Tag: Arrest
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IPOB: Army handed over Chiwetalu Agu to us —DSS
The Department of State Services has stated that veteran actor, Chiwetalu Agu, was brought to its custody by the Nigerian Army. It added that justice would be served.
DSS Spokesman, Dr Peter Afunaya, made this known in an interview with Punch.
Afunaya said, “Army brought him to us. Justice will take its course.”
TheNewsGuru recalls that Agu was arrested around Upper Iweke in Onitsha, Anambra State, on Thursday for wearing a Biafra outfit.
The state has experienced numerous incidents of violence in the last couple of weeks ahead of the governorship election next month.
Authorities believe separatist groups, notably the Indigenous People of Biafra, are behind the attacks but IPOB denies this.
Agu has been a passionate supporter of the Biafran struggle and had accused the Nigerian government of marginalizing Igbo.
Celebrities like Emeka Ike, Shan George and Emeka Rollas had condemned his arrest.
The Nigerian Army in a statement had said that the actor was arrested “while inciting members of the public and soliciting for support for the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra.”
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Chiwetalu Agu released from Army custody after being detained
Nollywood actor, Chiwetalu Agu, has been released from Army custody a day after he was detained for putting on an outfit with semblance to the Biafran flag.
This was made known via a video posted by Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike, on his Instagram page on Friday, where Agu was captured with two representatives from the Actors Guild of Nigeria.
According to the video, Agu was released via the intervention of the AGN and according to one of the representatives, the actor is hale and hearty.
When asked for a comment, Agu said, “Keep supporting Nollywood. It’s the only hope we have to sustain both our public and private lives.”
Agu was reportedly on a charity mission to the less privileged when he was arrested by soldiers.
Reacting to his release, Emeka Ike wrote: “Thank you Actors Guild of Nigeria for the prompt response. Thank you, Mr. President and your team. It’s nice to have Chiwetalu Agu back.”
Actress Chizzy Alichi wrote, “Uncle Chinwetalu Agu has been released. He is safe and sound. All thanks to God and everyone that contributed one way or the other.”
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Photo: Man ‘arrests’, ties his debtor to a tree over N4.6m debt
Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a man, Oluchi Okoye for tying his debtor over ₦4.6m debt.
Spokesman of the State Police Command, Adekunle Ajisebutu, said the suspect was nabbed following a complaint by the victim’s wife.
The victim – Reuben Alozie – until his rescue by the police on Thursday was tied to a stick with ropes at No. 29, Abeokuta Street in the Ebute Metta area of Lagos.
Although the creditor tried several means to recover his money but to no success, he thereafter resorted to self-help by tying the debtor for about 24 hours before the police came to his rescue.
Police spokesman explained that policemen attached to the Denton Police Station rescued the victim while apprehending the creditor.
“The suspect tied the victim to a stick with ropes at No. 29, Abeokuta Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos from 22nd September to 23rd September when he was eventually rescued by the police,” the statement partly read.
“According to the suspect, he resorted to self-help after several efforts to recover his money from the victim failed.”
Reacting to the arrest, the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu ordered the transfer of the suspect to the Command’s Tactical team for diligent investigation and prosecution.
He also used the opportunity to “warn people against taking the law into their own hands instead of taking legal actions to seek justice.”
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How Sunday Igboho ‘saw tomorrow’; predicted DSS raid on his home, arrest in Benin Republic – Aide
One of Sunday Igboho’s associates and close allies, Alhaji Yusuf Saheed popularly called Ajikobi 1, has disclosed how his principal predicted his current travails before the DSS raid and detention in Benin Republic custody.
Saheed, who spoke with BBC Yoruba in a monitored interview described Igboho as a man who saw tomorrow.
Recall that Igboho and his wife were arrested on Monday, July 19, 2021 by the International Criminal Police Organisation at the Cadjèhoun Airport in Cotonou, Republic of Benin on their way to Germany. Ropo was later released.
This was after DSS raided his house in Ibadan and declared him wanted for stockpiling arms.
When he was re-arraigned last Monday, fresh charges were levelled against the 48-year-old activist, who was also returned to a new detention facility.
Saheed, while speaking on the travails of his principal, said: “Igboho was a man who saw tomorrow, I was one of those who accepted Sunday Igboho’s struggle and I followed him closely because he was fighting a worthy cause.
“He didn’t look at his status, wealth or riches, but he was after fighting for those who were helpless
“Let us even leave Yourba Nation agitation aside, no one comes into Igboho’s house with tears and leave the same way. He helped people in different ways. Even with the agitation, he was fighting for the masses.
