The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Gunmen

  • Gunmen abduct Ondo community’s monarch

    The Oniyani of Iyani-Akoko in Akoko North West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Joel Daodu, has been kidnapped.

    The monarch was allegedly seized near Oba-Akoko, on the Owo-Ikare Road, the same spot where the former Regent of Akungba-Akoko, Princess Toyin Omosowon, was abducted last year for almost two weeks.

    It was learnt the gunmen took Oba Daudu to an unknown destination.

    His abductors reportedly contacted his family and asked for N15 million ransom.

    Police spokesman Femi Joseph confirmed the incident.

    He said the command was planning how to rescue the monarch from his captors.

    Joseph said: “We learnt the monarch was kidnapped. Our men are on the trail of the abductors while investigation is also ongoing.”

    The spokesman said he was not aware of whether or not the hoodlums demanded ransom.

    He said: “We will not encourage the payment of ransom. But we will ensure that the victim is rescued alive, hale and hearty.”

    Another monarch and Owa of Ogbagi Akoko, Oba Victor Adetona, condemned the abduction.

    He urged the government to provide tight security for traditional rulers across the state.

    A friend of the abducted royal father and Onibaram of Ibaram-Akoko, Oba Olusegun Atibioke, expressed shock at the development.

    The monarch urged security agents to rescue the traditional ruler alive.

    The Easter festivity was low key at Iyani-Akoko, following the development.

    Members at some churches wore sad looks.

    They organised prayers for the quick rescue of their monarch.

  • Melaye escapes death as gunmen invade his home

    Melaye escapes death as gunmen invade his home

    Senator Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West) yesterday escaped death by the whiskers as gunmen invaded his house in the early hours at Ayetoro-Gbede in Kogi State.
    It was gathered that the gunmen numbering about ten arrived the house at about midnight through the bush and opened fire from different directions on the house.
    The house was riddled with bullets while two of the vehicles parked in the estate were damaged by the hoodlums.
    Melaye was in his country home at Ayetoro-Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area for the Easter holiday at the time of the attack
    The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP William Aya that the police received a distress call from the senator at about 1 am and immediately responded.
    He said the hoodlums escaped before the police arrived, thereby making arrest impossible.
    Aya said the Commissioner of Police, Mr Wilson Inalegwu had set up an investigation committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations to unravel those behind the attack.
    Narrating his ordeal, Melaye said the hoodlums arrived at about midnight and started shooting sporadically at the main building in the compound.
    He said the shooting lasted for almost one hour, adding that apart from the building riddled with bullets, two of his vehicles were damaged.
    According to him: “I got a rousing welcome from Kabba to my home town on Friday and I know it angered the power that is in the state which mobilised for this assassination attempt on my life.
    “At about midnight, we started hearing gunshots. They fired more than 200 rounds of bullet into the house. This attempt to kill me will not stop me from speaking the truth.
    “If I speak the truth, I will die, if I lie, I will die. I’ve decided to speak the truth and die. I’m not afraid of death. I only respect men, I don’t fear them.
    “I am championing an administrative course. I will continue to speak and be the voice to the voiceless. I’m not deterred; I remain resolute to make Kogi better. Noting will stop me from coming home.”
    The senator said he suspected Taufiq Isa, the Administrator of Ijumu Local Government to be behind the attack.
    According to him, the attack is most likely due to his incessant verbal attacks on the State Government.
    But Isa, who doubles as the state ALGON chairman, denied any involvement in the attack, saying he had been busy attending to his sick wife.
    He called on Melaye to substantiate his allegation against him.
    According to him: “I have never been a violent man. My running battle with Dino, if any, is because I have asked him to stop vilifying the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
    “Let him (Dino) prove it. I lost my uncle a week ago. I’m still attending to my sick wife and busy supervising the APC re-registration programme.
    “I’m a democrat and law abiding. I challenge Dino to prove his case.”
    Melaye also chided the police for not responding quickly to his distress call.
    He pointed out the house of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the town was a stone thrown from the scene of the attempt on his life.
    “The DPO did not come to my house until three hours later. Even the area Commander in Kabba was not notified until I called the Commissioner of police.
    “I suspect a satanic collaboration between Taufiq Isa and the police in Aiyetoro because the duo held a meeting two days ago.
    “Only God will protect us in this country but definitely not the police,” he said.

  • Residents flee Ishawo, count losses after militants’ invasion

    Residents flee Ishawo, count losses after militants’ invasion

    …Toddler shot dead, another kidnapped

     

    Residents of Yawe area of Ishawo community in Ikorodu, a Lagos district have deserted their homes following Sunday’s invasion that left no fewer than nine persons, including security operatives dead.

    Gunmen numbering about 40 and clad in military camouflages had stormed the area around 1am on Sunday and wreaked havoc.

