Crime Facts

Facebook Twitter Youtube
Post Date : May 6, 2021

Kaduna forestry college students released 56 days after abduction

After 56 gruelling days, the abducted students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have been released by bandits, The PUNCH has learnt. The Chairman of the forum of the abducted parents, Malam Abdullahi Usman, confirmed their release to The PUNCH in a telephone interview on Wednesday. He said, “Yes, they have been released. They are on their way from the forest where they have been kept for the past (over) 50 days.” On March 11, 2021 bandits invaded the school located in Afaka along the Kaduna International Airport Road and abducted 39 students. The bandits demanded N500 million as ransom for their release. However, ten of the 39 abducted students were earlier released by their abductors in two batches of five each.

Read more
Post Date : May 6, 2021

Parents of Afaka students apologise to Gumi, say he’s not linked to N800k ransom

Some parents of the kidnapped students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna state, have apologised to Ahmad Gumi, prominent Islamic cleric, over a “false accusation” against him. In March, bandits attacked the college located in Igabi LGA and abducted the students, but 172 of them were rescued, leaving 39 in captivity. Out of the 39 in captivity, 10 have regained their freedom. Speaking on Tuesday, during a protest at the national assembly for the release of their children, one of the parents alleged that Gumi directed them to a Fulani man named Ahmed, who collected N800,000 from them. But in a statement on Wednesday, jointly signed by Abdullahi Usman and Catherine Saleh, chairman and secretary of the forum of affected parents, respectively, they said no ransom was paid through Gumi and that the earlier claim by one of them has no basis. “We wish to state in no unclear terms that the claim has no basis in fact. Though the woman in the said video has a child in captivity, her claim is untrue. The woman is not a member of the committee representing the affected parents and did not speak on behalf of the parents,” they said. “To be sure, the Forum of the Abducted Parents has never gathered money and given to Gumi or to someone through the revered Islamic scholar at anytime. “We therefore dissociate ourselves from the statement. The committee considers the statement as unfortunate and an unnecessary distraction from its commitment to secure the release of their children who have now spent 56 days in captivity. “For the record, the committee representing the Forum of Parents of the 39 Abducted Students visited the home of Sheikh Gumi to seek his intervention for the release of our children but he declined, on the grounds that as a law abiding citizen he would not want to go against the position of the state government which has forbidden anyone to negotiate with bandits. “We apologise to the esteemed Sheikh for any personal injury the statement might have caused him. Again, we call on all to join their voices in calling on government at state and federal levels to work extra hard to ensure the safe release of our children so that they may be reunited with their families.” Also, Gumi, who is known to have access to some of the bandits, told TheCable that the allegation is “nonsense” and that he is not aware of such transaction.

Read more
Post Date : May 6, 2021

Time is up for bandits, hoodlums’ sponsors in Imo — Uzodimma vows

The Imo state governor, Hope Uzodimma, on Wednesday said that the time is up for hoodlums and their sponsors terrorising the state. Uzodimma spoke in Owerri, during the presentation of additional security vehicles and gadgets to operation search and flush patrol team in the state. The governor said he would achieve his plan by taken war to their hideouts, hamlets to flush them out of Imo. According to Uzodimma among other things said: “The presentation of more vehicles and security gadgets to our Operation Search and Flush team. It is a bold statement on our iron-clad resolve to flush out criminals from our dear state. It is a signal to bandits, hoodlums and trigger-happy criminals that their time is up in Imo State. “Again this event further underscores the fact that our government can never be intimidated by criminals and their sponsors. It also reaffirms our commitment to the protection of lives and property of all citizens of the state including those on transit. “You will recall that just a few days after I assumed office as the governor of Imo State, I inaugurated the security outfit known as Operation Search and Flush,(OSF), which brought together all the different security agencies to work as a team to fight every form of criminality. “The objective then and now is to rout and root out every aspect of crime in our state. I empowered the outfit with a record of 100 patrol vehicles and sophisticated communication equipment to help them achieve the objective. There is no doubt that that intervention yielded positive results, the recent pockets of crime here and there notwithstanding.” “In like manner, we shall do all that we can to ameliorate the pains of families who lost their loved ones in the course of accidental engagements with security agencies. Our sincere condolences go to the affected families. Furthermore, in the coming weeks, I shall be integrating the Imo State Vigilante outfit, otherwise known as Ebubeagu to complement the efforts of Operation Search and Flush, in fighting crime in the state. “Let me, therefore, use the auspicious occasion of this memorable event to declare a total war against crime, criminality and their sponsors in the state. In this regard, I am today declaring a zero-tolerance for crime in Imo State. From now onwards Imo State shall be a no go area for criminals. We shall take the war to the doorway of all criminals; their kindred, their hamlets and their hideout. We shall smoke them out and flush them out of Imo State,” Uzodimma said.

