Suspected cult members, on Thursday morning allegedly killed a barber and macheted one of his customers at Oke-Ijetu area of Osogbo in Osun. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the late barber, simply identified as Shogo, was attacked in his shop at about 10.00 a.m by six armed men.
A source told NAN that the attackers, on sighting their target, inflicted several machete cuts on him, before hitting his head with a big stone.
The source said the assailants also attacked a customer who went to the shop for a hair cut, inflicting several machete cuts on him, while trying to flee when he saw them.
NAN learnt that a co-barber with Shogo in the shop, however, escaped unhurt. A source close to the wounded customer told NAN that the six young men, armed with cutlasses, arrived the barber’s shop on three motorcycles.
He said that the wounded customer was attacked by the assailants as he ran out of the shop after seeing them.
“Eventually, the cultists caught up with him and inflicted machete cuts on him.
“The second barber managed to run out of the salon and escaped the attack, but Shogo, who was their target, was caught, macheted and later killed,” he said.
The source said that the wounded customer was receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.
He said that the killed barber was said to have relocated to Osogbo from Ilesa about three months ago, and the assailants might have come from Ilesa.
The Police Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, has confirmed Usman Baba as Inspector General of Police.
Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, confirmed the development at the end of the one and half hours meeting, said he was unanimously confirmed.
President Buhari had on April 6, Usman Baba as acting the Inspector General of Police.
The minister said Buhari directed him to ensure insecurity is brought to the barest minimum.
Baba was a Deputy Inspector General of Police before his promotion.
The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) has pledged to collaborate with the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) to find practical solutions to insecurity confronting the country.
The Commander, Nigerian Army Armoured Corps (NAAC), Major General Mohammed Magaji, yesterday commissioned landmark projects in Obienu barracks to immortalise the name of the late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Ibrahim Attahiru.
The projects were meant to strengthening the corps security and improve its capacity for administrative purposes.
The projects that were commissioned included the refurbishment and repair of 22 ‘B’ vehicles that have contributed immensely to the accomplishment of the tasks of the corps.
Magaji also repaired and refurbished 12 low beds (tank transporters) and sunk five boreholes in the cantonment, which were also commissioned.
He also commissioned the installed Solar Street Lights in the barracks and the beautification of the barracks gate and befitting sentry posts at the two gates with street lights.
The Commander of the Armoured Corps (CAC) explained that the commitment of the corps in the refurbishment of the vehicles would definitely go a long way in improving the operational capabilities of the army’s personnel.
He lamented that “some of the vehicles were unserviceable for more than 10 years and some beyond repairs” but expressed happiness that the refurbished vehicles would help to equip officers that would be deployed to the war zones with healthy vehicles to perform well.
The CAC commended the officers and men of the corps for their support and hard work and urged them “to continue to be committed to their professional mandate towards discharging their statutory duties.
“Wherever you find yourselves and in whatever capacity, you should add value, contribute your quota to impact positively to that environment. I am building on the structures I met when I came here to add value.”
Magaji also noted that “the importance of water to human existence cannot be over emphasised, and in order to ameliorate the problem of water shortage in the barracks, we sunk five boreholes to solve the water problem faced by personnel in the barracks.
“And because of the epileptic power supply in Bauchi and the need for clear visibility for enhanced security at night, we installed 41 solar street lights from the main gate to the VHU. This has indeed illuminated the environment hence improved security,” he declared.
In his remarks, the Commandant, Nigeria Army Armour School, Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyer, commended the NAAC under Magaji leadership for exhibiting high level of commitment, dedication, preparedness and above all, resolve in initiating and executing people-oriented projects that would impact positively in the lives of personnel in the cantonment.
At the commissioning ceremony, senior military and paramilitary officers from the state were present to add colour to the event.
The famous Nigerian crime buster and his team has been deployed to Imo state amidst rising tension over the activities of ‘unknown gunmen’. The deputy commissioner of police Mr Abba Kyari and his team of police officers were spotted in Imo state as they readied themselves for security operations. The police officer and his team has become famous for his track record of thwarting armed robberies, kidnappings and castle rustling in Nigeria.
The DCP and his team were the same police officers that arrested the notorious Kidnapper Evans in Lagos state three years ago. Ever since, Mr Abba Kyari has conducted several operations against armed robbery and kidnappings in various states of the federation. The officer and his team are considered as one of the most successful police team in the country.
The state has been ravaged by series of attacks on security formations deployed in the state. Multiple attacks on critical facilities belonging to the federal government was also reported. As a result of this menace, the Nigerian Police Force deployed a special tactical team that will conduct a special operation in order to bring an end to these attacks.
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has insisted that he left the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC because of his personal relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ayade said this after he met President Buhari behind closed doors on Thursday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The governor was visiting the Presidential Villa for the first time since his defection from PDP to APC last month.
Fielding questions from State House correspondents following the meeting, Ayade emphasised that he left the PDP for the sake of Buhari, adding that the president’s virtues attracted him to APC.
“I moved into the APC because of my personal relationship with Mr. President. I have watched him and I found honesty, integrity and I see his wish and commitment to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“To that extent, I have a leader that I trust.
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“Opposition in the third world means let everything happen that will make the other party look bad.
