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Gunmen Sunday morning allegedly attacked the Nigerian Police Division at Unwana, Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi state and killed three policemen on duty, including a constable and two inspectors.

A source from the area, who spoke to our correspondent noted that the gunmen stormed the area around 2:am ,adding that one of the gunmen was killed by the police during the attack.

He said: “They killed 3 policemen: one constable and two inspectors and the police killed one of the gunmen. Nobody knows the identity of the gunmen and police have taken the remains away.

“The incident happened around 2am. Nobody knows the route they came from. All we heard was gunshots for about 10 minutes. At the moment, there is no information to know if they destroyed or stole anything from the police station.

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“The men were masked, but the one killed had been unveiled by the police to ascertain his identity. He also had red clothe that looks like a charm tied around his waist.”

Suspected gunmen have attacked one of the facilities of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS), in Oyo State.

DAILY POST gathered that the facility, christened Abolongo correctional facility was attacked by the gunmen Friday evening.

It was gathered that the gunmen set all the prisoners at the facility free during the attack.

Our correspondent gathered on Saturday that the attackers stormed the facility at about 10pm on Friday.

It was gathered that the attackers used grenades to gain access and set prisoners free.

Spokesman for the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) in the state, Olanrewaju Anjorin confirmed the attack to DAILY POST on Saturday.

Anjorin in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST Saturday morning, said that the senior officers of the agency were on their way to access the level of damage.

He said, “Yes. It has been confirmed that the attack actually happened.

“And right now, the comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) and other top officers are assessing the situation.

“But, I can confirm to you that the incident actually happened”.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has officially launched the use of body cameras for its personnel across the country.

The body cameras were unveiled on Thursday, at an event held in Abuja.

Speaking at the event, Boboye Oyeyemi, FRSC corps marshal, said the operation monitoring and control platform which was also unveiled alongside the body cameras will contribute significantly to improving the agency’s operations.

“This platform will embrace the ethical imperatives of eliminating misconducts both on the part of the operatives and motorists,” he said.

“It will considerably reduce the incentive to infringe on traffic laws and regulations due to perceived weak enforcement and likelihood of escaping arrest.

“It will assist to improve on road safety management generally with better personnel disposition, among others.”

Some private schools in Enugu State now hold classes on Saturdays following the ‘collapse’ of academic activities on Mondays as a result of the sit-at-home order issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra.

The group instituted the order to press home their demand for the release of their leader Nnamdi Kanu.

Kanu is facing treason charges for running a proscribed organisation.

Some of the school proprietors interviewed warned against mentioning their names and their schools for security reasons.

One of them, located at Emene, Enugu, said, “It is an internal measure adopted by the school management and the parents to make up for lost grounds. The academic curriculum runs whether we go to school or not. And the pupils and students write the same external exams as their counterparts outside this region.

“Instead of allowing Mondays to waste just like that, we devised a means. Our supposed academic activities on Mondays now hold on Saturdays.”

A principal of a private school, along University Market road at Nsukka, on condition of anonymity, said, “We won’t allow the education of our children to die just like that. As such, we deliberated on the way forward, and converted our Mondays to Saturdays. That is the only way we fill the vacuum of the sit-at-home. We wouldn’t like to risk any child’s life.”

A parent, Cajethan Odo, said, “It is to the advantage of pupils and parents. We pay the school fees accordingly. So, we commend the school authorities for the innovations. I am personally happy.”

A pupil in one of the schools said she was happy. In her words, “On Saturdays, we come to school. We learn what we usually learn on Mondays. I am happy because all my friends come to school.”

THE WHISTLER reports that despite the cancellation of the sit-at-home order by the IPOB, general activities on Mondays in the southeast region of the country have remained paralysed as unknown gunmen use Mondays to perpetrate their activities.

The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Friday awarded a total of N91 million naira as compensation to 16 petitioners for the brutality, harassment, extortion and extrajudicial killings of their loved ones by police officers.

The panel chairperson, Doris Okuwobi, while handing out the cheques to the victims, said it is part of the gesture of the state government to ease victims of pain suffered from the hands of brutal police officers.

Five petitioners were awarded N10 million each as compensation over the extrajudicial killing of their family members.

One of the beneficiaries of the compensation, Felix Lucky, earlier narrated how his brother, Paul Lucky, was killed by a police officer attached to Ilasan Police Division, Jakande Estate, on October 20 last year.

The alleged officer, whom he identified as John Dagbo, allegedly shot Mr Lucky, dragged him around Jakande estate and later took his body to the police station, denying his family members access.

Mrs Okuwobi, while giving the decision of the panel, said the petition is meritorious and an award of N10 million as compensation was given.

The family of Charles Otoo also narrated how he was shot by officers attached to Ojodu Police Division in the evening of October 21 last year.

