10082021

4—Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2021
:Vanguard News
:@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
Gunmen kill 2
worshippers
returning from
night vigil in
A’Ibom
•Police probe death
of 3 after rice meal
By Chioma Onuegbu &
Harris Emanuel
THERE was tension in Etim
Ekpo Local Government Area of
Akwa Ibom State as two worshippers
identified as Nkereuwem Ime Udo
Ekere and Effioyo Emmanuel were
reportedly shot dead by gunmen
suspected to be cultists while
returning from a night vigil.
It was gathered that one of them
died on the spot while the
motorcycle rider, who fled with bullet
wounds, later collapsed and died.
A community source, who
pleaded anonymity, told newsmen
in Uyo, yesterday, that the incident
happened around 4 am at Ikot Ese
community in Etim Ekpo LGA.
The source said: “They were
returning from a night prayer at the
New Church in Ikot Ese village.
They own a gospel band that some
churches and other events planners
would hire for their occasion.
“After the prayer session, they left
the church as early as 4 00 am on a
motorcycle heading towards Okoyo
village in Ukanafun Local
Government Area, but were
ambushed few meters from the
church near Enen Akpan Ido and
shot dead.
“Many people have lost their lives
trying to navigate the road from Ikot
Ese to Urua Obo Inyang market axis
that leads to Okoyo and other areas
in the neighbouring Ukanafun Local
Government Area.
“It is the continuation of the cult
war between the Icelanders (the
Red) and the Debam (the White),
which has been ongoing for the past
couple of months now.”
Contacted, the state Police Public
Relations Officer, Mr Odiko
Macdon, said he was yet to get an
official report regarding the incident
and challenged the people to make
an official report to the police, if there
was an incident like that.
Police probe death of
3 after rice meal
Meanwhile, the Police have
revealed that it has commenced
investigation to unravel the cause
of the death of a 30-year-old woman
simply identified as UduakObong,
her seven-year-old daughter and
her sister, identified as Blessing.
It was gathered that the sad
incident happened last Wednesday
night at Obio Etoi, Mbierebe Obio,
Uyo Local Government Area.
The Police Public Relations Officer,
Mr Odiko MacDon, in a statement
made available to newsmen,
yesterday, said preliminary findings
show that the family of three ate rice
and stew before going to bed the
night of the sad incident.
His words: “The command has
removed the lifeless bodies and
commenced investigation on the
cause of death of two sisters
identified as UduakObong (30),
Blessing (18) and UduakObong’s
seven-year-old daughter at their
residence, Obio Etoi, near the Nest
of Champions International
Stadium."
Ataga’s murder: Court remands Chidinma,
one other in prison
By Henry Ojelu &
Onozure Dania
AYaba Chief Magistrate's Court,
yesterday, remanded Chidinma
Ojukwu and one Adedapo Quadri in
prison custody for 30 days over the
alleged murder of the Chief Executive
Officer of Super TV, Usifo Ataga,
pending legal advice.
Chidinma’s father, Onoh Ojukwu,
and four others were also arraigned
before the same court for alleged
obstruction of justice and failing to
report a crime to law enforcement
agencies.
Chidinma, 21, was alleged to have
murdered Ataga in a service apartment
in Lekki area of Lagos State.
Following a remand application by
the prosecuting counsel, Mr Cyril
Ejioffor, from Criminal Investigation
and Intelligence Department, SCIID,
Yaba, Magistrate Adeola Adedayo
remanded the 300-Level Mass
Communication Department, student
of the University of Lagos and Quadri
for 30 days pending legal advice from
the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP.
Ejiofor had stated that the application
was brought under Section 264 (1) (2)
of the Criminal Law of Lagos State,
2015.
“The remand is to enable the DPP to
come up with legal advice. We pray for
the remand of the defendants for the
first 30 days in the first instance,” he
said.
Dr Babajide Martins, Director, Office
of the Public Defender, OPD, who
represented Chidinma while
responding said: “I have just been
privileged to get a copy of the remand
application but I have not been able to
go through it. My learned friend’s
application is inevitable but I would
have been happier if I was obliged of
the application earlier. The application
will not be opposed, in principle.”
