The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Gunmen

  • Gunmen abduct Igbo businessman in Benue

    SOME unknown gunmen  yesterday abducted an Igbo trader in Gboko, Benue State.

    The incident occurred at 11 a.m opposite a new generation bank on J. S. Tarka Way.

    The victim’s name was given as Celestine Agbo (aka Yellow).

    An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said the armed gunmen arrived in a Toyota Corolla, locally called dog nyash, and shot into the air several times.

    The hoodlums reportedly went after their target, who was said to be on the queue to withdraw cash from an automated teller machine (ATM).

    The gunmen reportedly seized Agbo and drove towards Gboko-Lessel Road.

    The two Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) for Gboko A and B divisions, who later visited the scene with a team of policemen, referred our correspondent to the spokesman of the state police command in Makurdi, the state capital.

    The chairman of Igbo traders’ association at Tofi line, Mr. Nonso Okonkwo, said the victim was a member of the association.

    Attempts to speak with the police spokesman were unsuccessful last night.

    His mobile phone was switched off.

  • Gunmen kill tricycle operator in Abia comunity

    Residents of Federal Housing Estate and the adjoining Emelogu Road at Ogbor Hill axis of Aba in Abia State are mourning.

    Four unidentified gunmen have reportedly shot a commercial tricycle operator dead in the area.

    The identity of the hoodlums could not be established last night.

    It was learnt that the gunmen accosted the tricycle operator, who was identified simply as Kalu and said to be an indigene of Abiriba in Ohafia Local Government Area.

    The hoodlums were said to have asked for the keys to the tricycle, which sources suspected was to be used to commit a crime.

    The commercial tricycle operator, who reportedly resided at nearby Emelogu Road, was said to have refused to part with the keys.

    This was said to have forced the hoodlums to shoot him.

    The victim reportedly died instantly due to the close range of the shot.

    The hoodlums were said to have stolen the tricycle, leaving the operator in the pool of his blood.

    A source hinted that the commercial tricycle operator was heading towards Ngwa Road from Ogbor Hill when the hoodlums accosted him near the Orji Uzor Kalu Bridge.

    The source said: “It was when they demanded for his Keke’s key that he knew they were armed robbers. The Keke operator resisted them and the hoodlums shot him severally. He died instantly.

    “From what we gathered, the hoodlums usually parked their car in a nearby bush, came out on the road and snatched a tricycle from its owner and beat security operatives on the road.

    “When they succeed in attacking or kidnapping their target, they either snatch another Keke to run or abandon the Keke elsewhere to escape into the bush.

    “Some people are in jail today because the police traced their Keke to have been used in robbery operations without knowing that the owners did not have any hand in the kidnapping or robbery.

    “Some Keke owners are lucky to find their tricycles were abandoned in a nearby bush by the hoodlums before heading off with their victim.

    “It is unfortunate that the innocent young man failed victim of these heartless individuals.”

    Police spokesman Geoffrey Ogbonna, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), could not be reached last night for his reaction.

    But a senior police officer, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the killing.

    He added that the police were on the trail of the hoodlums.

  • Two soldiers, cop, civilian feared dead in Rivers as gunmen struck

    At least four persons have been killed  by unknown  gunmen suspected to be kidnappers in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    The victims were reportedly shot and killed while trying to prevent a kidnap attempt of a foreigner they were conveying to an oil facility in the area.

    The victims are two soldiers,  a policeman and a civilian driver,  who were part of escort of a foreign oil expert.

    However the spokesman of the state Police command, Nnamdi Omoni, a deputy Suprindentent of Police,  confirmed the death of three persons against the four claimed by close sources.

    Omoni in a telephone interview  yesterday evening said,  that bandits killed a soldier,  policeman and driver.

    It was gathered that the victims were attacked at Sterling oil exploration site in Ogbemakoku/Iyak community in Abua-Odual.

    A source within the local government said the suspected kidnappers opened fire on the escort after the noticed the presence of their target, who is the foreigner working with the oil company.

    Our source identified as Gift Igoma,  said the driver carrying the expatriate escaped with his principal, with the intervention of community people, who stormed the area to chase the criminals.

  • Gunmen kill man one month to his wedding in Abia

    Residents of Federal Housing Estate and the adjoining Emelogu Road in Ogbor Hill axis of Aba, Abia State have reportedly been thrown into mourning as yet-to-be identified gunmen storm the area and shot dead a commercial tricycle operator whose identity is yet to be known.

    Our reporter was told that the gunmen numbering about four had accosted the tricycle operator whose name was later identified as Kalu, an indigene of Abiriba, in Ohafia Local Government of the state and demanded the keys to his Keke which sources suspected would be used by the hoodlums to perpetuate evil as that has been their style of beating prying eyes of security agencies.

    The commercial tricycle operator, who was said to be living in a near Emelogu Road, was reported to have refused parting with the keys to his keke which forced the hoodlums to shoot him.

    The victim was said to have died instantly because he was shot from a close range.

    The men of the underworld was said to have made away with the tricycle, leaving the keke operator in the pool of his own blood.

