The Nation Newspaper

Tag: injured

  • Policeman killed, others injured as gunmen attack checkpoint

    A police sergeant was yesterday killed following an attack by gunmen at a checkpoint, at Kolo in Ogbia Local Government of Bayelsa State.

    The Nation learnt the hoodlums also injured a corporal, two civilians and carted away arms and ammunition.

    It was gathered that the incident occurred about 8a.m. and created confusion, as residents ran for safety.

    Sources said the four attackers were armed with guns, machetes and other weapons.

    The policemen were said to have flagged down a vehicle conveying the suspects during a stop-and-search and discovered illegally-bunkered kerosene.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The attackers came down from the vehicle and shot dead the policeman. They attacked the corporal with a machete.

    “The other two policemen ran into the station. The hoodlums chased them, but left later.”

    The police alleged in a statement that members of the community aided the gunmen to attack them.

    Spokesman Asinim Butswat confirmed that a sergeant was killed.

    He said the hoodlums stole firearms.

    Butswat said: “Bayelsa State Command wishes to use this medium to inform the public that on September 4, about 2030hrs, policemen on vehicular patrol at Kolo 2 in Ogbia Local Government were attacked by gunmen.

    “Following a tip-off, the policemen intercepted a vehicle conveying suspected militants.

    “Two of the suspects were arrested and handcuffed, but they resisted attempt by the policemen to search their vehicle. Members of the community gathered round the vehicle and rescued the hoodlums. Policemen were attacked.

    “The command lost a sergeant, arms and ammunition. A corporal and a civilian were injured. They are responding to treatment in hospital.

    “People are advised to assist the police to fight crime.”

  • Two feared dead, scores injured in Eyo clash

    Two feared dead, scores injured in Eyo clash

    Two persons were feared dead and several others injured on Saturday during the Eyo Festival following rival groups clash.

    It was gathered that the fight was between the Iga-Eleti Eyo and Eyo Laba camps at Okepopo on Lagos Island.

    Another set was also said to have clashed around Martins Street, many thugs were injured.

    According to eyewitnesses, it appeared the drunk thugs had old scores to settle.

    It was gathered that the Iga-Eleti camp went to pay homage to the Oba Rilwanu Akiolu of Lagos, and it was allegedly humiliated at Isale-Eko by a member of the Laba camp.

    The infuriated Eleti members were said to have retired to their area at Okepopo Street and laid ambush for their Laba counterparts.

    When the Laba Eyo got to Okepopo, their Eleti counterparts and some youths in the area attacked them. The Laba and Ologede Eyo, another faction, regrouped and launch a reprisal attack on their Eleti counterparts and other residents of the area.

    It took the intervention of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and other security operatives to quell the mayhem.

    RRS Commander, Olatunji Disu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), said: “We had about three minor clashes settled by our response team. My men never reported any death. You should ask the Area Commander.”

  • One dead, RRS man injured in Iyana-Ipaja gang war

    One dead, RRS man injured in Iyana-Ipaja gang war

    One person was killed and many others, including a policeman, were injured in a gang war in Iyana-Ipaja on Wednesday.

    The clash which occurred at Abule-Oki, Iyana-Ipaja, was over a girl.

    It was gathered that youths from two streets engaged in a free-for-all on Tuesday, following the harassment of the Iyana-Ipaja girl by suspected cultists at a party in Elere, Agege.

    The girl reported to youths of her area, who went on a reprisal.

    They were said to have thrown bottles across the road, obstructing traffic until the arrival of policemen.

    The fighting resumed on Wednesday during which a young man was killed.

    An RRS officer was wounded on the head when the warring youths smashed the rear windshield of his patrol car.

    An eyewitness said: “Their movement on the old Abeokuta expressway created huge panic as passersby ran for their lives.”

    Yesterday, police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni told reporters at the Command’s Headquarters, Ikeja that the body was recovered.

    He said: “The command received a distress call around 11pm on Tuesday that some youths were engaging themselves in a free-for-all. One person died in the clash while eight others were arrested.”

    But RRS, in a statement, said 20 were arrested.

    According to Owoseni, “preliminary investigation conducted by the police revealed that a lady who resides at Iyana-Ipaja area had attended a party at Elere. While at the party, she was attacked by some youths in the area. When she got back to her base at Iyana-Ipaja she recounted her ordeal to those in her area who immediately embarked on a reprisal attack.

