₦airaland Forum

A 42-year-old man, Rafiu Olusamokun, is currently in the custody of the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly producing fake foreign and local currencies, which allegedly run into millions of naira.

Our correspondent learnt that Olusamokun, an indigene of Owo, Ondo State, was arrested by the police in his house at Ayidolapo Street, in the Ikotun area of the state.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the suspect, who was a motor mechanic before allegedly venturing into production of fake currencies, worked with some people who were still at large.

It was learnt that the police recovered an iron box full of fake dollars, pounds and naira notes from Olusamokun. Some materials such as cotton wool, paints and oil, allegedly used in the production of the money, were also recovered by the police.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro, the suspect said he was introduced into the business by some men who claimed to have newly returned from Europe.

Olusamokun said the men brainwashed him and forced him to pay about N600,000 to purchase the materials to produce the fake currencies.

He said, “I met those people early this year. I was working as a motor mechanic, and I just ran into them. They said they recently returned from Europe. When I visited them at a hotel in the Bar Beach, Victoria Island area, they brought out the samples of the currencies they had, and said I could produce same if I wanted to become wealthy.

I was immediately interested. A friend, Sule Sulaimon, who went with me, also became interested. Their leader said all I needed to do was to purchase the chemicals from them. He said I should bring N1m, but I eventually paid N650,000 for the chemicals.

“I did not know the samples they gave me were fake; the papers looked so original. I first gave him N400,000, and then N250,000. He said I could reproduce as much hard currencies as I wanted from the materials I had.

“The currencies recovered from my house runs into millions, but I was not through with the reproduction. If I had finished with it, I would have been a wealthy man. I would have evaded the arrest.”

A police source told our correspondent that Olusamokun was to give part of the money reproduced to the syndicate, so that he could be given more materials. He added that the police were still on the trail of the group.

“The syndicate gave him the materials and the currencies to wash into original. The money is actually worth millions. He was producing €100 and €200 and pounds. The police found the fake cash in his house,” he said.

The Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, said the suspect would be charged to court as soon as investigations were over.

“The police will continue to ensure that we reduce crimes to the barest minimum in the state,” he added.

lalasticlala

A police corporal in the Ogun State command, Abdullahi Yahuza, on Tuesday shot dead a commercial vehicle driver, Olumide Likinyo, at the Sagamu tollgate area on the Lagos-Benin Expressway.

The driver was conveying seven passengers and their goods from Lagos to Okitipupa in Ondo State, when the incident happened.

One of the seven passengers who witnessed the killing, Folake Egbeuwalo, said some policemen, who were around the tollgate area, had stopped the vehicle.

She said the corporal, without provocation, shot the driver dead where he was standing beside his vehicle.

Our correspondent gathered that the 42-year-old driver was survived by six children and a pregnant wife.

Egbeuwalo, who spoke at the command headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, said the incident occurred at about 9.45pm.

She said, “The late driver was taking us from Lagos to Ondo State. When we got to Sagamu tollgate, the policemen on the road asked the driver to park.

“As the driver came out and stood beside the vehicle, the policeman moved to the other side of the road and shot him dead.”

A younger brother of the late driver, Solomon Likinyo, lamented the death of his older brother.

He said, “I demand to see the person that killed my brother and to know what actually happened before he was killed.”

When asked to comment on the incident during his visit to Ogun State on Wednesday, the Assistant Inspector- General of Police Zone 2 , Bala Hassan, said the policeman would face the wrath of the law.

He said, “This case is not an exception from other cases; the person will be tried as prescribed by the law.”

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said Yahuza had been arrested.

He said, “The Divisional Police Officer in the area informed the Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali, that a corporal fired at the driver of a commercial vehicle, and the driver died.

“We have arrested the corporal and he will face the full wrath of the law.

“We are going to treat the matter departmentally before he will be charged to court.”

lalasticlala

A man identified as Lekan Daramola, in Oke-Aro area of Ogun State, has decided to cut off his weapon of destruction, after he was accused of serial rape.

According to reports, the 34-year-old man was caught in the act of raping his landlord's 12-year-old daughter and after he was beaten, disgraced and paraded around the town, reportedly used a sharp kitchen knife and cut off his manhood.

