Nelson Ugwuagbo

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has remanded 75 persons to the Correctional Centre on alleged conspiracy in the murder of the District Police Officer of Ahoada Police Division, SP Bako Angbashim.

This is as Ekpeye Youths Worldwide and the National Union of Ekpeye Students have called for an end to the seeming politicisation of the killings going on in their area.

The suspects, who are standing trial on two counts bothering on Conspiracy to murder and sponsorship of cultism, in charge sheet number PHC/3208/CR/2023, were picked after Angbashim was killed and decapitated by cults terrorising Ahoada East Local Government Area, led by David Gift Okpala Okpolowu, popular called 2baba.

Those remanded included a former Chairman of Ahoada East LGA, Cassidy Ikegbidi, Eze Ekpeye Logbo, His Royal Majesty Eze, Ngozi Angwo and over 73 others.

The defendants, who were arraigned in court by the Commissioner of Police, did not take their plea as the bail application by one of the defendant’s lawyers, Dejo Lamikara, was opposed by the prosecuting counsel, Eniyepere Sikpi, a Superintendent of Police.

But the trial Judge, Justice Sika Apirioku after listening to the argument by the lawyers, ordered that the defendants be remanded to Port Harcourt correctional centre and adjourned the case till 21st November for plea and bail consideration.

However, the Secretary General of Ekpeye Youth Worldwide, Adokiye Oyagiri, and the President General of the National Union of Ekpeye Students, King Ngozi, have condemned what they described as the politicisation of the killings in Ekpeye by an alleged sponsored group, Concerned Ekpeye for Peace and Development.

Speaking, Oyagiri, in Port Harcourt yesterday, stated that some youths of the area were being used to make incitive statements against the leader of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Edison Ehie, who represents Ahoada East Constituency II.

He said: “I think it is everybody’s right to talk about the insecurity but where there is an issue is when people begin to make false allegations and claims that they can not be substantiated.

“We all know that immediately after the DPO of Ahoada East was killed, the Governor placed a bounty of N100 million on the killers of the DPO, and till today we are yet to hear from the police if he has been captured or not.

Ahoada East is governed by a sitting chairman, who bears the responsibility of security because he receives security votes. We think the motive of the group is connected to the political crisis going on in the state. And I think they are trying to discredit Edison Ehie.

When there is insecurity, people tend to politicise it and start taking sides. It is wrong to blame people individually but blame institutions that are responsible for our day-to-day lives.

Also, the President General of the National Union of Ekpeye Students, King Ngozi, condemned the statement by the Conference of Concerned Ekpeye for Peace and Development, that Edison Ehie, has refused to take any action on the killings in his area as politically motivated.

He noted that in his capacity Ehie has taken steps to end the crisis in the area which is not under his constituency as he, Ehie, is from constituency I.

He said: “As a matter of serious concern, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie has been and he is still one of the best politicians we have in Ekpeye land going by his track record. The people of Ekpeye land are very happy with his leadership direction because of his unquantified good deeds.”

A 69-year-old retired permanent secretary with the Oyo State Government, identified as Ms Olaitan Gbenle, has been killed by suspected armed robbers in Ibadan, the state capital.

Leading Reporters gathered on Thursday that the former PS was murdered by the assailants in her residence located along All Saints College Road, Idi Ishin, near NIHORT in Ibadan.

Our correspondent learned that the deceased was strangled after her assailants tied her hands and legs.

The assailants made off with her personal belongings, such as two vehicles, mobile phones, and Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards.

Leading Reporters learnt that the killers came to the deceased’s residence a day after she reported to the police that her life was being threatened by some hoodlums who used to smoke marijuana close to her house.

Chairman of the Association of Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries of Oyo and Osun States (AREHSPSOOS), Chief Bisi Adesola, confirmed the killing of the deceased in a statement.

He described the deceased as a loyal member of the association.

He added that the quarterly meeting of the association has been canceled as a result of the incident.

Adesola said, “With the greatest sore regrets, I, on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Association of Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries of Oyo and Osun States (AREHSPSOOS), announce the untimely death of Ms. Elizabeth Olaniyan Gbenle.

“She was not only a loyally committed member of the association; she served on the last Executive Committee demonstrably ably.

“Due to this sad event, our November 16, 2023, quarterly meeting is hereby canceled. Further details on her funeral services shall be communicated as soon as they are made available to us by the family.”

The suspect reportedly confessed to the crime.

A man in Anambra State, South-east Nigeria, has allegedly raped and impregnated a 14-year-old girl in the state.

The suspect, James Rich, 31, hails from Cross Rivers State but resides in Awka, Anambra State capital.

Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, a media aide to the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare in the state, Ify Obinabo, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

Ms Ikeanyionwu said the suspect was arrested by police operatives in the state after the commissioner contacted them for assistance.

‘I usually rape and pay her every Sunday in the church’

Ms Ikeanyionwu said Mr Rich works as a yardman at Saint Michaels and All Angels Anglican Church Ifite Awka in Awka South Local Government Area of the state.

The suspect, who is married with two kids, resides within the church premises where he works.

The media aide to the commissioner said the suspect confessed during interrogation that he raped and impregnated the teenager

Mr Rich, during the interrogation, explained that he usually raped the girl every Sunday at the church premises, adding that he had slept with the victim about three times, according to the statement.

