Metro

One Killed, Others Injured As Suspected Herders Attack Edo Community

Published

6 months ago

March 23, 2025

Editor

Suspected Fulani herdsmen’s attack in Ukhun community, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State resulted in the death one one person while several others were said to have sustained verying degrees of Injures.

This incident occurred despite the state government’s ongoing efforts to rid the region of criminal herders and kidnappers.

The attack, which reportedly took place on Saturday, was revealed in a one-minute, 30-second video circulating on social media.

In the video, a voice narrates: ”Situation report, situation report. This is Ukhun Community in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State. We are under attack. Ukhun Kingdom is under attack.

“The Fulani herdsmen have blocked the road. They killed Mr. Dan, an Igbira man living in Ukhun, in the bush this morning, and we are still searching for others who are missing.

“We need government support; we need rescue. Please, anyone who can help, we are reporting live from Ukhun, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State. This is a situation report.”

According to local sources, the suspected herders ambushed farmers on their way to their farmlands, allegedly attempting to kidnap them. However, the farmers managed to escape, attributing their survival to divine intervention.

Residents of Ukhun lamented that such attacks and kidnappings have become alarmingly frequent in their community.

They recalled in February 2025, Mallam Bello Obadan was ambushed, macheted, and kidnapped while heading to his farm.

He sustained severe cuts on his nose and other parts of his body, eventually collapsing due to blood loss while being taken to the kidnappers’ camp.

Believing him dead, his abductors abandoned him.

However, he was miraculously rescued and spent three months in the hospital, incurring significant medical expenses.

In response to the attack, the Onojie of Ukhun, Zaiki Thomas Aboiralor Omoigiade, appealed to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Commissioner of Police Betty Nekpen Isokpan Otimenyin, Director of DSS, Bello Bakori, Director of Edo State Security Network, CP Friday Ibadin (Rtd), and Ekpoma Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to intervene and safeguard the lives and property of the community.

“Ukhun is in dire need of government intervention and assistance to protect our people,” Omoigiade stated.

Similarly, Alex Eguakhide, Chief Executive Officer of FECHA Project Ltd, called on the Edo State government to take decisive action, emphasizing that the people of Ukhun, primarily peasant farmers, now live in fear of kidnappings and killings.

He lamented that the insecurity has made life unbearable for the agrarian community, as many residents can no longer farm or provide food for their families.

“Nowhere is safe anymore for my people,” Eguakhide stressed. “Something must be done urgently to arrest the situation and bring these invaders to justice.”

Reports indicate that the DPO of Ekpoma, Solomon Ekeweye, led a team of police officers to assess the crime scene.

Contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command, Moses Yamu, stated that the command was not yet been briefed on the incident but, promised to investigate and provide updates.

However, as of press time, no further information had been received.

Metro

Abuja Court Jails Ex-legislative Aide For N120m Fraud

Published

10 hours ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Jabi on Monday sentenced a former legislative aide and banker, Mr Goni Yilkan, to eight years in prison for obtaining N120.58 million by false pretence.

Justice F. E. Messiri found Yilkan guilty of a two-count employment scam charge, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission revealed in a statement issued via its X handle on Tuesday.

“Yilkan, who hails from Nguru, Yobe State, was found guilty on a two-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act, and consequently sentenced to eight years imprisonment without option of fine,” the statement read.

According to EFCC, the convict was arraigned alongside one Mohammed Adamu in October 2023, following investigations into a petitioner’s claims of being defrauded by the convict.

One of the charges read: “That you, Mohammed Goni Yilkan, Mohammed Adamu and others at large between 3rd January 2020 and December 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N120, 580, 550 (One Hundred and Twenty Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Five Hundred and Fifty Naira) from Mrs. Hindatu Bello under the false pretence that you had the capacity to secure jobs for her candidates in various Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

In the course of the trial, EFCC said the petitioner explained that “Yilkan deceived her between 2020 and 2021 into believing that he had the capacity to secure employment slots in government agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

“On this strength, the petitioner collected varying sums of money from over 60 jobseekers, amounting to N120,580,550.00 (One Hundred and Twenty Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Five Hundred and Fifty Naira), which she allegedly remitted to the convict.”

