ANGRY MOB BURNS 3 SUSPECTED ROBBERS

Three suspected robbers were on Saturday burnt to death by a mob at Orlu in Imo State.

The suspects, an witnesses said, they were caught robbing traders and shot on the legs by security operatives to prevent them
from escaping and were beaten to stupor by the angry mob before setting them ablaze.

The State Police Spokesman, CSP Mike Abattam, in a statement issued on Sunday in Owerri, the state capital said, the three armed men were caught on Saturday in Umuna Orlu Local Government Area of the state, allegedly robbing some traders and were set ablaze by an angry mob.

“On 24/7/2021 at about 0630 hours, the inhabitants of Owarri lbiri caught in the act three armed robbers while in the act three armed robbers while robbing some traders yet to be identified.

“It is believed that they are the ones that have been terrorising the community using an unmarked
motorcycle to rob innocent people, especially traders along Owerri Orlu Road in Imo. The robbers were beaten, tied and set ablaze before the Police patrol
team arrived at the scene and efforts made to arrest the perpetrators proved abortive as they all ran away on sighting the Police”.

Condemning the barbaric act, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abutu Yaro, advised members of the public and be communities alike to always hand over suspects to the police for proper investigations and prosecution instead of taking the laws into their own hands.

According to the statement, “The Commissioner has also set up an investigating team from the State Criminal Investigation Department SCID of the command to investigate the cause and possible ways to prevent future mob actions in the state” the Police Spokesman concluded.

FG FURTHER EXTENDS NIN-SIM VERIFICATION

The Federal Government has extended the deadline for NIN-SIM data verification from July 26, 2021 to October 31, 2021.

Director, Public Affairs Nigerian Communications Commission, kechukwu Adinde; and the Head,
Corporate Communications, Nigeria Identity Management Commission, Kayode Adegoke, made this known in a joint statement on Sunday, July 25.

According to the statement, “The Federal Government has approved the extension of the deadline for NIN-SIM
data verification to October 31, 2021.

The decision to extend the deadline was made following a request by
stakeholders to accommodate registration in hard-to-reach remote areas, foreigners and diplomatic missions, diaspora and address low enrolments in schools and hospitals, as evidenced by enrolment statistics.”

MAN SETS CHURCH ABLAZE OVER ‘FAKE’ PROPHECIES

A 28 year old man identified as Oluwatosin Adegoke has allegedly burnt down a church in Lagos State.

The man, according to Sources, allegedly burnt down God of Truth Covenant Evangelical Church located at Akinbolade Street off Arobaba Street, Idimu area of Laaos State, for alleged fake prophecy by the General Overseer of the church.

The source said Adegoke, who had been a member of the church for several years, alleged that the owner of the church, a prophetess, was fake because, his condition didn’t improve despite all the prophecies revealed to by the Prophetess were unfulfilled.

Angered by the development, Adegoke was said to have resorted to destroying the church’s properties and consequently set the church ablaze with a substance suspected to be fuel after ordering the
prophetess to close the church and she ignored him.

After completing the action, enraged Adegoke, waited patiently in front of the church until he was arrested by police Policemen from Area M Command, ldimu, for arson.

It was, however, gathered that the prophetess claimed Adegoke was mentally ill hence his action, but Adegoke denied being manually ill.

Adegoke was subsequently
arraigned before the Ejigbo Magistrates Court for arson where he pleaded guilty to the offence charged while the Prosecutor, Inspector Benedict Aigbokhan, applied for a short adjournment to enable him present the facts of the matter before the court.

Presiding Magistrate, E. O.
Ogunkanmi, ordered that Adegoke be remanded in the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos and adjourned the matter to
Monday, July 26.

POLICE REPELS ATTACK ON DIVISIONAL HEADQUARTERS

The Kaduna State Police Command has confirmed the killing of an Inspector and two other personells during an attack by gunmen on a Divisional Police Headquarters.

The attack was confirmed by the State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Muhammed Jalige, who said the attackers targeted the division’s armoury.

Jalige said “On the 23th July, 2021 at 2300hrs there was an attack on Maraban Jos Divisional Police Headquarters where bandits in large number came in three Sharon utility vehicles and in their desperate attempt to override the Personnel on duty shot sporadically in order to gain access into the Divisional amoury but met professional and stiffer resistance from the personnel on duty.

