Metro

Two Killed, Others Injured As gunmen Attack Lagos Community

Published

6 months ago

February 6, 2025

Two people have been killed and scores injured in a wave of violence that has swept through the Ijegun Egba community in the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.

It was learnt that the attacks, which occurred on Monday and Tuesday, were carried out by armed men who invaded the community and started shooting and attacking residents with cutlasses and axes.

The deceased were identified as 40-year-old Gbenga Areagbo, a sickle cell patient, and Oladapo Olukoya, whose body was reportedly taken away by the killers through a jetty to the Ibasa area of the community.

According to eyewitnesses, trouble started last Thursday when armed men from the Ibasa area of the community invaded the jetty at Ijegun Egba, harassing and robbing residents.

The attacks however escalated as the hoodlums were said to have returned on Monday to wreak havoc on the community.

A resident who identified himself simply as Kudus told The PUNCH, “On Thursday evening, some armed thugs from Ibasa came in through a jetty into Ijegun Egba and began to attack our people. They identified an indigene of our town, Wasiu Ademola and they descended on him.”

Meanwhile, the residents were said to have reported the incident to the police at the Satellite Town Police Station, but no action was taken.

According to another resident, Taiwo Enimola, the police allegedly claimed that the community was peaceful, despite the growing evidence of violence.

“The attacks took a deadly turn on Monday when the hoodlums invaded the Jetty area again. That was when they shot Olukoya to death. Gbenga Areagbo was also killed in a separate attack, when the hoodlums invaded the Ade Oshodi junction area, shooting and hacking him with axes,” he added.

Residents of the Ijegun Egba community have since expressed outrage over the killings while also criticising the police for their alleged inactions.

One of the leaders in the community, Saeed Ayinde, while speaking on the death of Areagbo, said, “He was sitting down with one of his friends, Lateef Arowolo, at the Ade Oshodi junction on Ijegun Egba, when the hoodlums invaded the area with arms and ammunition. They came in about three vehicles and motorcycles, brandishing guns and cutlasses.

“Lateef only narrowly escaped death but they attacked Gbenga, who was caught on the spot. They asked if he was Lateef and when he told them that he was not, they shot him at very close range and also used axes to cut him.”

Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, did not respond to calls made to his telephone line. A text message sent to him had yet to be responded to as of the time this report was filed.

Metro

Hotel Under Construction Collapses In Edo Kills Owner

Published

12 hours ago

August 3, 2025

Editor

Tragedy struck in the Idumoza community, Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State, as a hotel building under construction caved in, killing its owner, identified as Andrew Isesere.

The incident occurred last Friday while Isesere was reportedly inside the building.

Over 20 workers who were also at the site narrowly escaped death, according to eyewitnesses.

The lifeless body of the owner was recovered from the debris on Sunday morning.

Neighbours in the area expressed concern over the quality of materials used in the construction, noting that warnings had previously been issued to the deceased.

Andrew Inegbebor, a resident who spoke to reporters, said, “The owner was told he was using low quality material. He used 12mm instead of 16mm rods for the pillars. There was no base basket at the pillars. Look at the result.”

“The building collapsed because of substandard materials that were used. There was no engineer on site. The dead owner supervised the house. The house later collapsed and killed him , but some workers escaped,” he added.

At the time of filing this report, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, said that he had not received a briefing on the incident.

Metro

Police Arrest Stolen Phone Tracker-altering Gang In Imo

Published

1 day ago

August 2, 2025

Editor

The Imo State Police Command has dismantled a cult gang that specialised in phone theft, burglary, and altering the tracking device of phones in Eziobodo, in the Owerri West Local Government Area.

This is even as the Command has arrested several people linked to various phone robberies within the Owerri federal constituency.

Police spokesperson for Imo State command, DSP Henry Okoye, made the disclosure on Saturday morning.

Okoye disclosed that following a complaint by a phone dealer whose shop was burgled on July 11th, 2025, within Eziobodo, operatives of the Anti-Vice commenced an investigation that led to the arrest of a suspect with four brand new but stolen phones.

Intense investigation led the Police to the principal burglar behind the robbery and another accomplice who specialised in altering phone IMEI, which blocks the tracking of such phones.

Okoye said, “Following a complaint by a phone dealer whose shop in Eziobodo was burgled on 11th July 2025, operatives of the Anti-Vice Unit arrested a suspect in possession of four brand-new stolen phones. Investigations led to the arrest of the principal burglar and another accomplice who specialised in altering phone IMEI numbers to evade tracking”.

He disclosed that all the suspects arrested are currently in custody, while efforts have been intensified to apprehend other members of the syndicate.

Okoye said in another development, operatives of the Orji Police Station on July 31st, 2025, at about 9pm (2100hrs) arrested one Ernest Nweke ‘m’ at Bishop’s Court roundabout, in the Owerri North LGA, following a distress call from concerned citizens.

The suspect, who is a native of Umuoji in the Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State but resident in the World Bank area of Owerri, was arrested with a locally fabricated pistol after he and three others allegedly robbed one Emmanuel FearGod ‘m’ of Fountain of Knowledge Hostel.

Okoye said, “Nweke, who confessed to being a member of the Vikings cult group, was identified by the victim and arrested while the others fled. Based on his confession, four other suspects: Chamberlain Prince, Akujuobi Godwin, Ugwuelu Joseph, and Frederick Chigozie were arrested the next morning and also confessed to the crime. All suspects are currently undergoing investigation and will be duly prosecuted in court”.

Meanwhile, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has commended the officers for their swift action and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to fight crime.

The Police boss urged residents to report suspicious activities to the nearest Police Station or through 0803 477 3600.

Metro

Police Arrest Fleeing Anambra Suspected Kidnapper In Kaduna

Published

1 day ago

August 2, 2025

Editor

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper, John Chinagorom, who is said to have been on the Command’s wanted list.

A statement released on Saturday by the Anambra State Police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the suspect was arrested in Zaria, Kaduna State, with the assistance of the Kaduna State Police Command.

Ikenga said his arrest followed a credible intelligence received by operatives of the Ozubulu Police Division on August 1, that the suspect, who is linked to a kidnapping case in Anambra, was sighted at PZ Park Road, Zaria, Kaduna State.

The statement read in part, “The Anambra State Police Command wishes to inform the public that its officers, with the assistance of the Kaduna State Police Command, have arrested John Chinagorom ‘M’, a suspected kidnapper, who has been on the Command’s wanted list.

“This follows a credible intelligence received by operatives of the Ozubulu Police Division at noon of 1st August 2025, that the suspect, John Chinagorom, who is linked to a kidnapping Case reported on 15th April 2025, was sighted at PZ Park Road, Zaria, Kaduna State.

“Acting swiftly on the information, a team of Police detectives from the Division was dispatched, and they successfully apprehended the suspect at his hideout in Zaria, with the assistance of officers of the Kaduna State Police Command.

“The suspect is currently in custody and is assisting the Police in the ongoing investigation.”

He urged the general public to remain calm, assuring them that the security situation in the state is under control as joint security patrols and other crime prevention operations are ongoing.

“Meanwhile, the general security situation across other parts of the State remains calm, as counter-terrorism and other crime prevention operations continue.

“Further developments will be communicated in due course,” he added.