The Nation Newspaper

Tag: killed

  • No soldier killed by ISIS, says Army

    The Army has debunked reports in an online medium that 30 soldiers were killed in an ambush by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

    A statement by the Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, on behalf of the Theatre Command of operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, dismissed the publication as mere propaganda by the drowning Boko Haram insurgents.

    The statement reads: “The attention of the Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole has been drawn to a story where Chris Tomson claimed ISIS was responsible for the ambush on an Army’s convoy, killing 30 soldiers.

    “It is pertinent to state that contrary to the report, there was no such attack or ambush on any convoy of troops of operation Lafiya Dole by ISIS, or any other adversary within or outside the theatre of operation.

    “The report is false and an attempt by Boko Haram terrorists to remain relevant and portray seeming potency.

    The graphic images used to support the article has been studied and found to lack nexus to any recent operational engagements of operation Lafiya Dole.

    “The photographs are not a reflection of recent operational encounters of Lafiya Dole. The concocted story is, therefore, unsubstantiated and lacks credibility. Troops did not, at any time, have an encounter with ISIS terrorists, neither have they suffered from such fictitious attack as claimed.

    “The public is enjoined to discountenance this mischievous publication as it lacks the least iota of truth.”

     

  • 31-yr-old peacemaker killed during scuffle in Ogun community

    31-yr-old peacemaker killed during scuffle in Ogun community

    It was tragedy at sunrise in the Agosi area of Ifo in Ogun State, after a 31-year-old man, Yinka Adewoyin, was beaten to death while he was trying to make peace between two men during a scuffle.

    The incident happened penultimate Thursday.

    Sources said Adewoyin was returning from a beer joint with some of his friends when they sighted two men identified as Kazeem aka Down gear and Mopo brutalising an elderly mechanic called Mukaila Lasisi.

    Kazeem was said to have reprimanded Lasisi for working on a truck parked along the road. He was said to have ordered the removal of the truck from the road, a request Lasisi turned down on the grounds that he was not the owner of the vehicle.

    Lasisi’s response allegedly irked Kazeem, who in a fit of fury pounced on Lasisi and beat him up.

    It was at this junction that Adewoyin, who was passing by intervened and pleaded with Kazeem and his friend, Mopo to leave Lasisi alone.

    The duo however queried Adewoyin’s audacity to intervene and beat him mercilessly till he fell down, hit his head on the ground and passed into a coma.

    His assailants allegedly bolted while Adewoyin was taken to a nearby private hospital by bystanders.

    He was said to have died at the undisclosed hospital three days after he was admitted.

    An eyewitness who asked not to be named, said: ‘’It was an unfortunate incident. I was the one who reported the incident at the nearest police station. I later led some policemen to Kazeem’s shop in order to arrest him, but he was nowhere to be found. When we called his mobile telephone number, he said he has travelled to Kaduna. When he was asked to report to the station because of the man he beat to death, he cut off the conversation and hung up.”

    The deceased was described by one of his former trainees, Tosin, as humble and respectful. He said: “Throughout my stay with him as apprentice, he did not fight with anyone. I was therefore shocked when I was told on the telephone that he was killed during a scuffle.”

    Police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi was not reachable on his mobile telephone line at press time.

  • Zoo bloodbath: How three policemen were killed, by witnesses

    Details have emerged how three policemen detailed to protect fun seekers at  Ogba Zoo and Nature Park, Benin, Edo State, were killed by five armed men.

    Arms and ammunition belonging to the policemen were taken away. The Executive Director of the zoo, Dr. Andy Ehanire, was kidnapped.

    Andy is brother to Minister of State for Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire.

    Eyewitnesses and workers at the zoo described the incident as horrible.

    They said the policemen attempted to flee, but the attackers shot them.

    The Nation learnt that the attackers entered the zoo as fun seekers at different times, bought drinks and chatted with the policemen, while one of them discussed with Dr. Ehanire.

    It was gathered that fun seekers fled through the fence.

    When our reporter visited the zoo, bloodstains of the policemen were being washed.

    A worker, Helen Juchei, said the assailants bought drinks for the policemen before the attack.

