The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Gunmen

  • Gunmen attack Oyo APC chieftain

    Armed men attacked the home of a former Oyo State lawmaker, Waliu Ganiyu, yesterday.

    Waliu, who represented Atiba from 2011 to 2015, lost his re-election bid and he is challenging the result at the tribunal.

    Four armed men were said to have arrived his home at 1:20am in a grey Toyota Camry and operated for about an hour before policemen arrived at the scene.

    Ganiyu said: “When we heard gunshots, we thought it was from the guards, until it became sporadic. I checked my watch and it was 1:20am. This is the second time.

    “Last week, they came around the same time but they were unable to gain entrance. They came in a Toyota Corolla without number plate.

    “ I call on the inspector general of police and other security agencies to investigate the matter. This must be stopped,” he said.

  • Gunmen abduct pastor from church 

    Some gunmen on Saturday evening abducted a pastor with Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel) on IBB Way, opposite the Margaret Ekpo Airport in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, Pastor Seyi Adekunle.

    The gunmen were said to have stormed the church when Adekunle and other pastors were preparing for the following day’s service.

    An eyewitness, who spoke in confidence, said: “The five gunmen stormed the church at 8pm when the pastors were praying in the main auditorium. They shot sporadically into the air before bundling the pastor into their car. The abductors drove him away.

    “Normally, on Saturdays, we have a number of activities, but the pastors’ prayer session comes last. It was while the session was in progress the boys came in, shot into the air and took our pastor away.”

    It could not be established if the kidnappers have demanded for a ransom at press time last night.

    Police spokesman Hogan Bassey confirmed the incident.

    He said the command was working hard to ensure the pastor’s rescue.

  • Gunmen ‘kill’ two soldiers in Kogi

    Gunmen suspected to be Agatu militia from neighbouring Benue State have allegedly killed two soldiers at Bagana in Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State.

    The victims were among those drafted to Bagana last year during clashes between the Agatu and Fulani herdsmen.

    A witness said trouble began when suspected Agatu militia, who came to Bagana market and were drinking and causing public disturbance, were challenged.

    Soldiers were reportedly drafted to the scene to restore peace.

    The source said the intervention of the soldiers angered the gunmen, who invited their colleagues and fought the soldiers.

    Another account had it that the Agatu militia, who accused the soldiers of being partial, ambushed them at a primary school where they were stationed, killed two and injured others.

    A reinforcement of soldiers was said to have repelled the attackers.

    Police Commissioner Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi directed our correspondent to the military authorities for the confirmation of the story.

    He said: “Please call the commanding officer for details.”

    The clash between the militia and Fulani herdsmen last December in Bagana led to the deployment of soldiers.

     

     

  • Gunmen kidnap Kogi commissioner

    Gunmen yesterday abducted Kogi State Commissioner for Land and Survey, Stephen Mayaki, on his farm on the outskirts of Lokoja.

    This occurred one week after a High Court judge, Justice Samuel Obayomi, was kidnapped on his way to work at Ohimege in Adavi Local Government.

    It was learnt that the commissioner was kidnapped at gunpoint on his farm at Osara community in Adavi Council.

    A source said five gunmen in a Prado Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) traced the commissioner to his farm where he was kidnapped.

    The source said the gunmen emerged from the bush and kidnapped him at gunpoint, taking him to an unknown destination, adding that the motive of the suspected kidnappers was yet to be ascertained, as they were yet to contact his family.

    Police spokesman Sola Collins Adebayo confirmed the incident.

    He said he could not give details, as he was at a meeting, promising to get back to our reporter.

  • Gunmen burn 250 houses in Plateau village

    Gunmen burn 250 houses in Plateau village

    •Over 1500 residents displaced

    Unknown gunmen have overrun Shonong village in Riyom local government area of Plateau State in an attack spanning three days.

    Two hundred houses in the village were burnt down and about 1500 residents are now displaced, according to a member of the community, Isaac Kahwun.

    “The gunmen came as usual and started shooting sporadically to announce their presence,” he said in Jos yesterday.

    “Residents scampered into the bush for safety. We sent a distress call to the special task force in charge of the village and they only succeeded in driving the gunmen away on the first day of the attacks.

    “The security agencies advised the villagers to and run to a safer place as they (security agents) do not have the arsenal with which to confront the gunmen should they return.

