilty”, while Ofure pleaded “guilty” to the charge.

    Consequently, the prosecution counsel, M.K.Bashir, reviewed the facts of the case and prayed that the defendant, Ofure, be sentenced accordingly.

    Delivering judgment, Justice Fadipe found Ofure guilty and sentenced him to three years imprisonment on two counts of conspiracy and money laundering, with an option of fine in the sum of N2,000,000.00 and 100 hours of community service.

    The judge also ordered the forfeiture of all the items recovered from the convict.

    Counsel to Udukwe, Chuks Arubalaeze, told the court about an application for bail on behalf of his client.

    Justice Fadipe granted him bail in the sum of N5,000,000.00 with two sureties in like sum.

    Justice Fadipe also ordered the remand of Udukwe in the correctional facility pending the perfection of his bail conditions and adjourned the case to October 28, 2022, for commencement of trial.

  • NSCDC arrests suspected oil thief in Akwa Ibom

    NSCDC arrests suspected oil thief in Akwa Ibom

    In Akwa Ibom, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) apprehended one suspect and impounded two vehicles transporting 1,500 litres of suspected adulterated Automotive Gas Oil.

    Mr Suleiman Marafa, the state Commandant of the Corps, stated this during a media briefing in Uyo on Wednesday.

    According to Marafa, the suspect, 36, was apprehended by NSCDC operatives in Akwa Ibom on August 19 along the Ikot Abasi-Port Harcourt highway while transporting the product from Ogoni creeks in Rivers.

    He stated that the second suspect abandoned his vehicle and fled when he saw corps operatives, and that the two vehicles seized were registered AKD 940 EG and ART 994 AA.
    The commandant said that the suspects concealed the product in cellophane bags tucked inside the booths of their vehicle to beat security checks.

    Marafa assured that the NSCDC would continue to pursue and apprehend criminals sabotaging the nation’s economy.

    “The Corps under my watch will not relent in hunting oil thieves and vandals who are sabotaging the Nigerian economy.

    “We have increased surveillance and patrol in identified flashpoints. I want to assure you that it’s not going to be business as usual for criminals and enemies of the state.

    “The suspect will be arraigned in court soonest, where he will answer for his crime. I want to appeal to our youths to desist from crime,” Marafa said.

  • We’re Not Interested In Mbazulike Iloka’s (Mba Mba) Battery Case, HURIWA Contacts IGP

    We’re Not Interested In Mbazulike Iloka’s (Mba Mba) Battery Case, HURIWA Contacts IGP

    The claimed battery complaint involving Mr. Mbazulike Iloka, the temporarily suspended administrator of the Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, was dismissed by the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) on Tuesday.

    Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the National Coordinator of HURIWA, emphasized in a statement that the organization only wrote a letter to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, asking him to look into the “unexplained death” of the wife of the suspended LG boss and did not accuse Iloka of killing her.

    HURIWA had requested an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Iloka’s wife after the governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo, suspended Iloka. The IGP complied with HURIWA’s request on August 15, 2022.

    In a follow-up letter to the IGP on August 23, 2022, HURIWA clarified thus: “We read about the development regarding the suspension of Mr. Mbazulike Iloka as administrator of Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State by the Governor Chukwuma Soludo.

    “However, we further observed that no action was taken by the Anambra State Government to undertake a dispassionate investigation to either clear the administrator and reinstate him back to his political post or bring him to justice if found to have any connection to the unexplained death of his beloved wife.

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    “So, our members were of the opinion that we write to you the Chief Law Enforcement Officer to use your good offices to investigate the allegations. We have totally left it to the discretion of the office of the chief law enforcement officer- the Inspector General of Police of Nigeria to decide how the proceedings go and we believe that if autopsy report vindicates the bereaved, the proactive IGP of Nigeria will not hesitate to end the matter since we cannot question science.

    “There is a trending erroneous impression that our organisation directly accused the said suspended administrator of involvement in the death of his wife. This is so far from the truth.”

    Commenting further in a statement on Tuesday, HURIWA’s Onwubiko stressed, “At no point did HURIWA accuse the administrator of killing his wife; we only called for the IGP to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of his wife following an unambiguous statement by Anambra State government that he is suspended over the unexplained death of his wife.

