The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Murder

  • ‘Murder of DSS operatives wicked, barbaric’

    ‘Murder of DSS operatives wicked, barbaric’

    A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing, Segun Olulade, has condemned the killing of about seven operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) by suspected pipeline vandals in Ikorodu area of the state.

    In his reaction to the sad incident, which occurred on Tuesday evening, Olulade described the pipeline vandals’ act as “gruesome and wicked”, noting that the alleged perpetrators are gradually becoming a “threat to the state.”

    Reports have it that the vandals had allegedly engaged the DSS operatives, who came to the area after receiving a tip-off that the vandals were siphoning fuel from a broken pipe belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    The Tuesday’s incident, which occurred at about 8pm, was the second in two weeks. The vandals were said to have attacked four policemen attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and Owutu Police Division on August 30, 2015, with three of the policemen losing their lives, while one was critically injured.

    Olulade maintained that the activities of the pipeline vandals are beginning to pose great dangers to the lives of Nigerians, especially, those residing in areas where petroleum pipelines are sited.

    He called on the relevant security agencies to rise up to the occasion by commencing a full scale investigation into the killing of the security operatives.

    The lawmaker who is the immediate past chairman of the House committee on Information, strategy, security and publicity,  commiserated with the DSS over the loss of its men, while praying for the repose of the souls of the gallant officers.

     

  • Monarch, son, 10 others docked for ‘murder’

    The police have arraigned a traditional ruler, the Baale of Temidire Alagbado, Chief Nojeem Abioye, his son Abioye and 10 others at a Lagos Chief Magistrate’s Court, Igbosere, over the death of hotelier, Alhaji Rasaki Olatunji.

    They were charged along with Adeola Ogungbade, 37, Ogundare Ogunsanya, 63, Olanlerewaju Ololade, 62, Bello Lasisi, 60, Ajani Kasali, 54, Oyedele Musiliu, 64, Jonathan Sanyaolu, 68, Taoreed Bakare, 61, Olaidi Albert, 66 and Wahab Abioye, 38.

    Police prosecutor Justin Enang said they allegedly “caused” Olatunji’s death by shooting and attacking him with dangerous weapons.

    The men were also accused of malicious damage, arson, forming “an unlawful assembly and acting in a disorderly manner as to disturb the peace of the community and its environment.”

    The alleged offences contravene Sections 45(2), 221 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    Olatunji was reportedly murdered during a riot on July 20 in Alagbado area, which also claimed the life of another victim, Ganiyu Adebayo.

    It was learnt that the riot broke out shortly after a meeting of landlords and community leaders in Alagbado who were said to be angry with Olatunji over his alleged land grabbing activities.

    It was alleged that thugs loyal to Rasak has engaged community youths in a battle after the leaders’ meeting, which led to his being shot.

    The accused persons were arraigned on five counts of conspiracy, rioting, malicious damage, arson and murder.

    Chief Magistrate O.M. Ajayi, remanded the accused persons pending legal advice by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

  • Grieving prostitutes mourn slain colleagues in Ogun

    Prostitutes in Ogun state gathered in their dozens at Abeokuta, the state capital, to observe a solemn candle light procession in honour of their slain colleague, Sitira.

    Sitira, a 23 year old girl from Iberekodo community in Abeokuta North Local Government Council of the state was said to have been killed by suspected ritualists last Saturday night.

    The remains of the late Sitira were found on Sunday morning at a refuse heap in Olomore junction, Abeokuta, where the killers threw her off from a moving Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) along the Abeokuta-Lagos expressway.

    The deceased, who was one of the sex commercial workers who routinely lurch around the premises of
    the state Secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ – Iwe Iroyin) Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta‎,  in the evening for clients, was last sighted in Iwe Iroyin at night last Saturday before her murder.

    But on Monday night, ‎about 53 prostitutes in a military – like formation momentarily seized the NUJ Secretariat as they mourned while others fanned out and took position in front of the home of former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan.

    Armed with candle sticks, the grieving commercial sex workers who engage their trade in Abeokuta, wailed over Sitira’s killing, whom they also identified as “Titi,” “Lakki,” and “Folake” even as they rain down  curses on Sitira’a killers.

    “You have done something grievous, you have done something grievous. The killers‎ of Titi (Sitira) have done something grievous. Their children will die, their children will die, those that killed Titi will lose their children,” they yelled.

