Metro

Bullet-Riddled Bodies Litter Benin Streets As Cult Clash Remains Unabated

Published

5 years ago

November 16, 2020

Wailings, pains, sorrows, fears and condemnations have continued to herald the ongoing gory killings by gun-toting hoodlums who hijacked the #EndSARS protest to unleash carnage on police and correctional facilities in Benin City on Monday, October 19, 2020.

Since then, bullet-reddled corpses have on daily basis lie in pools of blood in some streets and major roads in the state capital.

The rampaging gangsters in their number, at different times and locations have robbed, maimed or opened fire on their targets, brazenly.

Shops and POS operators offices as well as banks costumers who make use of the Automated Teller Machines (ATM) have not been spared by the miscreants.

Investigation revealed that the absence of police personnel in the public space may have encouraged the lawlessness as the hoodlums operate unchallenged across the City.

One of the victims of the bloody clashes

Jungle justice had reportedly be delivered on suspected criminals apprehended by locals who were allegedly not received when they took suspects to police stations in their domains.

Two armed robbery suspects set ablaze in Upper Sokponba road in Benin city recently is a reference.

Rival cult groups are now using the opportunity to unleash deaths on their perceived enemies.

The robberies, maiming and killings have been taken beyond the usual, leaving victims, most of whom are males in their prime, to die like flies on the streets of Benin City.

On Friday, November 13, 2020 about 2:22pm our reporter was called to Igbinaduwa junction area of Upper Siluko road, Benin City.

On arrival at the scene, a young man lied helpless on the walkway bleeding profusely from his bullet riddled neck.

Victim of the recent court clashes

He gasped fruitlessly for available oxygen which visibly escaped from his badly damaged arteries, shortly, he gave up.

His hitherto red blood suddenly became purple-coloured, with eyes widely opened, as residents and passersby thronged the scene, wailing

He was said to have been gunned down by a member of a gang who left the spot gallantly and unchallenged after the shooting.

Other victims reportedly killed in similar dastardly manner.

The fatality rate is over 34 as at Saturday, November 14, 2020, and its likely to increase owing to a very strong sense of impunity among the hoodlums.

The gunmen suspected to be cultists also dared the Nigeria Police Force when they waylaid and rained bullets on an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), in Benin City in the morning of Friday, November 13, 2020.

The officer, ACP Agabi Aboki Godiri is the Area Commander in charge of Benin metro.

He was immediately hospitalised after the shooting.

Last weekend the ACP was rumoured to have died from the bullet wounds.

Our reporter’s checks however revealed otherwise as he is fast recovery and may be discharged from the hospital, soon.

Further findings revealed that Upper Sokponba and Idogbo areas of the City are the epicentres of the violence as no fewer than eight casualties have been reported in the areas.

Among other areas that have been reportedly hit by the crisis are Ogida, Ikpoba hill, Siluko road, Evbomore, Mission road and Uselu.

Apparently disturbed by the incidents, residents have called on the Edo State government, police command and other security agencies in the state to intervene.

They appealed to the police to respect and obey their boss IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu who visited the state a fortnight ago to evaluate the level of damage done to police facilities as he eventually directed police personnel to return to duty post and defend themselves.

The Commissioner of police, Edo State CP Johnson Kokumo had during a chat with journalists assured that police would reclaim the public space.

He said the command would not allow hoodlums to take over the state officers and men of the command were working within existing limitations to restore normalcy to the state.

He also assured that all the criminals would soon be arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrents to others.

(Nigerian Observer)

Metro

Nigerian Army Suspends Statutory, Voluntary Retirement For Specific Officers

Published

1 day ago

December 7, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Army has announced the indefinite suspension of all statutory and voluntary retirements for specific categories of officers.

According to an internal memo dated 3 December 2025, signed by Major General E. I. Okoro on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, this is in response to the nationwide security emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu.

Okoro explained that the measure is intended to preserve manpower, expertise, and operational readiness while the Armed Forces rapidly expand to tackle the escalating insecurity across Nigeria.

Citing the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers (HTACOS) 2024, the document pointed out that officers normally retire upon reaching the prescribed age for their rank, completing 35 years of service, or after repeated failures in promotion or conversion processes.

