Tag: kills

Gunmen-nine of them suspected to belong to a kidnap gang, yesterday in Warri, Delta State, shot dead three prison warders.

They ambushed a Nigerian Prison service (NPS) Hilux van before shooting the warders.

They thereafter freed two kidnap suspects from custody and escaped with them.

Vigilant youths of Okere community, Warri South Local Government Area, re-arrested three of the inmates and handed them over to prisons officials.

The gunmen according to the source, waylaid a prisons’ van conveying criminal suspects to court at about 8.30 am, on Esisi Road, Warri and shot the warders.

The gunmen, operating in a Lexus Special Utility Vehicle, SUV and Toyota Camry car, according to sources had left Okere area and were heading towards the “A” Police Division area, where the court is located when the gun men struck.”

“All the warders were shot, two died on the spot, while one died later. Two of the inmates, believed to be notorious kidnappers escaped while youths in the area stopped three of them from escaping”

Police Area Commander in Warri, Mr. Hussani Rabiu, confirmed the incident.

He, however, said the police cordoned off the Effurun roundabout when they got wind of the attack, but the gunmen escaped through the Petroleum Training Institute, PTI/Uti road, Effurun.

He said the police were on the trail of fleeing inma

A member of the Imo Security Network has allegedly shot his colleague, Peter Uche Erekwe.

The incident occurred at Ezeogba Emekuku in Owerri North Local Government.

The 39-year-old victim, who hailed from Egbelu Obibe community, was said to have attended a meeting with his colleagues at the Ezeagba home of their unit commander, Ifeanyi.

He was standing beside their patrol vehicle, discussing with others when a colleague’s gun went off and shattered his right leg.

It was gathered that Erekwe was rushed to a private hospital where he died due to loss of blood.

The suspect and another member of the group have been arrested and detained by the police.

Police spokesman Vitalis Onugu said investigation is going on.

There are mixed reactions to the incident as members of the deceased’s family are insinuating that he was murdered.

It was gathered that the family is suspecting that the victim was deliberately killed.

Their suspicion was strengthened by the fact that since the incident happened “no official has visited the family.”

There is tension in Erekwe’s community as youths are spoiling for a showdown.

The youths said the late Erekwe complained to them about threats to his life.

But a source denied any misunderstanding among the unit members.

Two people were killed in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, yesterday as an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) belonging to the Army rammed into a bus park at Ohafia lane, killing two women and injuring several others.

An eyewitness said the APC rammed into the park after hitting a tricycle. It rammed into a bus which was loading passengers.

The source said immediately the driver of the APC noticed what happened, he reversed the vehicle and drove off.

One of the women killed was said to be evangelising in the park. The injured have been taken to the hospital and the bodies deposited at the mortuary.

Three persons, including a suspected bomber, were killed in Maiduguri yesterday as a bomb thrown by a suspected member of the Boko Haram sect at a patrol vehicle of the Joint Task Force (JTF), exploded.

The bomb exploded moments after pamphlets were distributed by suspected members of the Boko Haram in parts of the town, insisting that there was no cease fire.

It was learnt that pamphlets were distributed on Monday evening by some people in Maiduguri, Gwange, Hausari and Old Maiduguri, saying that at no time did the sect agree with the government to a cease fire.

The JTF, in a statement by its spokesman, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, confirmed the killing of the three persons, including the bomber. He said two persons were injured.

Musa, in the statement, said: “An Improvised Explosive Device targeted at the JTF patrol team exploded at the Post Office roundabout in the Maiduguri metropolis about 1pm today (yesterday). The explosion led to the death of three civilians, including the bomber. Two others were injured. A JTF vehicle was damaged.

“The attention of the Joint Task Force Operation Restore Order has been drawn to some leaflets allegedly printed and circulated by the Boko Haram sect, containing a message from the leader of the JAMA’ATU AHLUS SUNNAH LIDDA’AWATI WAL JIHAD, Abubakar Shekau, threatening and warning government, civil servants, politicians, traditional rulers and security agencies that the sect has not reconciled with the government and that it has not declared a ceasefire.”

Musa urged the public to disregard such publication and consider it as part of the terrorists’ propaganda to keep the public in captivity and fear.

Although the JTF claimed that three persons were killed and two injured in the explosion, residents said 10 people were killed.

A soldier attached to the Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crises code-named, ‘Operation safe haven’, has allegedly killed a security guard with the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Mr. Wagley Dauda.

An eyewitness said the incident occurred on Yakubu Gowon Way, Aglo-Jos near NASCO Quarters, Jos, about 11:30am, on Saturday.

The victim was a passenger in an Opel Vectra car heading for Jos central area when he was allegedly killed.

Last week, another STF soldier allegedly shot dead a police inspector following an argument in Mikang.

The driver of the commercial vehicle was said to have allegedly taken a one-way due to a traffic jam on the dual carriage road.

One of the soldiers reportedly stopped the driver and asked him to reverse and return to his lane. When doing so, another soldier allegedly shot the driver and a stray bullet hit and killed Mr. Dauda.

The stray bullet passed through the right arm of the driver before hitting the victim on the chest. He and the driver were taken to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) where he was certified dead.

The driver, Salisu Musa, is said to be responding to treatment.

STF spokesman Captain Salisu Mustapha, who confirmed the incident yesterday during a media briefing at the STF headquarters in Jos, said: “On February 16, about 11:30am, an unfortunate incident happened. A personnel of the STF on duty shot the driver of an Opel Vectra with registration number EW-336-AA (Lagos), Mr. Musa and a passenger, Mr. Dauda (a worker with the University of Jos, Security Department)

“Preliminary investigation showed that the soldier attempted to stop the driver, who took a one-way near Green Park, NASCO Quarters, Jos.

“The driver failed to stop. He, instead, tried to manoeuvre his way despite the soldier’s instruction that he should stop. This action was suspicious. As a result, the soldier cocked his gun and released a bullet, which pierced through the left shoulder of the driver and unfortunately hit Mr. Dauda on his chest.

“The victims were taken to the Jos University Teaching Hospital for treatment by the STF personnel. Mr. Dauda died, while the driver is receiving treatment.

“The soldier is in custody, undergoing investigation.

A police officer attached to Yaba Divisional Police Station in Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Inspector Adelakun Lawal, was killed at the weekend.

He was allegedly murdered by his colleague and friend, Mr. Kazeem Shehu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) attached to Ajagba Divisional Police Station in Irele Local Government.

It was learnt that the two friends were relaxing at a drinking parlour on Ejankole Street in Okerowo around 5pm when an argument broke out between them.

Eyewitnesses said people tried in vain to broker peace between them, but Shehu brought out a pistol from his pocket and shot Lawal.

They said Shehu tried to escape but he was apprehended.

Lawal was rushed to the Ondo State Specialist Hospital in Ondo town in a police van and was certified dead by doctors.

The victim was a police prosecutor at an Ondo Chief Magistrate’s Court.

When The Nation visited the office of the Yaba Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr. Adegoke Alani, he was said to have gone out.

The Area Commander, Mr. Hamzat Ameyi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), was also said to have travelled out of town.

A senior officer at the station, who did not want to be named, described the incident as “unfortunate”.

He said Lawal’s remains had been deposited at the morgue of the Ondo State Specialist Hospital in Ondo town.

The report of the incident has been sent to the command headquarters in Akure, the state capital.