The owner of Hilton hotel, Prince Ramon Adedoyin has been further indicted in the circumstances that led to the death of Timothy Adegoke, a masters student of OAU who died at the hotel some months ago.
He was said to have been gruesomely murdered and buried by staffers of Hilton hotels. The police also confirmed that he was buried without the consent of his family members or the police force.
This made the matter complex and led to the arrest of Ramon Adedoyin as investigations began into the sudden death of the young man.
In the course of investigation, the police revealed that Ramon Adedoyin’s son monitored the burial of Timothy Adegoke and that since the matter happened, he has been on the run.
In a new twist today, a human right activist who has been making revelations about the case, simply called Hamzat spoke this evening and made it known that the CCTV has been released and Ramon Adedoyin was confirmed to be part of the people that carried out the act.
The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) will conduct its final outdoor Field Training Exercise for Army Cadets of Short Service Course 47, nicknamed Exercise CAMP HIGHLAND, in Plateau and Kaduna States, respectively, from 8 – 29 January 2022.
The Exercise is designed to test the cadets leadership skills, physical fitness, as well as command and control abilities, among other military competencies. The Exercise is an important military training activity used in ascertaining the preparedness of the Army cadets for commissioning as Officers into the Nigerian Armed Forces. Phases of the Exercise that would take place in Plateau State include Map Reading Exercise at Heipang and Adventure Training at the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, Shere Hills, Jos, from 8 – 14 January 2022. Furthermore, Tactical Drills and Battle Inoculation Drills would take place in Kachia general area from 14 – 29 January 2022.
Consequently, communities living around Heipang and Shere Hills, Jos in Plateau State would observe mass movement of military personnel, vehicles and equipment in the general area from 8-15 January 2022. Similarly, residents of KATUL CROSSING – FADAN KAMANTA axis in ZAGON KATAF Local Government Area of Kaduna State will observe same tactical drills involving firing /simulation of small arms and artillery fire from 15 -19 January 2022. Residents in the general areas mentioned above are therefore advised not to panic but to go about their normal daily routine activities without fear. They are to however advised to report any breach of security to the nearest authorities. Furthermore, Battle Inoculation, which would involve live firing of small arms, amour and artillery weapons will be conducted from 20 – 29 January 2022 within the Military Exercise Area near Nigerian Army Base Camp, Kachia. Therefore, locals around ANINKWA, INSAME and neighboring communities are advised to stay away from the live firing area during the period of the exercise. On our part, all necessary safety measures and arrangements have been put in place to ensure safety in the exercise areas.
We wish to appeal for cooperation from the local communities directly affected by the Exercise and Nigerians as a whole as we train future military leaders for our Armed Forces. You are please requested to use your medium to enlighten the general public, particularly the inhabitants of the aforementioned areas. While thanking you for your usual cooperation, please accept the esteemed regards of the Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy.
BASHIR MUHAMMED JAJIRA
Major
Academy Public Relations Officer
7 January 2022
Press Release: Defence HQ Reel Out Achievements of Nigeria’s Military
1.Good morning and happy New Year Gentlemen of the Press. I am glad to welcome you back from the Christmas and New Year as we continue in our fortnight briefings on the operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in this New Year 2022. In the last year, the DDMO worked hard to meet its mandate of managing and disseminating credible information on our military operations from the theatres of operation across the Country. This was made possible by the joint efforts of the Defence Headquarters as well as the various Service Headquarters and of course, you gentlemen of the press, with your full cooperation and support as well as the entire media community. As we continue with our business of keeping the general public abreast with our operational activities, we deem it necessary to jog memories on our achievements through the unrelenting and committed efforts of the Nigerian military and other security agencies in tackling the security challenges across the Country in the past year. This would give a better perspective of the cumulative achievements resulting from our operational engagements in the various theatres. Against this backdrop, the briefing today will cover a cumulative summary of our achievements between 20 May 2021 and 6 January 2022; from when we started our fortnight briefings.