A neighbour who was a witness to the bloody scene, narrated the incident:
"This is not the first time brother Lekan was caught in the act. Just last year, he was nabbed while raping a street hawker and the area boys beat him almost to death.
He was caught again on three different occasions and the last time, he lured Baba's (landlord) young daughter into his room and while forcefully having carnal knowledge of the girl, her screams attracted neighbours who broke the door of his room and caught him.

He was given the beating of his life and paraded in the town. In the night, we heard screams in his room and when we rushed there, we found him in a pool of his blood with a bloody knife beside him.

As we were rushing him to a nearby hospital, he confessed that he did not know the spirit that always got into him that made him rape girls and that it was better to cut off his penis."

A 53-year-old teacher, Mrs. Folasade Ademosu, has died in Abesan Estate, in the Ipaja area of Lagos State, days after one of the pupils in her class was allegedly raped by the school bus driver.

Our correspondent learnt that the four-year-old nursery two pupil of the Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Ipaja, Bolu (pseudonym), was allegedly raped by the suspect, identified as Yemi Adesina, inside the classroom on Thursday, September 17.

PUNCH Metro gathered that angry residents had stormed the school on Akinola Road, Oja bus stop, Ipaja, the following day, and vandalised property, saying the school allegedly shielded the suspect.

The mob, which caused confusion on the premises, reportedly injured Adeshina before policemen from the Ipaja division arrested the suspect and some of the attackers.

It was learnt that in the ensuing violence, the 53-year-old, who was said to have pre-existing medical conditions, fell to the ground.

It was gathered that Folasade, who was invited by the police in Ipaja, and at the State Department of Criminal Investigation, Yaba, for questioning, slumped on September 24, in her apartment ─ Block 68, Abesan Estate.

She was said to have died while being rushed to the hospital.

Our correspondent learnt that the victim, who reportedly bled for about a week after the rape, had been withdrawn from the school by her parents.

It was gathered that she had been enrolled in a new school, while the suspect had been transferred to the SDCI, for further investigation.

When our correspondent visited the teacher’s apartment on Wednesday, the deceased’s husband, Alhaji Ademosu, said the protesters injured his wife, adding that the school authorities should have rushed her to a hospital immediately after the incident.

He said, “Since the day of that incident, she had been complaining about her stomach. It was not easy that a woman of her age fell during the commotion. I expected that she would be taken to a hospital, and not a police station.

“On Sallah day, she kept on complaining about her body. She might have sustained some internal injuries. While the Sallah festivities went on, she just slumped and that was it. We rushed her to the hospital, but she died on the way.”

The pupil’s grandmother, Mrs. T. Ajose, told our correspondent that the school authorities allegedly refused to give her attention the following day when she went to report Bolu’s rape.

She said, “The girl turned four years on September 9; she had been attending the school since she was a year and six months old. It was when I went to pick her on that day that I observed that she looked moody. When I asked her what the matter was, she simply told me, ‘Grandma, I don’t want to go to that school again’. I did not understand what was going on.

“Later, when we got to the church, she said she wanted to excrete, and I observed that her faeces were stained with blood. I initially thought she had an infection, and cleaned her up, giving her a new pant. She was still moody; she would not eat and drink. Minutes later, her pant was soaked with blood again.

“That was when I raised the alarm and people in the church gathered round the two of us. We persuaded her to explain to us what happened. She said, ‘It was Uncle Yemi. He said I should not tell anybody. He put me on the table. And he covered my eyes and mouth. He put something in my bum bum.’ The following day when I got to the school, none of the teachers paid attention.”

The grandma added that when policemen came to the school for interrogation, the girl insisted that it was Adesina who allegedly raped her.

She said, “After I reported the matter to the police, the Divisional Police Officer accompanied us to the school. He ordered all the male workers in the school to form a queue, and he interrogated the girl. She pointed at Yemi (Adesina) immediately. The DPO did that four times, and she pointed at the same person.

“So the driver was arrested and detained at the station, but he kept claiming that he had not even seen the girl before. He said she lied against him. The police said the matter would be charged to court last Monday. As it is, we have taken Bolu to another school. She cannot continue to endure the trauma.”

Our correspondent learnt from a resident that it was Adesina’s alleged denial of the rape that infuriated the mob which attacked the school.