Sunday Shoyemi, a consultant pathology at LASUTH, also confirmed to the judicial panel that a bullet was extracted from the body of the deceased.

The panel awarded N10 million as compensation.

One petition did not receive any compensation because it was lacking in merit. It was dismissed by the panel.

A petition was also struck out because another petition on the same matter was filed by the police.

Here is the full list of compensations
Eric Okwaji – N10 million
Gregory Egwu – N10 million
Felix Lucky – N10 million
Ayuub Azeez – N10million
Charles Otoo – N10 million
Chukwuma Henry – N9 million
Mariam Shobukola – N8 million
Babatunde Taiwo – N7.5
Emmanuel Okorodudu – N3 million
Gboyega Igbamerun – N5 million
Monday Ojon – N3 million
Tobe Ikoro & Chidera Robinson – N1.5 million and N1million
Awe Oluwaseyi – N1million
Joseph Onyebuchi Nwafor – N1 million
Ayeni Adebayo – N1 million

The panel had previously awarded a total of N171 million as compensations to 31 petitioners.

With the new compensations, a total of N262 million has been given to petitioners as compensation.

Aisha Buhari, the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, has called out to the media to stop ignoring governors’ wives.

The First Lady revealed this on Wednesday night in Abuja at an event, stating that if the media engages first ladies, their projects will get more visibility.

Aisha, the Special Guest of Honour, was represented by her spokesman, Aliyu Abdullahi, expressed that the media has a pivotal role to play in setting the agenda for discourse and amplifying worthy courses.

She said, “I call on media practitioners to engage more with first ladies so that their projects can get more visibility.

“The partnership will be a win-win because the media would have discharged a part of its social responsibility”.

Aisha commended the wives of governors who have been assisting women, the elderly, the poor and the less-privileged.

Gunmen have attacked St. Albert the Great Institute of Philosophy, a Catholic-run major seminary situated in Fayit community in Kagoma Chiefdom in the Jama’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

According to NewsWireNGR, the bandits attacked the seminary on Monday night.

The criminals invaded the school at about 8pm and began shooting sporadically, causing a pandemonium in the area.

A source who stays close to the school stated that the operation lasted for over an hour before local hunters and vigilante intervened and “chased the terrorists away.”

It was also learnt that some students were abducted by the terrorists while others were injured.

The number of students abducted could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report as efforts to speak to authorities in the school for comments proved abortive.

A section of a two storey building under construction in Abuja has collapsed with an occupant dead.

The collapsed building is located behind CITEC Estate along Airport road, Jabi.

The incident, according to the Director General (DG), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Emergency Management Authority (FEMA), Alhaji Abbas Idris, occurred by around 1am on Wednesday.

The deceased body has been deposited at the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Jabi.

According to him: “A section of a story building under construction behind CITEC Estate along Airport road, jabi collapsed.

“One person died. And the body was deposited at the Federal Medical Center, Jabi. It happened by 1am on Wednesday (today) the occupants of the uncompleted building were rescued to a safer place to prevent more casualties due to continuous cracks from the structure”.

Convicted fraudster, Obinwanne Okeke, better known as Invictus, who is currently serving a 10-year sentence in a United States prison for $11m fraud, says it is insulting comparing him with self professed fraudster, Ramon Abass, aka Hushpuppi, Yahoo News reports.

Invictus said while he took to fraud in order to empower the less fortunate in Nigeria, Hushpuppi defrauded people in order to show off on social media.

While Invictus has been convicted, Hushpuppi is facing criminal charges for conspiracy to launder money obtained from business email compromise frauds and other scams, including schemes that defrauded a US law firm of about $40m, illegally transferred $14.7m from a foreign financial institution and targeted to steal $124m from an English football club until his arrest by the Dubai Police in June 2020 and his extradition to the US

Responding to a question on his similarity with Hushpuppi, Invictus said, “It’s insulting. Hushpuppi and I are not on the same level. Hushpuppi could never achieve what I achieved. He cannot run a business and we are not similar in any way. He was out to please the crowd, I was out to change lives, create jobs and conquer the business world. I have done so much for my community back home with my charity foundation, which lives has he helped? Nobody.”

When asked if he disliked Hushpuppi, Invictus responded, “No I have never met him, but I just find the continued comparison very annoying. Our impact on the world is very different. I have made a much more positive contribution to society than he has.”

Invictus, who was named on Forbes Africa 30 under 30 in 2016, also went down memory lane, narrating how he became a fraudster.

He added, “I was doing a little here and there but the level changed through this one particular friend I used to look up to. I visited him one day and he was living very comfortably with three new cars and a huge house at a young age. When at his house I noticed him on a website www.vionz.to that was selling crypto and money highways.

