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Terrorists invade Zamfara community, abduct over 100 residents for failing to pay protection levy

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Terrorists operating in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Friday abducted more than 100 residents in separate but coordinated attacks in several villages over the failure of the villagers to pay a N110 million protection levy.

The terrorists that carried out the attack are believed to be loyal to a terror kingpin, Damina, who operates around the Dansadau axis of the state.

It was gathered that those abducted were from Mutunji, Unguwar Kawo, Kwantar Dutsi and Sabon Garin Mahuta.

A local source told BBC Hausa that Damina led a gang of terrorists on motorcycles and surrounded the community a few minutes after the dusk prayer at 8:00 p.m.

“We were sitting in a place called Yar Kasuwa after the Isha’i prayers when the terrorists stormed the community. They surrounded the community while others drove into the community centre. We began running but it was already too late. They matched people into the forest,” he said.

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Men, women and children were abducted, he said.

Unknown to the residents of Mutunji, other neighbouring communities were being raided at the time.

“They also attacked other communities including Unguwar Kawo, Kwanar Dutsi and Sabon Garin Mahuta and took away several people. We’ve at least 100 people taken. We’re still counting to ascertain the true number of those taken,” another source said.

Compensation levy

The source said Damina attacked Mutunji because the village failed to give him N50 million he asked them to pay as compensation for “informing soldiers” of the terrorists’ movements.

Damina gave the residents a week to gather the money but the source said they couldn’t gather it.

“We were trying to gather the money reaching out to people when he (Mr Damina) decided to strike.

“He had also imposed such levy on the other communities. Kwana residents were asked to pay N30 million, people of Sabon Garin Mahuta were asked to gather N20 million while residents of Unguwar Kawo were asked to pay N10 million,” he said.

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The police spokesperson in the state, Yazid Abubakar, did not respond to calls and SMS sent to him on the attack.

The North-west subregion has been battling terrorists, also called bandits, for over a decade.

The terrorists have killed and abducted thousands of people and tens of thousands of others have been displaced in the region.

The terrorists primarily target schools, religious houses, travellers and rural communities.

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Police to arraign two over alleged defamation of Oba Saheed Elegushi

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The Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has filed a three-count charge against two persons before the Federal High Court, Lagos for alleged cyberstalking, illegal publication, and defamation of His Royal Highness, Oba Saheed Elegushi.

 

A copy of the charge dated April 30, 2024, showed it was filed by Nosa Watson Uhumwango, a senior legal officer at the State Criminal Intelligence Investigation Department, CIID, Yaba.

 

It lists the two defendants as Adesola James and Odunmosu Azeez Awiye.

 

It was gathered that the two will be arraigned tomorrow, Tuesday, May 13 before Justice Abimbola Awogboro.

 

In count 1, it was alleged that Adesola James, Odunmosu Azeez Awiye, and others at large, between the months of Dec. 2023 & March 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Honorable Court, did conspire together to commit a felony to wit: cyberstalking and thereby committed an ofence punishable under Section 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015.

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In Count 2, it was alleged that, Adesola James, Odunmosu Azeez Awiye, and others at large, between the months of Dec. 2023 & March 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, did illegally and unlawfuly published by audible sounds and same exhibiting through your TIKTOK platform known as “ARIFANLA JOGUN OMO ODO AGBA” and “OKIKI_OSHUNT” respectively, a social network with the intention of a menacing character which is grossly offensive, false, indecent, obscene for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience danger obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, hatred or needless anxiety to the prejudice of His Royal Highness, Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi, the Elegushi of Ikate Kingdom, Kusenla IlI and the people of Ikate Kingdom in Lagos State and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24(1)(b)(2)(a)(i) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) Act, 2015.

 

COUNT 3 says that, Adesola James, Odunmosu Azeez Awiye, and others at large, between the months of Dec. 2023 & March 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, did publish defamatory matters in your TIKTOK platform known as “ARIFANLA JOGUN OMO ODO AGBA” and “OKIKI_OSHUNT” respectively, a social network and which have been circulated and reported on other several social media platforms, including but not limited

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NDLEA intercepts three trailer loads of Opioids in Lagos (PHOTOS)

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Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted three trailer loads of opioids comprising 3,450,000 pills and 344,000 bottles of codeine syrup at Abule Ado in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos state where three suspects were also arrested in connection with the seizure.

 

A statement signed by Director, Media and Advocacy of the Agency, Femi Babafemi, said the multi-billion naira consignments were loaded into two 40-ft container trucks and another 20-ft truck at the AML bonded terminal, Abule-Osun, near the International Trade Fair complex before heading to a large warehouse at Abule-Ado where NDLEA officers eventually arrested the suspects and recovered the opioid consignments on Thursday 9th May 2024.

Those arrested include the warehouse agent, Cosmas Obiajulu, Ridwan Balogun and Banjo Tayo, drivers of two of the trucks while the third driver escaped.

 

The statement further added that 75-year-old grandpa, Jibril Audu was on Friday 10th May arrested with 7.5 kilograms of cannabis at Oke-asa village, Ijero-Ekiti, Ekiti state during a raid operation, while a 70-year-old grandma, Tikwase Nytor was nabbed with 15.6kg of same substance on Thursday 9th May during a raid operation at Achusa and International Market road, Makurdi, Benue state.

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Military uncovers over 50 illegal refineries in Bayelsa forest

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The military Joint Task Force in Niger Delta “Operation Delta Safe (OPDS)” has uncovered 50 illegal refining sites at the Biseni forest in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

 

The operation was led by the Commander of OPDS, Rear Admiral John Okeke.

 

According to the commander, illegal refining of stolen crude oil was carried out at the sites on daily basis before it was busted by the military.

 

Speaking with newsmen after the operation, Okeke stated that a large dugout open pit found in ones of the illegal refining sites can accommodate more than 10 trucks of Alternative Gas Oil (AGO), holding crude oil from where they distribute to their cooking site.

 

He said he had earlier warned oil thieves in the area to desist from the illegal business or relocate to another area.

 

He said: “On May 9, 2024, we were at Ukwa West LGA, in Abua State bordering Rivers State, a contiguous forest bear a shared along Imo River.

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“Today like I said we are not going to relent and is work in progress. We will not get tired, we will continue, we are in Biseni in Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa. We transverse from Ahoada West LGA, of Rivers to reach this point, the most surprising thing is that this place we are now is housing over 50 cooking sites with unique arrangements.

 

“Why are the thieves operating in this area decided to be so smart by connecting what is called theft line made of two inches pipe, a galvanized pipe connecting directly to supply oil line on the road, from a distance of one kilometer.

“Then they have a lot of funny connections where they have various arrangement of connection, multiple connection where each of the thief get their supply. From a large dugout open pit that can accommodate more than 10 trucks of AGO, holding crude oil from where they distribute to their cooking site.

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“Look at the thick forest, we are now, you can never imagine that such serious crime is going on here, if not for the good spirited individual that volunteer information, we wouldn’t have known,” he said.

 

In his address at the inauguration of the New Headquarters Naval Training Command in Ebubu community, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, last month, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, lamented that Nigeria loses an estimated 300,000 barrels of crude oil per day to oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and other forms of criminality.

 

Abbas stated that the menace has culminated in revenue losses estimated at N1.29 trillion annually.

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