    “Given this scenario, all the villagers left their houses and took refuge in neighbouring villages. On Thursday night the gunmen returned and set all the houses ablaze including two churches.”

    He said some buildings used by the community as warehouse for relief items were looted by the attackers while they set the remaining ones ablaze.

    Many of the displaced residents are now sleeping in primary schools in neighbouring villages.

    The village was attacked last year by gunmen who killed 36 residents most of whom were women and children.

    The local government responded to that attack by helping in rebuilding some of the destroyed houses only for the gunmen to return to set them ablaze.

    The chairman of Riyom local government, Mrs. Josephine Piyo was stopped by security agents from visiting the village yesterday for security reasons.

    An angry Mrs. Piyo said: “In the past two months, more than ten villages in my local government area have been attacked, and the security agencies are here watching without doing anything to defend the people or arrest the gunmen.”

    The council boss promised to mobilize people of the local government to stage a protest in Abuja with a view to drawing attention to the plight of the people.

    However, the special task force insisted that it was in full control of the situation.

     

  • Gunmen abduct teacher in Edo

    Gunmen abduct teacher in Edo

    A teacher at Uselu Secondary School in Benin, the Edo State capital, Iguodala Chosen, was abducted yesterday by suspected kidnappers.

    His abduction caused pandemonium in the area.

    The gunmen were said to have arrived at 12.05 pm at the school, in Egor Local Government Area, and shot severally into the air to scare away the residents.

    The hoodlums reportedly forced the teacher into the vehicle, after stabbing three pupils in the chest, head and arm.

    The affected pupils were rushed to an undisclosed hospital.

    There was jubilation in the school when Iguodala entered the premises when our correspondent arrived at the school at 2pm.

    He said the gunmen told him that he was taken away over a fight between two pupils in the school but was released by the leader of the group.

    Iguodala said: “One of them said he was a soldier. So, I simply followed him. Then, they started hitting me. When I asked them what I had done wrong, they said it was because of the fight between two pupils.

    “I told them that the Principal had intervened in the matter. Then, they took me to the National Youth Council at Slope. But their chairman pleaded with me not to be annoyed for the beating. So, they released me.”

    Police spokesman Stephen Onwochei, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), told our correspondent via a text message that he was in a meeting.

  • Gunmen kidnap Kogi High Court Judge, kills orderly

    Gunmen on Monday kidnapped a Kogi High Court Judge, Mr Justice Samuel Obayomi, and killed his orderly, Cpl. Usman Musa in an early morning attack.

    Obayomi of the Ebogogo High Court in the Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi was kidnapped while on his way to work.

    His driver, Mr Ajayi Kolawole, told newsmen in Lokoja that the incident took place in front of the Executive Guest Villa at Okene GRA in the Okene Local Government Area of the state.

    Kolawole said that the judge’s orderly, Musa was shot dead on the spot by the kidnappers in an operation that took place between 8:40 a.m. and 8:45 a.m.

    He described the three gunmen as heavily armed, unmasked and wearing dark glasses.

    The driver said the gunmen ordered the judge and his aides to lay face-down.

    Kolawole said that the kidnappers opened fire on the orderly killing him on the spot.

    NAN recalls that the judge had recently survived a ghastly accident and had just resumed work after three months in hospital.

    The Police Area Commander at Okene, Mr Kehinde Kolawole, said the driver had been detained to help in police investigations.

    The Chief Judge of the state, Justice Nasir Ajanah, who visited Obayomi’s family, told his wife to let him know as soon as the kidnappers made contact.

    Ajanah promised that effort would be made to ensure the release of Obayomi.

  • Gunmen kidnap ex-Ekiti varsity Teaching Hospital CMD, wife

    The wave of kidnapping in Ekiti State continued on Thursday with the seizure of the immediate past Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the  Ekiti State Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Dr. Patrick Adegun.

    Adegun was kidnapped alongside his wife, Kikelomo, at about 8.00 am and whisked to an unknown destination.

    Their abductors have not established contact with the family at the time of filing this report.

    They were said to have been kidnapped very close to the gate of their house located at Goshen Avenue in Oke- Ila area of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    Adegun was said to have returned from a wake keep at GRA and dropped his wife’s business centre to take her home but found the gate of their home blocked with another car.

