Crime
ISWAP kingpin Ali Kwaya and others killed in air raid near Lake Chad
In continuation with a series of air strikes aimed at fracturing the will of remnants of terrorists to fight as well as denying them their freedom of movement, the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai has conducted air interdiction missions at Belowa, near Lake Chad, killing top insurgents kingpins.
Belowa is reportedly among the few remaining ISWAP/Boko Haram enclaves in the Tumbuns, Lake Chad Region in Abadam Local Government.
It was learnt that the air strikes became necessary after intelligence revealed the convergence of some ISWAP leaders and fighters from surrounding areas for a meeting with the motive of planning attacks.
Accordingly, a source said Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft were dispatched to the location of the meeting at Belowa, which was confirmed to be active.
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The location was subsequently engaged with rockets and bombs in multiple passes. An hour after the strikes, two vehicles conveying about 13 injured surviving terrorists to another hideout were struck through precision strikes by an airforce war jet.
Military intelligence sources revealed that after the strikes, ISWAP kingpin, Mallam Ali Kwaya who is a key member of the ISWAP Shura Council and Mallam Bukar Mainoka were among those neutralized in the strikes.
Similar strikes were also conducted on November 4, 2022, at Ngwuri Gana in Bama LGA, a location East of Maiduguri.
The strikes became an expedient sequel to intelligence that a group of ISWAP insurgents in 15 trucks were spotted converging at the location.
The insurgents, who were said to be armed with assorted weapons, were believed to have arrived from Mina, Abuja Kote and Tanga Lan Nga Villages all in Bama LGA. Usually, such regrouping means that an attack on troops’ locations in Bama LGA was in the offing.
“The need to strike the location was thus authorized. Feedback revealed the strike was on point as several terrorists were neutralized and all their structures and vehicles were engulfed in fire.
“Recent behaviours of remnants of terrorists and insurgents’ elements particularly in the Northeast is an indication of a state of desperation, confusion, apprehension and anxiety.
“On one hand, their ability to loiter freely and attack vulnerable villages and troops’ location at will has drastically reduced just as their sources of weapon supplies have been blocked.
“The infighting among the terrorist groups is also viewed as a clear sign of an end in sight of these groups acting and working together to attack troop’s location.” The source said.
When contacted, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, NAF Spokesperson, confirmed the strikes but refused to be drawn into the names of those killed.
He however said, “Our path to victory in the Northeast and northwest remains on course and we won’t relent until all locations are free of terrorists and insurgents. Let’s also not forget that the resilience of our pilots and technicians is in line with the directive of the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Amao that terrorists and insurgents must be denied their hiding places.”
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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