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Tag: kogi

  • Group decries kidnapping upsurge in Kogi, attacks on worshippers

    Group decries kidnapping upsurge in Kogi, attacks on worshippers

    The socio-cultural Development Association of the Yoruba people of Kogi State, Okun Development Association (ODA), has condemned in strong terms, the attack on worshippers at a church in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that gunmen invaded ECWA Goodnews Church. Okedayo, in Kabba, Kogi, on Sunday, killed one person, injured three and abducted two worshipers.

    A statement by ODA National Secretary, Pastor Ben Abereoran, on Tuesday in Lokoja, decried the needless attack on innocent people who gathered to worship their God in line with their religious tenets.

    He noted that the church attack was among the numerous insecurity issues bedeviling the communities in Okun land, saying, ”the attack and the attendant loss of life is barbaric, unfortunate and extremely very sad”.

    According to him, it was the fear of this and similar occurrences in different parts of Okunland that made ODA to earlier appeal passionately to the State Government to reconsider her open door policy to herders.

    ”Those who disguised as ordinary people going about for their survival, whereas they had and still harbor evil intentions. Today, we all know better.

    ”Also, the Jail break at the Federal Minimum Correctional Centre, Kabba, and the Kidnappings in Ijumu, Kabba-Bunu, Mopa Amuro, Oworo land, Yagba East and Yagba West Local Government Areas, are alien to our land.

    ”We call for improved security in the area towards nipping the recent upsurge in kidnapping in Okun land. Security agencies must rise up to their responsibility of protecting lives and property of the people.

    The group scribe further called on all security apparatus in the country to come and save Okun people from kidnappings, savagery, banditry and killings being carried out by yet to be identified persons.

    ”We make this call all the time, hoping that the authorities will rise to the occasion. Sadly, it gets worse with each passing day.

    ”What can the people do if the security agencies are unable to provide adequate security cover to the people?

    ”We the ODA do not want to believe that the security agencies lack the ability and capacity to decisively deal with this situation.

    ”This is why we once again appeal to our political leadership across board, for the sake of millions of young innocent children and the overall long-term interest of Nigeria, to demonstrate the political will and put this menace to rest once and for all,” he said.

    Abereoran urged the Local Government Chairmen to sit up and justify the trust of the people by partnering with relevant stakeholders like traditional rulers to arrest the externally imposed current situation in Okunland.

  • 4 die, 2 missing as bus plunged into River Niger in Kogi

    4 die, 2 missing as bus plunged into River Niger in Kogi

    Four persons have been reported dead and two others missing when a passenger bus plunged into River Niger in Koton Karfe area of Kogi.

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Lokoja.

    It stated that a Toyota Hiace bus with 15 passengers on board plunged into the river late Tuesday night.

    Mr Solomon Agure, the state Sector Commander of the FRSC, who confirmed this said the bus with registration number Plateau – JJN 73 XA, took off from Ijora Seven Up under bridge in Lagos and was heading to Kano.

    According to Agure, four people including a woman died in the accident while seven others were critically injured.

    He said that the corps engaged the services of eight divers to rescue victims and recovered four dead bodies.

    Agure explained that two female passengers were still missing, saying that all efforts to trace their bodies proved abortive.

    He, however, explained that two passengers escaped unhurt.

    The sector commander said that the injured victims and the dead were taken to the General Hospital, Koton Karfe, and the bus recovered and taken to FRSC office also in Koton Karfe.

  • Kogi Rep calls security agents to action over rising spate of armed banditry, abduction, killings in Kabba

    Kogi Rep calls security agents to action over rising spate of armed banditry, abduction, killings in Kabba

    …says it’s painful these bandits made Kabba their target

    By Emman Ovuakporie

    Apparently peeved by worsening security challenges in and around Kabba, Kabba-Bunu LGA in the past one week, lawmaker representing Kabba/Bunnu/Ijumu Federal Constituency of Kogi State, Hon Tajudeen Yusuf has called on security operatives to immediately act to save his constituents.