However, the purported employment offers never materialised, prompting Bello to petition the EFCC.

The prosecution, led by Cosmas Ugwu, called six witnesses and tendered documentary evidence, while the defence, led by J.A. Oguche, presented two witnesses, including Yilkan himself.

In his judgment, Justice Messiri held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, convicted Yilkan, but discharged and acquitted his co-defendant, Adamu.

The judge further sentenced Yilkan to eight years’ imprisonment without an option of fine.

Earlier, The PUNCH reported that the EFCC Ilorin Zonal Directorate arrested 28 suspected internet fraudsters in Kwara State.

The suspects, according to a statement on Monday, “were picked up in the early hours of Tuesday during sting operations carried out in Tanke, University Road, Oshin, and Agbabiaka areas of the state capital.”

Metro

Soldiers Who Sold Arms To Terrorists Sentenced To Death

Published

10 hours ago

September 23, 2025

Editor

A special court-martial of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, Borno State, has sentenced three soldiers to life imprisonment and another to 15 years for illegal arms deals carried out in connivance with police officers and terrorists.

The trial, presided over by Brigadier General Ugochukwu Unachukwu, acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division and Commander of Sector 1, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), took place at the Officers’ Mess of the Theatre Command Headquarters in Maiduguri.

Delivering judgment, Brigadier General Mohammed Abdullahi, president of the court-martial, pronounced Raphael Ameh, a sergeant; Ejiga Musa, a sergeant; and Patrick Ocheje, a lance corporal, guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment.

Omitoye Rufus, a corporal, was however handed a 15-year jail term.

The soldiers were convicted of offences ranging from theft and unlawful dealing in ammunition to aiding the enemy, all punishable under the Armed Forces Act.

Ameh, who served as an armourer at the 7 Division Garrison, was found to have conspired with a deceased colleague to steal ammunition from the division’s armoury.

He worked with police officers to conceal weapons in bags of beans and smuggle them to Enugu and Ebonyi for criminals.

Abdullahi revealed that bank records linked Ameh to over 100 suspicious transactions between July 2022 and June 2024.

Musa, while serving as armourer of 195 Battalion, was discovered to have collaborated with Ocheje and police officers in selling an AK-47 rifle and large quantities of ammunition.

Records showed he collected more than ₦500,000 from the transactions before he was arrested while attempting to sell more ammunition.

Rufus was convicted for selling 40 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition to a police officer, while Ocheje, who was deployed at the forward operating base in Molai, was found guilty of diverting ammunition during communal clashes at the instigation of a police officer.

He also stole an AK-47 rifle belonging to a colleague.

The court held that their actions directly endangered military operations and national security, amounting to aiding the enemy.

Condemning the convicts, Abdullahi described them as “bad eggs” who betrayed the trust, discipline, and honour expected of soldiers in the fight against insurgency.

He restated the army’s zero-tolerance stance on the sale of arms or ammunition to adversaries “in whatever form or guise.”

Metro

BREAKING: Bodies Of 8 Missing Policemen Recovered In Benue

Published

2 days ago

September 22, 2025

Editor

Lifeless bodies of the eight policemen who were declared missing after a deadly attack on security operatives at Agu Centre, on the border of Katsina-Ala and Ukum LGAs of Benue State, have been recovered.

Dr Justin Shaku, Chairman of Katsina-Ala LGA disclosed this to reporters in Makurdi on Monday.

According to him, “this brings the number of officers killed to 11 (10 policemen and one BSCPG)”.

The unfortunate incident occurred on Friday, when a team of security operatives came under the attack of armed invaders.

Three personnel were immediately confirmed dead while eight others were declared missing.