    All the shops on the busy Ishawo road were shut, while few residents, who stood outside their homes wore sad faces, looking at the ruins of their valuables.

    According to the residents, some of their loved ones were yet to be accounted for.

    Meanwhile, the bodies of the policemen and an unidentified civilian were said to have been taken to Ikorodu General Hospital mortuary.

    It was gathered that the gunmen earlier kidnapped more than nine persons including a two-year-old, Chubuike Okeke.

    While others were rescued by the operatives before the ambush, a community leader, Raheem Olanrewaju, said that Okeke was still in the kidnappers’ den.

    He disclosed that they were contacted and asked to send N3,000 worth of recharge card, adding that the kidnappers said they wanted to make an urgent call.

    He said: ‘’A boy was kidnapped and they are yet to get back to us to tell us how much ransom we should bring. You can see that this place has become lonely. People have fled. No one knows what would happen next.

    “They killed Osazie, a landlord and a two-year-old boy. The militants killed them. They also shot Mr. Ojo and his wife. They are in the hospital receiving treatment. A little girl and her mother sustained gunshot injuries as well. So many people were injured in the attack. I don’t know the name of the boy that was killed.

    “The kidnappers have established contact and they said they have Chubuike in their custody. They demanded for N3,000 recharge card. They said they wanted to make urgent calls. They haven’t told us when they would release the kid nor demanded money for his release.

    “We are scared. Those who are still here don’t have anywhere to go, otherwise, not a single soul would have been left. This is the worst attack we have experienced here.  It’s clear these criminals have returned. Government should come to our rescue.”

    A resident who refused to be named stated that the gunmen went from one compound to the other, breaking into people’s homes and taking them captives.

    He said they shot sporadically from about 12am to 5am, while people scampered to safety.

    According to him, it was while the gunmen were taking their hostages into the creek through their speedboats that policemen and soldiers obstructed them.

    “They started shooting by the creeks again. The security forces overpowered them and rescued some of the victims. Other victims escaped in the course if the shooting. It was while the security forces were returning that the militants ambushed and killed them.

    “Right now, there are no soldiers nor policemen in this area. We have recruited some OPC and Onyabo members to safeguard the few residents remaining, as we await our security forces to come back and dislodge these criminal elements.

    Adetola Adeyemi appealed to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to empower the security agencies so that they would clear the creeks and surrounding bushes.

    He urged that a military base be established in the area as soon as possible, noting that there was need for constant security presence to deter the criminals.

    “For some months we knew peace but this seems like a replay of what we experienced last year. The militants told us no one would come to our aid if we called for help. They were very bold and went about their activities with impunity.

    “We are helpless. Those left in this area are less than 30. We are here because we have nowhere to go. We are good citizens. Government should rise to our defence and save us from the repeat of last year’s horror. Most of us have sent our wives and children to attach in other people’s home.”

     

  • Gunmen kill bank customer in Imo 

    Gunmen kill bank customer in Imo 

    Gunmen suspected to be armed robbers Thursday caused pandemonium in Owerri, the Imo state capital after they shot a bank customer, who was returning from one of the new generation banks after withdrawing huge sum of money.

    The dare-devil armed robbers shot the victim who was in the car with his wife severally before carting away the cash.

    According to eyewitnesses, the victim was trailed from the bank by the by the gang of three who operated in a Camry salon car.

    It was learnt that the assailants who caught up with their victim before the Okigwe roundabout directly opposite the Government House had shot sporadically into the air to scare away the people and ordered their victim to hand over the money, but when he resisted they shot him three times snatched the money away and zoomed off .

    One of the eyewitnesses, ” I was at the Newspapers stand across the road which is just before the Okigwe roundabout when I heard a gunshot and then two young men who were in a Camry car who  blocked a Man and his wife in another car came out.

    “hey asked the man where is the money and at that moment woman ran out of the car, but man refused to hand over the money to them and one of the robbers shot him three times and still took the money from him. But I don’t know if he was dead but he was seriously wounded”.

    The source further added that “immediately the robbers started shooting into the air that all the Policemen including the NSCDC who were at the roundabout just opposite Government House  ran away and that it was after the robbers had long gone that they came back”.

    Another source who witnessed the incident from a close range,  said that “I was four cars behind the robbers when they blocked the man and as soon as they cornered the man who was inside the car with a woman they started shooting into the air.

    ”  it was when I had gunshots that it dawned on me that those in that Camry were robbers because they had overtook me and I was wondering where they were hurrying to not knowing that they were actually after somebody. Even when they had succeeded in their evil act they kept shooting into the air which sent people running in different directions including the Policemen at the Okigwe roundabout junction”.

    The Police Public Relations Officer of the Imo state Police Command, Andrew w(DSP),who confirmed the incident  said that the victim was confirmed dead at the Federal Medical Centre Owerri.

