The Nation Newspaper

Tag: allegedly

  • Gunmen allegedly kill accounting officer

    Gunmen have allegedly killed an accounting officer at Emure Local Government Council, Ekiti State, Mr. Abayomi Ajayi.

    He was said to have been killed on Wednesday about 8pm on Ikere-Ise Road while returning from office.

    The Nation learnt that two other workers of the council were kidnapped.

    Read also: PSC gets 242, 455 applications for 10,000 police job

    Sources said the abducted victims are the Coordinator of the state Primary Health Care, Dr. Fashina and the Administrative Officer, Pastor Onaade.

    The kidnappers have demanded N10 million ransom each from the families of those kidnapped.

    Command spokesman Caleb Ikechukwu said investigation had begun.

  • Prophet arraigned for allegedly defrauding church members of N54.5m

    The founder of Power of the Holy Ghost Evangelical Ministry, aka Tuesday Tuesday Church, Shoba, Abule-Ado, Lagos, Prophet Cletus Ilongwo, was yesterday arraigned at an Ikeja Special Offences Court in Lagos State for allegedly defrauding church members of N54.5 million.

    The cleric is facing an 11-count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), before Justice Sherifat Solebo.

    According to the EFCC, Ilongwo allegedly committed the offences between January and April 2016.

    In one of the charges, Ilongwo allegedly collected N13 5million from Obinna Ezenwaka on the pretext that he would help him purchase a property located at 165c, Diamond Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.

    He was also accused of collecting N10million from Ezenwaka on the pretext of purchasing the same property, but, however, failed to do so.

    The defendant was alleged to have at various times collected N10million, N7million, N3million and N150,000 from Ezenwaka through his Zenith Bank account 1003455899.

    Prophet Ilongwo, who wore a long red robe, however, pleaded not guilty.

    Counsel to the defendant, P.N Orji, informed the court about a pending bail application he had filed on behalf of his client.

    EFCC prosecutor Ahmed Yerima did not oppose the application, but asked for time to respond to the application.

    Justice Solebo adjourned the matter till November 14 and 19 for hearing of the bail application and for trial to begin.

    Prophet Ilongwo was arrested early this year by the Police and EFCC after a former member of the church reported that he allegedly defrauded him of N85 million.

    After he was invited for interrogation, he jumped bail and efforts to re-arrest him failed until his surety was arrested by security operatives.

  • Gunmen allegedly kill pastors, female member

    Gunmen last weekend allegedly killed the pastors of a new generation church, the Winds of Glory, located at Ohokobe village in Umuahia North Local Government of Abia State.

    A female member was also allegedly murdered.

    Residents of Umuobia Housing Estate, Olokoro and members of the church mourned as the decomposing bodies of the pastors and the female member were evacuated from the pastor’s home in Umuobia, Olokoro.

    Last night, the police were yet to issue a statement on the incident.

    The deceased were identified as Pastor Blessed Kelechi, his assistant, Pastor Kalu Ikeagwu, and Ruth Andrew, the female member, who was the womAn leader.

    It was gathered the evacuation team was led by Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department, Patrick Edung.

    The Nation learnt the bodies were discovered when members, who were worried about their pastor, went to his home to find out what happened.

    They were shocked to find the bodies.

    A source alleged the gunmen stole the pastor’s belongings, including his car.

    The police have reportedly cordoned off the crime scene and have begun investigation.

     

  • Man, 43, allegedly defiles 11-year-old thrice

    A 43-year-old man, Ifeanyi Adieme has been arrested for allegedly defiling an 11-year-old (name withheld) It was learnt that the girl’s parents handed her over to Adieme to look after his three children.

    It was learnt that the girl who attends Iba Estate Primary School, Ojo, Lagos, on Ma 20, 2018, opened up to one of the coordinators of her church’s children section on how she had been subjected to sexual abuse and defilement by Adieme.

    The pastor of the church was said to have reported the matter to Iba Police Station, following a medical confirmation of Adeime’s sexual abuse of the girl, and he was arrested.

    The pastor who refused to give out his name said he was angry when he heard that a little girl was raped by his uncle and he was provoked to call for Adieme’s arrest.

    According to the Pastor, Adieme was not a member of the church but  he allowed his children to attend the church every Sunday. “We only know the children as our members; they have been coming for a long time. But, we don’t know their father, in fact, today is my first time of seeing him”.

    Adieme, who runs a frozen food retail shop and was detained at the station for allegedly raping the girl, initially denied touching her saying: “I didn’t touch her. I am a Christian and would not do such a thing, I hope the hospital can detect if I went into her private part? Let them found that out if I was the one.’’

