Metro

Varsity Student Shot, NANS, Police Trade Blame

Published

3 years ago

October 6, 2022

Photo source: Punch

A 200-level student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Samuel Oriyomi, has escaped death after he was reportedly shot by some men in police uniform.

It was gathered that the incident, which occurred around 10pm on September 26, 2022, left the victim hospitalised at the Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta.

Oriyomi, who spoke to one of our correspondents on Wednesday, stated that he was returning from his day’s job as an electrical technician when the incident happened.

He said, “I was coming back from work along Kobape Road. I got there some minutes past 9pm and due to how late it was, I didn’t see a vehicle to convey me back to the school hostel. Though we are on strike, the school allows some of us that are working and have financial constraints to stay on campus.

“The person who I worked for got us a bike which was going back to school. After getting to a junction, we saw more than five cars parked by the roadside like a police van; when we moved closer, we saw the vehicles clearly and someone got out of one of the vehicles. The headlight of the car was put on and we could see he was in mufti; then he suddenly shot into the air.

“When this happened, the person behind me immediately jumped down from the bike and ran into the nearby bush. He shot again, and I told the bike man to stop and turn back so we don’t get caught up in any bad situation, since we didn’t know what was happening.

“When we turned back, we saw a police patrol vehicle coming towards us and we were actually relieved because it was a police patrol vehicle, which we had seen earlier. However, coming towards the patrol vehicle, we saw that they were speeding towards us, while the other vehicle where the man who shot into the air came down from, was also coming behind us.

“The bike man passed the patrol vehicle; they turned back and began to shoot at us severally, and we saw that they were police officers because they were uniformed. The bike man managed to park at a corner and I immediately called the DPO of Harmony Police Station and an influencer in our school because we had both been shot. I was shot on my lap and leg, while the bike man was shot on his lap.

“We noticed that immediately they shot us, they had gone into the bush to look for the guy that had initially jumped down from the bike, without checking on us.

“We were both conscious when we were taken to a nearby hospital and later transferred to the Federal Medical Centre around 1pm.”

The National Association of Nigerian Students, Ogun State, in a statement on the incident, demanded a probe into the incident.

The statement was signed by the NANS, Chairman, Ogun State, Kehinde Simeon; Deputy Senate President, NANS National, Elvis Ekundina; and the Public Relations Officer, NANS, Ogun, Olufemi Owoeye.

The statement partly read, “This incident, which is tantamount to a murder attempt, was carried out by men who are supposed to keep murderers away from us.

“We have observed with utmost disaffection the deliberate attempt by Harmony Police Station to completely cover this issue in secrecy and hold no one accountable.

“Moreso, there has not been any plan to offer reprieve to the victims who barely survived.”

However, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a statement on Wednesday, said the police were not responsible for the incident.

The statement read in part, “A patrol team was promptly dispersed to the scene where a young man later identified as Bakare Samuel, 25 years, a 200-level student of Animal Production and Health Department, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, was found on the ground with gunshot wounds.

“The police patrol team evacuated him to the Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, where he received immediate medical attention and still recuperating from the gunshot injuries.

“The prompt response by the police team saved the undergraduate student from untimely death.

“Findings from the hospital indicated that pellets associated with fabricated guns (locally-made guns) were extracted from the victim’s body during treatment. Those could not have come from police assault rifles or pistols.

“The assertion in this press release that two persons were shot severally could not be substantiated as the imaginary second person has not been produced and indeed not receiving treatment anywhere known to the police.

“Contrary to the allegation of a cover-up of the incident by the police, it must be stated that it is the student body that has not made concerted efforts at ensuring the well-being of one of its members by following up on the whereabouts and progress of the victim.”
PUNCH

Metro

PICTORIAL: Many Feared Trapped As Three-storey Building Collapses In Anambra

Published

10 hours ago

September 25, 2025

Editor

A three-storey building with four suspended floors located behind the Anambra State House of Assembly, off Ekwueme Square, Okpuno Awka, the Anambra State capital, has collapsed.

It was gathered that the building, still under construction and at the roofing stage, suddenly caved in at about 11:40 am on Thursday.

The development threw residents and passers-by into panic as it was gathered that some yet-to-be-identified number of occupants, especially construction workers, were trapped in the rubble.

