Connect with us

Metro

Police Arrest Female Gunrunner, 6 Kidnappers, Bandits’ SIM Supplier In Zamfara

Published

on

Zamfara State Police Command has busted a kidnapping syndicate and arrested six members of the gang (including one who masterminded the kidnap of his mother) and recovered N30 million collected as ransom.

Addressing journalists at the Zamfara State Police Headquarters, the state police commissioner, who spoke through the command’s spokesman, SP Mohammed Shehu, said police operatives had acted on intelligence gathered through community policing.

The suspects were identified as Thomas Yau of Maikarfi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Abdulsamad Mohammed, Bello Abdullahi and Abubakar Namadi.

Advertisement

Others are Suleiman Gabriel and Christopher Gabriel, all of the same address.

READ ALSO: Troops Neutralise Four Bandits, Recover Arms In Kaduna

Divulging the details of the arrest, he said: “On 12th February 2023, Zamfara Police Command through its community policing engagement acted on intelligence information that led to the busting of a kidnapping syndicate and the arrest of six notorious kidnappers who have been terrorising different villages in Kaduna, Kano and other neighbouring states such as Zamfara, Sokoto and so on.”

Advertisement

Continuing, he stated: “In the course of investigation, it was discovered that the suspects had carried out a series of kidnappings where an unspecified number of people were abducted and millions of naira collected as ransom.”

“Each suspect further narrated the number of kidnappings he participated in as well as the role he played in each kidnapping.

“Surprisingly, one of the suspects, Thomas Ya’u confessed that sometime last year, he masterminded the kidnapping of his biological mother and three others; as a result of the kidnapping, they collected the sum of N30 million from relations as ransom, and, in turn, he was given one million as his share. The case is under discreet investigation and will be charged to court for prosecution.”

Advertisement

Speaking further, the police spokesman explained that the command also arrested a female gunrunner who specialised in supplying arms to bandits and criminal elements in Zamfara and neighbouring states.

According to him, 325 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition were recovered from the suspect, Fatima Sani, who hailed from Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of the state.

Shehu recounted: “On 13th February 2023 Police detectives arrested the female gunrunner in possession of 325 rounds of live ammunition, following the intelligence information obtained about her movement with the said exhibit from Lafia in Nasarawa State to a notorious bandit’s kingpin hibernating in the Zamfara forest.

Advertisement

“In the course of interrogation, the suspect confessed to having earlier supplied three AK-47 rifles and 1, 000 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition to bandits operating within Zamfara. A discreet investigation is in progress and the suspect will be charged to court for prosecution.”

He also disclosed the arrest of Rabiu Umar of Gusau who was arrested with 1, 000 registered MTN SIM cards which are allegedly sold to bandits and other criminal elements.

READ ALSO: Bandits Invade Mosque In Zamfara, Gun Down Worshippers

Advertisement

“On 15th February 2023, upon intelligence that the suspect was seen with an uncountable number of registered MTN sim cards.

“Police operatives swung into action, arrested the suspect and conducted an on-the-spot search and the exhibits were recovered from him. The suspect confessed that the sim cards were for sale to customers looking for registered sim cards,” he stated.

He further stated: “It is well known to everyone that it is no longer permitted by the NCC to sell registered sim cards of any network. An investigation is in progress with a view to arresting other suspects before being charged to court for prosecution.”

Advertisement

Metro

My Wife Sold My Property After Giving Her Money For Business — Husband

Published

on

…I sold his property to feed our children after he abandoned us — Wife

An Upper Area Court in Kubwa, Abuja, has dissolved a 16-year-old marriage between Hajarat Isa and her husband, Muhammed Hassan, for lack of love.

The judge, Mohammed Wakili, dissolved the marriage according to Islamic Law, following Hajarat’s prayer for divorce on the said ground.

Wakili ordered that the divorce certificate be issued to the plaintiff adding that she would not observe “Iddah” because the couple did not consummate since 2022.

Advertisement

Iddah is a waiting period to be observed for three months before contracting another marriage.

READ ALSO:‘My Husband’s Neglect Of Me Led Me Into An Affair With Another Man’

Earlier, the petitioner, a mother of four, had told the court she got married to the respondent under Islamic law in 2008.

Advertisement

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),she said that she was no longer interested in the marriage and prayed that the court grants her request for divorce on grounds of lack of love.

The respondent, however, said that he divorced his wife and remarried her in 2022 which was in his absence because he travelled to his hometown while the marriage was contracted.

”I will grant her divorce, but I want her to return all my belongings in her possession.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:Woman Begs Court Not To Grant Husband’s Prayer For Divorce

“She sold my television, a play station I bought for the children and my clothes and shoes.

“We have not consummated the marriage since 2022 and I gave her a shop and capital to start a business before I travelled.

Advertisement

When I got back she sold my gym equipments,” he said.

The plaintiff said that in 2022, the respondent travelled to his home town for one year and seven months and only sends money once in a while.

READ ALSO:‘My Husband Deserted Me, His Family Insisted I Moved Out Of His House Because I Don’t Have A Child’

Advertisement

“I was the only one taking care of our four children and two more he had with his ex-wife.

“I sold the said items to take care of our children.

“I am a private teacher and was paid only N15,000 when he left.

Advertisement

“I later fell sick and that was when he returned.

READ ALSO:My Husband Has No Source Of Livelihood, Woman Tells Court

“My younger brother had to come to help me with the children while my older sister took care of me,” she said.

Advertisement

She added that she did not sell his gym equipments but had explained to him that they got stolen and the reason she sold other items was for upkeep.

