Crime
ISWAP Kills Soldiers, Travellers in Borno, Yobe Using IEDs
By Derrick Bangura
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) deployed by the Islamic State for West African Province (ISWAP), a terror group, led to the killing of soldiers and travellers in the North-east, THISDAY has learnt.
Consequently, the movement of troops battling insurgency in the North-east in recent times was also hampered by IEDs.
Although troops succeeded in defusing the locally manufactured explosives planted by the insurgents during military operations, many travellers were already killed.
Flashpoints, where terrorists plant IEDs include Maiduguri, Damboa, Biu, Bama, Banki, Gwoza, Buni Yadi, Malam Fatori and Kukawa, among others.
Speaking in Borno, the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Maj Gen Christopher Musa, identified the detection and defusing of IEDs as a major challenge in the fight against insurgency in the region.
“Troops must scan areas where it is conducting patrols before going for any operation and scan again while returning,” he lamented.
Military sources said it takes an extended period of time for troops to defuse landmines with sweepers.
“Military movements that should take minutes, for instance, takes several hours and sometimes days in scanning and rescanning the environment for IEDs so as to ensure the safety of troops,” the source said.
The use of IEDs by terrorists against troops, had been an issue of concern to military authorities for some time.
Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai (rtd), had, during his tenure, decried the performance of IED detectors procured from Slovak Republic.
He said some anti-mine equipment procured from that country and deployed to the North-east were not meeting targets of tactical operations.
Speaking at a meeting with Ambassador of Slovak Republic to Nigeria, Mr Peter Kolasec, at his office then, Buratai, who was represented by the former Chief of Army Policy and Plans, Lt General Lamidi Adeosun (rtd), said the military procured five consignments of arms and ammunition including 127 mm KVA machine guns, prosena anti-mine equipment and other weapons, which were deployed to the North-east.
He said the anti-mine equipment did not meet the expectations of army’s battle plans.
“The prosena anti-mine equipment is only good for removing mines where war has taken place. We are using it the best way we can but it is not working the way we want it to work. If it can’t detect mine from 50 meters, then we need new equipment.
“The way it is, it is not good for tactical operations so that we don’t waste resources,” he said, noting that insurgents deployed IEDs, which were poorly put together while maintaining that what was required was equipment that would detect and neutralise them.
Police arrest two for allegedly selling newborn twins in Lagos
The Police Command in Lagos State says it has arrested two women, Ujunwa Una and Chinelo Igbechionwu over alleged sales of newborn twins.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this in a post he shared on his X handle @benHundeyin on Friday.
He said that the police apprehended the suspects based on a tip-off by a concerned citizen.
“The suspects were arrested by patrol officers from Ojodu Division stationed at Berger bus stop, an entry point into Lagos State, who had earlier been alerted about the suspects by a good Samaritan.
“The suspects were found with two newborn baby girls, approximately six days old, while travelling from Abia State on Sept. 9.
“Investigations revealed that the suspects were en route to deliver the babies to one nurse in Lagos State whom the mother of the babies promised to link them up with only after they had arrived in Lagos.
“Upon questioning, the suspects confessed to the crime, stating that they were paid the sum of ₦150,000 for transportation of the babies to Lagos.
“The suspects added that the mother of the babies sold the babies because she could not give them proper care, ” Hundeyin said.
The image maker said that the case was transferred to the Gender Unit of the Command, from where the newborns were placed in the custody of a motherless babies’ home for proper care and medical evaluation.
According to him, an investigation is ongoing to arrest other conspirators.
The spokesperson said that the arrested suspects were arraigned on Thursday.
Police rescue kidnap victim held inside ‘Ghana-Must-Go’ bag
The Police Command in Rivers has rescued a teenager, who was kidnapped in Enugu and transported to Port Harcourt in a ‘Ghana-Must-Go’ bag.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Olatunji Disu, announced this during a news conference in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Disu said that the teenager, aged 16, was repeatedly raped by her kidnappers after being taken to Port Harcourt.
He said that the crime was uncovered when officers at Abuloma Police Station received credible intelligence regarding the suspicious movement of one of the suspects.
“Upon receiving the information, operatives were swiftly dispatched to the area, and they arrested one male suspect.
“Officers rescued the teenage girl (name withheld) who had been held against her will by the suspect.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect lured the teenager from her residence in Garki, Enugu, placed her in a ‘Ghana-Must-Go’ bag and transported her from Enugu to Port Harcourt,” Disu said.
The police chief added that, upon arriving in Port Harcourt, the victim was taken to the residence of an alleged internet fraudster.
He said that the alleged fraudster and another suspect repeatedly had carnal knowledge of the teenager.
“The victim has undergone medical examination and treatment, while the suspects are in our custody,” he said.
Disu said that a manhunt for other suspects had been initiated.
70-year-old man bags six months in prison for stealing mats
A Shari’a Court sitting at Rigasa, Kaduna on Thursday sentenced a 70-year-old man, Jibril Musa to six months in a correctional facility for stealing mats belonging to mosques.
The Judge, Malam Mukhtar Aliyu gave the judgement after Musa pleaded guilty to the offence bordering on criminal trespass and theft.
The Judge stated that the convict had appeared before him in the past for the same offence where he was released with the condition that he would not repeat the crime.
The convict had pleaded for leniency, promising not to steal again but his prayers were not considered due to his history of theft.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. Sambo Maigari stated that Aminu Al-hassan, a village head in Rigasa reported the matter at the Rigasa police division on Sept. 9.
He said that the convict entered a mosque located on Dan Galadima Road and stole the mats.
Maigari added that the man also went to another Mosque located at Bakin Dogo and stole more mats and sold them to one Aisha Abdullahi.
On her part, Abdullahi stated that she bought the mats for N1,500 without knowing they were stolen goods.
She pleaded for leniency because she had been an honest businesswoman and did not know that an old man like Musa would steal.
The Judge adjourned the matter until Sept 18 for judgment on Abdullahi
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