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Terrorists on the rampage: Bandits kill 52, abduct hunters in Plateau, Niger

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Marauding terrorists jave killed fifty-two persons in separate attacks on communities in Plateau and Niger states.

According to reports, while 18 persons were confirmed killed after gunmen attacked the Ncha community in the Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, gunmen on Wednesday attacked two communities in Niger State and killed 34 persons.

The Niger State incident appeared to be reprisal as a few weeks ago some special hunters and local vigilantes killed scores of gunmen who were e terrorising the communities.

The gunmen launched Wednesday’s attack on Nakuna and Wurukuchi communities when the villagers were on their farms harvesting produce.

All the houses in Nakuna, with a population of about 200, were burnt down by the gunmen, who invaded the community in search of vigilantes.

Niger terrorists tied victims’ hands to their backs before shooting them – Residents
According to Yahaya Mota, who lost 10 members of his family to the attack, 20 other bodies were discovered in the bush.

Mota stated, “After the attack on Nakuna, we discovered that 10 persons from one family were killed and we later found the bodies of 20 others in the bush.

“Also in Wurukuchi, four members of the same family were killed on their farm.”

Apart from the razed houses, he said the gunmen also burnt food barns in the communities before leaving.

“These people didn’t only kill our people and burn down our houses, they also burnt down all the food barns before leaving,” Mota stated.

He added that during the search for members of the vigilance group and local hunters, the gunmen abducted three of the special hunters.

The 75-year-old Mota said six children and four others, who came to assist in the harvesting of farm produce, were killed in a terrible manner, adding that their hands were tied to their backs before they were shot.

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When contacted, the state Commissioner of Police, Monday Kuryas, confirmed the incident but said the command had yet to ascertain the actual number of people killed during the attack.

He added that security personnel had been deployed in the affected communities to restore normalcy.

In Plateau State, a youth leader in the Ncha community, Nuhu Bitrus, confirmed the killing of 17 persons to The PUNCH in Jos on Wednesday.

Bitrus said that the gunmen, who carried out the attack, also burnt several houses belonging to the residents, while several persons sustained injuries.

According to the youth leader, the attack on the community took place in the early hours of Wednesday and lasted for several hours.

He said, “We have a disaster currently in one of our communities in Ncha. Some gunmen, whom we know to be Fulani, last night invaded the community and started shooting everywhere and killing anyone they saw in sight, while setting people’s houses on fire. Right now, we have counted 17 dead bodies and six persons that were injured during the invasion, which started around 2.30am.

“The Ancha community is the same place that one person was killed just a few days ago by the same people. We don’t know what to do before the government and security agents will see the need to protect our people from extermination, which obviously is the intent of the attackers.”

But later on Wednesday evening, the Irigwe ethnic nationality of Plateau state under the aegis of Irigwe Development Association said 18 people were killed.

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It released the names of the deceased.

A statement issued on Wednesday night by the National Publicity Secretary of the association, Davidson Malison noted that among those killed by the gummen was a three-month-old baby identified as Monday Bitrus which he said “justified an act of inhumanity to man”

Malison listed other deceased persons as Gideon Goh, 30 years; Danladi James, 26 years; Yohanna Musa, 17 years; Achi Alhaji, 16 years; Monday Abba,52 years; Musa Tegwi,80 years; Christiana Sunday, 45; Laraba Bitrus, 38; Andrew Bitrus, 7; Wiki Bitrus, 5 ; Danjuma Rimbe, 10; Monday B Bitrus, 19 ; Moses Weyi, 21; Mbe Weyi, 21; Azumi Wreh; Danladi David Musa, 28 and Garius Gado Sunday.

The military task force in charge of maintaining peace in the state, Operation Safe Haven, also confirmed the attack on the community on Wednesday.

A statement signed by the Military Information Officer, Major Takwa Ishaku, said, “In the late hours of Tuesday, January 11, 2022, troops of Operation Safe Haven received a distress call of an attack on the Acha community in the Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.

“The troops responded swiftly and mobilised to the village. On reaching the community, the attackers had fled the village. Houses were destroyed and some villagers lost their lives during the attack.

“Troops of Operation Safe Haven are on the trail of the assailants and details of the pursuit will be made available later.

“The Commander, Operation Safe Haven, Maj Gen I. S. Ali, while commiserating with the families of those who lost their lives during the attack, reiterated his resolve to ensure that the perpetrators of evil on the Plateau face the consequences of their dastard acts.”