2.Within the timeframe in focus, own troops conducted series of land, maritime and air operations in the various theatres, involving both kinetic and non-kinetic activities across the Country in major and subsidiary operations. Our gallant troops in the frontlines executed these operations with utmost zest that resulted in the incapacitation of terrorists’ fighting capability and neutralization of scores of terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements, including high profile ones, who were either neutralized in action or arrested. Furthermore, large numbers of terrorists have continued to surrender due to troops’ overwhelming superior combat power and intelligence activities. Also, troops rescued kidnapped civilians as well as repelled and forestalled criminal elements’ attacks on civilians and troops. Troops also recovered caches of arms and ammunition, equipment, vehicles and large numbers of livestock within the period. In the maritime environment, our ever resilient and dogged troops’ operations disrupted activities of economic saboteurs and smugglers, immobilized illegal refining sites and arrested perpetrators as well as recovered tons of petroleum products, arms, ammunition, vehicles, boats and other equipment used for illegal bunkering activities. Besides, troops engaged in various non-kinetic activities as strategies for addressing security challenges in different theatres.
OPERATION HADIN KAI
3.Within the period under review, own troops operational activities in Operation HADIN KAI theatre resulted in the neutralization of 950 terrorists including their high profile Commanders and Amirs. Also, a total of 79 terrorists were arrested and 113 kidnapped civilians were rescued by the troops of Operation HADIN KAI within the period. In the same vein, a total of 195 assorted arms including AK-47 rifles, GPMGs, PKT guns and locally fabricated guns were recovered from terrorist elements in the course of the operations. In addition, a total of 2,385 rounds of different calibres of ammunition and 253 rustled livestock were recovered, while a total of 14 gun trucks of the terrorists were destroyed in the course of the operations, while 16 gun trucks were captured by own troops within the period. Furthermore, a total of 24,059 terrorists and their families comprising 5,326 adult males, 7,550 adult females and 11,183 children have so far surrendered to own troops in the North East. All surrendered elements have been properly profiled and handed over to appropriate authorities for necessary actions.
OPERATION HADARIN DAJI
4.In Operation HADARIN DAJI, the operational efforts of our gallant troops yielded appreciable results between 20 May 2021 and 6 January 2022. A total of 537 armed bandits and other criminal elements were neutralized in action by own troops, while 374 criminal elements including armed bandits and their collaborators as well as armed herdsman and robbers were arrested. Furthermore, 227 assorted arms, including AK-47 rifles, PKT machine guns and GPMGs as well as 4,443 rounds of different calibres of ammunition and 3,250 rustled livestock among other items and vehicles were recovered within the period. Similarly, a total of 238 motorcycles and 118 extra rifle magazines were recovered, while 452 kidnapped civilians were rescued by own troops in the course of the operations. This is in addition to several other feats recorded during air offensives executed on bandits’ enclaves by the Air Component. Recent among prominent air offensives were concurrent air strikes executed on bandits’ enclaves at Gusami Forest and West Tsamre village in Birnin Magaji LGA of Zamfara State, which led to the neutralization of scores of armed bandits. The feats were recorded in the early hours of 3 January 2022 on the heels of credible intelligence, which revealed the locations of 2 key bandits’ leaders, the notorious Alhaji Auta and Kachalla Ruga. Consequently, a force package of NAF platforms were dispatched to takeout the enclaves, which resulted in the neutralization of the leaders as well as their cohorts. In addition, several other armed bandits fleeing from the hit of the air strikes, were killed during follow up strikes. No fewer than 100 armed bandits were neutralized in the encounter.
