Tag: invade

Residents of Cele and Water communities in Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State are living in fear of incessant attacks by some suspected land grabbers.

On the lips of landlords and their families now is the question: Who is next? Reason: The hoodlums who have allegedly taken over both communities, selling their lands and buildings, were said to have gone on killing spree. Not a few landlords were said to have fled to seek refuge elsewhere.

The communities are pointing accusing fingers at some self-acclaimed grand-children of a late notorious hatchet man to a Lagos socialite and land speculator (names withheld), who was sentenced to death by hanging in 1979 for murdering a land owner and farmer, Mr. Raji Oba, in the area, over same land. Some policemen are alleged to have compromised.

The embattled, last Saturday expressed their hopelessness as they urged relevant authorities to act fast to prevent a major calamity that might befall them in the hands of their attackers. The crisis, it was learnt, began in the early 70s when the scramble for land in the Alimosho area was rife. Apparently poised to guard against such undue invasion of their lands, residents of the village then formed what was known as Farmers Congress which was headed by the late Oba. Oba was allegedly shot dead in front of his house in the presence of his wife, Sabitiyu, by agents of the socialite.

The communities, through their lawyer, Mr Yinka Sanni, The Nation learnt, have flooded the office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), M.D. Abubakar, with petitions, urging him to warn his men against complicity in the matter and other land cases.

The police chief, in his response, has threatened to deal ruthlessly with any of his men found culpable in any land matter, even as he vowed to deal decisively with the hoodlums causing breach of peace in the affected communities.

A resident of the communities who is secretary to Sanni Lemomu family and claimant to the land in contention, Prince Emmanuel Adesina Oriade, said: “ I have been living in this Alimosho for over 35 years and by virtue of my interaction with land owners there,  I was appointed the Secretary of Sanni Lemomu Jamiu family,  the owner of almost 26.3 acres of the land here. It shares boundaries with other families and has been here since 1996 after the death of the head of the family, Pa Mustafa Sanni.

“Since then, there had not been any problem within the family even among the tenants – those who bought portions of land from the family. Sanni Lemomu is one of the most peaceful families in this Alimosho, who acquired land under federal acquisition. There are almost 28 villages and this Sanni Lemomu family interacts like brothers.”

The hoodlums, he recalled, invaded the communities in 2002, wreaking havoc. “We learnt that they were hired by one Alhaji. And since then, we have not known peace. It is very unfortunate. Around 2003, a portion of land was sold to a woman and the hoodlums came and re-sold it to a police officer. It became a tussle. We want the police IG to rescue us,” Oriade added.

The Army yesterday denied invading a police station in Minna, Niger State, at the weekend.

It said its fact-finding mission to the station was misconstrued.

It said it did not break into the armoury and maintained that no policeman was beaten up by soldiers.

The Commander, 31 Artillery Brigade in Minna, Brig.-Gen. Chris Ilouga, said his officers and men were not involved in the alleged invasion and sack of Paiko Road Police Station on Friday.

He explained that the soldiers’ mission was a fact finding one and not to harass or intimidate police officers.

Gen Ilouga also said his men did not invade the armoury.

At the weekend, it was alleged that soldiers in three trucks invaded the station to avenge the alleged manhandling of their colleague, who was said to be involved in a road accident.

The soldier was said to have been manhandled by some policemen due to his unruly attitude when the accident was reported.

Blaming the police spokesman for misinforming the public, the commander said: “At a time like this, it is good to call a spade a spade.”

Gen Ilouga said no policeman at the station was molested or manhandled by soldiers, as alleged.

He said: “The officer who went to the station, is the internal security officer who patrols with his team in three vehicles and continually in touch with the DPO.

“He went to the station on a fact-finding mission, to get the other part of the story, especially from those who attacked the soldier.

“The discussion lasted about 20 minutes and it was resolved that a team of police personnel would visit the barracks. At this stage, the officer left and continued with his patrol.

“It is important to state that while the discussion with the DPO was on, the soldiers may have taken an all-round defensive position, which is a drill whenever they are static.

“The posture was defensive, not offensive; but it appeared that some of the policemen thought that the soldiers were on a revenge mission.

“I must reiterate that the officer went to the police station on a fact-finding mission and not for revenge, as none was manhandled or injured,” the commander explained.

