Metro

How I Narrowly Escaped Being Kidnapped, 13-yr-old Boy Narrates

Published

9 months ago

September 30, 2023

Editor

A 13-year-old boy, Abraham Stephen has narrated how he miraculously escaped being kidnapped in Owo, Ondo state. Abraham, who said he left home, due to maltreatment from his mother, walked into the hands of abductors.

Narrating his ordeal, at the office of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the state, the victim said he was picked up at AUD primary school Iyere Owo, by two young boys dressed in black hooded kaftan and they threatened to shoot him if he shouted or attempted to run

He said that he was coerced to follow them, and upon entering the car, he saw two more young boys also dressed in black hooded kaftan.

Vanguard learnt that the abductors were taking him to lbadan, Oyo state, when they ran into a police checkpoint. For fear of arrest, they asked the boy to alight from the vehicle and join a commercial vehicle with the instruction to wait for them to get to Ibadan.

But all the commercial vehicles refused to stop, wondering why a boy of his age would be travelling alone on the highway.

However, one of the cars travelling to lbadan, stopped and picked him up. After questioning him, the good Samaritan became worried why a boy of his age would be travelling to Ibadan unaccompanied and decided to take him to the NSCDC office at FEMA along Agbogbo road

According to him “when they asked me to enter their vehicle, they threatened to shoot me if I shout or try to run away.

“When we got to a police checkpoint, they told me to get down from the car for fear of arrest by the police. They told me to board a car going to Ibadan that they would be waiting for me there.

“But the car that picked me instead of taking me to lbadan, took me to the office of the NSCDC.

“I noticed that a Jeep that was on our trail from the spot where the driver picked me up drove off and stopped trailing us as soon as the car turned to NSCDC ‘s office.”

Speaking on the incident, the state spokesperson for the state command of NSCDC, Daniel Aidamenbor, said that the boy was rescued by a good Samaritan who brought him to the NSCDC Ondo Command Anti-Human Trafficking Unit.

Aidamenbor said that “The mother of the victim, Stephen Ajayi Toyin was contacted and was asked to come for her son in Akure. She was shocked upon her arrival.

“She narrated that she left her son at home for the market, she was away in the market when she received a call from officer of NSCDC that her son was in their custody.”

The NSCDC spokesperson noted that the victim had been handed over to his mother.

Metro

Many Trapped As Two-storey Building Collapses In Anambra Market

Published

20 hours ago

July 4, 2024

Editor

A two-storey building still under construction and housing traders and shop owners collapsed at the Eke Amawbia market in Awka, the Anambra State capital, on Thursday.

Although the casualty figure has not been officially ascertained, it was gathered that lives might have been lost in the incident and many are feared trapped under the rubble.

Eyewitnesses said the incident happened at about noon, creating panic among some of the traders and residents in the area.

The eyewitnesses said the two-storey building suddenly crumbled, burying numerous traders beneath the debris.

Metro

DEADLY FLOG: Teacher Bags 21 Year Jail Term

Published

1 day ago

July 4, 2024

Editor

A teacher, Mrs Faith Nwoye, who flogged nine year old pupil to death, has been sentenced to 21 years imprisonment by the Court.

The teacher was sentenced to 21 years imprisonment by a special court handling Women and Children related matters in Awka.

The incident happened in Landmark International School Mgbakwu, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The deceased, Master Henry Okonkwo, has been buried in his home town, Igbakwu in Ayamelum Local Government Area of the State.

The pupil died in the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital in Awka after being beaten to coma by the teacher.

Commiserating with the Okonkwo’s family, Commissioner for Education, Prof Ngozi Chuma-Udeh expressed condolences of the Education family and State Government for the heavy loss.

Chuma-Udeh, represented at the burial by the Director of Schools in the Ministry of Education, Mrs Ifeoma Onyeneke regretted that one of the State’s hopeful was gone in a manner that could have been avoided.

According to her, late Henry could not have died if he was enrolled in an approved school with qualified teachers.

She reminded residents Governor Chukwuma Soludo had declared criminal, the operation of illegal schools in the State.

Metro

‘Many Structures Will Go Down’, Lagos Blows Hot Over Flood

Published

2 days ago

July 3, 2024

Editor

Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Tokunbo Wahab, on Wednesday, vowed that many structures obstructing the free flow of rain water will be removed.

He said those structures would be removed “irrespective of who or highly placed the owners are.”

Conquering the clouds on a journey to Ta Xua with the team – Road Trip Vietnam Team – Nếm TV

Wahab spoke in the wake of the ravaging flood which submerged many houses, communities and properties in Lagos.
Some of the affected areas include Epe, Eredo, Bogije, Labora, Abijon, Sangotedo, Awoyaya and Ibeju-Lekki.

A primary six pupil simply identified as Joshua was swept away by flood in Ikosi, Ketu area of Lagos State.

Daily Trust reports that some miscreants also took advantage of the crisis as they charged passers-by N100 to access a makeshift bridge at the Tradefair under-bridge in Lagos.

The commissioner, however, unleashed his anger on a post on X (formerly twitter) asking him to explain if “the Igbo-owned property and business demolition we witnessed in Lagos 2023, was all politically engineered?”

@PureStanley1 posted that “Can we all now agree that the Igbo owned property and business demolition we witnessed in Lagos 2023, was all politically engineered? and we were told that some of the buildings were built on canals, thereby blocking the flow of water and causing flooding in Lagos. @tokunbo_wahab can u explain to us why there was a flood in Lagos again yesterday and the early hours of today, after going on demolition spree on IGBOS owned properties?

“Take the Microphone sir, we await ur response!.”

But Wahab fired back and accused the X user of pushing ethnic narrative.

“Many more structures obstructing the free flow of rain water in Lagos will still be removed irrespective of who or highly placed the owners are. Prepare your mind to make your usual aimless and empty noise. If turning it to ethnic narrative makes you happy, go ahead! TW,” he posted.