metro
121 suspects arrested over cult-day celebration
121 suspects arrested over cult-day celebration
At least 121 people were arrested following a police crackdown on suspected cultists planning to commemorate a cult programme known as the 7/7 Day Celebration in Benue and Plateau states.
The 7/7-Day Celebration is a cult-related ritual at which suspected members of the Aiye Confraternity often initiate new members and is frequently marred by violence and killings.
Chronicle NG learned via separate statements from the Benue and Plateau Police commands that the individuals were apprehended in various locations throughout the states.
The Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adesina, paraded some of the suspects at the Plateau State Police Headquarters in Jos on Monday.
He stated that 118 individuals were arrested on July 7 for cult activities, which is their day of celebration and initiation of new members.
He noted that reliable intelligence and collaboration with other security agencies resulted in the arrests at various sites across the state.
The CP said, “The arrested cultists wanted to hold their engagements yesterday (Sunday, 7/7/2024), but the police were very proactive with other security agencies raiding their hideouts. Yesterday alone, a total of 118 suspects were apprehended.
“From yesterday until today, the command did not allow them to operate anywhere. That is why there is no story of the cultists operating anywhere in Plateau State. They were picked up from different locations.”
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In Benue State, some youths claimed to have planned an event to commemorate what they called the ‘AYIE Cultism Day celebration on Sunday, July 7, 2024, in the historic town of Gboko.
According to an intelligence assessment leaked to security officials, one of the planned activities to commemorate the occasion was the initiation of new members.
It was said that certain youngsters, in coordination with security personnel working on intelligence reports, went from street to street, rounding up suspects.
According to a source in Gboko who goes by the name Jiji Jack, several volunteer youngsters worked with police officers to apprehend the suspects who had come for the celebration.
Jack said, “Some volunteer youths based in the traditional seat of the Tiv nation, Gboko, joined forces with the security Joint Task Force to stop the planned celebrations of the worldwide cultism day, which is 7/7/2024.
“The youths moved from one street to another to disperse a suspicious gathering of youths suspected to be celebrating the cultism day.
A Gboko youth leader who did not want to be identified told reporters that they recruited their members to scour the streets of Gboko for suspected cultists in order to prevent anything from disrupting the historic town’s peace.
“It came to our notice that a group of criminally-minded individuals, particularly cultists who are members of a particular confraternity, had concluded plans to celebrate Cultism Day on July 7, the day popularly known as 7/7.
“And new members would be inducted, covenants would be renewed, and supremacy battles would occur, usually characterised by violence and bloodshed, a reason we are out to assist the security to fight against it.
“So, we passed the information to security men, joined hands with them, and moved from street to street. Anywhere we found a gathering of youths, we dispersed them.”
He added, “We want our youths to be law-abiding and shun negative tendencies as well as violence to make Gboko peaceful. Security is everywhere, and we, as youth groups, are helping the security to see that none of such activities take place in Gboko.
When reached, Catherine Anene, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Benue State Command, stated three individuals had been apprehended.
“Three suspects were arrested in Gboko, and the investigation is ongoing,” Anene said in a terse statement.
121 suspects arrested over cult-day celebration
metro
Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound
Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound
The Lagos State Government has rolled out stricter measures to combat noise pollution, requiring nightclubs, lounges, bars, and worship centres to obtain permits for events involving amplified sound.
The measure, it said, aimed to safeguard the health and well-being of Lagosians during the festive season and beyond.
Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced this via his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, emphasizing the government’s zero-tolerance stance on noise pollution.
Wahab highlighted that events with amplified sound must be conducted in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect residents from the harmful effects of excessive noise.
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“Establishments such as worship centers, nightclubs, lounges, and bars must now obtain permits for events involving amplified sound and ensure these activities take place in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect neighboring residents,” the statement read in part.
To enforce these directives, the government said it had established a Special Task Force on Noise Pollution under the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
This task force, in collaboration with the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps (LSNSC) and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), would oversee compliance, arrest offenders, and prosecute violators of noise regulations, it stated.
The statement further noted that starting January 2025, the government would roll out a public awareness campaign to educate Lagosians on acceptable noise levels and the benefits of a quieter environment.
Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound
metro
Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says
Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says
Singer, Dammy Krane has stated that social critic, Very Dark Man, is joking with claims that N180 million was diverted from the NGO account he created in October this year.
VDM shocked Nigerians on Friday, December 27 when he released a video claiming hackers had breached his NGO website and moved N180m leaving only N20 million.
The news shocked many Nigerians who took to social media to slam him.
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However, in a post shared on his Instagram page this evening, Dammy Krane claimed that VDM is renovating a school in Jos, and was only joking with the story of stolen funds.
Also, a Human Rights activist, Omotayo Williams, claimed the man VDM showed in his video as an officer accompanying him to Jos is a well-known member of the Kogi State Taxi Taskforce.
Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says
metro
Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West
Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West
The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has expressed support for the proposed implementation of Sharia law in the South-West, emphasizing its historical presence in Yoruba culture.
Oba Akanbi noted that Sharia principles have long been part of Yoruba land, citing examples such as Sharia banking and the existence of a Sharia college in Iwo, Osun State.
He stated, “Sharia law has been in Iwo for over 100 years… It’s the right of Muslims to choose customary law or the high court.”
Recall that the discussion around Sharia law gained traction after plans were announced for the inauguration of a Sharia council on January 11, 2025, at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre in Oyo. However, the event has been postponed indefinitely following widespread public criticism.
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Critics have argued that the Yoruba-dominated South-West, where Muslims and Christians coexist, is distinct from the predominantly Muslim northern region where Sharia is more widely practiced.
Addressing concerns, Oba Akanbi explained that Sharia law is already embedded in Nigeria’s constitution and should not cause alarm for non-Muslims.
“Sharia law is only for Muslims and does not concern others. If any other person likes it, they can convert to Islam, and Muslims can also convert to Christianity. Everyone is free,” he said.
The monarch also drew attention to the challenges faced by Muslims under existing laws, particularly in matters such as inheritance and divorce, where Western legal frameworks may not align with Islamic traditions. “Many Muslims feel disenfranchised… Western education doesn’t understand the ways of Muslim divorce, marriage, and inheritance,” he added.
Oba Akanbi emphasized that Sharia law represents the inalienable rights of Muslims and should not be viewed as a threat to other religions. “No government can deny Muslims their inalienable rights,” he concluded.
Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West
(PUNCH)
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