11082020 - Insecurity: Defend yourselves, Catholic bishops tell Nigerians

4 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020
Truck crushes
2 undergrads
in Ekiti
By Rotimi
Ojomoyela
ADO
EKITI—TWO
u n i v e r s i t y
undergraduates were,
Sunday, crushed by a truck
in Ikere Ekiti when their bike
was reportedly rammed into
by a truck.
It was gathered that the
victims, Ojo Hezekiah
Abidemi (25) and Ojo
Ayomide (21), were students
of University of Nigeria,
Nsukka, Ekiti State College
of Education, Ikere Ekiti
Campus.
Sources close to the victims,
who preferred to remain
anonymous, told journalists
that they were making moves
Sunday evening to travel to
Akure, Ondo State capital to
see their parents when the
accident occured.
The eye witness said it took
the intervention of spirited
individuals to prevail on
some rampaging youths, who
wanted to set the truck
ablaze.
According to the eye
witness, “the two students
were on a motorcycle and
were going to Akure when
they collided with a truck and
died on the spot.
“The victims had stopped
over to re-fuel at a fuel station
and were about entering the
road when a truck, which was
on a high speed overran them
and the two died instantly.”
Confirming the incident,
the Police Public Relations
Officer, Ekiti Command, ASP
Sunday Abutu, said the two
were killed by a moving truck
and their bodies had been
deposited in the morgue.
Abutu said: “It was sad and
unfortunate that two young
men could be killed due to
avoidable accident.
Preliminary investigation
revealed that it was a case of
collision and we appeal to
motorists and other road
users to always exercise
restraint on roads.”
He added that the driver of
the truck had been arrested
and detained by the police.
2 killed in Ekiti over stoppage of Ogun festival
•Corpses deposited at the palace, monarch whisked away
By Rotimi Ojomoyela
ADO-EKITI — TWO persons
were reportedly shot dead in Ire
Ekiti,Oye Local Government Area
of Ekiti State, yesterday, over the
crisis that ensued following the
stoppage of this year’s Ogun Onire
festival by the state government due
to COVID-19.
To combat the spread of
coronavirus in Ekiti State, Governor
Kayode Fayemi stopped the
celebration of traditional festivals
across the state and in an attempt to
enforce the precautionary directive
by the state government, the Onire
of Ore Ekiti, Oba Victor Bobade, told
the Ogun adherents to shelve this
year’s celebration, which allegedly
pitted him against the worshippers.
The crisis, which started Sunday,
continued unabated yesterday, as a
vehicle belonging to the town’s
monarch, Oba Victor Bobade, was
said to have been set ablaze by some
irate youths, who also vandalised
the palace.
The street lights in the community
were not spared by the rampaging
youths, who were protesting the
action to halt the festival.
The state Police Commissioner,
Mr.Tunde Mobayo, swiftly drafted
policemen to the town.
It was gathered that the victims
were allegedly hit by stray bullets
fired while making attempts to quell
the raging crisis that paralysed
business activities for the whole day.
The corpses were deposited at the
palace of the monarch, who had
since fled for the safety of his life.
Multiple sources said the town is
currently boiling as relatives of
victims have continued to protest the
killing of their loved ones.
The sources said: “We have been
having a serious battle in the town
since our monarch urged the Ogun
Onire worshippers to stop their
festival. And the crisis between the
factions loyal to the Oba and the
worshippers led to the death of the
victims.”
NABBED: Some suspected bandits and criminals arrested by Operation Safe
Haven in Kafanchan, southern part of Kaduna State, and shown to newsmen in
Jos, yesterday. Photo: NAN.
Blasphemy: Shariah court sentences
man, 30, to death by hanging in Kano
By Bashir Bello
KANO— An Upper Shariah
Court sitting in Hausawa
Filin Hockey in Kano State,
yesterday, sentenced a 30-yearold
man, Sharrif Yahaya, to
death by hanging for blasphemy
against the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH).
Also, Umar Farouq, 17-yearold,
was sentenced to 10 years
imprisonment for making a
derogatory statement against
his creator, Almighty Allah.
It was gathered that the duo
were a die-hard follower of the
Tijjaniyya sect.
The Presiding Judge,
13 feared dead over chieftaincy stool in Benue
By Peter Duru
MAKURDI—ABOUT 13
persons were feared
dead in an early morning
attack on Ukpogo community,
Edikwu Apa Local
Government Area of Benue
State, yesterday, by suspected
armed militia gang over
disputed chieftaincy stool.
The attackers that reportedly
invaded the community at
about 4:30 am also left some
of their victims injured.
Vanguard also gathered that
the dispute over the stool of
Alegwu of Edikwu that has
claimed many lives in the
community dates back to 1994
when an aggrieved contender
to the stool (name withheld),
who had been on self-exile
since the dispute began,
allegedly hired armed militia
gangs.
He was said to have
disagreed with the choice of
the kingmakers, who elected
late Chief Otokpa Imoni as
Alegwu of Edikwu before his
demise in 2018.
It was also gathered that for
the timely intervention of the
joint military operation in the
state, code-named Operation
Whirl Stroke, OPWS, who
mobilised to forestall further
attacks, the death toll and
casualty figure would have
been higher.
Confirming the attack,
acting Alegwu of Edikwu,
Chief Otokpa David Imoni,
said the aggrieved contender
had declared war on his
people with the active support
of some politicians and had
overtime sent armed militia to
attack his people to compel
them to accept him as the
traditional ruler even after
taking the matter to court.
He said: “This present one
took place this morning
(yesterday) when hooded gunwielding
militiamen entered
Ukpogo community at about
4:30 am and started shooting
anything that showed sign of
life.
“13 dead bodies were found
after their departure around
6:00 am.”
Contacted, the Police Public
Relations Officer, DSP
Catherine Anene, confirmed
the attack and the 13 deaths.
Muhammad Aliyu Kani, gave
the judgement after finding the
accused guilty of the offences.
The prosecutor, Inspector
Yargoje, in a First Information
Report, FIR, said Sharrif was
charged to court for insulting
religious creed contrary to
section 382 (6) of Kano State
Shariah Penal Code Law 2000.
He said: “That you, Sharrif
Yahaya, resident of Sharrif
quarters, Kano on 28/02/2020
between the hours of 20:00 and
23:00 with the intention to hurt
the feelings of Muslim faithful
made a post via WhatsApp group
named 'Gidan Umma Abiha'
some abusive and degrading
audio statements in which you
called Prophet Muhammad
PBUH a theist (Mushrik), who
propagates Shrik and whose
position is lower than that of
Inyass in the hereafter.”
The convicts all pleaded guilty
to the offences.
Recall that the development
involving Sharrif didn’t go down
well with some youths, who set
his residence ablaze and
proceeded to stage a peaceful
protest to the Kano Hisbah Corps
(Shariah Police) to press home
their demand for his prosecution.
However, it was gathered that
the convicts have the grace of 30
days to appeal the judgement.
Contacted, the Police Public
Relations Officer, Mr Sunday Abutu,
confirmed that two persons were
killed during the crisis contrary to
three being bandied around.
He said: “Yes, there has been a
crisis in the town since Sunday. We
have been trying to quell it. Some
group of youths came and attacked
the palace, destroyed things and
burnt some vehicles that belong to
the king. We got a distress call and
had to mobilise policemen there and
we were able to rescue the chiefs
from the palace. We are still
monitoring the situation.
“On my desk here, I have two
persons. Their bodies have been
deposited in the morgue. We have
been able to arrest one of the gang
leaders and he is in our custody.”
Majek Fashek
to be buried in
US, says
family
Late Majek Fashek
By Benjamin Njoku
NIGERIAN reggae legend,
Majek Fashek, who died on
June 1, 2020, in the United States of
America will finally be laid to rest in
New York.
This was announced by his son,
Randy Fashek, in a viral video, which
he released yesterday.
Randy, who is based in Brooklyn,
also thanked fans and well-wishers
for their love and support, adding
that the family was forced to take the
decision to bury the late reggae icon
in New York due to the COVID-19
outbreak.
No dates has yet been announced
for the burial.
However, when Vanguard
contacted the late singer’s manager,
Omenka Uzoma Day, he also
confirmed the development, but
expressed sadness that the rain
maker will be buried outside the
shores of the country.
“Yes, he will be buried in the United
States. That’s the decision of his
family but I insist that Majek Fashek
should be buried in his motherland.
We are still discussing and anything
can change,” Uzoma said.
Also, reacting to the development,
reggae icon, Orits Wiliki welcomed
the decision to bury the reggae star
in a foreign land.
According to him, a lot of
unforeseen circumstances forced the
family to take such a decision.
Majek, who toured the world with
hit songs such as the ‘Prisoner of
Conscience’ and ‘Send Down the
Rain’, died in New York about three
months ago at the age of 57.
Indeed, fans of Majek Fashek,
who had been looking forward to
paying their last respect to the reggae
icon at his home country will be
disappointed with the development.