    “As at 2am yesterday when the situation was brought under control, a body was recovered. This brings to question the moral of those involved in the fracas. The command will soon hold meeting with stakeholders and leaders of political parties in the area ahead of the Local Government election on the need to have a free and fair election that is without fracas. We have done it before and we promise to do it again. Anybody or group of persons arrested for actions likely to cause a breach in the peace will face the law.”

    In its statement yesterday, RRS said over 100 youths set up bonfire on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, halting vehicular traffic on both sides of the road.

    “The officers were pushing back the youths into the inner streets of Abule Oki when the youths pelted the police with stones and broken bottles which smashed the head of an officer and the rear windshield of one of our operational vehicles, a Toyota Corolla marked RRS 041 LA.  While the RRS officer was taken to the hospital, those arrested have been transferred to Area Command,” the statement said.

  • 12 injured in Osun communal clash

    No fewer than 12 persons were  injured in a violent communal clash between Ipetumodu and Ashipa in Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State.

    Trouble reportedly started on Wednesday when youths of the two communities  clashed at an inter house sport competition held of the Community High School, Ipetumodu, a few meters from Ashipa.

    Dangerous weapons such as cutlasses, clubs, knives, broken bottles, axes were allegedly used by the youths before the police stormed the area  to disperse them and bring the situation under control.

    It was gathered that by Thursday night the  Ashipa youths allegedly set the  Akinola Market in Ipetumodu on fire and simultaneously shot  sporadically into the air to scare the residents of Ipetumodu.

    An Ipetumodu chief, Adedeji Asalu, accused  Ashipa youths of initiating the clash.

    But a community leader in Ashipa, Chief Julius Ogerinde, said it was not true that the clash was started by their youths.

    According to him, the people of Ipetumodu were not happy because the result of the white paper released by the government on the ownership of the land where the Akinola Market was constructed was not in their favour.

    Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, Folasade Odoro, said normalcy has returned to the two communities.

  • Injured ABS midfielder out for 12 weeks

    Injured ABS midfielder out for 12 weeks

    The Coach of Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Ilorin FC, Henry Makinwa, has confirmed that one of his players Muiz Adeoti will be out for at least 12 weeks due to a fractured toe.

    Makinwa while speaking with journalists on Wednesday in Ilorin said the young midfielder had undergone a successful surgery on the toe in a private hospital in Lagos on Tuesday.

    “We are very sad about the injury but we thank God the operation was successful.

    “He should be out for no fewer than 12 weeks.

    “We had tried a lot of corrective measures to get him back on the field but it has not yielded any results.

    “This is why we opted for the operation, we will give him all necessary support to get him back quickly.

    “At a time, we asked him to run but he couldn’t run very well then, hence the reason we went for the operation,” Makinwa said.

    It would be recalled that Adeoti has not taking part the season due to the injury sustained at the end of last season.

  • Four dead, seven injured in Maiduguri attack

    •’Insurgents attacking soft targets to remain relevant’

    Four persons died and seven were injured in yesterday’s suicide attempt on Maiduguri, it was learnt.

    Deputy Director Army Public Relation Col. Onyema Nwanchukwu confirmed this in a statement yesterday.

    According to him, three female suicide bombers killed themselves and a civilian after their attempt to enter Maiduguri was foiled by observant residents.

    His words: “About 1.30am yesterday, three suicide bombers attempted to infiltrate Maiduguri through  Usmanti, but were intercepted by vigilant civilians.

    “Realising they had been busted, the suicide bombers detonated their suicide vests. Regrettably, one civilian died in the explosion and seven others were injured.

    “Troops were immediately deployed to cordon off the area. The injured are being treated at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH).”

    Col. Nwanchukwu added that the insurgents are trying to remain relevant by attacking soft targets.

    “These attacks on soft targets show a drowned Boko Haram. They have lost ground and focus and the only way to remain relevant is to callously attack soft targets, using person-borne Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and other forms of IEDs.”

    He promised the Army will continue to protect the public. “We are countering this development with constant patrols and monitoring of the metropolis and other populated areas. We are equally sensitising the public on the need to remain vigilant and report any suspicious moves and persons to security agencies.”

  • Four injured as tricyclists clash

    Four members of the Tricycle Riders Association (TRA) in Ondo, Ondo State, were injured at the weekend, following a clash with some suspected political thugs.

