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Tag: Killing

  • Gov Abiodun reacts to killing of Ogun monarch, three others

    Gov Abiodun reacts to killing of Ogun monarch, three others

    Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun has condemned the gruesome murder of Olu of Agodo, Oba Ayinde Odetola, and has directed security operatives in the state to immediately fish out the killers.

    Oba Odetola and his three aides were killed on Monday by yet- to- identified gunmen and their corpses burnt to ashes.

    Governor abiodun reacted to the dastardly act in a statement issued in Abeokuta and signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, on Tuesday in Abeokuta.

    Abiodun vowed to bring to justice the perpetrators of the assassination of the traditional ruler and his aides.

    The governor described the incident as unfortunate, saying that politics, land and chieftaincy matters should not attract descent to self-help and killings.

    He declared that his administration would not tolerate a breach of the peace and harmony being currently enjoyed in the state.

    Abiodun sent a stern warning to those threatening the peace of the state, adding that government would stop at nothing to deal decisively with the perpetrators by prosecuting and meting out the full wrath of the law on them.

    “Security of lives and property tops our responsibilities as a government and we will not allow people to take laws into their hands,” the governor was quoted as saying.

    He also warned that parents and guardians should call their children and wards to order and no plea for clemency would be tolerated for acts of brigandage, murder and illegal conducts.

    “We have zero-tolerance for these ignoble conducts. Politics, land and chieftaincy disputes are no excuses for people to take laws into their hands. All hirelings, parents and guardians should call their wards to order.

    “OP-MESA, Joint Internal Security Task Force, Amotekun, vigilance groups, Police and NSCDC are not mere toothless bulldogs.

    “They are armed and deployed to strike agent provocateurs,” he said.

    The governor, however, commiserated with the family of the late traditional ruler and the residents of Agodo town, assuring them that the killers would not go unpunished for carrying out the heinous act.

  • Anambra community, Police disagree over killing of 20-year-old lady

    Anambra community, Police disagree over killing of 20-year-old lady

    The shooting to death of Miss Chidimma Ezeanochie, 20, of Umudansu Village, Azia Community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra has generated arguments between the Police and the Community.

    Chidinma was shot to death on Nov. 25 when while running an errand for her mother in the company of her 14-year-old brother.

    The community in a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, accused the police of directly shooting the girl at close range while her brother escaped narrowly.

    The police have refuted the allegation, however.

    The petition is entitled: “Gruesome murder of Miss Chidimma Ezeanochie by policemen of Special Unit deployed from Awka to Orsumoghu on Nov. 25, 2021’’.

    It is signed by Dr Tonna Nwabueze, President-General of Azia General Assembly.

    The community described the murder as gruesome, wicked and totally unacceptable to it and demanded for justice from the police hierarchy.

    According to the petition, Chidimma and her brother were shot at, at close range by a team member of the Special Unit from inside an armoured vehicle.

    “Fortunately the brother was spared, but the bullet scattered our daughter’s head with the brain matter on the ground.

    “She died instantly. It’s quite unimaginable because there was no form of provocation that could be linked to this.

    “Presently her body is deposited at a hospital morgue at Okija, Anambra.

    “About 100 meters from the site of this incident, the police equally opened fire on a Sienna Space Bus parked by a block industry.

    “We contacted the Area Commander of the police on this and he told us that the policemen are a Special Unit from Awka deployed in Orsumoghu against the proscribed Independent Peoples of Biafra boys,’’ it stated.

    Reacting to the petition, however, the police in Anambra condoled with the family of Miss Chidimma, but exonerated themselves from her murder.

    In a statement signed by DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, Police Public Relations Officer, the police denied the community’s claim.

    Ikenga stated that earlier on that day, a police escort team consisting of seven policemen and three civilian drivers traveling through Azia/Osumoghu Road was ambushed by some armed men.

    He added that two police officers were killed in the attack and their bodies burnt while one of the officers was still missing.

    According to him, the peddlers of the misinformation about Chidinma’s death anchored their claims on the fact that they saw an Armoured Personnel Carrier passing through Azia/Osumoghu junction when the alleged incident happened.