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“I asked him about the website and he showed me that he buys bank and crypto logins from there and easily withdraws above $20,000 at a time; that’s how he was funding his lifestyle. In 15 minutes he demonstrated it to me and from there I tried it myself when I got home.

“After successfully doing my first transfer so easily, it was hard to stop after that. From there I got introduced to other money making schemes that got me where I am today.”

On what he missed the most about the outside world, Invictus said he missed his family and his business.

In what appears to be a bold volte-face, the authorities at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have admitted that copies of its pamphlets containing security tips for staff and corps members contain the “embarrassing” clause that advises corps members to prepare for ransom payment if abducted.

The organisation, however, noted that it realised that different copies of the pamphlets are in circulation with some containing the clause and others not.

The NYSC spokesperson, Adenike Adeyemi, in a terse message to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday noted that the organisation was already investigating the situation.

The reaction followed this newspaper’s insistence that copies in its possession contain the clause, and queries the rationale behind the hurried rebuttal earlier issued by the organisation on the matter.

Mrs Adeyemi, in a short response, simply wrote; “We realised different copies are in circulation. We are investigating.”

Backstory
On Thursday, the page containing the advice for the corps and staff on reaching out to the family and friends when plying such routes it described as “high risk” had flooded the social media.

The handbook, which is titled; “Security Awareness and Education Handbook For Corps Members and Staff,” on its page 56, advised both corps members and (and staff) travelling on “high-risk” roads to alert their “family members, friends and colleagues to have someone on hand to pay off the ransom that could be demanded” in case they are kidnapped.

The document lists such roads to include “Abuja-Kaduna, Abuja-Lokoja-Okene, or Aba-Port Harcourt” roads.

The document is produced by Watchcon Security Consultancy Services – a private security outfit, in collaboration with the headquarters of the National Youths Service Corps.

More tips
The pamphlet, on page 57, advises both the staff and corps members on how to conduct themselves when kidnapped, saying; “Do not antagonise your captors, be polite and operate with reasonable regards.”

It also advises the corps members and its staff to show reasonable cooperation to the abductors, and that they should “establish personal relationship with your abductors as soon as possible.”

It further added; “The kidnappers may ask for contact persons, do not mention your place of work, but your close friends and parents. They will reach them to negotiate for your release.

“Advise your friends involved in the negotiations, they should be friendly with the captors.
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“Take no risk by attempting to escape,” even as it urges abductees not to attempt to be a hero making making efforts to escape.

“Make no statement to the media after your release without official clearance but share your experience with close associates,” it further counsels.

Rebuttal
But in its statement issued earlier on the matter, a copy of which it made available to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, NYSC described the clause in circulation as the handiwork of mischief-makers.

The reads in part; “The attention of Management of the National Youth Sevice Corps has been drawn to a fake release making the rounds on the social media to the effect that Corps Members travelling on ” high risk roads” should alert their families, friends and colleagues in order to have somebody to pay off the ransom that could be demanded in the event of being kidnapped.

“Management wishes to emphatically state that the clause mischievously quoted is not embedded in NYSC Security Tips pamphlet which was put together by a highly respected retired security expert.

“Management wishes to appeal to the general public to always clarify issues with the Scheme.”

The organisation, therefore, advises Nigerians to always verify things before sharing them on social media, saying it “has offices in all the states of the federation, as well as the 774 Local Government Areas in the country for enquiries.”

“Please, be wary of falling prey to the antics of mischief makers out to ridicule the Scheme,” it added.

Backlash
Following the discovery of the clause, Nigerians have flooded the social media including Twitter, which was banned by the Nigerian government, to criticise the document.

Many also described the rebuttal by the organisation as an “open lie”, saying they were shocked that a public organisation would be so bold to continue its defence in the face of clear evidence to the contrary.

Commercial banks in Ijebu – Ode, Ogun State have closed operations for the fear of being attacked by armed robbers.

Daily Trust gathered that banks have closed shops against customers since Monday following letters allegedly sent to some of them by the suspected robbers.

The development, which has left some residents and customers stranded, was seen as a proactive measure by the bankers, our correspondent understands.

Sources said the banks maintained that they would only resume operations if the Ogun State Government assisted the police with armoured personnel carriers to be mounted close to their branches.

Some residents of Ijebu-Ode said they have been travelling to places like Sagamu, Abeokuta and others to deposit or withdraw money.

A Point-of-Sale (POS) operator, who identified himself as Salam, said the development would have adverse effects on the economic activities of the area.

He said: “We withdraw money from banks to pay our customers and we also deposit in the bank when we have large sums of money in our kitty.

“If the banks are not opening, it will negatively affect us.

“In fact, it is affecting me already. I have been going to Sagamu to make withdrawals. It is bad.”

The spokesman of the Police Command in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said there was no reason for fear of attacks, saying the police had assured the banks and residents of their safety.

