Family of 4 on religious trip kidnapped in Ondo
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| From left: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and Chairman, Revenue Mobilization, Allocation & Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Engr. Elias Mbam, during the opening of a 2-Day South-West Zonal Public Hearing on Review of Revenue Allocation Formula by RMAFC, at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. Photo: Vanguard |
A reliable police source told Vanguard that the victims travelling in a blue Space bus with three other passengers were abducted by the gunmen at a spot close to a secondary school in the town while on transit from Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.
It was gathered that three other occupants in the vehicle reportedly fled the scene when they sensed that the strange faces that stopped them were kidnappers.
But the victims were unlucky as they were cornered and matched into the forest by their abductors, who shot sporadically into the air to scare away motorists on the highway.
The state police image maker, Funmilayo Odunlami, said the state police command was still not sure that the kidnap occurred in the Ondo State axis.
Odunlami, however, said the police detectives have commenced investigation into the matter.
Expatriate kidnapped at construction site regains freedom
Meanwhile, an expatriate kidnapped at the site of the Trans-Kalabri road project in Rivers State has regained freedom from his abductors.
Chairman of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, Roland Sekibo, disclosed this after a security meeting with his counterparts from Degema, Emohua, Asari-Toru council area of the state.
Gunmen had in September abducted the expatriate attached to the construction firm handling the Trans-Kalabari road project, Lubric Construction Company, LCC, while some security personnel attached to the same company were also killed.
Sekibo, who did not confirm when and how the victim was freed, stressed the need for neighbouring council chairmen to work together to end crime in the area.
He said: “You see that the collaboration is yielding fruit. As I speak to you, by the grace of God the expatriate that was kidnapped has been released because of the pressure that is coming from this kind of body.”
Ogun Police arrest 2 suspected kidnappers
In a related development, men of Ogun State Command of Nigeria Police, on Sunday, arrested two suspected kidnappers while trying to pick ransom in the state.
The suspects, according to a statement by the command’s image maker, Abimbola Oyeyemi, are Muhammed Abubakar and Clinton Niche.
Oyeyemi added that the suspects were apprehended following a report lodged at Agbara Area Command by one Stephen Ajibili, who reported that his seven-year-old son, Daniel Ajibili, was abducted by unknown persons while he was sent on an errand by his mother at about 11:20 am.
He stated further that “the abductors had called him and demanded one million naira if he wants his son released.”
Consequent to the report, acting Area Commander Agbara, CSP Kayode Shedrack, mobilised his detectives to embarked on a technical and intelligence-based investigation to unravel those behind the dastardly act.
Efforts of the detectives paid off when the suspects, who had directed the victim’s parents to drop the ransom somewhere, were ambushed and apprehended by the police detectives.
Abimbola said: “The suspects, subsequently, led the policemen to a bush where the boy was tied to a tree by his abductors.
“On interrogation, the suspects informed the police that they were three in number, but the other member of their gang was the person watching over their victim while they went out to collect the ransom.
“Having discovered that his two accomplices have been arrested, he took to flight immediately.”
Gunmen kill 3, injure others
Three people were killed and three others injured when some gunmen attacked Hukke village, Miango District, Irigwe Chiefdom of Bassa Local Government area of Plateau State, Sunday.
The incident was confirmed, yesterday, by Danjuma Auta, Secretary-General, Irigwe Development Association and Davidson Malison, National Publicity Secretary of the association.
The duo in separate messages gave the names of the deceased as “Barry Ive (42yrs), Isaiah Gado (45 yrs) and Weyi Chohu (40 yrs) and those who sustained gunshot injuries and currently receiving treatment as Bosco Gbere (50 yrs), Barnabas Lundi (20 yrs) and Moses Bombo (28yrs).”
However, Malison explained that the victims were attacked in their homes.
His words: “The militia stormed the community in the evening of Sunday. They came with their cattle and started shooting sporadically to scare the community members.
“While residents were scampering for safety, some were hit by the bullets and others injured, they ended up killing three and injuring three.
