News

Arms Factory Uncovered In Lagos, Blacksmiths Arrested

Published

2 months ago

October 18, 2023

Editor

The Police in Lagos have uncovered a factory in Idata Community, Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos, where arms are fabricated.

Arrested were two blacksmiths: Musiliu Gbenga, 21, and Owolabi Azeez, 22.

They were paraded alongside 30 other suspects for various crimes ranging from cultism, stealing and illegal possession of firearms. They were alleged to be selling the fabricated arms to criminals.

Parading the suspects at the conference hall of the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, Lagos, the command’s spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the arrests were made in one month.

Explaining how the factory where firearms were fabricated was uncovered, he said, “based on actionable intelligence on a blacksmith who fabricated firearms for onward sale to criminals around Idata Village in Ibeju-Lekki, operatives of the Command busted the factory and arrested two suspects.

“Three single-barrel locally-made pistols, one double-barrel locally-made gun, one single-barrel locally-made gun, two single-barrel locally-made long gun, 10 expended cartridges, twelve long pipes, two drilling machines, one gas cylinder, one vehicle and other fabricated tools were among the items recovered from the factory.”

One of the suspects, according to him, was a wanted notorious cultist popularly known as Skipo , who was arrested at about 11.45pm , on October 11,2023, over his alleged involvement in the killing of a rival cultist, in a hideout in Yaba area of Lagos State.

He said “Ganiu Yusuf aka Skipo aged 23, was arrested in possession of two 9mm ammunition. Further investigation led to the arrest of Ikuologbon Tobi aka Iku aged 23; Salaudeen Azeez, aged 27; Sanni Jamiu aka J-boy, aged 26; Ganiu Muideen aka Stone, aged 23; Odinaka Ojiakor, aged 26 and Farouk Muibi aka Ozil aged 22, in different areas of the state, in possession of two locally made single barrel guns, one double barrel shotgun, three live cartridges, one dagger and different charms. Investigation revealed that they are all cult members.”

The next day, October 13, 2023, five suspected cultists were arrested after receiving complaints that some groups of boys were shooting sporadically around Church Avenue, Ikosi, according to him.

Among the paraded suspects, “were four traders that were arrested in Alaba Market. They are: Emmanuel Chukwuma, aged 19; Chima Alajemba aged 19; Ogbenna Franklin aged 42 and Chidi Nnaji aged 42.

They were apprehended based on receipt of complaints from a reputable electricity cable manufacturer, on the adulteration and sales of pirated cables, using their company’s trademark.

“In addition, operatives of the command arrested one Ogbonna Eze, 27, who disguised himself as a dispatched rider to vandalise vehicles by removing brain boxes and other parts. The suspects will be arraigned in court at the conclusion of investigation”, he said.

He therefore advised Laqgosians having illegal possession of firearms to submit them, assuring that they won’t be arrested. This, he noted, was in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun to all commands to mop up arms and ammunition in the hands of non-state actors within their respective jurisdictions.
VANGUARD

News

World Anti-Corruption Day: Group Decries DSS Impunity, Govt’s Borrowing Habit

Published

44 mins ago

December 11, 2023

Editor

The Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy, and Development, FENRAD, has raised concerns about the impunity of the Department of State Security, DSS, and its disregard for the rule of law in the last eight years.

FENRAD’s executive director, Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, made the observation in Umuahia on Monday on the occasion of the 2023 World Anti-Corruption Day.

According to him, how DSS personnel go about re-arresting people freed by the court has been worrisome.

“Most lamentable is that in the last eight years, the state security service has become an agent of lawlessness. We have witnessed attempts to rearrest someone the court had freed right there inside the courtroom or also instances of inter-agency rivalry,” he said.

The group also condemned the purchase of N160 million worth of vehicles for 469 lawmakers and the purchase of a yacht by the Federal Government. It also decried the nation’s habit of borrowing money to fund its budget and turning around to mismanage such funds on frivolities, to the detriment of poor Nigerians.

The group further cited contradictory judgements from courts in post-election cases as another worrying trend in the country.

FENRAD noted that for corruption to be defeated in Nigeria, the federal and state governments must be genuinely resolved to fight the monster.

News

NECO Awards Scholarships To Best Performing Candidates In 2022, 2023 Exams

Published

1 hour ago

December 11, 2023

Editor

The National Examinations Council, NECO, has awarded scholarships to a total of 14 best performing candidates in the 2022 and 2023 examinations at all levels across the country.

The Registrar/ CEO of NECO, Prof Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi made the disclosure during the Council’s Productivity Award ceremony held in Minna, Niger State.

According to him, the best performing male and female candidates in SSCE 2022 are Asiru Ahmed Opeyemi from Crescent International High School, Sango-Ota, Ogun State, and Obidibo Chioma Blessing.

Okafor Chima Christian from Saint Paul Academy, Jos, and Benson Ifebube Chelsea, from Renaissance Garden Secondary School, Ago-Okota, Lagos, are the best performing students for the 2023.

In the Basic Education Certificate Examination category, for 2022, Akintola Samuel Oluwadaresimi of Apostolic Church College, Sango, Ibadan, and Onochie Chiamada Francis of Igbenedion Educational Centre, Benin, topped the chart as the best performing students while Ekwueme Ikechukwu Excellent from Kimota Science College, Gboko, and Owuye Faheeza Oluwakemi of Maryland Comprehensive School (Junior), Lagos, emerged the best in 2023.

Similarly, the best performing candidates for the National Common Entrance Examination are Bokare Lemuel Ogheneyobre of Kingskidies Nursery and Primary School, Warri, and Chika Ugu Anastasia from Nana Primary School, Warri.

Winners in the gifted children category include Njoku Obinna Adrian of Rosai Kid Montessori School, New Owerri, and Anikwu Princess Kamsiyochukwu from Springfield Academy, Awka.

Also, some staff of the Council, who distinguished themselves in their various areas of duty, were also honoured and given awards by the organization.

News

144, 910 Cases Pending Before Federal High Court In New Legal Year

Published

1 hour ago

December 11, 2023

Editor

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Justice John Tsoho has revealed that a total of 144, 910 cases are pending before the court in new legal year.

The Court in the last legal year had 15, 025 cases filed before it by litigants out of which 12, 870 were effectively disposed off leaving a balance of 2, 155 suits.

At the opening of the legal year of the Court in Abuja on Monday, the Chief Judge explained that the court carried over 142, 755 cases from 2021 to the 2022 legal year, adding that in the 2023 legal year, 15, 025 fresh cases were filed by various categories of litigants.

He noted that the Court would be going into the new legal year with the 144, 910 suits but expressed optimism that judges would rise up to the challenge of disposing the cases as quickly as possible.

The breakdown of the carried over cases showed that 42, 784 are civil cases, 36, 061 criminal matters, 41, 447 are motions while 24, 618 are fundamental rights enforcement suits.

Justice Tsoho who put the current number of judges on the bench of the Court at 95, thanked them for the speedy manner pre-election cases of the 2023 general elections were handled within the time allowed by law.

“We must dispense justice with integrity and without bias, we must display utmost competence and courage as well as dispose cases speedily.

“The Federal High Court will surely rise to the challenges of the future with the same tenacity and commitment that have defined its path thus far,” he said.