Read more
Post Date : May 6, 2021

Plan by FG to slash salaries is ‘mass suicide wish’ for Nigerian workers, says NLC

The Organised Labour has condemned and rejected the plan by the Federal Government to slash the salaries of workers in the country. President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Waba, who said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, noted that the plan was tantamount to a “mass suicide wish” for Nigerian workers. Waba said that NLC was shocked at a statement credited to the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, on the plan to reduce the high cost of governance by cutting down on the workers’ salaries. ”The minister also allegedly directed the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) to immediately review the salaries of civil servants as well as the number of federal agencies in the country. ”It is most unthinkable that the government would be contemplating to unilaterally slash the salaries of Nigerian workers at this time,” he said. Wabba added that, “the question to ask is which salary is the government planning to slash? It certainly cannot be the meager national minimum wage of N30,000, which right now cannot even buy a bag of rice.” He expressed the belief that the proposed slash in salaries was certainly not targeted at the minimum wage and consequential adjustment in salaries that some state governors were still dragging their feet to pay. According to him, it is in public knowledge that the multiple devaluations of the Naira in a short time, and the prevailing high inflation rate in Nigeria, have knocked out the salaries earned by Nigerian workers across the board. ”Nigerian workers are only surviving by hair’s breadth. Indeed, Nigerian workers are miracles strutting on two legs. ”It is, therefore, extremely horrendous for a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to pronounce salary slash for Nigerian workers currently. ”This call for salary slash by Mrs Zainab Ahmed is tantamount to a ‘mass suicide wish’ for Nigerian workers,” he said. While opposing the move, he demand an immediate retraction and apology by the Minister of Finance. The NLC president, however, said that if there was any salary that needed serious slashing, “it is the humongous remuneration and allowances pocketed by political office holders in Nigeria, who do extraordinarily little but collect so much. ”Workers generate surplus value and revenue for the government. ”We do not constitute any unnecessary cost or burden to governance. It is also important to make the point that salaries are products of contracts governed by laws. They cannot be unilaterally adjusted.” He said that many countries of the world were increasing the salaries of their workforce and extending social security coverage for their citizens.

Read more
Post Date : May 6, 2021

Paying ransom to kidnappers is foolishness —Obasanjo

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Wednesday, has cautioned against the payment of ransom to kidnappers. He, however, submitted that the government must develop means to deal with kidnappers and bandits heavily in place of ransom payment. He noted that the governments of both President Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari paid ransom to kidnappers but they denied it. Obasanjo said he does not believe in payment of ransom to kidnappers and bandits, saying it encouraged criminals indulging in the act. The former president berated any government that pays ransom, describing them as follies. Obasanjo spoke on Wednesday at his Penthouse residence within Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while playing host to members of Tiv professionals Group led by Prof Zacharys Anger Gundu. Obasanjo insisted that it requires a “carrot and stick” approach to fight insecurity challenges to a standstill. He said “Some people are still reaching out, and hoping that lives can still be saved. But a situation whereby anybody thinks paying ransom is the way out, that person is folly. He is a folly. This is because when you pay ransom, you encourage. But if you are not going to pay ransom, you must have the means to deal heavily with it. You must have the stick to deal with it. “Government has always paid ransom. Not only this government, even during Jonathan (administration). They paid ransom, but they denied it.” Obasanjo expressed fears that those beating drums of division in Nigeria don’t think about the interest of the minority ethnic groups. He added, “Where do we want those minor groups to stand? Wherever they stand, now they are by virtue of Nigeria’s present situation a little bit protected. But if Nigeria breaks up and they are in a smaller country, they will be oppressed. They will always be exterminated. Are we thinking of that? “I believe that if we will get it right in Nigeria, any leader must look at Nigeria with the prism of the diversity of Nigeria. For as long as you look at Nigeria with the prism of your ethnic group, then you aren’t going anywhere, either your ethnic group or religious group. “But is there hope? There is hope.”

Read more
Post Date : May 5, 2021

Slain IMSU Law Student: Two bullets pierced his body from the back – Eyewitness

Ibe Pascal Arogorn, Owerri There are clear indications that Chukwueze Kingsley, a law student of the Imo State University (IMSU) was shot at the back. Investigation into the killing of Chukwueze, a 300 level undergraduate of the Law faculty of IMSU by Crimefacts.news revealed that two bullets pierced his body during the unexplained shooting by soldiers at the Ama Hausa axis of Douglas road, Owerri on the night of last week Monday. Crimefacts.news reported that Chukwueze, a native of Izombe in Oguta LGA was vying for the position of the national president of Nigeria students, Imo state. An eyewitness who spoke to Crimefacts.news on the condition of anonymity said, “This guy was shot last week Monday, in the night around 9-10 pm. “Army guys were shooting sporadically in the air that night. They drove close to my office and called some group of boys hanging around to close, everyone started running, including people in the streets. “Two gun shots pierced his body from the back, he fell down in front of my office while trying to run. “We ran away too, but we later came back and took him to Steps of Faith Hospital at Mere Street. In the midst of the chaos and confusion, coupled with the heavy gunshots, they refused us entry. “We tried to pour hot drinks on the gun wounds to slow down bleeding There was no vehicle that night, all the connecting roads an streets leading to Douglas were deserted, ” he said.

Read more
Post Date : May 5, 2021

Mbaka returns

There was jubilation in Enugu State on Wednesday when the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Ejike Mbaka, resurfaced after his whereabouts had caused confusion in the state. When Mbaka returned in a vehicle a few minutes past 2 pm, his supporters were seen shouting ‘Father Mbaka, Oh! you are home!.” The reverend father later came out of the vehicle to rejoice with his supporters. Earlier, the supporters struggled to confirm that Mbaka was in the vehicle as they take turns to catch a glimpse of him. “He is the one. I saw Father Mbaka,” one of the supporters jubilated on sighting the cleric. “He is back! Is it a crime to speak the truth? Nothing must happen to him,” another supporter said. The PUNCH had reported that there was a protest in Enugu over the whereabouts of Mbaka. Mbaka was scheduled to attend his usual Wednesday morning prayer programme, but did not show up, a situation which fuelled speculation that he might have been arrested. The confusion deepened when a group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, claimed that the whereabouts of Mbaka is unknown. “We are giving the Federal Government 48 hours to produce the priest, else they should be ready to face Igbo youths. They were dining and wining with him all along and now that he told the truth, they are no longer comfortable with him. “Let nothing happen to Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka. It will not be in anybody’s interest,” the group said in a statement by its president, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike. When officials of the Diocese of Enugu, to which Fr. Mbaka belongs, were contacted, some of them said he was not missing while others said they cannot confirm his whereabouts. Reno Omokri, a former media aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, tweeted, “Reverend Father Mbaka has very strong honesty issues that he has to resolve with His Maker. “However, I am against any arrest or attempt to infringe on his freedom by the @MBuhari regime. Reports of his arrest by unknown gunmen, if true, are condemned. #FreeMbakaNow!!!” When the speculation heightened, the Department of State Services immediately clarified that Mbaka was not in its custody. “He (Mbaka) is not with the DSS, please,” a spokesperson for DSS, Peter Afunnaya, said.

