Metro

Armed Thugs Invade Stakeholders’ Summit In Edo, Beat Organiser To Pulp

Published

3 weeks ago

July 28, 2025

A disturbing video has gone viral showing an activist, Comrade Okhai Okhani, Coordinator of Edo North Unity Worldwide, being violently assaulted by armed vigilantes in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area, Edo State.

The activist, currently in critical condition at an undisclosed hospital, is calling on the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Army, Directorate of State Services, and the Edo State government to investigate the incident, arrest the perpetrators, and ensure justice is served.

Narrating his ordeal to newsmen via telephone, Okhani recounted how over 50 uniformed armed vigilantes and thugs stormed the venue of a stakeholders’ summit he organized for political office holders in Edo North to present their scorecards.

The event, according to him is an annual forum to assess and honour public office holders who had positively impacted their constituencies in delivering dividends of democracy.

He stated that he had sent out official invitations to notable political figures including Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Hon. Peter Akpatason, Hon. Anamero Sunday, and Hon. Hussein Mustapher, and several others.

The venue for the event, he added, was approved by the Acting Chairman of Etsako West Local Government Council, Hon. Valentine Okuilagwe.

Okhani said all was set for takeoff when the venue was not only attacked and vandalized, guests were brutalized and valuables were destroyed and phone handsets were carted away by the attackers.

Alleging that it was orchestrated by political actors in Edo North, who felt the assessment and honour was not in their favour, he said they deployed the vigilante group with thugs to disrupt the gathering.

According to him, “Shortly before the event commenced, a group of vigilantes and thugs arrived on motorcycles and without any provocation assaulted participants, damaging equipments, and beating me to pulp.

“I recognized some of the vigilante members. They descended on me and my colleagues, beat us up with matchets and clubs and even captured the violence on video. Then threw me into their waiting Hilux vehicle where they continued to brutalize me with the butts of their rifles,” Okhani said.

He continued: “They took me to the Auchi Area Command of the Nigeria Police where I was detained for over four hours without formal charges. They falsely claimed that my venue was not approved for the event. Yet the venue, a public event centre was officially approved.

“Worried by the critical condition that I was in, the Police released me to my wife to seek medical treatment,” he added.

Okhani described the incident as a politically motivated assault and expressed concern that local vigilante groups are now being used as tools of intimidation by powerful individuals in Edo North.

“I am in pain—my ribs, my head. These men dragged me to an unknown location before deciding to hand me over to the Area Commander, ACP Lawrence Adjihu, and his deputy, CSP Albert Udeme.”

Calling for public support and prayers, he urged the Edo State government to prevent further abuse of power by vigilante operatives while calling for those behind the attack to be brought to book.

Meanwhile the Edo State Police Command confirmed the incident.

Police Public Relations Officers, CSP Moses Yamu in a telephone interview said the command is aware of the incident, stressing that investigation into the incident has commenced.

Metro

Vigilantes Beat, Strip Female Corps Member In Anambra

Published

7 hours ago

August 19, 2025

Editor

A viral video has shown the moment armed men believed to be operatives of Operation Udo Ga-Achi — also known as the Agunechemba Vigilante Group — stormed a corps members’ lodge in Anambra State and assaulted a female corps member identified as Jennifer Edema Elohor and some of her colleagues.

The video, which was shared by the Haven 360 Foundation on Facebook on Monday, showed the victim, Elohor being beaten and stripped naked, by men wielding guns.

The foundation said the victims were brutalised and subjected to humiliating and sexually degrading threats.
It noted that the vigilante accused the corps members of being ‘yahoo people’ and still descended on them despite producing their NYSC identity cards.

The foundation wrote in part, “We strongly condemn the brutal assault and violation of rights of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members by operatives of Operation Udo Ga-Achi or ‘Agunechemba Vigilante Group’ in Anambra State.

“On July 23, 2025, these state actors stormed the corpers lodge, accusing the members of being ‘Yahoo people’, despite their prompt production of NYSC identification cards and uniforms.

“The assault was particularly egregious in the case of Jennifer Edema Elohor, who was beaten, stripped naked, and left exposed and covered in blood.

“The victims were subjected to unsavoury, horrible, sexually degrading words and actions, including threats of sexual violation.”

Metro

Bandits Kill 13 Worshipers In Katsina Mosque

Published

9 hours ago

August 19, 2025

Editor

Katsina State government has mobilised more security forces following the tragic attack by bandits killing 13 worshipers in a mosque at a wee hour on Tuesday at the Malumfashi Local Government Area of the state.

The Punch learnt that the bandits who were on a reprisal attack shot at the worshippers at Unguwan Mantau community, leaving 13 dead.

The State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mu’azu, told journalists on Tuesday that the state government announced immediate security reinforcements and support measures following a tragic incident.

According to him, “The incident occurred when criminal elements launched a reprisal attack on the community. The Muslim members of the community were praying in the mosque during the Fajr prayer when the criminal element started shooting sporadically in the mosque.

“The attack was in retaliation for the community’s successful defence efforts two days earlier. The people of Unguwan Mantau decided to lay an ambush against the bandits and killed many of them. They rescued victims taken from Ruwan Sanyi village and seized 3 motorcycles and 2 AK-47s.

“The security agencies are now on the ground in Unguwan Muntau to restore normalcy.

“Air component commander of the Forward Operating Base, Nigerian Army, and Nigerian Police Force have already deployed to clear those bandits because during the rainy season, bandits hide under the crops to perpetrate their evil acts. We are working towards bringing the bandits to book.

“As government, we salute the gallantry and disposition of the people of Unguwar Mantau, and we are committed to fighting these bandits and ensuring safety across our communities.

“The State Government extends heartfelt condolences to the families affected and reaffirms its unwavering support for community-based security initiatives while working to eliminate criminal elements from the region.”

Metro

Court Orders Divorce-seeking Woman To Pay Her Husband N120,000

Published

2 days ago

August 17, 2025

Editor

A Shari’a court sitting at Magajin Gari, Kaduna State, has ordered a businessman, Malam Baballe Ibrahim, to allow his ex-wife, Hauwa’u to move her belongings out of his house.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the judge, Malam Kabir Muhammad, gave the order after dissolving the one-year-old marriage between Ibrahim and Hauwa’u by way of khul’i (redemption).

This means that the wife must refund the dowry paid by Ibrahim before the wedding to redeem herself from the marriage.

The judge ordered Hauwa’u to return the N100,000 dowry to Ibrahim and another N20,000 given as “Kudin Gaisuwa” (money given to her parents during the introduction).

Ibrahim had refused to grant Hauwa’u divorce.

He also locked her out and demanded that she should pay him everything he had spent on her when he started courting her and during the one-year marriage.

“I took care of her and provided everything she needed during our marriage.

“I bought skin and hair care products, clothing and make ups for her,” he said.