Crime Facts

Onitsha floats security outfit against insecurity

In a bid to further advance the community policing arrangement of the Federal Government, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, in collaboration with the chairman of Onitsha North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Mr. Patrick Agha Mba, has established a security outfit to combat crime in the commercial nerve centre of the state. The 91 Onitsha Community Vigilance members were expected to patrol all the nooks and crannies of the city, in collaboration with the state’s vigilance group, the police and other security agencies, to ensure that the area is safe for indigenes and visitors to do their business. Igwe Achebe, while inaugurating the new security outfit in his palace, said it would strengthen the security of Onitsha community, adding that members of the security outfit were trained to support the police and other security agencies in ensuring that Onitsha was crime-free. The monarch said the initiative was to consolidate on the achievements of Governor Willie Obiano in the area of security, and to rid the city of all criminal elements that had given it a bad image. He said the community had the plan of increasing the security operatives’ strength to 300, even as he solicited support from wealthy individuals and groups to adequately equip them with materials for effective performance. Igwe Achebe also inspected the guard of the new security personnel on parade. Mba explained that members of the security outfit were trained to combat crime within their neighbourhoods, in order to create an active security network in the community. He said it was also aimed at providing job opportunities for youths, adding that engaging them in crime control would reduce their involvement in crime and other irregularities within the neighbourhood. The chairman also said embarking on neighborhood security was to complement the efforts of Obiano, who had made security a priority of his government. The chairman on the occasion, traditional ruler of Omor Kingdom, Igwe Chris Oranu Chidume, described the exercise as proactive, aimed at checkmating the activities of miscreants, while noting that, once Onitsha was safe from crime, other parts of the state would follow suit. The chairman of Anambra State Vigilante Group (AVG), Ikechukwu Ayodele Aduba, a retired commissioner of police, advised the new security officers to work within the ambits of the law. He stated his commitment towards securing the community in partnership with Onitsha Vigilante as supervisory head of Anambra State Vigilante Services. In his remarks, a BoT member of APGA and member of the board of AVG, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka (Ogilishi Igbo), thanked Obiano for finding worthy an indigene of Onitsha, Aduba, to head Anambra State Vigilante Services. He also commended the Obi of Onitsha for the security outfit, which he said would complement the security agents already in place in the state. President-general of Onitsha Improvement Union (OIU), Sir Chike Ekweogwum, while addressing the security agents, said their training was a welcome development to the people of Onitsha and other residents of the city and environs. He admonished them to be of good behaviour and operate within the law of the land as well as put the skills and intelligence garnered during the training into practice. “You are not trained to become terrors in the community but to guard and protect life and property within your neighborhoods,’’ Ekweogwu said. Source: THE SUNNEWSPAPER

Nigeria records 346 new COVID-19 infections, total now 159,252

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 346 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 159,252. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Tuesday. “346 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-86 Bauchi-64 Kaduna-26 Kwara-26 FCT-24 Rivers-23 Plateau-22 Ogun-16 Ebonyi-14 Bayelsa-12 Cross River-10 Edo-8 Akwa Ibom-5 Ekiti-3 Gombe-2 Kano-2 Osun-2 Delta-1.”