Read more
Post Date : May 5, 2021

Insecurity: Southern govs meet on state of Nigeria

The Governors in the Southern part of the country under the auspices of the Southern Nigeria Governors Forum met on Tuesday evening to discuss the state of the nation, particularly the issue of insecurity in the country. It was gathered that the meeting which was held virtually involved 15 out of the 17 governors of the south. It was also gathered that the meeting was held on the instance of governors of Ondo, Delta, and Ebonyi States, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, and David Umahi, respectively. They are the chairmen of the governors forum in the South-West, South-South, and South-East. Apart from the three conveners of the meeting, it was also attended by the Ekiti State Governor who doubles as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi, Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), and Lolo Cecilia Ezeilo (deputy governor of Enugu who represented the state governor). Others are Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom), Okezie Victor Ikpeazu (Abia), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Gboyega Oyetola (Osun), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), and Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos). At the meeting, the governors were said to have called for commitment and unity in addressing the issues that affect the country, particularly Southern Nigeria. It was learnt that they said there was a need to put the country first in the face of the trying times. A source stated that the governors had also agreed to meet in Asaba, the Delta State capital next week for another meeting in order to harmonize positions aimed at dousing the tension in the country as a result of insecurity. The Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Donald Ojogo, confirmed the meeting but said he had no details of the meeting. He said, “I’m aware of the meeting, it was held virtually. 15 of the 17 governors attended the meeting. I’m only aware of the extent of the meeting but I don’t have the details.”

Read more
Post Date : May 5, 2021

Fani-Kayode to FG: Arrest and interrogate Gumi now

Femi Fani-Kayode, a former minister of aviation, has called for the arrest of Ahmad Gumi, the prominent Islamic cleric. Gumi, who has access to some bandits terrorising the north-west, had in February asked the federal government to grant blanket amnesty to the bandits. On Tuesday, he urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to pay the N100 million demanded by the abductors of Greenfield University students, Kaduna state. Meanwhile, one of the parents of students abducted from College of Forestry Mechanisation Afaka, also in Kaduna, had said Gumi linked them to a suspected negotiator for the bandits who was paid N800,000 for transportation. In a statement released on Wednesday, Fani-Kayode said if Gumi knew about the money allegedly paid, the government should invite him for interrogation. “I hereby call on the Federal Government to invite, arrest and interrogate Sheik Ahmad Gumi,” the statement read in part. “Assuming this lady’s testimony is true it provides clear evidence of him being an accessory and accomplice to terrorism, abduction, kidnapping and murder. “If this were not the case he would not spend his entire life attempting to defend, justify, rationalise and explain their barbaric, homicidal, savage and beastly ways. “These people have so much blood on their hands yet Gumi still holds himself out as their advocate and best friend.” The former minister said if the federal government refuses to act against Gumi, it will raise questions about its commitment to fighting terror and stopping the terrorists.

Read more
Post Date : May 5, 2021

Uzodimma Sacks Imo Varsity: VC, Names Replacement

The crisis rocking the Eastern Palm University, renamed Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University, Ogboko, Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State, worsened on Wednesday with the sack of the Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof Tola Badejo. Badejo was appointed by former Governor Rochas Okorocha. Uzodimma has equally named Prof Ikechukwu Nosike Dozie as the acting VC. Okorocha is having a running battle with the Imo State Government over the ownership of the university. The crisis had led to the closure of the institution by Okorocha, but Uzodimma had reversed the decision, saying that the university was licensed as the second university in the state. Okorocha, on the other hand, is claiming that the university was established under a Public Private Partnership between the state and Rochas Foundation, with the latter having 90 per cent and the former 10. The appointment, according to a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Prof. Bertrand Ikegwuoha, is with immediate effect. Dozie is a professor of Microbiology at the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO). Ikegwuoha said that with the appointment of Prof Dozie, “The former Vice Chancellor, Prof Tola Badejo, has been relieved of his duties with immediate effect.” “This is sequel to the former Vice Chancellor’s unauthorised announcement, illegally suspending academic activities in the university for the 2020/2021 academic year. “All students and stiff of the University are consequently advised to disregard the unauthorised announcement of the former Vice Chancellor and return to normal academic and administrative life without delay,” Prof. Ikegwuoha added. About Prof Dozie Born March 3, 1966, in Umuokazi Amuzi, Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, Dozie was one of the contenders for the office of the Vice Chancellor of FUTO which was filled recently. Prof. Dozie holds a BSc combined honours in Microbiology/Biochemistry and an MSc Medical Microbiology from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a PhD in Public Health Parasitology from the University of Jos. Until his appointment, Dozie is a public health scientist, teacher and community health specialist currently serving at the Department of Public Health , Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria.

Read more
Search

Account

Cart

  • Main menu