Metro

Commuters Stranded As 15 Edo Communities, CSOs, Barricade Benin-Lagos Road Over Herdsmen Attacks

Published

2 years ago

April 20, 2022

Editor

Fifteen communities in Edo State in collaboration with the Civil Society Organizations, on Wednesday, barricaded the Lagos-Benin express road in protest over herdsmen activities which have resulted to killings, destructions of farm produce and forceful evictions from their ancestral homes.

The communities, namely, Odiguetue, Ofintebe, Igolo, Okokuo, Abumwenre I and II, Obarenren, Uhiere, Uyimo I and II.

The protest which lasted for several hours, led to severe gridlock on that axis.

Speaking on behalf of the communities and for the civil rights groups, Barr. Osagie Obayuwana, said, they are worried about the looming crisis brewing in the various communities in the state, orchastrated by armed herdsmen noting that urgent steps need to be put in place to checkmating them before snowballing into full blown crises in the state.

“We want the whole world to know the experience of our people have been for quite some time now.

“We are zeroing it on Ovia North East communities. About 15 communities have been under siege for some years. Farmers have been prevented from going to their farms, another planting season is going away, they have been sentenced to hunger, farmers and their families and this has an implication for the larger society.

“It is one of the reasons the price of food is rising beyond the reach of even those in the middle class.

“So far, we have not seen a serious efforts to address this issue. Our people have gone to various offices both the legislative arms and the legislative arms even traditional quarters and nothing seems to be coming out.

“Right now, the matter is degenerating to such an extent that people are being driven out of their villages.

“We are concerned that what had been happening in Benue and Plateau States will be coming to the shore of Edo State now where armed herdsmen drive people from communities, change the names of the communities and start to occupy the houses, we don’t want that”, he said.

For the former Public Relations Officer of Edo State Civil Society Organizations (EDOCSO), Osazee Edigin, he said the level of insecurity in Edo communities have gone from bad to worse and thus decided to join their voice with them to call on the governments to come to their rescue.

“We are here to support these communities that have been ravaged and sacked by herdsmen. We have seen it as a high level of insecurity in the state, and we want the state government and law enforcement agencies to rescue them.

“We are here to amplify the voices of these locals so that the state government should intervene in this. If we don’t do it, we are going to have scarcity of food and more victims.

“We urged the government to rise to the occasion and protect lives and property.

“The primary purpose of government is to protect lives and property, and if they fail in that area, then they are giving room for anarchy, and we don’t pray it results in a state of lawlessness.

“The government should step in. When there is no peace in the land, life will not flourish, and the economy will go down”, Edigin said.

Lamenting the atrocities of the herdsmen, Prince Aik-Ikhuokhuo Uwaifo from Uhiere community, said in the past, herdsmen and the people in his community were living harmoniously together so much so that they were even asking them (herdsmen) to give them their cows urine to grow their fingers while they will in turn give them foods.

He said the story has changed adding that nowadays, the herders move into their farms kill, rape, maim, destroy their crops and forcefully evicting them from their community.

Another protester, Mrs. Rhoda Ogba from Odigi community, said cows don’t eat grass anymore, but yam, cassava and Coco yam maintaining that they are now hungry as they can no longer go to their farms because of fear of being killed.

She said the federal and the state governments should come to their rescue.

The Edo State Commissioner of Police CP Abutu Yaro, represented by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, ACP, James Chu, while appealing to the protesters to be calmed, said the command share in their pains stressing that machineries have been put in place to curtail the excesses of armed herdsmen in the various communities in the state.

“The Commissioner of Police, we all know he is new, and he shares with you in this pain. We are all on the same page and all on the same reason to be here to talk to you.

“He has asked me to let you know that you know that he is a new person in Edo State. He has taken notes of all the incidence we have had in these various communities and other communities in Edo North.

“There are very critical strategies that are in place to ensure that the excesses of these men who are disturbing our villages are monitered and equally checked and stopped.

“I want to assure you that the police is not resting in this issue. I want to assure you that we are going to work in hands and gloves with the communities to ensure the essence of this gathering”, CP Yaro said.

Metro

Edo: Police Patrol Van Pursuing ‘Yahoo Boys’ Rams Into Motorcycle Convening Passenger

Published

9 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Editor

A motorcycle rider alongside a passenger were seriously reportedly injured by a police patrol van in a hot chase of Yahoo Boys along Warake Road, Auchi in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.

An eyewitness account says the police van was on high speed in pursuit of the boys and in the process lost control and rammed into a stationary truck opposite a popular hotel and also crushed the commercial bike rider with a passenger.

The Okada rider and his passenger were reportedly rushed to a hospital but many said they may not survive as a result of the nature of their injuries.

Metro

How I Killed My Sugar Mummy Over N100,000 – Suspect

Published

11 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Editor

The suspect arrested in connection with the murder of a lady, Glory Akpaku, in Delta State, Akpoveta School, has narrated how he allegedly killed the victim by stabbing her multiple times.