“Before the attack, they have been grazing on farmlands and destroying ready to be harvested crops, despite the warnings from security agents against the practice."
There have been series of attacks and destruction of crops in the community in the past few years. Some members of the community have relocated as their homes were razed and their means of livelihood destroyed.
The State Police Command did not confirm the incident as the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Gabriel Uba could not be reached for comment.
Boy, 16, injured in kerosene explosion
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| Akachukwu Chikamadu |
Barely a month after suspected adulterated kerosene explosion claimed about four lives in different communities in Enugu State, a 16-year-old boy, Akachukwu Chikamadu, escaped death while trying to make fire with kerosene.
The victim, who resides with his parents at Ero Uno, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, had collected the kerosene to set fire to roast corn for his father, Rev Chikamadu, of Highway to Grace Assembly when the incident occurred.
The father, Chikamadu, who narrated his ordeal to Vanguard, yesterday, said: “It was around 1 pm last Wednesday that I asked my son to roast corn for me. He had collected kerosene to make the fire but his mother insisted that instead of using the kerosene, he should rather use dried grass to set his firewood aflame.
“He was trying to put back the kerosene into the container when it exploded. I am surprised because he was yet to ignite the fire when the explosion occurred. My son would have been a dead person by now assuming his mother did not stop him from using the kerosene to set the fire.
“I am surprised that up till today, the Director of the Petrol station, Anthony Nwodo, has not bothered to ask of my son and to ascertain the degree of burn he got from the incident. He is not bothered at all even though I went to his station to table my complaint,” he explained.
The cleric called on the government and Department of Petroleum Resource, DPR, to stop the sale of adulterated products to unsuspecting customers, saying so many persons have already lost their lives in the state as a result of the adulterated kerosene circulating in many petrol stations.
But reacting to the incident, Manager, Anthobrig Oil Nigeria Limited, where the product was allegedly bought, Ugochukwu Obetta, expressed shock, adding that the station has been selling the kerosene for the past two weeks and has not received any complain from any customer.
In a similar reaction, Director of the petrol station, Anthony Nwodo, when contacted for comment, equally said nobody would intentionally buy an adulterated product to harm another person.
Man gets 3-year jail term over substandard product
An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, sitting at Tinubu, has sentenced a 42-year-old man, Jamiu Gbolahan, to three years imprisonment for supplying substandard product valued at N6,150,000, to a businessman.
Magistrate A.T. Omoyele, who handed down the verdict, sentenced him without an option of a fine.
She said the jail term is to run concurrently, starting from the day he was sentenced.
Omoyele also ordered the convict to restitute one-third of the item, by supplying the item with the right quality standard to the company.
Gbolahan was arraigned on November 1, 2017, on a three-count charge bordering on supply of substandard product, obtaining by false pretence and fraud preferred against him by the Police.
The Prosecutor, Inspector Cyriacus Osuji, had told the court that the convict committed the offences on April 3, 2017, at 6, Agbara Close Allen Avenue Ikeja.
He said that Gbolahan knowingly supplied substandard Folding Board Box Paper, which was not of the quality substance, nature and efficacy expected of the said product after being given specific grams to be supplied.
Osuji said that the convict through means of trick fraudulently obtained N6,150,000, from one Paul Adingwupu, who is the Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer of Puma Prints Concept Limited.
He said: “The convict obtained the said amount to deliver 350 grams of Folding Board Box Paper, but failed to do so and instead supplied substandard quality.
“Gbolahan with intent to commit an offence did fraudulently remove the labels on Folding Board Box Paper Packets, showing low grams of 300 grammes for it to be seen and regarded as 350 grammes valued N6,150,000 knowing same to be false.”
According to him, the offence committed is punishable under Sections 160 (1) (b), 323, 314 (1) (b) (2) and (3) of the criminal law of Lagos State 2015.
However, the convict pleaded not guilty to the charge and trial commenced.
Culled from Vanguard
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