    She said one of them acted as an informant.

    Her words: “Yesterday after I finished my duty in the morning, people were  entering the zoo. At that time, my boss had not come. We usually resume before our boss. When he eventually came about 1p.m.,  I told him that I wanted to attend a birthday party. He permitted me and I left for the bash, hoping to come back and assume duty later.

    “When I returned about 6p.m., I met three policemen dead on ground. I was shocked. People were running for safety. My boss was abducted.

    “Those we met on the scene  told us what happened. They said the kidnappers paid to enter the zoo with a torn currency, which was rejected by the casher.

    “When the money was rejected, the gunman went back to get a better note to pay entrance fee.

    “At that time, their informants had gained entry into the zoo as fun seekers.

    “When the informants  had  studied the situation, one of them chatted with our director.

    “Our boss told him he planned to organise a world tourism day. As one of them engaged my boss in a conversation, the other went  to the security personnel and asked him if they had not closed for the day. He then bought drinks for the security guards.

    “When they started drinking, the hoodlums opened fire on them and killed three police officers.

    “We don’t know the whereabouts of our boss.”

    Another worker, Mr. Zontondji Emmanuel, said the hoodlums shot the police officers.

    ” I was on duty. I resumed at 5:30p.m. and as I came in, I went round to inspect the animals and visitors. Having done that, I came back to the reception where the executive director was sitting. Another person was sitting at this end. Two policemen sat by him. So I went outside to observe things.

    “I saw an Audi 80 car parking. Suddenly, I saw three men coming out of the car with guns. One of them wore a bullet proof vest. I thought  they were policemen who always came here for security.

    “Suddenly, I saw them running into the zoo, which was very unusual. When they entered, they started shooting. All of us outside ran for our lives.

    “I called the people running to give us police numbers, nobody was ready to stop because they were  afraid.

    “I watched from afar and  saw the men taking my director away. They went into the Audi car and drove  off. I saw the three policemen, who were supposed to guard the director, lying dead on the floor.

    “Later the DPO came to take the bodies away. Everything happened about 5:40p.m.,” he said.

    At the home of Dr. Ehanire, his family and relations were shocked.

    They refused to speak, noting that what they needed was prayer for the deceased  and release of Ehanire.

    Police Commissioner Mr. Haliru Gwandu, who visited the zoo, said the killers were militants.

    He said they would soon be arrested.

    “It was an unfortunate incident. We lost three of our men. The killers are  militants.

    “We are on trail of the hoodlums. We have recovered the vehicles they used to perpetrate the act. We are using available means, including high tech, to fish out the perpetrators.

    “They cannot go scot free. Let me assure the public  that we are on top of the situation. They should go about their activities. All hands are on deck to ensure the hoodlums are nabbed,” Gwandu  said.

     

  • Three policemen killed as gunmen kidnap Edo zoo chief

    Three policemen killed as gunmen kidnap Edo zoo chief

    Three policemen providing security for fun-seekers at the Ogba Zoo and Nature Park in Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State were killed yesterday by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers.

    They were killed at about 6pm and their arms and ammunition stolen by the attackers.

    The park’s director and chief executive Dr. Andy Ehanire was abducted by the gunmen.

    It was gathered that the killing disrupted activities at the zoo as many fun-seekers scampered for safety.

    Police spokesman  DSP Moses Nkombe, who confirmed the killings and abduction, said the situation has been brought under control.

    Nkombe said the attackers would soon be arrested as security has been strenthened in the area.

    He assured the public that the zoo is safe for fun-seekers.

  • Insurgents killed as Air Force, Army bomb village

    Boko Haram insurgents were yesterday killed in two successive air strikes by Nigeria Air Force (NAF) in an ambush by troops of 151 Battalion, 21 Brigade.

    The strikes were carried out at Zanari, Borno State, while troops of Operation Lafiya Dole attacked terrorists in an ambush at Bocost, on Ngurosoye-Bama Road, Borno State.

    A statement by NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya said the insurgents were hit by two aircraft in rapid succession, with structures housing them going up in flames.

