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After Five Days In Captors’ Den, Ondo Igbo Leader Regains Freedom

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The leader of the Igbo Community in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State , Chief Donatus Okereke, has regained his freedom after spending five days in the captivity.

Okereke, a businessman, was abducted at Elegbeka area of the local government by some unknown gunmen on Monday. He was released on Thursday evening.

Narrating his ordeal, Okereke said, “It was on Monday, around 8.30pm when I was on a journey to Owo. On getting to Elegbeka junction, I started hearing gunshots, I had no option than to stop because the sound was too much.

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“One of them was wearing an army uniform. They then dragged me to a bush and threaten to kill me if I fail to keep quite and cooporate with them.

“We spent eight hours in the bush, close to where I was abducted. We later trekked the whole night. The following day, we did the same thing. We actually trekked for three nights.

“I was then released on Thursday night around 11pm after payment of ransom. At first, they demanded N100m for my release but after much negotiation and plea, they insisted on the ransom of N20m, threatening me that if I didn’t pay them, they will kill me.

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READ ALSO: Baby Theft: Ondo Judge Rejects Lawyer’s Request To Bar Journalists From Trial

“As you can see, I have not settled down, so my wife has not told me if they later reduced the ransom. My abductors are purely Fulani.”

He urged the state government and the security agents in the state to be more proactive on the security of lives and properties of the residents, particularly, on the highways.

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Woman Wanted Over Mutilation Of Boyfriend’s Genitals In US

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Authorities in Toledo, Ohio, United States, are searching for a 45-year-old woman, Jeanita Hopings, accused of breaking into her boyfriend’s home and attacking him with a sharp object, causing serious injuries to his genitals.

As reported by PEOPLE on Thursday, warrants issued for Hopings’ arrest show she faces charges of felonious assault and aggravated burglary in connection with the October 7 incident.

Investigators allege that Hopings “forcefully kicked open the front door” of her boyfriend’s home before entering “without permission,” according to one of the warrants.

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Once inside, she allegedly attacked the victim with an “unknown instrument,” inflicting a deep wound.

“The victim’s testicle was clearly exposed as the result of the laceration,” the warrant stated.

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The man was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, police confirmed.

READ ALSO:FIFA U-20 World Cup: Argentina Crush Nigeria 4-0

Hopings has not yet been arrested and has not entered a plea to the charges. Court records from Lucas County indicate that she has no prior felony history, though she has previously faced several traffic-related misdemeanour offences.

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Police say Hopings remains at large as the investigation continues.

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US To Execute Man Convicted Of Rape, Murder Of Teen

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A 53-year-old man convicted of the 2001 rape and murder of a teenage girl is to be executed by lethal injection in the US state of Indiana on Friday.

Roy Lee Ward was sentenced to death in 2002 for the murder of 15-year-old Stacy Payne at her home in the town of Dale.

Payne was repeatedly stabbed and died of her injuries several hours after the attack.

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Ward was arrested at the scene while still holding a knife.

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The execution is to be carried out between midnight and sunrise on Friday morning at a state prison in Michigan City.

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Ward will be the third person put to death in Indiana since the state resumed executions last year after a 15-year hiatus because of difficulties obtaining the lethal drugs used in them.

There have been 34 executions in the United States this year, the most since 2014, when 35 inmates were put to death.

Florida has carried out the most executions — 13 — followed by Texas with five and South Carolina and Alabama with four.

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Twenty-eight of this year’s executions have been carried out by lethal injection, two by firing squad and four by nitrogen hypoxia, which involves pumping nitrogen gas into a face mask, causing the prisoner to suffocate.

The use of nitrogen gas as a method of capital punishment has been denounced by United Nations experts as cruel and inhumane.

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The death penalty has been abolished in 23 of the 50 US states, while three others — California, Oregon and Pennsylvania — have moratoriums in place.

President Donald Trump is a proponent of capital punishment and on his first day in office called for an expansion of its use “for the vilest crimes.”

AFP

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Trump Gives Update On Israel, Hamas Peace Deal

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Trump Gives Update On Israel, Hamas Peace Deal

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he may go to the Middle East at the end of this week as a peace deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is “very close.”

Trump said during an event at the White House that he would “go to Egypt most likely” but that he would also consider going to war-torn Gaza.

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“I may go there sometime toward the end of the week, maybe on Sunday, actually. And we’ll see, but there is a very good chance. Negotiations are going along very well,” Trump told reporters at the start of the event.

Our final negotiation, as you know, is with Hamas, and it seems to be going well. So we’ll let you know, if that’s the case, we’ll be leaving probably on Sunday, maybe on Saturday.”

READ ALSO:Israeli Forces Strike Gaza Despite Trump’s Ceasefire Call

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Near the end of the meeting, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio unexpectedly entered the room and handed Trump a note.

The US president told reporters the note said that “we’re very close to a deal” and that his presence was needed. “I have to go now to try and solve some problems in the Middle East,” he added.

Hamas and Israeli officials are having indirect talks in Egypt on a 20-point peace proposal unveiled by Trump to end the two-year-old war.

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– ‘Very close’ –

Trump said as he began the event that he had come off the phone with officials in the Middle East, where his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner had just joined discussions in Egypt.

READ ALSO:Trump Slams Harvard With New Restrictions On Funds

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“‘Peace for the Middle East,’ that’s a beautiful phrase, and we hope it’s going to come true, but it’s very close, and they’re doing very well,” Trump added.

“We have a great team over there, great negotiators, and they’re, unfortunately, great negotiators on the other side also. But it’s something I think that will happen.”

Asked if he would consider going to Gaza if a deal happens, Trump replied: “I would, yeah. I would. I might do that. I may do that. We haven’t decided exactly.”

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Trump said he would insist on the release of hostages held by Hamas before traveling to the region.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said earlier that he had received “encouraging” signs and hailed the support of Trump.

Hamas too expressed “optimism” over the indirect discussions with its foe Israel.

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Trump’s plan calls for a ceasefire, the release of all the hostages held in Gaza, Hamas’s disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from the territory.
AFP

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