Eyewitnesses near the scene said the structure suddenly caved in without any prior sign, adding that the number of workers and other occupants trapped could not be ascertained yet.

The cause of the collapse and casualty figure has yet to be ascertained, but some officials from the state Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria and the materials testing department are already on the ground to ascertain the cause of the collapse.

A visit to the scene of the collapse, it was observed as some bystanders and other passers-by initiated some rescue efforts in a bid to see if anyone trapped could be rescued.

It was a chaotic situation at the scene as rescue efforts were being hampered by a lack of logistics and other necessary equipment, such as excavators.

One of the eyewitnesses at the scene said, “The building collapsed this morning(Thursday) as some artisans were carrying out some construction works at the roof of the structure.

“The building made some noise as it was collapsing while some construction workers were at the site. No one can say the cause of the collapse for now, but some government officials arrived at the scene shortly after, but rescue efforts have not begun, as they said they were waiting for excavators to arrive.”

The Chairman, COREN-ERM Anambra State, Sir Victor Meju, said, “It was a five-storey building, the sixth floor still under construction at its roofing stage. It is a private building. It was gathered that the structure was roofed last Thursday.

“On-site preliminary investigation revealed that it was a vertically complete collapse to the rubble. On-site preliminary investigation also revealed that the collapse occurred as a result of a poor concrete mixture and a likely foundation problem.

“The relevant agencies, such as the Ministry of Housing and the Awka Capital Territory Development Association, have been notified, and they are on the ground to monitor and offer rescue operations.”

However, when contacted on the development, the Spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said he was not aware, but promised to make enquiries and get back.
(PUNCH)

Metro

Police Rescue Mother, Baby, Five Others From Kidnappers In Kwara

Published

10 hours ago

September 25, 2025

Editor

The Kwara State Police Command has rescued a woman, Afusatu Alhaji Ladan, and her nine-month-old baby, Usman, alongside five other victims from kidnapper’s den after a gun battle with bandits in a forest near Owa-Onire, Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.

The victims were freed on Wednesday following a joint operation by operatives attached to the Office of the National Security Adviser, police officers, and vigilante members, according to the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi.

The spokesperson who confirmed the development in a statement made available to Punch Online, on Thursday, said the rescue followed sustained search-and-rescue operations launched in response to recent abductions in the state.

“During the operation, security operatives encountered armed resistance from the kidnappers, leading to a fierce gun duel. The criminals were forced to abandon their hostages and escape deeper into the forest, while all seven victims were safely rescued,” she said.

The PPRO added that a vigilante member sustained gunshot injuries during the encounter but is responding to treatment.

Other rescued victims include Adam Khadijat, 23; Mamud Miriam, 24; Mumini Ahmed, 17; Hamadu Haruna, 44; and Abibat Umaru, 16.

Metro

Soldiers Kill Two Terror Suspects, Arrest 32, Rescue 13 Victims

Published

10 hours ago

September 25, 2025

Editor

Troops of the Nigerian Army have neutralised two terrorists, apprehended 32 suspects, and rescued 13 kidnapped victims in major operations in the last 24 hours across the country.

A credible source at Army Headquarters told the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday that the operations were carried out in the North East, North Central, North West, South East, and South-South.

In the North East, he said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai arrested three suspected ISWAP/JAS logistics suppliers in Borno and Yobe.

He added that one terrorist was neutralised in an ambush in Konduga, while another suspect was apprehended in Garkida, Adamawa, for involvement in earlier attacks.

In Benue, the source said the troops of Operation Whirl Stroke neutralised one extremist in Katsina-Ala and rescued 10 kidnapped victims in Ukum after a gun battle.

In the North West, he said the troops foiled kidnap attempts in Zamfara, rescuing three victims in Anka.

According to him, seven suspects, including a kidnap kingpin in Kaduna and three in Niger, were arrested.

“In the South East, troops of Operation UDO KA apprehended two suspected cultists with a pistol in Imo and recovered an improvised explosive device in Anambra.

“In the South South, troops of Operation Delta Safe arrested 20 suspects for illegal bunkering, drug trafficking, and kidnapping.

“They also discovered more than 1,200 litres of illegally refined petroleum products in Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta States,” he said.

The source urged Nigerians to continue to support security agencies with timely information to sustain the momentum of ongoing operations.
NAN