Metro

Kaduna Massacre Survivors Narrate Ordeal

Published

3 years ago

June 13, 2022

Victims of the attack on Adara communities in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State have recounted their experience after some of them were relocated to an Internally Displaced Persons camp and other safe communities.

Recall the attack on three communities in Kajuru killed 35 natives and many others sustained injuries.

However, after the attack, accusations and counter-accusations arose with natives alleging that the terrorists were aided by their criminal counterparts using a helicopter. The state government has since dismissed the claim, saying the helicopter was used by the Nigerian Air Force to dispel the bandits.

Survivors of the attack, in an interview with DAILY POST, when they came for a Save-Our-Soul (SOS) visit to the President of Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Hon. Asake at the National Secretariat, expressed shock over the state government’s denial of the terrorists using a helicopter.

The villagers, who were led by Rev. Denis Sani, of 1st ECWA Church, Maikori during a visit to SOKAPU president, said they came to SOKAPU to seek assistance for their starving communities and to brief the President of SOKAPU on the tragedy that befell their communities.

“It was around 12 noon while we were in church that we started getting information that armed Fulani herdsmen were attacking Dangoma and some nearby villages,” said Rev. Sani before television cameras.

“We hastily rounded up our prayers and came out. We then heard that they were in large numbers and that they were heading towards Maikori.

“We then called out for reinforcement and all the youths came out and we laid ambush waiting for them. We evacuated our women, children, and old ones into hiding. In no time we saw them.

“They were in large numbers on scores of motorcycles each carrying three turban herdsmen who all had AK-47 rifles.”

According to Rev Sani, when the herdsman were getting close to them, they fired their den guns at the invaders.

“Upon hearing our gunshots. The leaders of the armed herdsmen raised his left hand and came to an abrupt halt. The rest also stopped,” he said.

He said that they dismounted from the bikes and started responding but since they were already under cover they had an upper hand and that the killer herdsmen started retreating.

“From nowhere we saw a helicopter coming over towards Maikori, and we were happy that help had come,” he said.

He said that they were shocked to discover that the helicopter, which he said was white painted, started firing in their direction, even when the motorcycles of the assailants, their positions and mode of dressing, marked them out clearly.

“I saw my people running for dear lives and some were falling. I also ran. It was not possible to face the armed Fulani and the bullets from the helicopter, so we ran for our lives,” he said.

He narrated further that upon escaping, the herdsmen entered Maikori and started burning homes.

“As they were burning houses, the helicopter was hovering over the village to defend them from our returning.

“They took three good hours burning every structure in Maikori, except three or four houses that do not have any valuables.

“My church, 1st ECWA Church Maikori, was burnt to ashes. My house and everything I ever worked for went with the flames. I only came out with what I am now wearing.

“As of now, I cannot tell you exactly how many people were killed from that attack, because we are still picking corpses in the bushes. But 32 persons have been killed and buried. Other villages that were attacked earlier that day by the same killers are Sabon Gida, Unguwan Sarki and Dogon Noma,” he said.

According to him, the ECWA church in Dogon Noma was also burnt with some other houses.

“The Helicopter did not hide its intention that it came to kill us and to help the armed Fulani to achieve what they wanted to do.

“We are therefore here to beg for any form of assistance, especially food and clothing. And we want you to help us inform the world what has happened to us,” he said as he produced a bullet he claimed came from the gunshot from the helicopter.

Johna Chris, the 52-year-old youth leader of the Maikori village, was also on the team that visited the SOKAPU president. He also confirmed what Rev Sani said.

“When we started shooting at the bandits with our den guns, they seemed to be taken by surprise that there was some form of resistance. Even when they were firing back at us, we noticed that they were going backward. We were ready to defend our village with the last drop of our blood and we had the upper hand against those devils.

“Then this white painted helicopter came from the sky. Instead of attacking the criminals, it is us that it started shooting at.

“The bullets were coming from the bottom of the helicopter straight at us. At first, I thought it was a mistake, but it circled back, saw the position of the enemy, left them alone and started raining bullets at us and into our village. When I saw people running and falling, I also ran into the bush,” he said.

The President of Adara Development Association (ADA), Mr Dio Maisamari, who is also the 1st Vice President of SOKAPU said that it was clear that both the Federal Government and Kaduna State Government had abandoned Adara and other besieged Southern Kaduna communities to their fate.

Rifkatu James, a 20-year-old student of Government Day Secondary School, Jabi, Abuja, was at home in Maikori village for a brief visit when she was caught in the attack.

She narrated her experience:

“We finished church service in a hurry because people were saying that Fulani were on their way to come and attack us in Maikori.

“We took the children, our mothers, and old people into the bush to go and hide. Our men started to shoot at the Fulani who were coming on hundreds of motorcycles to attack us. And they also started shooting our people,” she said.

She added: “I think we were winning because the Fulani were trying to run away. Then I saw a helicopter coming from behind us. It then started shooting our men. I saw them running, some were falling down. I also ran very fast into the bush with others. The Fulani chased us and came into Maikori.”

DAILY POST

Metro

Outrage As Port Harcourt Realtor Strips Female Birthday Celebrants Naked At Nightclub

Published

2 days ago

June 14, 2025

Editor

Two young women have narrated what could be summed up as a life-scarring ordeal after allegedly being assaulted by a popular Port Harcourt-based realtor, Maduba Okechi Christian, and his security details at a nightclub in the Rivers State capital.

It was learnt that what was meant to be a night of carefree fun turned into a horror scene when they were allegedly beaten to a pulp, stripped naked, and one was left bleeding profusely from the head after the said Maduba reportedly smashed a bottle on her head.

The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Thursday at Blacbox nightclub, has generated outrage on social media after the ladies shared videos narrating their ordeal.

‘He assaulted us for refusing love advances’

They accused Maduba, the Chief Executive Officer of Ceemore Group of Companies, a real estate firm, and a Mobile Police officer attached to him, of assaulting them after one of them allegedly declined the realtor’s advances.

The ladies lamented that the attack left them with broken heads, broken teeth, and other bodily injuries.

According to The PUNCH, one of the ladies, Thonia Okoye, had made reservations at the club after paying the sum of N200,000 to celebrate her birthday with friends.

It was further gathered that the incident was reported at the Olu Obasanjo Divisional Police Station in Port Harcourt.

Narrating her ordeal in a video posted on TikTok, Okoye said the suspect had approached them at their reserved table and asked if he could join them, but they refused.

She added that Maduba flared up when he noticed one of the ladies making a video while dancing and ordered her to stop.

Dragged. stripped naked

Okoye accused Maduba of dragging her down the stairs, where she was stripped naked and beaten to a stupor.

“All of a sudden, this certain man called Ceemore Maduba came to sit at our reserved seat, and my friend was making a video. He hit my friend’s phone, saying she was not meant to make a video, and he started threatening us.

“This man and his friends started breaking bottles. They injured my friend; they broke her head, and she was bleeding profusely.

“They broke the teeth of my other friend. They pushed me downstairs, stripped me naked, and beat me mercilessly as if I had stolen something, all because this man came with a Mopol and bodyguards. This is not the first time he would be doing this. We’ve had a lot of people come out to speak against him, that this is the same thing he has done to them at that same Blacbox,” Okoye said.

He smashed a bottle on my head’

Also narrating her ordeal in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, Juliet Obasi said she had travelled from Owerri, Imo State, to Port Harcourt to celebrate with her friend alongside five other ladies.

She alleged that the realtor smashed a bottle on her head during the altercation and even attempted to stab her.

According to her, she was left bleeding profusely and had to be rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment.

Club management’s failure to act

She further accused the nightclub’s management and security personnel of complacency, claiming that they stood by and failed to intervene as the attack unfolded.

Obasi said the altercation escalated after the man accused one of her friends of recording him, which she denied, insisting she was only making a selfie video. Despite their complaints to the club’s management and security, nothing was done.

“I kept asking the waitress to call the manager to intervene because this was a reserved table, but shockingly, the waitress was more interested in greeting him respectfully. That was when I realised he must be an important person at the club.

“He took a bottle from our table and smashed it on my head. I didn’t even know I was bleeding until people started shouting, ‘You’re bleeding!’ I had to touch my head to confirm. The worst part is that the club’s security and management did nothing,” she alleged.

Another lost tooth

According to Obasi, as she was being rushed out, the man also attacked another girl in their group, breaking her tooth, while the celebrant was physically assaulted, stripped, and beaten by the man and his friends.

“The only mistake we made was going to that club. The only reason we reserved a table was because we knew how the club usually is. If we hadn’t reserved a table, they would have tagged us as prostitutes.

“We paid for our drinks and stayed in our space. This man saw that there were no guys with us, and that’s why he did what he did. Now they are saying he is a big man and nothing will happen to him.

“I’m traumatised. Going out as a lady in this country feels like a crime. I have lost money, jewellery, and even my friend’s clothes were torn. I didn’t know something like this could happen to me,” she said, adding that they would demand CCTV footage from the club as part of efforts to seek justice.

Outrage

Meanwhile, Nigerians on social media have expressed outrage over the incident, calling for the arrest and prosecution of the suspect.

A Facebook user, Dede Oputamuno Gilbert, said, “This is really sad, and I expect the management of Blackbox to do something about this and take it up. Lessons have to be learnt. Not every girl you see in the club is an OS (a term used for prostitutes). Some young girls have so much money they have made from their legitimate businesses, and they also ball in the club. It is not only insulting but demeaning to see every lady as a dependant, and this should change.”

Another user, Gift Douglas, said, “The CEO of Ceemore should be brought to book immediately. He is bragging that they can’t do him anything. What a world. He thinks every girl is a prostitute like him.”

“Sisters, don’t take this matter for granted. Justice must prevail. Don’t be afraid; report to the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command. I believe he will not take this matter for granted,” Oluchi Pamela said.