    TheNewsGuru.com,(TNG) reports this development has led to the death, kidnap and dastardly attacks on persons, buildings, institutions, farmlands and a church.

    Yusuf called for immediate actions by relevant security agencies, and result-driven strategies that will restore peace and order in the affected communities and their environs.

    While commiserating with victims of these unfortunate and dastardly armed attacks on the people of Kabba-Bunu LGA, wondered why, ” these faceless armed bandits decided to unleash terror, brigandage, and pains on residents of these communities and the entire LGA, who are generally peaceful, law abiding, accommodating, while going about their normal daily activities.

    “It is not only shocking but very painful that within days, the armed bandits turned Kabba-Bunu LGA to their target, unleashing sorrow, grief, pain and wailing on the people.

    “First, it was the gestapo-style attack on the Kabba correctional prison where many inmates were forcefully released. Next was the abduction of three poultry workers in Egbeda; a community in Kabba. Shockingly, these armed bandits last Sunday, attacked worshippers at the ECWA Church in Okedayo, Kabba, leading to death, kidnapping and injuries to innocent people.”

    According to media reports, at the end of the attack on the ECWA Church, Okedayo-Kabba, one person lost his life, two persons, including the pioneer Provost of College of Education (Technical), Kabba, Chief Oshadumo J.O.T, were kidnapped, while his wife, some students and other worshippers sustained gun shot wounds.

    Yusuf explained that, “it is shocking that a group of people with evil minds and devilish attitudes will carry out such cruel, barbaric and animalistic actions on communities and people known for hard work, love, peace and unity.

    “These heinous, senseless, and unimaginable attacks are not only outrightly callous, but also inhuman and clear demonstration of vicious wickedness at its zenith.

    “Indeed, these spate of recent gruesome attacks on communities in Kabba-Bunu LGA, as well as other similar armed bandits operations in other communities in Kabba-Bunu Ijumu Federal Constituency, and the entire Okun Nation, should be serially condemned by everyone.

    “As a result of their activities and operations, the peace loving people of Okun Nation now live in perpetual fear, anxiety and worries. Also, trading and economic activities have been badly, grossly affected. Given the agrarian nature of our communities, people can no longer go to their farms for fear of intimidation, attacks, maiming, kidnapping and killings by these armed bandits.”

    “While acknowledging the efforts of the Police and other security agencies in tracking these armed bandits towards putting an end to their activities in communities within and around Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency, Hon. Teejay Yusuf charged, “security agencies to evolve more result-driven strategies to arrest the perpetrators of these crimes. Also, our security agencies should be more proactive and ingenious in terms of intelligence, information gathering and operations.

    “Similarly, I call on the Federal Government and the State Government to intensify efforts and increase necessary support to security agencies in tackling and putting an end to the activities of armed bandits in our communities.”

     

  • FG engages interpol to track, recapture Kogi fleeing inmates

    FG engages interpol to track, recapture Kogi fleeing inmates

    The federal government has mobilized a special taskforce from INTERPOL to recapture fleeing Kogi State inmates.

    No fewer than 240 inmates had escaped following an attack on the medium security custodial centre in Kabba area of the state by unknown gunmen at the early hours of Monday.

    However, speaking on the development, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said that efforts are ongoing to bring them back into custody.

    According to a statement by Sola Fasure, Media Adviser to the Minister, the government has put INTERPOL on notice with the details of the inmates, in case any of them attempts fleeing to other countries.

    “A Crisis Response Centre has been activated and a special taskforce mobilized to recapture escaped inmates whilst an Inter-Agency Security Task Force is already on the trail of the gunmen who attacked the facility.

    “We shall leave no stone unturned to bring them back to custody.

    “We are also putting INTERPOL on notice with their details, in case any of them attempts fleeing outside our shores.

