Metro News

Bloodbath in Kebbi as bandits kill 63 vigilantes

Published

2 years ago

March 9, 2022

admin

No fewer than 63 vigilantes from five communities of Kebbi State have been confirmed dead after bandits ambushed them on Sunday evening.

Traditional rulers of two of the affected communities told BBC Hausa that the vigilantes were ambushed while chasing the bandits who had attacked the communities.

The state police command confirmed the killings but said the bandits were fleeing from military airstrikes in Niger State when they were confronted by the volunteers.

The village head of Takita, who refused to provide his name, told BBC Hausa that the bandits had stormed villages in Sakaba local government area in Zuru Emirate, abducted people and rustled some cattle.

“Residents were running from the bandits. When the volunteer vigilante members were informed of the attacks, they mobilised and followed the bandits.

“You know how dangerous these bandits are. They know all the forest very well, so they decided to hide on the trees and allowed the volunteers to reach the ring after which they encircled them and started shooting sporadically. 63 vigilantes were killed because we counted them before we buried them in the evening. They were from five separate communities of the area,” he said.

READ Bandits free 35 victims in Kaduna community, hold one in lieu of two motorcycles

The traditional ruler, however, said some of the bandits were killed, too.

The areas where the vigilante members were from include Takita, Magajiya, Rafin Zuru, Dabai and Sanci.

An anonymous vigilante leader in Zuru told BBC Hausa that after the evacuation of the corpses, they were taken to the police station where members of the vigilante groups of each village took those belonging to their people.

“The attacks affected every village in the Zuru emirate and we suffered a lot in evacuating the dead bodies,” he said.

Ahmad Umar, a native of Sakaba who lives in Birnin Kebbi, and Shehu Bello, a native of Zuru, told PREMIUM TIMES in separate interviews that those killed were more than 100.

“I can confirm that the number is more than that. Even yesterday (Monday), there were still corpses in the forest where the attack occurred. Those who went to evacuate the bodies couldn’t do that on that Sunday,” Mr Umar said.

READ Boat carrying 85 passengers capsizes in Anambra, many feared dead

The Kebbi police command spokesperson, Nafiu Abubakar, said that the police did not know the number of those killed yet.

“There is an ongoing military operation in Niger state. The areas affected (in Kebbi) share boundaries with Niger, so while the bandits were fleeing from military airstrikes, the volunteer vigilante members confronted them,” the spokesman said.

He said the state police commissioner has mandated officers of the command to launch an investigation to unravel the identity of those killed.

“They were among those complementing our efforts,” he said. “They were part of the security setting and helped us a lot in arresting bandits,” he said.

Metro News

14-year-old Nigerian, Daniel Anjorin killed in London sword attack

Published

4 hours ago

May 1, 2024

admin

The teenage boy killed in the Hainault sword attack in north-east London has been identified as 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin.

Police said Anjorin died from stab wounds shortly after being taken to hospital on Tuesday.

He was the only casualty in the attack that left four other people, including two police officers, injured.

The suspect, 36, was cornered and overpowered with a Taser by officers in Thurlow Gardens.

Police were called to reports of a car crashing into a house and people being stabbed in Hainault, north-east London.

James Fernando, a witness, told the BBC that he saw the suspect asked one of his neighbours to take his phone and “tell whoever was on the phone his location”.

Fernando said the neighbour soon noticed the sword and started running.

“As she fled, the woman shouted to another neighbour, a boy on his way to school, who was then struck by the attacker as he turned around,” he said.

READ Bandits rape minors, attack others in Kwara

Anjorin attended Bancroft’s, the same school where Grace O’Malley-Kumar, a stabbing victim in Nottingham, was also a student.

Holy Family Catholic School where the boy’s mother works, issued a statement naming her Mrs Anjorin and called for prayers for the family.Police said the suspect is in hospital being treated for injuries sustained when the vehicle he was in crashed into the house.The police said the suspect would be taken in for questioning immediately after he has some respite, adding that Anjorin’s family are being supported by specially trained staff.

Metro News

Gas explosion rocks Lagos community

Published

1 day ago

April 30, 2024

admin

One yet-to-be-identified pregnant woman and eight others have sustained varying degrees of injuries following a gas explosion that occurred at Alaba Lane, Alayabiagba Community, in the Ajegunle-Apapa area of Lagos State.

It was gathered that the incident occurred on Tuesday at about 12:39 p.m.

Confirming the incident, the Head, Public Education, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Amodu Shakiru, stated that preliminary inquiry revealed that a number of different gas cylinders that were traded in the area had one that was set off by a possible leak that broke a high-tension cable and started a fire.