    NAF operations were supported by video footages released by Air Commodore Adesanya.

    He said: “In furtherance of the recently-commenced Operation RUWAN WUTA, on September 7, the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) conducted air interdiction on structures, with two hoisted Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) Organisation flags at Zanari, a location with significant BHT presence at the northern fringes of Borno State bordering Lake Chad.

    “A number of BHTs had earlier been sported, from a NAF Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance platform, entering the buildings, apparently for meetings.

    “The F-7Ni and Alpha Jet aircraft were detailed to attack the target. Overhead the location, the target was acquired and engaged by the two aircraft in rapid succession. Subsequent Battle Damage Assessment showed the targeted structures went up in flames, killing occupants.

    “The objective of Operation RUWAN WUTA is to further degrade the capability of the BHTs, thereby preventing them from regrouping to cause havoc for our surface forces.

    “The operation also aims at softening the ground for our surface forces to subsequently move in and conduct mopping up operations.”

    Army spokesperson Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman said in a statement: “The troops of 151 Battalion, 21 Brigade, on Operation LAFIYA DOLE, at the early hours of September 10, laid a successful ambush on suspected Boko Haram terrorists’ crossing point at Bocost, on Ngurosoye -Bama Road, Borno State.

    “The troops neutralised a large number of Boko Haram terrorists, while others sustained gunshot injuries.

    “The troops recovered AK 47 rifle, registered as 1029, AK 47 magazine, 60 rounds of 7.62mm Special, three bicycles, four empty jerry-cans, a cutlass and N5,600 from the insurgents.”

  • Four-month-old baby, 19 others killed in fresh attack on Plateau community

    Four-month-old baby, 19 others killed in fresh attack on Plateau community

    No fewer than 20 persons were killed by gunmen in a night attack on Ancha village in Bassa Local Government Area, Plateau State on Thursday.

    The victims included a four-month-old baby and her mother. Scores of people were also severely injured.

    The deceased baby was said to be strapped to her mother’s back when she (mother) was hacked down with machetes as she ran to escape with her baby.

    There were eight women and five other children among the victims while the remaining six were men.

    Security agencies, who arrived the scene of the attack rather late, have since taken over the village and have launched a manhunt for the attackers.

    However, no arrest had been made at the time of filing this report.

    The Plateau State Government has also challenged the police to go after the gunmen and prevent them from escaping justice.

    With the heavy presence of security agencies in the village, calm has been restored.

    But the village was a ghost of itself as everyone worn a mournful look when our correspondent visited.

    Confirming the attack, the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Peter Ogunyanwo, said: “We went to the village as soon as we got wind of the attack to see things ourselves. We discovered that people were killed during their sleep by suspected Fulani men. There were 19 people killed in the attack.

    “This attack was said to have been a reprisal because a Fulani boy was reported missing after he was sent out to graze the cattle. The Fulani petitioned this police command that the boy who was missing for three days was found dead without his head on his body.

    “People alleged a ritual attack, but we are yet to ascertain that allegation. But what followed was this attack by suspected Fulani men. We are yet to also ascertain who carried out the attack, we have commenced investigation and that will reveal the true situation soon.

    “As police, we have always cautioned residents not to take the law into their hands. This Fulani boy that was found dead without his head was alleged to have committed mischief. He was not reported to law enforcement agents, some people took laws into their hands and killed him. That was what must have led to this very attack.

    “We followed the Fulani petition and arrested five suspects over the death of the Fulani boy. They have been in our custody.

    “So we are still appealing to citizens not to ever take the law into their hands, because information reaching us shows that this very attack was a reprisal over the death of the Fulani boy killed earlier.”

  • Another Nigerian killed in South Africa

    The Nigerian Union in South Africa said yesterday that another Nigerian, Mr. Uchena Eloh, has been killed in the Western Cape Province.

    Chairman, Western Cape chapter of the union, Kanayo Onwumelu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone from Cape Town that Eloh was strangled to death by South African policemen.

    Eloh hailed from Eziagu in Eziagu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

    “We want to call the attention of Nigerian government to the senseless killing of innocent Nigerians by the police in South Africa.

