The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Muhammad Mustafa

  • Abduction: Four Catholic priests regain freedom in Delta

    Four Catholic priests who were abducted on Nov. 6 by unknown persons in Delta have regained their freedom.

    The Nigeria Police Force, Delta Command, confirmed on Saturday that the priests were rescued near Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state.

    According to the Police Commissioner, Muhammad Mustafa, the victims were rescued on Friday evening at a location he did not disclose.

    The victims were: Rev. Fathers Victor Adigboluja of the Ijebu Ode Diocese; Anthony Otegbola, Abeokuta Diocese; Joseph Ediae, Benin Archdiocese; and Emmanuel Obadjere, Warri Diocese.

    They were said to have been on their way to the Seminary of All Saints Uhiele-Ekpoma in Edo on Nov. 6 when they were kidnapped.

    The police boss, who earlier said that one of the suspects had been apprehended in connection with the crime, also assured that the police command was trailing the others.

    He  assured that the other suspects would be arrested and prosecuted.

    “They were rescued on Friday and we are on the trail of the other suspects.

    Read Also: Six Catholic nuns kidnapped in Delta

    ” We do not encourage ransom, so no ransom was paid,” Mustafa said.

    A reliable source told our reporters that the priests were taken to Benin City for medical attention immediately they regained their freedom.

    According to the source the priests were escorted to Benin City by the  joint police and military team that rescued them.

    The captors had earlier demanded for N4 million as ransom to effect their release.

     

    NAN

  • Police rescue kidnapped Catholic priest in Delta

    Rev Father Christopher Ogaga, the Catholic priest who was kidnapped last Saturday night on his way to Warri, has been rescued.

    Disclosing the development to The Nation in a chat on Thursday , the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Mustafa, said Father Ogaga was rescued on Wednesday night somewhere along Eku-Abraka Road.

    According to the police chief, three suspects were already in custody even as other ones still at large were being trailed to answer for their role in the criminal operation.

    “Yes, the Rev Father has been rescued. We have three suspects in our custody, while we are still on the trail of the other gang members. Of course, no ransom was paid because it was a rescue”, the police chief said.

    Read Also: Man smashes bus windscreens over illegal N200 fee

    The kidnappers had demanded a N15 million ransom for his release almost immediately after he was taken.

    It would be recalled that Father Ogaga was kidnapped on Saturday, September 1, 2018 along the Arava-Oviri-Orere-Okpe Road, while on his way to Warri to assist the parish priest of Mother of the Redeemer Catholic Church, Airport junction, Effurun for the three masses on Sunday morning.

    The Nation gathered that Ogaga, who is priest of two other parishes of the church; St Luke’s Catholic Church, Oviri Okpe and St Jude’s Catholic Church Aghalopke, is also the principal of St. Peters Clavers College, Aghalokpe.

  • NHRC, police pledge improve collaboration on rights abuse

    The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) have vowed to ensure improved promotion, protection and enforcement of human rights in the country.

    This formed the fulcrum of a meeting in Abuja on Thursday between the Acting Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Mrs. Oti Ovrawah and Commissioner of Police of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Mustafa.

    NHRC’s spokesperson, Mrs. Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, in a statement, quoted Ovrawah as saying that the police remained a reliable ally in the fight against human rights violation, because they are the first respondents to victims of rights abuse.

    The Acting NHRC’s Executive Secretary, who received Mustafa in the commission’s headquarters, said the visit of the police team, led by the Police Commissioner afforded both sides the opportunity to work on other areas of partnership between them.

    Mustafa, who hailed Ovrawah’s appointment as the NHRC Ag Executive Secretary, said the Commission has done a lot of work in the area of promotion and protection of human rights in the FCT.

     

  • NHRC summons FCT’s CP for impeding investigation

    NHRC summons FCT’s CP for impeding investigation

    The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has summoned the Commissioner of Police (CP) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Mustafa over alleged obstruction of its investigation into allegations of rights abuses.

    Mustapha is expected to appear before the commission today.

    The commission’s invitation to the Commissioner of Police, FCT was informed by the alleged denial of access, by some policemen, to some NHRC’s investigators who had gone to investigate allegations of rights abuses contained in a petition by members of Wuye Market Traders Association.

    Spokesperson of the commission, Uche Mebrim said, in a statement, that policemen from FCT Command denied the investigation team led by the Commission’s Director of Human Rights Monitoring, Tony Ojukwu access to the Wuye market despite explanations that the visit was a fact finding.

    He said the petition was received Wednesday by the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Prof. Bem Angwe.

    The petition, he said contained allegation to the effect that the authorities of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) dispossessed them of their shops despite giving them allocation papers and that in the process of protesting for their rights, they were manhandled by the Police.

    Mebrim said, after its encounter with policemen at the Wuye Market, the NHRC investigation team later went to Maitama Police Command, where some of the arrested traders were detained.

    He said the Area Commander, Abiodun Alamutu, who received the team, said there was a directive that nobody should access Wuye Market. He admitted that 20 men and four women were detained and later the four women were released while the men have been taken to court in Wuse, Abuja.