CRIME
Benin jailbreak: Obaseki issues Ultimatum to Fleeing Inmates
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki on Wednesday issued ultimatum to fleeing inmates of the Benin Custodial Centre on Sapele road and the Oko Maximum Security Correctional Centre on Airport road to return to the prisons before Friday, Oct. 23, 2020.
Obaseki gave the ultimatum while inspecting the correctional centres and the police facilities destroyed by hoodlums in Benin.
Obaseki was accompanied on the inspection of the distroyed facilities by the deputy governor Philip Shaibu, Secretary to State Government, Osarodion Ogie, Chief of staff Ethan Ozamere, DIG Celestine Okoye, and Commissioner of Police Johnson Kokumo among others.
Obaseki said the distructions carried out in the state was never in the spirit of EndSARS but an act carried out by criminal elements.
“This is sheer criminality while the real protesters were focusing on the reform of our policing system and not to destroy government property, destroy prisons, and release inmates.
“We condemn the act wholeheartedly and we expect that even the EndSARS protesters would join us in condemning this dastardly act.
“The government cannot sit down and fold its arms to allow the breakdown of law and order in our society because everybody would be affected.
“Having undertaken the assessment and seen the extent of destruction that has taken place, we would now move swiftly into action.
“Fortunately, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, understanding the gravity of what has happened in Edo has asked the DIG of Police, Celestine Okoye, to come to Benin to put the situation under control.
“We are also fortunate that the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces has allowed the military to join the Police in stabilising the situation to bring things under control.
“What we have a problem with are hooliganism and sheer brigandage and that we will not accept or tolerate in Edo State,” he said.
Obaseki used the opportunity to appeal to all the fleeing inmates to come back on their own before the close of business on Friday.
“If they come in and go to the Nigeria Police Force Command headquarters in Benin nothing will be done to them,” he added.
According to him, those who do not return after Friday night, we have all their records, we have their biometrics, appropriate sanctions will be meted out against them.
Also speaking, Mr Babayo Maisanda, Controller of Correction, Edo Command, said 1,818 inmates were still at large, while 163 were recaptured.
He said the Oko Correctional Centre currently has 182 inmates with 28 of them from Farm Centre adding that the Custodial centre on Sapele Road has 15 inmates.
Maisanda said there was an urgent need to further secure and enhance repairs of the damaged facilities to secure the inmates already captured.
“It is pertinent to note that all efforts at securing our facilities for over six hours of the siege were solely by the men and officers of the correctional service.
“Currently, 10 officers who sustained various degrees of life-threatening injury are receiving treatments at various hospitals in Benin City.”
He expressed appreciation for the concern shown by Gov. Obaseki and called for his assistance and support in this period to keep the prison system operational.
Also, Mr Okoye, a DIG of Police, said the police were doing their best to arrest some of the hoodlums that attacked the police facilities.
Okoye said, “Some arrests were made, we will still get them. They even tried to enter the police command headquarters but they were repelled. (NAN)
CRIME
Three Dead in Kubwa Violent Clash
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
Three persons, including two women and a young boy, have reportedly been killed in a clash between local scavengers, otherwise referred to as Baban Bola, and residents of the Byazhin community, in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council of the FCT.
An eyewitness, who identified herself as Jessica Adam, said a Baban Bola element attempted to steal a woman’s pot of soup, but was overpowered and beaten up after the woman alerted neighbours and passers-by.
The embittered baban bola then went away and mobilised hoodlums who returned at about 8:00 pm wielding weapons including machetes, clubs, and stones and began attacking residents at random, eventually killing the woman whose pot of soup was earlier stolen.
In the continuing attack, two others, a woman and a young boy, reported to be passers-by who unfortunately ran into the middle of the crisis, were also killed, they however, have yet yet to be identified.
“They killed two people yesterday. The Community has been in chaos since yesterday. The crisis continued till this morning when they killed somebody again. So far, three persons have been killed and many injured. The Police intervened and restored normalcy, but no arrest was made. The Police have intensified their patrol in the Byazhin area of Kubwa to prevent them from regrouping”, Ms Adams narrated.
