The Nation Newspaper

Tag: thugs

  • Cultism: Five feared killed as thugs, police battle in Mushin

    Cultism: Five feared killed as thugs, police battle in Mushin

    No fewer than five people including a policeman are feared killed in cult-related violence on Monday and yesterday.

    Two traders were killed inside Ladipo International Market on Monday evening by suspected cultists. A policeman, a hoodlum and a pupil died during a clash at Idi-Oro.  It was gathered that the policemen was stabbed to death

    Among the deceased were one Akeem Mumuni and a pupil identified as Samuel. The Nation learnt that the police shot tear gas canisters into Ansar-Ud-Deen Secondary School.

    Tuesday’s incident, which occurred around 3pm, was said to have left many persons injured.

    It was gathered that yesterday’s battle was a fallout of Monday’s cult clash because policemen from Area D Division, Mushin and the Anti-Cultism unit were said to have embarked on a raid of cultists’ hideout.

    But the raid went awry as hoodlums, said to have sighted the cops, engaged them in a battle.

    The fight extended to Olateju. Residents locked their street gates.

    A passer-by, who gave his name as Williams said the hoodlums shot sporadically and pelted the policemen with stones, bottles.

    He said: “It was in the afternoon and people were going about their lawful duties when we suddenly started hearing sporadic gunshots. The gunshots lasted about 30 minutes. Everyone started running in different directions. Some people sustained injuries in the process. I heard two persons died but I do not how true that is.”

    A trader, Chigozie said: “The cultists killed two people when they entered the market. Some said they wanted to rob them, others said the deceased belonged to a rival cult group. There are many cultists in Ladipo market. They most times, threaten and extort traders. The government needs to take serious action against them.

    Emmanuel Obi said there were more than 10 different cult groups operating in the market. They move around the market with their guns, machetes, axes and charms freely without being challenged.

    He said: “One of the victims, Ndubuisi, was going home when the cultist who had been monitoring him, accosted him and demanded he gave them the money he made for the day.

    “He tried to explain to explain to them that he didn’t have money on him but one of the cultists brought out his gun and shot him in the head. Another one shot him on the leg and stomach. He died on the spot.

    “The other victim, John, was axed to death at canal area of the market. He also refused to surrender his day’s sales to them. They also went to Toyota Bus Stop, where they robbed passers-by.

    “I am appealing to the Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal to look into this. These cultists were brought into the market by the various factions during the crisis that rocked Ladipo. They were equipped with arms and ammunition to fight perceived enemies of the faction that brought them.

    “We are under siege. Now that election into various leadership positions in the market is approaching, killings have resumed. We are afraid of the situation. Government should come to our rescue.”

    The Nation gathered that it took the intervention of riot policemen from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and other reinforcement for normalcy to be restored at Idi-Oro.

    Contacted, police spokesman, Chike Oti, a Superintendent (SP) promised to contact the Area Command and revert back. But he did not as of press time.

  • Suspected thugs steal INEC data capture machine in Rivers  

    Suspected thugs steal INEC data capture machine in Rivers  

    A group of hoodlums suspected to be political thugs have stolen the direct data capture machine belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    The machine was stolen in the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Emohua, the headquarters of the local government area.

    Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Edwin Enabor, said that the incident happened last Thursday night.

    Enabor disclosed that apart from the INEC office, the hoodlums also vandalised the entire council secretariat, adding that the INEC office in the area was situated within the premises of the local government secretariat.

    “It happened in the night. Apparently, some unknown people came to the council and vandalised virtually the whole council, not just the INEC office; all the offices in the council.

    “We went there Wednesday on an assessment tour and from what we saw, they really vandalised the council and unfortunately for the commission, our office happens to be within the council premises.”

    However, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the incident.

     

  • Suspected thugs arraigned in Akwa Ibom

    Two persons suspected to be loyalists of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were yesterday  arraigned in court by the police in connection with the disruption of a meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Urua Inyang, the headquarters of Ika Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

    The two, Abraham Adam Suleiman, 35, and Mfon Godwin Essien, 32, were arraigned at the Magistrate’s Court, Utu Etim Ekpo, the headquarters of Etim Ekpo Local Government Area on a four-count charge of conspiracy to commit felony, assault, malicious damage and threat to life.

    In the charge sheet read to them, the two suspects, alongside others at large, were alleged to have destroyed property at the venue of the meeting worth millions of naira and severely injured one Utenge Justus Ben.

    They pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Magistrate Patrick Ekpo admitted them to bail in the sum of N200,000 each with sureties who must have landed property within the Etim Ekpo magisterial area among other conditions.