Granting the prayers of the
prosecutor, Magistrate Adedayo said:
“In the absence of any opposition, the
two defendants are hereby remanded
for 30 days, for the first instance.”
She adjourned the case till September
5, 2021 for remand review and DPP’s
legal advice.
In the charge against Chidinma’s
father, the police alleged that Ojukwu,
57, and Babalola Disu, 42, allegedly
obstructed the police from performing
their duties and also failing to report a
crime to the police
The three other defendants, Jessica
Egbochi, 28; Abayomi Olutayo, 23;
and Ifeoluwa Olowu, 23, were alleged
to have dishonestly received stolen
items. They all pleaded not guilty to the
charges.
The prosecutor, Ejioffor, told the court
that the defendants committed the
offences on June 18 and 23, at
Computer Village, Ikeja, and
Alagomeji, Yaba. He alleged that
Ojukwu had refused the police from
arresting his daughter, Chidinma,
when the law caught up with her.
Ejiofor added that the second
defendant, Disu, had also failed to
report the death of Ataga to the police.
“The other three defendants were also
alleged to have dishonestly received a
MacBook valued at N2.5 million and
an iPhone 7 worth N150,000 belonging
to the deceased,” he said.
Ejiofor said the offences contravened
Sections 97, 117, 328 and 411 of the
Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Chief Magistrate Adedayo admitted
the defendants to bail in the sum of N1
million with two sureties each in like
sum, who must deposit N20,000 into
the coffers of the Chief Registrar.
She, subsequently, adjourned the case
till September 6 for mention.
Kidnappers demand N30m for release of victim in Kwara
By Demola Akinyemi
ABDUCTORS of Ayo Alabi, one
of the 29 passengers kidnapped
from two incidents, Saturday, on Oke-
Onigbin/Omu-Aran highway and
Ekiti-Ekan Meje axis in Kwara State,
are reportedly demanding N30 million
ransom.
It would be recalled that gunmen,
weekend, intercepted a Sienna bus with
seven passengers along Okeonigbin/
Omu-Aran highway, a commercial
Toyota Hiace bus conveying 20
passengers in Ekan-Meje-Ekiti axis and
a car driven by a pastor and his wife.
But, the Kwara State police
command in conjunction with the local
vigilante was able to rescue 20
passengers kidnapped in the Toyota
Hiace commercial bus at Ekanmeje/
Ekiti axis and four out of the seven
passengers in the Toyota Sienna bus
around Omu-Aran axis same day.
However, the pastor and his wife, Ayo
Alabi and two other passengers the
kidnappers absconded with during a
gun battle with the police are still in
their custody.
It was gathered, yesterday, that the
kidnappers got in touch with one Ayo
Alabi’s friends, Mr Williams Owolabi,
Sunday night, demanding N30 million
ransom for his release.
Owolabi said: “One of the kidnappers
spoke with me on his phone,
demanding N30 million before they
can release him. He was also asked to
speak with me. When I pleaded with
the caller that they should spare the life
of my friend that we can’t get the
amount, the phone was switched off.”
Speaking on the simultaneous
kidnaps late Sunday, the Kwara State
Police Command’s spokesman, Ajayi
Okasanmi, revealed that some arrests
have been made and Police patrol have
been intensified across the state.
Okasanmi said the command
received reports of two kidnap incidents
simultaneously on Saturday at about
5:35 p.m on Oke-Onigbin/Omu-Aran
highway and Ekiti -Ekan Meje axis.
He explained that six armed men
emerged from the bush and stopped a
Siena bus in transit from Ekiti on its
way to Ilorin and marched the seven
occupants of the vehicle into the bush.
The police said: “The command
promptly dispatched its tactical units,
comprising the anti-kidnapping and
anti-cultists units, joined by local hunters
and vigilantes while policemen, who
were on patrols on the routes were
alerted.
“The abductors were instantly chased
into the bushes, four out of the seven
abducted persons were rescued; efforts
are in top gear to get the remaining
three rescued.
“Deploying similar tactics by
operatives, those abducted in Ekan-
•As gunmen kidnap Niger commissioner
Meje-Ekiti axis using the same modus
were equally rescued, remaining a
pastor and his wife, who the command
is frantically doing everything possible
to rescue unhurt.
“The situation is under control. The
good people of Kwara State are advised
to go about their lawful businesses
without any fear of molestation and
attack.”
Gunmen kidnap Niger
commissioner
In a related development, Mr
Mohammed Idris, Niger State
Commissioner for Information and
Strategy, was Sunday kidnapped by
gunmen at Baban Tunga village of Tafa
Local Government Area of the state.
The Secretary to the State
Government, Ahmed Matane, who
disclosed this, yesterday, said the
Truck kills 4 passengers in Ibadan
By Adeola Badru
IBADAN—Seven commuters were,
yesterday, killed by a fully loaded
petroleum tanker at Celica area on
new Ife-Ibadan road, Egbeda Local
Government Area of Oyo State.
It was gathered that the truck driver
reportedly lost control and rammed
into the taxi conveying the commuters
to their destinations.
An eyewitness, who identified himself
as Sunday, said the taxi was about to
enter the road when the tanker skidded
off the road and rammed into it.
Sunday also explained that there
were six people in the taxi but about
four were confirmed dead.
But the Federal Road Safety Corps,
FRSC, said five persons, comprising
three male and two female adults died
in the accident.
Mrs Uche Chukwurah, the FRSC
Sector Commander in the state, who
confirmed the incident said the
One feared dead as Ijaw, Bini clash in Edo
By Ozioruva Aliu
BENIN CITY — THE crisis
between Binis in Obazuwa
community, Ovia North-East Local
Government Area, Edo State and Ijaw
over a disputed area has reportedly
claimed the life of Pa William
Amuawosa.
It was also gathered that the
Odionwere (eldest man) of the
community, Pa Agidi Roland, is
currently receiving treatment in an
undisclosed hospital from injuries
sustained during the alleged attack by
people they claimed are Ijaw.
A short video, yesterday, showed the
burnt buildings, a vehicle and carcass
of animals that littered the area, which
the background voice described as part
of the Obazuwa community under the
attacks of the Ijaw
He said: “Look at what the Ijaw have
done to us in Obazuwa, they said they
are the owners of this land in Benin. We
don’t know what we have done to them.
The crushed taxi.
accident involved two vehicles, which
included a fully loaded petroleum
tanker and a Micra taxi car.
The sector commander said the
tanker had a brake failure, lost control
and rammed into the Micra car
leading to the death of all passengers in
Pa Agidi Roland in hospital.
They carried guns and came in through
waterside and started shooting at
people and burnt them.
"They have been disturbing us for a
long time. We want the state and federal
governments to come to our rescue.“
The President, Benin Solidarity
Movement, BSM, Curtis Ugbo,
condemned the attack on Benin people
in the area and called on the Edo State
gunmen stormed the commissioner’s
house in his hometown, Baban Tunga,
in Tafa Local Government Area of the
state on about 15 motorcycles with
sophisticated weapons.
While noting that the kidnappers had
yet to make contact, Ahmed Matane
said the security men are already on his
trail and hope they would be able to
trace and rescue him unhurt.
The Police Public Relations Officer
in the state, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed
the incident but promised to provide
details later.
the car.
"The deceased has been deposited at
the Adeoyo Hospital mortuary.” she
said.
Chukwurah further said that men of
the Fire Service were also at the scene
to prevent fire outbreaks in the area.
government and security agencies to
immediately check the situation.
But reacting to the incident,
Chairman, Ijaw Youth Council, IYC,
Olodiama Clan, Samuel Ebiwana,
denied the allegations even as he
claimed that three members of the Ijaw
community are missing.
He said: “These same Obazuwa
people attacked policemen on duty, my
community was also destroyed by these
people. They beat up vigilantes that
helped the police and after that, they
came back with their youths to chase
our people down to the river.
"We are not aware of what they are
saying. We did not attack them; they
are the people that attacked us. As I
speak to you, three of our youths are
still missing and we are still searching
for them.”
Contacted, the Police Public Relations
Officer, Kontongs Bello, said he was yet
to get a detailed briefing from the
Divisional Police Officer in the area and
so could not confirm the incident