Metro

Traditional Stool: Gunmen Invade Lagos Community, Kill One-yr-old Baby, 10 Others, Burn Houses [PHOTOS]

Published

2 years ago

April 13, 2024

Gunmen numbering over 100, invaded a riverine community in Egan Oriomi Otto Awori Local Council Development Area of Ojo, at the early hours of today, setting several houses on fire.

A 15-month-old baby, who was sleeping, was burnt beyond recognition.

Also, no fewer than 15 houses were burnt, with property worth millions destroyed.

Ten persons were shot by the gunmen, while others, among whom is a 90-year-old man sustained deep matchet cuts in parts of their bodies.

According to Vanguard, when its correspondent visited the riverine community today, Saturday, the burnt baby’s father, Taiwo Israel, was seen carrying the charred remains.

Explaining in tears, he said: “My baby’s name is Emmanuel. I went out yesterday (Friday) for our daily bread, leaving my wife with my two children.

“By 9.30 p.m., she called me on the phone to inform me that some cultists were shooting. I told her to go inside with the children.

“At about 1 a.m., she called again to inform me that the cultists had set our building on fire. She added that she ran out without carrying our baby who was sleeping.

“My father-in-law, who went inside to rescue the baby, was attacked with a cutlass. He is still in the hospital.

“When I came back this morning (Saturday), I met my baby burnt to death. He was our second child. The first one managed to escape.”

It was gathered that the affected community would stage a protest with the burnt baby tomorrow (Sunday), at the governor’s office, in Alausa, Ikeja.

Meanwhile, the affected residents blamed the gunmen attack on the position taken by the local government and some politicians in the area over the installation of a traditional ruler.

They alleged that a stranger was wrongfully installed as the traditional ruler. They said he should be from a family they described as “indigene of the community”.

Besides, Vanguard gathered that there had been a lingering tussle between two families in the community over who rules.

Explaining, one of the indigenes, Lawal Adesegun, who claimed to be a crown prince of the community, said: “The cause of this fight is ownership dispute.

“These people (invaders) are not indigenes of this community. We went to the tribunal set up by the Lagos State Government to fight for who would be the oba of this community and we won.

“There are documents from the tribunal, including judgments and clearance from the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Attorney General of the State. These confirm us as the Oba of Egan, Ori Omi Atto Awori of Ojo Local Government.

“However, some politicians of the leading political party, the Otto Awori Local Government wrongfully installed our opponent as our king. They did it in a hotel, not in the community.

“The politicians brought the man that was wrongfully installed to the community on Thursday, to force him on us. But the police restrained them because they knew a fight would break out.

“This isn’t the first time they would be attacking us. A similar incident occurred on June 15, 2018. Some of our people were also killed.

“The local government intervened then and the case was dropped in court, frustrating our efforts to seek justice.

‘How politicians frustrate us’

“The House of Assembly deliberated on the matter for two years. It set up a committee that recommended justice. They also emphasised the need to install the right person in the chieftaincy position.

“But the recommendation was not implemented because these same politicians scuttled the process.

“Our king is Olarewaju Moshood Lawal. Yet they replaced him with a non-indigene. He left the community in 2018 due to insecurity.

“We are, therefore, calling on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene before they wipe everyone out of this community.

“We have all our documents from the government. Yet, these politicians are blocking all our efforts to meet the governor, to hear us out.”

One of those shot in the neck was a 22-year-old farmer, Joel Babatunde.
He said: “I was sleeping in my house when I heard gunshots. I ran out in confusion, unaware of where the gunshots were coming from. Immediately I stepped outside, the gunmen shot me.”

Also, another resident, who gave his name simply as Moheed, said over 20 houses were burnt.

He stated that most of the affected houses belong to members of the Oba Moshood Olarewaju’s family.

According to Moheed, “One of the houses burnt belongs to the oldest woman in our community.

“She was lucky to have been taken out immediately the house was set on fire. She too could have died inside.

“Oba Moshood Olarewaju ought to be the rightful Oba of this community and we still regard him as our leader.”

Residents flee community

Many residents whose houses were spared were seen carrying their belongings, preparing to leave the riverine community.

Also, others who had become homeless were preparing to leave the community for fear of another attack.

