Crime
33 wives of ISWAP fighters killed by Boko Haram
Boko Haram terrorists have slaughtered 33 wives of the rival Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Sambisa Forest, Borno State.This was as the Benue State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Ekpe Ogbu, who was kidnapped on Sunday, regained freedom.
The slaughtering of the ISWAP wives was reportedly triggered by the recent killing of Boko Haram Commander, Malam Aboubakar and 15 others in a fierce gun battle in one of the forest camps.
A counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, disclosed, yesterday, in Maiduguri: “Since December 3, 2022, a top Boko Haram leader in charge of Mandara Mountains in Gwoza Council, Ali Ngulde, has led hundreds of fighters to wage war against ISWAP in the Forest.”
According to military sources, in Maiduguri, the attack commenced with a failed negotiation initiated by Boko Haram commanders, who invited ISWAP and said they were ready to surrender to its leadership.
“Unknown to ISWAP, Ngulde and his team had laid an ambush against them, in which at least 12 of them were killed in Yuwe,” Makama said, adding that others escaped with gunshot wounds into the forest.
Besides, he said the Boko Haram terrorists seized four gun trucks and other weapons of ISWAP and set them ablaze. On how the 33 women were killed, he said: “Shortly after the victory, the Boko Haram fighters mobilised more fighters from Abu Ikilima’s camp at Gaizuwa, Gabchari, Mantari, and Mallum Masari to attack more ISWAP positions in Ukuba, Arra, Sabil Huda and Farisu,” adding that 23 fighters were killed in the multiple clashes.
“A few hours later, a top ISWAP leader, Ba’ana Chingori, called for a declaration of war by leading a handful of fighters to carry out reprisal attacks on Boko Haram in Farisu. The attack paid off as the ISWAP neutralised 15 Boko Haram terrorists, including a unit Commander, Malam Aboubakar (Munzir), and seized seven motorcycles.
“The ISWAP group later retreated and took a position at the Izzah camp.” He continued that the ISWAP fighters moved to Garin Abbah, two kilometres away, and waited for the Boko Haram terrorists.
“Instead of going to meet the ISWAP rivals to continue with the fight, the Boko Haram elements made a detour and headed to where their wives were and killed 33 of them.
“We believe that in the coming days, ISWAP fighters are likely to react to the brutal killing of their wives,” he said.
MEANWHILE, The Guardian gathered that the abductors of the Benue commissioner and three others made contact with the family on Monday night.
The source revealed that the kidnappers initially demanded N 11 million but later cut it down to N5 million. Details of his release were still sketchy as at press time, as it could not be ascertained whether the family or the state government paid ransom.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Catherine Anene, confirmed that the commissioner and the three others abducted with him had been released, but did not give details when prodded further. Ogbu and others were kidnapped along the Oturkpo/Ado road on his way back from a thanksgiving Mass in honour of Senator Abba Moro in Oturkpo.
The Anambra State Police Command has foiled a cult initiation ceremony in Nawfia, Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.
Spokesperson for the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Awka.
According to Ikenga, the operation was carried out by police operatives around 9:30am on June 15, leading to the arrest of six suspects at the scene.
Recovered during the raid were one Jojef pump action gun, two cartridges, and a golden-coloured Lexus SUV with registration number ATN 202 AE. Other items found include two cutlasses, two scissors, a cap bearing the inscription of the Supreme Vikings Confraternity, charms, and substances suspected to be hard drugs.
“They are currently undergoing police interrogation to get more insight into their modus operandi, after which the case will be charged to court on the conclusion of the investigations,” Ikenga stated.
The police spokesperson reassured residents of the command’s unwavering commitment to fighting cultism and other related crimes across the state.
An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Wednesday, remanded two persons, Olaitan Fasasi and Kehinde Tobiloba in a correctional facility over alleged attempted murder.
Fasasi, 40, and Tobiloba, 26, whose addresses were not provided, are being charged with conspiracy, attempted murder and membership of a secret society.
The Magistrate, Mr L.A Owolabi, did not take the plea of the defendants for want of jurisdiction.
Owolabi directed the police to forward the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
He thereafter adjourned the case until May 31 for mention.
The Prosecutor, Josephine Ikhayere, told the court that the defendants committed the offences at about 5.02p.m on Feb. 15, at Mushin, Lagos.
She said that Fasasi, Tobiloba and others now at large, attempted to commit murder by shooting at a resident, Alfred Ademola.
“They armed themselves with a locally made gun. They belong to Eiye Confraternity, a group proscribed by law,”, she said.
Ikhayere said that the offences contravened Sections 230(1) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2012.
He said that the actions of the defendants also contravened Section 2(3)(a)(b)(c)(d) of the unlawful societies and Cultism Law of Lagos State Law.
An Area Court in Jos, on Tuesday, sentenced one Jeptha John, to three months imprisonment for stealing a Redmi mobile phone valued at N165, 000.
The judge, Shawomi Bokkos, sentenced the John after he pleaded guilty to the offence.
The judge, however, gave the convict an option to pay N20, 000 fine and N50, 000 restitution to the complainant.
Bokkos said that if the convict defaulted in paying the restitution, three months should be added to his sentence to make it six months imprisonment.
Earlier, the police prosecutor, Insp Monday Dabit, told the court that the case was reported at the B Division Police Station, Jos, on Dec. 1, 2024, by Ms Nerat Danjuma.
He said that the complainant alleged that the defendant trespassed into her house and stole her mobile phone valued at N165, 000.
The prosecutor further told the court that the offence contravened the Plateau State Penal Code, Law of Northern Nigeria.
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