He said: “They are just entertaining fear where there is none; even the Area Commander and the DPOs have told them that there is no need to fear.

“Why should they be afraid because there are no Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC)? Even if the APCs are working, is it not the police that will operate them?

“The police are on ground to provide adequate security of lives and property, they are the ones that know why they are entertaining fear.

“We have assured them of their protection and our presence everywhere in Ijebu-Ode and everywhere in Ogun state. There is no reason to be panicking.”

The National Youth Service Corps has denied advising corps members to be ready to pay abduction-for-ransom syndicates currently on a rampage across Nigeria.

NYSC issued the rebuttal after a security advisory allegedly introduced in March 2021 trended on social media.

According to images on social media, the Security Awareness and Education Handbook for Corps Members and Staff said between pages 58 and 59 reads:

“When travelling in high-risk roads such as Abuja-Kaduna, Abuja-Lokoja-Okene or Aba-Port-Harcourt road, then alert your family members, friends and colleagues in order to have someone on hand to pay off the ransom that could be demanded.”

However, NYSC described the release as fake.

The rebuttal by NYSC reads:

“The attention of Management of the National Youth Sevice Corps has been drawn to a fake release making the rounds on the social media to the effect that Corps Members travelling on “high-risk roads” should alert their families, friends and colleagues in order to have somebody to pay off the ransom that could be demanded in the event of being kidnapped.

“The management wishes to emphatically state that the clause quoted is not embedded in NYSC Security Tips pamphlet which was put together by a highly respected retired security expert.

“The management wishes to appeal to the general public to always clarify issues with the Scheme.

“Please, be wary of falling prey to the antics of mischief-makers out to ridicule the Scheme.

Management shall continue to prioritize the security and welfare of Corps Members and staff at all times.

However, corps members disagree with the management of the National Youth Sevice Corps.

The corps members alleged that they receive their hardcopies in March 2021 and it contains the ransom advisory.

John Elochukwu, who recently completed his service, said:

“I received my own copy in March 2021 before I left the camp.

“I did not even read the document until I saw online comments and I went to open my own copy to check and found that the paragraphs were exactly the same as those posted online.”

Another corps member who identified himself as Mattew also shared his copy and wrote: “This should be reviewed.”

Theophilus Danjuma wrote: NYSC “didn’t review the book before printing.”

However, it was also observed that NYSC deleted some comments and also limited who could comment on their Facebook post.

Ms Precious Chikwendu, the estranged wife of the former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to secure a restraining order against him.

Chikwendu, in the suit she filed through her team of lawyers led by Mr Abdul-Aziz Jimoh, also cited the Inspector General of Police, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Force CID, Commissioner of Police FCT, and the OC Legal (CID) FCT Command, CSP James Idachaba, as Respondents in the matter.

She is praying the court to restrain her former husband from using the other Respondents to intimidate or harass her in any form whatsoever, pending the hearing and determination of an earlier suit marked No CV/372/2021, which she filed to take custody of four children she had for the former Minister.

Aside from seeking the enforcement of her fundamental rights, the Applicant, equally prayed the court to award her the sum of N800million, to be paid by the Respondents, jointly and severally.

Chikwendu told the court that she is apprehensive of an imminent violation of her fundamental rights in the actualization of threats to her life by the erstwhile Minister and in the face of the refusal of the 1st to the 3rd Respondents (IGP, DIG Force CID and CP FCT) to investigate her genuine petitions of threat to life against the 5th respondent (Fani-Kayode).

She is seeking a declaration that an invitation letter dated March 10, 2021, which was written by the 4th Respondent (Idachaba) amounts to a rise by the 5th Respondent in cahoots with the 1st to 4th respondents, to stultify and interpose in Suit No CV/372/2021 and to orchestrate a contravention of her fundamental rights as enshrined in Part IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended) by imminent unlawful harassment by invitation, interrogation, molestation and detention.

More so, the Applicant prayed the court to declare that she is not bound to honour the invitation of the 1st to 4th Respondents in relation to a purported conspiracy and forgery of court records during the pendency of the suit between her and the 5th Respondent (Fani-Kayode).

In an affidavit she personally deposed to in support of the application, Chikwendu, averred; “That I was in a most tempestuous and violent relationship with the 5th respondent (Fani-Kayode), a qualified legal practitioner, a politician and a former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The 5th respondent and I have four (4) children together and I am forcefully separated from our children who are all minors.

“Consequent upon the unbridled violence perpetrated against me by the 5th respondent and the forceful separation from our children, I filled a suit in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja with suit no CV/372/2021.

“Rather than allow the contending matters placed before the FCT High Court to be determined by the Honorable Court, the 5th respondent has persisted in using the police officers under the control of the 1st respondent( IGP) and supervised by the 2nd respondent (Commissioner of Police FCT) incessantly to intimidate and harass me with a view to interfering in the adjudicatory powers of a competent court of justice.