When PUNCH Metro got to the school, a school administrator, who declined to mention his name, said the proprietor, a Reverend, had travelled out of Lagos, and he could not give out his contact.

“The proprietor is unavailable as of now. He has travelled. We do not have any comment,” he said.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joe Offor, said he would get back to our correspondent on the matter. He, however, had not got back as of press time.

lalasticlala

A Nigerian based in South Africa who brought back his family to Nigeria from South Africa has landed in prison custody at Kirikiri, Lagos State, western Nigeria, over alleged infidelity.

This followed his arraignment before a Magistrates’ court in Ejigbo for allegedly defrauding his secret lover under false claims.

The 44-year-old Raph Emmason, was arrested by the police at Shasha after he allegedly defrauded Miss Glory Chukwu to the tune of N400,000 under false pretence of procuring her a Visa and taking her to South Africa as his wife.

P.M.NEWS gathered that Emmason from Mbano in Imo State had lived in South Africa for nine years and decided to relocate his wife, Rita, and two children to Nigeria.

He provided accommodation for them in Port Harcourt in Rivers State and told his wife he was returning to South Africa. And his wife believed him.

Unknown to Rita, Emmason allegedly went and hid in Abuja with his lover, Glory for several months.

Whenever he called Rita on phone, he would pretend that he was in South Africa.

Emmason also allegedly lied to his lover, Glory, that he was not yet married and promised to marry her and to take her and her three brothers, Uchenna, Okoye and Onyimba to South Africa.

Glory believed him and they were living together in Glory’s apartment as husband and wife as well using Glory’s official car.

He further allegedly demanded some money from her to add to his own to procure four visas which she gave him.

P.M.NEWS gathered that after he collected the money, he dumped her and relocated to Lagos and went and lodged in a hotel with another woman.

He did not procure any visa nor return Glory’s money.

Glory later traced him to a hotel where he lodged in Lagos and invited the police to arrest him.

When the police requested for the money, he said he had used it to procure three visas which the police later discovered were fake.

Emmason was charged to court with obtaining under false pretence and stealing under the Criminal Code.

He pleaded not guilty and the presiding Magistrate, Mrs J. O. E. Adeyemi granted him bail with two sureties who must show evidence of tax payment.

He was remanded in prison pending when he will perfect his bail condition.

When his wife, Rita, was contacted, she insisted that Emmason was in South Africa.

It was when she was persuaded to go to the court to verify that she discovered that it was actually her husband.

She and other members of his family who followed her left the court premises in disbelief and dejected.

The matter was adjourned till 19 October, 2015.

The Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday paraded Onyebuchi Jennifer, who was arrested in Anambra State for stealing a baby in Lagos State.

She said she stole the baby in the Ajegunle area of Lagos and fled to Anambra State so that her lover could pay her bride price and marry her.

The 26-year-old added that she had lied to her lover in Okija, Anambra State, that the baby was the fruit of their relationship.

PUNCH Metro had reported on Tuesday that the police arrested Jennifer for allegedly stealing the nine-month-old baby and fleeing with him for four days to Okija, Anambra State.

It had been reported that Jennifer, who also hails from Anambra, had befriended the baby’s mother, Aina Adetola, for about two weeks, before she carried out the act on Saturday, September 26.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro, Jennifer, who claimed to be an orphan, said she got started living with the man in Anambra State in October 2014, adding that he refused to pay her bride price until she had a child for him.

The suspect, who said she came to Lagos in June 2015 to look for a way to get pregnant, added that she took the baby to her lover to convince him to pay her bride price.

She said, “My mother died when I was in primary five. My father had died a few years earlier. My parents had two of us; but a few years ago, my elder sister died during childbirth. So, I was left alone in Anambra State without any relation.

“I gave birth to a child in 2010, but he died after six months. Last year, I met a man who promised to marry me after I had had a child for him.

“We started living together in October 2014. I was pregnant, but after three months, I had a miscarriage. I was troubled, and started running after traditional doctors and hospitals, but to no avail. I decided to come to Lagos to work and find a way to get a baby. I came to Lagos in June 2015.

“So, I came to the Ajegunle area and I got a job as a fuel attendant. While I was working, I met the baby’s mother and we became friends.