    “At about 11a.m. South African time on Wednesday, a Nigerian, Uchenna Emmanuel Eloh, popularly known as “Monkey’’, was killed by a South African police officer.

    “He was walking out of his house toward the bus station, when a police van stopped to search him, suspecting that he might be in possession of illegal substance.

    “Three policemen accosted Eloh, one of them, by the name Williams, held him on the neck suspecting that he swallowed a substance, while another police officer held him by the legs,’’ he said.

    The union official alleged that the policemen dragged Eloh on the ground until he started foaming and suffocated to death on the spot.

    “This is not the first time such senseless killing of innocent Nigerians was carried out by South African police officers.

    “We have reported similar killings to the South African Government and Nigeria High Commission in South Africa and nothing was done to bring the culprits to book.

    “We want the Nigerian Government to intervene to stop this brutality against innocent Nigerians and stop killing Nigerians out of hatred, racism or xenophobia,’’ he said.

    President of Nigerian Union in South Africa, Ikechukwu Anyene, who also confirmed the incident, called for an end to the incessant killing of Nigerians in South Africa.

    “Our government needs to do something urgently to make it clear that Nigerian lives matter.

    “We have made suggestions on what can be done, but it is now clear to us that the endless talks cannot yield any positive result,’’ Anyene said.

    He said the union had engaged a lawyer to take up the case against South African Police Service.

    “But, this kind of legal service should form part of consular services to provide legal services to victimised Nigerians,’’ Anyene said.

    The union said the police have opened an inquest into the case.

  • Fresh anxiety on Kaduna-Abuja highway

    Fresh anxiety on Kaduna-Abuja highway

    After police arrested 82 kidnap and robbery suspects, calming nerves in communities fringing the Kaduna-Abuja Road, residents say hoodlums are attacking and killing them for being informants. ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE reports

    Many came to grief on Kaduna-Abuja Expressway where they were robbed, killed or kidnapped. Then, a reinforced police team showed up, arresting no fewer than 82 suspects. That feat not only spread joy and relief in villages near the expressway but also among commuters on the road. Now there is a new wave of fear in those communities, where residents said crime is fighting back. They said criminals believed to be robbers and kidnappers have been hacking residents down, calling them police informants.

    Kidnapping and robbery have since the suppression of Boko Haram insurgents been on the increase along Kaduna-Abuja highway. But the heavy presence of security agents on the road during the six weeks of diversion of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport activities to Kaduna International Airport kept them at bay. However, despite the retention of about 600 policemen on the highway after the airport’s relocation, the evil men returned to their old pastimes, even with more sophistication.

    Failure of the 600 policemen to check the excesses of the criminals forced the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to engage the villagers along the highway. The villagers alleged that bad eggs in the police were sabotaging efforts to rid the highway of kidnappers.

    The people of Rijana who played host to the IGP and then the Minister of Interior, Lt-Gen Abdulrahman Danbazzau told them that the kidnappers had killed 18 of their kinsmen who provided intelligence to the police.

    Spokesman of the community Abdulsalam Abubakar told both IGP and the Minister during their visits, “Sincerely, we have started getting relief with the presence of security chiefs and top government officials like you who have come to show concern about what is happening in our domain. What is happening on this road is very disheartening and we members of the communities around are living in fear and anxiety, specifically we members of the Rijana community are very interested in supporting this operation with useful information but we are in serious trouble in this community.

    “It’s not that we don’t have information to give but we are scared because we can’t see why 600 security personnel will be around here and they will not be able to enter the bush and flush out the criminals. Our youths are now spoilt. They have mixed with criminals and they have been corrupted by them.

    “But our major problem is the fear of death. Our people are now scared to give information to the security. We have hitherto been giving information to the police but instead of seeing improvement and progress in the area of security, it is the other way round.

    “Everybody knows in this community that in the process of giving out information to the security, we have lost 18 people. There was one of us who was seen as a very brave man. He gave a list of suspects to the security and he was macheted into pieces three days after in the presence of his wife. So also, there was a gentleman, Mallam Abdulrahman who also gave information to the security he was also macheted to death, same with Yakubu, Sani and Solomon, son of a village chief (Galadima). All died through information given to the security agents.