He faulted the alleged attack on the armoury, saying “what I can say is that if this allegation is a deliberate build-up to cover lapses in the police armoury, then they should count my soldiers out.”

Gen. Ilouga said the Brigade was committed to civil-military relations and inter-agency cooperation, but demanded that those who assaulted the soldier should be punished, and a written apology made to the injured soldier.

The Ebonyi State office of the Movement for Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) was at the weekend raided by the police.

The Nation gathered that about 50 mobile policemen in three Hilux vans stormed the regional office of MASSOB at No. 9 Hatchery Road Abakaliki around noon. But nobody was arrested as the office was deserted at the time.

The Abakaliki Regional Administrator of MASSOB, Mr. Osita Obiajulu, told our reporter that the policemen allegedly made away with the N170, 000 kept in the locker. They also removed signpost and flag.

He said: “The mobile policemen who came with three Hillux van came looking for members of the MOSSOB but when realised that nobody was around, they broke into the office from the one of the windows, which was open.”

But, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Sylvester Igbo, who confirmed the incident, denied the allegation that the policemen took money from the office.

Igbo said all the members of MASSOB ran away when police came to arrest them for hoisting Biafra flag, which he described as an act of treason.

MASSOB’s Director of Information, Mr. Uchenna Madu, condemned the attack, adding that the group is non-violent and is not a threat to the society.

He said: “The action of Ebonyi Commissioner of Police on MASSOB office is an act of cowardice; we condemn it and warn that such should not happen again now that social and political atmosphere is very peaceful in the state”.

“The overzealous security agents with ethnic/religious hatred against Biafrans should stop creating artificial tension in the state.

“Other regions and states have their flags, coat of arm and anthem. That OPC, Arewa, Ijaws have their national identities and urged the police not push MASSOB to the wall to avoid self defence”.

Following the abduction of two children in Ishiagu community of Ebonyi State, men of the police command, security men have swooped on the community.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Puis Anyim, hails from the community.

In the last three weeks, eight children, aged between three months and three years, have been abducted by unknown gunmen from the community.

Efforts to know their whereabouts have been futile.

The abductors have also not contacted the families of the victims for ransom.

There was a peaceful protest at the weekend by women’s groups in the community.

The incidents have created tension in and outside the community.

Investigation showed that several families no longer allow their children outside their homes, especially in the evening.

Members of the vigilance group have blocked the entrance to the community.

Addressing reporters at the weekend, after an emergency security meeting, Ivo Local Government Chairman Chief Celestine Eze said the council had tightened security to forestall a recurrence.

The council chief said the police and other security agencies would ensure that the abducted children are rescued.

He said: “We got information on the missing children. Right now, the police are investigating the matter. The parents of the missing children have been invited by the police to give details of what happened, since the incidents took place in the night. The essence of the invitation is to ascertain what happened and the possible way to rescue the children.

“When the case was reported, we summoned a security meeting and the issue was discussed extensively. Right now, the police are mounting 24-hour surveillance around the area.

“The incidents, which took place at Ayaragu, Mile 2, Ezza-Ekembe, Ovunta and Obinagu communities, regrettably happened within three weeks. From the information available, the armed men must have come from the neighbouring state. We have boundaries with Uturu in Abia State, Okigwe in Imo State and Mpu in Enugu State. All these towns are just about five minutes’ drive from Ishiagu.

“The abduction is still a mystery to us because we have not witnessed such ugly incidents before. Worrisome again is that none of the victims is from Ishiagu community. They are either from Abakaliki or Ezza community. But we are on top of the situation. We have contacted security agencies in the neighbouring states to assist us in the search.”

Mrs. Nnenna Emmanuel, 32, whose two children – Chidubem Emmanuel (eight months) and Chiemelem Emmanuel (three years) – were abducted, described the incident as barbaric and unfortunate.

She said: “It was about 4am on Christmas Eve. We were sleeping when we heard the sound of a vehicle parking in front of our home. When the car parked, I woke up to breastfee my baby while we listened to know the people parking in front of our home at that time. Suddenly, they kicked the door open.

“One of them entered the house and slapped me. He snatched my child from me while I was still breastfeeding him. The other person broke into the other room, where my three-year-old baby was sleeping with the grandmother. He snatched him too from her. They rushed into their car and zoomed off.