He added that the fire destroyed four commercial tricycles, six lock-up stores, and a portion of a bungalow building.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that a number of various gas cylinders traded within the neighborhood have one triggered by a suspectable leakage leading to the snapping of a high-tension cable and resultant fire.

“Four commercial tricycles, six lock-up shops, and a bungalow part of the properties were razed down while salvaging adjoining structures, including a major fuel service station.

READ EFCC intercepts ‘N32.4m’ suspected vote-buying cash in Lagos

He stated that the Federal Fire Service, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and the fire stations in Ajegunle and Sari-Iganmu quickly contained the incident.

Shakiru noted that the pregnant woman and the other victims are currently receiving treatment at the Gbagada Burn & Trauma Center and Ajeromi General Hospital following initial care provided by the Lagos State Ambulance Service.

“However, nine people reportedly suffered different degrees of burn injury, including a pregnant woman, children, and adults, male and female, who are recuperating at the Ajeromi General Hospital and Gbagada Burnt & Trauma Centre after some first aid by the Lagos State Ambulance Service.

“The incident was curtailed in record time through the combined efforts of the Ajegunle and Sari-Iganmu Fire Stations of the LSFRS with the compliment of the Federal Fire Service.”

Emefiele collected $600k kickback in cash from contractors, former CBN director tells court

Published

2 days ago

April 29, 2024

admin

John Ikechukwu Ayoh, a former director at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has testified against Godwin Emefiele, ex-governor of the apex bank, in the ongoing case of abuse of office at the Lagos high court.

Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, are currently facing trial on a 26-count charge.

The former CBN governor and Omoile pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

At the court proceedings on Monday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented Ayoh as the second witness in the case against Emefiele.

Ayoh told the court that he worked at the apex bank from June 2014 to April 2019 noting that he did not work directly under Emefiele.

Ayoh added that he used to report to Adebayo Adelabu, a former deputy governor of CBN, who is now the minister of power.

The witness said he was the head of procurement and support services (PSS) of the apex bank, which was vested with powers to receive bids and select successful bidders.

READ Bandits attack Baptist Church in Kaduna, kill two, abduct several others – CAN

The former CBN director said he collected money from contractors as gratification of awarding contracts to them based on the instruction from Emefiele.

The witness said Emefiele usually sends his personal assistant (PA) — John Adetona — to collect the contractors’ kickback from him.

Ayoh said he collected $400,000 and $200,000 in cash from contractors on two different occasions and handed them over to Emefiele’s PA.

“The first transaction was $400,000 and the second one was $200,000 in cash. I was in my house when the first envelope was brought to me. His assistant was asked to collect the money,” he told the court.

“One of the vendors had a contract with CBN which involved the implementation of data storage and infrastructure.

“The first package was collected in my residence at Lekki phase one, while the second package was collected at the head office in Lagos.”

READ Kogi Govt queries Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Ado Ibrahim over alleged disrespect to Buhari

During cross-examination by Olalekan Ojo, counsel to Emefiele, Ayoh said he was under duress from the former CBN to accept gratifications on his behalf.

“No, I was under duress from my boss (referring to Emefiele). We were faced with tremendous pressure to bend the rule,” the witness said when asked about aiding the commission of a crime by collecting the money.

Asked if he indicated in his statement with the EFCC that the money was meant to influence the award of contracts, the witness said some parts of his statement implied that.

“Who told you that it (the money) is for gratification,” Emefiele’s counsel asked.

“The cash is for gratification to the governor for awarding the contracts. He (Emefiele) asked for it. He won’t approve the contract without gratification,” the witness said.

On whether he was arrested by the EFCC, the witness said the anti-graft agency invited him and was granted bail afterwards.

READ Bandits rape minors, attack others in Kwara

Emefiele’s counsel told the court that the witness must have traded being charged by the EFCC to become a witness against the former CBN boss.

INTERIM BAIL

After the cross-examination of the witness, Emefiele’s counsel sought a fresh interim bail for the former CBN governor, pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions earlier stipulated by the court.

Ojo told the court that the initial interim bail granted to Emefiele ended today (Monday), adding that the defence team has not been able to meet the bail conditions.

He urged the court to grant Emefiele another interim bail that would end on May 17.

Rahman Oshodi, the presiding judge, granted the request and ordered that Ojo swear to an affidavit to provide Emefiele in the next adjourned date.

Oshodi adjourned to May 3, 9, and 17 for the continuation of the trial.