35-man robbery gang invades Ikire, Apomu, Ikoyi

Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State.

*Kills 10 persons in Osun

IKIRE and Apomu towns in Irewole and Isokan local government areas of Osun State have in recent times featured in the news for several violent reasons, especially inter-communal clash. However, some daredevil armed robbers, Wednesday, laid siege to the two communities killing eight persons including three policemen.

It was gathered that the notorious gang, numbering about 35 entered the communities through Ikire acting on information that a bullion van would be arriving at one of the commercial banks in the two towns. 

They reportedly positioned themselves in four different strategic points where they launched the attack simultaneously at Ikire Divisional Police Headquarters, FirstBank, Ikire; Access Bank, Apomu and Armoured Personnel Carrier stationed at Ikoyi around 6:30 pm.

A resident, Taiwo Kolawole, said before the attack, about four young men sat in front of his shop, adding that their movement was suspicious.

He said: “Four strange young men sat beside my shop and I was almost tempted to challenge them but while I was contemplating asking them their mission, a car arrived with four other masked people and they launched an attack on Access Bank.

“We quickly scampared for safety and were watching them from a distance. They were shooting sporadically into the air within the bank complex but could not access the banking hall.

“While that was ongoing at Apomu, a three-man gang stormed the Ikire Police Divisional Headquarters on a commercial motorcycle. The masked men reportedly hid their rifle inside a sack and threw dynamite inside the security point before accessing the station.

"On gaining access, a Police Inspector, Lekan Olalere, and two Special Constabularies, Oladeni Olalekan and Oyedeji Muyideen were killed.

 “Similarly, at the Armoured Personnel Carrier stationed at Ikoyi junction, dynamite was used to demobilise the carrier while the mobile police officer at the station, ASP Osho Oluranti, was also killed.

"At FirstBank located around ‘Oja ale’ Ikire, dynamite was used to blast the automated doors and the banking hall was razed with gunshots,while the palace square too was attacked."

Civilian casualties

While security operatives were being killed, civilian residents were also not spared. A source revealed that a civilian resident outside the police divisional headquarters was also killed. Although police confirmed three civilian casualties but some residents insisted that four residents were killed at Apomu by the gunmen in an attempt to escape while another one was killed at Ikire.

Meanwhile, a resident, Akinsola Jelili, said his car was forcefully snatched while with his wife and two children and that he escaped by the whiskers with his family when others arrived and distracted their assailants’ attention.

OPC, local hunters' efforts

The immediate past Chairman, Irewole Local Government Area, Mr Remi Abass, said the moment it was gathered that the police station was under attack, the community resorted to mobilising local hunters, members of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, Agbekoya and others to defend the banks and other strategic places in the town.

“Upon hearing gunshots and dynamite blast around 6:30 pm simultaneously at four strategic places— at FirstBank,  Divisional Police Headquarters, Ikire, Access Bank Apomu and Armoured Personnel Carrier stationed at Ikoyi, initially, we thought it was a casual robbery attack, but when I called the DPO, he told me the station is under attack.

"Almost about the same time, I was told the palace is also under attack. The Akire also called that the palace and FirstBank were also under attack. There and then, we began to mobilise local hunters, members of Oodua People’s Congress, Agbekoya and Vigilante groups to defend the community before police re-enforcement arrived.

“The daredevil armed robbers were very strategic and with the way they operated, it showed that they had enough information because I and the local hunters numbering about 60 were at a meeting at the palace till around 6:25 pm when I was called that the armed robbers have laid siege to the two towns. We want government and security agencies to scale up their operation in the towns, especially in the area of logistics.” 

Ondo school bus hijack is robbery, not abduction — Police

*It was nasty experience — School Administrator 

Police authorities in Ondo State haver doused the tension and the palpable fear the hijack of a school bus by unknown gunmen generated across the state, yesterday.

The state Police Commissioner, Bolaji Salami, described the incident as “pure robbery and not abduction.”

Parents across the state panicked after the news of the hijacked school bus and the female attendant spread like harmattan fire.

Speaking on the incident, the Police Commissioner, Bolaji Salami, who confirmed the hijack said it was a robbery incident and asked the people of the state to go about their lawful duties.

Salami said the Police networks within and outside the state have been contacted about the development.