    They later retreated to the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta where they resumed lamentations over Sitira’a murder, saying she was not the only colleague killed by suspected ritualist last Saturday.

  • Hotel boss, five others in detention over alleged murder

    Hotel boss, five others in detention over alleged murder

    The Sokoto state Police command has confirmed the arrest of six persons in connection with the alleged killing of a Police Inspector, Mr. Nura Hashimu.

    They are:  the Managing Director and five other members of staff of a four-star hotel in Sokoto.

    Confirming the arrest of the hotel’s Managing Director and five others Monday in Sokoto, spokesman of the Police Mr. Al-Mustapha Sani said that, the late Hashimu was the son of a late Police Commissioner, Mr Hashimu Yauri.

    He said the deceased died after he was reportedly beaten to a state of coma by the staff of the hotel on 1st Aug.

    According to the police spokesman,” The deceased had reportedly lodged in the hotel for about five days preceding the incident.

    ” The late officer was asked to leave the hotel after repeated complaints by some of his neighbours in the hotel that he his room was always rowdy,” he stated.

    Sani further explained that ” He had earlier parked his belongings and put them in a commercial tricycle and left the hotel, but he later returned angrily.”

    According to him, the deceased had a misunderstanding with the Managing Director of the hotel after he went back.

    This, Sani, averred resulted in an ensuing fight between the duo, sequel to slaps and counter-slaps.

    ” It was at this juncture that the security men of the hotel immediately pounced on the deceased and gave him  serious beatings.

    ” The late Officer was subsequently rushed to the Specialist Hospital, Sokoto where he was confirmed dead,” he added.

    Sani further said that the corpse of the deceased was later taken to the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching hospital, Sokoto for a post- mortem to confirm the actual cause of his death.

    However, Sani said the suspects were being detained at the state police command for further investigations.

  • Ortom’s CSO denies murder allegations

    Governor Samuel Ortom’s Chief Security Officer, CSO, Superintendent of Police, Dickson Pawa, has denied allegations of responsibility for the killing of a People’s Democratic Party, PDP chieftain in the state, the late Atoza Ihindan.

    The late Ihindan was killed by gunmen suspected to be hired assassins on Friday last week in Katsina-Ala town while inspecting a perimeter fence of one of his houses.

    The police said they arrested some suspects in connection with the murder.

    Meanwhile, eldest son of the deceased, Mr Terfa Atoza, a former commissioner in Governor Gabriel Suswam’s administration, accused Mr Pawa for being one of the masterminds of his father’s death.

    Atoza, who addressed a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja, stated that he had strong reasons for his suspicions, adding that he had already filed a petition to the Inspector General of Police over the matter.

    Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, the CSO who also served under Suswam’s administration as his Aid De Camp, ADC, said the allegations were “spurious, vexatious and unfounded”.

    He wondered why any member of the deceased family or anybody would link him with the elder politician’s death when he had no hand in it.

    He pointed out that former Governor Suswam’s close allies were opposed to his new position in the opposition government led by Governor Ortom and fabricated the falsehood in order to create problems for him.

    Pawa resigned his position as Aid de camp, ADC to the immediate past governor towards the tail end of his administration following disagreements with his principal over Governor Ortom’s governorship aspiration.

    Commenting on the allegations, Mr. Tahav Agerzua, Special Adviser on Media and ICT to Governor Ortom said due process required investigation, prosecution and conviction.

  • Gardener, four others charged with murder

    Gardener, four others charged with murder

    Five persons were yesterday arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrate Court in Lagos for the alleged murder of a 32-year-old driver, Sonye Chukwudi Bosco.

    They are Anthony Toms, 20, a gardener; Godwin Francis, Michael Inyang, Evidence David and Etuk Tony.

    Prosecuting Police Inspector Emmanuel Ajayi said they conspired to murder and rob Bosco of 4,750 cash.

    Toms said he took revenge on the deceased who he claimed was owing him N6000 balance from a flour sale.

    Toms invited the late Bosco, who operated around GRA, Ikeja, to Ransome Kuti Gardens in Anthony Village, under the pretence of meeting with a businesswoman that supplies flour.

    The defendants, it was learnt, thought the late Bosco was rich because he used a Mercedes Benz 320 saloon car.

    Tony, one of the defendants, described Toms as their leader, saying:  “Anthony is the ring leader who told us that the driver is rich and that if we robbed him, we could sell the car for N2 million. And I told him I would do it as long as money is involved.”