“We raised the alarm but before our neighbours could come out, the assailants had driven off. I noticed that there were four of them: two in front and a man and a woman at the back of the car. But because it was dark, I couldn’t see their faces.

“Each night I close my eyes, I hear the cries of my two children calling me. I pray they are still alive.”

About noon on Saturday, over 500 women marched on Ishiagu communities chanting war songs.

They urged the National Agency for the Prohibition Against Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP) to beam its searchlight on the Southeast.

The women’s spokesperson, Mrs. Helen Okafor, regretted the abduction of the children.

She urged security agencies to ensure a 24-hour surveillance on Afikpo-Okigwe Expressway and Enugu/Port-Harcourt Expressway where it is suspected that the abductors came from.

Police spokesman Sylvester Igbo, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said two suspects have been arrested.

He added that investigation is ongoing to know the motive of the abductors.

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has condemned the alleged assault, harassment, invasion of the fundamental rights and of the Punch correspondent in Enugu State, Mr. Ozioma Ubabuko, on Saturday night.

The incident reportedly occurred at 11pm when men, who allegedly claimed to be security operatives, invaded his home.

Ubabuko said the suspected State Security Service (SSS) men blocked him at the entrance of his home near Trans-Ekulu, in Enugu.

He said they entered his car and asked him to surrender his phones and laptop.

The reporter said his assailants warned him not to write any story for his newspaper that night.

Ubabuko said the suspected SSS operatives entered his room, confiscated his laptop and held him hostage till early hours of Sunday before they left.

In a statement by its Vice-President in the Southeast, Chris Isiguzo, the NUJ noted that the action of the men was not only barbaric but also a clampdown on the media.

The statement said: “This is indeed a return to the dark-age and has made a caricature of the celebrated Freedom of Information (FoI) Act and the nation’s democracy, which is supposed to guarantee fundamental human rights as well as the freedom of the press.

“Accordingly, we ask the Police Commissioner, the Director of the SSS as well as other relevant security agencies in Enugu State to investigate the right abuse in order to punish those involved.

“We also urge the Enugu State Government to ensure that an enabling environment is provided for journalists in the state.

“Finally, let it be noted that the leadership of the NUJ in the Southeast will no longer fold its arms as security agencies assault and intimidate our members as they discharge their constitutional duty.”

Unidentified gunmen on Tuesday night killed 14 residents of three villages in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The attacks were said to have been carried out simultaneously between 7pm and 9pm.

The Riyom attack came barely 12 hours after that of Barkin Ladi, where three people were killed.

As security agencies were examining the killings in Barkin Ladi, where the local government has imposed a curfew to avert a clash between Berom and Fulani youths, the Riyom killings occurred.

Both communities are neighbours.

The casualty figure in Plateau North, a predominantly Berom community, has risen to 18 within 24 hours.

The police command, however, said six people were killed in the raid on three villages.

The Chairman of Riyom Local Government Area, Sam Gyang Audu, was reportedly having an emergency meeting with Police Commissioner Emmanuel Ayeni in Jos, the state capital, over the killings.

Police spokesman Emmanuel Abuh, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), confirmed the attacks.

He said: “We counted six bodies when we visited the scene. At about 7pm on October 9, Dalyop Mancho and Gyang Mancho, of the same parents, were ambushed on Jos Road and shot dead by the gunmen.

“Shortly after a woman, Thueung Manpang, and her three children in their home at Sara village, Ganawuri, were also attacked by unknown gunmen. All of them were killed.”

Besides, the casualty figure from the police, residents of the affected villages told The Nation that 14 people were killed.

A source said: “In Sop village, Riyom Local Government Area, another attack was carried out about the same time, where eight people were killed in the Berom village.”

Abuh said no arrests have been made over the attacks.

“But Police Commissioner Ayeni has deployed armed policemen to the affected areas to forestall reprisals. Besides, investigations have begun into the killings.”

The police commissioner recently warned Berom and Fulani that he would wield the big stick against anyone who attacks another.

Following the renewed attacks on Berom villages, many villagers, mostly women and children, have been fleeing their homes.

Some residents said the military and police operations in the areas have failed.

The Special Task Force (STF) claimed to have combed the areas following the death of two Plateau lawmakers, the late Senator Dantong and Gyang Fulani.