A resident in the community, who spoke with Daily Asset, on the condition of anonymity, also confirmed the death of the three persons but said he had no clue as to what may have started the clash.
“Yes, the riot started yesterday. And by this morning, we learnt that three persons have been killed. It happened in Byazhin around that Millionaire’s Quarters, behind that Living Faith Church. That place is usually dangerous, because it is quite lonely, and you cannot pass through there alone, especially in the evening”, he said.
As of the time of filing this report, PUNCH Metro gathered that schools and shops in the area have been closed down, as parents scampered to pick up kids from their classrooms, and shops refused to open as of Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, proved abortive, as her number was repeatedly unreachable.
CRIME
Okuama Crisis: Reps Assures Justice as Committee Commences Probe
From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa
The House of Representatives has said it will ensure the crisis in Okuama Community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State is brought to a logical conclusion.
Chairman, House Committee on Defence, Rep. Babajimi Benson, gave the assurance while addressing newsmen on Thursday, at the Governor’s Office Annexe in Warri.
Benson led other members of the committee to a public hearing on the carnage that occurred in Okuama Community in Delta resulting to the death of 17 soldiers and consequent destruction of properties.
The committee convened on Thursday at the Governor’s Office Annexe in Warri without the presence of the locals in attendance.
It would be recalled that the investigative hearing was in line with the 10th Assembly House of Representatives’ resolution of March 19, 2024.
The resolution was prompted by the March 14 massacre of 17 soldiers in the Okuama Community.
The lawmaker said that the committee had so far received about 23 memorandum from stakeholders.
“We came to see members of the community in camera and by way of memorandum. We have received a lot of memorandum from them but they have not turn up physically.
“We have gotten enough memorandum and we intend to work with the memorandum. Though, the window is opened till Friday next week, so we are still expecting more from them.
“We have assured everyone including the Delta State that the House of Representatives will ensure the matter is looked into from both sides and come to a logical conclusion.
“That is why we are asking them to send memoranda and they are complying. We gave them a week and the period will elapse on Friday.
“If you do not want to show up, please send us your documents so that we will be able to act on them, and get to a logical conclusion,” Benson appealed.
The legislator said that the committee was fully ready to ensure that justice was done on the matter.
On why the committee could not visit the troubled Okuama Community, the lawmaker said that the activities of the committee regarding the crisis had not ended.
According to him, the committee will visit the locals and also invite the military to give account of what happened at the community.
“We are definitely going to meet the locals but we are going to arm ourselves with information,” he said.
Among the 10-man committee was Rep. Francis Waive, member representing Ughelli North/Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency.
CRIME
Gunmen Attack Ortom’s Ex-Chief-of-Staff, Abduct Wife
Suspected armed Fulani herdsmen on Friday, attacked former Chief of Staff to Benue State Governor, Honorable Terwase Orbunde, and abducted his wife and house help.
Orbunde, a former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic (PDP) in Benue state served under the administration of the immediate past Governor of the state, Dr Samuel Ortom.
The attack, it was learnt took place close to the “Genocide Cemetery” along Mobile Barracks-Welfare Quarters Road in Makurdi, the state capital at about 6.
00 PM.The former Chief of Staff escaped with a gunshot on his right arm, while the attackers whisked away his wife, Mrs Abigail Kashimana Orbunde and her house help, Patience Ogute.
Eyewitnesses told DAILY ASSET that Orbunde, his wife and the house help, had gone to inspect the their farm when the incident happened.
The eyewitnesses said after the inspection of the work and payment of the workers five gunmen suddenly attacked their victims as they walked back to their car.
The attackers were said to have opened fire and Orbunde received a bullet on the right arm, while they ordered him and the women to follow them to an unknown destination.
The shooting was said to have caused villagers and passersby to scamper for safety in different directions.
As they marched along, the former Chief of Staff was said to be bleeding profusely, witnesses further said.
The witnesses who watched from a distance said the leader of the group ordered him to walk away while the gunmen took the women to an unknown destination.
An unidentified ‘good Samaritan’ was said to have conveyed the former Chief of Staff to an undisclosed hospital for medical attention.
The State Police Commnad could not be reached for comments at the time of this report.