“That the 5th respondent, in cahoots with his counsel, being legal practitioners and officers of the court contrived a purported petition against me alleging forgery and falsification of court records in relation to the matter pending before the FCT High Court”.

The Applicant stated that she is fearful of her life, alleging that the 5th Respondent had been bragging that he could do anything to her and nothing would happen, adding

She told the court that in spite of several petitions she wrote to the 1st Respondent (IGP) alleging threats to her life by the 5th Respondent, he refused to act on the petitions.

The Applicant said she had also petitioned the Commissioner of Police FCT, alleging threats to her life by the 5th Respondent and that the Commissioner has refused to act on her petition, thus prompting her to approach the court to enforce her fundamental rights.

Meantime, no date has been fixed for hearing of the suit FHC/ABJ/08/428/2021.

The men of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested a 45-year-old man, Olaoluwa Jimoh, for allegedly impregnating his own biological daughter (name withheld).

The suspect was arrested last week Thursday following a complaint by the victim that her father was fond of defiling her and later got her pregnant.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyem disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

Oyeyemi added that the suspect was arrested following a complaint lodged at Ode-Remo divisional headquarters by the victim.

The PPRO said “She reported that she has been living with her father for the past two years, but sometime in June 2021, her father forcefully had sex with her. She further stated that since then, she has been raped several times by her father who always threatened to kill her if she dared inform anybody.

“The 19-year-old victim informed the police that her mother had separated from her father a long time ago and that she has been living with her mother until about two years ago when the suspect asked her to come and stay with him.

”She decided to report, not minding her father’s threat when she discovered that she was pregnant. Upon the report, the DPO, Ode Remo division, CSP Fasogbon Olayemi quickly detailed his detectives to go after the suspect and he was promptly arrested. On interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime but claimed that he was used by the devil.”

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, has ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation.

Three policemen have been killed by gunmen in Onitsha, Anambra State, while two persons identified to be civilians sustained bullet wounds in the attack.

A source in Onitsha said the attack occurred at Ezeiweka road in the commercial city, and that a patrol van belonging to the police was also set ablaze by the attacking gunmen.

“The policemen were at a checkpoint in the area, where they always station their vehicle at the junction on daily basis as one of the security posts, when the attack happened,” the source said.

The State Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga confirmed the incident, saying that he would react after gathering information about how the attack happened.

Ten students of Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU) have reportedly been abducted by bandits along the Ihube-ABSU Road.

The abduction comes weeks after three lecturers of the institution were kidnapped by gunmen along Uturu/Isuikwuato Road.

The incident, which reportedly took place between 5 pm and 6 pm on Saturday, has left the university community in disarray.

It was reported that an Abia line bus conveying passengers to the school, an SUV and a Hilux van belonging to a private firm was found empty at the scene of the incident, an indication that it could not be only the students that were abducted.

A security source said the total number of abducted persons is not yet known.

There was pandemonium in Birshin Fulani, a suburb of Bauchi metropolis when gunmen invaded the area and allegedly kidnapped a nursing mother, Rukayyat Odedoyin.

According to neighbours, the kidnappers who were about 10 in number invaded the area about 12am and forced themselves into the building by breaking the main door before gaining entrance into the house.

After succeeding in breaking into the house, they were said to have gone away with the woman whose husband had just been transferred to Kaduna State.

“About 12 midnight, we started hearing sporadic gunshots from different directions around our house. We woke up and thought of having cover.

“We then heard people jumping the fence trying to gain entrance into the house of our neighbour. They were there from 12 midnight to 1.30 am.

“By the time we came out, they had left with the woman leaving behind her three children,” a neighbour who refused to give her name told journalists.

Another neighbour who gave his name simply as Baba said, “We just heard the movement of people on motorbikes and thereafter, we heard gunshots from different directions then later towards the house of the woman who was kidnapped.”

When contacted for reaction, the Public Relations Officer, Bauchi State Command, Ahmed Wakil, did not confirm the kidnap incident.

He, however, reacted to allegations by the residents that they called the Police to rescue them but they failed to do so.

Wakil said, “Is not true that the police are not there, our men responded to the distressed call immediately.”

The PUNCH reports that Birshin Fulani has been under attack in recent times.

Barely 13 days ago, gunmen invaded the area and killed two people including a senior staff of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has described Imo State as home to the highest incidents of substance abuse in the entire Southern Nigeria. This was contained in a paper presented by the Commander of Narcotics in the Imo State Command of the agency, Olugu Kalu Chinyere, during the 2021 Pharmacy Week of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Imo State.

