Metro

Many Killed, Scores Injured As Armed Herders Storm 4 Benue LGAs

Published

1 year ago

April 1, 2023

Editor

…Marauders Occupying Deserted Communities, Royal Father Raises Alarm

The Chairman of Apa Traditional Council in Apa Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state and Odejo K’ Apa, Chief John Antenyi has raised the alarm over the killing of many of his subjects and sacking of several communities in his dormant by suspected armed herdsmen.

The invaders were reported to have also invaded communities in neighbouring Agatu as well as Guma and Kwande LGAs where several persons were killed and many others sustained serious injuries in over three weeks of sustained attacks.

The royal father who spoke in a telephone interview lamented that communities in his domain like Ikpobi, Odugbo, Akpanta, Ologba, Oyiji among others had been taken over by the invaders in a ceaseless attack on his subjects.

According to the traditional ruler, “Fulanis are invading our Local Government and some communities like Ikpobi, Odugbo, Akpanta, Ologba and Oyiji have come under severe attacks. There have been killings and destruction of farm crops in those communities.

“Following the attacks, some of our villages have been deserted and including Imana, Ologba, Akpanta and Ikobi. The inhabitants have relocated to Ugbokpo the Local Government Headquarters and some other communities that have not recorded any attacks.

“However in the last two days there has been relative peace. Though there is a committee that has been set up by our First Class Chief, and that committee is headed by me.

“We are working in concert with security agencies to chase them out. We have also drawn the attention of the Ochi’Idoma to what is happening, likewise, the state government which has sent some security operatives to us. A detachment of Operation Whirl Stroke has been deployed to Apa; they are stationed at Odugbo and Ikobi, and they have been assisting us.”

On his part, a former Vice Chairman of Agatu LGA, John Ikwulono who also raised concern over the sustained unprovoked attacks on communities in the LGA said “we had no problem with the Fulanis, there was no provocation but they came and attacked a community called Atakpa in Agatu and they killed over six persons and wounded many.

“They come to our communities claiming that our grass is the best for their cattle and it is on that basis that they keep terrorising our people to force them to desert their homes so that they can take over the place.

“After invading Atakpa they also invaded Okpagabi and injured many people, some of the victims are still in the hospital

“After that they also went to other villages and extended the attack to Apa LGA. They wounded some persons and also killed several persons.”

Reacting, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Col. Paul Hemba (retd.) Who confirmed the development hinted that the State had been witnessing large influx of armed herders and cattle in the last few weeks.

He noted that security personnel were overstretched particularly during the general elections assuring that with the elections now over, security surveillance would be intensified in the communities.

“Yes that situation has persisted it has been happening for sometime and our security have actually been overstretched within this period of elections, including the military.

“So the armed herdsmen have been coming for attacks and each time they are repelled after some days they come back again.

“But with the elections over, and the pressure on the security agencies reduced, we are thinking of permanent deployment along that axis to put a permanent stop to those attacks,” he said.

On the attack in Kwande LGA by the marauders, the Adviser said “in Kwande LGA the armed herders are attacking but the military have intervened and the situation has reduced quite alot.

“In the last few days we have been receiving reports of large influx of armed herdsmen along the Guma LGA axis as well.

“As I’m taking to you, the military are mobilising to go on patrol along that axis to get them out.”

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene confirmed that attacks were recorded in the Apa and Agatu axis of the state; adding that “herders are always moving to the communities including Guma LGA.”
VANGUARD

Metro

Okuama/Okoloba Impasse: Women Protest In Black Attire, Raise Issues [PHOTOS]

Published

59 mins ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

The protesting women of Okoloba community

Protesters who are majorly women from Okoloba community, Delta State, on Saturday, May 18, 2024, took to the street to protest what they called the return of armed youths of Okuama in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state.

INFO DAILY reports that Okoloba community in Bomadi Local Government Area and Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area, all in Delta State have been at loggerhead over land dispute and others.

The protesting Okoloba women in black attire staged the peaceful protest along the coastal fringe of Koloba community, chanting against violence and bloodbath.

The placard carrying women, led by the chairlady of Okoloba Community, Mrs Timipakebi Goodwin, and secretary, Mrs Mary Koibi, alleged that the armed youths of Okuama were threatening the peace of the riverine area.

