Headlines
Vigilante team rescues abducted Catholic priest in Anambra
Rev. Father Cyril Okafor, a Catholic priest serving in Anambra State, has been rescued by the Umueri community vigilante team barely 24 hours after he was kidnapped.
According to reports, the priest was abducted on Tuesday afternoon in the area of the Holy Ghost Adoration Center in Igboukwu, Anambra state.
The cleric was kidnapped on Tuesday at around 3 pm but was rescued around 4:30 am on Wednesday by the vigilante team that had tracked down the kidnappers, according to a security update provided on Wednesday by Chief Johnny Chukwudi Metchie, President-General of the Umueri Community and African Director of the International Association of Peace Advocates.
Metchie said, “Today, at about 4:30 in the morning, the agile men of the Umueri vigilante group led by the CSO, Friday (Omo Fri), intercepted some kidnappers in Umueri and rescued a Reverend Father identified as Rev. Father Cyril Okafor.
“The Rev. Father was kidnapped yesterday (Tuesday), November 15, 2022, around Holy Ghost Adoration Center Igboukwu. According to the Rev. Father, who is now with the police at Otuocha Police Station, he was taken to Enugu and then to Nteje where they hoped to keep him in a hotel room, but the hotel was fully booked.
“Then, they brought him to Otuocha, Umueri, and kept him gaged in an abandoned building, waiting for his family to pay a ransom before the Umueri vigilante CSO and his team intercepted one of the kidnappers who claimed he was a visitor on his way to pray in the river that early morning.
“He was forced to lead the vigilante to where he is staying in Umueri, and that’s how he led them to the building where they kept the Rev. Father. Unfortunately, while the vigilante searched the building and questioned him, he ran away with the other three members of his gang.
“That’s when it dawned on the vigilante that they were criminals, and as they intensified the search on the building, the Rev. Father was found where he was tied up. The vigilante also recovered a Highlander SUV used by the kidnappers.
“I am thankful to God for using men of Umueri vigilante to save the life of His servant. I am so proud of the job being done by the Umueri vigilante group.
“Criminals should stay away from Umueri and the entire Omambala region because the joint task force in place will always fish them out for the law to handle.
“While investigation is going on, I beg everyone to be alert and report any suspicious person to the vigilante group. Get to know your neighbour, and be worried when you see an unknown face in any abandoned or uncompleted building.
“May God keep protecting our vigilante men and Umueri Oke-ebo Kingdom from evil people.”
Vigilante team rescues abducted Catholic priest in Anambra
Headlines
Commission, journalists partner to revamp water sector in Kaduna
The Kaduna State Water Services Regulatory Commission (KADWREC) says it is partnering media practitioners towards revamping water services in the state.
Mr Dogara Bashir, the Executive Chairman of KADWREC, disclosed this on Monday at a one-day workshop organised for media practitioners on regulation of ‘Water, Sanitation and Hygiene’ (WASH) activities held in Kaduna.
Bashir said the commission was aware of the importance of the role media practitioners played in the society.
He stated that the workshop was to provide an avenue to liaise with them as important stakeholders on water supply and sanitation services in the state.
Bashir said: “As media practitioners, we believe you are a gateway to the citizens so, the workshop would acquaint you with some of the regulations already in place so that you can in turn transmit it to the public
“The state of water services in Kaduna State is in dire need of attention and the State Water Corporation and KADWREC were established towards addressing the seeming challenges.
“The commission is mandated to ensure better service delivery and regulation of water and sanitation services in the State.
“The idea is that once the regulations are developed, we send them to the State Ministry of Justice to gazette and then we get the state government to endorse and give the go ahead to commence the implementation of the regulations
“We intend to implement them fully come January, 2025 God willing, as we have embarked on advocacy activities having gone to zones 1 and 2 where we talked to traditional rulers, security agencies and the Judiciary.”
He disclosed that a special Court has already been attached to the commission by the Chief Judge of the State for service providers who may likely violate regulations.
The chairman further said that amongst the commission’s objectives include ensuring security, reliability and quality of service in the production and delivery of water to the consumers as well making regulations to control the sinking of boreholes.
Others included; maximising access to water services by promoting and facilitating consumer connections to distribution systems in urban and rural areas.
According to Bashir, they also include ensuring that regulatory decision-making has regards to all the relevant health, safety, environmental and social legislation applying to the water sector.
Bashir further said that the commission collaborate with the relevant state and federal agencies on water policies.
Crime
2 ladies docked for allegedly obtaining money by fraud
The police in Lagos have dragged two women, Mmesuma Ofunna, and Blessing Adimekwe, before an Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, over alleged obtaining money by false pretence.
Ofunna, 22, and Adimekwe, 25, were arraigned before the Magistrate, Mr L K J Layeni, on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, stealing and conduct likely to breach peace.
They each, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, ASP Simon Uche, told the court that the defendants conspired with others now at large, to commit the offence on Oct. 26 at the Okokomaiko area of Ojo.
He alleged that they had obtained the sum of N70, 000 from one Faith Ahamefule, with a promise not to post her nude photo on social media.
The prosecutor alleged that the defendants later posted the nude photo of the nominal complainant on social media, knowing that their promise was false.
He alleged that they stole the N70, 0000, thereby conducting themselves in a manner likely to breach public peace.
The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 168(d), 287, 314, and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
The court granted the defendants bails in the sum of N500, 000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.
He adjourned the case until Jan. 8, 2025 for mention.
Headlines
Driver jailed 6 months for attempting to steal a car
A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Monday, sentenced a 37-year-old driver, Ahmad Umar to six months in imprisonment for attempting to steal a car.
The Magistrate, Shawomi Bokkos, summarily tried and sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Bokkos in his judgment, ordered the convict to pay an option of N30, 000 fine or spend six months in prison.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Ibrahim Gokwat, told the court that the case was reported on Oct. 10, at the Area Command Police station through a distress call by one Sydney Peacemorie the complainant.
Gokwat said the complainant parked his Toyota RAV4 in front of Access Bank and went inside to carry out some transactions, only to return to find the convict inside his car.
“The convict unlawfully opened the car and was in the driver’s seat when the complainant raised alarm and he was apprehended, but his accomplice escaped.
“The convict was severely beaten by a mob but was rescued by the police,” said Gokwat.
“The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the Plateau Penal Code Law.
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