    But Toms said:”I did it to revenge what he (driver) did to me. The driver is a gay; he slept with me several times and paid me only N1,500. He bought flour from me but refused to pay me N6,000″.

    The defendants allegedly tortured the late driver at the Ransome Kuti Gardens and demanded money from him.

    They were said to have bound the deceased’s hands, mouth and legs and hit him on the head till he died.

    They were said to have covered his body with empty bags of flour before taking away his Mercedes Benz car.

    One of the defendants, who is a driver, was said to have planned with the others to sell the car out of Lagos.

    However, the police intercepted and arrested them on the Gbagada Expressway with the car.

    Ajayi urged the court to remand the suspects in prison custody pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

    The offence, according to the prosecutor, contravened Sections 409, 295, 221 and 404 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

    The defence counsel, Spurgeon Ataene, applied that his clients be remanded for 30 days.

    Magistrate O.O. Olatunji ordered that they be remanded and adjourned the case till July 31.

  • Court acquits murder suspect for `showing remorse’

    Court acquits murder suspect for `showing remorse’

    An Ijede Magistrates’ Court near Ikorodu, Lagos State on Tuesday discharged a man, Kazeem Ajiga, who allegedly lynched another man for stealing his aluminium roofing sheets.

    Ajiga was arraigned on Tuesday for taking laws into his hands by executing jungle justice on a suspect, Raheem Omoyele, whom he accused of stealing his property.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Omoyele was on Monday brought before Olagbegi-Adelabu on a charge of stealing 25 aluminium roofing sheets belonging to Ajiga.

    The Magistrate, Mrs Jumoke Olagbegi-Adelabu ruled :“Since Ajiga has shown remorse, caution and did not waste this court’s time by pleading guilty, I hereby discharge him and strike out the case.

    “I ordered the arrest and subsequent arraignment of Ajiga and his accomplices still at large for almost blinding a suspect they arrested and for obstructing the police from doing their job.

    “This court is not against citizens arresting criminals in support of the course of justice, but will not tolerate the use of excessive force, beating up and violence on them.

    “Many Nigerians have been killed in such acts which clearly is anti-social, barbaric and against human rights and contrary to being sane in this 21st century.

    “No sane mind should justify transferred aggression on an apprehended petty thief because of a perceived loss or theft.

    “This message I hope will sink into the minds of the Oke-Eletu people and Nigerians that jungle justice, lynching and harm to arrested suspects by them is criminal and unacceptable by law.”

    Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Friday Ekunday had apologised on behalf of the accused, Ajiga, on the grounds that he did not know the implications of his action.

    “He was the complainant in the case that led to this charge against him and acted out of ignorance for not knowing that a crime was being committed by beating up the person who stole from him.

    “Ajiga has leant his lesson after sleeping at the police cell for the night, and I beg this court to temper justice with mercy,” he said.

    He said the accused violated Section 166(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 when he committed the offence on June 26 at Oke-Eletu area of Ikorodu at about 6.30 p.m.

    Before the ruling, the accused had pleaded guilty to the charge of breaching public peace by executing jungle justice on Omoyele.

    In an interview with NAN, a lawyer, Mr. Victor Nwadike, attributed the lynching of criminals to ignorance and the high rate of illiteracy in the country.

    “’Mob action and jungle justice are a reflection of the level of education that Nigerians have about basic issues of their rights and about what is legal and permissible.

    “The need for more enlightenment cannot be understated and for an overhaul of our educational system, its philosophy and its approach to transform the people.

    “Even many so-called educated people cannot understand simple legal documents; many cannot interpret our constitution and cannot explain a contractual agreement.

    “Our backwardness even in the administration of justice is largely because of the pervasive ignorance and illiteracy in this nation.

    “We need to ensure every person gets educated up to secondary school and review our curricula at all levels to imbue critical thinking as an essential ingredient of our education system,” he said.

    Nwadike urged government at all levels to step up their enlightenment programmes on such issues.

  • Two men remanded for murder

    Two men – Matthew Imeh and Aliu Salisu – who allegedly caused the death of a man by pushing him into an oncoming traffic, were remanded at Ikoyi Prisons.

    An Ebute Metta Chief Magistrate’s Court which gave the ruling, said the accused should remain in custody pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    The accused – Imeh, 25, and Salisu, 29 – were arraigned before Magistrate O.A. Komolafe on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

    Komolafe, however, rejected the bail application of the accused.

