The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Gunmen

  • Gunmen kill 15, kidnap 6 women in Zamfara

     

    Police in Zamfara on Tuesday confirmed the killing of 15 persons and kidnap of six women by gunmen in Gusau local government area of the state.

    Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Muhammad Shehu, made the confirmation in a statement in Gusau, capital of Zamfara.

    Shehu said that on Monday, there was an attack in Wonaka, Ajja, Mada, Ruwan Baure, Doka, Takoka and Tudun-Maijatau villages of Mada district in Gusau area of Zamfara state.

    He said a woman was among the persons killed, adding that the attackers also kidnapped six women and a man.

    “Fortunately, with the efforts of police and sister security agencies, the abducted women have regained their freedom and have re-joined their families.

    “Normalcy has been restored to the affected villages, with improved deployment of PMF, CTU, Special Forces and Military teams to the area to forestall further attack on neighbouring villages.

    “The attack is presumably a reprisal to the attack on some Fulanis in a J5 vehicle on Feb. 1, 2019 where seven Fulanis and their animals were killed and set ablaze by the outlawed `Yansakai,’ he said.

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    In another development, the PPRO said that the District Head of Gwashi in Bukkuyum Local Government Area reported to the police that armed bandits stormed Batauna village and killed 11 persons and set houses ablaze.

    He, however, said that the details were sketchy to the police due to distance and terrain inaccessibility and lack of GSM coverage in area.

    “Units of PMF/CTU/Special Forces and military were mobilized to complement the effort of security personnel already on ground and also confirm the authenticity of the report.

    “The entire area and environs have been subjected to co-ordinated bush-combing for possible arrest of the perpetrators.

    “The command urges members of the public to avoid taking laws into their hands and always report all complaints and grievances to constituted authority for legal redress.

    “Discreet investigation into this dastardly act has already commenced and all perpetrators will be fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law,” he said. (NAN)

  • Oyo: Gunmen kill one, injure others

    … As APC candidate escapes death

    The spate of political violence heightened in Ibadan, Oyo state as the immediate past Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, Professor Joseph Adeniyi Olowofela escaped death by the whiskers when political hoodlums attacked his residence on early hours of Monday.

    At about 2 am, political suspected thugs swooped on members of the ruling party (All Progressive Congress) before heading to the residence of Professor Olowofela with guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.

    A strong member of his Campaign Organization, Alhaji Salau Salimon was shot dead in the attack while several others were severely wounded.

    They were said to currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.

    Professor Olowofela who is the leading Federal House of Representatives candidate in Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency was said to have escaped death when he was shielded by members of his party from been attacked.

    Eyewitness account said there were deafening sounds of gunshots from the attackers.

    Olowofela who was shocked by event, described the attack by the oppositions as an indication of his popularity and acceptability by the constituents.

    He however, accused the oppositions of orchestrating the attack, adding that the attack was uncalled.

    According to him, the uproarious event which claimed the life of an APC chieftain and strong member of his Campaign Organization, Alhaji Salau Salimon Alade who was shot dead, occurred shortly after the state governor, Abiola Ajimobi and the APC’s gubernatorial candidate, Chief Adebayo Adelabu left the Omi-Adio rally, stressing that other party faithfuls whom were directly attacked, also sustained various injuries.

    Among the properties attacked by the thugs was his Omi-Adio residence, in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo state where no fewer than six vehicles including two branded hummer buses (belonging to the legislative arm, Omi-Apata LCDA and Ido LG APC), branded villager mercury sport, Siena, old range rover, branded pilot jeep and campaign office were vandalized.

    In a statement issued Tuesday by his media aide, Comrade Idowu Ayodele , Olowofela said the opposition cannot change the resolve by Ibarapa East /Ido constituents to vote for Olowofela and all the APC candidates in the forthcoming polls.

    According to the statement, the ex -Commissioner for Education said, “though, I was surprised with the degree of damages done by these criminals, but it has also confirmed our resounding victories as a party and further proven that I remain the people’s choice.

    “The oppositions should endeavour to endear themselves to the good people of Ibarapa East/Ido Federal constituency, through humane and civilized manner, rather than resort to desperate tactics that threaten the lives and property of the citizens,” the statement added.

    While commending the Omi-Adio Divisional Police Headquarters for its quick response, Olowofela, however, demanded that the perpetrators of this heinous crime and their sponsors should be brought to book no matter how highly placed in order to stem the ugly trend.

    He however called on party faithful, supporters good and peace loving people of Ibarapa East/Ido federal constituency to remain calm and maintain order.

  • Gunmen kill retired prisons officer

    Gunmen have murdered a retired Deputy Controller-General of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), Dr. Adewale Oloyede.

    He was killed last Friday alongside his orderly, SIP Dauda Michael, near Osara town in Kogi State.

    Oloyede was traveling to Lagos in his car when he and his orderly were attacked at about 1500hrs.

    A doctor, the deceased headed the Directorate of Health and Social Welfare, NPS, for several years before retiring in 2007.

