News

Edo Community Petitions IGP, SSS, Others Over Killing Of Native By Police

Published

3 months ago

May 19, 2025

Editor

The people of Enwan in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State have petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Director, State Security Services (SSS), and the Edo State government over the alleged invasion and killing of a young man in the community by men suspected to be policemen.

Others copied in the petition were the Police Service Commission, lawmakers representing the area in the Senate, House of Representatives and the Edo State House of Assembly.

The petition was jointly signed by Dr. Steve Momoh, Chairman, Enwan Progressives Forum Elder’s Council; Comrade Israel Omokhafe, Chairman , Enwan Progressives Forum, and legal counsel to Enwan Progressives Forum, Barr. (Mrs) Rachael Akerele, and made available to newsmen in Benin City.

In the petition, they called for a proper investigation into the way and manner the suspected policemen allegedly came in a private vehicle said to belong to the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The community people alleged that one Dr. Babatunde Wahab said to be a staff of the university (Afe Babalola University), justified the said invasion that resulted in the killing of one Mr. Cosmos.

They also accused Wahab of “spreading false, defamatory, and inflammatory narratives across social and mainstream media platforms” regarding the incident.

They said the policemen were unprovoked, yet they shot and killed Cosmos while he and others were trying to inquire from the police, their mission in the community.

According to them the policemen were dressed in black “tactical gear” marked RRS EKS, adding : “Their mission was never disclosed, and there were no visible warrants, badges, or proof of jurisdictional authority, thereby casting immediate doubts on the legality of their operation.

“This operation, disturbingly reminiscent of Gestapo-style tactics, flagrantly violated the principles of due process, the rule of law, and the fundamental respect for human life. The unidentified operatives approached the Enwan Mixed Secondary school, a space that typically serves as a hub of academic activity, and surrounding residential areas in a hostile and confrontational manner, inciting fear, confusion, and chaos among residents, particularly against the backdrop of existing insecurity in Edo North region and particularly Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, characterized by farmer-herder conflicts, kidnappings, and ritual attacks.

“This act of extrajudicial killing, the wanton and disproportionate use of deadly force, and the evident jurisdictional overreach constitute a grave violation of both Nigerian law and internationally recognized human rights standards. The action and invasion were unlawful, illegitimate, and in direct contravention of Sections 34, 36 and 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which guarantee the right to life, the dignity of the human person, right to fair hearing, which is a cornerstone of human rights and due process, and freedom from inhuman or degrading treatment.”

They said no warrant of arrest was issued for any individual before the alleged invasion, adding that the alleged comments by Wahab’s worsened the situation.

“Most disturbingly, Dr. Wahab baselessly accused Enwan community of being a hub for ritual killings, internet fraud, kidnapping, and even issuing fake customs documents, an unsubstantiated slanderous statement which amounts to dangerous ethnic profiling and collective criminalization of a peaceful people” and attempt to demonise Enwan Community.

They, among others, demanded joint independent inquiry involving representatives from the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Edo State Command, human rights organizations, and community representatives to ensure a transparent and unbiased investigation.

News

DSS Issues Warning, Arrests Man For Circulating Fake Recruitment Materials

Published

3 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

The Department of State Services (DSS) has disclosed the arrest of one Mr. Eze Ezenwa Benard, who was recently apprehended for circulating fake DSS recruitment past questions and answers on Facebook.

The agency, while warning the public in a statement on Saturday, said the suspect operated through a page known as “Jobs and Education”, where he advertised the fraudulent materials and charged unsuspecting members of the public one thousand naira (N1,000) for access.

“The public is hereby cautioned to disregard any materials, as the DSS does not sell or distribute recruitment questions, answers, or examination guides through private individuals or social media pages. Recruitment into the Service, when necessary, follows specialised procedure in accordance with extant laws and due process,” the statement reads.

News

‘Na Only People You Gave Work Love You,’ Singer Speed Darlington Tells Tinubu

Published

3 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Singer Speed Darlington has told President Bola Tinubu that public admiration cannot be bought, warning that only those who received appointments or jobs from the government truly support him.

In a video posted on Saturday, August 23, the singer said, “Everything isn’t about the economy! There is more to leadership than the economy. See as everybody dey call your name, dey complain. Nobody loves you. Na only the ones you gave work, na them love you. Even your own tribe dey complain about you.”

Darlington, an Igbo man, urged Tinubu to focus on police reform and respect for human rights. “The Nigerian police is an oppressive agency rooted in human rights violation. As a matter of fact, if they do not violate you, it’s as if they are not even doing their job.

“The idea of arrest before investigation is a pure human rights violation. You arrest and hold a person before you dey investigate. Please, before you leave office, please speak to your Yoruba brother IGP man,” he added.

News

Before You Leave Office, Reform The Police — Speed Darlington Urges Tinubu

Published

4 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Popular controversial singer Speed Darlington has called on President Bola Tinubu to reform the Nigerian Police Force, urging the government to prioritise citizens’ rights alongside economic growth.

In a video posted on Saturday, the entertainer criticised what he described as the police’s systemic human rights violations and oppressive practices.

“Mr President, before you leave office, whether you secure a second term or not, try your best to improve Nigeria. Everything isn’t about the economy!

“There is more to leadership than the economy. See as everybody dey call your name, dey complain. Nobody loves you. Na only the ones you gave work, na them love you. Even your own tribe dey complain about you,” he said.

The singer, who identifies as Igbo, urged Tinubu to engage with the Inspector-General of Police and implement reforms.

“As an Igbo man, the advice I can give you so people will know your name and remember you for something good is to reform the police. Reform the police.

“The Nigerian police is an oppressive agency rooted in human rights violation. As a matter of fact, if they do not violate you, it’s as if they are not even doing their job.

“The idea of arrest before investigation is a pure human rights violation. You arrest and hold a person before you dey investigate,” he added.

Darlington also recounted his personal ordeal with law enforcement, highlighting the system’s abuse of power.

“I was held for two months after the judge had ordered my release. FID held me for two months. According to my lawyer, the Nigerian law gives only 28 days for investigation.

“They held me for two months. What is the extra month for? Because they can. If you give them money, they oppress your enemy. I have experienced it,” he said.