    The prosecutor, Elizabeth Ekuma, an Assistant Superintendent (ASP) had earlier told the court that the accused committed the offences on May 7 at Aiye Junction on Mushin-Isolo Road.

    She alleged that the accused pushed a man, Rafiu Baale, into an oncoming traffic which led to his being crushed by a Mercedes Benz truck.

    She said the offences contravened Sections 221 and 231 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The case has been adjourned to Aug. 19, 2015.

  • ‘I killed to avenge my cousin’s murder’

    ‘I killed to avenge my cousin’s murder’

    A detainee has told the police that he shot a fellow cultist dead to avenge the killing of his cousin.

    Matthew Ekomafe, 28, is being detained for allegedly killing a member of Eye cult, Shino Acheyi, over the death of his cousin, Dike Dik, a Political Science graduate of Delta State University in Abraka.

    Dike was killed in Lagos on his return from Abuja where he was doing his National Youth Service Corps.

    A source said the Eye cult members had been terrorising residents of Ijanikin in Lagos along the Badagry Expressway.

    Some of them, according to the source, were also on the police “wanted list” for murder, killing, maiming and looting.

    Following a tip-off, Lagos State Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) operatives swooped on the area and arrested Ekomafe in a hotel.

    The police discovered a gun in his bag, the source said.

    The police are on the trail of his gang members who he claimed, are cultists belonging to either Eye or Black Cat Fraternity.

    Ekomafe may be prosecuted for armed robbery and murder.

    The suspect said: “I am a member of Black Cat Fraternity. I had my Ordinary National Diploma in Marine Engineering in 2012. I am from Eku Village in Abraka Local Government Area of Delta State.

    “I don’t like Eye Fraternity because they rob and steal. One of them, Uche who happened to be my friend, robbed me of my phone and N3,000 cash on the road. This made me to join Black Cat through a friend called Charles.”

    Recalling how he was initiated, he said: “He (Charles) took me to a bush where they placed an axe on my head, cut my finger with razor blade and asked me to lick my blood. We were over 30 that were initiated that day.

    “We promised under oath that we would never rob, rape nor steal, but Eye members steal, rob and rape innocent women, claiming that having sex with a matured woman is not rape but merely having fun with them because they are not minors.”

    He added: “My trouble started when my cousin, Dike Dik, a Youth Corps member came to visit me and Eye people shot him dead. We were annoyed and we went and killed one of them in the Vespa area of Ijanikin. It was one of the guys from Igbesa Polytechnic, Ogun State, named Atigba, who gave me the locally made short gun which I used to kill the killer of my cousin. The Eye people later retaliated by killing two members of Black Cat at Church bus stop.

    “We later shot one of them, Godspower aka Power in retaliation. The casualties in Eye side now are two, while Black Cat has three casualties. The three Black Cat members they killed are Dike Dik, Tio and Destiny while the two the Black cats killed on the side of Eye are Shino and Seyi. They rushed the person I shot at the chest to hospital where he later died.

    On how he was arrested, he said: “I went to lodge in Ayala Hotel along Olorunshogo in the Ijanikin area. I was alone in my hotel room sleeping and somebody came and knocked. When I opened the door, policemen entered. When they searched my room, they found a gun under the bed. When I took them to the house of one of us named Orumo, he scaled the wall and escaped.”

  • Court remands man for ‘murder’

    An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos yesterday ordered Rotimi Abolarin to be remanded in Ikoyi Prisons for alleged murder. He was accused of killing an unidentified person.

    Chief Magistrate Olatunbosun Abolarinwa ordered that Abolarin be kept in Ikoyi Prisons for 30 days, pending the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    The court declined to take the plea of the accused because it lacks jurisdiction to try the case.

    Abolarinwa adjourned the case to June 18.

    Earlier, prosecuting Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Etim Nkankuk told the court that Abolarin committed the offence with others at large.

    He said the accused committed the offence on January 23 at the Nigeria Railway Corporation Line, opposite Mainland Hotel, Oyingbo in Ebute Meta, Lagos.

    The prosecutor said the death of the yet-to-be-identified person was caused by blows to a delicate part of his body by the accused and his fellow conspirators.

    He said as at the time of the arraignment of the accused, the deceased’s identity was yet to be ascertained.

    “The murder suspect had allegedly killed another person by beating him to death,’’ he said.