Metro

14-yr-old Boy Commits Suicide In Calabar

Published

2 years ago

October 30, 2023

Editor

Residents of Ekondo street in Calabar agitated and are asking questions how a fourteen year-old could commit suicide with a shoelace as string.

The boy whose name was given as Donald resides with his grandmother at 49, Ekondo Street in Calabar South and on Saturday afternoon, he was alleged to have committed suicide by tying a shoe race around his neck.

One of his friends, Eyo told Vanguard that the boy after completing his morning chores that Saturday morning went to buy cassava meal locally called fufu and was the last they heard or saw the boy.

“After going to buy the fufu, nobody heard from him again until about 12 noon when the grandmother called a carpenter to help him bring the boy down from where he was leaning on the wall with a rope on his neck.”

He said the carpenter asked what happened but the woman did not say anything tangible prompting the carpenter to run out of the premises to raise alarm.

”Nobody heard any noise from the compound until the carpenter ran out and raised alarm and we all went inside the compound. The boys legs were on the floor, there was no table or object which the boy climbed on to fix his head on the noose and the string round his neck was just a shoe lace”. Donald stated.

He said the police from Atakpa Police station came in to assess the situation and later went back.

“The police did not touch the boy and and others who were called to take the boy down did not touch the body and when the woman was asked to take the boy down she refused.”

Another resident of the street said he is at a loss how the boy could have committed suicide with a shoe lace.

“There is no how the boy could tie that tiny rope on his neck to commit suicide without the shoe lace cutting”.

He said since the boy died he has been having nightmares and seeing the boy in his dream.

“We were very close and since Saturday afternoon when I saw him leaning on that wall with a rope round his neck, each time I sleep, I see him and he .keeps asking for justice. All these are happening because the boy is an orphan. His dad and mother are both dead.”

When Vanguard visited the 49, Ekondo street, the gate was locked and neigbours say the occupants had gone to church.

“She has gone to church and will not be back till later in the evening” Miss Elizabeth Edet, a shop owner in the neighbourhood said.

Ms Irene Ugbo, the Cross River Police Command Spokesman said she is yet to be briefed on the matte. “If the incident took place on Saturday, then I would get the details on Monday during briefing” she said

Metro

Man Stabs Colleague To Death In Lagos Over Money Dispute

Published

2 hours ago

August 27, 2025

Editor

A deadly confrontation occurred on Wednesday in the Mandilas area of Lagos Island, leaving one person dead after a stabbing incident.

The Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, through CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, Police Public Relations Officer, clarified in a statement made available to The PUNCH that there was no tribal clash or ethnic conflict at Balogun Market, where the incident took place.

According to the police, “The Lagos State Police Command hereby wish to inform the general public that there was no tribal clash or disturbance between any ethnic groups and others inside Balogun Market today.

“There was an incident of a free-for-all fight between some hoodlums and miscreants in the Balogun Market in the early hours of today at around 11 am.

“During the fight, one Ebuka Adindu from Abia State stabbed one Sodiq Ibrahim from Kogi State to death, and the said Ebuka Adindu in turn stabbed himself on the shoulder and became unconscious. He is currently under arrest in the hospital, where he is being treated.

“Investigation into the matter will be concluded, and he will be prosecuted after he has been discharged from the hospital. There was no loss of innocent lives or injury to any person or damage to the goods and properties of marketers inside Balogun Market.”

The police emphasised that no innocent lives were lost beyond the victim, no other injuries were reported, and there was no damage to goods or property at the market.

Normalcy has been restored, and residents and traders have been urged to continue their activities without fear.

Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, called on residents to remain law-abiding and cooperate with the police to sustain peace in the state, stressing that Lagos remains generally peaceful.

Eyewitnesses said the conflict began as a disagreement between the two men over the division of money from a recent job. The argument escalated, resulting in the fatal stabbing.

Bystanders reportedly restrained the attacker before handing him over to authorities. Tensions briefly flared again when friends of the deceased protested, but order was quickly restored.

Metro

Police Rescue 16 Kidnap Victims Along Benin-Lagos Road

Published

2 hours ago

August 27, 2025

Editor

The Edo State Police Command has rescued 16 kidnapped victims in a series of coordinated operations along the Benin–Lagos and Benin–Akure highways.

Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday, noting that the operations followed separate incidents on August 23, 2025, when armed kidnappers blocked sections of the highways and abducted several travellers.

According to the statement, distress calls prompted the swift mobilisation of operatives from the Iguobazuwa and Ekiadolor Divisions, supported by tactical teams, local vigilantes, and hunters. The teams embarked on intensive bush-combing operations to track the abductors and free the victims.

It was noted in the statement that the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, personally led the operation along the Benin–Akure axis, deploying drones and other technical support to enhance precision.

“Six victims were rescued along the Benin–Akure Road, including one with a gunshot injury who is now receiving treatment. Three more victims were freed on the Benin–Lagos Road, while an additional seven regained their freedom on August 25,” the statement read.

Agbonika commended the operatives, vigilantes, and local hunters for their collaboration, stressing that the partnership between security agencies and communities remains vital in tackling violent crime.

He assured the public that efforts are ongoing to rescue remaining victims and apprehend the perpetrators, adding that the command would continue to deploy human and technological resources to secure Edo highways.

Metro

Suspected Cultists Invade Rivers Compound, Rob Students, Residents

Published

2 hours ago

August 27, 2025

Editor

Suspected cultists on Wednesday attacked a residential compound at Ekwulobia Street in the Mile 3 area of Diobu, Port Harcourt, breaking into tenants’ rooms and stealing valuables.

Two of the victims were female university students in the state.

Stolen items included laptops, mobile phones, and other personal belongings.

It was gathered that the gang, reportedly led by a man named Graham, gained access to the compound by breaking a back window and removing the iron protector.

One of the victims, David Eze, who lives on the second floor, narrated the ordeal to newsmen, saying he and other tenants are now living in fear.

He said, “I live upstairs on the second floor. Around 4 a.m., I woke up and found that my two phones and laptop were missing. I didn’t hear anything during the night, so I suspect they came in quietly.

“When I stepped out to raise the alarm, I discovered that other tenants had also been robbed.

“My door had been pierced with a knife, and someone had manipulated the lock to gain entry. They took my laptop and phones. By the time I came downstairs, security personnel and my co-tenants were already outside, reporting the incident.”

Similarly, a female resident who identified herself as Chidinma recounted a terrifying encounter

“Last night (Tuesday), I woke up to a noise and saw a young man standing beside my bed with a knife. He told me not to shout, threatening to stab me if I did. I was very scared.

“He took my phone and my brother’s two phones before leaving. It felt unreal, like a dream,” she said.

Our correspondent gathered that the hoodlums broke into four rooms in total, making away with five mobile phones, one laptop, and an unspecified amount of cash.

Two kitchen knives were left behind when the criminals fled after being chased by members of a local vigilante group who arrived at the scene.

Residents confirmed that the incident had been reported to the Azikiwe Police Division, Illabouchi, in Mile 2, Diobu.

When contacted, the Rivers State Police Command spokesperson, Grace Iringe Koko, said she would follow up with the Divisional Police Officer and provide feedback.

As of Wednesday evening, no update had been received.