DR Congo Sentences 16 To Death For 2019 Killing Of Ebola Medic

Sixteen people, including a doctor, have been sentenced to death in absentia for the murder of a Cameroonian Ebola expert, lawyers said on Tuesday. Richard Valery Mouzoko Kiboung, an epidemiologist employed by the UN’s World Health Organization (WHO), was gunned down in April 2019 at a work meeting at a hospital in Butembo, in North Kivu province. He was one of many foreign medical workers who had been brought in to help fight an epidemic of Ebola in eastern DR Congo that claimed more than 2,200 lives before it ended in June 2020 after 22 months. A military court in North Kivu on Monday handed down the death sentence to 16 fugitives, including Dr Jean-Paul Mundama, who were charged with terrorism and criminal association, attorneys familiar with the case said. The Democratic Republic of Congo has not carried out executions since a moratorium was declared in 2003. Lawyer Jean-Marie Vianney Muhindo Kanzira told AFP that Mouzoko was allegedly the victim of jealousy by local doctors. Local doctors earned an Ebola bonus of $20 per day, whereas foreign doctors in senior positions could pick up more than $20,000 per month, according to an investigation last December by a news website, Les Jours. After meeting with four other local doctors who were angry about the different status, Mundama allegedly gave $700 to a former militiaman, with the promise of $20,000 more, if he and others “got the foreigners to flee,” Les Jours said. Eight other defendants were present at the weeklong trial. Of these, two militiamen were jailed for five years, and a second doctor, Gilbert Kasereka Kasisivahwa, was handed three years for criminal association. The international response to the 2018-20 Ebola epidemic, the 10th in DRC’s history, has been subject to much scrutiny. Tens of millions of dollars poured into a remote region in a poor country, creating work opportunities for many, such as in logistics and tracing. But it also stoked rivalries and jealousies between staff from the region and those from the DRC capital Kinshasa, and also between DRC hires and foreign hires. -AFP

Zamfara emir: How bandits abducted over 100 miners in one day

Attahiru Ahmad, Emir of Anka in Zamfara state, says more than 100 miners operating between Anka and Maru LGAs in the state were abducted by bandits on March 2. Ahmad, chairman of the state council of chiefs, disclosed this in Gusau, the Zamfara capital, on Tuesday when Lucky Irabor, chief of defence staff (CDS), led service chiefs on an assessment visit to the state. According to NAN, the emir explained that the incident took place when the state was focused on the rescue of the 279 students abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe. The schoolgirls were released on March 2. Ahmad also said the bandits killed 10 persons during an invasion of a mining site in Zamfara. “The bandits have been attacking those involved in artisanal mining and carting away their money and property,” he said. “There is a disconnect between miners and bandits in the state, so we were surprised when the declaration of ‘no fly zone’ was recently slammed on our state over suspected arms supply and illegal mining, when the state does not even have an airport. “We know that there are states with more security challenges than Zamfara, and we expected that if such order would be issued, it should also cover such states. “Our artisanal miners, who are licenced, have been very helpful to the state’s economic growth and they have played significant roles in ameliorating the hardship faced by IDPs in the state by supporting them.” The traditional ruler called for the deployment of more security operatives to the state, and commended the peace initiative of the Zamfara government. “The peace and dialogue initiative of our governor has become necessary because at the moment, we have less than 5,000 security men fighting over 30,000 bandits,” he said. He, therefore, called for synergy among security operatives to ensure success in the fight against insecurity in Zamfara. In his remarks, Irabor commended the traditional rulers for their efforts, and urged them to continue to support the military’s operations by engaging their subjects to provide credible information. Earlier on Tuesday, Matawalle had issued a two-month ultimatum to bandits to surrender to the state government.

Harry-Meghan Interview: Queen Is Sad, Says Buckingham Palace

….TV Host Piers Morgan Steps Down Amid Meghan Controversies Queen Elizabeth II has expressed sadness over the interview granted by her grandson, Prince Harry, and his wife Meghan. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had in the interview narrated the conversations around about how dark Archie’s (their newborn child) skin might be and how the child would not be given a royal title and police protection. However, Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Tuesday that the Palace “is saddened by the challenges faced by her grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, and takes their allegations of racism in the royal family seriously. “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning,” the palace said in a statement released on the queen’s behalf. “While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved family members.” More than 12 million viewers viewed the British broadcast of Oprah Winfrey’s interview with Meghan and Prince Harry on Monday night. The interview also attracted a 54 percent share of the television audience at the time. Meanwhile British television host Piers Morgan on Tuesday left his role presenting ITV breakfast show “Good Morning Britain”, shortly after sparking 41,000 complaints and storming off the set in a row over Meghan Markle. “Following discussions with ITV, Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave Good Morning Britain,” the network said in a statement. “ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add.” Morgan has been a vocal critic of Markle ever since she cut off contact with him after she met Prince Harry, and he launched a scathing attack on her following the couple’s interview with Oprah Winfrey. The former CNN host said he did not believe Markle when she said at one point she “didn’t want to be alive anymore”, sparking a deluge of complaints. Barely a day after his remarks, regulator Ofcom said that it had already received more than 41,000 complaints. Morgan also stormed off the set on Tuesday morning after clashing with fellow presenter Alex Beresford over the interview. Beresford told Morgan “I understand you’ve got a personal relationship with Meghan Markle, or had one, and she cut you off. “She’s entitled to cut you off if she wants to. Has she said anything about you since she cut you off? I don’t think she has but yet you continue to trash her,” he added, leading to Morgan’s departure. Morgan has also been the most outspoken media critic of the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic over the past year, leading to many high-profile rows with ministers. Morgan hosted his CNN show for three years until it was axed due to falling ratings in 2014. He irked US gun owners after launching a crusade for greater gun control and struggled after stepping into the shoes of popular host Larry King in the coveted 9:00 pm primetime slot.

Minimum wage: NLC to embark on nationwide protest Wednesday

The Nigerian Labour Congress has threatened to embark on a nationwide protest on Wednesday over moves by the National Assembly to remove the national minimum wage from the exclusive to the concurrent legislative list . In a statement on Tuesday, the NLC said the protest will hold in the 36 states ’ Houses of Assembly. It added that the protest will start from the Unity Fountain Abuja at 7:30 am to the National Assembly complex . The Congress had after its emergency National Executive Council meeting in Abuja last Tuesday, vowed to resist “ any attempt to exterminate Nigeria ’ s working class ” . The House of Representatives two weeks ago debated a bill to remove the powers to negotiate wage matters from the exclusive to the concurrent list , citing the inability of state governors to pay the N 30, 000 minimum wage for the move . According to a communique jointly signed by NLC President , Ayuba Wabba , and the acting General Secretary of the NLC , Ismail Bello , the bill is an attempt to undermine Nigeria ’ s working class. “ The NEC decided that there will be a national protest action commencing from March 10, 2021, in the Federal Capital Territory and especially to the National Assembly. “ The NEC decided that should the need arise , it has empowered the National Administrative Council of the NLC to declare and enforce a national strike action , especially if the legislators continue on the ruinous path of moving the national minimum wage from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent legislative list, ” it read in part.

Buhari Deploys 6000 Troops To Zamfara

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the deployment of 6000 troops to Zamfara State. Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle made the announcement in a broadcast on Tuesday evening. He said he undertook a four day working visit to Abuja to brief President Muhammadu Buhari and other critical stakeholders on security situation of the state. “In the fall out my discussion with President Muhammadu Buhari and the security higher commands in Abuja, it was resolved that 6000 additional troops will be deployed to the state to complement the effort of other security forces in tackling the security challenges in the state” “The troops will soon arrive the state for their operations and we are grateful to the federal government. As you may recall Mr President has ordered the security operatives to shoot dead any found illegally bearing rifle. “The president has agreed to a timeframe within which the recalcitrant bandits should surrender their weapons and key in to our peace initiative. As you are aware, the peace deal initiated by my administration has recorded success including the disarmament, securing the release of hundreds of kidnapped persons, reopening of markets and the resumption of other economic activities across the state. “Even though, we are enjoying relative peace as result of this dialogue and reconciliation programme, some armed bandits refused to key in to this programme and they sustain their attacks on our communities. The government has equally observed that there is sabotage by some unscrupulous elements within and outside the state. “The state government has decided to take the following measures with immediate effect: traditional rulers and local council administrators should remain in their domains to monitor the movement or influx of suspicious characters. “Conveyance of more than two persons on a motorbike is hereby banned with immediate effect, no movement of motorcycles in groups in all the nooks and crannies of the state and security operatives are directed to apprehend the violators of this order,” Matawalle said. Governor Matawalle further reaffirmed ban on the activities of Yan Sakai (vigilantes) in the state, adding that whoever is found with gun would be dealt with.