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Lalong demands arrest as invaders gun down 18 in fresh Plateau community attack
Meanwhile, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has expressed deep sadness over the attack on Acha village.

Lalong described the attack as another sad tale in the unending cycle of violent attacks in the area, which had continued despite several measures taken by the government.

According to the statement signed by Lalong’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Macham Makut, the governor ordered security agencies to ensure that they fish out the attackers at all costs, “as bringing such perpetrators to justice is the only way to halt the barbaric killings.”

Makut stated, “The governor asked the GOC, 3rd Armoured Division and Commander, Operation Safe Haven; the Commissioner of Police; Department of State Services; Operation Rainbow; and other security organs in the state to utilise intelligence available from survivors and other sources and ensure that the perpetrators of this and other attacks are apprehended and exposed.

“While commiserating with the families of those killed and the survivors, the governor directed the Plateau State Emergency Management Agency and the Peace Building Agency to move in and assess the damage as well as offer immediate humanitarian interventions.

“Meanwhile, the governor has praised security forces for busting a kidnap group and rescuing some victims in Barkin Ladi, describing the action as heart-warming and proof that criminals would not be allowed to rest in Plateau State.

“He directed further investigation and arrest of the fleeing suspects for prosecution, promising that those found guilty would face the law, which prescribes death penalty for convicted kidnappers.”

 

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Nigerian who relocated to UK in 2022 beats wife to death

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A United Kingdom-based Nigerian man, Olubunmi Abodunde, has beaten his wife, Taiwo, to death with their son’s skateboard, Daily Mail reports.

The couple, who had three children, arrived in the UK from Nigeria in 2022 and always clashed over alleged affairs and arguments about bills.

According to the news platform, 48-year-old Abodunde had been repeatedly investigated by Suffolk Police about domestic violence and was due to go on trial for murder but changed his plea to guilty on Wednesday after a jury had been sworn in.

During the abuse, officers heard ‘a number of bangs’ inside the house, which Abodunde had gone into, despite bail conditions imposed the day before that banned him from the property following another violent episode.

 

When they finally entered 25 minutes later, they found the wife, 41-year-old Taiwo, with her ‘skull smashed in’.

However, Judge Martyn Levett, sitting at Ipswich Crown Court, warned him the only possible sentence was life imprisonment.

 

Suffolk Constabulary has referred itself to the Independent Office of Police Conduct, which confirmed three officers were under investigation.

An IOPC spokesman said, “We advised two Suffolk officers that they are under investigation for potential breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour at the level of gross misconduct.

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“We advised another officer that they are under investigation at the level of misconduct.”

 

Abodunde had a history of jealousy and suspicion and accused his wife of having affairs. He had been investigated by police a number of times over alleged domestic violence incidents before his wife’s death.

He was arrested on April 27 last year when police arrived at the couple’s home in Newmarket, Suffolk, and found Mrs Abodunde with a split lip.

Later that day, he was freed on police bail with the condition that he stayed away from the marital home and didn’t approach his wife.

But after working a night shift at Tesco, he went home just after 9 am to allegedly pick up his mobile phone.

 

Two officers arrived at 9.20 am to take a statement from Mrs Abodunde about the previous night’s incident and heard repeated banging noises inside.

 

But it wasn’t until 9.55 am that they forced their way in after getting approval from senior officers and found Mrs Abodunde ‘obviously dead’ near the front door.

A post-mortem examination later showed she had been throttled until she fell unconscious, then stamped on until her ribs were broken before her husband used the skateboard to finish her off. The blows were so violent that the skateboard was damaged.

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Prosecutor Simon Spence KC told the court the banging officers heard was likely to have been Abodunde continuing to attack his wife after she was unconscious or dead.

Mrs Abodunde had a job as a care home assistant in Cambridge, but her husband, who had trained as a civil engineer, was unable to find work in his profession and took shifts at Tesco and Wickes.

 

After his arrest for the murder, Abodunde was taken to hospital “because he appeared to have some sort of mental episode”.

 

He later claimed in a police statement he had acted in self-defence, saying, “My wife has subjected me to physical abuse for a number of years.

“On November 28, we got into an argument. She ran at me with a knife, I grabbed the knife and cut my hand. I was defending myself.”

 

But the court heard while he did have an injury to his hand, there wasn’t a knife near his wife’s body.