  • Gunmen kidnap poly lecturer in Aba

    Unknown gunmen have abducted a lecturer, Mr. Nkwachi Brown in Aba, Abia State.

    It was gathered that Brown, popularly known as ‘Macky’, who lectures at the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, was on Thursday, kidnapped along Opobo road, Aba, on his way to a meeting.

    It was further gathered that Brown and his friend were cruising in a vehicle when the gunmen struck, near the offices of local radio station in the city.

    Close associates of the lecturer stated that the gunmen are yet to contact his family four days after his abduction. This has heightened tension about his safety.

    Abia State Police Public Relations Officer,  DSP Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the incident is yet to be reported to the Police.

    Meanwhile, residents of Bourdex Avenue and Iroegbu street, Ogbor Hill, Aba have a sent a save our soul message to the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Leye Oyebade, over the spate of robbery attacks in the area.

    The residents lamented that the hoodlums have laid siege in the area, breaking into houses and dispossessing them of cash and other valuables and appealed to the Police boss to deploy security to the area.

    A cross section of residents of Bourdex Avenue, said they no longer sleep as the robbers who are armed with sophisticated weapons attack them as early as 8pm.

    “We are appealing to the Police to deploy security around Bourdex Avenue, robbers have laid siege to the area. If you visit this area any time from 7pm, you will not meet anybody on the road due to fear of the robbers. Most times, they will continue shooting guns while moving from one house to the other. No day passes without incidents of robbery attacks in one household or the other by these hoodlums who are well armed. They come with ladder, iron breaking equipment and torchlight. The security agencies should extend their patrol to the area.”

    Narrating his ordeal, a resident of Iroegbu Street who gave his name as Mr. Stanley, said he was almost killed while returning from a business trip at about 8.30pm as the robbers inflicted injuries on him and dispossessed him of a huge amount of cash and his telephones.

    He added that the two residents of the area are still suffering from machete injuries they suffered from the robbers, penultimate Thursday to Wednesday of every week and use Thursdays and Fridays to farm”.

  • Gunmen kidnap Poly lecturer in Abia

    Unknown gunmen have abducted a lecturer, Mr. Nkwachi Brown in Aba, Abia State.
    It was gathered that Brown, popularly known as ‘Macky’, who lectures at the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, was on Thursday, kidnapped along Opobo road, on his way to a meeting.
    It was gathered that Brown and his friend were driving in a vehicle when the gunmen struck, near the offices of local radio station in the city.
    Close associates of the lecturer stated that the gunmen are yet to contact his family four days after his abduction. This has heightened tension about his safety.
    Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the incident is yet to be reported to the Police.
    Meanwhile, residents of Bourdex Avenue and Iroegbu street, Ogbor Hill, Aba have a sent a save our soul message to the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Leye Oyebade, over the spate of robbery attacks in the area.
    The residents lamented that the hoodlums have laid siege to the area, breaking into houses and dispossessing them of cash and other valuables and appealed to the Police boss to deploy security to the area.
    A cross section of residents of Bourdex Avenue, said they no longer sleep as the robbers who are armed with sophisticated weapons attack them as early as 8pm.
    “We are appealing to the Police to deploy security around Bourdex Avenue, robbers have laid siege to the area. If you visit this area any time from 7pm, you will not meet anybody on the road due to fear of the robbers.
    ” Most times, they will continue shooting guns while moving from one house to the
    other. No day passes without incidents of robbery attacks in one household or the other by these hoodlums who are well armed.
    ” They come with ladder, iron breaking equipment and torchlight. The security agencies should extend their patrol to the area.”
    ” Narrating his ordeal, a resident of Iroegbu Street who gave his name as Mr. Stanley, said he was almost killed while returning from a business trip at about 8.30pm as the robbers inflicted injuries on him and dispossessed him of a huge amount of cash and his telephones.”
    He added that the two residents of the area are still suffering from machete injuries they suffered from the robbers, penultimate Thursday.

  • Gunmen abandon vehicle as police foil kidnap attempt on Bishop

    Gunmen abandon vehicle as police foil kidnap attempt on Bishop

    …As OPC kills notorious kidnapper

     

    But for the intervention of the police, a Bishop and his wife would have been kidnapped at Isheri Osun, Lagos.

    It was gathered that gunmen at the early hours of Tuesday intercepted the Bishop’s convoy and attempted to drag him off his vehicle.

    They were said to have shot sporadically around 4:30am before getting to the vehicle conveying the cleric and his wife.

    However, policemen attached to the Bishop were said to have engaged the criminals in a gun duel, which lasted several minutes.

    As the fight lasted, the policemen, it was gathered called for reinforcement from Isheri Division, a development that forced the invaders to flee into a nearby swamp, abandoning their operational Honda vehicle.

    Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni confirmed the incident, adding that the victims were unhurt.

    According to Owoseni, the gunmen fled with bullet injuries, adding that the police have raised the area.

    Owoseni also disclosed that the police on Monday recovered the body of a notorious kidnapper,  Timi alias Big Fish at Ishawo.

    The police boss stated that the deceased was killed by members of Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) during an armed robbery operation.

    He said: “We got a distress call that a group of armed robbers were operating at the area and we sent some policemen to the area. When our men got there, they discovered that the local vigilante group there rose to the challenge and faced the hoodlums squarely.

    “We found the body of the kingping of the hoodlum. It was the killing of Timi Bigfish that made people say kidnappers have returned to Ishawo.”

     

  • Gunmen kill 3 herdsmen in Southern Kaduna

    Gunmen kill 3 herdsmen in Southern Kaduna

    Three Fulani herdsmen were at the weekend killed by yet to be identified gunmen in Jema’a and Zango Kataf local government areas, both in the troubled southern part of Kaduna State.

    The Nation gathered that two of the herdsmen were gunned down at Unguwan
    Maiyashi village, Fantsuwam Chiefdom, in Jemaa Local Government area, while
    the other one was also killed at Madakiya community in Zangon Kataf LGA.

    An indigene of Ungwar Miayasihi, told our correspondent that the incident
    occured at about 4:00am on Saturday when the herdsmen were grazing with
    their cattle inside a bush. He said that their corpses were later traced to
    a river by security agencies on Sunday morning.

    Kaduna State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Aliyu Usman while
    confirming the incident said some suspects have been arrested in
    connection with the incident.

    He also said that more policemen have been drafted to the area to avert any
    form of reprisal or break down of law and order, adding that the suspects
    would be charged to court as soon as investigations are completed.

  • Gunmen kidnap businessman’s wife in Delta

    Gunmen, on Tuesday night, kidnapped the middle-aged wife of a businessman, Mrs. Christie Orakeme, at her home in Asaba, Delta State.

    Sources told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Asaba Orakeme was abducted in her car about 10:25 p.m. while waiting for her son to open the gate.

    A son of the victim, Junior, narrated how the hoodlums shot into the air as they drove off.

    He said: “My mother went out about 9 p.m. to attend to urgent matters at the church. She returned and was waiting at the gate when armed men attacked her.

    “They forced her out of her car and bundled her into their car, a Mercedes Benz, and zoomed off. I pursued them on foot, and shouted for help, but no one came out.”

    NAN learnt the kidnappers called the victim’s family last night with her phone, demanding N60 million ransom, but later reduced the amount to N25 million.

    The victim’s husband, Mr. Osita Orakeme, who arrived from his base in Oghara, near Warri, confirmed the abductors called him twice, and have reduced their ransom to N25 million.

    “They have called me twice. In fact, they called to say I should give them N25 million, but I told them I don’t have such amount of money, and they hung up the phone,” he said.

    Police spokesman Andrew Aniamaka confirmed the incident on the phone.

    He said the police had begun investigation.

  • Gunmen kidnap businessman’s wife in Delta

    Gunmen on Tuesday night kidnapped a middle-aged housewife of a businessman, Mrs Christie Orakeme, at her family home in Asaba.

    Family sources told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Asaba that Orakeme was kidnapped in her car at about 10.25 p.m. while waiting for her son to open the gate for her.

    The source, who is a son of the victim, simply identified as Junior, narrated how the gunmen shot into the air as they drove off in high speed with their victim.

    “My mother went out at about 9 p.m. to attend to some urgent matters in the church. She returned and was waiting at the gate for us to open the gate for her, when some armed men attacked her.

    “They forced her out of her car and put her in their own car, a Mercedes Benz car, and zoomed off. I gave them a chase on foot, and was shouting for help, but no one came out,”Junior said.

    NAN further gathered that the kidnappers had called the family last night with the victim’s cell phone demanding a ransom of N60 million, but later reduced the amount to N25 million.

    Husband of the victim, Mr Osita Orakeme, who arrived from his base in Oghara, near Warri , also confirmed to NAN that the kidnappers called him twice, and have reduced their ransom demand to N25 million.

    “They have called me twice, in fact they called to say I should give them N25 million, but I told them I don’t have such amount of money, and they hung up the phone,”he said.

    Contacted, spokesperson of the Delta Police Command, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, confirmed the incident to NAN on phone, and said the police had commenced investigations after the family reported the matter late Tuesday night.

    “I have been able to confirm the kidnap after the matter was reported to the ‘A’ Division of the State Police Command. Firstly, we have to do everything humanly possible to rescue the victim unhurt.

    “We also need every available information to help us to track down the kidnappers,“Aniamaka said. (NAN)