Metro

Fear Grips Ugbowo, Uselu, Environs, Over House-to-house Robbery In Edo

Published

5 years ago

November 21, 2020

By Our Correspondent

Residents of Uselu, Ugbowo and environs in Benin City are faced with turbid times in the hands of some suspected armed criminal gangs who now parade adjoining streets and rob shop owners of their goods, kill and harrased harmless residents in broad day light operations.

With similar attacks also taking place in other areas of textile mill road, Medical stores, Okhoro, Isiehor and oluku axis during the day, it was learned that, some residents are tensioned seeking God’s interventions following the failure of police operatives to fully resume duty.

Despite battle for supremacy between cult rivalry groups who had embarked on embarrassing wanton killings of one another, hopes were gradually gathering momentum for a peaceful resolve between the group.

Upper Sakponba had been the epicenter of the resultant clashes but with the recent presence of security joint task force there, it appears that, the fleeing suspects have taking Uselu-Ugbowo-
medical as their new abodes.

The worst hit areas are residents of Good Samaritan Street,
Ediakean Primary School Road,
Iyase, Ebo Junction and Etiosa
suburb, who are forced to sleep early with doors closed and hallucinating similar attacks.

It was gathered that, shop owners close up their shops by 4pm and resumes sale at 8:30am with most areas around, deserted and lonely enough for criminal onslaughts.

Commercial activities have hit all time low over incessant gun shots that had continued to rent the air at free will, resulting to killings in most cases.

Days ago, a man who was reportedly returning home from work was attacked and killed around First Federal Road with his lifeless body seen in the early hours of the following day.

According to a source, the deceased was few meters away from his place when he was reportedly hacked to death.

Similarly, a middle age furniture apprentice, who was at his furniture stalls life was cut shot by the suspected criminals who ambushed him while he was said to have gone to buy materials for a job.

A senior resident who spoke to us on condition of anonymity, said “the gang of armed robbers moved door-to-door, shooting or hacking some of their victims to death”.

According to him, “they rob traders’ shops on a daily basis. Everyday, we are afraid of the criminal elements. They move around brandishing guns and weapons of mass destruction.

“They do not only threatning their victims, but rob them of their belongings. Those children are very scary”.

“We are appealing to appropriate authorities to protect the live and properties they took oath for. We can’t sleep with our eyes closed”.

It would be recall that, More than four police divisional stations across the city centre were burned recently in a peaceful protest against police brutality turned violence.

Statistics are difficult to come by, but many would say Edo State, Particularly Benin City, has been an increase in some types of crime in recent weeks.

The level of murder and robbery rates have risen since the advent of #EndSARS protest which was believed to have been hijacked by suspected hoodlums and cultists, leaving no fewer than 38 Persons murdered since the cult clashes.

Recall, the Commissioner of Police,
Edo State, Johnson Babatunde
Kokumo, during a recent parade of 48 suspected criminals, noted that the fleeing inmates and other suspects would soon be tracked

As at the time of filing in this report, sounds from the security vehicles parading were heard moving into the flash points of the adjoining streets in Uselu to signal their presence in the danger zones as sounds of heavy gun shooting at every interval rent the air.

Metro

Police Arrest 13 During Cult Initiation In Delta

Published

2 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

The Delta State Police Command has arrested 13 suspected members of a cult group and recovered several firearms and other dangerous items.

The suspects were arrested during an initiation ceremony at the Ekraka Community forest in Kokori on Saturday.

The operation carried out late-night during a tactical operation in Ethiope East local government area of the state followed credible intelligence that members of the Aiye Confraternity, also known as Black Axe, were planning an initiation.

Police, operatives of the Quick Response Squad, led by its commander, SP Collins Achem, were swiftly deployed to the area to prevent the gathering.

Metro

Petrol Tanker Crashes Into Akpabio’s Convoy, Kills Police Dispatch Rider

Published

2 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

A tragic accident involving a fuel tanker and the convoy of Senate President Godswill Akpabio claimed the life of a police dispatch rider, Ibrahim Hussaini, on Sunday.

Akpabio made the announcement on Tuesday while addressing lawmakers during plenary, expressing his condolences to the family of the fallen officer.

Dispatch riders, who are typically police personnel, escort senior government officials on motorcycles marked for official use.

The Senate President arrived in the chamber shortly after the session began and informed his colleagues that Hussaini had already been laid to rest earlier that morning.

Although he did not give a precise location, Akpabio explained that the crash occurred in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, shortly after his convoy picked him up from the airport.

He said: “We went to Oyo State for the installation of our colleague. Unfortunately, my dispatch rider was run over by a tanker driver, and his head was shattered. We just buried him 15 minutes ago in Kogi State. He left two wives and four children.

“By the grace of God, I’m recommending two of his senior children for employment immediately in any parastatals that may wish to; otherwise, I’ll employ them personally in any of my private concerns.”

He noted that the officer was buried in Kogi State and is survived by two wives and four children.

Following the announcement, Sunday Karimi, the senator representing Kogi West, raised a motion on personal explanation to formally present the matter to the Senate.

Karimi described Hussaini as a Deputy Superintendent of Police who was expected to retire next year. He added that the officer, who hailed from Kogi State, had been part of Akpabio’s security detail since 2023, when Akpabio assumed office as Senate President.

Karimi also informed lawmakers of another loss: the death of Ibrahim Tukur, a long-serving driver attached to Isah Jibrin, the senator representing Kogi East. Tukur reportedly passed away at his home on Saturday after 25 years of service.

Jibrin later addressed the chamber, noting that Tukur had worked with him since his early career as a banker at the now-defunct AfriBank. He offered prayers for his former driver’s soul.

The session concluded with Akpabio asking senators to observe a minute of silence in honour of both deceased staff members.

Metro

Fintiri Pardons Man Sentenced To Death For ‘Killing Herdsman In Self-defence’, Others

Published

2 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

Fintiri Pardons Man Sentenced To Death For ‘Killing Herdsman In Self-defence’, Others

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has granted pardon to a death row inmate, Sunday Jackson.

An Adamawa farmer, Jackson is widely perceived to have been unjustly sentenced for allegedly killing a herdsman in self-defence.

There has been widespread calls for intervention in his case.

Jackson who is in Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre was pardoned alongside Joseph Eugene from the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Yola, and Maxwell Ibrahim, serving at the Medium Security Custodial Center in Kaduna.

The pardon is in commemoration of Christmas and New Year celebrations, according to a statement released on Tuesday in Yola by Governor Fintiri’s Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou.

“Others who had the remainder of their sentences remitted whole include Joshua James Audo, Adamu Ibrahim, Mohammed Abubakar, Ibrahim Usman and Saidu Abubakar serving at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Numan and Medium Security Custodial Centre, Jada,” Humwashi stated.

He explained that Governor Fintiri extended his gesture to the inmates because the inmates had demonstrated significant improvement in their behaviour and conduct.

He quoted Fintiri as saying, “In the exercise of my prerogative of mercy as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in line with the recommendations of the Adamawa State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, I have granted pardon to three persons and directed the remission of the remainder of the sentences of five others who have served various jail terms and have significantly demonstrated good conduct over the years.”