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Tag: abducted

  • Company MD, three Lebanese brothers abducted in Lagos

    Company MD, three Lebanese brothers abducted in Lagos

    • Abductors demand $1.5 million ransom

    Three Lebanese brothers who work with a Lagos-based company known as Fouani Nigeria Limited were on Friday abducted by some gunmen in Lagos.

    The three brothers were kidnapped alongside the Managing Director of the company which specialises in the distribution of LG, Hisense and Maxi brands of electronics in Nigeria.

    Abbas Fouani, Youssef Fouani and Amtal Fouani as well as the unnamed Managing Director were said to have been abducted at about 6pm on Friday around the Falomo Bridge while returning in a boat from their factory in Apapa to Victoria Island.

    A source requesting anonymity told our reporter yesterday that the kidnappers had demanded a ransom of $1.5 million.

    “Yesterday evening, the Managing Director of Fouani Company and three Lebanese were kidnapped around Falomo Bridge while traveling from Apapa to Victoria Island by boat.

    Read Also:Banditry: Sokoto has supported rescue of 250 abducted victims in last one year

    “The kidnappers have asked for $1.5 million,” the source said.

    Confirming the incident, the Public relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, said: “Yes, it is true. We got the report and we are looking into it.”

    “Our marine department got that report. It was reported to them that three people were kidnapped.

    “Their boat was found somewhere in Ikorodu and we have started looking into that.”

    He, however, refrained from providing further details, saying: Please, I’m not obliged to state more than that.”

    The abduction has sparked concern within the business community and residents of Lagos, as it highlights the ongoing security challenges in the Southwest region.  

  • 4416 people killed, 4334 abducted in one year, say CSOs

    4416 people killed, 4334 abducted in one year, say CSOs

    A coalition of civil society organisations on Tuesday, May 28, lamented that no fewer than 4416 people were killed and 4334 persons abducted in the last one year in Nigeria in various attacks and conflicts.

    The 84 CSOs led by global rights disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja to commemorate “the 7th national day of mourning for victims of mass atrocities account for the missing and the dead, and ensure justice for mass atrocities.”

    The group, however, demanded that the Nigerian government fulfil its constitutional obligations under Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and ensure the security of Nigerians’ lives and property.

    They also urged governments at all levels to address the gaping socioeconomic inequities that are exacerbating violent crimes across the country.

    The Programme Manager of Global Rights, Edosa Oviawe, while reading the text of the press conference, said: “Since the commemoration of the last National Day of Mourning #NDOM2023 on May 28th, 2023, and President Tinubu’s first year in office, our records show that at least 4416 people were killed and at least 4334 were abducted in incidents of mass atrocities across the country.

    “In particular, the government should prioritize providing quality education for all, infrastructure for unserved communities, and opportunity leverages for the indigent and marginalized.

    “Acts humanely towards internally displaced persons across the country and communities affected by insecurity as stipulated in Section 17(2)(c) of the Constitution

    “Prioritize improving the welfare (including psychosocial support) of our gallant security assets who daily deal with the trauma of being on the frontlines.

    “Disincentivize the payment of ransoms by tracking the financial flow of ransoms and communal extortions to identify and bring to book terrorists and terror merchants currently pillaging Nigeria.

    “Investigate, arrest, and prosecute all perpetrators of these violent crimes, including those perpetrated during the 2023 general elections.”

    Read Also: CSOs warn Adeleke against signing bill to increase political office holders’ salaries

    The text of the briefing reads in part: “We, the undersigned civil society organizations, in commemoration of the 2024 National Day of Mourning and in assessing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s first year in office, reiterate our call to the government to fulfill its constitutional duty of ensuring the security and well-being of all Nigerians, account for the missing and the dead, and ensure justice for the various forms of mass atrocities across the country.

    “The National Day of Mourning and Remembrance for Victims of Mass Atrocities and Violent Killings is an annual citizen-led initiative to recognize and accord dignity to victims of mass atrocities as more than just numbers; as humans, citizens whose identities must not be forgotten, and to demand justice for them.

    “The National Day of Mourning is further aimed at rekindling our sense of solidarity and nationhood by reminding us that we are in this together and that the office of the citizen is the most powerful office that can be occupied in Nigeria.

    “The intractable insecurity in Nigeria has earned it a place as one of the most insecure countries in the world. Nigeria ranked 144th out of 163 countries on the Global Peace Index in 2024, sandwiched between countries in active warfare, and 5th on the Global Conflict Index, ranking as being extremely vulnerable to conflict.

    “Since the commemoration of the last National Day of Mourning #NDOM2023 on May 28th, 2023, and President Tinubu’s first year in office, our records show that at least 4416 people were killed and at least 4334 were abducted in incidents of mass atrocities across the country.

    “These numbers do not account for the regular crimes of armed robbery and other forms of crimes within that range.

    “These incidents of violence have reduced the citizens’ right to life and dignity guaranteed under Sections 33 and 34 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) to a mere inscription.

    “The frequency of these atrocities has kept Nigerians in a state of perpetual fear and uncertainty and is impacting social cohesion, the economy, public health, and education across the country.

    “While no region of the country has been spared in the past year, the North Central region has accounted for the highest number of fatalities from mass atrocities, with at least 1600 lives claimed in terror pillages, communal clashes, and herdsmen attacks.