The PPRO disclosed that a gun duel which ensued between the bandits and the Station Guards lasted for some minutes but the superior and tactical fire power of the Police forced the bandits to retreat while some of them sustained fatal bullet wounds.

“Investigation into the incident has since commenced using the available evidence recovered from the scene as effort is geared towards apprehending the fleeing hoodlums.

“In view of the above incident, the Commissioner of Police Kaduna Command, issued a standing directive
to all Officers of the Command to ensure that proactive measures are
emplaced to protect all Police facilities in the state and forestall the repeat of
the ugly incident” Mohamed Jalige added.

EDO POLICE RESCUES 11 YEARS OLD BOY FROM KIDNAPPERS

Officers of the Edo State Police Command have rescued an 11-year-old
boy who was abducted by hoodlums suspected kidnappers.

The operation, led by its Commander, SP Patrick Balogun involved
pain-staking/high-tech tracking and
intelligence-led techniques that uncovered the hoodlums hideout in the Uneme Eruru/Okpella area of Akoko Edo.

Public Relations Officer of the Command, Bello Kontongs, in a statement on Friday, noted that the victim was kidnapped on Monday, 19 July, 2021, at Ososo, in Akoko-Edo Local
Government Area of the State.

The statement noted that upon receipt of report of the abduction of the boy, the Commissioner of Police, Philip Ogbadu, immediately drafted operatives from the Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber-crime unit of the
Command, led by Patrick Balogun to go after the hoodlums.

Balogun and his men tracked the hoodlums to their hide-out in Uneme
Eruru/Okpella area of Akoko-Edo.

The statement disclosed that, “Upon sighting the operatives, the abductors engaged them in a gun duel but they were overwhelmed by the superior firepower from the police which caused them to abandon the victim unhurt.

“An operational motorcycle without registration number and a Techno Android Phone was recovered after the abductors fled into the bush with various degrees of gun injuries. Bush combing is on top gear with the aim of arresting the hoodlums, while investiaation is still ongoing to unravel the true identity of those behind the
abduction of the boy”

While advising criminals to relocate from the state or face the full wrath of the law, he reiterated the Command’s commitment to its core mandate of
protecting lives and property.

The statement also warned criminal elemets that Edo State Command, under the
leadership of Phillip Ogbadu, can never be a safe haven for criminals and their activities.

The Police authorities enjoined members of the public to call control room numbers on 08037646272, 08123827225, 08056776365, and 0807TI73721 to
report in times of distress.

WIFE STABS HUSBAND TO DEATH

A woman, has reportedly stabbed her husband to death in Delta State.

It was gathered that the trgic incident which occured on Wednesday in Ulogwe-Isumpe community in Utagbe-Unor,Delta State on caused pandemonium in the area.

Sources revealed that the woman allegedly stabbed her husband to death with a kitchen knife following a marital dispute between them.

The deceased identified as Oluchi,was rushed to the hospital by his neighbours, and was pronounced dead by the Doctors on duty, while the woman was consequently arrested.

Acting Police Public
Relations Officer, Delta State Police Command, DSP Bright Edafe, said he was yet to get details of the incident, adding that the Divisional Police Officer of Kwale Division has already detailed his men to investigate the case.

COURT REMANDS ARMED ROBBERY SUSPECTS

A Benin High Court, Criminal Division, has remanded one 32 year old Ubogu Kingsley, and Bello Audu, 28, in the custody of the Correctional Centre for alleged conspiracy and armed robbery charges.

The duo and others now at large on the 5th day of July, 2021, along Iheya Street near five junction, Benin City, conspired to rob one Oritsetimeyin of her Toyota Matrix Car valued at about N2,000,000.00 while armed with gun.

Information available on the charge sheet indicates that the suspects, on the same date, time,, place also robbed another victim, identified as Aizenosa of her Iphone X mobile phone valued at N195,000.00 and at the time of the robbery at gun point.

The offence, according to the Prosecution, is contrary to Section 1 (2) (a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap R11, Laws of the Federation of
Nigeria, 2004.

Presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Efe Ikponmwoba, made their remand order and directed that their case file be duplicated and forwarded to the office of the State Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, for legal advice.

ARMY OFFICER ALLEGEDLY KILLED BY SUSPECTED CULTISTS

A military officer attached to the 16 Brigade, Yenagoa, Abbas Fatai, has been reportedly killed by suspected members of the Icelanders cult group.