“On that Saturday, I went to her shop, which was near the filling station. I said I was going to the Boundary area to buy an item and I would carry her baby with me. She did not object. So, I took the baby from her, and boarded a bus to Anambra State to meet my lover.”

Jennifer added that she bought baby foods to keep the boy healthy after lying to her lover that the baby was theirs.

She said, “I did this so that he could pay my bride price and marry me. I did not tell the baby’s mother that I was taking him to Anambra. We left on Saturday and got to my place on Sunday. I had the intention to bring the baby back after my bride price had been paid. I lied to my husband that I had been pregnant before I left and gave birth to the baby while in Lagos.

He believed me, and I took good care of the baby for four days before the police showed up in our apartment.

“My lover immediately dissociated himself from me. He had not paid the bride price before the police arrested me.”

Speaking with PUNCH Metro, the boy’s father, Adeniyi Adetola, said he was glad to be reunited with his child, adding that the police did a good job for his family.

He said, “We are taking the boy to the hospital for further treatment today (Tuesday). The mother and I are happy to have our baby boy back. The baby is my second child, and I appreciate the police for doing a good job on this case. I also appreciate God.”

The Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, said the command would not tolerate criminals in the state.

“The command is doing all it should to bring crimes to the barest minimum, and we want the general public to always avail us of information to be able to do this,” he added.

The suspect, who claims that he hails from Kawo Local Government Area of Kaduna State, said: “I disguised as scavenger to rob people. I work with Sunday, Stephen, Papa, John, Muscle and Akeem.

ijustdey:
the guy is a real powerhouse with horse power ranging from 12000hP


for ashawo to have complained

“The man was caught red handed in the act and it infuriated the residents who beat him mercilessly until the Police came to his rescue, if the Police had delayed, maybe he would have been
beaten to death.

The Nigerian Army has arrested a suspected Boko Haram sponsor, Aliyu Hussaini, who was also said to be pretending to be military brigadier general.
Military authorities said in a statement on Tuesday that Hussaini was apprehended by soldiers of the 33rd Artillery Brigade in Bauchi State during the course of a raid.

“The 33 Artillery Brigade, Nigerian Army, has recorded another landmark success in the ongoing Operation Zaman Lafiyah as troops of the brigade recently arrested one Aliyu Hussaini, popularly known as Colonel, a suspected Boko Haram terrorist and an Impostor who has been parading himself as a Brigadier-General in the Nigerian Army.
“The troops, who were acting on a tip-off, said Aliyu Hussaini was a sponsor and also a member of the Boko Haram terrorist organisation. (They) carried out a raid operation, which led to the successful arrest of Aliyu and another suspected Boko Haram member, one Ibrahim Mohammed, who is also known as Yuram.

“It was later gathered that Aliyu had been defrauding innocent citizens (with the claim) that he was a general in the Nigerian Army.”

lalasticlala

An angry mob in Irri, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, on Sunday stripped naked a 40-year-old tipper driver, identified simply as Umuokoro, for allegedly beating his wife to a coma.

Sources said that the man, a native of the community, was fond of beating his wife before the incident occurred.

It was gathered that the constant beating came to a head on Sunday between 4am and 5am when the man beat up his wife to a coma.

The source said, “After the wife slumped, sympathisers descended on the man and beat him to pulp after he was stripped naked.

“The man, who had two children, had initially attempted to flee, thinking that his wife was dead. He had hit the woman with a pestle, but the angry mob caught up with him.

“The suspect faked mental disorder to avoid any punishment that would have been meted out on him by the angry mob, but the mob ignored his antic.

The policemen at the Irri Police Division confirmed the incident on condition of anonymity, adding that the man was still helping the police in their investigation.

Police in Rivers State have rescued a female victim of abduction who was chained down at kidnappers’ den in Port Harcourt.
The state Commissioner of Police, Musa Kimo, disclosed this yesterday while parading 20 suspects arrested for various crimes ranging from kidnapping, armed robbery and cultism. Giving the breakdown, Kimo 11 were kidnappers, five were cult members while four were armed robbers.

The police chief said arms recovered from the suspects included five AK47 rifles, one General Purpose Rifle (GPR), five locally-made pistols, six single-barrelled guns, 161 rounds of ammunition and 11 vehicles.
According him, seven kidnap victims were rescued by policemen. He said: “They are Mrs Bunmi Shonoye (43 years), Mrs Thressa Nwosu (76), Mr Osimoke Itu, Master Judah Ayoade (10), Mr Ugochukwu Duru, Mr Friday Ozogo and Professor Iheanyi S. Nzeneri.”