OPERATION SAFE HAVEN
5.Troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN within the period recorded attendant successes in their kinetic operations within the North Central Zone. Some of the operations led to the arrest of a total of 1,771 criminal elements including armed bandits, armed herdsmen and livestock rustlers; while 109 armed bandits and other criminal elements were neutralized in action. Also, in the course of the operations, a total of 75 kidnapped civilians were rescued, while 1,306 livestock, 108 assorted arms including AK-47 rifles and locally produced guns as well as 493 rounds of different calibres of ammunition among other items were recovered in the course of the operations. Moreover, troops carried out various non-kinetic activities in different locations of the theatre to contain security challenges in its area of responsibility. Some of these include; organized peace and security meetings with critical security stakeholders to discuss and proffer actionable solutions to security concerns as well as organized sporting activities for youths, in other to dissuade them from criminal activities, with consolation prizes.
OPERATION WHIRL STROKE
6.Between 20 May 2021 and 6 January 2022, troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE operational activities cumulatively resulted in the neutralization of a total of 168 criminal elements, while 127 of them, including migrant armed bandits were arrested. Also, 118 different types of arms and 381 different calibres of ammunitions as well as 391 livestock were recovered, while 33 kidnapped civilians were rescued within the period under review. In addition, Operation WHIRL STROKE within the period, held peace and security meetings with community and youth leaders as well as other security agencies and other critical stakeholders as non-kinetic means of tackling insecurity challenges in the its area of responsibility. These meetings were geared towards finding lasting solutions to the security challenges in the North Central Zone.
OPERATION THUNDER STRKE/WHIRL PUNCH
7.Within the Operation THUNDER STRKE/WHIRL PUNCH theatre, own troops in the period under review, engaged in various kinetic operations which cumulatively resulted in the neutralization of 44 and arrest of 46 criminal elements. Troops operations also led to the recovery of 59 assorted arms, 12 extra AK-47 rifles magazines, 113 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and 16 motorcycles among other items in the course of the operations. Additionally, a total of 14 kidnapped civilians were rescued and reunited with their families within the period under review.
OPERATION DELTA SAFE
8.In Operation DELTA SAFE, troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria working in conjunction with other Security Agencies recorded remarkable results in their efforts against economic sabotage and other sundry crimes in the South-South Zone. Within the period under review, troops discovered and immobilized a cumulative total of 145 illegal refining sites, 209 ovens, 122 cooking pots/boilers, 161 cooling systems, 224 reservoirs, 160 large dugout pits and 367 storage tanks in the Niger Delta Region. Consequently, a total of Twelve million, eight hundred and fourty-six thousand, three hundred (12,846,300) litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil as well as 29,237 barrels and six million, four hundred and nighty-one thousand (6,491,000) litres of stolen crude oil were recovered within the period. Similarly, a total of Three million, nine hundred and sixty-nine thousand (3,969,000) litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene; Ten million, two hundred thousand, five hundred (10,200,500) litres of illegally refined Premium Motor Spirit were recovered by troops of Operation DELTA SAFE. Additionally, troops recovered 33 assorted arms; 5,268 rounds of different calibres of ammunition and 21 AK-47 rifle magazines, while 3,110 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled smuggled rice, 662 pieces of galvanized pipes, 32 tanker trucks and 119 wooden boats used for illegal oil bunkering activities were impounded and handled appropriately in the course of the operations. Also, a total of 41 kidnapped victims were rescued, while 77 criminal elements associated with pipeline vandalism, piracy, illegal oil bunkering and armed robbery were arrested within the period. All the arrested criminals and recovered items have been handed over to relevant security agencies for further action.
OPERATION AWATSE
9.The troops of Operation AWATSE in the fight against pipeline vandals and economic saboteurs in the South-West Zone successfully forestalled criminal activities within the period under review. In the course of the operations, troops impounded a total of 1,458,600 litres of illegally refined Premium Motor Spirit; 9,345 barrels of stolen crude oil and 355,000 litres illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil. Additionally, troops recovered a total of 1,594 rounds of ammunition and 14 assorted rifles. Also, within the period, a total of 15 illegal refining sites were immobilized, while 12 boats and 13 trucks engaged in illegal activities were arrested. In the same vein, within the period 15 kidnapped civilians were rescued, while 28 criminal elements were arrested.