“Igboho told me a secret, we were four on that fateful day, Igboho is like an Angel, he was a man who saw tomorrow, because what happened to him, he had predicted his current predicament.
“He told us that even if anything happens, it is his joy that the agitation must continue, he had spoken down already. He said no going back. So since we must not betray, we must not betray him or the struggle.
“We are happy with the court decision that his bank account and movement should not be restricted, and his followers should not be disturbed for the next 14 days so we can listen to what the federal government has to say.
“Igboho used wisdom in addressing the whole issue, so no one should think the struggle and agitation has died.”
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I am too occupied to be involved; Ngige blasts IPOB, others linking him to Nnamdi Kanu’s re-arrest, trial
Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige has asked the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) to stop linking him to the re-arrest of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Ngige said as the Chief Labour Officer, he lacked the time to meddle into security and diplomatic matters, which clearly fall within the mandate of the Nigerian Security and National Intelligence Agencies.
In a statement by his Media Office in Abuja on Saturday, the Minister described the statement by the IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, attempting to link him with the arrest of Kanu as deceitful, mischievous, malicious and wicked.
The Minister said IPOB and its spokesperson know him (Ngige) very well as a man who calls “a spade a spade” and has no room for “equivocation or speaking from both sides of the mouth” since his days as Governor in Anambra State.
It said: “Ngige is occupied, involved and engrossed with his duties as the Labour and Employment Minister, member of Federal Cabinet Committee for Economic Recovery and member of the Economic Sustainability Committee constituted by President Muhammadu Buhari, which is headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, with the mandate to tackle the challenges and fallouts of COVID-19 and post COVID-19 era.
“It is therefore unthinkable that somebody with grey matter in his brain, except if he is hallucinating like the IPOB spokesman, could accuse a very busy Minister like Senator Ngige of being part of a ‘conspiracy’ for the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu.
“The Minister, being somebody with long-standing experience in the public service, knows the bounds of his office and does not have the time to meddle into Foreign Affairs of Extradition and security matters that clearly fall within the mandate of the Nigerian Diplomatic Missions, national intelligence agencies.
“Ngige is neither the Minister of Police Affairs, Justice, Foreign Affairs nor the National Security Adviser, to start discussing issues of extradition or arrest of a fugitive outside Nigeria’s territory, which are clearly outside his mandate.”
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BREAKING: Police arrest more suspects in connection with Super TV CEO’s murder
The Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday stated that it has arrested more suspects in connection with the murder of late SuperTV boss, Usifo Ataga.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu disclosed this during a briefing and parade of over 1,000 suspects at the Command headquarters in Ikeja.
Although he didn’t give details on the number of suspects arrested and their connection to the murder, Odumosu said the case was progressing and the police would never compromise on it.
He reminded the public the prime suspect, Chidinma Ojokwu, 21, was still a suspect with her rights guaranteed by the constitution, dismissing insinuations the police were attempting to give her a soft landing.
Odumosu said: “We have established a case of conspiracy in the murder and we have arrested more suspects.”
TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Ataga, 50, was killed on June 15 at a shortlet apartment where he was spending weekend with his lover, Ojokwu.
Ojokwu, who earlier confessed to have stabbed the deceased to death before stealing his belongings, later refuted her statement claiming she returned from an errand to find him lying in a pool of his blood.
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Time to arrest the killer herdsmen, By Sonnie Ekwowusi
By Sonnie Ekwowusi
If the Buhari government had deployed the same dogged commitment, policing expertise, capabilities and material resources which it had deployed in re-arresting Nnamdi Kanu and now chasing after Sunday Igboho in apprehending and prosecuting the Fulani killer herdsmen, Nigeria would have been a better country to live in today. Last week Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom re-echoed the same sentiment when he said, “if the federal government has demonstrated capacity to arrest Nnamdi Kanu, they should also exhibit the same zeal, will and decision to arrest the Fulani herdsmen that are terrorizing our state and the country. Let that be done, they are living here with us. If Nnamdi Kanu can be arrested from a foreign land, I believe that if the federal government can exhibit the same will, they will arrest Fulani herdsmen, especially Miyetti Allah who have owned up to the killings in Benue state and have continued to terrorize our land”..