The paper, which solicited strategic partnership between pharmacists in Imo State and the NDLEA Command in the state, regretted that drug lords have brought ‘the drug war to our door steps’. Olugu pointed out that a recent report by the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) notes that Methamphetamine (meth) production in West Africa is of growing concern to the authorities. She added that Nigeria featured prominently in some of the reports with the South-Eastern states as major sources of Methamphetamine production.

The paper read: “To substantiate the reports, NDLEA Imo State Command has identified and countered illegal diversion of Ephedrine Hydrochlo-ride which is a precursor substance under international legislative control. In the last few years too, we have uncovered and neutralized clandestine laboratories, all sited within the state. This shows that the drug war is already at our door steps. “In a similar vein, it is important to note that substance abuse, especially by youths, is higher in Imo State when compared to other Southern states.”

While lamenting the lapses in the supervision and regulation of these drugs and substances, the agency decried the absence of a vital, self-regulating mechanism among stakeholders in the value chain. Responding, the Chairman of the state branch of the PSN, Dr. Stanley Emegwara expressed dismay at the laxity of regulators while noting that there was not much the PSN could do without the approval of the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN.

Emir of Bungudu in Zamfara State, Alhaji Hassan Attahiru, has been kidnapped.

The emir was abducted along the Kaduna-Abuja highway.

The incident happened on Tuesday, competent source confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria.

The Imo State command of the Nigeria Police has uncovered a church at MCC, Uratta in Owerri north council area of the state, new born babies are sold to willing buyers. Witnesses said young pregnant girls are kept in the church till they give birth and the babies sold to intending buyers.

A statement by the State police spokesperson, Michael Abattam noted that tactical team of the command swung into action when one Amarachi Dioku,18 years of age from Umudurualaoka, Uba Ifakala in Mbaitoli area was declared missing.

Abattam said intelligence report revealed that she was sighted at the church known as Jesus Life Assembly Church located also at Uratta.

According to the statement ,the Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, Rabiu Hussaini immediately dispatched the command’s Anti kidnapping unit, who mobilised and stormed the church.

A resident evangelist of the church, Ugochi Orisakwe ,age 47 was arrested along side his gang members namely, Chidi Orisakwe , 34 , Pauline Nwagbunwanne , 42 , Elizabeth Uzoma,61 and Chibueze Joy ,31 years.

The victim, Dioku was however rescued unhurt with five months old pregnancy according to the police and was immediately, taken to a government hospital for treatment. She was later reunited with her parents amidst jubilation.

On interrogation, Evangelist Orisakwe Abattam said confessed to have been using the church as a place where young girls are kept, impregnated and after delivery, the girls are paid off and their babies sold to rich and childless clients .

Meanwhile, investigation the police said is on going and as well efforts to arrest other members of the syndicate who are said to be on the run.

The Lagos State Police command has invited Uzoamaka Ohiri, the former wife of comedian, Chinedu Ani, a.k.a Nedu, The PUNCH has learnt.

Our correspondent learnt that policemen attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, visited her home in the Ajah area of Lagos State on Tuesday evening, but she was not at home.

They subsequently told the security guard to inform her to report at the SCID on Thursday.

Speaking with The PUNCH on Wednesday, Uzoamaka’s cousin, who identified himself only as Peter, said, “Policemen attached to Panti came to the house on Tuesday evening, but she was not around.

“They asked the security guard to sign a document and then they asked her to come to their station.”

A member of her legal team from Wingman Legal Chambers also informed The PUNCH that the comedian’s ex-wife had been invited.

“It is true. She was asked to report at the SCID tomorrow morning,” he said.

Attempts to speak with Uzoamaka proved abortive, as her telephone line indicated that it has been switched off.

“She may have already been arrested because I have not been able to reach her all day,” said Uzoamaka’s cousin, Peter.

The mother of three has been trending on social media for the last five days after accusing her ex-husband of domestic violence.

In his response to his ex-wife’s allegations, Nedu said he had been the victim of domestic violence, rather than Uzoamaka.

Our correspondent could not ascertain the reason for the Police invitation as of Press time, as the Police Public Relations Officer, Adekunle Ajisebutu, could not be reached on the telephone on Wednesday.

The Police on Wednesday said they have arrested eight suspects over the kidnap and murder of 93-year-old Mr Defwan Dariye, father of former Governor of Plateau, Mr Joshua Dariye.

The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr Frank Mba, disclosed this during a media briefing in Abuja.

He said the nonagenarian was kidnapped by the suspects and held incommunicado for eight days in a very unhygienic condition.

According to him, after a protracted negotiation, a ransom of N10 million was paid to the kidnappers and rather than setting him free, he was murdered.

Mba said the incident happened in June 2020, adding that after recovering the victim’s body, detectives from the Intelligence Response Unit and other police investigators swung into action to uncover the perpetrators.

“Within the last 30 days, the police were able to make tremendous progress that led to the arrest of the eight key suspects that played major roles in the kidnap and murder of the ex-governor’s father.

