CRIME
Gunmen Behead Kogi Youth Leader, Throw Corpse into River Benue
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
A middle – aged man, Daddy Noah was on Wednesday, abducted from Patanyi , a river rine village in Bagana Ward of Omala Local Government Area of Kogi state, beheaded and his body thrown the into River Benue
The incident was said to have occurred when Daddy, a youth leader in company of four friends went on hunting expedition, when the gunmen based on information stormed the forest and abducted him while his other friends escaped by the whiskers.
The deceased according to locals was one of the belligerents defending his clan, Ihiankpe against the onslaught of the Otututubatu clan, who have been up in arms against each other over the control of Bagana community in Omala LGA.
DAILY ASSET gathered that the crises, which started off as Fulani herders and Agatu in Benue state snowballed into ethnic and clans cleansing over a decade ago.
According to another eye witness account, Daddy as he was fondly called met his Waterloo on the fateful day, when the suspected bandits numbering over 20 stormed the sleepy town of Patanyi shooting sporadically, as the villagers ran helter skelter to save their lives and in the process , Daddy was abducted and taken to unknown destination.
The eyewitness added that , Daddy was subjected to all manner of Ill treatment before he was beheaded and the corpse thrown into River Benue at Bagana.
Recounting the ordeal to our reporter, a man who did not want his name in print in order not to be traced by the suspected militia , said on Wednesday afternoon , when the villagers were returning from farms , they were taken by surprise with staccato of gun shots from different directions, as people scampered to safety , however, Daddy Noah was unlucky as he was cut up by the militia .
” The militia came through, Bagana and Ogba route before arriving at Patanyi to carry out the dastard act. The villagers then mobilised themselves into a search party who later discovered the mutilated corpse floating at the bank of River Benue at Bagana, the epicenter of the lingering communal war that has taken the lives of tens of hundreds of lives and burning down of properties.
” It was a gory sight to behold , as his head was chopped off, his hands and legs were equally cut to smithereens. Lamentably the deceased had lost his father, Noah Akoja ,his senior brother, an uncle ,Alih to the crisis, even as their family houses in Bagana were burnt to rubbles .
* As I’m talking to you, no member of Ihiankpe clan is having his or her house standing in Bagana. They have all been burnt down by the suspected militias allegedly helping the Otututubatu clan to prosecute the war.
” This latest onslaught against our clan is coming on the heels of the final phase of the fact finding engagement with the communities, by the peace committee set up by His Royal Majesty Ata’Igala Matthew Opaluwa Oguche-Akpa. This killing has taken us back in the peace building process” He recounted the ordeal amid wailing.
Recall that Bagana, a commercial nerve centre of Omala LGA and 15km north of Abejukolo, headquarters of the council, has been engrossed in carnage since 2013, and all efforts by the state government to restore normalcy proved abortive.
When contacted , the paramount ruler of Omala LGA, HRH Boniface Musa, the Ojogba of Ife condemned the killing , saying it was one too many for the people of the communities.
He called on the state , Federal Governments and security agencies to come to his aid to permanently end the crisis
The Royal father, while lamenting the socio economic hardship the crisis has posed on Bagana communities, said it has become unbearable for the entire local Government Area due to the burden of internally displaced persons who had fled from their homes.
At the time of filling this report, the police public relations officer SP William Aya could not pick his calls and several text messages sent to him was not responded, but his second in command said he has reported the matter to the Divisional police officer of the LGA who promised to revert as soon as he was in touch with the DPO.
The Nigerian Police Command in Borno has apprehended two suspects and recovered 25 stolen mobile phones during a stop-and-search operation along Damboa Road, in Maiduguri.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, disclosed this in a statement in Maiduguri on Wednesday.
Daso explained that the suspects, identified as Ibrahim Abubako, and Ibrahim Mohammed, were intercepted by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) on Dec.
10 while riding a tricycle.He said that during the search, the operatives uncovered various mobile phones reportedly stolen from individuals across communities and villages along the Borno -Adamawa State border.
He identified some of the communities as Mubi, Tashan Alade, Miringa, Kwaya Kusar, and Biu Local Government Area of the state.
The spokesman said that during interrogation, the suspects confessed to snatching the phones from their victims.
“The police have initiated efforts to return the recovered devices with their rightful owner.
“Also, the suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations,” he said.
Daso reiterated the commitment of the Police Commissioner in the state, Yusufu Lawal, to maintain public safety during the Yuletide season. (NAN)
From Dan Amasingha, Minna
Days after the Chairman of Katcha local government area of Niger State, Danlami Abdullahi Saku was assaulted and seriously injured over his inability to settle a campaign loan he obtained, the State Police Command said three suspects were now in their custody over the incident.
Niger State Police Command Spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun in a release on Wednesday said On 16/06/2024 at about 1800hrs, information was received at Katcha Div that the Chairman Katcha LGA Hon.
Danlami Abdullahi Saku was attacked by some miscreants along Saku-Gadza village after the Sallah prayer at his village Saku, Katcha LGA.According to the Police Public Relations Officer, the attack was allegedly reported to be linked to a debt issue between the Chairman and one Yanda of the same area.
He noted that the Chairman sustained serious injury during the attack and he was taken to Gen. Hospital Bida, and later referred to another hospital for further treatment.
A preliminary investigation was conducted at Katcha Div and three suspects were later identified, apprehended and transferred to Bida Area Command.
The suspects arrested are; Alh. Abdullahi Kasimu 68yrs of Gadza village, Katcha, Alh. Baba Moh’d 30yrs of the same village and Ahmadu Moh’d 25yrs.
The suspects were transferred to SCID on June 21st for discreet investigation and prosecution.
“During interrogation, Kasimu narrated that he lent the victim over a million naira since August, 2023 and that several attempts to recover the money proved abortive.
“He further said that on June 16th, the victim promised to come and see him, and while he was on the way after the Sallah prayer, his son Ahmadu Moh’d, his in-law Alh. Baba Moh’d among others accosted the Chairman, had an altercation and inflicted serious injuries on the victims”
The State Police Command acknowledged that the victim was about to transfer the money to him at the point before being rushed to the hospital.
However, the suspects are under investigation in SCID, Minna. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend others at large, and they will be charged to court for prosecution immediately after investigations.
There was a drama as the sacrificial ram of the Chief Imam of the Mista Ali community in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, Imam Abdulkadir went missing on the eve of the Ed-el-Kabir.
Abdulkadir’s ram was reportedly stolen during a downpour in the area on the eve of the Ed-el-Kabir.
An Imam in the community, Haruna Yaqub, disclosed this during the sermon, shortly after the two Raka’at prayers.
Yaqub, who condemned the incident, described it as “insensitive”.
He added that the act showed that people lack fear for God.
The Imam said, “The Ram of our Chief Imam, which he purposely brought to sacrifice, has been stolen in the night.
We are really shocked by the incident. We were surprised to hear this story. This means that people are not God-fearing.“It is scary that people have gone to the extent of stealing ram meant for religious activity.”
Speaking further, he urged people to be God-fearing and not engage in either stealing or any act of criminality.
He stressed that everyone will account for their actions on earth and hereafter.
“It is high time people repented and took the path of Allah. It is not too late. People should stop committing bad things and act according to Allah’s commandments,” he urged.
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