Metro

Gunmen Kill 27, Including Mourners In Benue, Raze Market

Published

2 years ago

July 8, 2023

Editor

No fewer than 27 persons have been reportedly killed by an unknown armed gang in a bloody attack on Adogo Ugbaam, Akpuuna and Diom communities in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.

The attack also left several persons with life-threatening injuries.

It was gathered that the armed men had, on Friday night, attacked a funeral at Adogo Ugbaam community, where they killed three mourners.

And on Saturday morning, at about 11a.m., another gang invaded Akpuuna and Diom communities, where 24 persons were murdered.

According to a local source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the armed men whose motive was not known, stormed the villages on motorbikes killing the three mourners at Adogo Ugbaam village at about 9p.m., after which they invaded Akpuuna and Diom on Saturday morning, when the local market in the area was busy with the day’s activities.

He said: “Nobody saw this coming; the armed men stormed Diom and Akpuuna on motorbikes at about 11 am, when the local market in the community had picked up with activities after killing three mourners at Adogo Ugbaam village last night (Friday) at about 9p.m.

“At Akpuuna and Diom they shot at anybody they saw, mercilessly killing the people in the market and the two neighbouring villages.

“There was pandemonium; people ran for their lives but many could not escape. Apart from those killed, many are still missing; and from all indications that number will rise.

“After killing the people and injuring many, the armed men set fire on people’s property and fled the scene.

“As we speak people are fleeing the attacked communities but the search for missing persons is ongoing. It is a sad day for our people.”

Confirming the development, the Chairman of Ukum LGA, Mr. Kartyo Tyoumbur, said information at his disposal indicated that 24 bodies had been recovered from the two attacked villages.

He said: “I learned that after attacking Akpuuna and Diom, the armed gang fled the scene but on getting to the Tine-Nune community on the Zaki Biam-Wukari Road they met the military who confronted them.

“Though no one knows how many of them were killed, but I believe some of them must have been neutralised in that exchange.”

The Chairman, who decried the attack, said no one knew the motive of the attackers.

Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene in a statement said “At about 12 pm, a militia gang invaded Akpuna village, Ukum LGA of Benue state and were shooting sporadically.

Upon receipt of this information, police teams in collaboration with other security agencies rushed to the area and engaged these bandits, who were eventually repelled.

“Eight corpses were recovered at the scene while many other injured persons were taken to hospital for treatment. Operation is ongoing in the area.”

Metro

Police Detain 3 Nsukka Masqueraders For Allegedly Assaulting Residents

Published

2 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

The police command in Enugu State has detained three masqueraders in the Nsukka area of the state for allegedly assaulting law-abiding citizens.

The command’s spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said in a statement in Enugu on Tuesday that police operatives, with the assistance of members of the community, led to the arrest of the suspects on June 23 at 3:30 p.m.

He said that the arrest of the suspects was in connection with the alleged physical assault of citizens by the ‘Oriokpa’ Masquerade group on June 22 as seen in a viral video.

“The suspects, along with others still at large, took advantage of the ‘Oriokpa’ Masquerade celebration to assault several innocent members of the public, inflicting bodily injuries on them.

“One of the victims was hospitalised for treatment due to injuries sustained during the attack.

“The masqueraders initially resisted police arrest and fled the scene.

“However, with the assistance of law-abiding community members, the three suspects were later identified and apprehended,” he said.

The spokesman said that the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Mamman Giwa, had ordered a thorough investigation into the case to ensure that justice was served.

Ndukwe quoted the commissioner as saying that masquerade celebration was a sacred and symbolic aspect of the nation’s culture.

He said that the state police chief, however, decried the actions of those who exploited the occasion to commit criminal acts.

Ndukwe said that the commissioner warned against the use of cultural festivities as a cover for fomenting trouble and committing crimes against fellow citizens, as perpetrated by the ‘Oriokpa’ masqueraders.

“The command is assuring the public that all those involved in the assault of law-abiding citizens will be brought to justice,” he added.

(NAN)

Metro

Edo Police Arrest Four Suspected Cultists

Published

5 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

Edo Police Command said it has arrested four suspected cultists allegedly responsible for cult violence in Auchi and its environs of the state.

In a statement, the command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Moses Yamu said, the suspects, who were arrested during a joint operation, belong to different cultist groups.

The statement reads partly, “On 22/06/2025, operatives of the Command’s Anti-Cultism Unit in a joint operation with Jattu and Auchi Divisions embarked on a house-to-house arrest of cultists.

“These four (4) suspects were arrested in various locations in Auchi; Musa Murphy 25yrs of No 35 Ogeneni area Jattu, Auchi a member of Arobaga Confraternity, Gabriel Moses 25yrs of ECocota-Community, Auchi a member of Aye Confraternity, Michael Ayo 23yrs of No1 Emeke Uzuire, Auchi member of Eiye Confraternity and Philip Sunday 24yrs of Ebira camp, Auchi a member of Vikings Confraternity.”

Yamu expressed the state Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika’s assurance to the “general public of the Command’s resolve to rid the State of cultism while the suspects would be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.”

Metro

Chaos In Court As Ex-convict Attempts To Escape

Published

9 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

A dramatic scene unfolded on Tuesday in an Ilorin Area Court as an ex-convict, Segun Samuel, attempted to escape from the court premises, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The Prosecution Counsel, ASP Samuel Mayowa, who witnessed the incident, told NAN that the ex-convict cunningly removed the chains from his leg with a broomstick, walked towards the restroom and scaled the court fence.

“He has four different criminal cases in this court. One of the cases was heard on Monday, and he was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment.

“In the second criminal case, he was sentenced to six months of community service, and the third case was supposed to be heard today, before he pulled that stunt,” he said.

Luckily, he said, the police officers in the court premises and the prison warder swung into action and pursued him.

He said that after a thorough search, and with the help of the community, the ex-convict was found in a dilapidated building at Oke-Suna Area, Ilorin.

The Correctional Service officer, he said, was called, and the ex-convict was captured and returned to custody