    “The police rescue team on arrival at Azia/Osumoghu junction came under indiscriminate shooting with Improvised Explosive Devices thrown at their vehicles by hoodlums who earlier attacked a police escort team.

    “Police operatives repelled the attack and recovered two earlier stolen rifles belonging to the police; throughout the operation no innocent citizen, talk less of children were sighted in the area.

    “It is therefore a surprise to hear about the death of an innocent lady who may have been killed by the indiscriminate firing by the insurgents,’’ Ikenga stated.

    Ikenga added that Mr Echeng Echeng, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra was saddened by the incident and extended his hearty condolences to the bereaved family.

    Echeng assured that the police, in synergy with sister security forces and host communities, would work to put an end to insecurity in that part of the state and ensure that such incidents did not reoccur.

  • El-Rufai appeals for calm over murder of cleric in Zangon Kataf LG

    El-Rufai appeals for calm over murder of cleric in Zangon Kataf LG

    Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has appealed for calm over the killing of a Pastor in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area.

    This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner, for Internal Security and Home Affairs in Kaduna.

    El-rufai urged security agencies to apprehend the killers.

    “Security agencies have reported to the Kaduna State Government the killing of , Pastor of ECWA Church, Kibori-Asha Awuce, in Zangon Kataf LGA, by assailants.

    The Governor expressed deep sadness over the killing.

    The Governor offered prayers for the repose of the soul of the cleric.

    El-rufai condoled with the ECWA Church in Kibori-Asha Awuce.

    He prayed for God to grant them fortitude and comfort over this sudden and painful loss.

    “Security agencies are conducting investigations in the general area. “Aruwan said.

  • LASU management reacts to killing of former student

    LASU management reacts to killing of former student

    The management of the Lagos State University (LASU),Ojo, has assured the entire students of the institution that all issues surrounding the attack on one of its former students and a staff member will be adequately addressed.

    Mr Ademola Adekoya , the Coordinator of the Centre for Information Press and Public Relations,LASU, gave the assurance in a statement he signed and released to newsmen on Friday in Lagos.

    Adekoya said that the management commended the students’ union and the entire students for their maturity and restraint since the attack by suspected armed robbers on the former student and a staff member of LASU occurred.

    “The management received with great shock, the report of an attack on a former student of the university, Mr. Nurudeen Alowonle, and a staff member, Mr. Waheed Majekodunmi, a Senior Assistant Registrar, which led to the untimely death of Alowonle.

    “The incident took place in the evening of Wednesday , Aug.18, outside the university campus, along the Egbeda-Igando Road.

    “The university management is deeply saddened by the incident and expresses its heartfelt condolences to the immediate and extended families of the deceased, his colleagues,friends and the students’ union,” he said.

    Adekoya added that since the sad incident occurred, the social media had been circulating several accounts, many of which were inaccurate and misleading, of circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident.

    “We have refrained from making a hurried statement until now in order to ascertain the facts considering the very sensitive nature of the incident,” he said in the statement.

    Adekoya said that the university was putting the true position about the incident before the public based on the outcome of its investigations as follows;

    “That the deceased former student, Alowonle ,was yet to receive his certificate due to an ongoing disciplinary case that he was facing in the university and a panel presiding over his case began sitting in 2019.

    “The case continued until 2020 but the panel could not sit due to the COVID-19 pandemic then. He was, however, invited by the panel, along other students who had ongoing disciplinary cases to defend themselves.

    “Alowonle appeared before the panel that day and was even the first student attended to by the panel, and his case was concluded before 2.00 p.m.

    “He ostensibly remained on the university campus until late in the evening during which time he met up with Mr. Waheed Majekodunmi,” the statement said.

    Adekoya said that the duo stayed at the university senior staff club until past 8.00 p.m., after which they left together through the Iba Gate of the university for their destinations.

    “Unable to get vehicles at the school junction as it was late in the day, the duo were said to have trekked several meters away from the gate ostensibly in search of a vehicle.

    “Unfortunately, they were attacked by suspected men of the underworld, dispossessed them of their valuables and shot them.

    “The staff member, Majekodunmi, was lucky to have escaped with gunshot wounds and eventually got helped by passers-by to a nearby hospital, but the former student did not survive the attack.