“These rescued kidnap victims were found in an inhumanly cruel condition, depicting the depravity, wickedness and reprehensible disposition of these hoodlums.
“A case in hand was that of Mrs Bunmi Shonoye, who was found with chain on her legs at the kidnappers’ hideout on Rumuduru Road, Port Harcourt. “One Obinna Ezekiel ‘m’ 28 years and Henry Enyi ‘m’ 28 years were arrested during her rescue operation, while two AK 47 rifles, four magazines, 40 rounds of 7.62 live ammunition and a Honda Accord saloon car with registration No. NDN 43 JP were recovered at the scene.
“You will remember on July 27 we paraded the trio of Kelvin Ogbulaon, male and aged 22, Chiwendu Akani ‘m’ aged 20 and Nelson Kacaranmoh ‘m’ aged 23 who all confessed to have kidnapped, killed and buried one Friday Ozoko in a shallow grave at Choba waterfronts.

“Their fugitive co-traveller, one Stephen Ezebunwo, is now in the police net. He was arrested at Rukpokwu on October 1. “Our quick responses and discreet investigations into reported cases of kidnappings have led to the safe rescue of seven kidnap victims.
“On September 29, about 11am, our men conducted a sting operation on NTA Road, Port Harcourt and arrested Sunny Ossai ‘m’ who is the leader of a car-snatching syndicate.” Kimo said further interrogation of Ossai led policemen to Abia State where five suspected stolen vehicles were recovered.
He added: “The vehicles are Toyota RAV4 (gold colour), Toyota Camry (grey colour), Toyota Camry (silver colour), Honda EOD (silver colour), Toyota Land Cruiser Jeep (wine colour).
“A Toyota Lexus (silver colour) belonging to one Mrs E. Amadi that was snatched at gunpoint along Obiri-Ikwerre was also recovered by the operatives of the command on September 29 at Awka, Anambra State.”

“The criticisms are coming from deal makers and briefcase-carrying cooks because they know that Buhari is not a deal maker.

Then, my granddaughter showed us the particular classroom where the driver had committed the act.

Elders of Ukwu-Agba community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area and Ettam village, Okpoitumo community in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, have sanctioned two men for reportedly sleeping with their daughters. First was a middle-aged man, Onwe Bernard, of Ukwu- Agba community who was accused of defiling his 13-year-old daughter (name withheld). Bernard was said to have slept with his daughter several times with a threat to kill her if she tells anyone.

But luck ran out on him when his wife saw him naked in middle of the night on top of the girl and raised the alarm which attracted neighbours and elders of the community. The family was sleeping when Bernard went to meet his daughter in her room and allegedly slept with the girl.

When the wife woke up and did not see her husband for several minutes, she became uncomfortable and started looking for him. She later saw the man’s foot wears in front of their daughter’s room. When she opened the door, she saw Bernard on top of the girl naked. Narrating the accident to the elders of the community, the victim said her father had had sex with her several times and had threatened to stab her to death if anyone heard about it.
The girl is a secondary school student who lives in school but, according to her, any weekend she comes home, her father will insist on sleeping with her. She said: “My father has being having intercourse with me in the night in my room. I live in a room located close to the building where father and my mother live.

“So in the night, my father usually comes to my room to sleep with me and usually threatens to stab me to death if anyone hears it. Because of this, I am always afraid to disclose it to anyone, including my mother.”

Residents of Utuh Street, Araromi Quarters at Ketu area of Lagos were plunged into mourning, following the death of a woman while trying to save the lives of her two children. The woman, Mrs Bashirat Rauf, was not the only person who died on the fateful day. Another resident identified as Sodiq Saka also died while trying to ensure that others did not die in a fire outbreak.

The fire was said to have started after two high-tension cables fell on a school building in the area, sparking an inferno. Residents who mourned Rauf and Saka also gave thanks to God, saying that many school children would have died but for the Sallah break. Surprisingly, Rauf and Saka, who were trying to save people died, while those they tried to save are alive. When our correspondent went to the area, it was gathered that Bashirat’s husband had gone out. A resident, however, attempted to recapture how the woman died on September 24. The resident said: “Bashirat has two kids; a boy and a girl.