He added that the bus would be recovered and assured parents that the incident was not a case of kidnapping, as evident in some parts of the country.

“Initially we were thinking that the perpetrators would kidnap the lady but from all indication, they were after the school bus.

How it happened

It woud be recalled that eight unknown gunmen invaded Chimola Nursery and Primary School located at Oba-ile Estate in Akure North council of the state at about 6:45 am, yesterday.

They hijacked the bus with the driver and a female attendant, who was on duty to convey children to school. The driver and the attendant were about to pick the first student when the incident happened. 

“The driver was dragged down from the bus while one of them took over the driver’s seat and drove off with the attendant in the bus." 

The attendant identified as Omolayo Ojo later resurfaced after she was released at lkota area of the state.

School Administrator speaks

Speaking with newsmen, the administrator of the school, Mrs Bolatito Akindemowo, said: “The driver told me that three men were on a bike and took the school bus from him at gunpoint. He was asked to lie and they abducted the bus attendant. 

“The owner of the house where the incident took place happened to be an Assistant Commissioner of Police. So, immediately he called the police in Oba-Ile and the driver was taken to the police station.

" The police are on it, trying to see what they can do. I wrote my statement and the driver was left there so that he can be moving around with the police.

“We don’t have any pupil on the school bus. None of our pupils has been abducted. It was an empty bus with the driver and the attendant."

Victim narrates her experience

Omolayo Ojo

Narrating her ordeal, the victim, Omolayo Ojo, said: “We were on our way to pick our first pupil when we saw Okada  behind us. They were three of them. When I noticed that they were riding the Okada roughly, I told the driver not to engage them in any argument regarding the rough riding.

“Two of them came down from the bike, I saw gun and axe.  I immediately told the driver that we should immediately use the vehicle’s child-lock so that they won’t be able to open the door from outside. 

“At that point, they pointed their guns at us. We now opened the door and they dragged the driver out and told him to lie down."

 The other one now pinned my head down on the bus and told me that if I need my life I should corporate with them. 

“While they were taking me away, they started asking me questions. They asked for my name and I told them. They asked about my mother, I told them that she was dead and that my father is still alive. 

“They then told me that they will not kill me that I’m innocent but I should corporate with them and that I must not shout.

“l don’t even know where they drove me to. But on getting to a very thick part of the bush they now pushed me down. 

“They said I should run and that I must not look back. I was able to get to a particular junction. On getting to the junction, I became confused on which direction I should take. When I couldn’t make up my mind, I started shouting. 

“ I saw an elderly woman and I approached her to explain all that happened to her. She was the one who now told me that I’m between Ikota and Ilara-Mokin. 

“She told me to move forward that I’ll get to the major road. But on getting to the road, none of the vehicles I pleaded with stopped to assist me.

“It was an Okada man, who later stopped and took me to Ilara-Mokin, that gave me N500 that I should find my way to Akure. A chief in Ilara-Mokin later told a bike to take me to Akure. They did not touch me. End

Massacre: 300 herdsmen attacked us — Ebonyi victims

MORE revelations on the attack that took place in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State emerged, yesterday, with victims of Ebonyi communities residing in Benue State giving details of their ordeals in the hands of their assailants.

Armed herdsmen last Sunday invaded Odoke Ishieke, Obakotara Ishieke and Ndiobasi Ishieke communities in the Ado Local Government Area of Benue State at about 3 am and killed over 30 persons, including pregnant women and nursing mothers.

The victims recounted their ordeals before Governor David Umahi, who visited the victims, yesterday, at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital 2, Abakaliki, where they are currently receiving treatment.

Recounting what happened, one of the victims, 23-year-old Chinyere Uduka, said: “I am from Nwori village, Nwaobasi community in the Ado Local Government Area of Benue State.

“It was in the morning of Sunday, May 30, 2021, at exactly 3.30 am, I was fast asleep with my sisters when I heard a serious bang on the door and when I opened my eyes I saw flashes of torchlight, very many of them. 

“Before I knew what was happening, they started inflicting machete cuts on us and it was then that we started jumping through windows and as I was running, they started shooting and they shot me in the legs. That’s why  I’m here in the hospital. I can’t walk now. The herdsmen that attacked us, were up to 300.”

