1. Southern Kaduna killings: Task force arrests eight suspects
According to the Punch, Troops of Operation Safe Haven in charge of maintaining peace in Plateau State, parts of Bauchi and Southern Kaduna on Monday said eight persons were arrested in connection with the killings in Southern Kaduna.
The Commander of the OPSH, Sector 7, Col. David Nwankonobi, disclosed this while addressing journalists at the Kafanchan headquarters of the sector.
He said the suspects were arrested with various weapons, adding that during their rescue operation, the troops also discovered the corpse of one of the members of the militia said to have carried out the last attack on Southern Kaduna communities.
The names of the suspects were given as Abubakar Ali, Ali Amadu, Bawa Idi, Umar Dikko, Mohammed Ibrahim, Garba Damon’s and William Barnabas and Adamu Joseph.
“We also have information on the identity of some of the hoodlums that carried out the last attack,” Nwankonobi added.
According to the punch, it had been reported that about 33 persons were killed between Wednesday and Thursday last week after gunmen attacked some communities in Zango Kataf Local Government Area of the state.
2. Soldiers shoot at protesters in Rivers, injure many
According to the Guardian, Soldiers yesterday opened fire on protesters, who barricaded OB/OB gas plant operated by the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Council of Rivers State, leaving many injured.
They reportedly stripped old women and manhandled old men who were part of the protest. Some indigenes of Obosi quarters in Omoku had since last week barricaded the gas plant over alleged failure of NAOC to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the community.
It was gathered that following protracted deadlocked efforts to placate protesters, the multinational oil company deployed soldiers to the gas plant in the wee hours of yesterday.
According to the Guardian, shortly after the soldiers arrived the facility by midnight, they pounced on the protesters and shot at some of them.
Our correspondent gathered that the soldiers decided to use force to evict the protesters because of their refusal to allow engineers of the gas plant access the facility to fix the turbine that supplies free electricity to Omoku and adjoining communities.
Meanwhile, Obosi Youth President, Pureheart Ekeukwu, claimed that the soldiers were deployed by NAOC to brutalise innocent protesters who were merely asking the company to live up to its responsibility.
Ekeukwu stated that the armed soldiers stormed the facility about midnight while most of the protesters occupying the gas plant were fast asleep.
“Agip mobilised the Nigerian army, and the soldiers came to drive out the protesters from the facility around midnight.
“They came and started beating old men and women. They stripped old women, forced them into their vehicle and dropped them at Omoku-Obrikom road that night. Three people are critical in the hospital now. Many others also sustained injuries,” he said.
The youth president described the action of the soldiers and the oil firm as gross irresponsibility.
According to him, it is morally offensive for soldiers to strip protesting old women.
“We are under panic now, but we will not call off the protest. We will end this protest when they meet our demands,” he insisted.
However, spokesperson of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Col. Charles Ekeocha, was yet to respond to calls and WhatsApp messages sent to him at press time.
3. Family seeks justice over killing by police in Delta
According to the Guardian, the family of Collins Iki (23) has appealed to the governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to order a thorough investigation into the role of the police in the killing of Collins Iki at Ozoro, Delta State, on August 3, 2020 and bring the culprits to book.
The family accused the police of shielding the killer of Iki, who was shot dead during a protest in Ozoro, headquarters of Isoko North Local Government Area from “facing the full weight of the law.”
Oboro, who is a family member, alleged that a trigger-happy policeman (name withheld), attached to the divisional police headquarters, shot Collins at the back of his head with the bullet piecing through his eye. He added that family members rushed the deceased to Okeleke Hospital in Ozoro, but he could not survive the gunshot as he was confirmed dead at the hospital and was taken to the mortuary.
“We visited the Ozoro Police Station to initiate the case, but the DPO was reported to be at area command and the responding officer advised the family to return to the station the following day to enable the DPO entertain the complaint. On August 5, we visited the police station again and met the DPO. We finally lodged the complaint of the gruesome and brutal murder of Collins against the identified perpetrator.
“We were asked to write a statement by the Investigating Police Officer, Inspector Attah Celestine, who was detailed by the Divisional Crime Officer to investigate the case. To our dismay, the police are now falsely claiming that the deceased is a cultist and was shot by a rival cultist, which claim is false and a lie from the pit of hell. There are eyewitnesses to this sad event.
