5 Men Burnt To Death For Allegedly Trying To Steal Tricycle In Onitsha (Graphic Photos)

 Five men were burnt to death after they allegedly attempted to snatch a tricycle operator of his tricycle in Onitsha, Anambra State.

The incident occurred at old Nkpor road, close to the headquarters of People’s Club, in the commercial city of Onitsha on Saturday, March 25, 2023.

An eyewitness said the suspects allegedly tried to steal a tricycle from the owner in broad daylight when they ran out of luck and were caught.

“Mob who gathered after the men were rounded up, refused the advice of some people to call in the police. They started by striping the men naked and beating them up, and eventually, some people brought old tires and fuel, and they were set ablaze. It was a terrible sight today, and everyone watched and supervised, while the men burnt to death,” he said.

Police Bust Syndicate Kidnapping Children In Niger, Arrest Three Suspects

 The Niger State Police Command has busted a syndicate behind the kidnapping of children in Suleja and arrested three suspects.

Spokesperson of the command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, March 23, 2023, said the arrest was sequel to the abduction of two children, Abdullahi Umar, 5, and Rahamat Umar, 3, last October in Suleja.

The PPRO said two suspects, Savior Ebuka and Mary Peter, were arrested in Gwagawalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Further interrogation and investigation led to the arrest of Chinwe Egwu, in the Lugbe area of FCT. She was found to be in charge of one Adorable Orphanage home, where seven children were rescued, including the two abducted in Suleja.

“It could be recalled that on 20/10/2022 at about 1125hrs, an incident of suspected abduction of two children was reported at 'B' Div. Suleja, that on 19/10/2022 at about 2100hrs, two children of age 5/3yrs, both m/f of water board area of Suleja were missing and were suspected to have been taken away by a new tenant who just moved into the compound,” the statement read.

"However, the landlord and agent who leased the apartment to the suspected tenant were invited for interrogation, as the matter was transferred to SCID Minna for discreet investigation.

"During painstaking investigation, the Anti-kidnapping unit of the Command trailed the suspects and arrested one Saviour Ebuka 20yrs and Mary Peter 25yrs at Tunga-Maje via Gwagwalada area of FCT Abuja on 20/01/2023 and 18/02/2023 respectively.

"During interrogation, Saviour confessed to having conspired with one Ifeoma and Patience, both presently at large to perpetrate the act, because Ifeoma agreed to pay him and Patience two hundred and fifty thousand nairas each, but she had only paid Patience while he is yet to be paid.

"He said the children were abducted and taken to Ifeoma at the same address where she had an illegal orphanage home called "Famous Kids home" but Ifeoma later left for an unknown destination and transferred the children to another person.

"The Police operatives intensified efforts on the investigation and later identified one Chinwe Egwu, 49yrs of Lugbe area Abuja as the illegal custodian of the children.

"The team proceeded to Lugbe, where the said Chinwe was arrested on 13/03/2023. She was found to be in charge of one Adorable Orphanage home, where seven children were rescued, including the two reportedly abducted children, Abdullahi Umar 5yr, and Rahamat Umar 3yrs.

"Five children among the seven rescued were immediately handed over to the Social Welfare Department of FCT. Fortunately, three other children abducted from different locations in Suleja and Tafa were equally rescued from Chinwe on 14/03/2023 due to her confessions.

“Effort is ongoing to arrest the said Ifeoma and Patience, as the case is under investigation, and suspects arrested so far will be prosecuted accordingly as soon as the investigation is concluded.”

Armed Robbers Who Robbed Woman Say Her In-law Informed Them She Had Money

 The Edo state police command has arrested four suspected armed robbers who disguised in military uniforms and robbed a woman, Grace Ainabe, of N400,000.

Spokesperson of the state police command, SP Chidi Nwabuze, who spoke while parading the suspects before newsmen, said the suspects attacked and robbed the victim of her money and other valuables in Benin city, the state capital.

He gave the names of the suspects as Iyabo Victor 35, Osas Aganmwonyi 28, Nosa Owie 24, and Idi Etukudo. The police spokesperson said the suspects were arrested by the command's Intelligence officers following a report by the victim.

He mentioned that the suspects led by Victor, while dressed in military uniforms and armed with guns, broke into the victim's house in the Teboga community and carted away money, phones, and pieces of jewelry.

“The suspect entered her house through the POP ceiling and robbed the entire family of their belongings and forcefully transferred N447,000 from the victim’s account. They collected her phone and forcefully obtained her secret code number for them to have access to her bank detail,” he said.

After the transfer, Nwabuzor said the suspects changed the money to foreign currency and shared it among themselves before they were arrested. According to him, the items recovered from them include iPhone 13 worth N500,000.00, iPhone 6 worth N48,000.00, and jewelry worth N850,000. Others include a table fan valued at N140,000, a standing fan worth N95,000, an LG split Air-condition worth N360,000, a washing machine, an Inverter battery and accessories, and gas cylinders, among others.

When interrogated, the prime suspect said an in-law to their victim, Johanna, had disclosed to them that she had some money on her and that they should go and rob her.

“I got the military uniform from the house of a military officer, who died sometimes ago. We entered the woman's house through the ceiling, forcefully collected her pin, and transferred the money to her account,” Victor said.

Efforts are being made to apprehend the said Johanna who is currently on the run, according to the police.

Father Remanded In Prison For Raping His 18-Year-Old Daughter Inside His Shop

 A 36-year-old man identified as Roland Okajere has been remanded in Kirikiri Correctional Centre by an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court sitting at Ogba, Lagos State, for allegedly raping his 18-year-old daughter inside his shop in the Ikotun area of the state, IGBERETV reports.

On Monday, March 13, Okajere was arraigned on a charge bordering on rape and was accused of committing the offense on January 4, 2023.