    A source hinted that the commercial tricycle operator was heading towards Ngwa Road from Ogbor Hill when on getting close to the Orji Uzor Kalu Bridge, the hoodlums accosted him.

    Read Also: ‘Lunatic’ who killed Ekiti monarch arrested

    The source said the victim who was to get married to his heartthrob in less than one month’s time, initially thought the men were passengers who wanted to engage his services.

    According to him, “It was when they demanded for his keke’s key that he knew they were armed robbers. The keke operator resisted them, the hoodlums shot him severally and he died instantly

    “From what we have been able to gather, these hoodlums do park their car in a nearby bush, come out on the road, and snatch a tricycle from its owner to go after their victim and to beat security operatives on the road.

    “When they succeed attacking or kidnapping their target, they will either snatch another keke to run or abandon that keke elsewhere to escape into the bush. Some people are in jail today because police traced their keke to have been used in a robbery operation without knowing that the owner of the keke doesn’t have any hand in the kidnapping or robbery.

    “Some keke owners are lucky to find their keke abandoned in a nearby bush where the hoodlums abandoned their keke before heading off with their victim. It is unfortunate that the innocent young man fail victim of these heartless individuals,” narrated.

    Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Abia State Police Command, Geoffrey Ogbonna could not be reached at the time of filing this report.

    However, a senior police officer who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the killing of Kalu and said that police was on the trail of the hoodlums.

  • Gunmen abduct slain DPO’s wife

    Armed gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted the wife of the late Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Rumuolumeni Police Station in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Kingsley Chukwueggu, a Superintendent of Police (SP).

    Mrs. Chukwueggu was reportedly kidnapped at her late husband’s hotel in undisclosed part of Port Harcourt yesterday.

    Although the state police command could not confirm the news last night, but a senior police officer, who spoke in confidence, said her whereabouts were unknown.

    The family source said Mrs Chukwueggu’s abductors had not established contacts with anyone.

    Chukwugeggu was shot dead by suspected robbers on April 9 as he was returning from his home town in Imo State to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    His killers were later arrested and paraded by the state police command.

    Also, five other women have been reportedly kidnapped at different locations in the state.

    Four of the victims were reportedly abducted at gunpoint on Monday on Ubima-Omurelu axis of Port Harcourt – Owerri road.

    A senior officer with the Anti-Kidnap Unit (AKU) of the state police command, who spoke in confidence yesterday, said the driver of the bus conveying the four kidnapped victims had been arrested.

    He added that the driver was being questioned at unit’s office.

    According to him, security operatives at a check point had warned the driver not to pass through the route where the vehicle was attack, but he reportedly did not heed the warning.

  • Emotion runs high in Ekiti as gunmen kill APC top member

    •Party laments ‘brutish end to a blossoming life and career’ •Ekiti govt tasks security agencies on arrest, prosecution of killers •Warns APC against ‘desperation’

    Ekiti State was thrown into mourning yesterday following the assassination of a high ranking member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Mr. Bunmi Ojo, late Friday.

    Ojo was shot at   close range by yet to be identified gunmen at a football viewing centre in Adeyinka Adebayo area of  the State capital, Ado Ekiti, at about 10pm.

    He was said to be with some of his political allies at the time of the attack.

    Ojo was, until his death, a board member of the Federal Character Commission (FCC).

    He had previously served as personal assistant to a former governor of the state, Segun Oni.

    He was in his early 50s.

    The body of the deceased has since been deposited at the morgue of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti.

    Reacting to the development yesterday, the Ekiti State government charged the police and other security agencies to fish out the  killers and  rid the state of criminals .

    The government, in  a statement by the Special Assistant to the State Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, also advised the people to warn APC members against what it called  unbridled political ambitions and acts of desperation, saying such tendencies  would only generate an  atmosphere of killings such as  Ojo’s murder.

    It blamed the killing on devilish people who    it said can go to any length to settle scores with their fellow men.

    It claimed that the peace enjoyed in the State since Governor Ayodele Fayose assumed office on October 16, 2014 has been shattered since May this year when the APC held its governorship election primaries.

    It said: “the State was peaceful until May 5, 2018 when members of the APC openly disrupted the party’s primary election, with gunshots. This was after Olalekan Taiwo, aide of one of the APC governorship aspirant, Dr Oluwole Oluleye had been shot on May 4.

    “The violence at the APC primaries was followed up by the shootings at the party secretariat during a reception organized for Dr. Kayode Fayemi, which left Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele and six others injured as well as invasion of the State with thugs during the July 14 governorship election.”

    The state government condoled with the family, friends and political associates of the deceased and prayed that God in His infinite mercies might comfort and uphold his wife and children.

    It offered to provide the security agencies with all necessary assistance to facilitate a thorough investigation of the murder and arrest of the perpetrators.

    The state governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi also lamented Ojo’s killing.

    Fayemi, in a statement through his spokesman, Wole Olujobi, commiserated with the bereaved family and expressed shock and sadness over the murder.

    He described the development as a sad commentary that shattered the relative peace the state had enjoyed after the July 14 governorship poll.

    The governor-elect charged security agencies to live up to their responsibility to get to the root of the killing and bring perpetrators to justice.

     

     

    “This is a sad development that should not be allowed to go away without getting to the root of this killing. But then the public must give security agencies chance to do their job to get to the root of this sad development.

    “Also, security agencies are enjoined to swing into action to apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous crime to check the activities of criminals in Ekiti State,” Fayemi said.

    In a separate statement, the state chapter of the APC   described Ojo’s killing as a “brutish end to a blossoming life and career.”

    “Those who knew Bunmi (Ojo) cannot but liked him. He was an easy-going and upright politician who cultivated friendship in both high and low places, which endeared him to many people,” the party’s publicity secretary, Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun said.

    He added: “we will not rest until the assailants are fished out. This is a test of efficiency for the police and other security operatives.

    “Let it be known that the present state government is not free from all the insecurities pervading our state and will be held responsible as the mastermind. We deserve an explanation as to why Bunmi Ojo should be killed without provoking anyone.”

     

  • 12 killed as gunmen attack two banks

    Suspected robbers have killed 12 persons, including a policeman, during an attack on a police station in Akoko-Edo Local Government of Edo State and invasion of two banks at Igarra, the headquarters of the council.

    Two persons, who were detained at the police station for minor offences, were also killed by the hoodlums.

    Witnesses said the robbers first attacked the police station, which is about 1.2 kilometre from the banks, to demobilise policemen.

    The suspected robbers were said to have torched the official vehicle of the new area commander and killed a policeman.

    Three other persons near the police station were reportedly hit by stray bullets.

    Four persons were killed on the banks’ premises.

    Sources claimed the robbers could not gain access to the banks’ vaults.

    A youth, Ofei Obende, said policemen at the banks tried to resist the robbers, but were overpowered.

    The Secretary to the Otaru of Igarra, Elder Folorunsho Dania, confirmed the incident. He said: “This is a serious case. Robbers have besieged Igarra. Many people were killed, 10 bodies have been counted.

    “The police station was set ablaze; the area commander’s car was torched.

    “It is a calamity. The robbers could not gain entry into the strong rooms of the banks. The people killed were outside the bank premises. A policeman was killed at the police station.”

     

     

  • Gunmen hijack commercial bus in Rivers 

    Gunmen have hijacked a commercial bus with 18 passengers and diverted it to a forest near Omurelu-Elele, on Owerri-Port Harcourt road, Rivers State.

    The Nation learnt that the bus was travelling from Owerri, Imo State, to Port Harcourt when it was hijacked by the armed men.

    The Commander of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit in Rivers State, Bennett Igwe, confirmed the incident to reporters.

    He said efforts were on to rescue the victims.

    The commander said the body of a Catholic priest, who was kidnapped two weeks ago, had been recovered after the kidnappers, believed to have collected ransom from the family, killed him.

     

     

  • 12 killed as gunmen rob banks in Edo

    Twelve persons including a policeman have been killed by armed robbers who attacked a police station and invaded two banks in Igarra, headquarters of Akoko-Edo local government area.

    Two persons who were detained at the police station in Akoko-Edo for minor offences were also killed by the robbers.

    Witnesses said the robbers first attacked the police station which is about 1.2 kilometre from the banks to demobilise the the policemen on duty.

    The robbers were said to have burnt the official vehicle of the newly posted Area Commander and killed a policeman in the process.

    Three other persons near the police station were reportedly hit by stray bullets.

    Four persons were killed within the premises of the two banks as witnesses claimed the robbers could not get access to the vault of the banks.

    A youth who gave Ofei Obende said policemen posted to the bank tried to resist the robbers but were overpowered by their heavy firepower.

    Read Also: Gunmen abduct Islamic preacher, two others in Kaduna

    Secretary to the paramount ruler of the community, Otaru of Igarra, Elder Folorunsho Dania confirmed the incident saying, “This is a serious case, armed robbers have besieged Igarra. So many lives killed, ten dead persons have been counted.

    “The police station was set ablaze, the Area Commander’s new car set ablaze because we have an area commander now. Close to the police station, three people were killed and in the banks too; Keystone and Unity Banks many persons were killed and the banks raided.

    “It is a calamity. In all, ten lives have gone. They could not access the strong room of the banks. The people that were killed in bank were outside the bank premises. Four persons killed within the bank premises, a policeman killed in the police station then a stone throw from the police station, three persons were killed. I am right at the police station.“

  • Gunmen abduct preacher, two others in Kaduna

    Gunmen have abducted an Islamic preacher and two others believed to be either his sons or students at Maguzawa village, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, the state police command said on Friday.

    Malam Ahmad Garko popularly called Al-Garkawy and the other two were allegedly abducted while working on his farm.

    The spokesman for the command, DSP Murkhtar Aliyu said in a statement that the police at about 1.40pm on Thursday received a distress call that Malam Ahmad Garko and the other victims were “intercepted by unknown armed men on motor bikes.”

    He added:“on receipt of the call, teams of policemen immediately mobilised to the area but the hoodlums escaped with the victims.

    “Tactical Units have been deployed; two persons were so far arrested in connection with the incident and rescue mission remains the utmost priority.”

    He said investigation had commenced in effort to rescue the preacher and the two other victims.