10.In summary, the Armed Forces of Nigeria from 20 May 2021 to 6 January 2022 neutralized 1,910 criminal elements including terrorists, armed bandits and robbers as well as kidnappers across the Country. This is in addition to scores of other terrorists and armed bandits killed during air strikes within the period. Troops also rescued a total of 729 kidnapped victims across the Country. Furthermore, within the period in focus, troops made a cumulative total recoveries of thirteen million, two hundred and one thousand, three hundred (13,201,300) litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil and three million, nine hundred and sixty-nine thousand (3,969,000) litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene. Also, 38,582 barrels and six million, four hundred and ninety-one thousand (6,491,000) litres of stolen crude oil as well as eleven million, six hundred and fifty-nine thousand, five hundred (11,659,500) litres of illegally refined Premium Motor Spirit were recovered and handed appropriately. Additionally, a total of 912 criminal elements were arrested, while large cache of arms and ammunition as well as livestock among other items of economic and security concerns were recovered by the troops during the period.
11.Gleaning from the available information as I have just presented, there is no gain saying that our operational performance for the year 2021 shows our commitment to ensure peace is restored in the Country. It shows the synergy between the Nigerian military and other Security Agencies is succeeding in tackling the security challenges facing the Country. We will continue to sustain the offensive and will not relent until peace is restored to every troubled zone in Nigeria. The general public is also assured of our commitment to protect lives and properties as well as our economic assets anywhere, with renewed vigour this year.
12.The High Command of the Nigerian Military continues to thank the general public and members of the press for their support and further solicit everyone’s cooperation towards providing credible and timely information that will facilitate proactive engagements in our operations. The Military High Command also commends all the gallant troops of the Armed Forces and personnel of other security agencies involved in various operations across the Country for their resilience, doggedness and commitment. Troops are further encouraged to remain resolute and decisive in securing the Country. Once again I thank you members of the press for your understanding and support for our course.
BENARD ONYEUKO
Major General
Acting Director
6 January 2022Defence Media Operations
7
Down College Sylvester Oromoni CP Odumosu Gives Full Details Of Investigation
There is no evidence to establish that 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni Jnr was tortured, bullied or forcefully positioned, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu stated this at a press conference on Friday while giving update on the investigation into the cause of the death of the late student of the Dowen College.
While speaking to pressmen at the state command, which National Association of Online Security Reporters, NAOSRE was represented, Odumosu denied any form cover-up that alleged by Sylvester Oromoni’s parent and members of the public.
According to the CP, eight suspects were arrested which included three House Masters of the College and five students who were said to have mentioned by Sylvester before his death.
The suspects were;
1. Valentine Igbokwe ‘m’ aged 45
2. Ahmed Bariyu ‘m’ aged 52
3. Adesanya Olusegun ‘m’ aged 42
4. Ansel Temile ‘m’ aged 14
5. Michael Kashamu ‘m’ aged 15
6. Kenneth Inyang ‘m’ aged 15
7. Favour Benjamin ‘m’ aged 16
8. Edward Begue ‘m’ aged 16
The commissioner confirmed that the Police Force obtained a remand warrant at the Yaba Magistrate Court to enable the Police detain the suspects for 21 days and all parties were interviewed by him. Meanwhile, it was confirmed that the student’s suspects were granted bail before the expiration of the 21 days and house masters after the expiration of 21 days.
Further, the CP said it was agreed unanimously that another autopsy should be carried out after a post mortem examination was carried out earlier by a Consultant Pathologist, Dr Clement Vhriterhire which attributed the cause of the death to ‘acute bacteria pneumonia due to severe sepsis’. The second autopsy carried out in the presence of all parties representatives attributed the cause of death to ‘septicaemia, lobar pneumonia with acute pyelonephritis and pyomyositis of the right ankle’.
Conclusively, Odumosu reaffirms that the final results of the post mortem and toxicology examination conducted both at Warri and Lagos agreed that the Sylvester Oromoni died a natural death.
In the same vein, the Lagos State Police Command frowns at the protest conducted by a group called Ijaw Youth Council, Lagos led by Comrade Henry Oyobola.
The protest which was said to have happened in front Bowen College for hours witnessed masquerades with placards. According the CP, the act caused panic within the community and was able to come down with the help of men of the Police command.
He warned those threatening to go to any length to protest the outcome of the investigations to go the legal way or be ready to face the full wrath of the law.
Samuel, the son of Funmilayo Adebayo, an evangelist nicknamed Mummy GO, on Friday said that his mother is not bothered about the hellfire memes circulating online.
Evang. Adebayo, the founder of Rapture Proclaimer Evangelical Church of God, has been trending on social media due to her controversial pronouncements.
Her son however, said many of the texts attributed to her mum in the memes about hellfire were fabricated and untrue imaginations.
Samuel told Punch that his mother truly made some comments about several actions that might attract hellfire as destination in the hereafter, she never forced people to believe her.
“Social media has always been a platform where anything can be posted at any point in time but everything that has been posted about her saying she said this and that are all lies, nothing is true about the memes, they are just fabricating the memes, everybody with their contents, writing all sorts of things and tagging her pictures. We are used to it; the best thing is to ignore them.
“Even though she said everything about hell, there is nowhere she said by fire, by force, people must agree and accept what she is saying. I don’t think she has ever made that kind of statement before,” Samuel said.
Philippe Coutinho has joined Aston Villa on loan from Barcelona, the Premier League club said on Friday.
“Welcome, Philippe Coutinho!” the club said in a Facebook post. “Aston Villa and FC Barcelona have agreed terms for Philippe Coutinho to spend the rest of this season on loan at Villa Park.”
A Kenyan police officer from Koromotangi village in Kakamega County has reportedly committed suicide over an alleged salary delay.
Abel Kemboi was found dead on Wednesday, January 5, after complaining to friends and relatives that his December salary had been delayed.
Before committing suicide, Kemboi reportedly said he would take up the salary issue with his bosses at Kakamega Police Station and even requested his cousin identified as Zacheaus Kalama to accompany him.
When Kalama woke up the following morning and headed to Kemboi’s home, he found the door locked from inside. Upon getting no response, he broke into the house and saw that Kemboi had hanged himself. He noted that his late cousin had show signs of being depressed earlier.
Kalama said;
“We had agreed to go to the station to inquire the cause of the salary delay from his bosses but it was shocking that he took his own life even before we achieved our mission.
“He had hanged himself and I did not believe what I saw.”
The deceased’s immediate boss and Kakamega Central OCPD David Kabena also confirmed that he was always depressed.
Kabena said that they had already launched investigations to ascertain the exact cause of his death. In addition, he urged officers with any underlying mental issues to seek expert attention.
He said;
“It is important for those who realise that they are stressed to reach out and share what they are going through.”
Kemboi’s body was taken to Kakamega Teaching and Referral Hospital morgue awaiting postmortem.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed disappointment over the stance of President Muhammadu Buhari on state police.
President Buhari had in an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, monitored by Naija News, said state police is not an option in solving the security challenges in the country.
“State police is not an option. Find out the relationship between local governments and the governors. Are the third tier of government getting what they are supposed to get constitutionally,” he had said.
Reacting to the comment, PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, said the president’s rejection of the state police shows that his government is not interested in solving the insecurity in the nation.
Ayu stated that the call for state police was made by Nigerians, urging the president to do the will of the people he swore an oath to serve.
In a statement released on Wednesday night, the PDP chairman asserted that Nigerians will not accept his rejection of state police.