“We appeal to the Delta State government, the Federal authorities IGP, Director of State Security Service, other security agencies, civil society Organisations, and human right activists to come to our aid and ensure justice is served to the deceased to avoid future reoccurrence as well as serve as deterrent to trigger-happy policemen who are lawfully employed to protect lives and properties and not murder members of the public.”
4. Scores killed, as Boko Haram seizes Borno communities
According to the Vanguard, Boko Haram terrorists have invaded many communities in Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State, killing scores of farmers and herders after rustling hundreds of their domestic animals, mostly cows.
Magumeri is North and about 40 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital, which has witnessed a series of Boko Haram attacks.
One such attack included the abduction of oil exploration firm’s workers and staff of the Department of Geology, University of Maiduguri, on a mission around the shores of the Lake Chad Basin.
Sources said the latest attack forced hundreds of displaced persons from the affected communities of Puciwa and Koleram to take refuge at Magumeri town, with no presence of police and other security agents.
Confirming the incident, the Acting Secretary of the council, Mallam Wali, said the whole communities bordering Magumeri Local Government headquarters, Gubio Council and Gajigana axis, near Nganzai council area, were currently under Boko Haram control.
His words: “We are much terrified with the latest and deadly attacks by insurgents.
“The whole communities bordering Magumeri Local Government headquarters, Gubio council and Gajigana axis, near Nganzai Council Area, have been terrorised.
As I speak to you, communities of Puciwa and Koleram are under Boko Haram control.
“This fresh incident has left many of my people dead and injured, while unspecified number of those who survived the onslaught have relocated to Magumeri for safety, as their means of livelihoods have been jeopardised.
“But we are doing our best to ensure that the displaced ones are properly taken care of, as we collaborate with security agencies to find lasting peace in the communities.”
5. Gunmen kill 13 villagers in Benue — Police
The Police Command in Benue, on Monday, confirmed the killing of 13 villagers by unknown gunmen in Edikwu District, Apa Local Government Area (LGA).
DSP Catherine Anene, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) said in a statement in Makurdi.
Anene said that the district had overtime experienced incessant crisis over chieftaincy tussle until the state government intervened and peace returned in the community.
She said that the attackers remained unknown while investigation had already commenced into the matter.
“Edikwu district, Ukpogbo, in Apa LGA was experiencing incessant crises over chieftaincy affairs until May 25, when the Benue government convened a peace meeting, headed by the Deputy Governor, Mr Benson Abounu to put an end to the rancour.
“Peace was restored to the area but on Aug. 10, at about 04:00hrs, information was received that about 20 armed men invaded the community and shot sporadically at members of the community.
“A team of police officers was deployed to the scene where 13 corpses were recovered. The investigation is still in progress”. She said.
A resident of the community who preferred anonymity told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the attack on Edikwu community was unprovoked.
“The unknown gunmen stormed the community, shooting sporadically and burning down houses, leaving many people died while others are still missing.”
6. One roasted to death, others injured as fire guts bus on Lagos/Ibadan Expressway
According to the Vanguard, a yet-to-be-identified passenger was Monday, roasted to death while many other passengers sustained varying degrees of injuries, when a commercial bus with number plate LSD-715XV, suddenly went up in flames on the Ogun State axis of Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.
The incident occurred in the evening, on the Long Bridge, inward Arepo.
However, the existing collaboration between Lagos and neighbouring states in tackling emergencies prevented the situation from degenerating due to prompt response by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).
Confirming the incident, the Head, Public Affairs, LASEMA Nosa Okunbor, said the cause of the incident and the accurate number of those injured could not be ascertained.
As at 7 pm, he said the wreckage of the vehicle has been moved to a layby to allow free flow of traffic.
He said the Agency received a distressed call which promoted the activation of the Agency’s equipment.”
The incident which involved a commercial vehicle with registration number LSD-715XV gutted by fire along the Lagos/Ibadan expressway claimed the life of a yet-to-be-identified passenger that was burnt beyond recognition, injuring several others who were rescued by Police and FRSC officer”.
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