    Their kidnap took place less than a week after a nurse at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, Mrs. Margaret Aladenika was abducted by unknown gunmen.

    A family source said:  “On getting home, they saw that the gate had been blocked with another car and drove away speedily.

    “Though, they didn’t take  the victim’s car away. Immediately we noticed that , we called the police and the SSS and they have started making contacts to ascertain their location”.

    Members of the state chapter of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) have withdrawn their services at all government hospitals in protest against the kidnap.

    They vowed not to go back to work until Adegun and his wife are produced alive.

    The state chairman of MDCAN, Dr. Olusola Aduloju, deplored insecurity in the health sector saying members cannot continue to render services under an atmosphere of insecurity.

    Aduloju: “We are taking this step so that government can provide security for us.

    “We are tired of this situation and we have ordered our men in EKSUTH to withdraw their services until our member and his wife are found”.

    When contacted for his reaction , the Commissioner of Police of the Ekiti State Police Command , Mr Joshua Ibine, said he was holding a meeting and would respond as soon as possible.

    Meanwhile, the state government has expressed concern on the increasing wave of kidnapping rocking the state.

    Special Assistant to the Governor on Information, Lanre Ogunsuyi, urged doctors not to stay away from work in the interest of patients carrying life-threatening ailments.

    Ogunsuyi said : “The Police and State Government  will make Ekiti secured for health  workers and every worker in the State.  We will put in place good measures for people to be able to move without hindrance.

  • Gunmen abduct Bayelsa monarch

    Some gunmen have abducted Chief Gogo Lambert, the Amayanabo of Biokponga community in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

    It was learnt that the hoodlums stormed the community at 11:30pm and whisked away the monarch to an unknown place.

    The abductors were said to have shot sporadically into the air before entering Lambert’s home.

    The monarch was said to be fast asleep when the gunmen woke him up and bundled him into a waiting speedboat.

    Police spokesman Asinim Butswat, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said the monarch was taken away from his community in Nembe-Bassambiri.

    He said the police got a report on the incident from the monarch’s son, M. Udua, at 12:50am on Wednesday.

    Butswat said: “They took him away by a speedboat. We have alerted the Marine Department of the police and the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad.”

  • Plateau: Tension in Berom land over gunmen attacks

    The entire Berom communities in Plateau state have been thrown into a state of confusion and apprehension over incessant attacks by unknown gunmen in recent times.

    No fewer than 40 Berom women and children have been killed in two separate attacks by some unknown gunmen in two days. The gunmen also made away with some heads of cattle during the attacks.

    Though none of the gunmen have been arrested by security agencies, the Berom communities alleged that the gunmen might be Fulani herdsmen.

    Similar attacks were carried out in some communities of Riyom local government last week.

    Chairman of Barkin Ladi Local government Hon. Emmanuel Lomang said the suspected Fulani gunmen entered the villages through Jos East borders at the dead of the night to carry out their wicked act against innocent residents.

    Loman said, “The gunmen killed 17 people including women in Vat village while 13 others were also attack and killed in Zakupang village all of Foron District of the Barkin Local Government Area of the state.

    Apart from the Monday attacks that killed 30 people there was another Fresh attacks by the unknown gunmen suspected to be fulani herdmens killing two young married men in Kakpwis village of Foron District.

    Ward head of Kakpwis Dagwom Ahmadu Dung Hwere said, “the attacks occured around 11pm killing Emmanuel Joshua and Bot Joshua in their residents and also carted away 20 cows belonging to Emmanuel Joshua”

    Eye witness said both Emmanuel and Bot were shot with bullet gun while getting close to where the cows are normally kept.

    Emmanuel who is 32 years and Bot 30 are all married with children before the incident occured Wednesday

    While Confirming the attacks, Councillor Representing Kakpwis Ward in Foron District of Barkin Ladi Local government Hon. Istifanus Gwom Dung condemn the attacks and describe incessant attacks in the locality for the past few days as a strategy to eliminate the Berom people in the state.

    Dung decries the nonchalant attitude of the Security agencies in the Local Government Area especially the men of the Special Task force saddle with the responsibility of keeping peace and protecting lives and property for not arresting perpetrators of the evil act.

    The apprehension of the communities continued as the Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crisis is yet to speak on the attacks.