Land dispute: 2 sentenced to death for killing uncle

TWO men have been sentenced to death by hanging for killing their uncle, one Imo Effiong Edet over landed property in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

The duo, Joseph Etim (32) from Akpautong and Christopher Macaulay (31), a native of Obio Aduang, both in Ibesikpo Asutan, were condemned to death, yesterday, by an Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo. Trial judge in the matter was Justice Okon Okon.

Justice Okon found the accused persons guilty of murder, punishable by death under section 326 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Volume 2, Laws of Akwa Ibom State, 2000.

The convicts were said to have confessed that an elder brother of the deceased identified as Imeobong Edet had contracted them to kill his younger brother, Imo Edet, for refusing to give him their late father’s landed property. 

They also confessed that Imeobong Edet had promised them some portion of the land, should they kill his younger brother, a deal they successfully carried out on November, 19, 2016.

Justice Okon held that there was “admissible evidence that the deceased died instantaneously, following attack, who inflicted machete cuts on his head and slit his throat with a knife.”

He described the death as gruesome, adding: “The evidence of the prosecution, including the statement by the wife and son of the deceased and the confession of the accused persons, have satisfied the essential elements of murder.

“The law is trite that where the deceased as in the instant case, was attacked with lethal or dead dealing weapon and died instantly, then medical evidence is not essential and the cause of death can properly be inferred that the wound inflicted caused the death.

“In a criminal trial, confession is the best evidence to prove a crime. It is the evidence given by the accused himself regarding what role he played in the commission of the offense charged. By confession, the accused surrenders himself to the law and becomes his own accuser.

“An accused person can be convicted solely on the basis of his confessional statement proven by the satisfaction of the court.  The sentence of this court upon you, Joseph Etim and Christopher Macaulay is that each of you be hanged by the neck, until you be dead. May God have mercy on your soul.”

Meanwhile,  Imeobong Edet, their elder uncle, who was standing trial in the case as the third accused person, however, died in prison custody and his name struck off.

Kidnapped victim found dead

A man, Adegboyega Onijala, who was kidnapped, weekend, in Kwara State has been found dead.

Onijala was returning from his farm on Saturday when he was abducted by six armed men and led into the bush at Olla near  Oke Onigbin, in Isin Local Government Area of the state.

Ambassador Olutola Onijala, elder brother of the diseased, while reacting to the incident, regretted that despite efforts to rescue his kinsman, he still died in the custody of the kidnappers.

He also told journalists that the kidnappers had asked for huge ransom, part of which had been paid before the victim was found dead in the forest.

It was gathered that the body of the victim was found by hunters in the forest during a forest combing operation embarked upon by the hunters and vigilantes.

Another family member said that the machete injury sustained during the process of his kidnap must have made him lose so much blood while in forest.

Kwara State Police Command spokesperson, Okasanmi Ajayi, in a statement, said: “We wish to inform the good people of Kwara State about  the recovery of the dead body of one Olujala Adegboja, 56, who was kidnapped on the 19/11/2021 at Olla town in Isin LGA of Kwara State."

“The command wishes to express her condolences to the people of Olla in particular and Kwara State in general and to state that every available human and material resources to the command was deployed in the effort to get the deceased rescued alive, but unfortunately, the reverse was the case, as he died as a result of the severe injuries to his left hand inflicted on him by the kidnappers.

2 killed in Plateau community

AFTER some weeks of reprieve, armed men,  last Tuesday, killed two-person in Ancha village, Miango District, Irigwe Chiefdom, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Ancha is one of the communities in the chiefdom that have witnessed a series of attacks and destruction of farmland in the state.

The victims were said to be working on their farm in the afternoon when they were ambushed and killed by the assailants.

State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Gabriel Uba, said: “There was an attack at Ancha by yet-to-be identified people. Two persons were killed, investigation is ongoing.”

However, Davidson Malison, National Publicity Secretary, Irigwe Development Association, IDA, who also confirmed the incident, said: “Two Rigwe persons were killed by Fulani herdsmen at Ancha village. The two persons were ambushed and killed while on their farm working on their means of livelihood mid afternoon. 

“I spoke with the Divisional Police Officer, DPO of Bassa who said he was on his way to the scene. Names of those killed are, Daniel James, 32years old and Zakwe Deba, 35years old.

“The entire Rigwe nation is saddened by this unfortunate development and call for more proactive measures by security personnel and government in ending this bloodletting in the land. These atrocities being committed by Fulani militia have had a gross negative effect on our people and it must be stopped.”

Man arrested over attempt to sell 2 daughters for N700,000

OPERATIVES of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Akwa Ibom State Command have arrested one Elisha Effiong for allegedly conspiring with his wife to sell their two daughters ages six and four for N700,000.

Effiong, who lives in Cameroon with his wife, was arrested in Uyo November 15, 2021, through an intelligence while trying to sell their two daughters.

A statement, by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Umana Ukeme, said the suspect claimed that their decision to sell their children was borne out of extreme hardship.

Ukeme said the suspect confided with a private security guard of his plan, while the guard, in turn, notified the commandant of the corps, Mr. Abidemi Majekodunmi,  who immediately ordered the arrest of the culprit.

He said: “The suspect, Elisha Effiong, was apprehended with his two children identified while attempting to sell them for N700,000 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

“Effiong, 40 years, was apprehended at FulCare Hospital on Ekpanya Street, where he notified the security guard of his intention to sell his two children to pay off his debt and meet other financial challenges.

“The security man notified the NSCDC and immediately, Abidemi Majekodunmi detailed personnel of the Anti-human trafficking unit of the corps, who swung into action and apprehended the suspect alongside with his two daughters.”

According to Ukeme preliminary investigations have been concluded while the case would be transferred to NAPTIP zonal office, Uyo for prosecution.

The commandant who commended the private security guard for the prompt release of intelligence that aided the arrest of the suspect, however, condemned the heinous act, describing it as a crime against humanity.

He called on Akwa Ibom people to always avail personnel of the corps with timely and actionable intelligence that could lead to arrest and tracking of criminal elements in the state.

Police rescue 5 students, 19 others abducted by bandits in Zamfara

Police authorities in Zamfara State said they have rescued 24 people abducted by bandits in Shinkafi and Tsafe Local Government Areas of the state.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ayuba Elkana, disclosed this while briefing reporters at the command headquarters in Gusau, the state capital.

He explained that among those rescued by the security operatives were five students, including a student of the Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda.

Elkana identified the four other students as pupils of  Government Day Secondary School, Birnin Yero in Shinkafi LGA, who were abducted on their way back from writing the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examinations, WASSCE.

According to him, police tactical operatives rescued the abducted victims from different locations in the state.

He added that operatives deployed to the Gusau Tsafe–Funtua Road rescued 11 passengers, who were abducted by bandits while travelling at night in two vehicles.

He warned motorists to desist from entering the state at night, saying the order by the state government restricting the movement of passengers in and outside the state at night remains in place.

Culled from Vanguard