    “I swear in the name of God, there are bad eggs among the security personnel especially the police. Our patriotic Inspector General of Police has done very well because we have observed that at every u-turn along this expressway, there is a police patrol van with a minimum of 10 personnel. But unfortunately, you will hear that in-between there are cases of armed robbery or kidnapping. And if you tell a policeman that robbery or kidnapping is ongoing somewhere close by, he will tell you pointblank that he will not go because he does not carry the weapon criminals carry.

    “It is very disturbing that IGP has deployed 600 policemen to this area and not even a common chicken has been arrested. We believe that our police have requisite intelligence to tackle this problem,” he said

    Apparently worried by the development, IGP on July 25 launched Operation Absolute Sanity with the mandate of rooting kidnappers out of the highway. A statement from Police spokesman CSP, Jimoh Moshood said the IGP deployed the operation, comprising of Special Police Force, Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Squad and Anti-Kidnapping Unit for the assignment.

    Moshood explained that the IGP is concerned over the prevalence of cases of kidnapping on Abuja-Kaduna Highway.

    He added that the deployed a Joint Police Team with Headquarters at Rijanah, Kaduna State are under specific and definite mandate to root out the kidnap for ransom gangs and armed robbery gangs that have being terrorizing the Abuja-Kaduna Highway.

    However, barely five days after, 32 kidnappers bearing various kinds of guns and other dangerous weapons were nabbed around the highway. They were paraded on 31st July, 2017 by the force spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshoodat Police Divisional Headquarters in Katari, Kaduna State.

    Over ten serviceable AK47 riffles were recovered from the suspects who belong to four different kidnap gang. Moshood attributed the arrest of the suspects to the launch of ‘Operation Absolute Sanity’ by the Inspector General of Police

    He said, “The IGP, concerned about  the issue of kidnapping along Abuja-Kaduna highway deployed a special team to root out kidnappers that have been  terrorizing the highway. “We have made significant progress in ensuring that Abuja-Kaduna highway is safe for passengers, travellers and other road users including communities that live along the highway because they are not spared too. Aside the kidnap of travellers, the kidnappers still go into villages to kidnap and terrorise community people.

    He said, “32 of the suspects have been arrested by the team and we recovered several serviceable AK47 from them. It is the weapons that they use in terrorising and kidnapping people for ransom. The special teams deployed are to ensure the arrest of all kidnap elements from their hideout and make the highway safe again for all road users.

    “We have not recorded a single case of kidnapping or armed robbery since the operation commenced and it is a pointer that the operation is working. The suspects have confessed to various roles they played and they belong to about four kidnapping gangs. Some are in charge of kidnapping while some others are responsible for negotiation and collection of ransom from families of the victims”, he said.

    Two days after, another gang of dare devil armed robbers were nabbed by men of the Kaduna State Police Command after a serious gun battle. One of the robbers was gunned down, while four others were arrested.

    Parading the suspects at the Police Command headquarters in Kaduna, alongside five suspected kidnappers arrested same day, and two suspected Indian hemp dealers, Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Mr. Agyole Abeh while said, the arrests were products of renewed commitment to keep the highway safe.

    Abeh told newsmen that the police in Kaduna under his watch are committed to smoking out criminals.

    The Commissioner explained that, the armed robbers were engaged in gun battle during a robbery operation along the highway, while one of them was fatally injured, four others were arrested.

    He said the suspected Indian Hemp dealers were apprehended with a trailer load of Indian Hemp, adding that some of the suspects were at large.

    24 after, the Kaduna Police Command’s exploit, the teams of Operation Absolute Sanity also announced arrest of another set of 40 suspected kidnappers along the Kaduna-Abuja highway. The police said the arrest came as the teams have located some kidnappers’ camps.

    The Police spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood who paraded the second batch of the suspects at Rijana, Kaduna State The suspects were arrested at various villages along the highway, where they have their operational bases and camps.

    He said, the Commander of Operation Sanity and his personnel have not rested on their oars, as they arrested 40 suspects in addition the 32 paraded on Monday 31st July, 2017.

