Metro

Anambra Driver Dies In Police Cell, Corpse Missing

Published

3 years ago

November 1, 2022

The family of a driver, Ikenna Udu, has accused the police at the State Criminal Investigation Department Annex, Awkuzu, in the Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, of torturing him to death.

The victim’s wife, Mary, alongside her in-law, Chioma Aniebonam, and her husband, Sunday, while lamenting Ikenna’s death, said efforts to retrieve his corpse had proved abortive.

They further alleged that the police, upon realising that Ikenna had died, buried him without their knowledge and refused to disclose the location of his corpse.

PUNCH Metro gathered that Ikenna, his wife and children, alongside his brother, Chidubem, parents and some friends, were at home in Abatete, in the Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, when armed policemen stormed the premises around 4am sometime in September 2022.

Ikenna’s wife, who spoke to our correspondent on Monday, said the policemen arrested four persons, including Ikenna and Chidubem, adding that they whisked them away to an undisclosed location.

The mother of four said, “It took us up to one week before we were able to know that the policemen came from Awkuzu SARS (SCID Annex). When I took food there for Ikenna and Chidubem, the policemen collected it on their behalf.

“It was on the second attempt that the policemen told me Ikenna and Chidubem had been remanded in the Onitsha Custodial Centre. So, I visited the facility to see both of them, but surprisingly, it was only Chidubem I saw. When I asked after my husband, Chidubem told me he was dead.”

Ikenna’s sister, Chioma, explained that her brothers were arrested after a neighbour alleged in a petition that the duo, alongside two others, stormed his house with weapons and robbed him of his property.

Chioma’s husband, Sunday, said when family members visited the man that wrote the petition against his in-laws, he demanded N1.5m for settlement.

Sunday, however, said policemen at the SCID Annex demanded N200,000 to release his in-laws on bail, adding that they were planning to raise the money when Ikenna died.

He said, “The house where Ikenna and Chidubem lives and the building of the man that claimed they robbed him, is separated by a fence. How will they rob him? I know they can’t do such a thing. Both of them were arrested last month but Ikenna died in police custody as a result of torture.

“The police didn’t inform us that Ikenna had died; what we just heard was that they charged them to court. We also gathered that another person was used to represent Ikenna in court and they were all remanded in prison. But when Chidubem informed us that his brother died in police custody, we returned to the SARS office in Awkuzu to demand Ikenna’s corpse, and they started acting shady.”

In a bid to get justice, Sunday said the family secured the services of a lawyer, Chike Nonyelu, who petitioned the SCID Annex in the Oyi Local Government Area of the state regarding the matter.

Sunday said, “The police later told us that Ikenna’s corpse had been buried. I visited the Awkuzu SARS with a friend who knew Ikenna, to demand his corpse, but the police refused me entry.

“My friend was allowed to enter because he knew some of the policemen; he went in to confirm Ikenna’s corpse, but he said the corpse that was dug out was that of another person. He said the corpse they dug out had no tongue, breast, and private parts.

“We complained but the policemen pursued us out of their office. I want the world to know about this story because I have never seen that kind of a thing before in my life.”

Nonyelu, when contacted, confirmed that members of the Udu family instructed him to handle the defence of their sons, Ikenna and Chidubem.

He said, “I have applied to the Chief Magistrates’ Court, Ogidi, where they were said to have been arraigned. I am yet to obtain a certified copy of the record of proceedings of that court. I am hopeful to get them by Thursday.”

Contacted on Wednesday, October 26, for a reaction, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Ikenganyia Anthony, told our correspondent to send a text message for a reaction, but refused to make a comment.

Ikenganyia, when contacted again on Monday, October 31, he told our correspondent to send a message, but had yet to respond as of the time this report was filed.

PUNCH

Metro

Kwara Traditional Ruler Kidnapped On His Farm

Published

19 hours ago

November 30, 2025

Editor

Gunmen have reportedly abducted a traditional ruler in Bayagan community in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Ojibara of Bayagan Oba Kamilu Salami, on Saturday.

It was gathered that the traditional ruler was kidnapped Saturday morning on his farm, while details of the incident were still sketchy.

