News

We Buy Military Uniforms For N20,000 To Operate – Kidnap Gang

Published

2 years ago

June 11, 2022

Editor

Operatives of the Force Intelligence Bureau – Intelligence Response Team,FIB-IRT have arrested 14 self confessed members of a notorious kidnap gang that have been on its wanted list over series of kidnappings, armed robberies and cattle rustling in the northern region of Nigeria.

The susepcts among who were thier arms suppliers, revealed how they raped female victims , with a threat to come back for them if they opened up on the rape.

They also revealed how they bought Military uniforms used during operation, from thier contact.

Luck ran against members of the gang following the arrest of one of them,Abdullahi Abubakar a.k.a Abdul Lawyer while he was having a meeting with an alleged informant on a planned kidnap operation in Plateau state.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that Abubakar, a herder was once arrested and detained at Bokkos Divisional Police headquarters for the offence of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, cattle rustling and kidnapping. But unknown to the policemen, one of his gang members posed as a prominent person, to effect his release on bail.

During interrogation Abubakar, revealed that he was introduced into kidnapping by one Iliyasu Saidu, a.k.a. Yellow and Sky brother. He gave identities of other members of his gang as : Iliyasu Saidu (a.k.a. Yellow), Badamosi Ardo Yakubu, Sky Bokkos, Zaki Bokkos, Yakubu Joshua Bokkos and Annas Iliya, all of them living and operating from Bokkos, Plateau State.

He said: “I have participated in an uncountable number of armed robberies in all the villages around Bokkos, Mangu and others in Jos.

“We have six AK47 rifles, and some of us used to appear in Nigeria Army uniforms which we bought from one IK in Daffo village for N20,000 each. We also have a tailor that sewed the uniform for us in Bokkos.

“We have someone who supplies arms for us. He is Alli Ibrahim. I bought one AK47 rifle from him for N370,000. For the ammunition, a 30- round was sold by one Yakubu Joshua for N30,000, sometimes it could be N160,000, depending on one’s power of bargain”.

Abubakar, who stated that he had participated in three different kidnap operations, highlighted some of them.

He said “We kidnapped one Challa in Bokkos. That work was given to us by Yakubu Joshua. We took the victim to Mangar Forest where he spent one day with a ransom of N700,000 paid before he was released. I got N75,000 as my share.”

“The second operation was at the Plateau State University ,Bokkos, where we kidnapped three female students. We took them to Mangar forest and demanded N300,000 ransom.

“Six of us: Annas Ilya, Iliyasu Saidu (a.k.a. Yellow), Badamasi Ardo Yakubu, Sky Bokkos , Zaki Bokkos and myself participated in that operation. They spent a day with us. We raped them inside the bush before releasing them and gave them stern warning not to make mention of the rape, otherwise we would come the second time and do worse . I got N50,000 as my share.

“The third operation was the kidnapping of a Challa man at Ampak village in Mangar Local Government Area of Plateau State. We took him to Tamushu Forest where he also spent one day with us after collecting N300,000 ransom. Yakubu Joshua gave us the job and six of us participated.

“When the victim refused to follow us, Sky shot him dead in the compound with an AK47. Thereafter, we took his elder brother and held him captive for two days until N300,000 ransom was paid for his release. I also got N50,000, as my share”

Apart from kidnappings, he said, “I also participated in armed robbery operations with Yellow, Badamosi, Sky, Zaki and Joshua, along Mbot road, where we robbed people of their cash, phones and other valuables. I got a share of N10,000 from that operation.

“In another operation, we broke into one shop at Mangar . When the guard fired some shots to scare us, Badamosi shot him dead.

“Again, we ambushed some herders and robbed three cows, took them to Jos Town , where we sold them to one Biran man living at Kara Jos, for N200,000 each.”

Recovered arms, ammunition Police sources hinted that an Indian-made AK47 rifle with 23 rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the suspect.

Other arms and ammunition recovered from his gang included: Two locally made AK47 rifles with 10 rounds of live ammunition; one locally-made SMG Gun with 33 rounds of 9mm live ammunition; two locally-made G3 gun and two locally-made Barreta pistols.

In addition were 33 rounds of live ammunition for the AK47 rifle and 33 rounds of 9mm live ammunition for the locally made SMG.

Police sources hinted that “the suspects have been giving us useful information about their criminal activities and tactics . They would be charged to court soon.”

VANGUARD.

News

UBTH Gives Ultimatum To Owners Unclaimed Corpses

Published

59 mins ago

May 21, 2024

Editor

Management of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) has given six weeks ultimatum to owners of the unclaimed corpses lying fallow and abandoned in its mortuary facility to come and move them out or face a mass burial.

The warning was contained in the hospital’s circular.

The management also said that the corpses, include both infants that have been in the mortuary since January 2023 and adults that have been there from April 2021 and December 2022.

“This is to inform the general public that the Management of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH has concluded plans to dispose off all unclaimed Corpses that have been in the Hospital’s mortuary, which has been a home to several Corpses “for a very long time.

“Any unclaimed Corpse(s) at the expiration of six weeks period shall be disposed off through mass burial or any other manner considered appropriate”,the notice partly reads.

News

JUST IN: Labour Rejects FG’s N54,000 New Minimum Wage Offer, Talks Adjourned

Published

2 hours ago

May 21, 2024

Editor

Meeting on the ongoing negotiations on new minimum wage has been adjourned till Wednesday after the organised labour rejected the new N54,000 minimum wage proposal by the Federal Government, a highly reliable source who attended the meeting told our correspondent on Wednesday.

According to The PUNCH the Federal Government had upped its offer from its earlier proposed N48,000 to N54,000.

Tuesday’s meeting came as a result of the walkout staged by members of the organised labour following the proposal of N48,000 as minimum wage by the Federal Government during last week’s meeting.

During that meeting, the OPS had also proposed N54,000 while labour insisted on its N615,000 living wage demand.

The PUNCH correspondent who spoke to sources who attended the follow-up meeting on Tuesday learnt that the Federal Government upped its offer from N48,000 to N54,000.

“Well, during the meeting, the government increased its offer from N48,000 to N54,000. However, labour rejected that offer and the meeting has been adjourned till Wednesday,” a source who asked not to be named said.

When asked if the government’s side was showing any sign of seriousness, the labour leader said, “No seriousness at all. Even state governors did not show up. Those who represented them, like Bauchi and Niger states, did not have the mandates to speak on their behalf.

“As regards the private sector, we did not get to them before the meeting was adjourned but we hope they also increase their initial offer.”

Organised labour on Monday reiterated its May 31, 2024 deadline for the implementation of the new minimum wage.

The National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, insisted on N615,000 minimum wage, arguing that the amount was arrived at after an analysis of the current economic situation and the needs of an average Nigerian family of six.

He blamed the government and the OPS for the breakdown in negotiation, saying, “Despite earnest efforts to reach an equitable agreement, the less than reasonable action of the Government and the Organised Private Sector has led to a breakdown in negotiations.”

In a statement released at the end of the jointly held NEC meeting by the NLC and TUC which was signed by Joe Ajaero, NLC president and Festus Osifo, TUC president, the unions said they acknowledge the ongoing negotiations between the NLC/TUC, the Organised Private Sector and the Federal Government regarding the new national minimum wage.

While appreciating what they described as the efforts made thus far, the NLC and TUC emphasized the urgency of reaching a fair and equitable agreement that reflects the true value of Nigerian workers’ contributions to the nation’s development and the current crisis of survival facing Nigerians as a result of government’s policies.

They also affirmed commitment to ensuring that the interests and welfare of workers are adequately protected in the negotiation process.

President Bola Tinubu through Vice President Kashim Shettima, on January 30, 2024, inaugurated the 37-member Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage to come up with a new minimum wage ahead of the expiration of the current N30,000 wage on April 18.

With its membership cutting across federal and state governments, the private sector and organised labour, the panel is to recommend a new national minimum wage for the country.

During the inauguration of the panel, Shettima urged the members to “speedily” arrive at a resolution and submit their reports early.

“This timely submission is crucial to ensure the emergence of a new minimum wage,” Shettima said.

In furtherance of its assignment, a zonal public hearing was held simultaneously on March 7 in Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, and Abuja.

The NLC and the TUC in different states proposed various figures as a living wage, referencing the current economic crunch and the high costs of living.

In their different proposals on the minimum wage, the NLC members in the South-West states demanded N794,000 as the TUC suggested N447,000.

At the North-Central zonal hearing in Abuja, the workers demanded N709,000 as the new national minimum wage, while their counterparts in the South-South clamoured for N850,000.

In the North-West, N485,000 was proposed, while the South-East stakeholders demanded N540,000 minimum wage.

But organised labour settled for N615,000 as a living wage.

News

JUST IN: CBN Raises Interest Rate To 26.25%

Published

4 hours ago

May 21, 2024

Editor

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria has increased the benchmark interest rate to 26.25 per cent.

This was disclosed by the Governor of the CBN who doubles as the Chairman of the MPC at the end of the 295th MPC meeting held in Abuja.

At the March MPC meeting, the benchmark rate had been increased by 200 basis points from 22.75 per cent to 24.75 per cent.

The MPC has maintained a hawkish stance since it resumed meetings this year in a bid to tackle Nigeria’s persistent inflation.

As of April, Nigeria’s inflation rate had risen to 33.69 per cent.

A number of analysts have projected a rate hike while some suggested that the apex bank may consider a hold stance as the growth rate of inflation moderated month-on-month.

Details later…