    CSP Jimoh disclosed that the police has been able to penetrate the kidnappers and locate their camps, even as he said some of their captives were rescued in the process, adding that, police operatives have taken over the bushes on the highway and confirmed that efforts have intensified to arrest the sponsors of the group who are at large.

    According to him, “we have 40 suspects before us. These 40 suspects were arrested in the acts. They operate in different camps led by one, Ali Bello alias Tsonge. He is the Grand Commander of all the kidnappers you are seeing here. We also have Goma Shehu, alias Nama Gogo. Shehu is a notorious leader of kidnap for ransom gang that has been operating and terrorising passengers along Kaduna-Abuja highway way.

    “We also have another gang leader by name, Mohammed Mujua. Others include Danladi Hassan, Mohammed Abubakar, Egwu Ogiri, and Emmanuel Awobi among others”, he said.

    Items recovered from the suspects, include 3 double barrel guns, 2 single barrel guns, one assault rifle mounted with telescope, one locally made pistol revolver with 9.62 ammunition, pump action riffle, revolver, locally made 5MG, 30 live cartridges, assorted ammunitions, two magazines and assorted charms.

    Other are five laptops, three IPads, several mobile telephone handsets, jewelries, wristwatches and others.

    The force spokesman however assured those travelling on the highway of their safety and equally called on villagers and community leaders in crime prone areas to continue to collaborate with the police and other security agencies to rid criminals from their localities.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Police arrest 100 as three more ‘Badoo members’ are killed

    Police arrest 100 as three more ‘Badoo members’ are killed

    Three more suspected members of the notorious Badoo cult fell yesterday as angry Ikorodu residents led by the local vigilante group, Onyabo, went after the gang.

    The police have confirmed the arrest of 100 suspected Badoo members during a raid in Ikorodu at the weekend.

    The suspects were burnt to death in their Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) on Oju-Emuren Street, Odogunyan.

    They were said to be dressed in black suits.

    The deceased were said to have been found with three big grinding stones, charms and oil.

    They were lynched when they could not explain what they were doing with the items.

    The deceased, it was gathered, claimed they were on their way to tow a broken down vehicle when they were caught.

    A resident said: “The men looked like bouncers and they wore black suits. Their vehicle was stopped by Onyabo for interrogation and they said they were going to tow a broken down vehicle.

    “When a search was conducted on their SUV, three grinding stones, oil and charms were found. They could not explain what they were doing with them. Onyabo called residents out and that was how the suspects were instantly roasted alive.”

    Their death is the latest in the series of killings of suspected Badoo cultists in the past one week.

    Ten persons have so far been killed in different areas of Ikorodu for allegedly being Badoo members.

    The police and other security agencies could not rescue the suspects as the mob stoned them.

    Yesterday’s killings sparked an outrage as many said the residents might be killing innocent people.

    Hameed Sanni said: “I cannot understand the way our people are handling the situation of Badoo.  Honestly, they are allowing their emotions to betray their judgment. Our actions towards judgment are barbaric. How can you say you are an innocent person and you act in this manner? I couldn’t stand this (the killing). Oh my goodness! We have a long way to go; believe me. I am not against apprehending them, but hand them over to the relevant authority. We should not take laws into our hands because it doesn’t resolve anything.”

    Also yesterday, the police said over 100 persons were arrested in a raid on Ikorodu at the weekend.

    Led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in charge of Operations, Edgal Imohinmi, Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives, Onyabo and Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) members swept Igbogbo/Bayeku, Ibeshe, Ijede and Imota for Badoo cultists.

    The police, it was learnt, also met with traditional rulers, residents and vigilante members on the need to shun mob justice.

    The command’s spokesperson, Olarinde Famous–Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of police (ASP), said 40 police and RRS vehicles were deployed in the operation.

    He said: “We can confirm the arrest of 100 suspected members of the dreaded cult group, Badoo and they are helping with ongoing investigation into the activities of the gang.

    “Government is on top of the situation and we like to use this medium to caution the people to desist from jungle justice.