“I’m one of the strong Nigerian Governors, who has risen beyond party lines and ethnic lines by virtue of my education and exposure,” he said.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), yesterday, threw it’s weight behind calls for rotational presidency across all six geo-political zones of the country.
CAN also said it has presented a request for the establishment of ecclesiastical or spiritual courts to adjudicate on matters that relate to Christians. These views were made known at separate events by CAN President, Dr. Supo Ayokunle and General Secretary, Joseph Daramola in Ibadan and Abuja, respectively.
Ayokunle said Nigeria copied from the presidential system of government in the United States and that it should be practiced the way it was copied, adding that Nigeria needed a new constitution that would not promote one religion against others.
Ayokunle spoke at the 27th anniversary of Maranatha Lords Cometh Ministry International, Abayomi, Iwo Road, Ibadan, Oyo State.
“It is in our proposal that Nigeria should be for all. The position of the president must be rotated through the six geopolitical zones of the country. One zone cannot say that because they are in the majority, they should retain the position forever because, others will feel cheated and dissatisfaction will come in. No tribe or ethnic group must because of larger population continue to have the presidency. The time for that has gone. It should be rotated so that everybody can share in the dividends of democracy.”
Speaking further on the constitution review, the CAN president, said: “We have already prepared our documents, and we have sent them to the National Assembly. Our position is that the 1999 Constitution is long overdue for change because we are in the 21th Century, and the present constitution was done in the 20th Century. Change is constant for us to have better society. New things are coming up and technology is also developing, so our constitution needs to be amended.”
The body, Ayokunle stated further, also backs inclusion of state police in the new constitution.
CAN’s General Secretary, Joseph Daramola, told journalists in Abuja that the request for the establishment of ecclesiastical courts was part of presentation made at ongoing public hearing on constitution review and it’s expected that the lawmakers would consider and act on the request.
“There’s no place in the constitution that Christianity or church is mentioned. We are not happy about that. We are saying that the recognition and roles of Shari’ah in the constitution be expunged or ecclesiastical courts be included and recognised by the same constitution to adjudicate on the matters that relate to Christians. Shari’ah Court has different stages up to Shari’ah Court of Appeal. That is not the case for Christians or Christianity. We have registered our position and we expect action on the items presented as soon as possible.”
GOVERNOR Samuel Ortom says his colleagues who were in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors and defected to to the All Progressives Congress (APC) did so because of fear of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The governor, who stated this today in Makurdi shortly after returning from Oyo State where he commissioned some projects on the invitation of his Oyo State counterpart, Seyi Makinde, said defection to APC would not save those who soil their hands from prosecution.
Although Governor Ortom did not mention any name, he was simply referring to the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, and his Cross River State counterpart, Ben Ayade, who dumped the PDP for the ruling party.
While Umahi joined the APC last year, the Cross River governor switched to the ruling party a few weeks ago.
Ortom said the PDP governors have been delivering dividends of democracy to their people.
He said: “I have been in this game since 1982, which is close to 40 years now. So you always see all this drama. Some people are afraid of EFCC that is why they are decamping to APC. Recall that a former Chairman of the APC once said that if you decamp to APC your sins are forgiven.
“You know it left some of our people to visit the EFCC because we have refused to do that kind of kangaroo forgiveness of sins. But I have always told my people to do the right thing. Some are running away from the PDP because they are afraid of prosecution. That is why they are running away from the PDP to APC.
“But we must all realize that there is no hiding place for any criminal or thief. That is the truth. All the eye service you see happening around, when the day of reckoning comes nobody will stop the authorities from fishing out whoever has committed a crime in this country.
“That is why I have always said that prevention is better than cure. I have resolved that I will better go back to my village as a farmer than get myself involved in anything that would be questionable.
“That is also why I try as much as possible to be decent in the handling of the finances and other things of government. So we are not disturbed. You will see what will happen when we get to 2022. I may not be a prophet, but I might be near it. So there is no cause for alarm.
“This is democracy, people are free to associate with anyone they want. But I can tell you that PDP is waxing stronger. One thing we are doing by constantly holding PDP Governors’ Forum meeting is to reposition the party too. So that it will represent true democracy.”
Omolayo Ojo, a school attendant who was reportedly kidnapped by gunmen after a school bus was hijacked on Thursday morning in Oba Ile Estate, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, has briefly narrated her ordeal after regaining freedom.
According to reports from trusted sources, the released staff said the abductors blocked their school bus and brought out a battle axe and a gun.
She further reported that they dragged the bus driver out of the vehicle but took her along as they drove away into the bush.
It was also gathered that the gunmen had released her after they missed their target and had taken her to an unknown location where they threatened to cause her harm if she refuses to cooperate with them.
Omolayo Ojo said that she obeyed all their instructions and was allowed to go after they saw she was innocent.
More information on the situation also revealed that the gunmen rode on motorcycles, and crossed the bus belonging to Chimola School around 6:45am when the driver was on duty of picking school pupils.
Omolayo Ojo was dropped off by her abductors in a bush at Ilara Mokin in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo state.
In a reaction, Mrs Bolatito Akindemowo, the Principal of the school, confirmed that no student was abducted and that the school is yet to find the school bus.
