Crime
Terrorists kill five, kidnap many in Niger, Kaduna states
By Derrick Bangura
Terrorists attacked Tafila village near Gwada town in Shiroro Local Council of Niger State, killing four people and kidnapping many more. On Saturday, about 6:30 p.m., an attack occurred.
Two ladies and two children were among those killed. The attackers’ gunshot cracked the skull of one of the children, whose mother was also killed, according to a witness from the region.
The criminals invaded the village on motorcycles, each carrying three people armed with AK-47 rifles, according to the Guardian.
They are said to have opened fire on a truck transporting residents from Erena town to the Gwada IDP camp.
Others in the truck, who were critically hurt, are reportedly being treated in a hospital.
When contacted, a senior official of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), who confirmed the story on condition of anonymity, simply said: “We heard something about the latest banditry in Gwada area, but we are yet to get details.”
However, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Wasiu Abiodun, said the police were aware of the invasion, but was silent on the number of casualties.
HOWEVER, Kaduna State Police Command has said its men, assisted by local vigilante, ambushed bandits, who abducted four persons in Zaria Local Council, and freed the victims.
It added that the bandits killed one Yarima Muhammad, who resisted abduction. The PPRO, ASP Mohammed Jalige, said the command received a distress call, on April 15, 2022 about 2340hrs, from an anonymous caller that unspecified number of suspected terrorists dressed in military gear invaded Gabari Community, Samaru, of Sabon Gari Local Council, and whisked four victims into the forest.
Jalige said: “On getting the information, the command immediately mobilised operational assets alongside men of Operation Puff Adder II and local vigilantes, who laid ambush on the bandits’ expected route.”
According to Jalige, upon preliminary investigation, the rescued victims were identified as Zaituna Muna (f) and Grace Muna (f) both of Gabari village.
He added: “Similar strategy was adopted at Gwada village, where the bandits were still expected to traverse, with the assistance of vigilantes, the remaining two victims, namely Fatima Ibrahim (f) and Amina Adamu (f) were also rescued unhurt.
“Unfortunately, it was discovered that the bandits, in the process of abducting the victims, shot and killed one Yarima Mohammed of Kufena village, who resisted been kidnapped.”
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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