According to an interrogation video shared on X.com by the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, on Monday, the suspect disclosed that the victim was his sugar mummy before her demise.

The PUNCH gathered from the video that things went sour between Akpoveta and the late Akpaku over the sum of N100,000 he allegedly kept with the deceased for safekeeping, but which the deceased allegedly refused to give him when he needed the money.

The suspect claimed that he had gone to Akpaku to demand the money but, instead of receiving it, she insisted that she would give it to him after returning from the market.

The suspect narrated further that he threatened the victim to report their relationship to her son, but the victim threatened back that if he did so, she would not give him the money in her custody.

He added that the threat from his alleged lover infuriated him, which led him to stab her with a knife in the neck, hand, and stomach.

Akpoveta narrated in pidgin English (now translated), “She asked me to save some money with her and that she would return the money to me later. But when I needed the money, she refused to give it to me. Rather, she became angry.

“She asked me to escort her to the market, and I thought she would give me the money, but she insisted that she would give it to me after she returned from the market.

“I told her that I would tell her child, and she said if I told the child, she would not return my money. While she was going in front, I took a knife that I had with me and stabbed her in the neck, hand, and stomach.”

The suspect stated further that he regretted his action but blamed the devil for it.

Reacting to the confession, Edafe urged members of the public to learn from it.

The PPRO wrote, “I share stories like this so we can learn from the mistakes of others. So this suspect allegedly murdered his sugar mummy over her failure to give him back the money she was helping him save. When asked why he did it, he said, ‘NA DEVIL WORK’.”

Meanwhile, giving further updates on the incident, the PPRO noted that the incident happened in April and the suspect would be charged in court upon the conclusion of the ongoing investigation.

“The incident happened in April. He will be charged in court as soon as the investigation is concluded,” Edafe concluded.

Metro

Police Bust Suspected Serial Rapists Targeting Online Victims

Published

11 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Editor

The Rivers State Police Command said its men had arrested three suspected serial rapists, including two ex-convicts who allegedly employed various means to lure their victims, rape them and steal their valuables in Port Harcourt and other parts of the state.

The police said the suspects use online chats to lure their victims to hotels and drug them before carrying out the wicked act.

The spokesperson for the command, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

Iringe-Koko said the arrest of one of the suspects, 32-year-old Louise Brutolu, after its operatives swung into action in the case of abduction reported to the command, saying the suspect was also involved in other crimes, while the gang leader was nabbed months afterwards.

The statement reads, “Following a reported abduction case involving Agor Ogechi ‘F,’ a 28-year-old resident of Elele in Ikwerre LGA of the state, on July 1, 2023, the police swiftly intervened and have successfully apprehended the prime suspect involved in a series of heinous crimes.

“Investigations revealed that the suspect, identified as Louise Brutolu, ‘M,’ a 32-year-old resident of Igoni Street, Abuloma, employed the use of phone chats to lure his victims to the Pacific Suite Hotel, Abuloma. Upon booking a room, the suspect drugged the victims, rendering them unconscious, and subsequently stole their valuables.

“In the case of Agor Ogechi, her iPhone, a sum of N20, 000 and her ATM card were reported stolen.

“Acting on the victim’s complaint, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit promptly initiated an operation that culminated in the arrest of Louise Brutolu. During the arrest, the substance used to drug the victims was successfully retrieved. The suspect has claimed to work for an unidentified master and has pledged cooperation in capturing the gang leader.

“After months of persistent investigation, the Rivers State Police Command successfully apprehended the gang leader, whose identity is being withheld for investigative purposes. As a result of this arrest, various items belonging to different victims were recovered, including 21 mobile phones, three female bags, and receipt booklets.”

The statement further noted that the gang leader had previously been arrested in 2021 for similar offences and was charged in court. The recurrence of such heinous crimes, it stated, underscored the importance of continued vigilance and proactive measures in tackling the menace of online criminal activities.

In a related development, the command said it arrested one Jenifer Timi, 28, who hails from Burutu in Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State.

The state police image maker said the suspect specialised in luring individuals through social media platforms such as Instagram, Tinder, and Badoo.

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She said, “Notably, the suspect targeted not only women but also Bolt and Uber drivers by exploiting their expensive phones displayed online. The suspect invited victims to hotel rooms where they were offered drinks laced with Tramadol, subsequently subjected to rape, and robbed of their belongings.

“Jemifor Timi Collins has been engaging in these criminal activities for over three years and has been arrested and charged to court on two previous occasions. The ongoing investigation aims to uncover further details and bring all responsible individuals to justice.”

Iringe-Koko said the command under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, urged members of the public, especially youths, to exercise caution when making friends online.

“It is crucial to prioritise personal safety by meeting new individuals in safe and public places. Additionally, individuals should inform their relatives and friends about their movements for added security.

“The police remain committed to providing protection and raising awareness about emerging crimes and will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the safety of all residents.”