Crime
Tension in UNIABUJA as gunmen abduct four dons, two kids
Tension has enveloped the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) as gunmen, yesterday, invaded the staff quarters and abducted a professor of Economics, Obansa Joseph, and two of his children.
Others missing after the attack include Prof. Bassey Ubom, Mallam Sambo Muhammed and one Dr Tobit.
A resident of the quarters, who pleaded anonymity, explained that the gunmen invaded the senior staff quarters at Giri, Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) about 1.00 am on Tuesday and operated for about an hour.
Confirming the incident to newsmen, spokesperson for the university, Habib Yakubu, said the university would be releasing an official statement in the matter.
Responding to the abduction, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Josephine Adah, noted that the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Babaji Sunday, dispatched additional tactical and conventional policing resources to the university’s main and satellite campuses, staff quarters and other affiliate formations to fortify security in and around the university community.
The Chairman, Gwagwalada Council, Adamu Danze, said he had always raised concern over security in the area, expressing hope that the victims would be rescued soon.
While calling for calm, the CP added that security forces were already working with the locals to rescue the victims. He assured that the perpetrators would be arrested and brought to book.
Some of the residents of UNIABUJA Staff Quarters, who spoke with The Guardian, expressed fear of further attacks.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the attack on the university shows the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Condemning the attack, the opposition party demanded an unconditional release of the victims to reunite with their families.
This was contained in a statement entitled, ‘Bandit Attack in UNIABUJA Under Buhari’s Security Precincts, Shocking,’ signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan on Tuesday.
WORRIED by the hardship, which insecurity is imposing on residents of Niger State, Governor Abubakar Bello has reassured the citizenry that no stone will be left unturned in addressing the situation.
During an expanded security meeting at Government House, Minna, to review security strategies, he said the government, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders were all contributing towards seeing an end to the challenges.
The governor stated that the recent positive outcome in the fight against banditry and other forms of insecurity confronting some communities in the state would be sustained.
Bello maintained that the state government was not unaware of the problems facing the people of the affected areas.
“With the renewed strategy, the insecurity situation in the state will be surmounted. By the grace of God, with the efforts being applied at the moment by the security agencies, we shall overcome most of these challenges soon,” Bello said.
The expanded meeting comprised security chiefs in the state, the Chief Judge, the House of Assembly Speaker, local council chairmen, traditional and religious leaders among others.
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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