    “With at least 1,136 fatalities, mostly from terror-pillage attacks (banditry), the North West came in second. Particularly hard-hit were communities like Maradun Local Government in Zamfara State, which endured at least five separate incidents of terror pillages in 2023 in a series of attacks that claimed at least 118 lives.

    “At least 904 people were killed in the North East in the past year. Boko Haram/ISWAP activities still account for the highest number of atrocious killings in the Northeast, particularly in Borno State, with pockets of incidents in Yobe and Adamawa states. We also noted an upsurge in insurgent group clashes.

    “For example, at least 82 Boko Haram insurgents were killed in an inter-insurgent group clash in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

    “The Southeast recorded the highest number of killings in the southern part of the country, with at least 344 people killed, and most of these killings occurred in Imo and Anambra states. As reported in previous years, most of the killings were due to successionist activities in the region.

    “Cult gangs, communal clashes, and pockets of terror-bandit attacks continued to cost lives in the Southsouth region, where at least 272 people were killed. In the Southwest, at least 160 people were killed in cult clashes, herdsmen militia, attacks, and other isolated attacks.

    “We noted that the sustained trend of brazen killings, abductions, and pillages across the country reflects the impunitious confidence of armed groups whose acts of violence are rewarded with ransom payments, control over pillaged communities, and taxes extorted from communities in exchange for peace.

    “We are perplexed that while the government successfully tracked and froze the bank accounts of #EndSARS protesters, it is unable to trace and quash kidnapping and ransom rings across the country using the same technology.

    “In addition to attacks from armed groups, extrajudicial killings by state security actors have also continued, with at least 274 people extrajudicially killed by security personnel. We note, in particular, that 160 people were killed in two incidents of ‘accidental airstrikes’ in Kaduna and Zamfara states, and that no one has been held accountable till date.

    “State security personnel have also continued to fall victim to the violence, with at least 262 security personnel killed on active duty across the country in the past year. These numbers include 110 military and 126 police officers.

    “The unmitigated levels of insecurity across the nation have continued to impact not only the dead; all Nigerians suffer the manifested consequences of food insecurity and economic hardships resulting from hindrances imposed by perennial insecurity.

    “We also note its continued effect on the nation’s educational sector. At least 406 of the abductees within the period were students. We note with particular sadness that Nigeria continues to boast of having the most out-of-school children in the world.

    “As we commemorate this year’s National Day of Mourning (#NDOM2024), we amplify Nigerians’ demands that the government fulfill its constitutional obligation to ensure the security and well-being of every Nigerian.

    “You have failed us, and we are deeply dissatisfied with the state of affairs in our nation! Nigerians deserve better!

    “We further warn the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Tinubu, the security service chiefs, and our representatives at the National Assembly that their continued failure to fulfil their constitutional duty will result in our passing a loud and consequential vote of no confidence in them.

    “On this occasion of this year’s National Day of Mourning, we commiserate and stand in solidarity with all Nigerians who have lost loved ones and property to mass atrocities; we demand justice for the dead and displaced and the safe return of all abducted persons.

    “As a coalition of organized civil society groups across Nigeria, we pledge to continue to amplify citizens’ voices and demand accountability from the government.”

    Other CSOs that signed the text of the press conference are 21st Century Community Empowerment for Youth and Women Initiative, Abubakar Mohammed, Accountability Lab, ACE-Nigeria, Advocacy Centre for Development, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), African Law Foundation (AFRILAW), Alliances for Africa (AFA), Amnesty International Nigeria, Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, BauchiHumanRightsNetwork, BENDEF, BOCODEP, BudgIT, Bwatiye Community Development Association,

    Cedar Seed Foundation, CEE- HOPE, Centre for Community Excellence (CENCEX), Centre for Social Justice, Centre LSD, CISLAC, Citizens Advocacy for Social & Economic Rights (CASER), Clean Technology Hub, CLEEN Foundation, Community Life Project (CLP), Community Outreach for Development and Welfare Advocacy (CODWA), Companions for the Development of Jibia Local Government Area, Connected Advocacy, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR) and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).

    Others are: Disabled People in Leadership Initiative and Network of Women with Disabilities, Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF), Enough Is Enough, Falana and Falana Chambers, F. S. A. F. C. I, FEMBUD, FENRAD, Gatefield, Gender Relevance Initiative Promotion, Global Rights, Grassroots Development Centre, HEDA, Human Rights Network Jigawa, Initiative for Social Development,

    Keen and Care Initiative (KCI), Kebetkache Women Development & Resource Centre, Life and Peace Development Organisation, Media Rights Agenda, Mowalek Centre for Sustainable Community Development, Neighbourhood Environment Watch Foundation, Nextier SPD (Security, Peace and Development), Nigerian Network of NGOs, Network of University Legal Aid Institutions (NULAI), Online Hub NG, OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative, Organization for Community Civic Engagement (OCCEN), Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN), Partnership for Justice and Network of Nigerian Human Rights Defenders, Policy Alert, PRAWA International,

    Praxis Center, Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Nigeria, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), SBM Intelligence,

    Sensor Empowerment Initiative, SIPJAD, Social Action, Socio-Economic Research and Development Centre, Sokoto Youth Council, South Saharan Social Development Organisation,

    Stephanie Peacebuilding and Development Foundation (SPADEV), Support Initiative for Sustainable Development, Tap Initiative, TechHerNG,

    The Kukah Centre, The Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED), Urban Alert, We The People, West African Drug Policy Network (WADPN), Woman in Media Communication Initiative (WIM), Women in Mining Nigeria (WIMNG), Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), Yiaga Africa and Yobe Youth Council.