    He adjourned the case to June 26, 2017for hearing.

    A meeting of the APC, which was planned to receive some defectors from PDP in Ika, was recently disrupted by armed thugs who unleashed mayhem on APC members.

  • PDP thugs prosecuted for disrupting APC meeting in Akwa Ibom

    PDP thugs prosecuted for disrupting APC meeting in Akwa Ibom

    Two persons suspected to be loyalists of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) were Thursday arraigned in court by the police in connection with the disruption of a meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Urua Inyang, the headquarters of Ika Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

    The two, Abraham Adam Suleiman, 35 and Mfon Godwin Essien, 32 were arraigned at the Magistrate Court, Utu Etim Ekpo, the headquarters of Etim Ekpo Local Government Area on a four-count charge of conspiracy to commit felony, assault, malicious damage and threat to life.

    In the charge sheet read to them, the two suspects, alongside others at large, were alleged to have destroyed property at the venue of the meeting worth millions of naira and severely injured one Utenge Justus Ben.

    They pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    The Magistrate, Patrick Ekpo admitted them to bail in the sum of N200, 000 each with sureties who must have landed property within the Etim Ekpo magisterial area among other conditions.

    He adjourned the case to June 26, 2017for hearing.

    It will be recalled that a meeting of the APC which was planned to receive some defectors from PDP in Ika was recently disrupted by armed thugs who unleashed mayhem on APC members from within and outside the area.

     

  • Thugs batter journalist over Facebook post on Ebonyi gov

    Thugs batter journalist over Facebook post on Ebonyi gov

    •Another shot by gunmen

    AN Ebonyi based journalist has incurred the wrath of suspected political thugs in the state after posting a Facebook message critical of Governor Dave Umahi.
    Charles Otu of The Guardian was descended upon by the thugs on Friday, beating him to stupor.
    On the same day, the publisher of People’s Leader, Mr. Samuel Nwaeze was shot by gunmen at about 7.p.m. in front of his office at 2, Awolowo Street in Abakaliki.
    Otu said his attackers were sent to kill him over his Facebook post, in which he criticised the current administration in the state.
    Mr. Otu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), yesterday that the thugs accosted him at about 6.p.m. on Friday at Vanco Junction in Abakaliki and started beating him with clubs and other dangerous weapons.
    He said the beating attracted passers-by, “but the thugs threatened to shoot anybody that interfered.”
    He said he was later abducted and taken to the “Ebonyi Cabinet Office” where he was asked to write an undertaking never to write any story against the state government or be silenced permanently.
    He said the thugs later drove him to the Kpirikpiri Divisional Police Headquarters.
    “I was asked by the group to write a statement that I was rescued by the Ekubaraoha Youth Assembly from a mob that was attacking me.
    “The thugs who accosted me at the Vanco Junction arrived in a 16-seater Toyota bus with the inscription of Ekubaraoha Youth Assembly.
    “They accused me of being a threat to the state government and threatened to silence me unless I signed a written undertaken never to write anything against the state government.
    “I collapsed at the police station having lost consciousness due to the severe beating they gave me but I was revived at the emergency ward of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki,” Mr. Otu said.
    Otu has in his Facebook posting criticised the administration of the governor saying it has not lived up to its promises to the electorate.
    Also, recounting his own experience in the hands of gunmen, Nwaeze said: “I narrowly escaped death. I was lucky the assailants who came on a motorcycle missed the target; the story would have been a different one. I heard a bang and I felt sharp pains and blood gushing out from my back.”
    He added that he saw two men running with guns in their hands.
    “It was then that I realized that I had been attacked by drive-by shooters,” he said.
    He said he had reported the incident to the police.
    The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ebonyi Council, condemned the attacks.
    The chairperson of the union, Veronica Oshim, called on security agencies to rise to the challenge.
    She told NAN that journalists must be provided with safe and secure environment to inform and educate the public.

  • Thugs sack residents from farms

    A Lagos-based developer has been accused of using thugs to terrorise some residents of Aiyetoro village close to the Redemption Camp on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    The thugs armed with weapons, such as guns, cutlasses and charms, were said to have been brought by the developer to take over the village.

    The residents accused the thugs of forcefully dispossessing them of their money, jewellery and phones and destroying their farms.

    They alleged that the developer brought in the thugs at the instance of a woman, who they accused of masterminding the forceful takeover of their land.

    The Owosina family, which is laying claim to the land, has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and Director of Department of State Services (DSS), to hold the developer responsible for any breakdown in law and order.

    Otunba Zacchaeus Kunle Owosina said since the invasion they have not been allowed to enter their forefather’s village.

  • Thugs attack Sheriff faction’s secretariat in Ekiti

    Thugs attack Sheriff faction’s secretariat in Ekiti

    The secretariat of the Ekiti State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction loyal to the National Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff, was yesterday attacked by suspected political thugs.

    The building on Nova Road Junction in Adebayo, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, was vandalised in the morning with some facilities destroyed in the process.

    The invaders scaled the fence, smashed windows, uprooted poles and tore the party flags hoisted on them.

    The secretariat is the operational base of the Williams Ajayi-led faction.

    The other faction, led by Gboyega Oguntuase, is loyal to Senator Ahmed Makarfi and backed by Governor Ayo Fayose.

    An Ado-Ekiti Federal High Court on January 24 declared the Ajayi-led group as the authentic state executive, ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to do business with it.

    But last week, the Court of Appeal in Ado-Ekiti ordered a stay of execution and held that the two factions maintain status quo, pending the determination of the substantive suit before it.

    Deputy Chairman of the Ajayi faction Olasunkanmi Ogunbiyi alleged that the attack was carried out by the Oguntuase faction.

    He called on security agencies to up their game and prevent breakdown of law and order.

    Ogunbiyi said: “We left the office on Tuesday at  6pm  only to return yesterday about 7am and saw our flags  down.

    “The assailants scaled the fence and destroyed the flags and windows.

    “They tried to enter  the office, but they could not. As we speak now, our lives are being threatened and we want the public to be aware of this.

    “However, we had an inkling of the attack when we were threatened by one of the Oguntuase’s executive.

    “Last week, Governor Fayose went to  a nearby spot within the vicinity of the office and distributed rice to the people.

    “We are sure that the Oguntuase’s people are behind this and we need  prompt action from the security agencies”.

    But the spokesman of the Oguntuase faction, Jackson Adebayo, denied the accusation, claiming that “erosion and rainstorm” might have affected the secretariat

    Adebayo said: “I saw what they are calling the press for and I concluded that they are still in shock how they got to that sorry pass.

    “Storm and erosion affected the building and they are claiming that reasonable people would leave their jobs to dig their fences and destroy blocks.

    “They should be pitied rather than responded to.”

  • Edo moves to stop thugs from harassing traders, others

    The Edo State Government has begun moves to stop thugs from harassing traders and commercial drivers to pay levy or tax.

    It also released the phone numbers that traders and commercial drivers could call when harassed.

    The government said it released the numbers to enable traders and commercials drivers report any violator to the ban on collection of revenue.

    Last week, Governor Godwin Obaseki announced a ban on some levies and taxes to non-state or local government employees.

    Obaseki revoked the contracts, which enabled individuals to collect taxes and levies on behalf of state or local governments.

    Despite the announcement, some suspected thugs, who claimed to be youths of Ogbe community, invaded the Oba Market in Benin, the state capital, and destroyed traders’ wares, following their “refused” to pay.

    At the New Benin Market, suspected thugs, who were said to be working for the Edo Professional Drivers on Wheels (EPDW), demanded payment for what they called ground and protection levies.

    The hoodlums reportedly stopped officials of Oredo Local Government to collect revenue from commercial drivers.

    They allegedly seized the council’s receipt booklets and beat up some workers in the presence of security operatives.

    Two officials of Igueben Local Government, including its Treasurer, Godwin Uwadiale, were hospitalised last week after they were beaten up by suspected thugs at Ebelle Market for illegal revenue collection.

    They were reportedly attacked on the directive of a contractor who was collecting revenue from the traders before Obaseki’s directive.

    From his hospital bed, Uwadiale said he was at the market to collect revenue, following the governor’s directive, when the contractor, HRH Joseph Aikpaojie, the Onojie of Ebelle, ordered thugs to beat him up.

    He said hoodlums used a battle axe to inflict injuries on him and his colleague.

    The treasurer said the suspected thugs took them to the monarch’s palace until the police took them to the hospital.

    But the Onojie denied leading suspected thugs to attack the officials.

    The monarch said he went to the market after hearing of the fracas and saw the hoodlums beating up the council officials.

    House of Assembly Speaker Justin Okonoboh was at Ebelle to visit the injured officials.

    He promised to ensure an amicable settlement of the matter.

  • Thugs attack AD supporters in Owo

    Thugs attack AD supporters in Owo

    Two supporters of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Ondo State were reportedly attacked in Owo Local Government Area by suspected political thugs.

    Sunday Akadiri and Adeniran Adeyemi were said to be pasting posters of the AD candidate, Olusola Oke, when they were allegedly assaulted by members of All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Akadiri, who spoke to reporters at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, where he was admitted, alleged that his assailants were supporters of APC candidate Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN).

    Akadiri said: “My leader, Babatolu, gave me some posters to paste. While I was pasting the posters at Isokunodo Street, Mobil Area, some people in two APC branded buses came.

    “They disembarked from the buses, moved towards me and started hitting me with machetes. They took me from the area to the compound of a rival governorship candidate, who is an indigene of the town.

    “When I fainted and they thought I had died, they took me to a burial ground and dumped me there. An Okada rider took me to hospital.

    “My attackers collected N150,000 and an Infinix Hot 2 phone from me. It was my elder brother who gave me the money to give to those working at his site.”

    Akadiri identified some of the assailants as Ojo, popularly known as Skypo and Tope, saying he had earlier been warned by some people not to paste posters of any candidate, who is not an Owo indigene.

    The other victim, Adeniran, who was stabbed in the head and right shoulder, explained that he was attacked because he did not support Akeredolu.

    “I was formerly a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). I recently defected to AD with my friend and leader, Obanoyen Kasseem. But this did not go down well with some people who accused me of not supporting Aketi, who is an Owo indigene.

    “They stabbed me because I don’t support Aketi. Don’t I have the right to support anybody I like? After all, Akeredolu is not feeding me. I have reported the matter at the police station in Ijebu-Owo,” he said.

    Media aide to the AD candidate, Rotimi Ogunleye, lamented the spate of attacks on members of the party.

    He urged security agencies to ensure that life and property are protected before, during and after the election.

  • Thugs beat up Osun indigenes in LAUTECH

    Thugs beat up Osun indigenes in LAUTECH

    •We’ve no hands in it, says Ogbomoso Parapo

    ARMED thugs yesterday allegedly invaded the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), in Ogbomoso, Oyo State and attacked some workers of Osun State origin.

    They allegedly told the workers to leave the institution or lose their lives.

    The thugs, according to an eye witness stormed the Bursar’s office, beat up the security guard on thir bid to attack the Bursar. But they were stopped by the Department of State Service (DSS) officials and policemen invited by the university.

    The policemen escorted the Bursar out of the premises.

    Another eyewitness explained that members of the Osun State House of Assembly Committee on Education visited the institution earlier to address their fellow indigenes following an  appeal for protection.

    The witness said the lawmakers advised the workers to be calm   assuring them of the Osun government’s protection.

    According to him, the lawmakers also advised them to stay away till the two owner-states resolve the crisis.

    His words: “Shortly after the lawmakers left, a major leader of the Ogbomoso Parapo, a socio-cultural union of Ogbomoso indigenes, led a gang of hoodlums to the institution. They first beat up a member of staff whom they believed hails from Osun State because of his surname Osunbade, though he actually hails from Oyo State.

    “From there, they stormed the Bursar’s office. On getting there, the security guard attached to the office prevented them from gaining entry but he was beaten to near pulp. On seeing what was going on outside, the Bursar, who is from Osun State, quickly locked his door from behind. The hoodlums, went to the window to threaten him that they would burn down his office if he refused to open. But as they were planning on what next to do, the DSSS people came. Then, they fled. The security operatives escorted the bursar out of the premises.”

    It was learnt that the bursar and the leaders of the thugs went to make statements at the police station.

    The attack caused pandemonium in the institution; workersran heter-skelter to escape from the touts.

    But Chairman of the institution’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Dr Biodun Olaniran, described the incident as minor. He said some thugs came to attack some ASUU members, adding that the case was reported to the registrar, who has taken appropriate steps.

    The National President of the parapo group, Saka Bello, did not pick his calls nor did he reply the text message seeking  his reaction to the allegation.

    But the National Secretary workers of the Ogbomoso Parapo, Michael Abioye, denied that the group sponsored the thugs. He said staff members of Oyo State origin planned a meeting for today, pointing out that news of the planned meeting caused apprehension in the university. He said no thugs invaded the premises.

    Abioye said the   change of ownership could not be achieved through violence but by peaceful means

    LAUTECH’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Lekan Fadeyi said he could not comment on the incident because he was not around.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Adekunle Ajisebutu, was also not available for comments.

    Ogbomoso indigenes have been campaigning for Oyo State to become sole owner of the  university, which is jointly owned with Osun State. The Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewunmi, threw his wight behind the campaign in an advertorial last week.

    They claim that Osun has not  been fulfilling its financial obligations to the university.

    Some members of the Oyo State House of Assembly, mainly from Ogbomoso, also last week presented a motion seeking the removal of Osun State as a co-owner of the institution.