Metro

Hit-and-run Suspected ‘Yahoo Boy’ Killed Canada-bound UNIBEN Postgraduate Student, Family Demands Justice

Published

3 years ago

August 12, 2022

Family members and friends of a petroleum engineering graduate of the University of Benin, Edo State, Jeffrey Omoregie, have been thrown into mourning after a driver crushed him to death on Uselu-Lagos Expressway, Uselu, in the Egor Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that Jeffrey was on his way to a Union Bank branch to wait for his mother, who wanted to make cash withdrawal from her bank account.

It was learnt that the mother intended to give him some money after he concluded plans to travel to Canada for his master’s degree programme.

The 26-year-old, upon getting to Uselu Junction, attempted crossing the expressway to connect to the bank when the yet-to-be-identified motorist, while driving a Lexus car with number plate YAB 985 CL at top speed, rammed into him.

Jeffrey’s mother, Fortune, who spoke to one of our correspondents on Thursday, said she was inside a vehicle conveying her to meet her son when she observed people clustering around an accident victim.

She said, “I got down and started telling people to let us help the victim. But on moving closer, I realised it was my son lying down in a pool of blood. I started crying and shouting that people should help me. He was still breathing and people helped me carry him inside a vehicle.

“We quickly rushed him to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, where we were told that he had died. He was to travel out of the country on August 28 and I was going to the bank to give him money for the travel.

“The youth that assisted me said the boy that killed my son is a Yahoo boy (Internet fraudster) and that his vehicle came from nowhere to knock my son down. If you see the damage on the car, you will think that the vehicle rammed into a truck. I want justice.”

The deceased’s younger brother, Aisosa, said the police had been hiding the identity of the suspect.

He said, “On Tuesday, around 3pm, I got a call from my mum and heard her saying help me, help me before the call disconnected. She called back and said I should be coming to the UBTH because my brother had an accident.

“I was on my way to the hospital when she called and said my brother had died. How the accident happened was that he crossed the Uselu-Lagos Expressway towards the barricade that separated the two lanes for vehicles coming and going.

“He was at the median and was about to cross to the other side of the road when the vehicle crushed him against the barricade. His legs and hands were broken; the accident was so bad that his head had a collision with the windscreen of the car that knocked him against the barricade and also to the other side of the road.

“Policemen from the BDPA division arrested the suspect that same Tuesday. But when my mum and I went to the police station and demanded to see the person responsible for my brother’s death, the Investigating Police Officer told us the suspect had been transferred to the Area Command on Sapele Road.

“When we got there, we only saw the car and they still didn’t show us the suspect or tell us his name. They are just hiding his identity and we need to know his identity because we want justice.”

Jeffrey’s friend, Samuel Ebosele, alleged that the IPO had been trying to compromise the case, adding that some policemen had been calling the family for settlement.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, said the case had been transferred by the Divisional Police Officer after initial investigation to the State Traffic Division, Adesua, where further investigation would be carried out.

“I have been in touch with the DPO of Ugbowo, who confirmed that the case had been transferred to the State Traffic Division where further investigation will carried out,” he added.

Metro

Nigerian Army Suspends Statutory, Voluntary Retirement For Specific Officers

Published

17 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Army has announced the indefinite suspension of all statutory and voluntary retirements for specific categories of officers.

According to an internal memo dated 3 December 2025, signed by Major General E. I. Okoro on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, this is in response to the nationwide security emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu.

Okoro explained that the measure is intended to preserve manpower, expertise, and operational readiness while the Armed Forces rapidly expand to tackle the escalating insecurity across Nigeria.

Citing the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers (HTACOS) 2024, the document pointed out that officers normally retire upon reaching the prescribed age for their rank, completing 35 years of service, or after repeated failures in promotion or conversion processes.

However, Paragraph 3.10(e) permits service extensions when it is in the interest of the military.