“All the suspects, except very few of them, were from the same village in Bokkos Local Government Area with the murdered victim.

“This perhaps explained why they took the very wicked and costly decision of murdering the old man,” he said.

He said the crime was initiated by the eldest suspect, who identified the victim, recruited men that executed the operations and handled the distribution of the ransom.

Mba said three suspects were also arrested on Aug. 28 in a border community between Nasarawa and Taraba after months of intensive monitoring.

He said the suspects were arrested over unlawful procurement, distribution and selling of weapons to end- users who were largely criminals, kidnappers, bandits, terrorists and armed robbers.

According to him, the suspects were arrested after operatives of the Intelligence Response Team mounted a sting operation that was intelligence driven and clinically executed.

Mba said a total of 26 AK47 magazines, one AK49 riffle and its magazines, as well as 14 live ammunition for AK47 riffle, were recovered from the suspects.

He said the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigation.

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has declared that a former Miss Nigeria, Helen Prest-Ajayi, is entitled to 50 per cent of the net assets of her late husband, Dr Tosin Ajayi.

Justice Tijjani Ringim gave the ruling on Tuesday in a suit by Miss Tomisin Ajayi and Mrs Helen Prest-Ajayi as the first and second applicants, which was filed through their counsel, Mr Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN).

The first to fourth respondents in the suit are the First Foundation Medical Engineering Company Limited; Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission; Mrs Oluwayemisi Ajayi; and Mr Patrick Abak, a lawyer.

First Foundation Medical Engineering Company Limited is owned by the late Dr Tosin Ajayi.

The judge granted the 13 reliefs sought by the applicants following the respondents’ failure to controvert them.

They include that Prest-Ajayi is “entitled to 50 per cent (or so much as the court may sanction upon audit and valuation) constituting the net assets of the firm, after satisfying all just taxes and debts as family and investment partner of Dr Tosin Ajayi from 1996 till 26 April, 2020 to the exclusion of Mrs Oluwayemisi Ajayi, among others.

Justice Ringim also held, “Despite the service of processes filed on the respondents and affidavits of service duly filed in court, the respondents failed to use the opportunity afforded to them by law to controvert the averment of the plaintiff in the affidavits.

“However, it is a settled law that evidence not controverted is deemed admitted. All the reliefs sought in this application are hereby granted as prayed.”

According to the application, Dr Ajayi was a renowned medical doctor, businessman and philanthropist before his demise on April 26, 2020.

He was married to Oluwayemisi and they had children but were separated for 35 years before his demise.

In the course of the separation, he married former Miss Nigeria, Helen Prest-Ajayi and they had a child who lived with Dr Prest-Ajayi until his demise.

About 18 people have been kidnapped in Keke, a community in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Gunmen were said to have invaded the community around 12midnight.

Eyewitnesses said the gunmen came in large number and after causing confusion in the area, they kidnapped 18 people.

Our correspondent gathered that the police are presently in the area.

There is, however, no official confirmation from the authorities.

The younger sister of Hon. Shehu Dalhatu Tafoki, Deputy Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, has been kidnapped.

The victim identified as Asma’u Dalhatu is about to get married, according to the lawmaker.

The gunmen were said to have stormed Tafoki village in Faskari Local Government Area of the state where they abducted the victim.

Confirming the incident to Daily Trust, the lawmaker said, “Yes, it is true that my younger sister, Asma’u Dalhatu, was abducted by bandits in the early hours of Sunday.

“They stormed the town around 1am and headed straight to the village head’s residence, which is our family house and kidnapped two of our sisters.

“On their way to the forest, they encountered some members of the vigilante group and exchanged gunfire. In the process, one of the girls escaped and returned home, but the other could not run away, so they went away with her,” he said.

Tafoki said the kidnappers have not made any demand for ransom.

The incident happened shortly after gunmen stormed Kurami village in Bakori Local Government Area of the state, where they abducted the wife and children of Dr Ibrahim Kurami, also a member of the Katsina assembly.

There have been many disturbing incidents in Katsina and across the North West.

Last month, Governor Aminu Bello Masari asked the military to beef up security, lamenting how bandits raid 10 of the 34 Local Government Areas of the state on a daily basis.

A 45 year-old woman, Mrs Oladapo Bukola, and two of her daughters have been abducted at Pegi community in Kuje area council of Abuja.

The woman’s daughters were identified as Moyo Oladapo, 17 years old, and Glory Oladapo, 14 years old.

A resident simply identified as Abednego, said the incident happened around 1:04 am on Sunday.

He said the kidnappers, wielding AK-47 rifles, attacked the victims’ house at a resettlement area in Zone A, hill top in the community.

He said the kidnappers scaled the fence of the victims house and forced the doors open.