The kids were playing outside when the high-tension cables fell and caused fire. The school is close to residential homes. Bashirat ran out of her apartment, screaming for her two kids. As she rushed to pick them, she stepped on one of the cables. When people realised that she was electrocuted, they screamed, but there was nothing anybody could have done.

The two kids are still alive. Nothing happened to them, but Bashirat died.” Saka, who many described as a Good Samaritan, was also electrocuted. According to some residents, when Saka noticed the raging fire in the school compound, he dashed out of his apartment and frantically searched for a bucket to fetch water.

The thought in his mind was how to arrest the fire from spreading to other buildings. He had already fetched the water and was making his way towards the burning building when he also stepped on a cable. He died instantly. Saka’s grieving father, Imam, said: “As a Muslim, I have accepted my fate. There is nothing I can do to bring the dead back to life.

Sodiq was the person who slaughtered the Sallah ram he bought for me on that day. When he was through with the ram, he told me he was going to get something down the street. A few minutes later, someone rushed to tell me that my son had been electrocuted in the neighbourhood.

“I was told that my son only went into the school premises where it was burning to assist in battling the fire, only for him to be electrocuted. What can I do now? Is it possible for me to give birth to a 30-yearold again?” The Secretary of Araromi Community Development Association, Mr Wahab Awoyemi, said it was a very sad day for all residents after the community lost two persons in a day.
He said: “We made frantic efforts to rescue both of them, but it was to no avail. We rushed to the Eko Distribution Company office at Mile 12, to switch off the power, but the person who was supposed to switch off the power was not on duty. “They (the victims) were later taken to hospital, but pronounced dead by doctors. We want government to come to our aid in the community. We are suffering. We have no accessible road. This affected the timely arrival of firefighters.”

The suspect, who is married with two children
and holds a Higher National Diploma in Estate
Management from Osun State College of Technology in 2006, said he made a mistake getting involved in drug trafficking, saying he never knew he could be caught.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Enugu state command, Friday, paraded six girls who were recovered from two different brothels in the state.

National Mirror reports that the arrests were made through the combined efforts of the Enugu State Child Fostering and Adoption Committee headed by Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, Archbishop of the Anglican Communion, Enugu State Province and NSCDC.

The girls, Chinaza Okoye (18) SS3 student from Agulu, Anambra state, Ogbu; Gloria (15) SS3 student from Effium, Ebonyi State, Ifeoma Agbo (21) JSS3 student from Ezzamgbo Ebonyi State, Esther Ani (23) SS2 student from Agbani, Enugu State, Aku Udeze Favour (24) SS3 student from Uzo-Uwani, Enugu State and Lovett Mbamalu (18) SS2 student from Ifitedunu Anambra State, are mostly school drop-outs.

They were allegedly kept in the brothels where men pay N1000 per night to sleep with them in order to impregnate them and held hostage until they put to bed.

The girls were also paraded with proprietors of the brothels; Chief George Obike, owner of Star Palace Hotel located at No. 4 Mission Avenue, Coal Camp Enugu and Azubuike Aneke, owner of Zubynet Hotel, 26 Okpara Avenue Enugu.

They were both alleged to be engaged in the illicit business. The proprietors of the brothels, Obika and Aneke, however, refuted claims that they were engaged in baby factory business, insisting that they run the brothels as prostitution ring where girls pay N100 per night for lodging.

The girls however revealed that they were in the brothels for prostitution only.

sage2:
Well, the concept of a new month does not seems to hold ground for me. I will do what I have to do when I have to do.

shidof:
They kept mute cos of d dn't judge my anointed one slang.

By Ufuoma Tiveruahor
Lagos—Kirikiri area of Lagos, was yesterday, thrown into pandemonium, following attempt by a mob to lynch some naval personnel whom they accused causing of the death of a conductor attached to a truck driver
.
The deceased was reportedly crushed by the truck he was attached to, while the driver, Ibrahim Salima, was reportedly running away from naval personnel stationed at the Kirikiri bridge, by Tokunbo car park road, to control the perennial gridlock.

