Metro

Police In Dilemma As Court, Psychiatric Home, DPP Reject Woman Who Waited 10 Years To Kill Her Friend

Published

3 years ago

May 13, 2023

Anita Ofili, who allegedly stabbed her friend, Glory Okon, to death few weeks ago in her residence at Greenville Estate, Ajah area of Lagos state is in the news again.

This time around, she has not just been rejected by the magistrate court, but a psychiatric home where she was to be sent, leaving the police to continue bearing the burden of keeping her in their cell.

Her travails started mid-March after she invited her long time friend, Gloria Okon to her house to spend the weekend together.

Three stoned to death over alleged abduction, murder of 8-yr-old
There were two versions to the tragedy that later played out.

Police sources said Anita, 42, claimed that her friend, Gloria, went downstairs to fetch water to go to toilet and she was angry with her for doing that.

Subsequently, they started abusing each other and her visitor was telling her that if she knew she was going to treat her harshly, she should not have invited her to spend the weekend with her.

Their argument reportedly degenerated into fisticuffs and Anita brought a knife and stabbed her on the neck and other parts of her body leading to her death.

Another version claimed Anita stabbed Glory to death because she snatched her boyfriend from her 10 years ago.

However, after her arrest and interrogation by a team of detectives from Lamgbasa police station, the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department, FCIID, Panti, Yaba, where the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Waheed Ayilara, directed that more discreet investigations be carried out.

It was learned that she started exhibiting traits of mental illness inside the cell where she was confined.

Most of the times, she was seen talking to herself and challenging unseen companions to a fight.

She would show signs of sanity at times but would flare up the next minute, pouring tantrums and posing as if an unseen attacker was before her.

To worsen her plight, nobody showed up as her relation.

Vanguard gathered that based on this, detectives hastily concluded investigations and took her to Magistrate Court 3, Yaba, only to be confronted with another shocking and bizarre drama.

Police sources said that when her case was mentioned and she was called to stand in the dock, she started displaying her insanity.

According to sources, as soon as she was asked to enter the dock by Magistrate Balogun, she started displaying insanity.

“She was not behaving normal at all and that made the magistrate to stop hearing the case and call for another case.

“She was rejected and referred back to the police to enable her get proper treatment,” a source said.

Police sources said that the rejection worsened their plight and decisions were taken immediately to transfer her to a psychiatric home for treatment only for the home to insist on the payment of N500,000 before she would be admitted.

“We know what we suffered while she was in our cell. We were contributing money to feed and tend to her and that rejection worsened our plight raising the question of who will pay the demanded N500,000.

“One of her family members who showed up later could not help the situation.

“She, however, confirmed that Anita has no husband, no child and has been visiting psychiatric hospital for treatment.

“She also said she may have stopped taking her drugs and that might have made her commit the offence.

“We also sought advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution, DPP, who said she must be properly treated before facing prosecution.

“As it were, we are still being forced to continue bearing the burden without help from anywhere,” another source added.

Meanwhile, police sources said that a team of lawyers from Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, led by the Chairman of Human Rights Committee, Ikeja branch, Mrs. Tracy Amadigwe-Dike, that visited the Deputy Commissioner of Police few days ago, promised to help over the situation which was described as ‘very unfortunate’.

VANGUARD

Metro

Sowore Arraigned Over Alleged Cybercrime

Published

49 minutes ago

December 3, 2025

Editor

The Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday arraigned politician and online publisher Omoyele Sowore before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged cybercrime offences.

Sowore, a former presidential candidate, faced a five-count charge accusing him of defaming President Bola Tinubu by calling him a criminal in posts on X and Facebook. The DSS claims that his actions violate the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, as well as the Criminal Code Act.

At the hearing, Justice Mohammed Umar granted Sowore bail on self-recognition. However, the court imposed strict conditions, barring him from making any statements capable of inciting the public or undermining national security. The judge warned that any violation of these conditions would lead to immediate revocation of his bail.

Justice Umar noted that Sowore, who previously contested for the presidency, was already under bail conditions with his international passport held by the court. He said these factors justified granting him bail without a monetary surety.

The arraignment on Tuesday came after two earlier attempts were unsuccessful. DSS counsel, Akinolu Kehinde (SAN), attributed the delays to legal obstacles introduced by Sowore’s defence team.

Sowore pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, also filed a fresh bail application during the proceedings, which the court considered before ruling.

Two other defendants — X Inc. (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) Inc. — are listed in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025. The DSS claims that these companies aided Sowore in publishing the posts allegedly containing defamatory statements against the president.

The case is the latest in a series of legal battles involving Sowore, who has in the past faced arrests and charges over his activism and online publications.

The Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, under which Sowore was charged, criminalises the online publication of false statements that can harm individuals or public institutions. The law also empowers the government to hold social media companies accountable if they facilitate the spread of such content.

Sowore’s arraignment has drawn reactions on social media, with supporters describing the charges as politically motivated, while others argue that public figures must exercise caution in their statements online.

Metro

Alleged Cybercrime: Court Grants Sowore Bail

Published

1 hour ago

December 3, 2025

Editor

Justice Mohammed Umar of the Abuja Federal High Court, on Tuesday, granted former presidential candidate and publisher, Omoyele Sowore, bail on self-recognition, cautioning him to refrain from making any utterances that could incite the public against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Sowore’s bail followed his arraignment by the Department of State Services (DSS) before the court on a five-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime.

In the five-count charge, Sowore is accused of allegedly making derogatory remarks about President Tinubu on his social media handles.

Sowore, who is the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, pleaded not guilty to the charges after they were read to him.

Earlier in the proceedings, his counsel, Marshall Abubakar, had raised a motion challenging the competence of the suit, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction.

The prosecution objected, stating they had only just been served with the processes and needed time to respond.

In a short ruling, Justice Umar held that the objection on jurisdiction was not ready for hearing because the prosecution was served that morning, adding that the defendant needed to give them adequate time to file a counter-affidavit.

He then directed that the charges be read to the defendant.

When the charge was read, Sowore pleaded not guilty; his counsel applied for bail on self-recognition. The prosecution, however, opposed the application, arguing that Sowore posed a flight risk.

Justice Umar, in ruling on the bail request, granted Sowore bail on self-recognition and adjourned the matter to January 19, 2026, for trial.

Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in 2019, was accused of contravening the provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Criminal Code Act by calling President Bola Tinubu a criminal

The two other defendants listed in the charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025, are X Incorp (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) Incorp.

Metro

Delta: Suspected Kidnapper Killed In Gun Battle With Police

Published

7 hours ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

A suspected kidnapper has been killed during a gun battle with operatives of the Delta State Police Command in collaboration with Community Volunteers in Obiaruku Forest.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer,SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday.

“Operatives of the Command State Anti-Cult Unit (SACU), in collaboration with community volunteers, were on intensive patrol when they received credible intelligence that suspected kidnappers were mobilising within the Obiaruku forest to carry out an attack.

“Acting swiftly on the information, the operatives advanced towards the location to forestall the planned criminal activity,” the statement said.

According to Edafe, on approaching the area, the suspects opened fire from multiple directions in a bid to repel the team.

“The operatives responded with superior firepower, leading to the death of one suspect, while others escaped into the forest with various degrees of injuries.

“One AK-47 rifle with forty-two rounds of live ammunition, nine mobile phones, and charms were recovered,” the statement added.