    Adieme who hails from Nsugbe town in Anambra State but lives at number 19 Oremeji Street, Ibatedo, Ojo Lagos narrated further that he once had a beautiful and good wife who died in January, adding that it was as a result of who would help him look after his children that made him seek for a help.

    “I brought her to my house and enrolled her at Iba Estate Primary School. As time went by she couldn’t do house chores as I expected and I would caution her. Then on Friday 18th of this month, I came back home and saw a candle burning in the parlour. I asked who put the candle; she said it was my son. I said you that is older that I brought into this home to take care of my children, you are not taking care of them well, so I just beat her but not so much and they left to church. I was at home waiting for them to come back from church when police came and arrested me”.

    A medical report from Igando General Hospital confirmed that the girl was actually defiled.

    Around 9:30am on Monday, the pastor, a member of the church and Adieme’s elder brother were at the station. They pleaded with the DPO, Mr Gbenga  Ogunsakin not to refer Adieme to Lagos State Police Command, but grant him bail in order to look after his children. At this time, Ogunsakin called in the victim, to narrate in details how Adieme abused her.

    According to the girl, it all started on a Friday night around 10pm after Adieme’s chidren had gone to bed. She said: “He called me into his room, When I entered he brought out his private part. I screamed and made to leave the room, he dragged me back and warned me not to make a noise. He asked me to kneel down and began to lick. I told him I can’t do that. He hit me on the head and said that he will beat me if I don’t do it. I started doing it; he held my head and was pushing it inside my mouth. When something started coming out, I tried to withdraw but he said I should continue to lick it”

    “Another night, I wanted to go and sleep he called me back. He pulled all my cloth and asked me to lie down on the bed. Then he started doing it. He said that if I tell anybody that he will kill me. After sometime he stopped. His son had woken up at that time, he went outside and came back and started again. I was crying all through, he beat me and said I should stop crying.”

    She added that on the first day it happened that her mother called Adieme. She said that Adieme gave her the phone to speak to her mother but that as soon as she began to tell her mother what happened, Adieme quickly collected the phone and turned it off.

    When the DPO could no longer tolerate what he was hearing from the victim, he ordered that Adieme be brought out from the cell. He wanted to know Adieme’s motive, why he raped the girl three times and why he made her  lick his sperm.

    Adieme fell on his knees and begged for mercy; he said it was the devil that pushed him and more likely to be the curse that was placed on him by his wife’s relative.

    The case has since been transferred to the Gender Unit of the Lagos State Police Command.

    Adejoke Cole, a Superintendent of Police (SP) of Lagos State Police Command in charge of Gender Unit expressed worrisome over the increase rate of child rape in the state.  After documentation and hand over of the case, the victim, was taken to Mirabel Centre, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja for medical tests and treatment.

    However, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO) Mr Chike Oti, who confirmed the incident, added that the suspect was in custody and will soon face the law.

  • Suspect remanded for allegedly stealing iPhone

    A 21-year-old man, Temidayo Akomolafe, has been remanded in prison custody by an Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court in Ekiti State for alleged theft of an iPhone 4x, valued at N80,000, and a gold ring, valued at N75,000.

    The accused, whose address was not provided, is facing a charge of conspiracy and robbery.

    The accused’s pleas were not taken, as the Magistrate, Mrs. Modupe Afeniforo, remanded him in prison custody and directed that the case file be duplicated and a copy sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

    Police prosecutor Oriyomi Akinwale told the court that the accused allegedly committed the offence on January 18, at Aba Iya Medi on Ilawe Road, Ado-Ekiti.

    He alleged that the accused attacked the complainant, Mr. Emmanuel Adesina, with weapons and robbed him of his belongings.

    “The accused stole an iPhone 4x, valued at N80,000, and his wedding gold ring, valued at N75,000,” Akinwale said.

    The offence contravenes Section 1 (2) (a) and (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act 2004.

    The court adjourned the case till April 20 for mention.

  • Man remanded for allegedly defiling minor

    A Jos High Court has ordered the remand of 39-year-old Peter John, accused of defiling his neighbour’s nine-year-old daughter.

    Although the defendant pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of rape and criminal intimidation, the judge, Justice Nafisa Musa, ordered that he should be remanded at Jos Prison.

    He adjourned the case till March 20 for hearing.

    The prosecutor, Mr. N.K. Tali, had told the court that the defendant allegedly committed the crime on July 26, 2017, at Furaka village in Jos North Local Government.

    “The accused told the police that he lured the girl to a stream and defiled her.

    “He said the girl is his neighbour’s daughter, who helped her mother in selling ‘akara.’

    “John told the police that the girl was sitting with her grandmother at their business spot when he gave her money to buy him blade.

    “The suspect said he followed the girl immediately she left to buy the blade, led her to a nearby stream and had carnal knowledge of her,” he said.

    Tali said the accused told the investigators that he saw blood gushing out of the victim’s private parts.

    “He threatened to kill her, if she told anyone, after which he returned the girl to her grandmother.

    “But luck ran out on him when the grandmother noticed that the child had difficulty in walking, and upon examination, she saw blood in her private parts, which led to the girl exposing the accused,’’ he said.

    The prosecutor told the court that a hospital examination confirmed that the girl was defiled.

    He said the offences contravened Section 282(1) and punishable under sections 283 and 396 of the Penal Code.

  • Man arraigned for allegedly stealing cocoa trees

    A 37-year-old man, Kunle Omotosho, has been arraigned at an Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court in Ekiti State for allegedly stealing cocoa trees.

    The defendant, of no fixed address, is standing trial on a two-count charge of malicious damage and theft of cocoa trees.

    The prosecutor, Caleb Leranmo, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on October 25, about 10 am, at Igbo Aso Farm, Ado-Ekiti.

    He alleged that Omotosho damaged the cocoa trees, valued at N100,000, belonging to Chief Sunday Ogunleye.

    Leranmo alleged that the accused stole logs of tree, valued at N120,000, belonging to the complainant.

    He said the offences contravened sections 451 and 390 (9) of the

    Criminal Code Cap C16 Laws of Ekiti State 2012.

    The prosecutor asked for adjournment to enable him study the case file and present his witnesses.

    His counsel, Mr. Peter Ogunkinle, urged the court to grant him bail, promising he will not jump bail.

    The Magistrate, Mrs. Taiwo Ajibade, granted bail to the defendant at N50,000 with two sureties, who must have verifiable addresses and voter cards.

    She adjourned the case till November 21 for hearing.

  • Cruel uncle allegedly bathes 4-yr-old cousin with acid in Ogun community

    A four-year-old boy, Damola Ademola, is now in a critical condition at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), after his maternal uncle bathed him with acid in an attempt to forcibly eject his mother, Ganiyat Ademola, from a building in the Onipanu area of Ota, Ogun State.

    The incident happened at about 8 p.m on March 11, 2017

    It was learnt that the attack was carried out by one Ismaila Taiwo, 25, whose late father, Taiwo Bamgbola, owned the building.

    It was learnt that the boy’s mother is a younger sister to Ismaila’s late father.

    According to sources, trouble began shortly after the death of Bamgbola last year, when Ismaila insisted on taking over the property.

    The Nation gathered that Bamgbola, before his death, had given Ganiyat one of the rooms in the building to stay.

    Bamgbola, according to a source, who declined identity, battled a strange ailment for about eight months before he finally passed on in Oshogbo, his hometown, where he was taken to a traditional healing home for treatment.

    It was learnt that Ismaila, upon the death of his father left his base in Ibadan, Oyo State, for Ota, Ogun State, and asked all the tenants in his late father’s building including his aunty to vacate their apartments.

    His action, according to sources angered senior members of his family including his two older sisters who cautioned him against further harassment of the tenants and Ganiyat, their aunty.

    Notwithstanding the position of the family, Ismaila was said to have threatened to take further action against the tenants and his aunty.

    He was said to have made good his threats, when he ‘’sneaked into the house last Saturday(March 11) in the night, in company with one of his friends and poured acid on Ganiyat and his son, Damola, through one of the windows in her apartment, a source said.

    It was gathered that Damola, who was being fed with a meal by his mother, was badly hit, while his mother suffered minor burns on her legs.

    Ganiyat was said to have raised the alarm which attracted neighbours, while Ismaila and his male accomplice bolted.

    It was learnt that Ismaila was later arrested on the day of the incident after a hot chase by members of a local vigilance group, while his accomplice is still large.

    The Nation gathered that Ganiyat and her son were initially taken to a private hospital in Ota, from where Damola was referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital,(LASUTH) Ikeja, where  he is currently receiving treatment.

    Ismaila, it was learnt, was taken to Sango-Ota Police Division and has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

    Contacted, the spokesman of the state police command, Mr Abimbola Oyeyemi, explained that ‘’ the suspect (Ismaila) came all the way from Ibadan to Ota and attempted to take over a house built by his late father. In a bid to forcibly eject one of sisters who lives in the building, he tried to attack her with acid and in the process poured the substance on her son.

    ‘’He was arraigned before an Ota Magistrate’s Court and has since been remanded in prison.’’

  • Those who killed my son must die too —Mother of ex-NURTW chief allegedly gunned down by customs men

    • Customs: we didn’t kill him; he died in an accident

    There was no mistaking the grief in her voice. With teary eyes and sullen mood, Madam Fatimo Koleosho, 60, swathed by sympathisers at the family compound in Balogun Apomu Compound in Ojaagbo, Gbagura area of Abeokuta, Ogun State, called for justice over the alleged killing of her son, Saubana aka Onile, by Customs men, saying: “It is three years now that I have been laid up with an ailment and Saubana was the only one taking care of me and providing my needs until he was dastardly killed.

    “Government should ensure justice is done because my son is the breadwinner of the family, including his children and wife, and he had been responsible for my welfare since I took ill. Those who are responsible for his death would also be shot dead.”

    The late Saubana was a former chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) at Grammar School Unit, Abeokuta, Ogun State, died on March 9, 2017, during an encounter with customs men, while he was conveying bags of rice in his vehicle. The minions of the law allegedly fired shots which forced the deceased driver to lose control and ended up in a ditch.

    The unfortunate incident led to a protest by transporters who stormed the headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), located in the Quarry area of the town, over the alleged killing of their leader.

    However, Saubana’s grieving mother is not the only one crying for justice, colleagues of the late driver have also vowed to resist any attempt to sweep the matter under the carpet.

    While calling on the Nigerian authorities to wade into the matter, they vowed not to relent until justice is done on the matter and culprits punished.

    Speaking with The Nation, a transporter, Wale Adeogun, said: “Saubana, aka Onile, is not a smuggler, contrary to what Customs want the public to believe. About five commercial vehicles loaded with bags of rice each, left the popular Kuto Park in Abeokuta en-route Sagamu, when the incident happened. The rice was not smuggled, it belonged to traders who bought them from the market.

    “A team of customs men on sighting their convoy allegedly shot at one of the vehicles, which made the driver to lose control, the vehicle somersaulted and finally landed into a ditch, leading to Saubana’s death.

    “We are still waiting for the outcome of police investigation, but we will not tolerate any attempt to sweep the matter under the carpet or circumvent justice. The erring customs men responsible for Saubana’s death must be fished out and dealt with accordingly.”

    Another chieftain of the transport union, who asked not to be named, said Saubana’s death was caused by the shots fired by customs men.

    He said the state Customs Command knows who the culprits are and should be honest enough to hand them over for prosecution over their complicity in the death of the driver.

    “The customs men knew that Saubana was not a smuggler. He was a chieftain of our transport union and commercial driver who was conveying rice for customers from the popular Kuto market in Abeokuta. In fact, they had been settled with the sum of N5,000 for easy passage before the patrol team fired shots that led to his death.

    “The officers responsible for his death are known to the state’s Customs Command and they are still working in the agency to date. They should be fished out and presented for prosecution for their despicable conduct role in the unfortunate death of Saubana, whose family and children are being made to suffer for the untimely death of their father.”

    Condemning the alleged complicity of men of Ogun Area Customs Command in Saubana’s death, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Ogun State chapter, also urged the Federal Government to intervene and ensure that justice is served.

    The Chairman of the state chapter of the human rights group, Comrade Yinka Folarin, said: “The killing (of Saubana) is condemnable. It is something we cannot fold our arms and allow it to continue running. We have come out as a civil society organisation with the responsibility of defending people’s right to tell them that the right of the people is non-negotiable.”

    The outrage over Saubana’s death continued on Tuesday, when the Ogun State House of Assembly condemned the alleged killings of innocent citizens of the state by men of the Nigeria Customs Service.

    At the day’s plenary, the lawmakers said the alleged killing of Saubana last Wednesday was reckless.

    Speaking with The Nation, the spokesman of Ogun Customs Area Command, Mr Usman Abubakar, however, denied the allegation that Saubana was shot dead.

    He explained that his men undergo periodic training on the use of fire arms and civil conduct in the discharge of duty at all times.

    He said the late driver and others had tried to stave off arrest on sighting Customs patrol team, when he ran into a ditch and died.

    Abubakar said: “The information at my disposal is that one of our patrol teams went on routine patrol on the day of the incident along Kobape-Sagamu Road. Our men were tipped off that some rice smugglers were passing through that route and they intercepted the smugglers.

    “On sighting Customs patrol team, the drivers of those vehicles sped off and one of the vehicles fell into a ditch. The occupants of that vehicle left and ran away. Our men now brought the vehicle down to Abeokuta station. So, there was no shootout with anybody. Our men have no reason to shoot anybody or use firearms indiscriminately. They are well trained and they operate according to international best practices.

    “While the police are still carrying out investigation into the matter, it is instructive to state that our men are being subjected to constant training and retraining on the use of fire arms in partnership with the military. We have a routine training programme on proper handling of ammunition coordinated by the Nigeria Army 192 Battalion, Owode, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State, and our men strictly apply themselves to the discipline of restraint even in the face of unfavourable situation when carrying firearms.”

    Also speaking on the case, the state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, said the police had launched a discreet investigation into the incident.

    “All other security agencies have concerns for the life and property of the citizens of this country. The state government, as well as other security agencies are on top of the situation; they are having a discreet look at the situation and the issue is an issue that is being given proper attention by the government so that the stability and peace of the state will continue to be guaranteed,” he said.

    It will be recalled that one Mrs Fausat Bankole, a mother of five, was allegedly shot dead by a customs man at Ilashe near Idiroko on Thursday July 20, 2013 while travelling to a nearby market in a vehicle at a customs check point.

    Blaming customs officers for the death of his daughter, aged father of the 45-year-old deceased said: “The mandate given to customs service does not include the killing of innocent people. My daughter is not a smuggler neither am I. She sold fire woods, vegetables, fruits, pepper and condiments. Why then would customs men kill my daughter gruesomely? Let the Federal Government and customs authority caution their men against the indiscriminate use of fire arms on innocent residents. Only last week, a boy was almost killed by some customs officers who were on the trail of suspected rice smugglers in the neighbourhood.”

    The Customs man who pulled the trigger, according the then spokesman of the Ogun State Area Customs Command, Mr Chike Ngige, was handed over to the police for proper investigation after he was subjected to an orderly room.

    A similar incident occurred on August 21, 2013, at Ihunbo in Ipokia council area of the state between men of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) of Customs and Excise, which left one Idowu Gbadamosi dead. The deceased was transporting bags of rice on his motorcycle when he was allegedly ambushed by customs men attached to the Federal Operations Unit (FOU).

    The controversial killing of one Timothy Ezekiel, 30, in Ikoko-Ilashe village, Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State by customs men in March 2014, took a dramatic twist as the villagers decided to carry out rituals to avenge his death.

    The recourse to rituals followed the explanation of the Ogun Customs Area Command that the late Timothy was one of the smugglers who attempted to snatch the rifle of one of its men during a raid on a warehouse stockpiled with smuggled rice in the village.

    A cross section of Saubana’s friends and colleagues, who spoke with our correspondent, described him as unassuming and humane.

    One of his colleagues, identified as Musbau, described him as caring and generous.

    “He was a very good brother and colleague. Very friendly, generous and fun to be with. His death is a great loss to us. Government and police must find his killers and punish them for the sake of his family, aged mother and four children have no one else to care for them anymore.”

  • Man hangs self after allegedly raping brother’s wife

    A 21-year-old man has allegedly hanged himself after he was accused of raping his brother’s wife.

    The incident was said to have happened at Olorire area of Obantoko in Abeokuta, Ogun State in the evening of October 27, 2015.

    Impeccable sources said the deceased, Austin John, had offered his brother’s wife, Cecelia Emanuel, a ride on his motorbike only to veer off into a bush and raped her.

    A family source said: “The woman (Cecelia) was leaving home for a vigil in her church when John offered to take her there on his motorcycle.

    “Instead, he veered into a bush on the excuse that his motorcycle had developed a fault and forcibly raped the woman.

    “The woman raised the alarm which attracted bystanders and the late John was apprehended.

    “He was subsequently handed over to the local vigilance group and later released to one of his brothers named Mathew and family members, who promised to make him available the next day for appropriate disciplinary action.”

    It was gathered that John’s kinsmen secured his release from the custody of the vigilance group in order to send him back to their hometown where traditional rites were to be carried out to atone for the abomination he committed.

    It was learnt that John used a generator cable to hang himself in the early hours of the fateful day.

    His mangled body was said to have been discovered by herdsmen.

    The incident, however, took a dramatic turn when some members of the vigilance group were allegedly arrested by the police and detained for days at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta.