Metro

Osun Communities Trade Blames As Assailants Shot Farmer Dead

Published

6 months ago

December 3, 2024

A farmer from Olobu’s Compound in Ilobu, Osun State, Sikiru Onaolapo, was on Tuesday reportedly shot dead on his farm located in the Oke Ekutu area.

Oke Ekutu area is one of the settlements located within areas causing disputes between Ilobu and Ifon-Orolu communities.

After the alleged killing, the corpse of the deceased was taken to the entrance of Olobu’s palace with a large crowd accompanying the vehicle carrying the deceased.

In a video footage obtained, amid wailings, Ilobu residents demanded immediate action from the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the security agents to de-escalate tension and prevent reprisal.

In a chat with The PUNCH, Otun Jagun of Ilobu, Leke Ogunsola, said, “Sikiru Onaolapo is the victim. He hailed from Olobu’s Compound of Ilobu. He went to his farm at Oke Ekutu this morning and he was shot dead.”

On the demands of the community to de-escalate tension, Ogunsola called on the security agencies in the state to arrest the suspect and carry out a thorough investigation into the killing to prevent a recurrence.

He further said, “The demand from the Ilobu community is that the security agents should get the suspect arrested and do thorough investigation to unravel the issues surrounding the killing.”

But when contacted for reaction to the allegations that an indigene of Ifon-Orolu killed the Ilobu farmer, the Secretary, Board of Trustees, Ifon-Orolu Progressives Union, Jide Akinyooye, dismissed the claim.

Akinyooye said, “Investigation should be carried out into the incident but I can tell you we don’t have anyone bearing such a name in Ifon. What we know is that some people have been coming to the areas already acquired by the Osun State Government as a buffer zone to buy land and that report was made to Olufon of Ifon earlier.

“Our king subsequently gave a strict directive that none of his subjects should go near the area already declared buffer zone by the government. So, no Ifon indigene was involved in such an act.”
PUNCH

Metro

Tragedy As UNIZIK Undergraduate Jumps From Three-storey Building, Dies

Published

5 hours ago

June 6, 2025

Editor

Tragedy struck at a private lodge near Royal Kitchen Junction, Ifite-Awka, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, late Thursday, when a male student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, jumped from a three-storey building and died.

It was gathered that the student (name withheld) jumped from the balcony of the building located near the school after allegedly consuming some unknown substances suspected to be “mkpurummiri”.

According to eyewitnesses near the scene, after the victim fell to the ground, all efforts to bring him back to life proved abortive, as he was later confirmed dead in a nearby hospital, where he was rushed.

One of the sources said, “We suddenly heard a loud thud yesterday (Thursday) evening, prompting a rush to the scene where the young man was found lying in a pool of his own blood, critically injured.

“The victim, whose name is being withheld pending notification of his family, was identified as a tenant in the lodge. Shockingly, when concerned residents checked his room, his roommate was found in an incoherent state, allegedly under the influence of the same substances they had taken earlier.

“Despite efforts to save him, the student was confirmed dead at a nearby hospital. Authorities are working diligently to contact the deceased’s family and investigate the full circumstances surrounding the incident.”

It was further gathered that the roommate of the victim is currently in custody and will be questioned further once he regains stability.

Contacted on the development on Friday, the Chief Safety Officer at UNIZIK, Ken Chukwurah, confirmed the incident, adding that the incident happened at a private lodge outside the school, and an investigation is ongoing.

Chukwurah said, “We are still investigating to be sure of what happened, how it happened and the proper identity of the victim.

“It happened in a private lodge outside the school, and we don’t have control over who is admitted to such lodges.”

Metro

Police Arrest 28 Suspected Cultists In Edo

Published

7 hours ago

June 6, 2025

Editor

The Edo State Police Command has announced the arrest of 28 suspected involved in cult-related activities across the state.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, the arrests were made during a raid on criminal hideouts.

He stated that following thorough screening, 19 of the suspects were found culpable and subsequently charged to court.

Yamu also revealed that three of the suspects confessed to being members of cult groups and have already been arraigned.

The statement reads, “The Edo State Command has sustained its fight against crime through visibility policing, community engagements and sustained raids of criminal hideouts in the State.

“On 4/6/2025 between 16:00 hours and 22:00 hours, operatives of the Command carried out raids of criminal hideouts within Benin-City.

“During the raids, twenty-eight (28) persons were arrested and professionally screened where nineteen (19) of them found implicated, were charged to court.

“In continuation of its fight against cultism, the command has commenced the house-to-house arrests of identified cult members in the state to ensure that cultism is either eliminated or brought to its barest minimum.

“Three suspects who were arrested from various locations have confessed to being members of the Eiye and Aye confraternities respectively. They have been arraigned before the court accordingly.”

Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, in the statement expressed confidence that the public would feel more secure as a result of the command’s efforts.

He further warned known cultists to either renounce cultism, leave the state, or face the full consequences of the law under the Edo State Secret Cult and Other Related Activities Prohibition Law.

Metro

CBEX Fraud: EFCC Declares Two More Wanted

Published

2 days ago

June 5, 2025

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday declared two more individuals wanted in connection with an alleged fraud case linked to a digital trading platform, Crypto Bridge Exchange, popularly known as CBEX.

The suspects, identified as Folashade Odelana and Bamidele Ayodele Abiodun, were accused of orchestrating fraudulent activities that reportedly led to significant financial losses for unsuspecting investors.

12 persons had been declared wanted by the commission in connection with the same scheme.

In a notice published across its official social media platforms, the anti-graft agency asked members of the public with useful information on the whereabouts of the suspects to come forward.

The notice read, “The public is hereby notified that the persons whose photographs appear below are wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for fraud allegedly perpetrated on an online trading platform called Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX). FOLASHADE ODELANA. Odelana is 31 years old and her last known address is at No. 17, Oremeta Street, Allen, Ikeja, Lagos State.

“BAMIDELE AYODELE ABIODUN. Abiodun is 32 years old. His last known address is at No.17, Oremeta Street, Allen, Ikeja, Lagos State.

“Anybody with useful information as to their whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja offices, or through these numbers 09-9044751-3, 08093322644, 08183322644, 07026350721-3, 0706350724-5; its e-mail address: info@efccnigeria.org or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies.”

No fewer than 600,000 Nigerians reportedly invested in the scheme and lost N1.3tn after it collapsed in April 2025.