The respondent, however, told the court that he believed the plaintiff may have sold the items for upkeep while he was away and forgave her for it.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Metro

Man Accepts Money To Divorce Wife

Published

on

The Matero Local Court in Zambia, has heard a startling case in which a man admitted to divorcing his wife after being promised K7,000 by her lover, who had impregnated her

According to Zambia Observer, Innocent Chileshe told the magistrate, Lewis Mumba that he agreed to end his marriage after Innocent Mutonga, a married man who was in a relationship with his wife, offered him money to clear the way for their union.

“Your honour, this man was in a sexual relationship with my wife, and she even became pregnant for him. I was the one taking care of the pregnancy, yet he is the one responsible,” Chileshe testified.

Advertisement

He said the court had earlier ordered Mutonga to pay him K15,000 in compensation for adultery.

READ ALSO:My Husband Shows His Other Wives More Affection, Woman Tells Court

But after the ruling, Mutonga allegedly approached Chileshe with a new proposal.

Advertisement

He told me to divorce my wife in exchange for K7,000 so that he could continue freely with her. I accepted the offer and gave him the divorce papers, but he never paid me,” Chileshe told the court.

Chileshe added that he not only supported his wife during the pregnancy but also continued to provide for her and the child after birth, responsibilities he argued belonged to Mutonga.

READ ALSO:My Husband Is Not Loving, Dissolve Our 9 Months Wedlock, Woman Tells Court

Advertisement

Mumba found Mutonga guilty of contempt for failing to honour the original order and directed him to pay K165 or face 14 days in remand.

He further warned him to strictly comply with the earlier K15,000 compensation ruling.

The unusual case has drawn attention for highlighting how adultery disputes and financial negotiations have increasingly become entangled in local courts, raising questions about justice, dignity, and the limits of compensation in marital breakdowns.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Metro

Ngige Recounts Attack On Convoy By Gunmen

Published

on

A former Anambra State Governor and ex-Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has narrated how his convoy was attacked by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.

Ngige said the incident occurred when his personal aides were returning from an errand, resulting in the death of a woman, while his police orderly was shot in the leg and stripped of his rifle and uniform.

He disclosed this to journalists on Friday, when the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, visited him at his country home in Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, to commiserate with him over the attack.

Advertisement

Ngige said he had been in Anambra since Saturday and had sent his personal aides on errands, including taking one of his vehicles for maintenance, when they were ambushed on their way back.

Dispelling rumours of his death, he said, “As you can see, I am alive; I am not dead, so there should be no panic. They attacked my convoy while they were returning around Umuoji. They saw some vehicles racing towards them, which later reversed, chased after them and started shooting.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: One Dead As Ngige Escapes Assassination

Advertisement

“The assailants were all dressed in police and army uniforms. My convoy driver managed to manoeuvre until they ran into a shop. They caught up with my police security man who battled with them until his bullets were exhausted.

“They took away his rifle and uniform after shooting him in the leg.

“They told the two policemen that they were serving a ‘zoo government’. I think something is in the offing. They are seizing arms and mopping up police uniforms.

Advertisement

“I have spoken to the governor of the state, who assured me they will be tracked down. If they are not tracked down, it can lead to potential danger and an unravelling of the calmness we have enjoyed in the state for the past three months.

“You know we are entering the Christmas season and our people will be coming home. They need to be tracked down because this is a gang with a modus operandi of operating in police uniforms.”

On whether he believed the attack was targeted, Ngige said it was possible because his pilot driver and convoy are well known, but added that it might also be coincidental.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:Anambra Guber: ‘I’m On Sabbatical,’ Don’t Use My Name In Your Campaign, Ngige Tells APC

My pilot driver is very well known. Anywhere people see him, they know Ngige is around. He has driven me for 22 years. So, on that basis, I may say they knew it was my convoy and decided to attack.

“On the other hand, it may be that they just saw a convoy with policemen and attacked them to harvest guns and uniforms. So I’m not insisting it was targeted. Anyone who targets me is wasting his time,” he added.

Advertisement

Speaking on the attackers’ reference to serving a “zoo government” and the recent tension surrounding the incarceration of the Indigenous People of Biafra leader, Nnamdi Kanu, Ngige said the situation called for a political solution.

When they told the security men that they were serving a ‘zoo government’ and should tell their masters they are coming for them, you know what that means.

“My take is that Nnamdi Kanu’s case requires a political solution. I met former President Muhammadu Buhari over it. Governor Soludo has also said he wants Kanu released to him. But even if they don’t want to release him to us, they can release him to Britain.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:Obiano’s Ex-aide Opens Up On Rumoured Former Anambra Gov’s Death

“Why I say so is because the symptoms he is exhibiting are bizarre. I am not a psychiatrist, but something is wrong. Even the doctors who conducted the psychiatric evaluation missed something. There is a mania component. In such cases, the court normally discharges the person. This is elementary psychiatry, and I am a medical doctor,” he said.

Also speaking, Obi, who visited Ngige in Alor, thanked God for sparing the former governor’s life and commiserated with the family of the woman who was shot dead while making a video of the incident.

Advertisement

Recall that unidentified gunmen attacked Ngige’s convoy along the Nkpor–Nnobi Road in Idemili North Local Government Area on Thursday.

READ ALSO:Romanian Defence Minister Quits After Admitting Error In Academic Record

According to Ngige’s former media aide, Sir Fred Chukwuelobe, the former governor was not in the convoy at the time of the attack.

Advertisement

A policeman in the pilot car was shot, and his gun and uniform were taken by the assailants, who were reportedly dressed in police and military uniforms.

Eyewitnesses said a woman who was recording the shooting was fatally shot, while a shop owner who rushed out to observe the commotion was also hit but survived and is scheduled for surgery to remove bullets lodged in his body.

No policeman was killed. The escort leader who was shot has been operated upon and is expected to make a full recovery,” one eyewitness said.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending