Killing friend for ritual: Court sentences cleric to death

A 34-year-old cleric, Fatai Afobaje, who murdered his best friend, and mutilated his body for money ritual was  sentenced to death by a Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS.

The trial judge, Justice Modupe Nicol-Clay, sentenced Afobaje to death after finding him guilty and convicted him of the offence of conspiracy and murder.

The judge held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt that the deceased died and that the death of the deceased was caused by the accused and that the act or omission of the accused caused the death of the deceased. 

During the trial, the Lagos State prosecution, led by Adesola Adekunle-Bello and Titilayo Olanrewaju–Daud, called six witnesses and tendered 12 exhibits.

Afobaje was arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder brought against him by the Lagos State government in charge No LD/4753C/17, in 2017.

Olanrewaju-Daud said the convict murdered one Rafiu Sulaiman and mutilated his body by cutting off his head, intestines, lungs, scrotum and hands.

She said the 44-year-old deceased from Kwara State, was killed by the alfa and his accomplices and that the deceased’s body parts were shared among them for ritual purposes.

The prosecutor said the incident took place on February 13, 2015, at Itire village, Magbon, Badagry, Lagos.

Ritual killing: Police nab man 

A  suspected ritualist, Sunday Kara, accused of killing a 24-year-old woman,  has been arrested by police operatives at Barako community in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State.

It was gathered that the suspect killed the victim after allegedly having carnal knowledge of her on Friday.

A source, who gave her name simply as Barisi, alleged that Kara, popularly called Rugged Star, took the woman to an uncompleted building in Barako in the early hours of Friday and killed her.

When apprehended and interrogated by community leaders, the suspect said he is from Bomu and his father’s name is Leede Kara.

He denied killing the victim, adding that late woman was an asthma patient who died while they were making love.

However, the traditional ruler of Bomu, Mene Vurasi Benedict Tenalo, when contacted on phone distanced himself from the suspect and called on the police to ensure that justice is done on the matter.

He further advised that the police should be professional in their investigation as Bomu is a peace-loving community and would not allow criminal elements to tarnish the image.

Spokesperson of the state police command, DSP. Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the development, noting that the suspect was already in detention.

He said police have commenced a full-scale investigation into the issues, adding the suspect would be prosecuted if found culpable.

Two arrested for killing motorcyclist, snatch his bike

Operatives of Ogun State Police Command have arrested two suspected armed robbers who snatched a motorcycle and killed the rider.

The suspects, according to a statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, are Hammed Ismail and Osoba Yakubu.

Oyeyemi said the suspects were apprehended following a report lodged at Sango divisional headquarters on the 15th of March 2022,  by one Buhari Saliu, who reported that his 25 years old son, Yusuf Buhari, who left home with his motorcycle a day before was found dead in an uncompleted building at Araromi Village via Ilogbo town, and his motorcycle nowhere to be found.

“Upon the report, the DPO Sango Ota division, SP Saleh Dahiru detailed his detectives to the scene where the corpse was evacuated and handed over to the family who insisted on burying him according to their religious belief”.

“Determined to unravel the mystery behind the gruesome murder of the victim, the DPO and his men embarked on a technical and intelligence-based investigation, and in conjunction with the community vigilante and So Safe Corps, Ismail Hammed was arrested with the motorcycle of the victim”.

“His arrest led to the apprehensions of his accomplice, Osoba Yakubu”.

“They have confessed to the commission of the crime and are helping the police in their investigation”, Oyeyemi added.

Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the state criminal investigation and intelligence department for discreet investigation.

N20m ransom: Kidnapped Kwara APC Women Leader dies in a shoot-out

Women leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, Mrs Olumo Abolaji, was reportedly killed, yesterday, during a gun battle between hunters and her kidnappers.

It was ggathered that Mrs Olumo Abolaji and seven others were kidnapped, Wednesday, with the kidnappers demanding N50 million ransom.

It was gathered that after much pleading, the ransom was reduced to N20 million, which was provided by a notable politician in the state for the release of the women.

A source revealed that the ransom was taken by the hunters to the kidnappers’ den, yesterday, and the the kidnappers released the three abducted women leaders.

“But on sighting the women, the hunters were said to have reportedly fired shoots at the kidnappers while the kidnappers fired back and the women leader was hit by bullets.”

The hunters were said to have scampered for safety as the remaining two women were released.

A relative of one of the victims, Mr Adekunle Oluwole, said five of the eight people in the bus escaped from the kidnappers, adding that they were taken to the hospital in the area for treatment.

Spokesman of Kwara State Police Command, Kayode Okasanmi, who confirmed the incident couldn’t give details at presstime because he just returned from the rescue operation.

Bauchi auto crash claims 1, injures 6 

One person lost his life while 6 others were injured in a lone auto crash that occurred in Bauchi, yesterday.

The Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Bauchi state, Yusuf Abdullahi, who confirmed the incident, said the accident which involved a private Honda Civic car occurred in Kafin Kawu village on the Bauchi-Kano road in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state.

The Sector Commander noted that the accident occurred around 9:05 a.m, adding that it took the personnel of the corps barely 10 minutes to arrive at the crash scene to clear the site.

He blamed the cause of the crash on speed violation and gave the name of the driver as Ghali Idris.

“Seven people were involved in the crash and they were all male adults,” he said.

Abdullahi stressed that both the corpse of the deceased and those injured were taken to Kafin Madaki General Hospital, close to the Nigeria Police office, for identification and treatment.

He advised motorists to observe all traffic rules and regulations and drive with caution while plying the roads.

ISWAP fighters killed as soldiers repel attack on military base

Scores of Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) fighters have been killed by troops of operation Hadin Kai in Borno, military sources have told TheCable.

The insurgents were said to have launched an attack on the troops’ base in Doron Baga, Kukawa LGA, weekend.

Sources said the insurgents, armed with grenades and five gun trucks, were overpowered by the troops. The troops were said to have engaged the insurgents in a gun battle that lasted for about two hours.

The overwhelming firepower from the troops, sources said, resulted in the killing of unconfirmed numbers of the insurgents, while several others were injured.

“There was a heavy casualty on the side of the insurgents,” one of the sources said.

It was gathered that the insurgents evacuated bodies of their fighters and those wounded through Daban Masara, Madayi and Gratai axis.

Military formations have always been targets for the insurgents who have been terrorising the North-East for over ten years.

In the past months, however, the military has continued to launch offensives on the insurgents.

On Friday, the army had reported how its troops killed several ISWAP/Boko Haram terrorists around Ndufu and Musiri villages in Borno.

According to the army, the troops recovered weapons and rescued 30 kidnapped local residents.

The army also added that its troops destroyed various camps of the terrorists as clearance operations are still ongoing.

Culled from Vanguard