However, armed policemen were sighted in the community to forestall further invasion by the gunmen.

Below are more photos from the scene courtesy Vanguard:

Metro

Police Arrest 13 During Cult Initiation In Delta

Published

3 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

The Delta State Police Command has arrested 13 suspected members of a cult group and recovered several firearms and other dangerous items.

The suspects were arrested during an initiation ceremony at the Ekraka Community forest in Kokori on Saturday.

The operation carried out late-night during a tactical operation in Ethiope East local government area of the state followed credible intelligence that members of the Aiye Confraternity, also known as Black Axe, were planning an initiation.

Police, operatives of the Quick Response Squad, led by its commander, SP Collins Achem, were swiftly deployed to the area to prevent the gathering.

Metro

Petrol Tanker Crashes Into Akpabio’s Convoy, Kills Police Dispatch Rider

Published

3 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

A tragic accident involving a fuel tanker and the convoy of Senate President Godswill Akpabio claimed the life of a police dispatch rider, Ibrahim Hussaini, on Sunday.

Akpabio made the announcement on Tuesday while addressing lawmakers during plenary, expressing his condolences to the family of the fallen officer.

Dispatch riders, who are typically police personnel, escort senior government officials on motorcycles marked for official use.

The Senate President arrived in the chamber shortly after the session began and informed his colleagues that Hussaini had already been laid to rest earlier that morning.

Although he did not give a precise location, Akpabio explained that the crash occurred in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, shortly after his convoy picked him up from the airport.

He said: “We went to Oyo State for the installation of our colleague. Unfortunately, my dispatch rider was run over by a tanker driver, and his head was shattered. We just buried him 15 minutes ago in Kogi State. He left two wives and four children.

“By the grace of God, I’m recommending two of his senior children for employment immediately in any parastatals that may wish to; otherwise, I’ll employ them personally in any of my private concerns.”

He noted that the officer was buried in Kogi State and is survived by two wives and four children.

Following the announcement, Sunday Karimi, the senator representing Kogi West, raised a motion on personal explanation to formally present the matter to the Senate.

Karimi described Hussaini as a Deputy Superintendent of Police who was expected to retire next year. He added that the officer, who hailed from Kogi State, had been part of Akpabio’s security detail since 2023, when Akpabio assumed office as Senate President.

Karimi also informed lawmakers of another loss: the death of Ibrahim Tukur, a long-serving driver attached to Isah Jibrin, the senator representing Kogi East. Tukur reportedly passed away at his home on Saturday after 25 years of service.

Jibrin later addressed the chamber, noting that Tukur had worked with him since his early career as a banker at the now-defunct AfriBank. He offered prayers for his former driver’s soul.

The session concluded with Akpabio asking senators to observe a minute of silence in honour of both deceased staff members.

Metro

Fintiri Pardons Man Sentenced To Death For ‘Killing Herdsman In Self-defence’, Others

Published

3 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Editor

Fintiri Pardons Man Sentenced To Death For ‘Killing Herdsman In Self-defence’, Others

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has granted pardon to a death row inmate, Sunday Jackson.

An Adamawa farmer, Jackson is widely perceived to have been unjustly sentenced for allegedly killing a herdsman in self-defence.

There has been widespread calls for intervention in his case.

Jackson who is in Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre was pardoned alongside Joseph Eugene from the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Yola, and Maxwell Ibrahim, serving at the Medium Security Custodial Center in Kaduna.

The pardon is in commemoration of Christmas and New Year celebrations, according to a statement released on Tuesday in Yola by Governor Fintiri’s Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou.

“Others who had the remainder of their sentences remitted whole include Joshua James Audo, Adamu Ibrahim, Mohammed Abubakar, Ibrahim Usman and Saidu Abubakar serving at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Numan and Medium Security Custodial Centre, Jada,” Humwashi stated.

He explained that Governor Fintiri extended his gesture to the inmates because the inmates had demonstrated significant improvement in their behaviour and conduct.

He quoted Fintiri as saying, “In the exercise of my prerogative of mercy as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in line with the recommendations of the Adamawa State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, I have granted pardon to three persons and directed the remission of the remainder of the sentences of five others who have served various jail terms and have significantly demonstrated good conduct over the years.”