Crime Facts

Four killed as gunmen attack US Embassy officials in Anambra

  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.”

CLARIFICATION: Court remands Seun Kuti, orders police to complete investigation in 48 hours

  Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun has remanded the Afrobeat musician, Seun Kuti, for 48 hours in police custody for allegedly assaulting a police officer. Kuti, in a 12-second video clip that went viral on May 13, 2023, had assaulted a policeman on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State. The defendant turned himself in at the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, on Monday, following an order for his arrest by the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba. He was later transferred to Okay the state’s Criminal Investigation Department, Panti and was, on Tuesday, arraigned before a Yaba Magistrate’s Court for assault on a police officer, an offence contrary to Section 356 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act. The prosecution led by S. A Adebese and Morufu Animashaun prayed the court to remand the defendant for 21 days pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions. However, Kuti’s counsel, led by Femi Falana, SAN, who was represented by Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, prayed the court to not remand his client, stating that they (the counsel) were not aware of the remand application. The magistrate after listening to both parties requested five minutes of recess stating that she needed to deliberate on her own. She however handed her phone to the registrar to avoid calls from both parties. When the court resumed sitting, the magistrate reading out her ruling said she would not rely on police investigation hence she remanded the defendant for 48 hours in police custody. She said, “Court has decided to override any public opinion and pass the judgment of the court. “Following the remand application presented before the court, I am advising that the case file be duplicated and sent to the Directorate of public prosecutions within 72 hours. “The defendant is hereby remanded for 48 hours in police custody to allow the police to conclude their investigation. “After 48 hours, the defendant will be granted bail in the sum of N1m with two responsible sureties, a three years tax payment receipt that is verifiable; one of the sureties must have a landed property within the court jurisdiction.” She adjourned the case till May 23, 2023, for mention. To our Readers, apologies for the misleading report published earlier over this story 

One Year After Murder Of Deborah Samuel, Prime Suspects Freed, No Justice For Her

  One year after, the death of the 25-year-old 200 Level student of Home Economics has been swept under the carpet. Sokoto State Government, the Federal Government and the Nigeria Police Force, who promised to ensure justice prevail, have not held anyone accountable for the murder, THE INSIGHT reports. This year, Deborah Samuel would have earned the Nigerian Certificate of Education (NCE) which would have given her a job as trained teacher in any primary and junior secondary school in Nigeria. That dream was torched and burnt to ashes by misguided religious zealots. Deborah’s remains were taken to and buried in Niger States; her traumatized parents relocated to Port Harcourt in Rivers State. The mid-morning sun of Sokoto scorched the body as students, lecturers, visitors walked through the gigantic gate of 53-year-old Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto in Wammako Local Government of the North-West State. The tertiary institution, established in 1970 to train teachers to cater for the needs of primary and secondary schools in the region, is now near oblivious of the bloody and inhuman murder of Deborah Samuel on May 12, 2022, for allegedly making a blasphemous statement. The bloodshed carried out by a mob, among them students of the college, in the presence of security operatives, authorities of the institution, announced the college of education to the world – for the barbaric act. After thel killing, two suspects were arrested by the police. Incidentally, violent protests erupted in Sokoto, leading to destruction of churches and physical attacks on Christians. In the violence, the Holy Family Cathedral on Ahmadu Bello Way, St Kelvin Catholic Church, Gidan Dere, and an Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) church in Sokoto were damaged by the mob. Also, shops suspected to belong to Christians were looted and vandalized. The protesters engaged in violent act, as a way of demanding the unconditional release of the two suspects. Sokoto State government has failed to compensate churches and christian organizations whose assets were damaged by the misguided hoodlums, according to Father Nuhu Iliya, Sokoto State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria. Deborah’s assailants never called to question. A private security personnel in the college who gave his name as Nasiru Adamu told The Insight recently that though the authorities of Shehu Shagari College of Education claimed some hoodlums were hired to carry out the dastardly act, the truth was that students of the college were actively involved in Deborah’s murder. The man who claimed to have witnessed the dastardly incident, said, “I can still recall vividly when she was murdered. Her schoolmates who disguised as mobs stoned her to death in a cruel manner. That would be the first time I would witness a human being being stoned to death. It was so cruel and an eyesore that I couldn’t believe this could happen in Sokoto, a state often adjudged as one of the most peaceful states in the country. “She was killed in the presence of security agents who apparently came to rescue her, but were unable to save her life, though she begged her killers for mercy. They began to stone her, hit her with rods and sticks and she died. After she finally gave up the ghost, the mob jubilated that they had killed her,” Adamu narrated in an emotion-laden voice. Though there was outrage, locally and internationally, over the killing, an investigation by The Insight revealed that the school authorities did little or nothing to investigate and ensure redress over the gruesome murder. After Deborah was killed, the school authorities, headed by Mr Wadata Hakimi, its provost, shut the institution indefinitely. On the announcement, no specific reference was made to Deborah’s murder. The college simply said, “Following today’s early morning students rampage in the college, the college management has resolved to close down the college indefinitely; all students are hereby directed to vacate the college campus immediately (12 May, 2022).” The use of the word ‘rampage’ to describe tragic killing of one of its female students, without even mentioning the name of Deborah Samuel and condemning the act, demonstrated the attitude of the college’s authorities to the extra-judicial killing. The Insight learnt that such disposition was in line with the attitude of the authorities towards Christians on that campus. Deborah’s classmate recalls how it all happened In many reports quoting Deborah’s classmates, her death has been described as an aftermath of a verbal clash with some of her mates over contents shared on the class’s WhatsApp platform. She was accused of using the word ‘nonsense’ to qualify some religious materials shared by some of her Muslim classmates. The controversial contents shared on the platform have not been made public. One report, quoting one of Deborah’s classmates elaborated the misunderstanding among the students. The classmate said, “Deborah was my course mate. I just stepped into the class when the uproar over her voice note started. It was her own course mates that started it. One of them said Deborah dared them by refusing to apologize when she was asked to. It all started with a debate on the upcoming examination on a general WhatsApp platform created for our course mates. According to The insight, one of the students asked her how she passed the last semester’s examination and in response, she said it was ‘Jesus o.’ “Immediately, about three other chats came in from two Muslims and one Christian, telling her to retract the statement. Two students from other departments who over heard some Muslim boys discussing the matter told Deborah’s close friends to prevail on her to retract the statement. But she replied via a voice note on the platform ‘Holy Ghost fire. Nothing will happen to me. Is it by force that you guys will always be sending this religious stuff in this group? The group wasn’t created for that but rather for notices about tests, assignments, exams, etc, not this nonsense religious posts.’ “We were made to understand that some young men were brought from outside before

REPORT: Lawyers Beat-up Colleague’s Wife In Court Over Media Coverage

  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.

For Dragging Items Recovered From Suspect, EFCC Suspends 2 Operatives After ‘Killing’ Colleague

  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”.

Kwankwaso May Join Tinubu’s Cabinet After Four Hours Marathon Meeting In Paris

  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.

Yari: It’s unfair to have leaders of all three arms of government from the south

  Abdulaziz Yari, senator-elect representing Zamfara west, says it would be unfair to the northern part of the country if leaders of the three arms of government are from the south. Yari spoke in an interview with Arise TV on Tuesday. The former Zamfara governor, who declared his bid for senate presidency last month, has been one of the loudest critics of the zoning arrangement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the leadership of the 10th national assembly. The ruling party had nominated Godswill Akpabio and Jibrin Barau as president of the senate and deputy senate president respectively.   Yari was one of the senators-elect who presented a “protest letter” to the leadership of the APC over the zoning formula. Commenting on his opposition to the party’s stance, Yari said the move would mean the leaders of all three arms of the incoming government are from the south. Bola Tinubu, the president-elect, is from Lagos; Olukayode Ariwoola, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), is from Oyo; and Akpabio is from Akwa ibom. Yari said the APC’s zoning arrangement of legislature leadership was not a product of widened consultation and consideration for federal character. “Right from the beginning, the party has a tradition of widening the consultation: meeting with the president and all the members of the national of assembly; because it is not the party’s business but that of the country,” the senator-elect said. “But the party did not do any of the above, and what we saw in the media was that they had two meetings, and we were given names to adopt. That is not adequate enough. Because all of them are just advisory bodies, the constitution gives the right to choose national assembly leaders to only the parliamentarians. The party can zone, but it is left for the individual to accept or reject. “APC has zoned and now we are asking them questions: On what basis? Have you taken into cognizance the federal character? The president, chief justice of the federation and national assembly chairman –all the three arms of government — are in one place? The chief justice is from Oyo state, Tinubu is from Lagos state, and Akpabio is from Akwa Ibom, all at the same time. And the next chief justice is also going to be from the south-west.”   Yari added that the implication is that all three arms of government will be controlled by the southern part of Nigeria, describing the situation as lopsided. If Akpabio is elected senate president, it will not be the first time a region would produce the leaders of all arms of government. Between 2019 and June 2022, three northerners — President Muhammadu Buhari (Katsina), Senate President Ahmad Lawan (Yobe) and Muhammad Tanko, former chief justice of Nigeria (Bauchi) — led the three arms of government.

I’ll never congratulate Tinubu, says Bode George

  Bode George, former deputy national chairman (south) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says he’ll never congratulate Bola Tinubu, president-elect, on his victory. Speaking on Arise Television on Monday, George said he has nothing personal against the former Lagos governor. The PDP chieftain said he disagrees with Tinubu’s “methodologies of governance, his own ways of managing the resources of the land for the benefit of the people”. “It’s not impacting on the people. I’m a throughbred Lagosian. I was born and grew up here, there is so much degradation, go to my local government,” George said. “First of all, Femi Gbajabiamila had been here, we had discussions, I told him all the things I would want them to do in Lagos. What matters to me is that let Lagos be like the best city in the world, make life more meaningful, impact on the minds of the people positively because the power rests with the people. “But if there is nothing rather than that, the method of management, the financial management will be completely despicable. So, I said to them I have no objections and as far as I’m concerned there is nothing personal, sir. If whatever he had done to me in the past, as a Christian, vengeance is not mine. “So, for me, the last option, the last request was that we should, whether the court has finished or the court has not finished or the processes is over — I should join the others to go and congratulate Bola Tinubu like our group, Wike and Seyi had done. “I said I’m not Seyi and I’m not Wike. I’m much older that them, that’s their opinion. For me, if paradventure, at the end of the analysis, our party is looking forward to winning at the court. If I jump ship, how would I look like? Like a swine, like a traitor? “I was born into a political family in this Lagos and respect for what is right, what is just, what is fair, those are the ways of my upbringing. “Nothing personal. If they say he has won and I said it that it is for me to decide whether I would live under the control of this and he cannot individually control me, I won’t break the laws. “And what we want is the rule of law. What is democracy? The government of the people, the rule of law and when you go to every court in this country, you’ll find the lady of justice blindfolded with the sword and the scale and she dispenses justice based on facts. So, let’s wait until the outcome of the supreme court. “For now, I don’t agree with going to say congratulations. I will never. Bode George will never do that.”

US visa ban confirms rigging of 2023 elections – Bwala

  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.

Kidnappers shoot colleague dead during fight with victim

  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.”