Metro

Traditional Ruler, Two Others Killed In Bloody Benue Land Dispute

Published

1 year ago

May 14, 2024

A protracted land dispute between the people of Okete in Ohimini Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state and the neighbouring community of Otukpo-Nobi in Otukpo LGA over the ownership of

Amla-Icho community land has claimed the lives of a traditional ruler and two others in the feuding communities.

It was gathered that the age long dispute was triggered last week when the Chairman of Otukpo LGA, Alfred Omakwu allegedly sent a bulldozer to the disputed land to enable him commence work on the creation of a layout in the area.

The presence of the earth moving equipment angered the people of Okete who moved to stop the destruction of the cultivated land.

In his account on the incident, the Chairman of Otukpo LGA said “the problem is that the Okete people lost it. It is a dispute between Amla in Otukpo and Okete in Ohimini LGA and a total of three people lost their lives in the crisis.

“What happened was that they (the Okete people) used to go and farm in Amla land but sometimes last year when we wanted to develop a layout there, the Okete people went to report to the Och’Idoma that their farm produce were there and the Och’Idoma directed that no layout should be done until they harvest their products.

“February this year, they harvested their produce and the Och’Idoma called them and informed them that by March this year, Otukpo would go ahead with their layout and that they should not farm there again.

“But when the bulldozers returned they said they had farmed there already and reported the matter to their Second Class Chief as well as their LGA Chairman who called me and I told them that the Och’Idoma asked them not to farm there again because of the layouts.

“So when the bulldozer went there on Friday, they came with their lawyer who called me and I told him everything and said if they want to go to court, it was their right.

“They demanded that the bulldozer stopped work but their lawyer advised that they should wait for him to get an injunction from the court but they said they could not wait.

“They then went to the First class chief of Otukpo/Ohimini who called Och’Idoma and the Och’Idoma said they should not stop the people doing the layout because he asked them not to farm their again.

“At that point they went there and opened fire on the people; they killed one and shot two people and burnt all their motorbikes about 10 of them.

“Then Otukpo retaliated the next day; they also burnt some houses and killed one person and killed another person in Amla making two.

“But we have maintained calm. The Police Commissioner summoned all of us for a peace meeting so we are restoring peace now among both parties. We have agreed that all the culprits will be arrested and brought to book.”

Countering his Otukpo counterpart, the Ohimini LG Chairman, Samson Okoh who also acknowledged that the dispute was over land said “there is a place called Amla, it’s close to Okete. The Otukpo Chairman took the bulldozers to the place where the Okete people used to farm for years and according to him he wanted to do a layout. So he went and destroyed their farm crops.

“When the Okete people demanded an explanation, the Amla people said the land does not belong to the Okete people but to the Amla people.

“According to what I was told, when the argument ensued somehow one of them from Otukpo pulled the trigger and shot but the bullet mistakenly hit a fellow Otukpo person.

“Then on Saturday night the Amla people went and reinforced and barricaded the Okete people, burnt houses, beat up ans killed one boy. And on Sunday around 10am when I went to take the boy they killed to the mortuary, the Alma people went to the place again and burnt 17 houses, burnt motorcycles, slaughtered a Clan Head Chief Sunday Okpe, and shot five other persons who we took to the Teaching Hospital in Otukpo for treatment.”

The Chairman who informed that the community had been deserted said the parties had been summoned by the Police Commissioner over the matter and that efforts were on to apprehend the masterminds of the crisis.

On whether the Paramount ruler of Idoma land, Och’Idoma Agaba-Idu John Odogbo asked his people not to farm on the said land again, the Chairman said, “I am not aware of that but the Otukpo Chairman claimed so. I was not told by the Och’Idoma to tell the people not to farm there.

“Moreover, the Och’Idoma cannot tell the people to stop farming where they have been farming for several years without compensation or settlement and you just take the bulldozer to destroy their crops on the hectares of land they eke a living from.”

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene who confirmed the development said the command received the report of one death though she was awaiting full details of the incident.

Metro

EFCC Probes Man Nabbed With Undeclared $420,900 At Kano Airport

Published

10 hours ago

July 9, 2025

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has launched a full-scale investigation into the case of one Ahmad Salisu, who was arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service for attempting to smuggle large sums of undeclared foreign currencies through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.

Salisu was intercepted during a routine security check on Monday, July 7, 2025, with a staggering sum of $420,900 (Four Hundred and Twenty Thousand, Nine Hundred US Dollars), £5,825, CFA3,946,500, and Cameroonian CFA 224,000.

The concealed cash, wrapped in a polythene bag and hidden under clothes in the suspect’s luggage, was discovered during a physical inspection by Customs officials.

Following his arrest, Salisu allegedly confessed that he was acting on behalf of his brother, Auwal Ahmad, who is currently in Saudi Arabia.

He claimed he was instructed to deliver the money to two individuals: Yusuf Adamu and Abdulhamid Rabiu, who were arrested shortly after arriving to receive the funds.

In a statement on Tuesday, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said after preliminary interrogation and documentation, the trio, along with the seized funds, were handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and possible prosecution.

He said during a joint press briefing held at the NCS Kano/Jigawa Area Command, the Kano Zonal Director of the EFCC, Commander Ibrahim Shazali, reiterated the agency’s firm stance against illegal cash smuggling and financial crimes.

He said, “The EFCC and the Nigerian Customs Service, working in concert, have zero tolerance for illegal cash smuggling.

“Our surveillance is active, our intelligence is sharp, and our resolve to apprehend offenders is unwavering.

“Attempting to circumvent our financial laws and border controls is a futile and costly endeavour.”

He further urged members of the public, particularly those in the aviation and financial sectors, to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements of large volumes of cash.

The Customs Area Comptroller, Dalhatu Abubakar, emphasised the importance of currency declaration as a critical tool in Nigeria’s fight against money laundering and terrorist financing.

“These measures are designed to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s financial system and prevent the flow of funds to criminal networks, terrorists, and drug traffickers,” Abubakar said.

According to the EFCC, the suspects will be formally charged in court upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations.

Metro

Driver Stabs Former Boss To Death In Lagos

Published

10 hours ago

July 9, 2025

Editor

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old driver, Ayomide Oluwadamilare, for allegedly murdering his former employer, Kola Adun, and attempting to sell the victim’s stolen vehicle.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, the suspect was apprehended while trying to sell the deceased’s Toyota Camry in the Ijede area of Ikorodu, Lagos.

Odutola said the murder came to light after residents of River Valley Estate, Ojodu Berger, raised alarm over a foul odour coming from the victim’s apartment.

“At about 1300hrs on July 7, 2025, the Divisional Police Officer, Ojodu Abiodun Division, received a distress call from Mubarak area in Akute regarding an offensive smell from a building.

“Officers proceeded to Ogunmoyero Street, River Valley Estate, and upon forcing entry into the premises, discovered the decomposing body of one Mr. Kola Adun on the first floor.

“The body bore visible stab wounds with bloodstains found at the scene,” the statement read in part.

Odutola added that suspicions had already been raised the day before, when a friend who was supposed to pick Adun for Sunday service discovered the gate locked from outside and couldn’t reach him on the phone.

“His mobile phone later went off, prompting the friend to alert the victim’s family and the police,” Odutola noted.

The PPRO stated that preliminary investigation revealed that Oluwadamilare, the deceased’s former driver, had allegedly broken into the residence on Saturday, and stabbed Adun to death before fleeing with his Toyota Camry with registration number AAA 193 GC.

She said the case took a turn when the suspect tried to sell the car to a dealer in Ijede, Ikorodu, who found his story suspicious and promptly contacted the police.

“The suspect was arrested at the point of sale.

“The remains of the deceased have been evacuated to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, for autopsy, while the case will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Abeokuta, for discreet investigation and prosecution,”Odutola concluded.

Metro

Police Arrest Cultist For Murder, Abduction In Anambra Community

Published

10 hours ago

July 9, 2025

Editor

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old cultist identified as Chukwujekwu Okoye, also known as “Bus-Stop,” in connection with the murder of two persons in Oko community, Orumba North Local Government Area of the state.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the spokesman for the state command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the suspect was arrested on Monday by police operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu.

Recall that the incident, which reportedly occurred at the Total Junction near the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, on May 22, left two persons dead and two others abducted.

It was gathered that the two abducted victims were later released in early June after ransom was paid by the families.

Ikenga, who disclosed the information of the arrest, also said the operatives recovered one automatic pump-action gun and two handsets from the suspect.

He said, “Police operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, on July 7, 2025, arrested a male suspect called Chukwujekwu Micheal Okoye a.k.a Bus-Stop, aged 25 years old.

“The arrest is a follow-up to the disturbing incident at Oko which records the injury to two persons, murder of two persons and abduction of two others who were later released after ransom was paid early last month at the Total Junction and Tipper Junction, respectively, all in Oko, Orumba North Local Government Area.

“The operatives also recovered one automatic pump-action gun and two handsets.

“It would be recalled that the suspect in the early hours of May 22, 2025, robbed a victim of his handset and other valuables at gunpoint in Oko.

“He confessed to being an active member of the Aye Confraternity Cult group and currently holding a position as a Lord.

“He also stated how they perfected plans for the initiation ceremony and rivalry cult attack yesterday, 7th July 2025, and revealed details of how he and six (6) other gang members attacked Oko on the 19th of June 2025.”

Ikenga said, given the information provided by the suspect, the police command has activated plans for the arrest of other gang members aimed at dismantling the criminal network in the state, adding that further developments would be communicated.