The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Suspected gunmen

  • Suspected gunmen attempt to kill cleric

    Gunmen suspected to be hired killers have attacked the General Overseer of Faith Revival Ministries World Outreach, aka Victory Christian Church, Apostle Nkechi Anayo-Iloputaife.

    The Nation learnt that the incident occurred last Thursday around 8pm at Alakija bus stop, Lagos.

    The church members said the cleric’s vehicle was accosted by about eight gunmen.

    The woman, they said, is still in shock.

    A member of the church, Mr. Emmanuel Ugeh, who spoke on behalf of the ministry, said the gunmen waylaid the cleric’s vehicle around Alakija while she was returning home after evening service and shot sporadically.

    He said the incident shocked members.

    Read also: Cleric remanded for alleged sodomy

    Ugeh recalled that the cleric’s husband and founder of the ministry, Bishop Harford Anayo-lloputaife, was gruesomely murdered 24 years ago.

    The woman, he said, was also shot along with her husband, but she survived.

    Ugeh said: “On February 4, 1995, Iloputaife was killed by an assassin. The bishop and his wife, Apostle Nkechi, had just returned home when the men besieged their Festac Town, Lagos, home and attacked everyone inside. They ordered them to lie on the floor. They later shot the bishop in the head and his wife in her right arm, thinking they were dead.

    “Since the incident, the bishop’s wife has been leading the ministry. We don’t know why they are after her life because she is not a politician. She is a minister of God, who has been performing church duties.”

    He thanked God for averting another tragedy.

    “It was God who saved her. Her vehicle was riddled with bullets, but God protected her,” Ugeh said.

  • Suspected gunmen abduct varsity lecturer

    Suspected gunmen have kidnapped a lecturer with the Modibbo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH), Adamawa State, Prof. Allan Mamman Kadams.

    The professor of Crop Production was abducted yesterday at 2am from his home at Bajabure Federal Housing Estate, the police command said.

    Spokesman Othman Abubakar said the police had dispatched personnel to rescue the don.

    He said: “The police, in conjunction with the victim’s family, are making efforts to rescue the professor.”

    Abubakar added that the command had arrested 11 suspected kidnappers operating in Wauro-Jabbe and Vuno-Kalang.

    Kadams is the second professor to be abducted this month.

    Prof. Ibrahim Adamu Zata of the Department of Soil Science in the same university was kidnapped about two weeks ago from his home in Girei Local Government. He was released days later.

    It was not confirmed whether ransom was paid or not before he regained freedom.

     

     

     

  • Suspected gunmen abduct ex-Ondo council chair

    Unknown gunmen yesterday evening abducted the former chairman of Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, Dele Fagoriola.

    He was reportedly seized by the gunmen at his farm in Iju, along Akure-Ikere road.

    He was said to be inspecting his farm when the gunmen came and disappeared with him.

    The farm located along Akure-Ikere road has however been surrounded by anti-riot policemen on the order of the state commissioner of Police, Gbenga Adeyanju.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the state police command, Femi Joseph, a Superintendent of Police (SP) also confirmed the incident.

    He said Police officers have been deployed to the spot where the ex-council chairman was abducted with a view to arresting suspects in connection with the incident.

    Joseph assured that the perpetrators of the devilish act would soon be arrested.

  • Suspected gunmen abduct council officials, NURTW secretary

    Suspected gunmen at the weekend struck on Ifira-Akoko-Idoani-Ipele Road in Ondo State.

    They reportedly abducted two officials of Akure North Local Government.

    Sources said one of the victims was the treasurer.

    The Nation learnt that the suspected gunmen kidnapped the officials after robbing the six occupants of a Highlander Sport Utility Vehicle, which conveyed them to a social event.

    The hoodlums reportedly took two of them to a bush.

    The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for Akoko South East Local Government, Abiodun Ojediran, who confirmed the abduction, said: “Our men and officers are combing the bush to rescue the victims.”

    He said hunters were also making efforts to rescue the council officials.”

    The gunmen have not made contact with the victims’ families.

    A community leader at Ifira-Akoko, Asiwaju Boboye Ojomo, attributed robberies and kidnappings on Akoko roads to the deplorable conditions of the roads, which he said, prevented easy movement.

    He said: “These roads need government attention. Security personnel should be deployed in the area.”

    The Secretary, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ondo State, Segun Agbeyangi, has been reportedly kidnapped at Osu in Atakunmosa Local Government of Osun State.

    The incident, a source said, occurred on Ife-Ilesa Expressway while he was travelling from Akure, the Ondo State capital, to Ogun State last Saturday.

  • Suspected gunmen kidnap three in Ondo

    Gunmen last night abducted three people at NIROWI Forest on Old Ore/Lagos toll gate in Odigbo Local Government  of Ondo State.

    The victims who were identified as  Chinemere  Okafor , Nnamdi Abor  and Cornelius Udepe  were travelling from Owerri  to Lagos when they were kidnapped by an eight-man  gang in their vehicles –  a Sienna bus and a Honda Accura  SUV.

    It was learnt that the incident was reported to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Ore  Chuks  Okugo, who deployed his men to comb the forest.