Another victim, 13-year-old Udaga Lebechi, told Vanguard that her father and three younger siblings were killed in the attack. 

He said: “It was the herdsmen that attacked us at Odoke community in the Ado Local Government Area of Benue State.   They were over 300 and they started cutting us with their cutlasses. And three of my siblings were attacked.  They killed my father and my three little ones.”

Another victim, who was writhing in pains, said: “My name is Steven Nwali. I’m from Ishieke Obakotara in the Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, but I’m based in Odoke community in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State. But we are neither in Benue State nor in Ebonyi State.

“I am 34 years old. Herdsmen attacked our community at about 2.30 am on Sunday. They were more than 300 of them. They killed our people; and in fact, they killed more than half of the population of the community. 

“Currently, you can see I can’t walk or sit down, because of the bullet wounds on my body. It’s a terrible situation. Government should intervene.”

Umahi expresses sadness 

After listening to their ordeal, Governor Umahi expressed sadness on the colossal loss of lives orchestrated by the senseless killings by the herders, wondering how human lives no longer meant much to the sensibilities of Nigerians.

He said:: “What I saw this afternoon is nothing but an act of wickedness and satanism, I do not know for any reason why people should be raping two-year-old children, putting a knife on one year old, killing little children, killing fathers and mothers for what reason, and what worries me most is that the deputy governor of Benue State came on air to say that they don’t know whether these people are from Benue State or Ebonyi State. That is a height of irresponsibility.

“We know we have boundary problem with Benue State but we have a buffer zone and these places are not within the buffer zone, these people are citizens of Benue State, paying their taxes in Benue State, facilities, everything in Benue State, yes, some of them are Ebonyi speaking people."

“Everything should not be reduced to blame games, people of Benue State should form their kind of Ebubeagu to protect their people instead of blaming Mr President, Mr President cannot be everywhere.

“If they want to belong to Ebonyi, let Benue people allow them so that we can get that place and protect their lives. They will fail to protect them and still pretend that the place is in Benue State.”

The governor advised AK-47 carrying herders and criminals to stay out of Ebonyi State as the state is not safe for them. “And let me warn, anybody that is not security agency with Ak-47, it doesn’t matter who you are, if you come to Ebonyi with it, you must be fought to a standstill. Whether it is sticks, sand, or fire, anything we see, we will use and fight you.

“Enough of this madness; it is sheer madness. This kind of wickedness can bring a curse upon a nation; it’s not acceptable.

“When madness meets with madness, there is a balance of terror and sanity will return. We cannot fold our hands and watch our people slaughtered as such.”

He condemned the laxity of the Benue State government in taking responsibility to protect their citizens who duly pay their taxes and other obligations to their state government, noting that the Benue State government should have visited the hospital where their indigenes are receiving treatment before now.

He called on the Izhi-speaking people of Benue State to form a vigilante to protect themselves from foreign incursion instead of waiting on the Benue State Government that is averse to complaints than solutions.

He promised to foot the medical bills, provide shelter and feeding of the victims receiving treatment at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.

The Chairman of Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Mrs Chinyere Nwaogbaga, who began the evacuation of the victims to the Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital 2, Abakaliki, on Sunday, said many lives were lost to the crisis. 

She stated this while fielding questions from Journalists at the AE-FUTHA 2, Abakaliki, on Tuesday.

“It was on the 29th of May, 2021 (Saturday), that we got a report that herdsmen were going to attack us in Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. When that report came, I informed the security agencies and others and everybody was on the alert. 

“So, we didn’t know that it was on Sunday that these people would attack the Izzi and Ebonyi LGAs natives resident in the Ado Local Government Area of Benue State. 

“They said they herdsmen were up to 300 that attacked Nwori Nwaobasi, Odoke and Obakotara communities in the Ado LGA of Benue State, which is inhabited mostly by Ebonyi people. 

“When we got there, we saw that many people were killed and that many houses were burnt. I informed the governor and he immediately directed that we start evacuating them, and we didn’t waste time in evacuating them. That’s why the victims are here in this hospital.

“That place now is under dispute. We have gone to Benue, Enugu and the National Boundary Commission (Abuja). While some people in Benue say the place belongs to Benue, others in Ebonyi speaking areas in that place say it belongs to Ebonyi State. But for now, it’s in Benue State.” 

Culled from Vanguard