Eyewitness disclosed that the attack happened suddenly and left the community in apprehension and confusion. Meanwhile, the incident had triggered fresh concerns over cases of insecurity across the country.

The Kwara State Police command was yet to confirm the incident as at when filing this report.

Metro

Sokoto Police Arrest Suspected Cultists, Uncover WhatsApp Recruitment Channel

Published

1 day ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

The Sokoto State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of the notorious “Sai Malam” cult group, believed to be behind rising criminal activities in parts of the state.

The suspects, including the alleged gang leader Usman Shu’aibu, were apprehended on Friday during an intelligence-led operation executed by the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, the suspects confessed to being initiated into the group through a private WhatsApp platform called Red Chamber.

The police noted that further investigation discovered the social media channel was created to recruit unsuspecting youths into criminal activities.

These, according to the statement, include ritual practices, the pursuit of supposed demonic powers, acts of homosexuality, and violent thuggery.

The police warned parents to closely monitor their children’s online activities closely, noting that criminal groups are increasingly exploiting digital platforms to lure vulnerable youths.

Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Musa, said the arrests respond directly to public concerns about the group’s operations, adding that efforts are ongoing to track other fleeing members.

He assured residents of the command’s commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven policing and safeguarding lives and property across the state.

In other news, two persons suspected to be hoodlums have been arrested by the operatives of the Ondo State Police Command for allegedly stabbing a police officer to death in Akure, the state capital.

The suspects, identified as Shina Jacob, 25, and Felix Olalekan, 32, allegedly attacked the police inspector during an altercation at Oke-Arata within Arakale axis.

The killing of the police officer came a few days after a personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) was stabbed to death by a mentally unstable man in Oba-Ile area of Akure.

According to sources, after the inspector, who was recently transferred from the Anti-Cultism Unit to B-Division, was stabbed, the area was thrown into a state of panic as residents and traders hurriedly fled.

While confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Olayinka Ayanlade, disclosed that the officer was rushed to the hospital after he was stabbed but gave up the ghost while receiving treatment.

“An altercation ensued between the officer and some recalcitrant individuals, during which the officer was tragically stabbed. This unfortunate event triggered an immediate and coordinated police response.

“Acting swiftly, the Commissioner of Police deployed a team of operatives to the scene, resulting in the arrest of two suspects directly connected to the incident. They include Shina Jacob ‘m’ aged 25 years and Felix Olalekan ‘m’ aged 32 years.

“The injured officer was also rescued and rushed to the hospital; however, despite all efforts, the police inspector sadly passed away while receiving treatment. The follow-up operation conducted last night formed part of the Command’s sustained and strategic efforts to rid the state of violent criminal elements and prevent further breaches of public safety,” Ayanlade stated.”

Metro

Army, Air Force Crush ISWAP Fighters After Failed Chibok Attack

Published

2 days ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

Troops of the 28 Task Force Brigade, Sector 4 Operation Hadin Kai, on Saturday stopped a major attack by ISWAP/Boko Haram fighters in Chibok, Borno State, before the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) moved in with airstrikes that killed many of the fleeing terrorists.

The report was contained in a post shared on X by security analyst Zagazola Makama.

According to the update, more than 300 terrorists launched a coordinated assault on Chibok around 3:00 a.m., attempting to break through military defensive positions.

Soldiers responded immediately, engaging the attackers in a fierce gunfight that lasted about two hours.

A security source quoted in the post said the troops acted swiftly and professionally.

“There was no casualty on our side, and no equipment was affected,” the source said.

As the terrorists began to retreat toward the Timbuktu Triangle, ground troops called for air support.

NAF combat aircraft were deployed to the route used by the fleeing fighters.

The airstrikes, guided by intelligence from the troops on the ground, hit several clusters of terrorists trying to escape.

Multiple waves of strikes were carried out, with both manned aircraft and an unmanned aerial platform targeting groups of fighters dispersing into the forest.

According to Makama, the combined efforts of the Army and the Air Force dealt heavy blows to the attackers, preventing them from regrouping after the failed offensive.