There were, however, different accounts to how the tragedy happened. A version of the account, alleged that naval personnel stationed there usually collect N500 from truck drivers who wait on the queue to get petroleum products from jetties, daily.

How truck conductor died
However at about 9am yesterday, Salisu was said to have refused to part with the amount, an action that was taken as affront by the naval ratings. One of them was said to have chased the moving truck, in the process of which he allegedly dragged the motor boy, identified as Abass Kasali, out.
Unfortunately, Kasali reportedly fell right under the truck and was crushed by the moving truck.

Another version of the account, said when the truck driver sighted the naval rating approaching, he reportedly jumped into the truck started the ignition, with a view to vacate the illegal parking spot. In the process, the conductor followed suit, but reportedly missed his steps and fell right under the truck, causing the tyres to run over him.

A third version also had it that the truck had a break failure and in the driver’s bid to control it, it rammed into a commercial motorcyclist, killing him on the spot.

The incident reportedly sparked off a protest, as an angry mob reportedly descended on the naval rating. Some of his colleagues who were on their way to work reportedly stopped to rescue him from the angry mob. But they were reportedly overpowered.

It took the combined efforts of armed military men, including the Police to quell the situation.
Eye witnesses said: “The man was sitting down here (pointing to a position) when the tanker driver approached him to come and work with him, explaining that his real motor boy was ill.

It was not up to two hours that we saw him struggling with a known naval personnel who usually comes around to collect N500 from all tanker drivers. By this time, the driver had veered off his lane in a bid to move. In the process, he hit a car with the number plate BX 941 ABC and a motorcycle with plate number KSF342 QE.
“Along the line, the rating succeeded in dragging the motor boy down from the truck.

Unfortunately, he fell and had his head crushed by the tyres of the truck and died instantly.
“A mob held the naval personnel hostage and locked him inside a shop until the arrival of his colleagues who came and rescued him. Tanker drivers and their conductors started protesting the death of their member. But the Navy condoned off all routes leading to their barracks and shot sporadically to wade off the
protesters.”

When Vanguard arrived the scene, blood stained as well as particles suspected to be the deceased’s skull were sighted on the spot. The incident worsened the traffic situation in the area, as vehicles remained stand still position for the better part of the day.
However, when this reporter attempted to take shots of the scene, some men in plain clothes who identified themselves as naval personnel apprehended this reporter.

Her phone was seized, as she was whisked into a waiting van, to a place where some uniformed naval personnel were, with threat from some of them to beat her up. It took the intervention of some officers of the ranks of Lieutenants to free this reporter from the the ratings.

Petroleum tanker drivers react
National spokesman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers,PTD branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Adebayo Akande said, the deceased was yet to be identified at the time of filing this report.
Akange also said the group had got in touch with the Naval Base in Satellite Town, noting that investigation into the cause of the death of the conductor was still ongoing.

“The Navy has also commenced its own investigation and both groups will compare notes at the end of the exercise,” Akanga said, informing that the outcome of the investigation would determine the association’s next line of action.

Naval sources speak
Efforts to reach the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS WEY, whose jurisdiction controls the point, failed as he was not in the office when Vanguard called. But Naval sources debunked allegation that the ratings were extorting money from tanker drivers. Rather sources stated that the Ratings were stationed there to control the flow of traffic.

Naval sources said: “The Navy is not responsible for the death of the conductor as alleged. And the Navy does not collect dues from tanker drivers. The dues is between the tanker drivers and the designated union Task Force.
“When the incident happened, our men were held
hostage by a mob and in the process, they sustained injuries. Even when a reinforcement went for their rescue, stones were hauled at them, with the mob threatening to kill at least one of our men. What we did was to fire warning shots into the air to disperse them and nobody died as a result of the bullets fired.

“The area is calm now. Driver of the truck , Ibrahim Salima, has been arrested by the Police. We did not lose any of our personnel as widely rumoured. The Commanders NNS Beecroft and NNS WEY were at the scene to get on the spot information.”

sage2:
You are highly welcome, my dear. I will deem it a privilege if I am given a shot at meeting your majesty.

chocolateme:
It is all part of the CHANGE EMBEZZLEMENT we are are fighting. If 70million can be spent for today's celebrations, then they should have released that fund budget for that Mecca movement.
Anyway Bubu is not saint Stephen.