Headline

Edo Community Cries To IGP Over Alleged Plots To Free Murder Suspect

Published

4 years ago

January 24, 2022

Editor

…Seeks Transfer of Case File To AIG Zone 5

The Ohen, elders and members of Ekiugbo community in Uhunwonde Local Government Area of Edo State have cried out to the Inspector-General Police, Alkali Usman Baba, over an alleged attempt by the legal section of the state Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, CIID, to burgle investigation and set free the alleged murder of their son, Ikpomwonsa Omoruyi by Justin Omoruyi.

The community noted that after a painstaking investigation by the Special Weapons and Tactics Team, SWATT, which link the murder suspect to the death of Ikpomwonsa, the legal section in the force CIID had suddenly resorted to measures unknown to the law to pervert justice.

While appealing for justice on the matter, the complaintants pointed out that autopsy report had shown symtom with the gun found with the suspect.

They therefore appealed to the IGP to order either the legal section of AIG Zone 5 Headquarters Benin to take over the case file as they no longer have confidence in the Legal Section of the Force CIID , handling the matter.

A written compliant to the Nigeria Police Complaint Response Unit by the solicitor to the complaintants, Douglas Ogbakwa, Esq., reads: “That Justin Omoruyi was identified by eye witnesses, who saw him participating actively in the killing of the deceased on the 12th of October ,2021.

“That the SWAT Team of the FCIID ,who ultimately investigated the matter did a fantastic job and recommended that the main suspect -Justin Omoruyi be charged for murder, among other recommendations .

“That the duplicate case file was handed over to one Inspector Gabriel of the Legal Section of the Force CIID , who held on to the case file for weeks with out any communication from him. (SIC)

“That a Petition was filed against Inspector Gabriel by our client to the Inspector General of Police ,the file was later assigned to one Omosun and despite that the matter lied fallow for weeks with out being attended to.

“That our client just discovered from the grape vine an attempt by the Legal Section of the Force CIID to pervert Justice by using technicalities unknown to Nigerian Law to exculpate the main suspect -Justin Omoruyi from murder on a doubtful alibi.

“It is the brief of our client that the duty of the Police is to investigate an alibi and Charge the Murder suspect to Court and not for the Legal Section to give an opinion discharging a suspect identified positively by witnesses at the scene of crime , as the Legal Section is not part of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution or a Court of Law which can discharge a main suspect of murder with the avalanche of evidence against him.,which includes a gun , recovered from him, which the Legal Section removed from the evidence under the ploy that they were taking the gun for analysis.

“An autopsy conducted by the Police Doctor also established the deceased was killed with a gun.It also very curious based on the facts gathered from our clients that the Legal Section of the Force CIID seeks to manufacture a Charge when there is none to Charge our client for what ever offence not supportable by the Proof of Evidence.

“It is the briefs of our clients that they no longer have confidence in the Legal Section of the Force CIID and we humbly urge the reputable Inspector General of Police to Order either the Legal Section of the AIG Zone 5 Headquarters Benin City of the Nigeria Police or the Legal Section of the Edo State Police Command to take over the case file as antecedents with the Legal Section has left much to be desired”.

Recall that late Ikpomnwosa Omoruyi (deceased ), who was allegedly murdered by Justin Omoruyi and others, on their way back from Ekiugbo Community, in Uhunwonde Local Government Area of Edo State on the 12th of October,2021.

Headline

42 Killed In Israeli Attacks, Says Gaza’s Civil Defense

Published

5 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Gaza’s civil defence agency reported at least 42 people killed in Israeli attacks on Sunday, as the Israeli army prepared for a new assault on the Palestinian territory’s largest city.

Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said there had been several air strikes around Gaza City — which the military is gearing up to capture — including one in the Al-Sabra neighbourhood that killed eight people.

Attacks were also reported elsewhere across the territory, he said, with the “total tally currently rising to 42 dead”.

The army did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the figure.

“The situation is extremely dangerous… Each day, each minute, there are bombings, martyrs, death and blood — we can’t take it anymore,” Al-Sabra resident Ibrahim Al-Shurafa told AFP, explaining strikes and shelling were ongoing.

“We don’t know where to go. Death follows us everywhere,” he added.

Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency or the Israeli military.

The October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that sparked the war resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Israel’s offensive has killed at least 62,686 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza that the United Nations considers reliable.

AFP

Headline

Venezuela Frees Eight Opposition Leaders

Published

5 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Venezuelan authorities released eight opposition leaders from jail early Sunday, including a former congressman and two Italian citizens, and granted house arrest to five others, an opposition politician said.

Most of those released had been charged with corruption in opposition-run mayoral offices.

Also set free was Congressman, Amirico de Grazia, detained amid protests that erupted during President Nicolas Maduro’s reelection in 2024.

“Today, several families are once again embracing their loved ones. We know there are many left, and we have not forgotten them; we continue to fight for everyone,” two-time former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles said on X.

Opposition leaders Victor Jurado, Simon Vargas, Arelis Ojeda Escalante, Mayra Castro, Diana Berrio, Gorka Carnevalli, as well as Italian nationals Margarita Assenzo and de Grazia were released, Capriles said.

Nabil Maalouf, Valentin Gutierrez Pineda, Rafael Ramirez, Pedro Guanipa, and David Barroso were placed under house arrest.

The Italian government confirmed the release of de Grazia and Assenzo, who must appear in court to clarify the conditions of their release. It also vowed to continue working on securing the release of other detained Italians.

“We have always said, and we maintain it: we will talk to whomever we need to talk to so that there is not a single political prisoner in our Venezuela!” Capriles added.

AFP

Headline

Russia, Ukraine Exchange Prisoners Of War, Civilians

Published

5 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Russia and Ukraine each sent back more prisoners of war on Sunday in the latest in a series of exchanges that have seen hundreds of POWs released this year, the two sides said.

Large-scale prisoner exchanges were the only tangible result of three rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul between May and July.

They remain one of the few areas of cooperation between the two countries since Russia’s offensive began in 2022.

“On August 24, 146 Russian servicemen were returned from the territory controlled” by Kyiv, the Russian defence ministry said on Telegram.

“In exchange, 146 prisoners of war of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were transferred” to Ukraine, it added. Ukraine did not confirm any figures for the release.

Russia also said that “eight citizens of the Russian Federation—residents of the Kursk region, illegally detained” by Kyiv were also returned.

Ukrainian forces launched a surprise incursion into Russia’s Kursk region in August last year, seizing hundreds of square kilometres (miles) of territory in a major setback for the Kremlin.

Russia deployed thousands of troops from its ally North Korea as part of a counterattack but did not fully reclaim the region until April.

Among the Ukrainians released on Sunday was journalist Dmytro Khyliuk, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Khyliuk was kidnapped in the Kyiv region in March 2022. He is finally home in Ukraine,” Zelensky said on social media.

Also freed was former Kherson mayor Volodymyr Mykolayenko, “who spent more than three years in captivity,” Zelensky’s aide Andriy Yermak wrote on X.

“In 2022, he was on the list for return, but Volodymyr voluntarily refused to be exchanged in favour of a seriously ill prisoner with whom he was sharing a cell in a Russian prison,” Yermak said.

AFP