He said: “Watching President Muhammadu Buhari this evening on Channels TV during an interview session was a gratuitous waste of time because there was nothing new coming from the President.
“As has been said by many before now, to expect anything new from our President would be a misplaced and unfortunate expectation. From the economy to insecurity, killing of innocent farmers by terrorists (which some erroneous term farmer/herder clashes) and other sundry issues, President Buhari honoured his calling as a President who has nothing new to offer.
“In President Buhari’s view, State Police is not an option. Yet, it appears the continued killings in some localities of Nigeria, particularly in the North, and more specifically in his home state of Katsina, may not matter, hence, the need to have a security system that feeds on local intelligence and nuances, which the federal police cannot adequately provide, is not an option to our President.
“To him, it appears that continuing the same process while expecting a different output and outcome is the best way to go. We ask, is he comfortable with the killings in the land while the status quo persists?”
Viewers who watched President Muhammadu Buhari’s interview on Wednesday must have been bemused after the president gave two contradictory responses about his preferred candidate for 2023 presidential election.
Buhari spoke about the economy, insecurity, his reservations about the recently signed 2022 budget and his refusal to give assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, amongst others, during the interview aired by Channels TV.
But when asked about who he prefers to succeed him in 2023, the president said he had no favourite candidate and isn’t concerned about who emerges his successor at the polls.
“I am not interested in who becomes the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) as I am open to the emergence of anyone. Let him come, whoever it is.
“The only important thing (is) I made sure that on record, nobody should ask me to come and give any evidence in any court. Otherwise, whoever it is, he will be in trouble. Because all the important things are on record. I made sure about that. Important issues are all on record.”
In the same breath, the president admitted having a favourite candidate but said he prefers to “keep it (a) secret”.
“I wouldn’t (reveal my preferred candidate) because the person could be eliminated if I mention it. I better keep it secret,” said Buhari.
Speaking further on why he declined assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, the president said it was undemocratic to impose direct primaries as the only option for political parties to elect candidates for elections.
““We must not insist that it has to be direct; it should be consensus and indirect,” Buhari had said, adding that he would sign the bill if indirect primaries and consensus candidates were added as options.
Scores of students of the University of Ibadan have fled their private hostels located at Agbowo area and other adjoining streets due to the invasion of the hostels by armed robbers.
Armed hoodlums who were said to have distributed themselves into groups of about 12 each reportedly invaded the hostels which were occupied mainly by students of the premier university in the country.
An undergraduate identified as vIctor was reportedly shot and one of the security guards in the area was also said to have been shot and injured.
Some UI students told THE WHISTLER that they would not sleep at their hostels for at least one week because of the trauma of the attack.
Armed hoodlums had invaded the hostels at around 1:50am and carted away assorted phones and iPads ,laptop computers and other handy devices.
The shot student was said to have been taken to the University of Ibadan Health Centre, popularly known as Jaja, for treatment.
A student living in one of the hostels said the hoodlums stole phones and collected password to unlock them.
The student who spoke on condition of anonimity said, “The armed robbers arrived our area around 2am. A student, Victor was shot in his left leg. He was taken to UI Health Centre. The hoodlums also collected N250,000 and POS machine from one of our neighbours.
“Many students were injured, they collected money from them while their phones were stolen. It was like a film last night. Police were invited but the robbers had left before they arrived.”
In other hostels located at Barika and Agricola streets, many phones were also carted away while three occupants of one of the hostels were injured by the hoodlums who also shot repeatedly to force occupants to cooperate with them.
Another student in the area told our correspondent that the security guard at the hostel where he resides was thoroughly beaten with clubs.
He said, ” After this, they proceeded to start breaking doors to the rooms. They shot in the air to tell us that they came fully armed. They were about 12 and I saw three of them with guns.
” Some policemen came after the armed robbers had left and picked the expended bullets fired by the armed robbers.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Adewale Osifeso, could not be reached. He did not pick his calls.
