News Across the States (September 5-9, 2016)

 News Across The States
Army to deploy 10,000 soldiers in Niger Delta
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur  Buratai, has said the Federal Government will deploy 10,000 troops in the Niger Delta in 2017. He said so far, the government
had deployed 3,000 military personnel as part of its operation, codenamed, ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’ in the region. Buratai stated this when he paid a courtesy visit
to the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, at the Government House, Yenagoa on Thursday.
Recession: Schools offer discounts, dump foreign trips to survive
Indications emerged on Thursday that some schools have adopted drastic measures to retain pupils and survive the harsh operating environment. School managers in Ogun
and Lagos states, who spoke to our correspondent, said they had adopted some options, including slashing of tuition, offering ‘saving incentives’ to parents and
limiting overseas excursions. For instance, the KICC International School, a faith-based institution at Maryland, Lagos State, has slashed its tuition by 50 per cent
to ‘give back to the society’. Two officials of the school, who declined to identify themselves, confirmed the development on Thursday. One of them said the management
of the school made the decision after a series of complaints from parents.
Driver steals UNILAG lecturer’s ATM card, withdraws N2.7m
A driver, Mayowa Adenuga, has been arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly stealing his boss’ Automated Teller Machine card and
withdrawing over N2.7m. Also arrested were suspected accomplices in the crime – Adewale Opeyemi, 18, and Jeremiah Iyitoye, 29. PUNCH Metro gathered that 25-year-old
Adenuga, who is also a computer expert, was employed as a driver by a lecturer at UNILAG, Prof. Simbo Banjoko. It was learnt that the suspect had driven Banjoko to the
Bells University on the day of the incident.
Abandoned nine-month -old baby found crawling on road
Residents of Shodipo Crescent in the Ikeja Government Reserved Area of Lagos State were shocked on Wednesday to find an abandoned baby boy crawling on the road.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the nine-month-old baby, whose name had yet to be ascertained, was seen crawling by residents, who quickly alerted some policemen on patrol in
the area. Our correspondents gathered that the child was picked up by the policemen and brought to the Lagos State Police Command headquarters, Ikeja. The baby was
thereafter taken for a checkup.
Ogun police rescue two Chinese, one other
The Ogun State Police Command says it has rescued two Chinese, Shen Ximing and Wei Futang, who were kidnapped on Thursday, September 1, in Odeda, in the Odeda Local
Government Area of the state. The state acting Police Public Relations, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said this on Thursday at the command’s headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta,
the state capital. He said the expatriates were rescued on Wednesday. Both Ximing and Futang, according to Oyeyemi, were abducted by some gunmen while working at a
quarry in the state. Oyeyemi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said a police team was deployed to combat the abductors.
Suspected robbers arrested after auto accident
Two suspected robbers – Sunday Isiaka and Tunde Segun – have been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command on Victoria Island area. PUNCH Metro gathered that 22-
year-old Isiaka, an okada rider, and Segun, 32, who used the former’s motorcycle for robbery, allegedly attacked a lady, identified only as Okoro, at about 8.30pm, at
the Eko Hotel bus stop. It was learnt that the suspects had waylaid the woman last Tuesday, snatched her handbag and fled on the motorcycle. Nemesis caught up with the
robbers a few minutes later when the motorcycle had a collision with a commercial bus.
Hausa, Fulani in bloody clash in Lagos
There was chaos on Wednesday at the Lagos State Abattoir, Agege, as Hausa and Fulani traders clashed. No fewer than three persons were killed, while more than 20
people reportedly sustained varying degrees of injury and were rushed to different hospitals in the area. PUNCH Metro, during a visit to the area, counted six vehicles
that were vandalised and some cattle that were also reportedly killed by the warring groups.
Estate landlord flees as gunmen abduct two housekeepers
There was fresh panic in New Haven Estate in the Igbelaju area of Iba, Lagos State, on Monday after gunmen launched another attack during which two housekeepers were
abducted. Our correspondent learnt that the gunmen, who came in around 9.30pm, went to Zone 4, Victory area of the estate, where they attacked an apartment. It was
gathered that the attackers had wanted to abduct a landlord, who, however, escaped. The gunmen reportedly took away his two housekeepers.
Court remands alleged abductors of Iba monarch
A Lagos State Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ikeja on Tuesday ordered the remand of four suspects arraigned for kidnapping the Oniba of Iba community in Lagos State,
Oba Goriola Oseni. The defendants, Duba Furejo, Ododomo Isaiah, Reuben Anthony and Yerin Fresh, were also charged with conspiracy, murder and armed robbery. While
Furejo pleaded guilty to the charges, Fresh and Anthony claimed they know nothing about them adding that they only asked one of their friends for help and they were
given N100,000.
Housekeeper who killed employer in Lagos, arrested in Taraba
The police in Lagos State have arrested a 22-year-old housekeeper, Tanko Abdulateef, who allegedly stabbed his employer, Mrs. Mabel Okafor, to death in the Ajah area
of the state. PUNCH Metro learnt that Okafor was stabbed in the stomach in her apartment on Close 9, Victoria Garden City, Ajah, on August 17, while her valuables,
including three mobile phones, a trinket and some clothes, were stolen. Our correspondent learnt that Abdulateef had fled the apartment on the day of the incident,
which aroused the police’s suspicion that he was behind the murder.
Man found hanged in uncompleted building
Residents of  Rasaki Sodande Street in the Aboru, Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos State on Monday found the body of a middle-aged man dangling from a rope in an uncompleted
building. Our correspondent gathered that the deceased, identified only as Tunde, was believed to have been murdered in the early hours of Sunday. Residents told PUNCH
Metro that Tunde, who wore a blue T-shirt when he was found, was killed before  he was brought to the building. The matter was said to have been reported at the Oke
Odo Police Division.
Teenagers arrested for kidnapping expatriates, oil theft
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested four teenagers for alleged involvement in oil theft and the abduction of two expatriates  in the Epe and Igando area of the
state. Our correspondents learnt that the four suspects – Michael Loko, 19; Oluwatomi Obosi, 19; Francis Cyprian, 19; and Olatoye Semiu, 18 – were nabbed by the
Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, on Tuesday. PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspects were also alleged to be involved in pipeline vandalism in the Isawo, Ikorodu area
of the state.
Woman abducts two siblings in Lagos market
There was confusion at Ojuwoye Market, in the Mushin area of Lagos State on Saturday after a suspected female kidnapper was nabbed by residents. The suspect would have
been lynched but for the intervention of policemen from the Olosan division. It was learnt that the suspect had refused to disclose either her name or address. PUNCH Metro learnt that the mother of the children, Modinat, a trader in the market, had laid the children, identified as Hammed Rasheed (six years old) and Farida Raheed (two years old), on the floor.
Suspect robs Lekki residents with toy gun
The police in Lagos State have arrested a 22-year-old suspected robber, Moses Akpan, who allegedly attacked some residents of Oniru, in the Lekki area of the state.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the police recovered a toy gun from the suspect after his arrest on Thursday. Our correspondent gathered that Akpan, who hails from Akwa Ibom
State, had allegedly gone to rob on Oniru Market Road around 2pm on Thursday. The suspect was said to have dispossessed some residents of their valuables.
Umuahia gunmen miss doctor target, injure sibling
THERE was palpable tension around Umueze community in Umuahia when unidentified gunmen attacked a young woman known as Rebecca Solomon and left her with machete cuts. The victim, who spoke with Southern City News from her hospital bed, said she received cuts on her face, neck and was left in a pool of her blood before some good
Samaritans rushed her to the hospital. Narrating her ordeal, Solomon said she was returning to her family house that fateful day before her attackers, who had laid ambush, struck.
Hoodlums attack Anambra police station, steal AK-47 rifle
HOODLUMS have reportedly attacked a police station in Ukpo, Dunukofia Local Government of Area of Anambra State and stole one AK-47 rifle belonging to the command.
The report of the attack is contained in a petition by the elders of Ukpo community to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris. The petition dated 5th of September, 2016 and signed by the community’s lawyer, Mr. I.M. Anah, alleged that the hoodlums were hired by their neigbouring Abagana community, who were having a land dispute with Ukpo.
Enugu Hausa community protests detention of member
The Northern community in Enugu, comprising Hausa/Fulani residents, has raised the alarm over the detention of one of their members for more than one year without trial. Abdullahi Shuaibu, alias IBB, was taken into custody by the Department of State Security on August 19, 2015, and had not been released since then. A lawyer, Mr. Olu Omotayo of the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network, who is spearheading efforts by the Northern community to free Shuaibu, said the 25-year-old man had not been charged to court for any offfence since his incarceration, Shuaibu, before his arrest, was a wholesale seller of goats at the New Artisan market, Enugu.
Sea pirates kidnap, kill four policemen in Rivers
HEAVILY armed men suspected to be sea pirates have abducted and killed four marine policemen in Abonnema, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area. The policemen, who were on a routine patrol along the Abonnema coastal area, were ambushed and taken away by the sea pirates on Sunday. Southern City News gathered that one of the lifeless bodies of the policemen was found on Monday while the remains of the others were recovered on Tuesday.
Alleged killers of 9 policemen arraigned in Rivers
Three persons allegedly involved in the killing of nine police officers of Rivers State Police Command were, yesterday, arraigned before a Port Harcourt Magistrate’s
Court. The accused, Odum Atokaritou, Napughi Duba and Godgift Gwenbe were also accused of being involved in different bank robberies, which resulted in the death of at
least 10 persons including the nine policemen. The suspects and others, who are now at large, are facing 18 counts of conspiracy, murder, robbery and kidnapping.
NO TAX CLEARANCE, NO BUILDING PERMIT, EKITI GOVT DECLARES
Ekiti State government has warned that henceforth, anybody who wants government’s approval for his building or is seeking permit to build on any piece of land, must
show evidence of paying correct taxes to the government. The decision, which was announced on Wednesday, also included that a government team “will duly assess the
value of the land, the type of structures being proposed among other steps to either accept or reject the tax paper so presented.” The decisions, which were reached at
a meeting between the governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose and officials of the state’s Ministry of Lands, included that “state government will soon hold an interactive seminar
cum session with professionals and others related to the building industry in both the private and public sectors.”
Former Kogi governor’s son, Mohammed, arraigned
Mohammed, the first son of former governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, was on Thursday arraigned before Magistrate Court II, Lokoja, on grounds of criminal
conspiracy, causing grievous harm, mischief, armed robbery and attempt to commit culpable homicide. The prosecutor, Gabriel Otuwo, said on September 2, at around noon,
Mohammed’s uncle, Yahaya Audu, reported to SARS office in Lokoja that he and one Ibrahim Abubakar were attacked on August 30 by hoodlums in their country home at
Ogbonija in Ofu Local Government Area of the state.

 

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *