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Rivers Community Protests As Police Kill Father Of Three

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Hundreds of youths from Omagwa Community in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State on Sunday blocked the Omagwa session of the Port Harcourt-Owerri Road to protest the alleged killing of a father of six identified as Bright Egbule by a policeman.

Egbule was allegedly shot dead by an officer from Omagwa Police Division on Saturday in his compound.

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It was gathered on Sunday that the angry youths were heading to the Images Police Station with Egbule’s corpse when the Chairman of Ikwerre LGA, Israel Agbosi, met them halfway and promised to ensure the officers responsible for the killing were identified and made to face the law.

READ ALSO: JUST-IN: 10 Killed In Renewed Cult Clash In Rivers Community

A family source told The PUNCH that the deceased was at home with his wife on Saturday night when the policemen stormed the compound, with one of the trigger-happy operatives allegedly opening fire on him.

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The source who pleaded anonymity said, “The officers came here last night with full force. They said they were looking for a drug dealer, but they came into the compound here and killed an innocent man.

“It was on that note that the community youths mobilised and blocked the federal road with the corpse. We want the police to provide those officers who killed Chukwuma. All we need is justice for Chukwuma.”

READ ALSO: Police Arrest Woman For Allegedly Killing Co-tenant With Stone In Rivers

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The protest however caused gridlock on the road with the motorists and travellers stranded until the intervention of the LGA chairman.

Addressing the protesters, Abosi described the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable and appealed to the angry youths not to take the law into their own hands.

Abosi however called on the Commissioner of Police to investigate the killing and ensure that the officers were fished out and made to face justice.

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READ ALSO: Three Drown In Rivers Boat Accident

When contacted, the state police spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, saying the policeman had been arrested.

While commiserating with the family of the deceased, she said his remains had been deposited in a morgue.

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Iringe-Koko stated, “The command is aware and we are on top of the situation. The officer has been detained. Normalcy has now been restored, and adequate security is on the ground to prevent any breach of peace.

“The man’s corpse has been deposited at the morgue and the investigation is ongoing.”

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JUST IN: Bandits Abduct Kwara APC Chairman’s Wife, Daughter

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Armed bandits have kidnapped the wife and daughter of the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Patigi Local Government, Kwara State.

Alhaji Muhammad Swasun’s family were abducted late Sunday night in Sakpefu community.

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According to eyewitnesses, the attackers stormed the area around 11 p.m., with sporadic shootings apparently to scare off “uninvited” guests, before heading to the chairman’s residence.

READ ALSO:Police Arrest Man For Allegedly Dismembering Pregnant Sister-in-law In Kwara

The assailants reportedly forced their way inside and whisked away his wife, Hajia Fatima, and daughter, Amina.

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Local vigilantes, who arrived late, were said to have mobilised in search of the victims, but no report of any rescue as at when filing this report.

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Ex-general Tackles EFCC Over Forfeited N5bn Shares

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A former Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited, Maj. Gen. U.M. Mohammed (retd) has asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to set aside the order of final forfeiture granted in favour of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, insisting that the 246,305,544 shares in dispute were legitimately acquired.

The EFCC had secured the order on August 26, 2025, claiming the shares, valued at about N5bn, were purchased with funds diverted from fraudulent sales of NAPL properties during Mohammed’s tenure.

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The anti-graft agency listed the investments as including substantial holdings in Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Conoil Plc, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Eterna Plc, Flour Mills Plc, Japaul Gold & Ventures Plc, NASCON Allied Industries Plc, Oando Plc, University Press Plc and Vitafoam Nigeria Plc.

The EFCC had argued that the forfeiture was made under Section 44(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.

READ ALSO:EFCC Arrests CEO Over ₦2bn Ponzi Scheme

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But in a motion on notice obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, Mohammed contended that the shares did not originate from unlawful activities.

Instead, he maintained that they were purchased years before his appointment as head of NAPL in October 2015.

In an affidavit filed in support of his application, deponent Joseph Effiong said the shares were bought between September 3, 2007, and September 1, 2015.

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He was posted to Nigerian Army Properties Limited as the Managing Director on October 15, 2015, which was shown to me and marked as Exhibit UM2 is the posting history of ex-Maj Gen UM Mohammed.

READ ALSO:EFCC Orders Arrest Of Dismissed Officer On Lege Miami’s Show

“The shares listed in schedules A, B and C to the motion ex parte filed on April 29, 2025, do not represent proceeds of any crime or unlawful activities.