The suspect added that he usually gave the victim N200 to buy biscuits each time he slept with her.

Ms Ikeanyionwu said the suspect pleaded for forgiveness, claiming that it was the first time he committed such a crime.

The survivor (name withheld) said the suspect usually raped her every Sunday morning before the church’s 6 a.m. service, according to the statement.

Commissioner reacts

Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare in the state, Mrs Obinabo, warned men to stop raping women, especially minors as the Anambra State Government does not tolerate such acts.

The commissioner, who spoke through her Special Assistant, Blessing Nweke, assured that the case would be charged to court immediately to get justice for the victim.

Nigeria, in 2015, enacted the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, which outlawed all forms of violence against women and girls, including rape, female circumcision and forceful ejection.

Offenders, on conviction, face life imprisonment or a maximum of 14-year jail term, depending on the age of the offender and the type of violence committed.

Several persons accused of rape have been convicted by various courts.

An Ado-Ekiti High Court, in July 2022, sentenced a 49-year-old man, Dele Adeyanju, to four years imprisonment for raping an 11-year-old girl.

A mother identified as Sharifa Noma alongside her newborn twin daughters were recently burnt to death in Sokoto State. According to sources, the woman put…

A mother identified as Sharifa Noma alongside her newborn twin daughters were recently burnt to death in Sokoto State.

According to sources, the woman put to bed at home around 2:30am on Tuesday.

“After losing too much blood, her family decided to take her to the hospital for possible blood infusion,” the source said.

Their vehicle was said to have rammed into a road block erected by bandits along Ruwa wuri-Bugawa road in Tangaza local government area of Sokoto.

The bandits opened fire on the vehicle and the driver lost control after which the vehicle hit a tree and burst into flames.

“The driver, the mother and one of the twin sisters were burnt to death,” the source added

A resident of the community simply identified as Kabiru noted that, other passengers including the other twin sister escaped with injuries and were currently receiving treatment in the hospital.

When contacted, spokesman of the Sokoto Police Command, ASP Ahmad Rufa’i, said he could not confirm the incident as he had not been briefed.

A Canadian investigation team is currently in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to probe an explosion that had occurred at the Canadian High Commission in Nigeria, Leading Reporters has learnt.

The fire incident occurred on November 6, in the High Commission’s generator house, claiming two lives while two other persons were injured.

Following the incident, the commission suspended its operations but said its Lagos and Abuja visa application centres would remain open.

According to a statement made available to our correspondent on Tuesday by the Public Affairs staff of the commission, Demilade Kosemani, the investigation team would work with relevant Nigerian authorities to carry out their task.

“Following an explosion in the generator room at the Canadian High Commission in Nigeria on November 6th that claimed two lives and left two others injured, a team of technical experts from Canada arrived in Abuja to conduct a formal investigation to determine the factors and conditions that led to the explosion

The Ogun State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps says 707 road crashes were recorded in Ogun State in the last 10 months, leading to the death of 208 persons while  1,174 persons were injured.

The FRSC Sector Commander in Ogun, Anthony Uga, said this at the sensitisation of the ember campaign in the Ota Unit on Tuesday in Ota, Ogun.

Leading Reporters gathered that the theme of the 2023 ember months  campaign was: “Speed thrills but kills, drive responsibly and avoid overloading.”

Uga, who was represented by FRSC Head of Operations, Sunday Ogungbami, Ogun, said most of the accidents that happened during the period under review were caused by speeding and occurred at night

“We are appealing to motorists to desist from speeding and refrain from night travel to stem road crashes during the ember months.

“In addition, they should adhere to traffic rules and regulations, drive consciously and ensure their vehicles are in good condition before embarking on any trip,” he said.

Uga said the mission of the FRSC was to drastically reduce deaths and fatality rates from road crashes.

He said the FRSC would collaborate with sister agencies to stem accidents.

In his welcome address, the Unit Commander of the FRSC, Mr Akeem Ganiyu, said it was imperative to come together with other agencies due to the increase in vehicular activities during the ember period.

“The allure of speed on open roads can be tempting, but the consequences can be catastrophic, and there is the need to exercise patience and drive consciously,” Ganiyu said.

Ogun Deputy Area Commander of Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, Ogun-West, Azeez Yakabu, said most of the road crashes were caused by human errors

A 20-year-old wife, Amina Hassan, of Mubi North LGA, Adamawa State, has set her husband’s house ablaze for refusing to divorce her.

Amina Hassan, from Shuware community in Mubi North, who married Muhammed Auwal about five weeks ago, revealed that there was a pre-wedding arrangement that the man would divorce her shortly after their marriage ceremony.

She informed the police that she had set the house on fire because of her husband’s refusal to end their union, according to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Suleiman Nguroje.

“We made an arrangement that he would divorce me after the marriage. I met him and pleaded with him to divorce me, but he remained adamant.

“He descended on me and started beating me instead of divorcing me, as a result of which I lost my temper and set the house ablaze,” she told police operatives who are now investigating her.

Leading Reporters gathered on Tuesday that a few days before the wedding, Amina had informed her parents that she was no longer interested in the marriage.

However, her parents insisted there was no turning back as they had already distributed invitation cards.

Sources close to her said that after all her efforts failed, she sought help from a native doctor to turn her husband’s heart away from her, only for the husband to appear more interested.

To escape her anger, the native doctor is said to have fled Mubi and made his phone number inaccessible