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    A statement yesterday by NPS spokesman Francis Enobore said until his demise, Oloyede was a member of the National Stakeholders Committee on Prisons Reform and Decongestion under the chairmanship of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chief Judge, Justice Ishaq Bello.

    Enobore said: “As relevant authorities progress in their investigation, it is our collective prayers that the perpetrators of the dastardly act will be arrested soon and brought to book.

    “The Controller-General of Prisons, Ja’afaru Ahmed and indeed the entire prisons community mourn with the family and pray that the Almighty God grants everyone the fortitude to bear this great loss.”

  • Gunmen kidnap Abia APC chair

    Gunmen have kidnapped Abia State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Donatus Nwankpa.

    The Nation learnt that Nwankpa was kidnapped by the hoodlums at Aro Ngwa junction, along Aba-Enugu Expressway, about 11pm on his way from Umuahia, the capital, to Aba, the commercial nerve centre, to prepare for the visit by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    It was gathered that members of the party were thrown into panic following the breaking of the news of Nwankpa’s abduction.

    APC Publicity Secretary Comrade Benedict Godson, confirming Nwankpa’s kidnap, told reporters yesterday in Aba that the party got information that there were plots by the opposition to disrupt the party’s presidential rally on Tuesday, but it never expected that it would get to the level of planning to kidnap the chairman.

    He said: “There was a plot to disrupt today’s visit by the president, but we never expected this. He was kidnapped and till now, we’ve not heard from him. He remains our authentic chairman. Kidnapping Donatus Nwankpa, a foundation builder, a mover and the man who has brought this party from nowhere to somewhere cannot stop APC from winning in Abia.

    “I’m telling you authoritatively that there are some persons in the opposition party, who might have done this in collaboration with some people in our own party and we are telling them that this is not the right way to play politics.

    “This move cannot stop Dr. Uche Sampson Ogah, a godsend industrialist, from winning in Abia. People are afraid and according to our chairman, it’s obvious that some persons were planted in our party by the opposition to distract the party.

    “We are not accusing anybody, but we know that the evil people are trying their best. However, they’ll fail. We are sure our chairman will be back soon because he’s a good man, a man of God. We appeal to his abductors to release him, for he means well for Abia State.”

    Also reacting to the kidnap, a chieftain of the party, Acho Obioma, wondered why the gunmen should go after an easy-going and friendly man.

    Obioma, who represented Umuahia/Ikwuano Federal Constituency, implored the gunmen to release Nwankpa.

    He called on heads of security agencies to ensure that the victim is rescued from his abductors.

  • Gunmen kill policeman in Edo

    Gunmen have kidnapped the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly candidate for Owan West Constituency in Edo State, Michael Ohio-Ezomo.

    He was abducted yesterday at his home in Eme-Ora village.

    The kidnappers killed his police orderly.

    Ohio-Ezomo was a member of the assembly between 2011 and 2015.

    The Chairman of Owan West Local Government, Mr. Frank Ilaboya, who confirmed the incident, said it happened around 1am.

    “We got the information early this morning. His police orderly was killed. They shot him.     “The driver said they shattered the window with bullets and entered the room, kidnapping him.

    “We don’t know his whereabouts. He went on campaign yesterday. He went to some camps with Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, the House of Representatives candidate and we even spoke after the campaign. They were supposed to continue the campaign today, but for this unfortunate incident.”

    Police Commissioner Hakeem Odumosu, who mobilised a special squad to the area, said it was a case of kidnap and murder.

    He said: “They broke into the compound and first went to the boys’ quarters where the police orderly was sleeping and killed him. Then they went to the four- bedroom bungalow where the victim stayed and broke the window to gain entrance. Three of them went inside the house, while the others stayed outside the building. One of those who went inside wore a hood and hand gloves, which means there is an insider that is likely to know the terrain and don’t want to be identified.

    “We have started investigation. They went away with the victim’s phones. We have ordered for the embalmment of the body of our fallen man so that we will do the necessary processes before we inform the family.”

     

  • Gunmen attack Adamawa community, raze Catholic Seminary

     

     

    Gunmen have attacked Bare, a community in Numan Local Government Area of Adamawa State, burning down houses and other structures there, including a Catholic seminary.

    The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Yola, Stephen Mamza, confirmed the destruction of the Catholic Seminary, complaining that the authorities were late in deploying security personnel.

    He said the information he had received indicated that the invaders stormed the community in their hundreds and operated unhindered for several hours.

    “Our reverend father’s house was burnt and there’s no house around the area that is standing now. They have burnt all the houses.

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    “All my parishioners have left. Nobody can live there,” he said.

    The bishop added that after a previous attack and people fled, about 50 percent of them had returned and reconstructed their houses.

    “The people are now back to square one because their houses have been destroyed completely,” he lamented.

    The Adamawa State Police Command admitted that the attackers succeeded in burning down several houses but did not confirm that the Catholic Seminary was among the structures razed.

    The spokseman of the Command, Othman Abubakar, said the report before him did not indicate the identities of houses burnt.

    Othman, who stressed that there was no human casualty, said: “There was an attack with houses burnt down but there was no loss of lives. But so far we have deployed our men to restore normalcy.”

  • Popular broadcaster kidnapped in Calabar

    A popular broadcaster with the Cross River Broadcasting Corporation (CRBC) in Calabar Petertex Etim aka The godfather on Friday abducted in his house by unknown gunmen.

    It was gathered the abductors stormed his house along Chamley Street in Calabar South and whisked him away in a waiting vehicle, while he was preparing for work in the morning.

    “He was supposed to read the news on radio this morning but of course could not anymore because of the kidnapping.

    “He is not a politician or involved in any controversy. He is such an easygoing guy.

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    “So why should something like this happen to him? Could it be a mistaken identity? No one knows.

    “His phone number has been switched off since and the kidnappers have not gotten in touch yet. It is really unfortunate,” a source close to him said.

    Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Irene Ugbo, confirmed the incident.

    ‘We are aware of it and we are working on it,” she said.

     

     

  • Gunmen kill man, wife, son over land

    Gunmen have killed a man, his only son, wife and granddaughter over a piece of land.

    The man, identified as Edebiri and his family were shot dead at their home at Ugbogun village in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State.

    Two of his daughters narrowly escaped death, as they were in the room when the gunmen struck.

    Narrating what happened, the deceased’s elder brother, who gave his name as Pa Osaretin Oteh, alleged that his brother might have been killed for refusing to give his land to the Community Development Association (CDA) in the village.

    Pa Osaretin said CDA’s activities were still operational in the community despite the proscription of CDA activities in the state.

    He said his late brother refused to allow the CDA members take possession of the land.

    A daughter of the deceased, Sandra, said the gunmen pointed a gun at her head and demanded money, phones and jewellery.

    She said she heard gunshots and when she opened her eyes, she discovered that her parents and sibling had been killed.

    Sandra said her father had informed them about threat to his life, but they did not take the information seriously until the gunmen struck.

    Her sister, Princess, said the gunmen fired at all of them in the room to ensure that they were killed.

    “They killed our father, mother, brother and my niece. We want the police to find the killers.”

    Police spokesman Chidi Nwabuzor could not be reached for comments.

    The bodies have been deposited at the mortuary.

  • Gunmen Kidnap another Ekiti LG official, driver

    A Director of Administration in Gbonyin Local Government Area in Ekiti State, Mr. David Jejelowo and his driver have been kidnapped by a group of unidentified gunmen and whisked away to unknown destination.

    Jejelowo was kidnapped on Monday evening along Ado-Ijan road while returning from Ode Ekiti, the local government headquarters to Ado Ekiti capital city.

    The incident occurred few days after an accountant with Emure local government, Mr Abayomi Ajayi was killed and two other officers of the Emure local government were kidnapped along Ise-Ikere road.

    The Nation gathered that Jejelowo was returning to Ado Ekiti around 7.15pm with his official car when he was abducted on the way.

    The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Mr. Caleb Ikechukwu, confirmed the incident, saying the driver had been released.

    “We confirmed the kidnap incident on Monday. It happened along Ado-Ijan road and it involved the Director of Administration of Gbonyin local government and his driver.

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    “But the driver has been released, we can confirm that to you. We are monitoring the situation and our men are working assiduously to ensure that the man is rescued from the hideout.

    “The driver has been giving us useful information that we are going to work on to facilitate the release”, he said.

    Ikechukwu added that the command is strategising on the way to tame the pillaging kidnappers, who were fond of abducting men of affluence with the sinister intention to collect ransom from them.

    The spokesman charged the members of the public to give sensitive and veracious information that would help in tracking down these miscreants.

  • Gunmen kill four persons in Plateau community

    Gunmen suspected to be cultists have killed four persons at a beer parlour in Quata village of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

    It was learnt that some youths were relaxing at the beer parlour when the gunmen opened fire on them, killing four persons.

    But a community leader said six persons died in the attack.

    Quata village is less than five kilometres from Jos, the state capital.

    The Nation learnt that the attack took place around 9 p.m on Tuesday when the victims were celebrating their luck for making it to the New Year.

    Several beer consumers exchanging pleasantries at the centre sustained gunshot injuries.

    Eyewitness said the gunmen stormed the relaxation centre and fired several shots into the people.

    The shooting took the community by surprise and sent panic among its residents.

    A statement by the police command confirmed the attack, saying the attackers were cultists.

    Police spokesman Terna Tyopev, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said: “The state police command received distress calls to the effect that unknown cult groups armed with guns and cutlasses attacked another rival cult group at a night club in Kwata Zawan of Jos South Local Government Area.

    “As a result of the attack, four persons lost their lives. The bodies of the victims have been deposited at Plateau State Specialist Hospital’s mortuary for autopsy.

    “Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Augustine Agbolanhor has directed the commencement of investigation into the crime.”

    A community leader at Zawan, Dagwom Rhei of Zawan, told reporters in Jos that six persons died in the attack.

    He said they had been given a mass burial in accordance with the tradition of the Berom indigenes.

    The community leader urged the government and security agencies to bring the attackers to justice and end suck crime in the state.