    “The body of the deceased was said to have been deposited in a mortuary in Lagos, while the injured staff member is currently receiving treatment at the University Health Centre and responding well to treatment,” he said.

    Adekoya said that the university security department was working with the security agencies to investigate the sad incident with the aim of bringing the perpetrators to book.

  • Buhari condemns massacre of 21 travellers in Plateau, orders manhunt for killers

    Buhari condemns massacre of 21 travellers in Plateau, orders manhunt for killers

    The Presidency has condemned the attack on travellers from a religious event in Bauchi, passing through Jos, Plateau State Capital.

    A presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, in a statement on Saturday night, said the Presidency regretted the deaths of at least 21 persons with several others injured in the ambush.

    He said President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of what he called “gruesome massacre of innocent travellers” and bring them to justice in line with his commitment to protect all Nigerians.

    The Presidency commended the ongoing efforts by the Governors of Plateau, Bauchi, and Ondo; the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Sa’ad Abubakar III, and Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi as well as a number of notable Christian and Muslim leaders for intensifying efforts to calm down the situation.

    The Presidency, which offered condolences to the families of the victims, had continued to liaise with the local authorities, including security, the police, and governmental agencies.

    The statement titled ‘Presidency Strongly Condemns Hoodlum Attacks on Travellers’ read: “It is widely known that Plateau State has been one of the states affected by herder-farmer clashes, which have, in a significant way, been curtailed following the intense peace-building efforts of the administration of Governor Simon Lalong.

    “However, to be clear, this is not an agriculturalist-on-pastoralist confrontation – but rather a direct, brazen and wickedly motivated attack on members of a community exercising their rights to travel freely and to follow the faith of their choosing.

    “With the evident preparedness of their attackers, it is clear this was a well-conceived and prearranged assault on a known target, location and religious persuasion of the travellers not an opportunist ambush.

    “These kinds of attacks on our country’s citizens are unacceptable, heinous, and stand in complete contradiction to the teachings of the great religions of our nation.

    “The Presidency stands steadfast with both Christians and Muslims at this time in condemnation of this latest attack and expects and insists that justice is swiftly – but fairly – delivered to the perpetrators.”

  • Killing of Ahmed Gulak senseless, wicked – South West governors

    Killing of Ahmed Gulak senseless, wicked – South West governors

    The Chairman of the South West Governors Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu has described the killing of the former Special Adviser on Political Matters in the last Administration, Ahmed Gulak as senseless and wicked.

    Akeredolu in a statement personally signed by him in Akure, the Ondo state capital said the killing of the All Progressive Congress chieftain was “very shocking and disturbing.

    He said “This is one murder too many. It is senseless and wicked. “The perpetrators of this heinous act are enemies of this country. This contrivance is meant to mislead, confuse and destroy.

    “It bears the unmistakable, despicable imprints of fifth columnists bent on setting the country on the path of conflagration. These criminals must not be allowed to succeed.

    The statement reads “The news of the death of an APC chieftain and former Special Adviser on Political Matters in the last Administration, Ahmed Gulak, in Owerri, Imo State, this morning, is very shocking and disturbing.

    “The details of the tragic incident remain sketchy.

    “A press statement credited to the Imo State Police Command claimed that some bandits were responsible for the gruesome murder of a man who was a visitor to the State. This is unacceptable.

    “This cowardly act is calculated to instigate Nigerians against each other, particularly Northerners, against the Igbo living outside the South East. “We must confront the enemies of the people with a view to neutralizing them.

    “This is definitely not the time for political correctness. Banditry should not be allowed to subvert the legitimacy of the current Government at all levels.

    “We call on all security agencies to collaborate with a view to unveiling the criminal elements sponsoring and undertaking terrorist acts. they must be punished, severely.

    “We want to use this medium to express our solidarity with our brother Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma.

    “We admonish him and other Governors in the South Eastern States to brace up, and confront the current security challenge to put an end to the bloodbath in the land. Akeredolu said that “The enemies of the people always employ the weapon of fear to create disaffection in the polity.

  • Nigeria has become a massive killing field – Kukah

    Nigeria has become a massive killing field – Kukah

    Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Hassan Mathew Kukah has observed that there is a growing fear among Nigerians whether the country’s glory is about to depart owing to Boko Haram, banditry, Kidnapping, armed robbery and other merchants of death happening across the nation.