“Military service of a commissioned officer entails a period of unbroken service in the AFN from the date of enlistment or commissioning to the date of retirement. The period of service is determined by conditions enshrined in the HTACOS Officers 2024. These include attainment of age ceilings on various ranks, 35 years maximum length of service, and other criteria provided in Paragraphs 11.02(d) and 17.15, among extant regulations,” the memo partly read.

“Notwithstanding these provisions, Chapter 3.10(e) of HTACOS Officers 2024 allows for extension of service to officers in the interest of the service.

“The President and Commander-in-Chief declared a nationwide security emergency on November 26, mandating the expansion of the AFN and other security agencies. In line with this, and to rapidly expand manpower, it has become expedient to temporarily suspend all statutory and voluntary retirements from the Nigerian Army with immediate effect.”

According to the memo, the suspension affects Army officers in the following categories: Those who have failed promotion examinations three times, those passed over for promotion three times, those who have reached the age ceiling for their current rank, those who have failed conversion boards three times and those who have completed 35 years of service.

It explained that affected officers who wish to remain in service may apply for an extension beyond their original retirement dates.

However, the memo clarified that: “Officers in these categories who are not interested in extension of service are to continue with the normal retirement procedure. Officers desirous of extension should note that upon extension, they are not eligible for career progression, including promotion, career courses, NA sponsorship, self-sponsored courses, secondment, or extra-regimental appointments.”

Metro

NDLEA Seizes 7.6m Tramadol Pills, 76,273kg Cannabis In Nationwide Raids

Published

18 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Editor

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has announced the seizure of more than 7.6 million tramadol pills and 76,273 kilograms of cannabis strains in coordinated operations across several states, with multiple suspects arrested.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the seizures were made during intelligence-led raids between 1 and 6 December.

In Delta State, operatives recovered 3,874,000 tramadol pills and 252.2 litres of codeine syrup from a warehouse at Oko market, Asaba. In Imo State, 1.2 million tramadol tablets were intercepted from a vehicle driven by 35-year-old Kelechi Nwakocha along the Onitsha-Owerri road.

In Adamawa, officers stopped a Toyota Hiace bus travelling from Jos to Mubi with 1,577,112 capsules of tramadol and exol-5 tablets concealed in jumbo bags mixed with footwear. Two suspects, Kabiru Buba, 25, and Hamza Abubakar, 32, were arrested. Another suspect, Mudansir Rabiu, 27, was apprehended in Kano with 197,000 exol-5 pills.

In Ekiti, NDLEA destroyed 14,654 kilograms of skunk in Omuo forest and 54,300 kilograms in warehouses at Asin-Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area. Two suspects were arrested in connection with the operations. In Ondo, 5,442 kilograms of skunk were seized in Igoba forest, Akure North, with five suspects taken into custody.

Further arrests were made in Niger State, where 500 kilograms of skunk were recovered from a van along Mokwa-Jebba road, and in Abuja, where 22 kilograms of synthetic cannabis known as Colorado were intercepted at Abaji expressway. A follow-up operation at Jabi park led to the arrest of a female receiver, Ali Blessing, 33. Another suspect, Aliyu Usman, 39, was arrested with 24 kilograms of skunk and 573,500 exol-5 pills along Kwali-Gwagwalada expressway.

In Lagos, 113 kilograms of Canadian Loud were recovered from Ezenwa Udoka at Ladipo market, while Izuchukwu Usulor was arrested with 351 kilograms of skunk in Onipanu. Susan Okoro was also arrested with 104.1 kilograms at Trade Fair complex, Ojo. In Edo, 447.5 kilograms of skunk were seized from two vehicles in Agho forest, Akoko Edo, and 315.8 kilograms were recovered from a warehouse in Isiefve community, Ohuwunde Local Government Area.

The Agency confirmed that sensitisation activities under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative continued during the week in schools, worship centres and communities across Kano, Benue and Rivers States.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers involved.

“Their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country, especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts, are well appreciated,” he said.
The Agency stated that investigations are ongoing and suspects will be prosecuted accordingly.