    One of the victims, Kayode Akinola, who spoke at the emergency unit of a private hospital, alleged that the attackers conspired with some of his colleagues to attack them.

    He said other victims- Adesuyan Adeniyi, Shina Awopeloye and Adeyemi Gbadebo- were at the park in Olorunsola junction, when 10 thugs came in two tricycles.

    According to him, they were attacked with bottles, cudgels, sticks and cutlasses.

    The Association’s Chairman, Adefehinti Adeniyi and Secretary, Abiola Omotayo, condemned the incident.

    A senior police officer, who pleaded for anonymity, said three persons were arrested.

  • NECA, NSITF move to lift injured workers

    NECA, NSITF move to lift injured workers

    The Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), the umbrella body of employers and the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF)  signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at boosting payment to injured workers under the scheme.

    The memorandum is meant to address items that constitute payroll of enrollees into the Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS).

    Speaking at the ceremony, Director-General of NECA’s Director General, Segun Oshinowo, said the need for a revision of payment of the one percent of workers payroll by employers into the scheme as required by law informed the setting up of a joint committee whose work culminated into an agreed term for the definition of the payroll and mode of deduction.

    Oshinowo said the outcome of the committee’ work constitute the basis for the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two organizations, adding that the MoU clearly spells out the items that constitutes payroll with pension, special allowances exempted from the list.

    He explained that both NECA and NSITF have decided to define payroll on the basis of exclusion and that the items that would be excluded are items that are irregular on the payroll such as bonus, overtime payments, items that employers bear the costs but do not translate into cash in the pocket of employees, which formed the basis for the exemption of pension contributions.

    Oshinowo said that the new Memorandum of Understanding will provided clarity of definition as far as items that constitute what a payroll is within an organization.

    He said: “It is difficult to run a scheme where controversies would dogged the implementation because the stakeholders are not on the same page on the terms and references that are contained in the law.

  • Expectant mum killed, four injured in cult clash

    An expectant mother  was shot dead and four others were injured, at the weekend, during a cult clash at Ebute-Meta.

    It was gathered that the fight between the Black Axe and Eiye confraternities followed the killing of a member of one of the gangs.

    His colleagues were said to have gone after the other gang, wreaking havoc Jebba Street.

    The injured have been taken to hospital.

    It was gathered that the gang was planning another attack yesterday afternoon, before the Divisional Police Officer, (DPO) for Ebute-Meta Station, Saheed Quadri, a Superintendent of Police (SP), received a tip-off and swooped on them.

    One of the gang members identified as Baba Jara was arrested at their hideout in Kano/Odunfa.

    It was learnt that there was jubilation over Jara’s arrest, by residents, who  described him as an armed robber and one of the late Sunday Terror’s strong men.

    Police spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, Superitendent, said the suspect was assiting with investigation.

    She said: “Yes, I confirm that at about 2:45pm on Friday, clues led the DPO to a notorious member of the gang. He was arrested at Kano/Odunfa, Ebute-Meta. The suspect was the gang’s armourer. He confessed to being a member of the late Sunday Terror’s gang. He also said that their gang led by one Itakun, shot five persons at Jebba Street, killing a woman. We shall not relent till we flush them out. Effort is ongoing to arrest the other members.”

  • OPERATION BEAT ZAMBIA: MIKEL INJURED

    OPERATION BEAT ZAMBIA: MIKEL INJURED

    •Doubtful against Hull

    •May miss chipolopolo tie if…

    Skipper Mikel Obi is now an injury doubt for Nigeria’s World Cup qualifier in Zambia after Chelsea boss, Antonio Conte revealed the midfielder is injured.

    “Mikel is out with a small muscular problem,” Conte announced Friday.

    The Nigeria captain will as a result not be available for selection in today’s Premier League clash against Hull City.

    Mikel has yet to play a competitive game for Chelsea under Conte after he cut short pre-season training with ‘The Blues’ to feature for Nigeria at the recent Olympics in Rio.

    It has not yet been ascertained if he would have recovered in time for an October 9 showdown against Zambia in Ndola.

    Injury has already knocked out Germany-based defender, Leon Balogun for the important qualifier, while injury-hit Gent winger, Moses Simon has told coach Gernot Rohr he will be fully fit before the match.

    Balogun has since been replaced by Uche Agbo of Granada CF.