Police prosecutor, Inspector Esther Igbineweka told the court that the offense committed is punishable under Section 260 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The charge sheet read;

“That you, Roland Okajere, on January 4, 2023, at your shop at Ikotun Bus Stop, Lagos State, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did rape your daughter, 18, by having sexual intercourse with her without her consent and thereby committed an offense punishable under Section 260 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”

The Magistrate, Mr. L. A Owolabi did not take the defendant’s plea. He ordered that the defendant be remanded for 30 days pending the receipt of advice from the Director of Public Prosecution. The case was adjourned till April 12, 2023, for mention.

Police Arrest 5 SUSPECTED Ritualists IN OGUN

 Operatives of Ogun State Police Command have arrested five members of a ritualist gang who have been exhuming corpses from their graves and removing parts of their bodies for ritual purposes.

The suspects; Oshole Fayemi, 60, Osemi Adesanya 39, Ismaila Seidu 30, Oseni Oluwasegun 69, and Lawal Olaiya 50 were arrested, following information received by the Police at Odogbolu divisional headquarters, the gang who are responsible for series of corpse exhumation within Ososa community were planning somewhere within the town to carry out another round of human parts harvest.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abimbola Oyeyemi confirmed the arrest of the suspects in a statement in Abeokuta.

According to Mr. Oyeyemi. On interrogation, the suspects made confessional statements that they were actually into the business of exhuming corpses from their graves and that they used to sell parts of the such corpse to their standby buyers who needed them for money-making rituals.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba, has directed that the suspects be transferred to State Criminal Investigation Departments for discreet investigation and possible prosecution.

Man Stabs Rival To Death In Adamawa Over Teenage Girl

 Muhammed who hails from Mararaba in Madagali LGA allegedly killed his rival in the neighborhood, identified simply as Bakura, during a quarrel over a girlfriend that they were allegedly sharing.

Muhammed was reported to have caused the death of Bakura in the brawl which occurred on February 15, at the compound of the 17-year-old girl who is identified as Maryam Mohammed.

Muhammed admitted stabbing Bakura by the neck over the teenager who he said he had proposed to marry after dating her for three years.

According to the Police, Bakura himself had insisted that the teenage girl was his and had warned Muhammed to keep away from her.

The stage was thus set when they both met at the girl’s place on the fateful February 15 and began the fight when Muhammed allegedly used a knife in his possession to stab Bakura who slumped and died instantly.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Adamawa State, SP Suleiman Nguroje, who confirmed the incident on Tuesday, assured that the suspect will be charged to court for prosecution.

Soldiers Shoot 15-year-old Boy, Keke Operator Dead In Lagos

 The family of a 15-year-old boy, Pelumi Sulaimon, has been thrown into mourning after soldiers attached to Operation MESA allegedly shot him dead around Makoko, in the Yaba area of Lagos State.

According to residents in the area, the soldiers were hired by political thugs to carry out a reprisal on their opponents in the community on Sunday, February 26.

PUNCH Metro gathered that when the soldiers got to the community, they started shooting indiscriminately. In the process, a stray bullet hit Pelumi who was on his way to buy drinks for his friends to celebrate his birthday.

The soldiers, led by a political thug identified simply as Nuru, were also said to have gunned down a tricycle operator, identified simply as Aloma, whom they mistook for one of their targets.

According to Pelumi’s relative, Musbau Ayinde, the events that led to the death of the Junior Secondary School Three pupil were a result of a clash caused by political rivalry in the community.

He said, “There was a clash between members of two political parties at a base close to Makoko roundabout on Thursday night. The fight was later settled after the intervention of some residents in the area.

“After that, there was another confrontation between them during the election held on Saturday but that did not lead to a fight and we all thought it had ended there not until Sunday when a thug belonging to one of the political parties brought soldiers and stormed the base where the clash occurred the last time.

“When they got there, they did not meet their targets, so the soldiers who were attached to the OP MESA started to shoot indiscriminately and that was how one of the bullets hit Pelumi in his ribs. A tricycle rider known as Aloma was also shot dead.

“He was about to get passengers at the park when he heard the gunshots and fled. But they thought he was one of their targets and that was how they aimed at him and shot him. Even after he fell down, they came down from their van, moved close to him, and shot him again in the head.”

Pelumi’s elder brother, Afeez, said he was with his friends when a resident told him that the soldiers had shot his brother.

He said, “I was with my friends when the soldiers arrived in the area in a van which had the inscription of OP MESA on it with a covered number plate. That was around 3pm. They came in through the Sabo area with four soldiers hanging at the back of the van.

“Shortly after, someone came to tell me that our last born had been shot. I rushed down to the place and saw my immediate younger sister at the spot trying to lift him (Pelumi) up from the ground. That was when some residents joined to carry him to a hospital at Oko Agbon.

“When we got there, they referred us to another hospital on Harvey Road. That was where he passed away. The hospital asked us to get a police report before releasing the corpse. So, it was policemen from Adekunle that took the corpse from the hospital and deposited it in the mortuary.”

Afeez said Pelumi just turned 15 years old on the day he was shot, adding that he stepped out to buy drinks to celebrate with his friends when the incident happened.

The people we met at the spot where he was shot said a political thug known as Nuru was sighted in the van of the military officers. And they left the community through Iwaya Road after carrying out the operation,” he added.

Our correspondent gathered that Pelumi and Aloma were buried on Wednesday.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident.

“The case is at the State Criminal Investigation Department. No suspect has been arrested yet and the investigation is still ongoing,” he said.

The Deputy Director, of Public Relations, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Olabisi Ayeni, could not be reached for comment.

He had yet to reply to a text message sent to his mobile number as of the time this report was filed.