    “We urge the people, especially the communities around the custodial facility, to be vigilant and report any strange and suspicious persons or activities to the nearest law enforcement agency.

    “The public is advised to stay calm as the situation is under control,” the statement quoted Aregbesola to have said.

  • 21-year-old suspected drug addict beats father to death

    21-year-old suspected drug addict beats father to death

    A21-year-old suspected drug addict, identified as Muhammed Yusuf, has allegedly committed patricide by beating his septuagenarian father, Alhaji Ibrahim Yusuf, to death.

    The suspect was said to have been alone with the father when he allegedly committed the crime at St. Mary Primary School area of Lokoja on Wednesday night.

    According to one of the neighbours, Miss Bello Nana, the boy had been misbehaving since Wednesday morning and she urged the father to report him to the police and get him arrested to avoid problems.

    She said that the suspect, a Senior Secondary School Certificate (SSSC) holder who had vehemently refused to further his education despite efforts by the father, had taken to drugs.

    Nana said on the fateful day, she went to work around 4 pm to close by 12 midnight but closed at 10 pm and decided to go home but “When I came home, I knocked the gate and nobody opened it.”

    She said that when she opened the gate herself and let herself into the house with her spare key and asked of Baba, the suspect said the septuagenarian was not around.

    Knowing that the old man does not go out anything after 6 pm and that Baba would always lock his door, she asked the young man where Baba had gone.

    “He answered from Baba’s room and knowing that Baba don’t normally allow him to enter his room, I became suspicious of what he was doing there and I immediately called my fiance.

    “We called Baba’s phone number but it was switched off”, she said, adding that this made them to go to the police to lodge a complaint and came back to the house with policemen.

    “When we entered the room Baba was lying in a pool of blood still breathing, that was how we rushed him to the hospital. This morning, we heard the news that Baba is dead,” Nana narrated.

    Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Williams Aya (DSP), said the suspect had been arrested.

    “We got information yesterday around 9 p.m. that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of ‘A’ Division Police Station, Lokoja received a distress call that Muhammad Yusuf, 21-year-old of behind St. Mary Primary School, Lokoja, attacked and injured his father.

    “The police moved to the scene where they met the victim Yusuf Ibrahim in a pool of his blood with serious injury on his head.

    “He was rushed to the Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, for treatment and the suspect was arrested.

    “But today, around 9:30 am, one of the victim’s sons came to the station and reported that their father had died while receiving treatment.

    “So, the Police went there, took photographs and deposited the body at the mortuary for autopsy”, he said, adding that investigation into the matter has commenced.

  • We don’t need your N10m chicken change, Kidnappers tell family of abducted Kogi Pharmacist

    We don’t need your N10m chicken change, Kidnappers tell family of abducted Kogi Pharmacist

    Emman Ovuakporie

    The abductors of Alhaji Abdulazeez Obajimoh, the Managing Director of AZECO pharmacy in Okene, Kogi State took a new twist as the bandits rejected the N10 million ransom offered by his family, insisting on N30 million to secure his freedom.

    The Pharmacist was abducted by gunmen in Iruvucheba community in Okenne local government area of Kogi State, on Sunday afternoon, July 11.

    According to a family source, the kidnappers called on Thursday to make demand for a ransom and rejected the initial N10 million ransom offered by the family, calling it “chicken change”

    The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Kogi State chapter, had earlier decried the incessant attacks and abduction of its members across the state.

    The state chairman of PSN, Dr Lawal Muhammed, urged the perpetrators and the general public not to see pharmacists as being rich, adding that “most of the money invested in pharmaceuticals are loans from banks.”

    Mohammed also called on the state government and security agencies to map out strategies to curb the menace.