 

Nneka Akudolu KC, defending, said the level of violence was ‘completely out of character’ for her client and might have been affected by medication he was taking. But she said no medical evidence would be provided to support this claim.

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Detective Inspector Dan Connick, of Suffolk Police, said after the hearing, “This was an awful attack on a woman that has had a lasting impact on the community and, most importantly, on the victim’s family.

 

‘We are pleased that Taiwo’s family will no longer have to go through the pain of a trial.

 

‘Our thoughts remain with Taiwo’s family and friends and hope this result will bring some small comfort to them.’

 

Taiwo Abodunde worked for Cambridge Manor Care Home, which provides dementia care and residential and respite care.

 

A spokesman for the facility, which is owned by TLC Care, said: ‘We are all deeply shaken and upset by the tragic death of Taiwo, who was a much-loved member of our home community.

 

‘Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with her family. Taiwo always cared for those we support with compassion and kindness, and she will be greatly missed by all of us and our residents.’

 

Abodunde was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on May 9.

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Alleged procurement fraud: Court adjourns Emefiele‘s trial to June 24

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A federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Maitama has adjourned the trial of Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to June 24. 

 

When the case was called on Thursday, neither the prosecution counsel nor the defendant were in court. However, Emefiele was represented by one of his counsels.

 

I.D Ahmed, who represented the defendant, told the court that the prosecution served him a letter praying for an adjournment.

 

He also apologised to the court for the absence of his client.

 

Hamza Muazu, presiding judge, said: “Because you have a letter of adjournment from the prosecution does not mean the defendant should not be in court.”

 

Muazu then adjourned until June 24 and June 25 for continuation of trial.

 

The federal government, on January 18, amended the criminal charges filed against the former CBN governor.

 

The charges, formerly six counts, were increased to 20 counts.

 

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The amended charges border on alleged criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to commit forgery, procurement fraud and conspiracy to commit a felony.

 

At the previous hearing, the court agreed to vary Emefiele’s bail condition which previously restricted him to the FCT.

 

The court granted the application permitting the former CBN governor to travel within Nigeria but restrained him from leaving the country during the pendency of the case.

In some of the counts, the EFCC alleged that Emefiele, in January 2023, forged a document titled: “RE: PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE ON FOREIGN ELECTION OBSERVER MISSIONS,” dated 26 January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.

 

The EFCC said Emefiele made the claim despite knowing it to be false and committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.

 

According to the amended charge marked CR/577/2023, Emefiele, on February 8, 2023, connived with one Odoh Ocheme, who is now on the run, to obtain $6.2m from the CBN, claiming that the SGF requested it “vide a letter dated 26th January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201″.

 

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Meanwhile, the EFCC had also declared Magaret, Emefiele’s wife, wanted for money laundering.

 

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Mother, son, one other electrocuted in Ogun market

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No fewer than three people, including a mother and child, were reportedly electrocuted at Mowe Market in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The incident reportedly happened on Monday following the restoration of power after the Sunday downpour.

 

The Chairman of the Local Government, Ambassador Adesina Ogunsola, during his visit to the market on Wednesday gave a seven-day notice to all the traders with shops and stalls under the high-tension powerline to vacate to forestall a repeat of the tragic incident.

 

An eyewitness said that the electric shock was from the step-down transformer suspended on an electrical pole next to the shop where the incident happened, just as the shop owners arrived for their daily sales in the market.

 

The woman and her son were said to have been burnt beyond recognition.

 

The Director of Information at the Obafemi Owode Local Government, Segun Soneye, confirmed the incident on Thursday.

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Soneye, in a statement, blamed the incident on the erection of shops made of iron under the powerline by the traders.

 

He said, “The chairman of the council had visited the affected shop owners and commiserated with them over the incident.

“The LG boss has already given shop owners a seven-day ultimatum to evacuate their make-shift shops built under the high tension powerline to forestall the recurrence of the incident.”

Speaking during his visit to the market, Ogunsola who commiserated with the families of the victims, also blamed the incident on the nonchalant attitude of the.

 

The LG boss wondered why people would disregard safety rules and have their shops close to electrical poles that carry step-down transformers.

 

Ogunsola, while giving the vacation order to the traders with shops and stalls under the powerline, said, “Let me also say that everyone that has extended its shop beyond where it should be, particularly those under high-tension cables should start removing it from today.”

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The police spokesman, Omolola Odutola, also confirmed the incident but said only the mother, Ujuwa Okechukwu, died from the incident.

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