Governor Ortom, undoubtedly, is right. The Fulani killer herdsmen, as you are well aware, have been committing unspeakable atrocities in Nigeria and getting away with them since President Buhari came to power. Apart from killing, maiming and raping their victims to death, the killer herders in conspiracy with their cohorts from Niger Republic have been violating Nigeria’s territorial sovereignty- destroying, encumbering and confiscating farmlands across Nigeria. This has resulted in the scarcity of foodstuffs and soaring prices of foodstuffs in Nigeria. Beating his chest in the euphoria of triumph, Lai Mohammed boasts that it took the Federal Government two years to closely trail and re-arrest Nnamdi Kanu. Which means that over the last two years the Buhari government has been trailing Nnamdi Kanu instead of ridding Nigeria of the most dangerous criminalities and atrocities of the Boko Haram insurgents, dare-devil bandits and Fulani herdsmen murderers. If the Buhari government has become an expert in arresting “enemies” abroad, why hasn’t rescued Miss Leah Sharibu, conscience of the nation and the only Christian girl still held by Islamic overlords for refusing to denounce her Christian faith and embrace Islam.
In contrast, Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufia argues that the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu takes priority over the war against Boko Haram insurgents, bandits and Fulani herdsmen murderers because Nnamdi Kanu is a visible and central leader who was based broad and calling for dissolution of Nigeria. With the greatest respect, I have never heard a more illogical reasoning. It completely lacks merit. It is bunkum only fit for the dustbin. Boko Haram, Fulani Herdsmen and Miyetti Allah all have centralised visible leaders. Why has the Buhari government refused to arrest their respective leaders and charge them for murder? In any case, assuming Boko Haram, bandits and Fulani murder herdsmen have no identifiable leaders, which is denied, what stops the Buhari government from defeating them. What about Miyetti Allah with identifiable leaders which has openly been admitting responsibility for killing many Nigerians? If Nnamdi Kanu is calling for the dissolution of Nigeria as Governor Rufai submits, the Fulani killer herdsmen are committing the worst crime- forcefully displacing Nigerians from their ancestral lands and forcefully occupying them. The latter is the worst tragedy that can befall a people.
For six years the AK-47-carrying Fulani herdsmen and their cohorts from Niger Republic have persistently and pathologically been murdering, maiming, kidnapping and raping their Nigerians victims. They arrest women and children hostage as well as confiscate the farmlands of farmers which in actual fact is a violation of Nigeria’s territorial integrity. Overwhelmed in their forlorn frustration and anguish in the face of the aforesaid crimes, the people had pleaded and pleaded with the Buhari government to declare that the AK-47-weiling Fulani herdsmen are terrorists. But President Buhari has refused to do so. Instead of declaring the Fulani herdsmen killers as terrorists, the Buhari government simply acquiesced in their massacre of Nigerian citizens. In the aftermath of the massacre of about 200 villagers in Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Jos South local government areas of Plateau State in June 2018, Miyetti Allah quickly issued a statement accepting responsibility for the massacre. It admitted that it carried out the massacre in retaliation for alleged Fulani herdsmen who had been killed in the area. According to the Chairman of the North Central zone of Miyetti Allah Danladi Ciroma, “These attacks are retaliatory …Fulani herdsmen have lost about 300 cows in the last few weeks — 94 cows were rustled by armed Berom youth in Fan village, another 36 cows were killed by Berom youth. In addition to that, 174 cattle were rustled and the criminals disappeared with them to Mangu [Local Government]…Since these cows were not found, no one should expect peace in the areas”. Till date the Buhari government has refused to arrest or interrogate Ciroma for declaring war on Nigeria. Neither has the government deemed it fit to declare Miyetti Allah a terrorist organization for inciting the public, waging war against Nigeria and for fanning the embers of disunity in Nigeria.
I hold no brief or sympathy for any Nnamdi Kanu or Sunday Igboho. It is trite criminal law that criminal suspects such as Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho upon reasonable suspicion and evidence that they had committed offence or offences known to law, could, pursuant to the rule of law, be arrested and charged to court and punished if found guilty upon proof beyond reasonable doubt. I wholly subscribe to this trite law. However it is detestable and repugnant to good conscience to operate two criminal justice systems in Nigeria- one for the privileged which allows the Fulani killer herdsmen, Miyetti Allah sponsors and bandit killers to escape arrest, prosecution and punishment, and, the second criminal justice system for the non-privileged and infidels aimed at persecuting and prosecuting the Nnamdi Kanus and Sunday Igbohos of this world. No month passes in Nigeria without the Fulani herdsmen killers invading a Nigerian community and killing, maiming and sacking the residents of the community. On May 30 2021 the Fulani killer herdsmen, in large numbers, invaded three border communities of Benue State, killing and inflicting gunshot and machete injuries on the residents. On or around May 29 2021 no fewer than 42 persons were reportedly killed by the Fulani herdsmen in separate attacks in Katsina Ala and Gwer West local councils of Benue State. And in June 2021 not less than 10 persons were reportedly killed by the Fulani herdsmen killers Igangan, in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State. What is the response of President Buhari to these recent killings? Acquiescence. Silence.
