Metro

Economic Hardship: Delta Protest Canceled As Soldiers Arrest Journalist

Published

2 years ago

February 23, 2024

Editor

Soldiers from the Nigerian Army 3 Battalion in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State in the early hours of Friday arrested the South-South Bureau Chief of Galaxy Television, Mr. Dele Fasan, for recording video clips during a planned labour protest in the metropolis.

Also, the soldiers whisked a human rights activist, Comrade Israel Joe, to a nearby military barracks, following a mild, rift between him and other activists including Kelvin Ejumudo and others.

However, the planned protest could not hold in the Delta metropolis as it was cancelled after critical stakeholders met and discussed the issues on Thursday night.

The molestation of the television journalist took place at the popular DSC roundabout in Effurun where the soldiers allegedly brutalised and hit him with the butt of the guns.

Witnesses said that Fasan was picked up by the soldiers in the presence of the police team led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, DC Operations, Aina Adesola.

But Fasan was released by the soldiers following the intervention of the police boss and his colleagues who appealed to the Army Commander, Major AE Ohegbe, on whose order he was released and the handcuff pulled off.

Confirming his arrest in a chat with newsmen shortly after, Fasan said he was “trying to get video clips of the protest scene which was already taken over by security operatives when the overzealous soldiers accosted him.”

Fasan, however, commended the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, DCP Aina Adesola for promptly intervening in the matter.

He said, “The military were not civil at all during the protest. But the police led by DCP Aina Adesola, the Navy, the DSS, and NSCDC operatives were civil as they all intervened and I was released”.

Fasan spoke further saying that the Army Commander, Major Ahegbe, later apologised to him after the ugly act had already been done.

Also speaking with journalists, the National Secretary of Human Rights Protection Congress, Comrade Kelvin Ejumudo said the Civil Society Organisations came out to ensure that the protest did not hold following the threat across the nation.

“We don’t want any protest at all because when it happens, people will lose their properties. People will lose their money”, he said.

“While we were at the protest venue, we had the proponent (Israel Joe) of the protest for selfish reasons come here, and we had a one-on-one rift and he had been taken away by security operatives.

“I will not condone any idea of protest in this state because, at the moment, Nigeria is volatile,” he added.

He, however, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all the 36 state governors with the local government chairmen to, as a matter of urgency, tackle the hunger in the land.

“Nigerians don’t want food. We want employment, we want our refineries to be functional, we want to produce what we can sell,” he stated.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, DCP Aina Adesola while speaking with newsmen said he was sent to the scene by the Commissioner of Police to maintain peace.

Metro

Police Arrest Ex-Soldier, Four Others Over Armed Robbery, Kidnapping In Anambra

Published

8 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of five suspected members of a notorious armed robbery and kidnapping syndicate, including a confessed deserter of the Nigerian Army, in Awka, the state capital.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the operation was carried out on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Awkuzu.

Ikenga said the operation was carried out after the Command received intelligence on the abduction of a farmer at Isiagu, Awka.

The victim was reportedly released after an undisclosed amount of ransom was paid.

The police spokesperson said that, acting on credible intelligence, police operatives stormed the gang’s hideout at Notoko, Awka, leading to the arrest of the confessed deserter soldier and four other suspects.

Ikenga identified the suspects as 38-year-old Dominic Oraz, a confessed deserter of the Nigerian Army; 30-year-old Michael Nwobodo; 29-year-old Eze Friday; 23-year-old Uche Okolo, and 29-year-old Chinedu Gilbert.

“Exhibits recovered from the suspects include six automatic pump-action guns, 63 rounds of live cartridges, one microscope, five machetes, one military cap, two police teargas canisters, handcuffs, a robber’s rocket launcher, criminal charms, three Motorola walkie-talkies, one jack knife, one power bank and cash sum of N26,000,” Ikenga stated.

He said that during interrogation, Oraz admitted abandoning the military in November 2024.

Ikenga noted that investigations are ongoing, particularly regarding the deserter soldier, in collaboration with military authorities, to guide further police action and prosecution of all suspects.

He said the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, commended the operatives for the operation and urged residents of the state to remain vigilant and to continue to report suspicious activities to the Police for prompt action.

The commissioner also assured Ndi Anambra of the Command’s unwavering commitment to combating violent crimes.

Metro

Police Arrest Ex-Soldier, Four Others Over Armed Robbery, Kidnapping In Anambra

Published

8 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Ikenga said the operation was carried out after the Command received intelligence on the abduction of a farmer at Isiagu, Awka.

The victim was reportedly released after an undisclosed amount of ransom was paid.

He said that during interrogation, Oraz admitted abandoning the military in November 2024.

Ikenga noted that investigations are ongoing, particularly regarding the deserter soldier, in collaboration with military authorities, to guide further police action and prosecution of all suspects.

The commissioner also assured Ndi Anambra of the Command’s unwavering commitment to combating violent crimes.

Metro

Enugu Vigilantes Beat Young Man To Death Over Alleged Stealing Of Woman’s Clothes

Published

8 hours ago

August 28, 2025

Editor

Members of the Neighbourhood Watch in Amagu Iwollo Oghe community, Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, have allegedly beaten a young man, Mr. Nosike Madueke, popularly known as Wojuwo, to death over a false theft allegation.

Community sources told SaharaReporters that the vigilante group was led by the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the community, Mr. Chukwuebuka Hillary Ngwueche, also known as Osuofia.

According to one of the sources, the incident occurred on Monday, August 25, 2025, when the local security men attacked Madueke with “dangerous weapons” after he was accused of stealing a box of clothes belonging to Mrs. Nneka Nwankwo.

The source explained that Nwankwo had earlier hired Madueke and his co-workers to repair or dig her septic tank and soakaway, but later raised an alarm claiming her box of clothes had gone missing.

“Instead of handing Madueke over to the appropriate authority, especially the police, they decided to jointly and severally take the laws into their respective hands by arresting Madueke, dragging him to his house for a search, bringing out his clothes, and burning all the clothes,” the source said.

“They tied Madueke on both his hands and legs and started profusely, taking turns by using offensive weapons such as guns, machetes, and irons, to beat him up till he died.”

“This happened in public at Iwollo Oghe Square. How can a trained CSO and his men kill a whole human being on a mere allegation by a woman of stealing her cloth, which was later found,” the source said.

“The young boy was from Imeziolo, Ezeagu LGA of Enugu State.”

According to another source, this marks the third time residents of Iwollo Oghe, either directly or through its purported security outfits, have been linked to the killing of people from the deceased’s community.

“Sometime in 1987, they shot Hyacinth Adinde with a gun and asked the people of Madueke community to do their worst.

“Also, years later, they killed Engr. Christopher Aniagbaoso, and yet they asked the people of the community to do their worst.

“The people of Iwollo Oghe are in the habit of killing the people of Imeziolo on mere suspicious grounds,” the source alleged.

“We call on the Enugu State command to do justice to this case as information reaching us revealed that the men are on the run after killing the young boy,” the source added.

A video obtained by SaharaReporters showed the deceased being beaten with sticks by men believed to be members of the Neighbourhood Watch, who were seen parading him along a community road.

Moments later in the footage, his lifeless body appeared on the ground, surrounded by residents, some of whom lamented, “See how they killed somebody’s only son for nothing.”

According to a source, the case has since been reported to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) of the Enugu State Police Command.

However, repeated attempts by SaharaReporters to obtain the reaction of the Police Command were unsuccessful.

Calls to the mobile phone of the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, went unanswered, and a WhatsApp message sent to him also received no response as of the time of filing this report.