    “We also like to assure residents that they are free to go about their normal activities without let or hindrance, as the police and other security agencies in the state are poised to make the state uncomfortable and hot for criminal elements to perpetrate their nefarious activities,” Famous–Cole said.

    A source said formation indicated that Badoo members usually sold the handkerchiefs they wiped their victims blood with to prominent people at N500,000 each.

    “We heard they sell one handkerchief containing the blood of their victims for N500,000 to highly placed Nigerians. Police should investigate and put an end to this so that residents will not vacate Ikorodu,” he said.

    An OPC member, Abiodun Akerejola alias Ojolebua, said the raid, followed a closed-door stakeholders meeting.

    He said: “The issue of Badoo and other cult activities in Ikorodu and environs should give everyone concern, not only the police. We do not know the next family or person they might attack. We appreciate Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for his support and assistance.”

  • How we tortured, killed and buried Police Inspector –Suspect

    How we tortured, killed and buried Police Inspector –Suspect

    ONE of the principal suspects in the alleged murder of a Police Inspector, Mr. Sunday Musa, has given details of how the deceased officer was tortured, killed and buried over a land dispute involving two families. Fifty-one-year-old Akeem Balogun said the late Police Inspector died after he was hit in the head with a big stick when he came in a van with three other policemen to intervene in a land dispute between the Onojomaja and the Ogunbekun families in Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State. The officer in charge of Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS), Sani Paiko Umar, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), said the incessant cases of armed robbery and kidnapping in the area had prompted him to divide his men into two teams to show police presence in Ikorodu and Ibeju Lekki areas, in order to scare away hoodlums and reduce their nefarious activities in the two areas.

    Umar said that the team ‘A’ was posted to Ikorodu area while the team ‘B’ was posted to Ibeju Lekki area. Unfortunately, he said, the people the policemen had gone to protect were the ones who murdered Inspector Musa, who was one of the four police officers deployed to the area. He also revealed that the suspects and others yet to be arrested were not telling the commissioner of police CP Fatai Owoseni the truth. A police source revealed that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim K. Idris, was “deeply saddened” by the circumstances of Inspector Musa’s death, hence his decision to direct operatives of his Intelligence Response Team (IRT), led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abba Kyari, to unravel the mystery behind the Inspector’s death. Abba Kyari’s men were said to have immediately swooped into action and recovered Musa’s Ak47 rifle which his killers had taken away.

    The grave where they buried him was also found and his remains were exhumed and taken to hospital for examination. The sniper dog the IRT operatives used was also said to have discovered Musa’s phone in Oshokoro community where he was killed. The source said it was also found that the late Inspector Musa was tortured before he was killed in Oshokoro and buried in the disputed land in Akodo area with his hands tied backwards and a rope tied around his neck to lower him into a grave.

    The source also revealed that the exhumed body showed a hole his killers made on the right side of his stomach with pump action rifle, though they are still waiting for the final result of the autopsy. In his confession, Balogun said: “I have been a security man at the gate of St. David’s Primary School in Oshoroko community for more than 20 years. I know Oba Olumuyiwa Ogunbeku of Lekki and Baale Olusegun Oyiri. It was a mob that killed Inspector Musa.

    “Four policemen came to Oshoroko in a police van. When the people saw them, they thought that they were sent there by the rival Amodemaja community. So, they started fighting the policemen. When the policemen saw that the crowd was too much, they entered their van and drove off, leaving Musa behind. The people then pursued Musa and grabbed him. They then hit him in the head with a big stick. But I did not see anybody drive a nail into his head as was being said. “What I observed was that they used a stick to hit him and they tortured him with his hand tied to the back.

    Because of my bad leg, I did not join them to beat Musa. They asked the women to go into their houses when Musa was on the floor. They then started their Oro festival. “Those who played major parts in torturing and killing Musa include Dalako, Murilaja, Adebo, Lukmon and Jimoh who carried the police Ak47 rifle and pump action gun. In fact, all male adults in Oshoroko participated in the torturing and killing of Musa.

    “There were also others like Tunbosun, Shina, Bandele and Dayo, who joined in killing him, and Bello, Atana, Balina and Jimoh who were saddled with the task of burying him. I did not follow them to the graveyard. “Inspector Musa wore a black SARS vest on black jeans.

    They did not want everybody to know where Musa was buried in order to keep it secret.” Asked the circumstances that generated the crisis in which Musa was killed, Balogun said:“Musa’s death occurred on 29th November, 2016. But before then, the Oba of Lekki had a land dispute with the Baale and others, which resulted in soldiers and some members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) whisking away some members of Amodemaja family to Bonny camp.

    “So, when Oshokoro people saw the four policemen in their van on 29th November, 2016 they thought that they were sent by the Amodemaja family, hence they attacked the policemen. The Oba went to Zone II and reported the Amodemaja family. “But in January 2017, the Inspector General of Police intervened in the matter and directed IRT operatives to take over the case. That was when I was picked up.

    Musa was running away when they caught him and dealt with him.” Balogun also revealed they all took an oath at a shrine in Oshokoro so that anyone who revealed anything about their callous action would die. He said he was surprised that he was still alive three days after revealing how it all happened. The second suspect, Baba Aroko Badiru, (67), who one of the policemen alleged was carrying a pump action rifle on that day, denied carrying any weapon, not to talk of a pump action rifle.

    He said: “I was the one Inspector Musa rescued when they were beating me during the first fight we had with them. I am from the Oba’s side. Musa was the one who took me to hospital when the Amodemaja family beat me. “This time, I went to Ibeju Lekki to carry drums. Kazeem, Samiru and others were beating my son and I went to the police to report them. They said that nothing would happen. The DPO is a woman but the DCO in Akodo Police Station is Mr. Adams. “That fateful day, 29th November, 2016, I was in front of my house when I saw people running helter skelter. It was later that I heard that they killed a policeman.

    “I called the Oba and told him that somebody had died. He asked me where I was and I told him that I was in my house. He said he had reported the matter to Zone 2. It was after nine days that he knew that the dead person was a police inspector. “The land dispute started seven years ago. The Oba overseas Lekki Akodo to Folu Ade Amodemaja. The head of that community contested the stool with the present Oba of Lekki. They think that he wants to colonise the whole land.

    Therefore, they said the road has divided the land and nobody from one side should cross to the other side for peace to reign.” Three eyewitnesses, Didemi Amodemaja (40), Michael Amodemaja (43) and Tareem Nasiru (52) spoke to The Nation on the issue. Didemi, who claims to be a car dealer, said: “I was in Oshoroko on that 29th November.

    There was a land dispute between Amodemaja and the Oba of Lekki, Alhazeem Ogumbeku. “What generated the issue of 29th November is that the Oba of Lekki brought soldiers and parked some boys who were working as labourers, alleging that they were kidnappers.

    They carried some family members to the barracks. Everybody in the village ran to the riverine area because they did not know what was happening. “SARS operatives had been in the vicinity for more than a month because of kidnappers who used to come through the riverine area. When soldiers came, we told them that we were attacked by over 300 hoodlums with charms. By the time we got to a spot in Oshoroko village, we met our brother, Michael Amodemaja, lying flat in cold blood and we rescued him.

    “The Inspector that was with police patrol van was missing and his colleagues thought that he had gone to the barracks. “When we got to Akodo Police Station, the DPO chased us away, saying that a police officer had been kidnapped. On November 30, 2016, we went to the X-Squad Zone II and later to SARS. Michael, who claimed to be a transporter, said: “I was at site on that fateful day.

    We were grading the land and looking for buyers. We saw boys from neighbouring Oshoroko village. They picked four of our boys (bricklayers and carpenters). As they were taking them away we went to ask them what had happened. “They held me and started beating me all over my body. I was on the floor before I found myself in the van that took me to the hospital.” Nasiru, who claimed to be a fisherman, said: “It happened in Oshoroko junction. I was at the site.

    My brother Shakiru Ilesanmi came back in the evening after the attack at Oshoroko. He said they had killed the police officer and nothing would happen. “I told him that he connived with the people to kill a SARS officer and that he should be careful because there would be repercussion.”