    “HURIWA’s call was done in line with our commitment to ensure that Nigeria is a nation governed by law and therefore HURIWA has no interest whatsoever on that matter once we have called the attention of the IGP to it so the IGP is lawfully in charge and can on his own discretion end the investigation if a scientific report such as autopsy shows that the lady died naturally and not through domestic violence.”

    However, recall that Anaedoonline.ng had revealed that the Autopsy result has vindicated Mr. Mbazulike Iloka of any accusation.

    The suspended Transition Committee Chairman of Nnewi North Local Government Area, Mr Mbazulike Iloka also known as Mba Mba, whose wife, Lady Chidiebere, died due to a reported bad fall suspected to have been caused by High blood pressure has been vindicated from any allegation of killing his beloved wife after the autopsy result emerged.

    This was revealed by Late Lady Chidiebere’s brother, Mr Uchenna Ezenwoye in a letter addressed to Anambra State Commissioner of Police withdrawing his petition against Mbazulike Iloka for culpablility in the sister’s death.

  • Man sentenced to triple life imprisonment for defiling, raping daughters

    Man sentenced to triple life imprisonment for defiling, raping daughters

    Michake Ogbar was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday for defiling and raping his three daughters, who are now 10, 20, and 24 years old, in front of an Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offenses Court.

    The charge of defiling and raping Mr. Ogbar had been proven beyond a reasonable doubt, according to Justice Abiola Soladoye’s ruling.

    Evidence presented in court demonstrates that the prosecution has established its case for defilement and rape in front of this court.

    Because the burden of proof has been met, the defendant—the father of the three daughters—is found guilty as charged.

    She held, “This is such a tragic case.

    The man raped and defiled his daughters for years without his wife’s knowledge, according to the judge, who found it disheartening.

    “Parenthood as a whole is disgraced.

    “The defendant engaged in incest by ravishing each of his own daughters in turn. It is extremely perverted and embarrassing.

    “The defendant is hereby found responsible and given a life sentence on count one.

    The judge ruled that the defendant received a life sentence on count two and a life sentence on count three.

    The defendant’s name was ordered to be entered into the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register by Ms. Soladoye, who also announced that the sentence would run concurrently.

    Six witnesses testified during the trial on behalf of the Lagos State Government, which filed the accusation.

    It declared that the offences were against Sections 137 and 258(1) of the Lagos State Criminal Law from 2015.

  • Gunmen kill one, kidnap three in the village of former governor Muazu in Bauchi

    Gunmen kill one, kidnap three in the village of former governor Muazu in Bauchi

    A kidnapping operation at Boto, a village in the Tafawa Balewa LGA of the State, resulted in the death of Mua’zu Danladi, a 25-year-old man, according to the Bauchi State Police Command.

    According to rumours, the village is where Ahmed Adamu Muazu, a former governor of the state, is from.

    The Command has also confirmed that during the early-morning operation on Wednesday, July 13, the kidnappers made off with 3 people.

    In addition to confirming the kidnapping, SP Ahmed Wakili, the PPRO of the Command, also stated that the abductors attacked the village at around 1.30 am, shooting sporadically to fend off any counterattack, before fleeing with the victims and killing one person in the process.

    He added that the Police Commissioner, Umar Sanda, immediately ordered the DPO in charge of the Tafawa Balewa Division to take immediate action after receiving a distress call from someone reporting that gunmen suspected to be kidnappers had entered Boto village.

    The gunmen had left with the victims, the DPO said, adding that he had mobilised his men and rushed to the village.

    “Our men are currently looking through the bushes in search of the criminals. We will locate them, apprehend them, and prosecute them, in sha Allah, he declared.

    Additionally, the Police Spokesperson reaffirmed that the Command, under the direction of the Police Commissioner, was constantly prepared to defend the lives and property of law abiding citizens of the State.

    In order to reassure the family members that the kidnapped victims will be rescued safely and reunited with their families, he continued by saying that the Command had in the past moved swiftly to rescue kidnapped victims and was prepared to do the same thing in this case.