Some of the protesting Women

Some inscriptions on the placards read: ‘We say no to violence’; ‘enough of the killings on our land;’ ‘armed Okuama youths returning in a commando style;’ ‘we say no to the return of armed youths of Okuama;’ ‘resettle Okuama people among their Ewu brothers in Ughelli South LGA;’ ‘we mourn the killing of the 17 soldiers,’ among others.’

Reading a letter to newsmen, a copy of each she said was submitted to the police, DSS, NSCDC, JTF as well as the acting chairman of Bomadi Local local Government Council, Mrs Goodwin noted that the latest killing by the youths of Okuama showed that they could kill human beings at the slightest provocation.

The letter which contained an S.O.S. to the Federal Government, further reads: “First, we the women of Okoloba Community sympathize with the killing of 17 soldiers and officers of the Nigerian army on peace and rescue mission to Okuama, following the kidnap of our son. We sincerely mourn their untimely death and pray for the repose of their souls. We also pray for their families.

The protesting women

“However, less than 24 hours after the exit of the troops from Okuama, a fresh crisis erupted with another neighbouring community, culminating in the killing of one person while three other persons were seriously injured. The person who was killed and those sustaining machete wounds were alleged to have gone there to loot.

“The latest killing showed that the people of Okuama can kill a human at the slightest provocation; the sanctity of human life means nothing to them. It also shows that neighbouring Ijaw communities like Okoloba are not safe.

“So, resetting the people of Okuama in their present location, which is in-between communities in Bomadi Local Government Area, is an attempt to encourage further communal clashes and bloodbaths.

“Just last week, youths of Okuama Community came out of the Mein-toruabubor creek, which leads to Ewu, on three speedboats and all of them on camouflage. They shot sporadically in the air before proceeding to OKuama. They moved to and fro the creek three times, and at every time they shot their guns in the air at the entrance of the creek.

“We are calling on the federal government to come to our aid, and the panacea to these incessant clashes and killings is for the government to relocate Okuama to Ewu clan in Ughelli South Local Government Area, where they truly and rightly belong.

“Resettling them among their own people in Ewu clan of Urhobo land will foster mutual trust among themselves as they are of the same ancestry and speak the same dialect”.

Metro

JUST IN: Truck Rams Into BRT On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Published

5 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

A truck has rammed into a Lagos State BRT bus at Ibafo bus-stop along the Lagos Ibadan Expressway.

The PUNCH correspondent who went to the scene gathered that the accident occurred around some minutes to 6am on Saturday.

Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps and Police on response call at the accident scene insisted that only their Public Relations Officers were authorised to speak.

However, unconfirmed reports from onlookers noted that several people on the BRT bus were injured.

Onlookers accounts noted that the BRT was parked loading its passengers at the bus stop before the truck loaded with cows heading to Lagos rammed into it, taking it off the road to destroy shops and kiosks by the roadside.

The cow truck had been towed a little away from the scene so as not to hinder traffic.

Details later

Metro

Court Jails Social Media Influencer For Celebrity Scam

Published

14 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Editor

A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, has sentenced Aluko Tunmise to one year in prison for his involvement in a celebrity scam.

Tunmise was prosecuted by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a cybercrime-related charge.

This was disclosed in a post on X by EFCC on Friday, May 17.

The post reads: “Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, convicted and sentenced one Aluko Tunmise, a self-acclaimed social media influencer and model, to one year imprisonment for celebrity scam.

He was arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a one-count charge bordering on cybercrimes.”

“One of the counts reads: “That you, ALUKO TUNMISE JUWONLO (A.K.A. KEANU REEVES), sometime between January and March, 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, directly made a false statement, wherein you held yourself out as a white man by name “KEANU REEVES” on your Telegram Account, knowing same to be false and with intent that the representation is relied upon for the purpose of procuring the issuance of financial instrument to yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015′.

He pleaded ‘guilty’ to the charge when it was read to him.

Following his guilty plea, prosecution counsel, C.C.Okezie, sought to present an operative of the EFCC, Vincent Sunday Kwambuge, to review the facts of the matter.

Kwanbuge told the court that the defendant was arrested sometime in March, 2024 at Lekki County Estate, Lagos, following credible intelligence received by the Commission on the activities of some internet fraudsters operating in the area.”