Malami gives reason Ibori loot will not return to Delta State

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) on Tuesday explained why the 4.2 million pounds loot recovered from a former governor of Delta State James Ibori and his associates will not return to the coffers of the state. Instead, the chief law officer said, in a television programme on Channels Television’s Politics Today, said the money recovered from the former governor will be used for federal projects. Malami had, earlier in the day signed an agreement with the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, for the return of the £4.2 million recovered from Ibori and his friends by the United Kingdom government. The money, expected to arrive in the country within two weeks, the Minister said are expected to be used for the construction of the second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kano road, and Lagos-Ibadan Express Way and not returned to the Delta State Government where it was pilfered from. According to the Minister, “The major consideration relating to who is entitled to a fraction or perhaps the money in its entirety is a function of law and international diplomacy”. He argued that the law that was alleged to have been breached by Ibori was a federal law and that the parties of interests involved in the repatriation of the funds were national and not sub-national governments. “All the processes associated with the recovery were consummated by the federal government and the federal government is, indeed, the victim of crime and not sub-national,” he said.

FG enters agreement with Benin Republic to end rice importation

The federal government and the Republic of Benin have entered an agreement to end the importation of rice across West African countries. This agreement was announced at the end of a meeting between a delegation from Benin, the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) and Ibrahim Gambari, the chief of staff to the president, in Abuja on Tuesday. The meeting was to solidify the agreements and tap from Nigeria’s experience in reviving rice production. Representatives of RIFAN recently visited Cotonou, Benin capital, to sign a memorandum of understanding on how the association will help the country boost its local rice production. The delegation was received by President Patrice Talon in his residential house in Cotonou along with his minister of agriculture and foreign affairs. Addressing state house correspondents after the meeting, Atiku Bagudu, governor of Kebbi state, explained that the meeting was to advance ongoing talks between the two countries on how to replicate Nigeria’s rice farming programme in the Benin Republic. “Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria met with the chief of staff to the president to progress the discussion which has been going on between them and the Benin Republic for the two countries to replicate the success of Nigeria’s rice farming programme in Benin, so that we can stop rice importation in West Africa in shortest possible time,” Bagudu said. “This is a partnership within the framework of ECOWAS agreement and the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement and our brotherly relationship between President Muhammadu Buhari and President Patrice Talon who have the vision that we can be greater together.” Speaking on what Nigeria intends to offer the Francophone country, Aminu Goronyo, national president of RIFAN, said: “Of course, they are our sister country, we are one and the same people and I think their president is ready to accept what we have used to achieve this success which is the government’s will because our success is related with the political will that this government has”. “And that is exactly what they want to learn so that they will use the same approach to attain the successes they are seeing to come to us to learn more.” During the delegation visit in Cotonou, Talon had said the closure of Nigerian borders served as an eye-opener and as such, the country was ready to work with Nigeria to stop the smuggling of rice.

Man Beats Wife To Death With Pestle in Bayelsa

Police in Bayelsa State have arrested and paraded a 56-year-old man, Christopher Chiabata, from Onuebum Community in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state for beating his wife to death with a pestle. He was apprehended after a failed attempt to take his own life by drinking Sniper to evade arrest. “The suspect on February 28, 2021 at about 0200hrs hit his wife with pestle on her head over domestic argument at Onuebum Community in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state,” said Bayelsa police commissioner Mike Okoli on Tuesday when the suspected was paraded. “The wife who was bleeding profusely was rushed to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital where she was later confirmed dead. “The suspect after realizing that he has committed murder, he took sniper to commit suicide. He was rescued by neighbours, resuscitated and arrested. He has confessed to the crime. Investigation is ongoing”, CP Okoli said. Similarly, one Lazarus Josiah ‘m’ 29 years was also paraded for killing his biological mother for reasons yet unknown. Police authorities said that the suspect strangled his 58-year-old mother, Chain Bishop, at 2am on the morning of February 20 at Odioma Community, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. SOURCE: DAILY TRUST