Five Soldiers Die In Borno Explosion

Published

1 month ago

April 27, 2023

Five Nigerian soldiers died after their vehicle hit a mine suspected to have been planted by Islamic State group-aligned jihadists near the border with Niger, security sources said Wednesday.

The unit was on a routine patrol in Laayi village near the northeastern town of Damasak on Monday when they drove over a mine, two militia leaders told AFP.

The soldiers set off an improvised explosive device suspected to have been planted by the Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP) group, militia leader Babakura Kolo said.

The explosion “killed all five troops on board”, he said.

The jihadists had attacked the village the previous night, kidnapping four residents including the local chief and planting the explosives while retreating, Kolo said.

The army spokesman had not responded to AFP’s request for comment on the incident.

A second militia leader, Ibrahim Liman, gave the same account and death toll as Kolo.

The militiamen, who fight alongside the military, were not present during the incident but said they were briefed on the matter.

ISWAP which split from the jihadist group Boko Haram in 2016 has become a dominant threat in Nigeria, attacking soldiers on patrol while killing and kidnapping passengers at checkpoints.

The two rival jihadist factions have clashed in recent months while the military has intensified its offensive against the groups.

The military is set up in large bases known as “super camps” across the region, leaving some villages and rural areas unprotected and more vulnerable to attacks.

Last month three soldiers were killed and four others injured along with seven civilians in a mine explosion targeting a military truck outside the town of Banki near the border with Cameroon.

The 14-year-old insurgency has killed at least 40,000 people and displaced more than two million, according to the UN.

The violence has spread to parts of neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a regional military coalition to fight the militants.

APC Women Leaders Kidnapped After Attending Inauguration

Published

3 hours ago

May 31, 2023

Editor

Two women leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State have been kidnapped along Manini flash point of Birnin Gwari Local Governments Area of the state after attending the inauguration of the state governor, Senator Uba Sani

This was disclosed by the chairman of Birnin Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU, Ishaq Usman Kasai in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday morning

According to him, the bandits blocked the road and kidnapped the two APC women leaders including dozens of others.

He said the kidnapped women leaders are Birnin Gwari APC women leader, Hajiya Lami Awarware and her assistant, Hajiya Haulatu Aliyu.

According to Nigerian Tribune, immediately after the victims were kidnapped on Tuesday, the kidnappers took them to the forest.

He also said that the abductors are yet to contact the families of the victims or any person in the area.

Recall, two days ago, BEPU had while congratulating the president, Bola Tinubu pleaded with the president to end the insecurity bedeviling the Local Government Area.

Also as at the time of filling the report,the state government and the police are to issue a statement on the development.

Metro

Oyo Police Storm Motor Park Chair, Auxiliary’s Hideout, Arrest 78 With Arms

Published

4 hours ago

May 31, 2023

Editor

The Oyo State Police Command, on Tuesday, arrested 78 suspected members of the disbanded Park Management System for allegedly planning to cause civil disorder in Ibadan, the state capital.

The state governor, Seyi Makinde, had earlier announced the dissolution of PMS headed by Mukaila Lamidi, popularly known as Auxiliary.

azarrest included guns, 724 live cartridges, 25 cutlasses, seven jack knives, 33 mobile phones, one laptop, charms, two vehicles and over N3m cash.

The state Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Williams, who paraded the suspects at the command’s headquarters, Eleyele in Ibadan, said, “On Tuesday, in a strategic intelligence coordinated raid around Auxiliary’s location at Diamond Hotel, Alakia-Isebo, under Egbeda Local Government, 78 suspected hoodlums who had perfected plans to unleash mayhem at the early hours of today (Tuesday) at major parts of the metropolis were arrested in possession of sophisticated firearms.

“During the raid, sophisticated firearms were recovered inside the hotel rooms and in the trunk compartment of parked vehicles within the hotel.”

The CP said though Auxiliary escaped with some of his boys during the gun duel with the police, a member of the group was gunned down.

He added that the same group was alleged to be responsible for the attack on 14 members of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria in the Agodi area of Ibadan North-East Local Government Area of the state on Monday.

Williams added, “In line with standard operational procedure, all recovered items were properly documented, packaged and recorded for onward forensics analysis and evidence purposes in accordance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and all other relevant laws.”

Meanwhile, the state government, on Tuesday, shut down bus terminals in Ibadan, the state capital.

The PUNCH correspondent, who visited both the Ojoo and Challenge parks, observed that members of the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, sealed them off.

Metro

[BREAKING] Adegoke’s Death: Hotel Receptionist Bags two-year Jail Term

Published

5 hours ago

May 31, 2023

Editor

The receptionist on duty at Hilton Hotel, Ile-Ife, Osun State, on the day an ex Masters student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Timothy Adegoke, arrived at the facility, Adedeji Adesola, has been sentenced to two years imprisonment.

Adesola’s sentence was pronounced at the sitting of the court on Wednesday by Osun State Chief Judge, Adepele Ojo.

The judge had pronounced her guilty of conspiracy to fabricate evidence and conceal the fact that the deceased lodged at the facility before he died during the court sitting on Tuesday.

But due to pleading for leniency of the court by her counsel, Okon Ita, and the prosecution, Fatimo Adesina, the judge delayed her sentencing till Wednesday.

The hotel owner, Dr. Ramon Adedoyin, and two of his staff, Adeniyi Aderogba and Oyetunde Kazeem had been earlier sentenced to death by hanging.

The court found them culpable in the death of Adegoke, who arrived at the hotel on November 5, 2021, but was later found buried in a shallow grave along Ife-Ede, by police detectives, days after he has declared missing.

Both Adesina and Adesola’s counsel had urged the court to consider the age of the defendant and the circumstances under which she acted and treat her case with leniency.

Justice Ojo in her judgement, said she took notice of the plead for leniency for the defendant and the provision of Section 411 of the Constitution.

She said, “I have considered the passionate plea of the 7th defendant and the submission of the prosecution on the need to temper justice with mercy. I have observed and considered the sober disposition of the 7th defendant in court throughout the trial.

“I am equally mindful of the circumstances surrounding the case of the 7th defendant. I am not unmindful of the provisions of the Section 411 2(b) of the law. I hereby sentence you Adedeji Adesola to 2 years imprisonment starting from the first day of your arrest.”