Four staff members of the United States Embassy in Nigeria on a humanitarian mission in Anambra State have been shot dead following an attack on their vehicle on Tuesday. The incident happened late on Tuesday in the Amiyi/Eke Ochuche communities in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state. No reason has yet been ascertained, but a source in the area said the assailants ambushed and immediately gunned down the victims. But a source said the assailants caused panic in the area as they invaded the arena where some of the residents in the community had gathered and were waiting to receive medical treatment from the UNICEF officials. The source said, “They were ambushed and about four of them were gunned down, while others sustained various degrees of injuries as they escaped with their vehicle that has the inscription, UNICEF. “Among the victims were whites and blacks officials who were on a medical outreach to the rural riverine areas.” However, reacting to the development in a statement following an inquiry by our correspondent, the spokesperson for the Anambra Police Command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said, “The joint security forces have embarked on a rescue/recovery operation in Ogbaru LGA, following an attack on a convoy of staff of US Consulate today May 15, 2023 by 3:30 pm along Atani, Osamale road. “The hoodlums murdered two of the Police Mobile Force operatives, and two staff of the Consulate, and set their bodies set ablaze alongside their vehicles. “Also, the arsonist/murderers on sighting the responding joint security forces abducted two police operatives, the driver of the second vehicle and took to their heels. No U S citizen was in the convoy “The command, while reacting to the situation regrets that a convoy of such or any related will enter the state without recourse to the police in the area or any security agency, assured that the battle against the insurgents in the State is focused and it will remain sustained until such a time security stability is fully restored. Further details shall be communicated, please.”

  Two Abuja based legal practitioners, Emmanuel Onuoha and C.O Adie on Monday in Abuja threw caution to the wind when they pounced and beat up wife of another lawyer, Mrs Oluwatayo Adeyemi in a court premises in Abuja over dispute in media coverage of a criminal matter. According to PRNigeria, the two Lawyers had represented a lawyer, Henry Onyinyechi Nwosu and a Pastor, Jonathan Onuoha who were arraigned in Court over alleged conspiracy and forgery of documents of a plot of land located at Zone 6, Dutse Alhaji District of Abuja. The two defendants were docked at the Chief Magistrate Court One for allegedly forging documents of the land belonging to a retired Director of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr Royson Obijuru. The criminal charge was filed against them by another Abuja lawyer, Barrister Gbenga Adeyemi on behalf of the land owner. However, when the charges were read to them, the two defendants pleaded not guilty.   Although the prosecution counsel, Olaolu Alao opposed their bail, Chief Magistrate Muinat Folasade Oyekan admitted them to bail on various terms and conditions. Among others, the two accused persons were granted bail in the sum of N500, 000 each and two sureties each in the like sums. Magistrate Muinat Oyekan said that the sureties must be resident in the jurisdiction of the Court and must also be Civil Servants not below Grade Level 16. The Court also ordered that the sureties must swear to affidavit of means while the two accused persons are to be moved to prison custody on remand pending the time they will perfect their bail conditions. Trouble, however, erupted when Onuoha, counsel to Pastor Jonathan Onuoha, sighted the presence of media men in the court premises and challenged them on their audacity to cover his client’s arraignment without his approval. The media men, in response, stood their ground that they did not need his approval before doing their jobs. Onuoha, in anger, rained abuses on the Journalists with threats to deal with them, but the media men stood their grounds. The apprehensive lawyer thereafter dashed to the courtroom and reported the presence of the journalists to the Chief Magistrate who, through his Police orderly, summoned the media men to the courtroom. Based on the protest of the counsel, Magistrate Oyekan directed newsmen to move out of the court premises and do their jobs outside the court premises since they did not obtain permission to cover the arraignment. At the outside, the two lawyers in the bid to shield their clients from being recorded by the electronic media, continued their assault against the newsmen. Suspecting that the nominal complainant in the matter might be responsible for the presence of media men, the two angry lawyers descended on a woman and dealt several blows on her face, leading to injuries and bleeding The woman was later identified as Mrs Oluwatayo Adeyemi and wife of the nominal complainant, Barrister Gbenga Adeyemi, who filed the criminal charges against the two defendants on behalf of his Imo based client. The battered woman was moved to Zone 3 Divisional Police Station from where she was taken to Wuse General Hospital for treatments. At the time of this report, the two lawyers were still at the Police Station while their victim has been moved to a nearby hospital. Meanwhile, the Court has fixed June 7 for hearing in all pending motions in respect of the charge and continuation of trial.