However, Paragraph 3.10(e) permits service extensions when it is in the interest of the military.

“Military service of a commissioned officer entails a period of unbroken service in the AFN from the date of enlistment or commissioning to the date of retirement. The period of service is determined by conditions enshrined in the HTACOS Officers 2024. These include attainment of age ceilings on various ranks, 35 years maximum length of service, and other criteria provided in Paragraphs 11.02(d) and 17.15, among extant regulations,” the memo partly read.

“Notwithstanding these provisions, Chapter 3.10(e) of HTACOS Officers 2024 allows for extension of service to officers in the interest of the service.

“The President and Commander-in-Chief declared a nationwide security emergency on November 26, mandating the expansion of the AFN and other security agencies. In line with this, and to rapidly expand manpower, it has become expedient to temporarily suspend all statutory and voluntary retirements from the Nigerian Army with immediate effect.”

According to the memo, the suspension affects Army officers in the following categories: Those who have failed promotion examinations three times, those passed over for promotion three times, those who have reached the age ceiling for their current rank, those who have failed conversion boards three times and those who have completed 35 years of service.

It explained that affected officers who wish to remain in service may apply for an extension beyond their original retirement dates.

However, the memo clarified that: “Officers in these categories who are not interested in extension of service are to continue with the normal retirement procedure. Officers desirous of extension should note that upon extension, they are not eligible for career progression, including promotion, career courses, NA sponsorship, self-sponsored courses, secondment, or extra-regimental appointments.”

Metro

NDLEA Seizes 7.6m Tramadol Pills, 76,273kg Cannabis In Nationwide Raids

Published

1 day ago

December 7, 2025

Editor

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has announced the seizure of more than 7.6 million tramadol pills and 76,273 kilograms of cannabis strains in coordinated operations across several states, with multiple suspects arrested.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the seizures were made during intelligence-led raids between 1 and 6 December.

In Delta State, operatives recovered 3,874,000 tramadol pills and 252.2 litres of codeine syrup from a warehouse at Oko market, Asaba. In Imo State, 1.2 million tramadol tablets were intercepted from a vehicle driven by 35-year-old Kelechi Nwakocha along the Onitsha-Owerri road.

In Adamawa, officers stopped a Toyota Hiace bus travelling from Jos to Mubi with 1,577,112 capsules of tramadol and exol-5 tablets concealed in jumbo bags mixed with footwear. Two suspects, Kabiru Buba, 25, and Hamza Abubakar, 32, were arrested. Another suspect, Mudansir Rabiu, 27, was apprehended in Kano with 197,000 exol-5 pills.

In Ekiti, NDLEA destroyed 14,654 kilograms of skunk in Omuo forest and 54,300 kilograms in warehouses at Asin-Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area. Two suspects were arrested in connection with the operations. In Ondo, 5,442 kilograms of skunk were seized in Igoba forest, Akure North, with five suspects taken into custody.

Further arrests were made in Niger State, where 500 kilograms of skunk were recovered from a van along Mokwa-Jebba road, and in Abuja, where 22 kilograms of synthetic cannabis known as Colorado were intercepted at Abaji expressway. A follow-up operation at Jabi park led to the arrest of a female receiver, Ali Blessing, 33. Another suspect, Aliyu Usman, 39, was arrested with 24 kilograms of skunk and 573,500 exol-5 pills along Kwali-Gwagwalada expressway.

In Lagos, 113 kilograms of Canadian Loud were recovered from Ezenwa Udoka at Ladipo market, while Izuchukwu Usulor was arrested with 351 kilograms of skunk in Onipanu. Susan Okoro was also arrested with 104.1 kilograms at Trade Fair complex, Ojo. In Edo, 447.5 kilograms of skunk were seized from two vehicles in Agho forest, Akoko Edo, and 315.8 kilograms were recovered from a warehouse in Isiefve community, Ohuwunde Local Government Area.

The Agency confirmed that sensitisation activities under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative continued during the week in schools, worship centres and communities across Kano, Benue and Rivers States.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers involved.

“Their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country, especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts, are well appreciated,” he said.
The Agency stated that investigations are ongoing and suspects will be prosecuted accordingly.