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“Shares in Schedules A, B and C were purchased between September 3, 2007, and September 1, 2015, long before ex-major general UM Mohammed was posted to NAPL as the managing director,” Effiong said.

The ex-general is also challenging the forfeiture on procedural grounds, alleging that his affidavit to show cause filed on July 29 was ignored and that he was denied a fair hearing when the case, initially fixed for October 8, was brought before a vacation judge without notice to him or his counsel.

That the final forfeiture order, having been granted in favour of Nigerian Army Properties Limited, is not in compliance with the provisions of Section 17 (1) Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Fraud Offences Act, 2006. The matter was initially adjourned to the 8th October 2025 for the hearing of the application for final forfeiture by Justice C.J. Aneke.

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READ ALSO:EFCC Releases Former Sokoto Gov Tambuwal

That there was no urgency for the case to be transferred to any vacation judge. That no notice or communication whatsoever was given to the applicant or his counsel.

“Non-service of hearing notice is a denial of the constitutional right of the party interested to a fair hearing/fair trial. The final forfeiture order was made in ignorance of the affidavit to show cause date and file on July 29. The affidavit to show cause was not considered, “ he said.

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He also alleged that the EFCC in the substantive suit failed or neglected to file an application for a final forfeiture order more day 60 days after the interim order was made by the court on May 7, 2025, in the Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022.

READ ALSO:Project ‘HOPE’: Investigate Ogbuku, NDDC Management, Ijaw Media Body Urges EFCC

The mandatory procedure for final forfeiture order under Section 17(1) requires any party interested in the property to show cause within 14 days of non-compliance, “ he alleged.

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Mohammed is seeking an order setting aside the entire proceedings in Suit No: FHC/L/MISC/404/ and the final forfeiture of the shares.

The court has yet to fix a date for hearing Mohammed’s application.

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Army Raids Terrorist Hideout In Katsina, Rescues 23 Women, Children

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Troops of the Nigerian Army operating under the ”Operation Fasan Yamma” have neutralised 23 terrorists and rescued 23 kidnapped victims in Katsina State.

A credible source at Army Headquarters told the News Agency of Nigeria that the successes were recorded in a fierce encounter on Saturday.

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The source said troops made contact with terrorists at Pauwa village in the Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State and, with support from the air and artillery components, killed about 23 terrorists.

The source added that troops rescued 23 kidnapped victims, made up of 12 women and 11 children. Motorcycles, spare parts, lubricants, farm machinery, and foodstuffs recovered from the terrorists were destroyed.

READ ALSO:NAF Kills 35 Terrorists In Border Airstrikes Near Cameroon

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In the Northeast, he said that four family members of ISWAP/JAS terrorists—two adult females and two children—surrendered to troops of the 192 Battalion in the Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno.

The source also said that troops apprehended a suspected terrorist logistics supplier in the Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno with a mobile phone, wristwatch, and ₦55,000 in his possession.

According to him, five other suspects linked to theft and drug peddling were apprehended during a raid at Muva village in Adamawa.

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“In a separate operation, troops of Forward Operating Base Malumfashi in Katsina rescued three kidnapped victims at Shaiskawa village, Matazu Local Government Area, after engaging the terrorists in a firefight.

READ ALSO:How Terrorist Leader, Abubakar Abba, Was arrested – Niger Govt

“Elsewhere, under Operation MESA, three suspected criminals notorious for phone snatching around Dei-Dei, Dakwa and Zuba in the Federal Capital Territory were arrested with four mobile phones and a smartwatch,” he said.

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The source further revealed that troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN mediated in a farmer-herder clash in Jos East Local Government Area of Plateau to avert escalation.

He said the army would sustain pressure on terrorists and criminals until peace is restored, while urging the public to continue to provide timely and credible information to security agencies.

READ ALSO:Troops Kill 10 Terrorists Near Nigeria, Cameroon Border

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The operation “Fasan Yamma,” which literally means “Salvage the West”, is a major joint Nigerian military operation launched to combat banditry and terrorism in the country’s Northwest region, including states like Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kebbi, Kaduna, and Niger.

It was established by the Defence Headquarters in late 2024 by collapsing previous operations, such as Operation ‘Hadarin Daji’ and Whirl Punch, in a single theatre to improve coordination and effectiveness in fighting organised criminal networks.
(NAN)

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