Metro

Two Injured As DSS Officials, NSCDC, Private Guards Clash In Edo Hospital

Published

2 years ago

December 4, 2023

Photo: file copy

Crisis erupted at the Edo Specialist Hospital in Benin on Monday as personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) clashed with private guards and men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The clash reportedly resulted from an alleged unprofessional response by medical personnel when the DSS officials brought in one of their men who slumped while in a meeting in their office.

It took the intervention of the police, who were called from the Oba Market Police Station, and the Chief Security Officer, Government House before calm was restored.

At the end of the pandemonium, some people, including private security guards and female personnel of the NSCDC were injured.

An official of the DSS said, “We were in a meeting when the person we brought to the hospital slumped, and he was rushed to our health facility to check his pulse. We then rushed him to the Edo Specialist Hospital, which is the closest to our office, but the reception we got there was poor.

“It was our people that had to bring our colleague down from the vehicle. When you go to the hospital, courtesy demands that you bring the patient down and attend to him or her; at least show commitment, but right in the car, they said they cannot carry him and we have to carry him down ourselves.”

But contacted, the hospital’s Medical Director, Dr David Odiko, said the patient was promptly attended to by the doctor on duty, who confirmed him dead, but that the DSS personnel refused to accept it.

He said, “I was not in the hospital when the incident happened because I was in the court for a case. It was from there that they called me, and when I got to the hospital, they had left, but I met policemen on the ground.

“They brought him as an emergency case. He was said to have slumped, and the doctor on duty went to check, and he said he met the guy lying on the seat of the car and that the patient wasn’t breathing.

“He couldn’t see the chest and abdomen moving, then he proceeded to check if there was still pulse and heartbeat which were also absent. He said he still proceeded to do CPR, but there was no response.

“The diagnosis the doctor made was that he was brought in dead, and they said they were not going to take that, and they personally moved him into our facility and dropped him on the floor. I was told that another group of personnel injured the Civil Defence personnel that was on duty on her head.”

Metro

Nnamdi Kanu Files Fresh Motion, Asks Court To Strike Out All Charges

Published

2 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a fresh motion before the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking the dismissal of all charges against him and his immediate release.

In the motion dated October 30, 2025, and titled “Motion on Notice and Written Address in Support,” Kanu argued that there is no valid charge against him under any existing law in Nigeria. He said the charges currently before the court are “a nullity ab initio for want of any extant legal foundation.”

The IPOB leader, who is representing himself, filed the motion under Sections 1(3), 6(6)(b), and 36(12) of the 1999 Constitution, the Evidence Act 2011, and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022.

He maintained that the prosecution relied on repealed and non-existent laws, including the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA), which was repealed by the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, and the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013, repealed by the TPPA 2022.

Kanu said the reliance on such repealed laws violates Section 36(12) of the Constitution, which prohibits trial for an offence not defined under an existing law. He therefore urged the court to strike out the charges in their entirety, insisting they do not constitute any offence known to law.

Citing the Supreme Court’s decision in FRN v. Kanu (SC/CR/1361/2022), he argued that lower courts are bound to take judicial notice of repealed laws under Section 122 of the Evidence Act 2011, adding that failure to do so renders all proceedings void.

Kanu also contended that the counts against him were allegedly committed in Kenya, in violation of Section 76(1)(d)(iii) of the TPPA 2022, which requires validation by a Kenyan court before such acts can be tried in Nigeria. He said this omission nullifies the court’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and breaches Article 7(2) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

He further maintained that under Sections 1(3) and 36(12) of the Constitution, any law or judicial act inconsistent with the Constitution is void. He cited previous court decisions such as Aoko v. Fagbemi (1961) 1 All NLR 400 and FRN v. Ifegwu (2003) 15 NWLR (Pt 842) 113, where convictions based on non-existent laws were nullified.

Kanu urged the court to direct the prosecution to respond to his motion strictly on points of law within three days and to deliver a ruling on or before November 4, 2025.

He stated that his application raises only constitutional and legal questions derived from existing laws and therefore does not require an affidavit.

Metro

16-year-old Killed As NDLEA Operatives, Drug Barons Clash In Edo

Published

1 day ago

October 30, 2025

Editor

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Edo State Command, and drug barons reportedly clashed at Okpuje, Uzeba community in Owan West Local Government Area, leading to the death of a 16 -years -old boy, identified as Emmanuel Monday George.

Two others identified as God’spower Omage (20 years) and Ajayi Irobia (54 years), were said to have sustained serious injuries during the gun duel which reportedly happened on Monday.

Mitchell Ofoyeju, state commander of the NDLEA disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Benin on Thursday.

Ofoyeju said that one of its officers sustained an injury after being struck on the hand with a sharp object.

Recall that Army and NDLEA officers were recently attacked by drug barons in the agrarian community, notable for cannabis cultivation.

Metro

JUST IN: Fire Guts Store At Abuja Mall

Published

1 day ago

October 30, 2025

Editor

A fire incident occurred at the Jabi Lake Mall, Abuja in the early hours of Thursday.

The cause of the fire, which started around 3am, could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.

It was gathered that only the Adidas Sports shop was affected.

It was further gathered that firefighters from the Federal Fire Service, the Berger Fire Department, and the FCT Fire Service, as well as police officers, were deployed to the scene.

A resident of Jabi, Saliu, who informed our correspondent of the incident, said the fire had been contained.

He said, “Around 3am., this morning, there was a fire incident at the Jabi Lake Mall in Abuja. No loss of life or injury was recorded. Only the Adidas Sports shop was affected by the fire.”

The FCT police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, confirmed the incident to The PUNCH.

Adeh said police officers were deployed to the location to secure the area and prevent looting.

“We received a distress call at about 3:40 a.m. We immediately deployed our men there to secure the place and prevent any breach of public order,” she said.