  • Abducted Ondo ADC candidate, chairman, others regain freedom

    The Senatorial Candidate of the African Democratic Congress(ADC) for Ondo North District, Pastor Jide Ipinsagba, who were abducted with the Ondo State Chairman of the party, Bisi Ogungbemi, by unknown gunmen four days ago, have regained their freedom.

    Ipinsagba, Ogungbemi and three other chieftains of the party in the state were kidnapped along Oba Akoko-Owo road on their way from Ikare Akoko to Akure on Wednesday.

    According to a source, the incident occurred around 7 o’clock on Wednesday’s evening on their way from Akoko to Akure after a political outing.

    Ipinsagba had recently dumped the ruling APC and joined ADC to actualise his senatorial aspiration.

    When contacted, the ADC House of Representatives candidate for Akoko North East/North West Federal Constituency and former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Dr. Bakitta Bello, confirmed the release of the party’s leaders by the kidnappers.

    Bello however said he could not confirm the amount of ransom paid for the release of the abducted ADC leaders.

    The Area Commander in Ikare-Akoko, Assistant Commander of Police (ACP) Razak Rauf, visited the freed politician.

  • How I was abducted, raped repeatedly and brutalised for five days, by undergraduate (II)

    It’s by far one of the most horrific experiences any young girl could be subjected to. Five days of abduction, rape and the worst of brutalisation. This is the concluding part of the story of Cece (not real name), and her roommate, undergraduates of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU who were abducted by a supposedly movie producer. By DORCAS EGEDE.

    DAY four, Friday, 25th May

    “The morning of Friday, my roommate came to tell me that Taylor said he needed N20,000 and was asking how we could arrange for the money. I told her that I would call someone. She went to tell him. But he came into the room and said, ‘You that told your roommate, don’t come, don’t come, you want to call someone else and say, don’t send, don’t send.’ I told him I wasn’t going to do that, but he got angry, said I was arguing with him because I could speak English and slapped me so forcefully, my head hit the wall. I couldn’t understand what I did to earn that slap.

    “He then gave me my phone to call. I called a friend of mine and told him I needed money for school stuff, but he said he had just stocked his shop and could only part with N10,000. Taylor switched on my roommate’s phone and a call came in from one of my 100-Level roommates. He asked my roommate to put the phone on speaker. The caller said my dad had been trying to reach me for the past few days that I should try and get back to him. She asked if my roommate had seen me, and Taylor told her to say no. She did. He now ended the call and asked me to call my dad. My dad didn’t pick at first, but he called back. He sounded worried. He asked where I had been and I told him my phone was bad and I was repairing it.”

    As it were, it was as if Taylor’s prayer was being answered. Cece’s father informed her that he wanted to send her tuition fee. Despite her insistence that it wasn’t time to pay her fees yet, as the portals were yet to be opened to those of them that switched department, he told her he would send the money anyway, and she could keep it till it was time to pay. All along, Taylor who had just been discussing about raising N20,000, was smiling as he listened on. “When I dropped the call, he said, ‘oh, you wanted to trick your father not to send the money? I knew you were going to do something like that. That’s how you told your friend not to come; now you’re telling your father not to send the money. Instead of you to be happy that your father wants to bail you out with this N20,000.’ “I tried to explain why I didn’t want my father to send the money because I couldn’t pay the fees as a result of changing my course. He got angry again and asked Segun to remove the wire connecting his bulb in the parlour and used it to flog me. He went and brought one walking stick and flogged me with it. As he did, he hushed my roommate to silence with the threat of beating her too. My roommate urinated on her body where she stood helplessly watching him beat me.

    “He told me that the friend I called wasn’t going to send the money, that I called someone as stupid as myself. He threatened to call my father and blackmail him into paying N1.5m. I didn’t know what to say. At some point, my roommate and I thought this was the way we would end, but we kept telling each other that everything would be fine.

    Soon, my father sent the N20,000. After my dad sent the N20,000, he told me that if by 4:58, my friend didn’t send the N10,000, he was going to kill me and would have no choice but to kill my roommate. He asked her if she contacted the police before coming, she told him she didn’t have an idea anything was wrong and didn’t tell the police anything.

    “Now, there was N30,000 in my account. But instead of that to placate him, he started another issue ‘How can your father just send the money like that? You haven’t called your father throughout this week and he just sent you money? Does any father send his child money without the child disturbing him? You and your father have conspired to call the police, right? You don’t know I’m the one that designed the first ATM machine? If someone is at your back holding a gun to you that you should withdraw your money, just press your pin backward; in the next five minutes, the police will be behind the person.’”

    “When we told him we didn’t know this, he called Segun and told him to leave the ATM machine immediately if it does not respond to his command. Thereafter, he and Segun left. He locked me and my roommate in the room till nightfall. We got dressed and waited, hoping that when they returned, he would give us some money to return to Ife as he promised. However, when he returned at night, he took another look at me and said, ‘I want to treat your fuck-up.’ He said he wanted to treat my-fuck up because up till that time I still wasn’t scared of him. He then told me to remain in the room: ‘I don’t want to see your face. I am irritated by your face.’  I was in the room when I overheard him saying he was going to call someone to treat my fuck up.

    “I later heard him calling a guy he told to ‘show,’ because he has money. While I was still in the room, he told my roommate that he was going to take her out to see how she would act in public; that he couldn’t take me out because he didn’t trust me. He kept a screw driver in his pocket. He took her out and locked me in the room. In less than five minutes, they returned. He continued the talk about treating my fuck-up.

    Soon, his friend showed up. The girls soon learnt that the new guys name was Ola. “Taylor introduced my roommate to the guy as his girlfriend. He then asked my roommate to bring me from the room. She did. When she brought me to the parlour, Taylor told the guy that I said my greatest fantasy was to be gang raped by 10 guys. The guy looked at me as if to ask if I really said that. Then, the guy asked me if I wanted to speak with him privately. I said yes.

    “This apparently angered our abductor and again he gave me another ferocious slap. He asked what I wanted to talk to his friend about. He faced the guy and asked, ‘Ola, what do you want to talk to this girl about?’ Ola said he just wanted to talk to me privately, but Taylor refused and reiterated, ‘I said this girl wants to be gang-raped by 10 guys, she doesn’t need talking to. She wants to be treated like a dog…’ he tried to rip off my shirt in front of Ola. He hit me as I tried to struggle with him. He unbuttoned my shirt, brought out my breast and said, ‘Can’t you see, she has beautiful breasts?’

    “Ola asked me why I wanted to be gang-raped by 10 guys; I told him it is out of peer pressure. At this point Ola stood up and said he wanted to go home. He left. Then Taylor came to me and said, ‘You see, you’re possessed. Nobody wants to sleep with you; even Segun that is an illiterate said you’re dirty. I must still treat your fuck up this night. He continued hammering on why I told my roommate, ‘don’t come, don’t come.’ and brutalised me on every occasion.

    “Later that night, I was sitting on a chair close to him while he was eating moi-moi. This Stevie, he eats raw pepper. The moi-moi he was eating, apart from being hot, was also very peppery. He tried to slap me and as I tried to block him, he put the moi-moi in his hands into my private part! The pain I felt, I cannot explain. He mocked me that I’m dancing, and that by the time he finished with me, he would leave a mark on my body that I will always remember him for.

    “He then forced me to write down my parent’s home address. I didn’t write the correct address. I just wrote down whatever came to my mind. He called one number he saved as Agbara and told him he had a mission for him, ‘I want make this girl fear me, hope I’m covered?’ he said. I was crying and begging. The guy he called asked him to send him the address. When he ended the call, he told Segun to tear the paper. He did and I thanked him.

    “Still not satisfied, he instructed his partner to tie me hands and feet. “Segun dragged the rope so tight that my hands hurt. After a while, he told Segun to release me, that a human being is not meant to be treated like that. Yet, he said he wasn’t through with me.

    “That same night, he asked me and my roommate what we thought of gays and lesbians. I said, “I don’t know, but I guess it’s bad. Then he proceeded to lecture us on it, and forced me to go down on my roommate. I don’t have the words to describe how I felt. We were both crying. He was slapping my head with the cutlass, saying I wasn’t doing it well enough. Meanwhile, my roommate was telling him, ‘She’s doing it, she’s doing it’ but he didn’t listen. He kept hitting me to do it better and was videoing it. “After this, he asked my roommate to convince Segun to sleep with me, if we really wanted to go home the next day. I was in the room later and Segun came in and said, ‘The boss said if I don’t do it, he will not allow you people to go tomorrow.’”

    “Segun slept with me that night!”

    Day five, Saturday, 26th May

    “The next morning, Ola came with ori (shea butter) and abokini balm (mentholated cream). Before Ola saw me, Taylor told him that we’ve gone so that Ola will not arrange 10 guys to gang-rape me. Ola was just nodding in agreement and laughing. He told Ola that he wanted to take me and my roommate to Ado-Ekiti. This information made me really scared, because if no one could find us in Ilesha that is so close to Ife, who would know our whereabouts in Ado-Ekiti, a place I’ve never been before? He said he was not going to force us, that we would talk about it.

    “My roommate and I went into the room to talk about it. She said she’s not sure about this Ado-Ekiti, and I said neither was I, but then, we both knew we had no say in the matter, whether we liked it or not, we would go to Ado-Ekiti if Taylor wanted us to. We went back to the parlour.

    “When we returned to the parlour, Taylor took my roommate to a corner in the room to talk to her. Ola then asked where my parents were. I told him. He asked me where I schooled. I told him. Then, he said, ‘How did you find yourself in Ilesha?’ I told him I didn’t even know. Then he asked, ‘Do you really want to go to Ado-Ekiti?’ I told him I didn’t have any choice. Then he asked one last question before Taylor returned with my roommate, ‘Do you want to leave here?’ I told him yes. Taylor asked what we were talking about and Ola told him nothing.

    “Ola stood up and told Taylor he wanted to go and eat amala somewhere in the area. Taylor told him Segun was cooking, but he insisted that it was amala he wanted to eat and left. Less than 30 minutes after that, the police arrived. We were meant to leave for Ado-Ekiti at 2:00pm, but the police came around past 12noon.”

     

     

    Unveiling the rapist

    A BACKGROUND check on Taylor via his social media accounts revealed a normal everyday person. His posts are not suggestive of the kind of behavior and evil he allegedly perpetrated on poor Cece and her friend, while his photos of studio gadgets and guitar, suggest someone active in the entertainment industry, hence one could hardly blame Cece for falling prey.

    In one of his posts, he wrote: “I got my first guitar when I was fourteen, now I am in my forties, and still wearing jeans. Happy birthday to me jare”

    He further wrote: “”While growing up, I had special meals cooked for me on my birthdays. I was pampered and indulged. On other days, ‘Jay Tees’ (sorry that’s what I call my Father) ever waiting cane was handy when I erred. My mom’s hard scolding was never restrained. But sincerely, those were the ice that smouldered my putrescence. I actually wished then that everyday would be 6th of April. So the indulgence would last forever….”

     

    I’m yet to come out of the trauma – Cece’s dad

    SPEAKING to The Nation, Cece’s dad said, “Thank God I’m gradually coming out of the trauma. I have not been able to tell people the full detail of what transpired, not even my wife because I don’t want them to be stigmatised. It is necessary they are protected. The idiot that abducted them is in custody and has been charged to court.

    Before she went to school, both dad and daughter had agreed that he would send her tuition fees at some point. “On the 21st of May, which was a Monday, she called me to send her a little allowance, so I sent her N5,000. I didn’t call her on Tuesday. When I got the money, I called her on Wednesday, but her phone was switched off. I called the second number, it was switched off. I then called the roommate; her own phone too was switched off.

    “On Thursday when I got an alert, I wanted to send her the school fees, so I called again to alert her that I was sending her tuition fees so that it would not enter late registration. When I called that Thursday, her phone was still switched off, even her roommate’s.”

    Being someone who speaks often with his daughter, he naturally sensed that something was not right. “It was then I became worried that something might be wrong. I kept calling both of them till day break, but it was not going. I couldn’t sleep.”

    Unable to reach her, he checked his phone for numbers of her other friends. After trying several, one belonging to her roommate in 100-level went through. “The girl said she saw my daughter in church on Sunday and on campus on Monday, but hadn’t seen or heard from her since Tuesday. I asked her to help me check on her and let her know that I needed to send her tuition fee. She later told me that she didn’t meet them in the hostel, but that she learnt they hadn’t had light for three days. I believe she said that to assuage my fears about their disappearance.”

    “Eventually, she was able to reach her roommate’s Glo line, but nobody picked; so she sent an SMS. Those guys saw the SMS, switched on my daughter’s phone and asked her to call me. When she called me I was with my doctor, I had gone to see him because of the way I was feeling. The doctor was asking me if I was hypertensive because my blood pressure was high. We were still discussing when her call came in. I couldn’t pick immediately, so I called her back.

    “When we spoke, she spoke in a way to tell me she was in danger, but I was not decoding. She told me her phone was bad and needed to be changed. I told her that I would change it, but that I wanted to send her tuition fee. She began saying that she changed department and the portal had not been opened, I shouldn’t send the money. I insisted that I would send the money anyway. I felt better having heard her voice.

    “I missed her call again on Saturday. When I called back, she told me what she went through. I ran down to Ilesha on Sunday. The police told me that they had taken them to the hospital, but I still brought her home to see my doctor.

    Entreaties

    He also revealed that someone, apparently a family to the perpetrator, has been calling from Germany to beg them not to take the matter far. “The first time he called, I dismissed him because I was very mad. He didn’t call me again until the day we went to court, that’s how I know that he’s being fed with information or he’s working with them. I told him, ‘Young man, I don’t know where you’re calling from. I don’t have any case with your uncle, brother or whatever. He has a case with the government and I’m only just a standing witness. So, stop calling me.”

  • Abducted Ondo monarch’s wife, driver freed

    •No word on ransom

    The abducted wife of the Alauga of Auga in Akoko Northeast Local Government Area of Ondo State, Olori Olukemi Agunloye, and her driver, Abudu Mumuni, have regained their freedom from their captors.

    They were seized last Sunday on the Auga-Ise road while travelling to Ugbe Akoko for a family meeting.

    The duo shared their ordeals in captivity, saying they drank water reserved for cows.

    Olori Agunloye said she received occasional beating and harassment while in hunger strike for three days.

    The Alauga of Auga thanked God for sparing his wife’s life.

    The Nation reports that the driver had become tired and fragile as doctors attended to him and the Olori.

    Oba Agunloye lauded Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s concern on the matter and express appreciation to the police, the Army, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the media for showing concern about the incident.

    He called for rehabilitation of Akoko roads, saying criminals used the failed portion for their nefarious acts.

    Oba Agunloye urged the government to provide police with vehicles and other tools for effective patrol.

    The Police Area Commander for Akoko, Razak Rauf, was accompanied by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for Ikare, Mohamed Mahe, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP).

    They assured the public of their safety.

    The police officers said the command was trailing the perpetrators of the abduction, assuring that they will be caught.

    The chairman of Akoko Northeast Local Government Area, Rafiu Eniayewu, urged indigenes to desist from hosting strangers without security alertness, particularly when they are many.

    He added that the state government was doing a lot to repair Akoko roads, like Ikare to Ugbe, while that of Akunu, Ikaram, Afin, Okeagbe will begin soon.