Vida Ogbonna said, “This is so uncalled for. Wickedness of the highest order! So, young girls cannot have fun with their own money without harassment from the opposite sex? The man should pay for damages and should face the law.”

Rivers police spokesperson silent

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, did not respond to phone calls and messages as of the time of filing this report.

But in a post on X, the police command disclosed that both the club manager and the suspect had been invited for questioning.

“Regarding the lady that was assaulted in the club, the DPO (Divisional Police Officer) within that jurisdiction has expedited action by inviting the hotel manager and the alleged suspect to his office for immediate investigation. I would also like to use this medium to invite the victims involved,” the post read.

Reacting in a video posted on TikTok, the owner of the club, Greatcool Ejekwu, popularly known as “Datfairboy,” condemned the incident, describing it as unfortunate and unacceptable.

“The incident at Blackbox is a very sad and pathetic one. No human being has the right to inflict physical injury on anybody, especially when nobody posed any threat. I have already filed a petition with the security agencies to report the incident,” he said.

Meanwhile, efforts to reach the owner of the club were unsuccessful, as calls made to the number displayed on the Instagram account were not answered.

Also, attempts to get the reaction of the accused realtor were unsuccessful, as messages sent to his verified Facebook account were not replied to as of the time of filing this report. Attempts to reach him through other known contacts also proved abortive.
(PUNCH)

Metro

Gombe Perm Sec, Four Others Die From Electrocution

Published

2 days ago

June 14, 2025

Editor

An electrical surge in the Tudun-Wadan Pantami area of Gombe Metropolis claimed the lives of five people and left 13 others injured in the early hours of Saturday, according to the Gombe State Police Command.

According to The PUNCH, the State’s Permanent Secretary, Special Duties and Regional Coordination, Abdullahi Kulani, was among those five reportedly affected by the electrocution.

The incident, which authorities said was caused by a high-voltage surge from a nearby transformer, occurred just after dawn, catching residents unawares, according to The PUNCH.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Gombe State Police Command, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, said officers from the Low-cost Divisional Police Headquarters swiftly responded to the distress call.

Abdullahi said, “Our officers moved quickly to secure the scene and evacuate the victims to hospitals for urgent medical care. Unfortunately, five individuals lost their lives, and thirteen others sustained varying degrees of injuries.”

According to police, the deceased have been deposited in three different morgues; three bodies at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, one at the State Specialist Hospital, one at Bolari Filin Kwallo Mortuary.

The injured victims are currently receiving treatment at several health facilities across the state.

Abdullahi noted that the Commissioner of Police, CP Bello Yahaya, described the incident as “deeply saddening” and extended his condolences to the bereaved families.

“We express our heartfelt sympathy to those who have lost loved ones and wish the injured a swift and full recovery,” he said.

He assured the public of a thorough investigation into the cause of the power surge. “We are determined to uncover the circumstances that led to this unfortunate event and ensure accountability where necessary,” he said.

Residents of Tudun-Wadan Pantami are still reeling from the shock. One eyewitness, who asked not to be named, described the moment of the incident as “terrifying,” noting that several victims were electrocuted in their homes.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. People were shouting and running; some were already unconscious by the time help arrived,” the resident said.

Metro

Many Feared Dead In Fresh Benue Attack

Published

2 days ago

June 14, 2025

Editor

Unspecified number of people have been reportedly killed by gunmen suspected to be armed herders at Yelewata in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.

The community is a border town between Nasarawa and Benue States with less than 40 minutes drive to Makurdi, capital city of Benue State.

Police in Benue State which could not give exact casualty figure said that several people including the attackers lost their lives.

The incident, according to a resident from the area who did not want to be mentioned, said that the attackers suspected to be armed herders invaded the community around 10pm on Friday and operated till early hours of Saturday.

“The attackers stormed the town and unleashed terror on innocent residents, killing over 100 people and setting several families ablaze.

“The attack lasted until just before 1:00 a.m, nearly two hours of horror,” the local said in an emotion laden voice.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for Benue State Command, DSP, Udeme Edet, confirmed the attack and added that some individuals and the attackers lost their lives when security men were reinforced to the community.

She said, “According to our information it happened in the early hours of today ( Saturday ) when suspected Bandits invaded Yelwata town.

“The police and tactical teams posted to the town and reinforcement responded swiftly to the attack and engaged the attackers in a fierce exchange and unfortunately some of the attackers were killed in the process.

“But it’s with great sadness that we report that some individuals lost their lives and others sustained injuries.”
The PPRO said that police has not relented and assured that they would continue in pursuit of the attackers and keep Benue people safe.

“Since the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyode visited the state following escalation of suspected armed herders attacks on the people of the state, killings are yet to abate.

“Barely two days ago, Thursday, suspected armed herders invaded Mtswenem and Akondotyough Bawa communities in Makurdi LG and killed no fewer than 25 people.”
(PUNCH)