The chairman of Pegi Community Development Association, (PECDA), Mr Taiwo Aderibigbe, confirmed the abduction of the woman and her daughters while speaking with our reporter through telephone.

The PECDA chairman decried incessant kidnap in the area, while urging security agencies to come to the rescue of the residents.

“It is quite worrisome, that Pegi, Kuje, is being targeted by kidnappers and security agencies are not doing much,” he alleged.

Daily Trust learnt that the woman’s husband, Pastor Gabriel Oladapo, was out of Abuja when the kidnappers struck.

When contacted, the spokesman of the FCT police command ASP Daniel Y Ndiparya, confirmed the incident, saying efforts were ongoing to rescue the victims

“Efforts are being made by the command to ensure the victims are rescued,” he said.

Some suspected bandits have again attacked Nahuche district in Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State in the wee hours of Friday.

According to an eyewitness, Malan Abubakar, among those killed was a mobile police officer and a local vigilante leader.

According to him, two women and two men were abducted by the bandits during the operation.

Malan Abubakar told DAILY POST that the bandits first invaded a nearby village in Nahuche called Gidan Jan Bula and used motorcycles to kill the vigilante leader of the village after he fought them.

“They also whisked away my wife and moved her for captivity,” he said.

He said that the bandits later attacked Nahuche police station where they engaged mobile policemen in a gun duel, during which an officer was killed.

Abubakar added that the bandits later moved to invade the house of Alhaji Makwashe Nhuche, a businessman, saying that the bandits abducted two other persons including a woman.

According to him, the bandits stormed the area at about 3:00am on Friday and left after 4:00am.

When conacted for confirmation, the Zamfara State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Shehu Muhammad, could not be reached for comment as his phones were switched off.

Our correspondent reports that the command usually snubs calls from newsmen to confirm bandits’ attacks.

ARMED Robbers, Wednesday evening, blocked the ever-busy East/West road, by Eruemokohwarien and five persons were reportedly feared dead.

The Robbers blocked the road with an ash colour Toyota Corrolla at about 7 PM, shot sporadically for the period the robbery lasted.

The Vanguard gathered that the Robbers operated for about an hour unchallenged, adding that unsuspecting travellers were dispossessed of their valuables.

Unconfirmed source said five persons were killed by the armed robbers, adding that the robbers abandoned the ash colour corolla with which they barricaded the road after the attack.

The source who pleaded anonymity, said some travellers who sighted the robbery operation from afar, made a u-turn and ran for safety, adding that some passengers fled into the bush to take cover.

Meanwhile, a community source who spoke to the Vanguard on condition of anonymity confirmed the robbery operation but said no life was lost.

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Bright Edafe said; “I am not aware, but I will make contact and get back to you later.”

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Department of State Services (DSS) have uncovered and seized Captagon Pills, a hard drug concealed inside cylinders of an imported machine in Apapa Port of Lagos State.

In a statement issued late on Wednesday by the Apapa Customs Spokesman, A. Usman, the discovery, which was made in a joint operation by the three services that lasted for about a week following intelligence and painstaking dismantling of the machine, involved deployed service personnel and sniffer dogs.

“Mr Malanta Ibrahim Yusuf, Area Controller of Apapa Command; Mr Samuel Bashir Gadzama, Commander of NDLEA in Apapa and Officer in charge of the DSS at the port were said to be at the fore of the week-long operation.

“Further dismantling of cylinders in the machine is currently ongoing. The operation which involved heads of the three services will be sustained in the fight against all forms of smuggling and infractions.

“One suspect in connection with the seizure was arrested while further examination and counting are ongoing before more details will be unveiled.

“The long-term use of the drug leads to remarkable side effects. The most common of them are extreme depression, lethargy, sleep deprivation (insomnia), occasional palpitation, heart and blood vessel toxicity and malnutrition.

“The drug has also been found out to be one of the most notorious stimulant being taken by insurgents affiliated to ISIS and other terrorist groups in the Middle East,” the Apapa Customs explained in the statement.

Bandits have again abducted school children in Zamfara State.

The victims this time are an unspecified number of students of Government Day Secondary School, Kaya in Maradun Local Government Area of the state.

Maradun is the home town of Governor Bello Matawalle.

A resident of the town, Shafiu Bala, told PREMIUM TIMES that the students were kidnapped Wednesday afternoon in their school.

“I don’t know how many of them have been kidnapped but I am sure because some of the students and teachers ran home.”

Another source, Yusuf Dosara, confirmed the abduction but also did not know the number of kidnapped students.

A top Government House source in Gusau said the governor has been informed of the abduction and was holding a security meeting over it.

“He and some of his top aides and commissioners are meeting with the heads of the various security agencies in the state. They may release a statement afterwards.”

The phone number of the police spokesperson in the state, Mohammed Shehu, was busy when this reporter called

This report will be updated as we get additional information.