    There was silence yesterday on the ransom paid to secure the release of the abducted monarch’s wife and the driver was.

    But Olori Agunloye said the hoodlums stole a huge amount of money, handsets, jewellery and credentials from her and Abudu Mumuni.

     

  • Abductors demand N30m for Ekiti PDP chief

    •Kidnappers demand N30m ransom

    Suspected gunmen have kidnapped the Financial Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Mr. Kayode Oni.

    He was reportedly abducted at the weekend at a location between Efon and Erio, about 4:30 pm, while heading for Aramoko, the headquarters of Ekiti West Local Government.

    The PDP chieftain was said to be returning from Efon where he officiated at the party’s local government congress.

    PDP spokesman Jackson Adebayo told reporters yesterday that the kidnappers had established contact with the victim’s wife and younger brother, demanding N30 million ransom.

    He said Oni, who was in his car with his daughter and grandson, was waylaid and taken to an unknown destination.

    Adebayo said only Oni was kidnapped.

    His words: “He went to conduct our local government congress in Efon Alaaye and was abducted while returning to Aramoko.

    “The family has been contacted. They told the abductors that the entire family can’t even raise N1 million and they are asking for a whopping N30 million.

    “The family told us that they have complained at the police station in Efon.

    “Our party is not resting. We are making contacts to ensure his release.”

    Police Commissioner Mr. Abdullahi Chafe neither denied nor confirmed the incident.

    He said he was out of Ekiti and had not been briefed.

    He promised to give details about the incident later.

    Chafe said: “I can’t confirm the kidnap now. There is no way I will know because I am not in Ekiti State as I speak with you. But I will give you details later.”

  • Teenager: I was abducted, impregnated by policeman

    •Edgal orders investigation

    A 16-year-old girl, Chinelo Obadike, has accused a policeman attached to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) of abducting, raping and impregnating her.

    Obadike was allegedly abducted last May 8 on her way to her sister’s place in Ojo, a Lagos suburb.

    It was gathered that the policeman, identified as Henry, who was at the time serving at Ojo Division,  saw the girl on the road holding a piece of paper and forcefully took her to a hotel.

    Chinelo said: “I was going to my sister’s place. She sells food at Ojo. That was when Officer Henry saw me and forced me on his motorcycle. He took me to a hotel and raped me at gun point. After that, he took me to his house and told his wife that he has brought a housemaid that would be looking after their children.

    “While I was at their house, he would rape me every night when he came back from work. I was at their house for about 18 days. It was during one of the nights he came to sleep with me that his phone and N10,000 fell from his pocket. I picked them and when they had gone out the next day, I fled to the village.”

    Chinelo was delivered of a baby five months ago.

    Angered by her disappearance, the policeman was said to have gone to FSARS in Ikeja and reported that the girl stole N1.5million belonging to his wife, jewellery and other valuables. It was gathered that a case of robbery was opened against the girl, prompting FSARS operatives to track her to her village in Anambra State.

    It was gathered that Chinelo had sold the policeman’s phone while fleeing, which the police tracked to a man identified as Ekwe, who led detectives to the victim’s sisters in Lagos.

    The founder, Crime Victims Foundation, Mrs. Gloria Egbuji, was notified of the matter by the victim’s family after she was allegedly detained, tortured in FSARS despite being underage and pregnant.

    Mrs. Egbuji, it was learnt, intervened and the parties were invited for a meeting, where operatives of FSARS discovered there was a case of abduction and rape.

    Egbuji confirmed to our correspondent that Miss Obadike was released after she got in touch with the officer in charge of FSARS, Mohammed Sanusi, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP).

    According to the victim’s elder sister, Chukwudumaga Obadike, Chinelo admitted before the police that she stole N10,000 and the officer’s phone when it fell from him while he was raping her.

    She said Henry withdrew the case of N1.5million theft when he realised that the truth had been exposed but denied being responsible for her pregnancy.

    Obadike said: “This thing happened on May 8, last year. I discovered that my sister was missing and we reported her missing at the Ajangbadi Police Station in Ojo.

    “We did not know what happened until July 10 when I was arrested by policemen from Ojo Division, where officer Henry was serving. They said my sister, who I had reported missing, was wanted by the police for N1.5million theft from a policeman.

    “I told them that we were  looking for her and had declared her missing.The policemen went to Ajangbadi Police Station with me to ascertain if truly I reported her missing.They wanted to lock me up but I refused. They later released me by 11pm and the policemen told us to report at the station the next day.

    “When I and another sister of mine called Ada went to Ojo Police Station the next day, the policemen took us to FSARS office at Ikeja. Ada  and I were detained there and were asked to pay N10,000 bail each but we ended up giving them N5,000. They released us and told us to go and look for our missing sister and bring her to FSARS Ikeja.

    “They tracked her to the village and brought her to Lagos. She confessed to us that she did not steal N1.5million from officer Henry’s house that it was a frameup. She was detained in  FSARS cell forone week with the help of officer Henry’s brother, who worked there. The policemen did not give her food. They tortured and forced her to confess to stealing Henry’s N1.5million.”

    The Nation gathered that at the meeting in FSARS, money was demanded from the policeman for the expectant girl’s upkeep and he committed to N50,000.

