Metro

Four Men Bag Life Sentence For Kidnapping In Ekiti

Published

1 year ago

August 13, 2024

An Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti Division has sentenced four men to life imprisonment for kidnapping a 75-year-old woman in Ikere Ekiti.

The defendants – Adeoye Sunday, Adewusi Dare, Bamigboye Damilola and Ogunlayi Seun were also on Monday sentenced to five years imprisonment each for the offence of conspiracy.

The court, however, discharged and acquitted the fifth defendant, Ojo Tope of the charges levelled against them.

The defendants were tried for the kidnap of 75 years old Madam Florence Popoola from her house, on September 14, 2017, in Ikere Ekiti and kept her in the forest between Eyio and Awo-Ekiti for four days until she was eventually released after the payment of N1.5m ransom.

The five defendants were arrested and charged to court with the offences of conspiracy to armed robbery, armed robbery, kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Julius Ajibare, who prosecuted the case for Ekiti State, said, “The offences committed by the defendants were contrary to Section 6(b) &1(2) (a)of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap.R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Sections 3 & 4 of the Ekiti State Kidnap and Terrorism (Prohibition) Law, 2015.”

Ajibare called four witnesses and tendered eight exhibits to prove his case.

The defendants, who spoke through their counsel, Chris Omokhafe and Sunday Ochai, gave evidence in their defence and did not call any other witnesses.

The judge, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, in the judgment held that the prosecution proved the offences of Conspiracy to Kidnap and kidnapping against the 1st – 4th defendants beyond reasonable doubt

Ogunmoye consequently convicted four out of the five defendants and sentenced them to life imprisonment for the offence of kidnapping and five years imprisonment for conspiracy to kidnap, but acquitted and discharged them for the offences of Conspiracy to commit armed robbery and armed robbery.

The 5th defendant, Ojo Tope was however acquitted and discharged for all the offences.

Metro

Gateman Arrested For Allegedly Defiling Four-year-old Pupil In Oyo

Published

6 hours ago

September 5, 2025

Editor

A 26-year-old gateman identified as Josiah Ayomide has been arrested for allegedly defiling a four-year-old pupil in one of the schools in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The suspect was paraded alongside other suspects arrested for offences ranging from theft, banditry, rape, and other crimes at the Oyo State Police Command, Eleyele, Ibadan, on Thursday.

In his briefing, the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Adewale Osifeso, said the suspect was nabbed after the victim complained of severe vaginal pains to her parents at home.

Osifeso added that after a thorough investigation and probe, the suspect confessed to the crime.

The police spokesman said the victim later told her mother that her school gateman had unlawfully raped her while she was in the school.

According to the report, “The victim was taken to the Police Medical Clinic, Eleyele-Ibadan, for medical examination and treatment, and the medical report revealed that the hymen was not intact, with tenderness around the vulva and vagina and bruises.”

Osifeso said the suspect would be prosecuted upon completion of the investigation.

Metro

Panic As Fire Guts Fuel Station In Ikorodu

Published

7 hours ago

September 5, 2025

Editor

Photo: File Copy

There was pandemonium on Friday when fire gutted A1 Petroleum Filling Station, an independent oil dealer located on Isawo Road, off Agric Bus Stop in Ikorodu, Lagos.

As of 1 p.m., the extent of property destroyed and possible casualties had not been confirmed. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Men of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, supported by other emergency responders, were at the scene battling to contain the inferno, which reportedly began from a diesel-laden truck within the premises.

Metro

DSS Charges Top Ansaru Leaders Over Terrorism, Kuje Prison Break Roles

Published

8 hours ago

September 5, 2025

Editor

The Department of State Services (DSS) has brought terrorism charges against two senior commanders of Ansaru, an Al-Qaeda-linked terror group, over their alleged role in violent attacks across Nigeria.

The suspects are Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a/Abbas/Mukhtar, who is described as the Emir of Ansaru, and his deputy Mahmud al-Nigeri, also called Malam Mamuda. They were recently captured during security operations.

According to the DSS, the charges against them include leading a terrorist organisation, funding its activities, recruiting members, and planning violent operations nationwide.

Their arraignment at the Federal High Court in Abuja is expected soon.

Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA), said the two men were behind the July 2022 Kuje prison attack, where more than 600 inmates, including Boko Haram suspects, escaped.

Ribadu explained: “Abu Bara was the coordinator of terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and the mastermind of several high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies used to finance terrorism.”

On Mamuda, Ribadu revealed that he trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadists from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, specialising in handling weapons and making explosive devices.

The NSA also linked the suspects to the 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp in Katsina, the 2019 kidnapping of Musa Uba, Magajin Garin Daura, and the kidnapping of the Emir of Wawa.

Ribadu described their arrest as “a turning point”, noting that the duo maintained strong networks in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.