    He made this known in his Easter message titled, ‘Before our Glory Departs’, according to him today the citizens of this country are being traumatised by bandits.

    “The nation has since become a massive killing field, as both government and the governed look on helplessly. A thick and suffocating cloud of desperation, despondency, desolation, gloom, and misery hangs in the hot air.

    “We have no message and have no idea how long this will last. Our people seek solace and protection, but frustration and darkness threaten to drown them. Is their government on AWOL?”

    According to him, there is collective fear as to whether Nigeria’s glory is about to depart!

    He noted that retired military and intelligence officers lament over what has become of their glorious profession as they watch the humiliation of our military personnel. Traumatised citizens are tortured daily by bandits.

    “Two weeks ago, I came across a video in which a very frustrated Muslim cleric, addressing a Muslim audience, lamented: If you killed 200 chickens in the farm of any of the big farmers, you will be dealt with. But today, we are being killed. It is your fault. On the day of elections, you say, it is Jihad! Christians will take over Nigeria! Ok, the Christians did not take Nigeria. It has been left in the hands of those who sit and see us being killed.

    “If we are killed, the head says, God forbid! He was not elected to say God forbid. This imaginary jihad won the elections now where are the jihadists? The lesson here is that politicians will use religion to mobilise for elections, but they cannot use it to govern.”

    Also he said, “The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria weighed in with a strong statement on February 23, 2021, titled, We Must Pull Back from the Brink of Collapse. Part of the statement read: The very survival of the nation is at stake. The nation is pulling apart. Widespread serious insecurity for long unaddressed has left the sad and dangerous impressions that those who have assumed the duty and authority to secure the nation are either unable, or worse, unwilling to take up the responsibilities to their office. Patience is running out. Sadly, all of these warnings are still falling on deaf ears.”

    However, he pointed out that “It may sound strange, but for us Christians, the celebration of the resurrection of Christ is the greatest assurance that all these will pass away.

    “This is not a call for us to simply sit on our hands or believe we can pray our crises away. As pointed out above, the sufferings of Jesus and His Cross provide us with the perfect mirror of our hope. St. Paul reminds us: We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed.

    “We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body (2 Cor. 4:9). These are the hallmarks of our faith. We must remain steadfast.

    To this end he appealed to Christians to continue in the spirit of the Gospel, saying, ‘the teachings of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. St. Paul says: Though He was God, he humbled himself, became man and remained obedient up till death (Phil. 2:6ff).

    “Following in His steps, we Christians have lived through the life of martyrdom. Jesus taught us how to pray for our enemies (Mt. 5:44). Although His teachings are hard (Jn. 6:60), it was not the guns of a powerful army that brought down the walls of Jericho.

    “The prayers of the priests did (Jos. 6:20). Jesus defied the temptations of coming down from the Cross. He knew there was a higher truth deferred. It was fulfilled on Easter day. No matter the provocation, we must arm ourselves with the weapons of truth, the Word, the Spirit, and love. At the heart of Christianity is the Truth and Love.

    “Today, many of us erroneously speak about the trial of Jesus by Pilate on Good Friday. In reality, it was Pilate who stood trial, not Jesus. Pilate sat on a throne to judge what he himself was ignorant of–the truth. Chained by ignorance, the powerful often grope around a twilight zone between truth and lies.

    “At the mention of the word “Truth” by Jesus, Pilate was jolted from his chair. In trepidation and apprehension, the mighty man says, Truth, what is that? (Jn. 18:38). Pilate was looking for the Truth but did not recognise it when it stood right before him. In every age, the seduction of raw power tends to blind the Pilates of this world to the truth.

    “Bishop Kukah noted when governments face legitimacy crises, they fall back on serving the sour broth of propaganda, half-truths, and outright lies, saying,’ they manufacture consent by creating imaginary enemies, setting citizens against one another by deploying religion, ethnicity, region, and other platforms while appealing to the base emotions of patriotism.

    “We forget the reality that without truth, the throne of power often turns into a cage, and the occupant is turned into a prisoner. In reality, the truth needs neither a judge nor a witness. The truth is its own judge and witness. Without the truth, as the old song says, all else is sinking sand!”

    Nigeria has become a massive killing field ― Bishop Kukah

  • ‘Shocking’, ‘strange’, Osun Government reacts to killing of six family members by unknown gunmen

    ‘Shocking’, ‘strange’, Osun Government reacts to killing of six family members by unknown gunmen

    The Osun Government has condemned the killings of six family members at Wasinmi in Irewole Local Government Area of the state by unknown gunmen.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the Police Command in the state had confirmed the killings which took place on Saturday night.

    Mr Benedict Alabi, the state Deputy Governor, who paid a condolence visit to the bereaved family on Sunday, described the killings as disheartening and unfortunate.

    Alabi, who was received by scores of family members of the deceased and some leaders in the community, described the incident as a case of brutal assassination.

    The deputy governor assured the community that the perpetrators would be brought to book in no distant time.

    He added that the state government had ordered the security agencies in the state to fish out the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

    The deputy governor was accompanied by the state Commissioner for Finance, Mr Bola Oyebamiji and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Mrs Abiodun Ige.

    He urged members of the community and the indigenes of the state to remain calm, while assuring them that the government would continue to provide security across the state.

    “This is a very unfortunate incident and we are very sad about it as a government.

    “It is shocking and strange to our communities.

    “We are here on behalf of the state government to sympathise with you and we are assuring you that those criminal elements that perpetrated this evil act would not go scot-free.

    “We have also ordered security agencies to swing into action and fish them out to face the wrath of the law”, the deputy governor said.

    He, however, called on members of the community to assist security agents with useful information that could speed up the arrest of the killers.

  • Ogbomosho killing: We fired tear gas, not bullets at EndSARS protesters – Police

    Ogbomosho killing: We fired tear gas, not bullets at EndSARS protesters – Police

    The Police Command in Oyo State has debunked the reported shooting of EndSARS protesters in Ogbomoso by its personnel.

    TheNewsGuru had earlier reported that some youths had, on Saturday, stormed major streets in Ogbomoso to demand the ban of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), an arm of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). One of the protesters was said to have been shot by the police in the process.

    According to an eyewitness, the victim was shot in the leg by the police when the protesters reached Owode police station in Ogbomoso. The witness said that the man was shot, as the policemen were trying to ensure that the station was not attacked by the protesters.

    He added that the victim had been rushed to an undisclosed hospital in the town.

    However, the Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Olugbenga Fadeyi, in a statement issued in Ibadan on Saturday, said that the police did not fire a single shot at any protester.

    Fadeyi said that the protesters were allowed to express their grievances for over one hour. “According to the information I gathered from the officers monitoring the protest, the police did not fire shot at anybody.

    “The protesters were allowed for over one hour to carry out their protest and express their grievances until when some of them wanted to forcefully enter the police station with a view to attacking it. “The police only fired teargas to disperse the protesters; they did not fire shot at anybody as widely reported,’’ Fadeyi said.

  • Five feared killed as Sagamu protest killing of Remo’s footballer

    Five feared killed as Sagamu protest killing of Remo’s footballer

    Five persons, including two policemen, were feared killed after hundreds of protesters including women and children flooded streets in Sagamu, Ogun State to register their anger over the death of footballer Kazeem Tiamiyu.

    Tiamiyu, a player with Remo Star Football Club, was killed on Saturday after policemen attached to the Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS) arrested him on allegations of being a Yahoo Boy.

    The protesters stormed the palace of Babatunde Ajayi, the paramount ruler of Remoland, demanding justice for the deceased.

    Gbenga Daniel, a former governor of Ogun; Funmi Efuwape, member representing Remo federal constituency at the house of representatives, and Adewunmi Onanuga, commissioner of women affairs and social development, were among those who appealed to the protesters.

    Kazeem was said to have been killed after he was mistaken for a suspected internet fraudster (Yahoo boy).

    The police have denied the incident, saying the deceased tried escaping after arrest and was knocked down by an oncoming vehicle.

    Sanni Abubakar, his team mate who was with him when the incident occurred, confirmed that Tiyamiyu was pushed out of the vehicle and knocked down by an oncoming vehicle.