    It took the combined efforts of the police and the local vigilantes in Ore, who engaged in tactical shooting to avoid a collateral damage.

    An eye-witness described the rate of kidnapping in the area as high.

    He appealed to the state government to do something urgently about the expansive forest that extends to Osun and Ogun states which serve as hideout  for criminals

  • Suspected gunmen abduct Saw Miller in Ondo

    Suspected gunmen abduct Saw Miller in Ondo

    Four gunmen suspected to be herdsmen have reportedly abducted a middle-aged man,Oyewale Akinwande (aka Honourable Wale) at his sawmill factory site in Idoani, Ose local government area of Ondo State.

    Sources said the gunmen operating along Ipele /Idoani road were armed with machetes, guns and other dangerous weapons.

    They were said to be masked and entered the Saw Mill through the forest around 9.00 am on Friday.

    According to a community leader, Otunba Oladele Olapeju, Idoani town has been thrown into confusion over the development, appealing to security agents to ensure the victim  is ‎released.

    He said the victim was seized while switching on the generator,stressing that they shot into air to scare away workers and others around before dragging him out of the sawmill premises.

    Olapeju lamented that the Fulani herdsmen had taken over the farmland in the community,stressing that his over 30 hectares farm crops were destroyed through cattle grazing.

    He urged security agents to curb incessant invasion of the area by Fulani herdsmen  and ensure the safe release of the victim.

    It was learnt that the kidnappers demanded N5m as condition to release the captive.

    Confirming the incident, the State Police Spokesman, Femi Joseph called for calm,saying Police were on the trail of the abductors.
    ‎
    While assuring  the people of the state a hitch-free ‎yelutide season, Joseph said the perpetrators would be brought to book.

  • Gunmen kidnap Ondo Community Leader

    Gunmen kidnap Ondo Community Leader

    Suspected gunmen have reportedly abducted a community leader Chief Ojo Omotayo (aka Oluomo) in Ikaram-Akoko, Ondo state.

    The incident happened barely two weeks after a monarch in Akokoland, who is the secretary of Akoko Traditional Council,Oba Joel Daodu was abducted alongside his second-in-command, Chief Olugbenga Giwa, the Shaba of Iyani Akoko along Owo-Ikare road.

    The due spent the Easter period in Kidnappers’den.

    Sources hinted that Omotayo,a former councillor representing Erusu/Ikaram ward was seized along Akunu-Ikakumo road in Akoko Northeast local government.

    According to Akala of Ikaram,Oba Andrew Momodu,the abductors had not contacted them for negotiation since Saturday night the victim was kidnapped.

    Oba Momodu urged the police and other security agencies to rescue the former councillor alive.

    There had been rampant cases of abduction and other criminal acts in Akoko division of the North Senatorial District.

    Many stakeholders’ particularly traditional rulers called for overhauling of security network in the four local government to ward off criminal tendencies.

    The State Police Spokesman, Femi Joseph could not be reached for comments

  • Abducted Ondo monarch to pay N5m ransom to kidnappers

    Abducted Ondo monarch to pay N5m ransom to kidnappers

    Suspected gunmen behind the abduction of Oniyani of Iyani-Akoko in Ondo state, Oba Joel Daodu have reportedly reduced the ransom to guarantee the release of the monarch from N15m earlier demanded to N5m, family sources have revealed.

    The monarch was seized by his abductors on Saturday evening near Oba-Akoko along Owo-Ikare road while in transit.

    Already, residents of Iyani-Akoko are in prayer sessions to God to intercede in prompt release of the monarch from captivity.

    It was also alleged that Oba Daodu was kidnapped alongside one of his prominent chiefs, identified as John Afelumo.As at press time,their whereabouts were yet unknown.

    Reactions have trailed the abduction of the royal father and his Chief.

    According to a frontline traditional ruler in the state, the Akala of Ikaram -Akoko, Oba Andrew Momodu,it was an abomination to abduct a traditional ruler.

    He pointed out that Monarchs are the custodians of tradition and representatives of the creator of the universe, which should not be treated in such ridiculous manner.

    Akala urged government to recruit more police to protect lives and properties.

    He also called for immediate release of Oba Daodu and his chief without any condition attached.

    The Olisupare of Supare-Akoko, Oba Adejoro Omosogbon called for military deployment to Owo-Ikare road,which according to him is now an haven of kidnappers and men of the underworld.

  • Suspected gunmen kidnap accountant in Owo

    Suspected gunmen kidnap accountant in Owo

    Some gunmen have kidnapped the Chief Accountant of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo in Ondo State, Mr. Kayode Asaju.

    Asaju, who was reportedly on his way to Abuja, was kidnapped on Sunday evening on the Lokoja-Abuja Road.

    A source at the hospital said he travelled to Abuja for a meeting scheduled for yesterday.

    The source added that the suspected kidnappers contacted the victim’s family and demanded N5 million ransom.

    Police spokesman Femi Joseph said the incident occurred outside the command’s jurisdiction.

    He, however, assured people that it would work with the Kogi State Police Command to ensure that the victim is rescued.