This is unacceptable. This is the time to arrest the Fulani herdsmen killers and bring them justice. Sad that the Fulani herdsmen killers have killed thousands upon thousands of innocent Nigerians in the last six years but unfortunately so single Fulani herdsmen murderer has been arrested let alone prosecuted in the law court. The Buhari government should stop harbouring criminals. Nobody is above the law of the land. All criminals are equal before the law. The Fulani herdsmen murderers should not be treated as sacred cows while other criminal suspects are treated as escape goats. What is good for the goose is equally good for the gander.
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UK parliament to debate Kenya’s role in Nnamdi Kanu’s arrest, repatriation today
The United Kingdom Parliament is set to commence a debate on the repatriation of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, from Kenya to Nigeria today (Wednesday).
The British government had clarified that Nnamdi Kanu, who was travelling with a British passport, was not arrested within its shores.
IPOB had accused the Buhari regime of abducting its leader in an East African country, a claim confirmed by Kanu’s attorney, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who accused Kenya’s special police force of arresting and torturing him before he was handed over to the Nigerian government.
Meanwhile, Kenya High Commissioner to Nigeria, Wilfred Machage, had refuted claims that Kanu was arrested in the country.
But the UK Parliament, in a parliamentary schedule posted on its website said it will set aside a debate on Wednesday, July 7, to discuss the British government’s assessment of Kenya’s role in Mr. Kanu’s arrest.
According to the document, Lord Alton of Liverpool will be raising the issue at the House of Lords and will query the government on the separatist leader’s transfer to Nigeria.
“Lord Alton of Liverpool to ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the alleged role of the government of Kenya in the detention and alleged mistreatment of Nigerian activist Nnamdi Kanu, (2) the circumstances surrounding the transfer of Mr. Kanu to Nigeria against his will, and (3) of any assistance being provided to him by the High Commission in Abuja. HL1665,” the document read.
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Kenyan interior ministry says unaware of Nnamdi Kanu arrest
Kenya’s interior ministry said it was unaware that Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leader was arrested in the country as Nigerian government also refused to confirm reports linking Kenya.
Reuters said a spokeswoman for the Kenyan interior ministry said it was not aware of the matter.
Although the country’s foreign affairs ministry in Nairobi snubbed media enquiries, Kenya’s The Star newspaper has further shed light on Kanu’s arrest in the country.
According to the paper, Kanu had apparently arrived in Kenya when he was stopped at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on June 26.
“He was handed over to Nigeria the following day.
“He was headed for his house in Kileleshwa when authorities stopped him for questioning. He was settled in Nairobi but was coming from Germany via Israel.
“We will hold Kenyan and Nigerian government responsible for whatever may happen to my brother. We don’t know why they did this to him. It is an incident of extraordinary rendition,” said Kingsley Kanu.
Other officials said they knew Kanu was to stay in Nairobi for sometime when he was detained over an immigration issue.
“He had arrived in Kenya using a British passport ,” said the senior security official who asked not to be named.
He was later flown to Nigeria the following day. This was after the Nigerian officials in Nairobi confirmed he was wanted back home.
On Thursday, Information minister Lai Mohammed declined to disclose any details on the re-arrest of Kanu, despite the varied speculation over which country was involved in his capture, after he went on the run four years ago.
Kanu had skipped bail and disappeared while facing trial in 2017.
He was believed to be living in London until he was brought to court in handcuffs in Abuja on Tuesday.
“The re-arrest was made possible by the diligent efforts of our security and intelligence agencies, in collaboration with countries with which we have obligations,” Information Minister Lai Mohammed told reporters.
“We continue to respect and honour the obligations,” he said, giving no further details.
The circumstances of Kanu’s arrest have been the subject of intense media speculation in Nigeria, where reports have named the United Kingdom, Brazil, the Czech Republic and Israel as countries where Kanu may have been in recent times.
The UK said Kanu was not arrested in the country and added it would take up his matter with the authorities. Kanu is also a UK citizen.
IPOB said Kanu was “abducted” and it would give details later.
Lai Mohammed said Kanu was facing 11 counts including treason, terrorism and illegal possession of firearms.
His case is due to resume in court on July 26-27.