  • NDLEA uncovers drug cartels in Kogi, Nasarawa, Benue states

    NDLEA uncovers drug cartels in Kogi, Nasarawa, Benue states

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has discovered three drug cartels allegedly supplying illicit substances to some states.
    The agency also recovered skunk and cocaine weighing more than 843 kilogrammes.
    NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy Femi Babafemi announced the discovery in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.
    Babafemi said that the operatives also arrested no fewer than seven of the drug kingpins behind the syndicates in separate raids in Kogi, Nasarawa State and Benue.
    He said that the arrest was made as the offenders attempted to evade the frequent road interdiction efforts by officers of the Kogi command of the agency.
    He also said that the cartels were intercepted on July 12 at a jetty in Idah, Kogi, in a car marked Lagos SMK 345 CG, loaded with 487 kilogrammes of cannabis.
    “In Nasarawa State, a team of NDLEA operatives had on July 8 raided one of the most hostile drug joints in the state capital.
    “More than 356 kilogrammes of cannabis and various psychotropic substances were recovered.
    “This is addition to the arrest of four major drug dealers, including the most notorious drug kingpin in Nasarawa State.
    “His drug distribution tentacles cut across Kano State, Plateau, Benue and parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
    “Curiously, some quantities of cocaine were intercepted in Benue on July 8, July 9 and July 13.
    “Indeed, the supplier was arrested with 29.17 grammes of crack cocaine.
    “In another raid on July 13, the Benue command also seized some quantities of cocaine,” he said.
    Babafemi quoted the Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig.-Brig Buba Marwa, as commending the commanders, officers and men of Kogi, Nasarawa State and Benue commands of the agency.
    He said Marwa charged them not to relent but remain resolute in their commitment to rid every community of illicit drug peddling.
  • Gunmen abduct six workers from mining site in Kogi

    Gunmen abduct six workers from mining site in Kogi

    Gunmen have kidnapped six workers of a ceramic company located at Itobe, Kogi.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Police Command in the State, DSP William Aya,told newsmen in Lokoja on Wednesday that the workers were kidnapped on June 29.

    Aya said that the workers were working at one of the mining sites of the company located at Emiworo community in Ajaokuta Local Government Area when they were abducted.

    Aya, however, explained that the police were only informed about the incident on Wednesday morning.

    The kidnappers who were said to be heavily armed overpowered the workers before marching them into the bush.

    Aya said that the police in collaboration with other security agencies had commenced a manhunt for the kidnappers.

    He assured that the victims would be rescued unhurt anytime from now.

    Meanwhile, Mrs Asanah Shaibu whose husband, Hassan Shaibu,was among those kidnapped has appealed to police to help in rescuing her husband and other victims.

    ” Yes, my husband was among those ceramic workers kidnapped in Emiworo.

    ” We are yet to hear anything from their abductors. As I speak to you, I am confused and I don’t know where to go,” she told newsmen.

  • Kogi hunters gun down two kidnappers while collecting ransom from victims’ families

    Kogi hunters gun down two kidnappers while collecting ransom from victims’ families

    Two kidnappers operating in Kogi State were gunned down in the early hours of Tuesday while collecting ransom from the families of their victims from one of the neighboring states.

    Following an actionable intelligence report, professional hunters in the Okehi Local Government Area of state ambushed the kidnappers who came out in the Abobo area behind the Nigerian Iron Ore Mining Company, Itakpe, to collect the ransom demanded before the release of their victims.

    Two of the three kidnappers were killed in the process while one escaped into the bush with gunshot wounds. The captives were also freed in course of the operation.

    Speaking to newsmen, the Divisional Police Officer, Okehi Local Government Area, Mr. Ovanja Yakubu said men of the Nigerian Police in his division have been drafted to join the professional hunters to fetch out the third kidnapper dead or alive.

    In his reaction, the Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Muhammed, maintained that the state cannot accommodate any criminal who wants to deprive the people of their peace.

    The governor said he was elected and sworn-in to protect the lives and property of the people and will ensure such a covenant is kept for posterity.

    He commended the professional hunters and the conventional security agencies in the state for their tireless efforts in rooting out criminal elements from the state.