    But along the line,  Henry, it was gathered denied paying the money and said he could only raise N20,000 because his son was epileptic and had a crisis. The policeman, it was gathered, also denied paying the money for fear that it could be used as evidence against him.

    Our correspondent contacted Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal, who  immediately sent for CSP Sanusi, the officers in charge of Gender and XSquad units, directing a thorough investigation into the case. He also directed that the case file be transferred to the gender unit.

    CSP Sanusi said: “I do not allow underage persons to be detained in FSARS cell under my watch. Maybe they were doing that before I came but since I came here, no underage person has been detained.”

    He directed our correspondent to the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Okhide, who denied allegations of torture, starvation and maltreatment. The IPO said the teenager had marks of burns on her body, which she claimed was inflicted on her by her sister. He also said  allegations of rape were made against the officer but he did not investigate it since it was not within his jurisdiction.

  • ‘I was abducted, almost killed during Enugu council polls’

    ‘I was abducted, almost killed during Enugu council polls’

    Enugu State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the 2015 general elections, Okey Ezea, has tales of woes to tell over the recent local government polls. He alleged that he was attacked by thugs hired by political opponents in his hometown, Itchi in Ibagwa-South Local Government Area. In this interview with reporters in Lagos, he narrates his ordeals and makes suggestions on how to avert violence during elections. Emmanuel Oladesu was there. 

    What is your position on the outcome of the recent local government elections in Enugu State?

    I was the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State in the 2015 general elections. The state government called for local government election and gave us their words that it will be free and fair; that parties would be called to come and participate and voters would be allowed to vote freely to elect their counselors and chairmen, but nothing like that happened. We also agreed that materials for the election would be taken from the state electoral commission office in Enugu to the police divisions in various local government areas, for safe custody. The idea was to reassure every party that the materials are in safe hands. But, they were taken to local government headquarters, where the PDP, which is a party to the election, was in charge of affairs.

    What actually happened?

    On Friday November 3, few hours to the election, report came that the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) has decided to take the materials to the local government headquarters. That was when we knew that there was not going to be elections and some of us who are used to local government elections in Enugu State were not allowed to vote. We went home, hopeless over the situation.  The following morning, of course, our candidates started calling that they went to local government headquarters where the materials were supposed to be and that they were not allowed to go inside. Least I forget, that same Friday, immediately I got information that the materials were going to be in the local government headquarters, I called the ENSIEC Chairman, Dr. Mike Ajiogu (SAN), and he said if they don’t have enough space at the police station they could take them to the local headquarters for safe keeping and that the next morning they would share everything. In fact, he has started to tell me that they sent 15 cartons of ballot papers for my council area, Ibagwa-South Local Government. He said each carton contains 50 booklets and that each booklets contains 100 leaves. He gave me his word that if we go there the following morning and these things were not complete, we should just call him and he would cancel the election in the area and bring fresh documents. I also called the Commissioner of Police and he said he has asked the D.P.O to go to the local government to provide maximum security, so that the following morning, the parties will be there to share the materials. We believed all. Then, we went home. When we got there in the morning, my people were not allowed in and all the materials were gone. I accosted the member representing the area in the House of Representatives, Hon. Patrick Asadu, and he seems to be in charge of the activities at the headquarters.  Rather, he said we should go to our wards that they are going to distribute them at the polling booths there.

    Could you give us an account of what happened in your town on the day of the exercise?

    I left peacefully and went to my village from where I went to the distribution centre.  When I got there, there was argument with the woman that was acting as ENSIEC Supervisor. Our people said she had only five bags for five polling units, while there are seven polling units in my ward. So, we were asking her about the other two, but she could not explain satisfactorily. In fact, she was confused and stated that she does not have the result sheets.  We asked her how she could come for election without result sheets, but she could not give a credible answer. We had fears that they must have gone to write results secretly and we expressed that fear to the DPO.

    What was the evidence?

    I then went away and about a kilometre from that distribution centre, I met about five policemen from Ibagwa Police Station and about five or six Civil Defense officers; they were interrogating one boy they caught on the road there. Immediately I saw the face of the guy, it was familiar and I stopped to inquire what was going on. That was when I saw a convoy of about 10 Hilux vans coming with full headlamp and siren. Initially, I thought they were policemen or soldiers, but when I saw the guns they were raising up, most of them were pump action riffles, I knew it was not Nigeria security force. They were all in black and black so, when they got to where we were, a serving commissioner in the state was the first person to jump out of the vehicle, carrying his own automatic pump action riffle. He made straight to me saying: “Ideke, you have been giving us trouble with this your APC. Now that we have caught you, I am sure you are going to call Buhari to come and save you; boys deal with him; put him in my car”.

    At his stage, hell was let loose as more than 50 armed bandits clad in all black attire with beret and dark glasses, wielding weapons in one hand and substances suspected to be Indian hemp in the other hand, descended on me. Some of them had AK47, some automatic pump action and they dragged me to their Hilux vehicle and sped off. They kept one armed thug on my right, and another on my left. The one on my left was busy hitting me with the butt of his gun and when he felt the gun was not forceful enough, he started using his right elbow to hit me. So, when we got there, they dragged me before the House of Representatives member, while they continued hitting me. They also used plastic chairs in heating me on the head.

    Does that mean that the police could not guarantee security during voting?

    While the merciless beating continued, one of the officials confronted them, asking if they wanted to kill me. He then dragged me towards a safer place, away from the thugs to where policemen from the Special anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) were sitting and they cordoned off the place. I noticed that while they were manhandling me, the House of Representatives member was constantly receiving a call, as if he was being given instructions. I know the faces of some of those thugs that abducted and manhandled me. In fact, I was conscious enough to recognise them while the merciless beating continued.

    While this banditry lasted, I was wondering if I had thugs, what would have happened. Definitely, there would have been a bloodbath. I was with my driver and two policemen, but they were overpowered by the thugs. Sadly, I remembered that the same thing happened in 2003 at Enugu-Ezike, where many lives were lost all in a bid by the ruling party to remain in power. Unfortunately, the man that led the attack on me was also the same person that attacked my polling booth during the 2015 governorship election and he narrowly escaped being killed by angry youths. That was what earned him the position of a commissioner in the state cabinet today.

    Later, I was taken to the police station where I wrote a statement.  It was there that I heard that when the Commissioner of Police heard about my abduction, he swiftly directed the Area Commander and DPO to rescue me. Incidentally, they came with the same policemen that were there when they abducted me. It was simply a pre-meditated attack meant to kill me, so that I would not be a stumbling block. It should be noted that this is what they have being doing in all the elections in the state.

    What action did the police take after the incident?

    After the ugly incident, I must tell you that, as I am making this report, nobody has called me and till date and no arrests has been carried out by the police, even after I named some of the people that attacked and abducted me. I can tell you without fear of contradiction that the number of armed bandits they have in that local government is twice more than they have in the area. It should be noted also that these thugs were wielding dangerous weapons freely in the presence of men of the Directorate of State Security (DSS) and nothing happened.

    So far, I have reported the matter to the National Chairman of my party and I expect him to take it higher. Be that as it may, it will be difficult to recover fully from the injuries they inflicted on me. First and foremost, I have lost my left eye. As we speak, I cannot recognise you if I close my right eye. The whole of my left hand is paralyzed. I have wound all over my body and you cannot ascertain the extent of the wound inflicted inside my body, especially the heart where they used the butt of their guns to hit me severally. I also have a dislocation on my leg and pains in my ribs.

    As we speak, the state government has not condemned what happened. It is very unfortunate. Incidentally, the governor called me and said he was the person that directed the Commissioner of Police to rescue me. It therefore means that he was aware that I was abducted. I expect the security agencies to investigate this matter and bring the culprits to book and, especially, find out the source of the dangerous weapons in their possession.

    I must also emphasise that there is no iota of truth in the rumour making the rounds that the people of my area were angry with me for not allowing them present a chairman for the election. We have long been disenfranchised in selecting representatives and nobody in his right senses can compromise that. The advice I have is that I stand firm on the side of the people that they must be allowed to vote to determine who they want to rule them. A group of people who are very unaccountable, very irresponsible, who has no mercy for the suffering of the masses, cannot continue to sit in the comfort of their homes and write results of their election and say this person would go and that other person would go.

     

  • Abducted LP chief’s mum freed

    Seventy-one-year-old Mrs.  Elizabeth Omotosho, who was abducted eight days ago by gunmen, has been freed.

    She is the mother of the National Chairman of Labour Party (LP), Dr. Mike Omotosho.

    The Nation learnt she was freed last Friday. Mrs. Omotosho was taken from her Tanke, Ilorin, Kwara State home by the gunmen,who demanded N100 million ransom.

    Dr. Omotosho confirmed his mother’s release in a statement.

    He said no ransom was paid.

    Omotosho thanked Nigerians, who stood by the family during their ordeal.

    Police spokesman Ajayi Okasanmi said Commissioner Mr. Lawan Ado would formally brief the public on the rescue of Mrs. Omotosho today.

  • Four of six ‘abducted Igbonla pupils’ resume

    Four of six pupils of Lagos State Junior and Senior Model College, Igbonla, who were released by kidnappers on July 28, have resumed.

    The pupils, Judah Agbaosi, Faruq Yusuf, Isoaka Ramon and Peter Jonah, were in high spirits yesterday when a team of Lagos State Ministry of Education, led by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adesina Odeyemi, visited the school.

    Agbaosi, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said they had put the ugly incident behind them and were happy to be back in school.

    He said: “I resumed yesterday.  I feel very happy to be back in school. I can tell you that I’m okay. I know that nothing bad will happen again.”

    Agbaosi said the school authority had put security measures in place to boost their confidence.

    Asked if he would change school if given the opportunity, he said: “I will not because I really like the standard here. Besides, the school encourages pupils to have relationships with teachers. We can always go to them when we have any problem.”

    Agbaosi said the other two pupils are expected to resume this week, adding that there is no reason for any pupil not to resume.

    “God is the only guarantee for security. If those of us kidnapped are here today, there is no reason for any pupil not to resume.”

    Although less than half of the school’s population had resumed, Odeyemi hoped that the pupils would resume before the end of the week.

    Of 700 pupils the junior school can accommodate, 225 JSS2/JSS3 have resumed. Only 20 of 245 new

    JSS1 pupils have resumed.

    In the senior school, 205 SS2/SS3 have resumed out of 431. SS1 pupils are yet to resume.

    The permanent secretary said the government had raised the school’s fence, built a watch tower, fixed floodlights and ensured that security operatives were stationed in the school day and night.