  The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has suspended two of its officers responsible for the death of Inspector Abel Isah Dickson, another staff of the Commission, in Sokoto State. Wilson Uwujaren, spokesperson of the EFCC, made this known at a media briefing in Abuja, on Tuesday. According to the EFCC spokesperson, Dickson, who is attached to their Sokoto Zonal Command, passed away on May 7, 2023, at the Usmanu Dan-Fodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto. “He was receiving treatment for injuries he sustained, two days earlier, in a scuffle with two other staff: Assistant Superintendent of EFCC, Apata Oluwaseun Odunayo and Inspector of EFCC, Ogbuji Titu Tochukwu,” Uwujaren said.   He went on: “They had disagreed over procedures for the custody of items belonging to a suspect in detention, leading to a fight, a conduct which the Commission frowns at. “The two officers with whom he had a disagreement have been suspended by the Commission and handed over to the Nigeria Police for further investigation and possible prosecution. “The latest information, is that a two count holding charge bordering on criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide has been filed against them at a Chief Magistrate Court, Gwiwa in Sokoto. “Both offences are punishable under Sections 60 and 191 of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law, 2019. Without prejudice to the Police investigation, they will in addition, face further disciplinary measures in line with the Commission’s staff regulation. “The Executive Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa is saddened by the incident, and has extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. He has, in addition, assured that the Commission will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that those implicated in the death of the officer are brought to justice. “He equally warned staff of the Commission to ensure that their conduct at all times is moderated by the established code of behaviour as no act of indiscipline would be tolerated. “Meanwhile, the remains of the late officer were interred on Saturday May 13, 2023 in Jos, Plateau State”.

  Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president-elect, and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who flew the flag of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the February 25 presidential election, met for four hours in Paris, France, on Monday, TheCable reports. At the centre of the discussion, TheCable understands, was the potential involvement of Kwankwaso in the in-coming administration as Tinubu plans to form a “government of national unity” — which means giving certain positions to opposition parties. The meeting also discussed issues around the election of the legislative leaders ahead of the June 13 inauguration of the 10th national assembly.   The All Progressives Congress (APC) has zoned the two top positions in both chambers but some of its members are kicking against the formula and threatening to go in alliance with the opposition to torpedo the arrangement. While APC has 59 senators and 175 members of the houses of reps, NNPP has two and 19 respectively.   A simple majority of 56 senators and 181 reps are needed elect the top two leaders in his house respectively. Tinubu’s representatives have also been meeting with key figures in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), TheCable confirmed. The Paris meeting between Tinubu and Kwankwaso started at 12.30pm and ended at 4.45pm, insiders told TheCable. Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of reps and presumptive chief of staff to the president-elect, attended the meeting while Abdulmumin Jibrin, an NNPP rep-elect and former leader of a Tinubu campaign organisation, accompanied Kwankwaso. Oluremi Tinubu, senator and wife of president-elect received Kwankwaso’s wife, Salamatu. TheCable learnt that Tinubu and Kwankwaso reminisced on their relationship dating back to the national assembly in 1992.

  Daniel Bwala, Spokesperson of the defunct Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Daniel Bwala, has described the recent visa ban imposed on some Nigerian politicians by the United States as an indication that the 2023 elections were rigged. Bwala stated this while speaking on the US visa ban on Arise Television on Tuesday. The PDP spokesperson claimed that the individuals identified for the restriction are government functionaries. He said, “The US visa ban for perpetrators of election malfeasance re-emphasizes the fact that the 2023 elections were flawed.   “The majority of these select individuals are government functionaries like governors, ministers, heads of parastatals and individuals acting on behalf of the government.” Recall that the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, had on Monday, revealed that his government imposed visa restrictions on specific individuals for allegedly undermining democracy during the recently-concluded elections in Nigeria.

  Four gunmen invaded a home with Yarimawa village, Tofa Local Government of Kano State, to kidnap a man and his son, but ended up killing one of their own when a fight broke out. The surviving three would-be kidnappers are now in Police custody, helping with investigation. It was learned that the gunmen stormed the residence of one Nasiru Yahaya and attempted to kidnap him and his son, Gaddafi Nasiru. However, Gaddafi resisted, which led to a fight, during which the kidnappers tried to shoot him. They, instead, shot a gang member who died on the spot.   Confessing, the suspects said they got insider information, which was why they decided to go to said house, and kidnap the father and his son. One of them said: “We went to the house as instructed. But the son resisted, and while shooting at him, we shot our member. “I had never done it; that was my first time and I regret doing this.” Parading the suspects, Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Gumel, said: “A report was received that gunmen stormed the residence of one Nasiru Yahaya in Yarimawa village in Tofa LGA, Kano State, where they kidnapped him and his son, one Gaddafi Nasiru. “In the process, the son resisted. In an attempt to shoot the son, they shot their colleague, one Umar Abdullahi, alias Danbaba, who died on the spot. “The father escaped. Also, in an attempt to whisk the son, they shot two villagers on their legs who came to offer assistance. The victims were rushed to the Tofa General Hospital and were treated and discharged. “In a follow-up investigation, the following suspects were arrested, Idris Abdullahi (26) of Janguza in Tofa LGA; Tukur Yusuf (40) of Langyal in Tofa LGA; and Ilyasu Aminu of Gargai village in Bebeji LGA.”