Fatai was reportedly shot dead at about 09:12 p.m. in his neighbourhood on July 22, at lgbogene Junction in Yenagoa, Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The cult group led by one Confidence allegedly attacked and shot the officer who was subsequently rushed to the hospital where later confirmed dead.

Preliminary investigations by the army, said:
“Suspected members of lcelanders cult group led by one Mr. Confidence attacked and shot 08NA/61/2298 CPL Abbas Fatai of 16 Brigade at lgbogene Junction in Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa State” the message read in part.

Military Sources disclosed that Mr Fatai’s body had been deposited at Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, as soldiers have also launched a manhunt for the suspects.

COURT RULES THAT ORIGHOMISAN KAKA CAN STAND ALLEGED KIDNAPPING, MURDER TRIAL WITH PRINCE JOHNSON ATSELEGHE

A Benin High Court, Criminal Division, has dismissed a motion filed by Counsel to Prince Johnson Atseleghe, the Iyatsere of Warri, against standing alleged kidnapping and murder related trial with one Orighomisan Kaka.

Delivering ruling on argument earlier raised for and against adding Orighomisan Kaka, and ammending the charge, the presiding Judge, Hon. Justice mary Itsueli, held that the Attorney General was at liberty to do so.

The court also held that Section 211 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as ammended, described the powers of the AG is pre-eminent and incontestable, and as such, the power of the Prosecution to ammend a charge and substitute a Defendant is not in doubt.

Hon. Justice Itsueli, while granting the ammendment to add Orighomisan Kaka as the 9th Defendant, said Section 208 of the Edo State Administration of Criminal Justice Law did not prohibit joint prosecution of Defendant’s.

The court noted that granting the ammendment does not constitute injustice and an abuse of court process and will not prejudice the rights of the eight other Defendants.

The court also dismissed the motion filed by Counsel to the 1st to the 7th Defendants for lack of merit.

The Defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge after the Court Registrar read it out to them.

The Defendants were alleged to have on 7th May 2020, at Ologbo town, Benin City, allegedly conspired to murder one Sunny Etchie at Ologbo Town, Edo State.

Prince Johnson Atseleghe was alleged to have procured and counselled Nosa Omoregie and Orighomisan Kaka and others now at large to kidnap Sunny Etchie.

It was alleged that Nosa Omoregie and others now at large in January 2020, willfully destroyed the house of late Sunny Etchie.

The 1st to the 9th Defendants are; Oluwa Etsemaje, Ayokotse Robinson, Nosa Omoregie, Felicia Otikpere, Ayuwa Mofe, Benjamin Erewa, Prince Johnson Atseleghe and Orighomisan Kaka.

The matter was adjourned to 24th September 2021 for hearing.

GUNMEN KILLS POLICEMEN, SETS VEHICLE ABLAZE

Some Policemen have been allegedly shot and killed by gunmen at a police checkpoint along Obeagu Uno-Amodu Umueze Amechi road, in the Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State.

According to Sources, the unknown gunmen engaged the Policemen in a gun duel which lasted about 30 minutes, overpowered and killed the Policemen, set their Hilux van ablaze and made away with their AK-47 riffles.

The Source who pleaded anonymity disclosed that the gunmen who came from Agbani axis of the road, had first encounter with the policemen at 4 Corner in Amagunze, Nkanu East Council headquarters shortly after Iyanba Bridge at about 7pm on Wednesday before going to attack the checkpoint at Enugu South.

Contacted for comments, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the incident but could not give details of casualties.

ASP Daniel Ndukwe, also disclosed that preliminary investigations have
commenced on the incident.

Meanwhile, Governor lfeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu
State, on Thursday, paid condolence visits to families of some of the slained Police officers.

The Governor, who
condoled with the families offered automatic employment to the wives
of the deceased, paid three months salaries of their late husbands including other cash donations.

Gov. Ugwuanyi announced that the condolence package is applicable to wives of other affected officers, adding that the spouses also have the option of scholarship of their children to secondary school level in place of automatic employment.

The Governor, who was led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of State Criminal
Investigation and Intelligence Department (CIID), ACP Fidelis Ogarabe, and a team of other senior Police Officers, prayed for the repose of the souls of the victims and assured that their deaths will not be in vain.

Amongst the slained Officers were; Inspectors Tion Timothy from Benue State and Emeka Nnaji from Enugu State.