Two persons have died in yesterday’s gun battle between policemen and kidnappers in Anambra State.
Another was arrested.
Commissioner of Police Samuel Okaula paraded bodies and the suspect yesterday.
The suspects were intercepted after men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) bombarded their hideout in a forest in Urum community, Awka North.
It was gathered that one of the suspects, the motorcyclist responsible for collection of ransom, was arrested with a locally-made pistol.
Their victims were rescued unhurt.
Okaula said the suspected kidnappers boasted of ridiculing the efforts of the police in making Anambra the safest state. He said they invaded a popular club in Awka, where they kidnapped the Manager, and demanded a N50 million ransom.
“These boys stormed the popular Lounge 24 Night Club and kidnapped the manager, Chidi Ojukwu. Security operatives were immediately alerted and trailed the suspects to a lonely area in Urum, where they engaged in a shootout. Two of the suspects were killed, and the third ran into the bush, seriously injured. The victim was rescued unhurt,” Okaula said.
Tag: Two killed
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Two killed in police, kidnappers’ gun battle
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Two killed, three injured in Ikorodu cult clash
Two persons have been confirmed dead and three others injured in a cult clash in Ikorodu.
The casualties in the fracas that started on Sunday night were Omotayo, who just graduated from the Lagos State University (LASU) and Temitayo Kehinde.
Omotayo, suspected to be a member of the Black Axe confraternity was killed on Monday at Anibaba Street, the other victim was shot yesterday morning.
The injured include a four-year-old boy, a septuagenarian and Taye Ominike. They are in general hospital.
According to a source, the fight between the Black Axe and Eiye cult groups grounded activities at Owolowo, Omini and Anibaba Streets. The gunmen were said to have shot sporadically each time they came for their rivals.
The source said: “Since Sunday, businesses have remained shot down in the areas. The gunmen are cultists and they have been fighting. The Eiye members started the fight on Sunday and we heard they shot some Aiye members. On Monday, they killed Omotayo and injured one old woman and a four-year-old boy.
“In revenge, the Aiye members around 3pm on Monday started shooting and killed Kehinde. They shot Taye Ominike but he didn’t die. People have been afraid to come out since then. They also fought yesterday too. The issue is serious.”
A local vigilante member, who confirmed that there has been tension in the area since Sunday, stated that Onyabo members had to go after the cultists.
He said: “When we saw what was happening, our members came out and went after the cultists. Six of them were arrested in their hideouts and handed over to policemen at Igbogbo Division. At the moment, we are looking for three of their leaders, 70, Agali and Debby because we learnt they were responsible for the fracas.”
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Two killed, nine injured in Ogun road accident
Two persons were killed and nine injured yesterday in an accident at the Onipepeye stretch of the Sagamu-Abeokuta road.
It was learnt a fast-moving vehicle ran into another, which was parked by the roadside.
The accident, which involved a Toyota Picnic, registered as KSF 957BB, and Nissan Serena, with the inscription: 250 GHA, occurred around 11:35 AM.
Federal Road Safety Corps. (FRSC) Sector Commander in Ogun State Adetunji Adegoke, who confirmed the accident, told The Nation that two persons were killed, and nine injured.
He added that six were rescued unhurt.
“There are 17 people (seven men and 10 women), number of people injured: two men, seven women. Six were rescued without injury.
“The cause of accident: one of the drivers stopped to change a faulty tyre, leaving the passengers in the car, and the other driver ran into them, killing two – driver and a passenger.
“The victims were taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, and vehicles cleared from the road.
The other driver was arrested by the police,” Adetunji stated.
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Two killed, houses burnt in resumed Ebonyi/Cross River crisis
Two persons were Thursday shot dead while 10 houses were burnt and properties worth millions of naira destroyed in resumed hostilities in the decades long Ebonyi/Cross River boundary dispute.
Also more than 150 persons have been displaced following another attack on the people of Ochienyim community in Ikwo Local government area of Ebonyi by the neighboring community of Adadama in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State.
A youth leader in the community and relation to one of the deceased, Mr. Samuel Nomeh gave the names of those shot dead by the attackers as Mr. Elijah Nomeh and Mr. Agashi Onuenyim.
Mr. Nomeh said that at about 9am, some militants numbering over 20 fully armed with sophisticated weapons invaded their community, shooting sporadically, burning houses and looting properties of the people of Ochienyim.
He said: “this is the 4th in the series of attack by the people of Adadama community against our people since after the Assistant Inspector General of Police in-charge of zone 6 called a meeting of the 2 communities and called for a cease fire.
“On February 17th 2016, the people of Adadama invaded our community with dangerous weapons but fortunately nobody was killed, we reported the invasion to the police.
“On the 19th, they also invaded our community but we were able to resist them, because of the appeal of the AIG, we usually report the matter to him and usually we get assurance that such would not happen again but to the surprise of many, on the 8th of March 2016, they came in their numbers shooting and burnt 6 houses that faithful day”.
“While we were still trying to recover from the shock of the invasion, they invaded our community again killing 2 persons, burnt 10 houses, looted our livestock and household appliances and displaced more than 150 persons especially women and children”.
Mr. Nomeh further recalled that on the 24th of October 2015, the militants also attacked the community, shot a police officer, burnt 20 houses and abducted some persons from the community.
Mr. Nomeh accused some top government officials of Cross River state of sponsoring the militants arguing that the sort of sophisticated weapons the militants were brandishing could not be accessed from an open market.
Another displaced victim and a mother of 7 who is currently taking refuge in a primary school building with her children, Mrs. Mary Ogeji regretted that in all the attacks, the people of the community have remained calm hoping that the relevant authorities would come to their rescue.
Mrs. Ogeji also regretted government lukewarm attitude towards the plight of the people and noted that no government official has ever visited the community to commensurate with the deceased families or the displaced victims.
She further pointed out that more than 600 persons have been displaced by the communal crisis and called on the state government and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to come to the aid of the displaced persons.
The State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kelechi Igwe said that they are still investigating the alleged attack and killings and urged the people to remain calm while the state government concludes its investigation.
Dr. Igwe who is the State Chairman of the Inter boundary committee said that the committee would soon visit the area to ascertain the level of destruction and meet with the displaced persons.
Police spokesman, ASP George Okafor said the command is yet to ascertain if the person is dead or not yet.
“The village Chairman of Ochienyim community reported that one Elijah Nomeh is missing and men of the command have combed the whole buffer zone and there is no trace of said person or any of his wears to indicate he has been killed. For now we presume he was abducted by the people of Adadama,” he said.
“It is unfortunate that on the faithful day, there was gunshot around the buffer zone yet he decided to go and harvest cassava there, we are not aware of the second person but I can assure you that only one person is still missing.”
The spokesman stated that the command have communicated their Cross River counterpart to ensure the rescue of the missing person.
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Two killed, many injured in Ekiti bank robbery
•One gang member killed
There was panic in Okemesi on Christmas Eve in Ekiti West Local Government Area of Ekiti State when a nine-man armed robbery gang attacked an old generation bank. Two persons were killed in the process.
The hoodlums also carted away millions of naira and injured scores of residents in an orgy of shooting that lasted almost an hour.
The two persons shot dead included a private security guard said to be in his late 30s. His name was given as Matthew and a carpenter, Ayo Alawode (53).
One of the robbers was also reportedly shot dead by an unidentified member of the community, which angered the robbers who unleashed a shooting spree.
The robbery attack soured Christmas celebrations as many residents couldn’t go to the church on Friday to mark the festival while the community was calm on yesterday.
One of the robbers reportedly disguised on arrival as a resident and joined others at a newsstand close to the bank to observe the scene before other members of the gang arrived in a Toyota Sienna space bus.
The gang announced their arrival with several gunshots to the air at about 5.30 pm and blew off the bank security door with explosives which made them to gain access into the baking hall.
An eyewitness told reporters in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, that bank customers who queued up at the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) gallery were marched into the banking hall by four of the robbers while the remaining gang members stood guard outside.
Activities at the town’s main market which were already in full swing for last-minute Christmas purchases were disrupted as buyers and sellers scampered to safety as gunshots rent the air.
When the robbers learnt that one of them had been killed, they continued shooting anyone in sight and it was at this point that Alawode who owned a shop located outside the bank was hit in the head. He died instantly.
The security guard was said to have died while being taken to the hospital for medical attention.
At least ten persons who were wounded in the orgy of the shooting unleashed by the robbers have been rushed to a teaching hospital in a nearby state.
The source said: “Immediately those in the bank hall realized that one of them had been shot, they thought it was done by a policeman and they quickly ran out.
“When they got outside and knew that the police were yet to arrive, they immediately shot the carpenter and the security guard. This provided the opportunity for the customers held hostage to escape.
“We made efforts to call policemen at Ijero Ekiti, but they didn’t come in time, same to soldiers at Itawure Junction. Though, they later came after the robbers had escaped through Ijero road,” he said.
Ekiti police command spokesman, Alberto Adeyemi, confirmed the killing of the two persons during the robbery operation. He added that the command has launched investigation and expressed confidence that the culprits will be arrested “very soon.”