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Benue police shoot seven-month-old child, family decries neglect

Published

3 years ago

October 26, 2021

The family of seven-month-old Nadoo Ahaangba has accused the Benue State Police Command of neglecting them after some policemen attached to the command allegedly shot the child in the Makurdi area of the state.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the policemen, in an attempt to arrest some hoodlums around the Makurdi International Market on October 7, shot sporadically as a bullet hit Nadoo in her hand.

Her father, Tyokaa, said the police had refused to take responsibility for the incident, adding that his family had become impoverished due to payment of medical bills.

Narrating the incident, he said, “On October 7, my wife was selling food at the market junction when the policemen passed the area around 8pm. As they passed, they saw some boys bargaining over something on the road, so they reversed their vehicle. But as those boys saw them, they took to their heels and the police started shooting sporadically.

“As they were shooting, people started running and my wife ran too to avoid being caught up in what was happening, not knowing that a bullet had hit my baby in her right hand; the bullet shattered her finger.

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“We took her to E Division and when the DPO saw what happened, he helped to bandage her hand and rushed her to a hospital. When we got to the hospital, the doctor said we needed to deposit N200,000 before they could do any surgery for her so my elder brother went to the state headquarters to see the Commissioner of Police and complain.

“The CP spoke with the doctor and the doctor told him that we would need a lot of money for the surgery but that they should deposit N200,000 for the surgery and the CP sent the money to the doctor. But since that day, we have not heard or seen anything from them; they abandoned us.

“Although the bullet affected all her fingers, one of the fingers has turned black; the finger is destroyed as it is. I have spent the little money with me and this incident has affected me a lot. I don’t feel comfortable at all because the entire burden is now on me and I am only an Okada rider. My wife that used to support with the food she was selling is the one staying with the baby in the hospital. I am choked up.”

He demanded that the police pick up the hospital bills and compensate the family for the permanent injury to the child.

According to the father, Nadoo has lost her sleep since the incident happened.

“We always carry her in our hands to pet her. My wife can’t eat because there’s no money,” he added.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, denied that the command neglected the family, adding that the police were investigating the incident.

She said, “The police team has not been identified; the police have commenced investigation to find out which team went there.

“The CP came in to give some money to the hospital to save a life, to protect the child first, but to establish if it was the police that shot in the area has been an issue because the bullet that was shot was not retained in the hand.

“The command did not deploy any team at that time even though a police team can always patrol many areas, but the command is trying to establish which team went and if the incident was caused by a policeman.”

Punch

Related Topics:Benue family police shoot

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Hamdiyya Sidi makes U-turn, apologises to Sokoto gov over video on insecurity

Published

3 minutes ago

November 27, 2024

Trends Admin

Governor Ahmed Aliyu and Hamdiyya Sidi

Hamdiyya Sidi makes U-turn, apologises to Sokoto gov over video on insecurity

In a significant development, a Sokoto-based rights activist, Hamdiyya Sidi, being prosecuted by Governor Ahmed Aliyu-led Sokoto government for allegedly making inciting statements, has made a U-turn and issued a public apology to the state government.

Sidi was reportedly arrested for “embarrassing” Governor Aliyu, on social media.

She was subsequently arraigned secretly without having access to a lawyer nor family members, a source had said.

The woman had in a video lamented the insecurity in the state and demanded an end to the incessant killings by bandits.

She had reportedly revealed how gunmen took over villages without any restraint and added that displaced women seeking refuge in the state capital were being sexually exploited due to abject poverty.

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But in a new video shared on social media, Sidi stated in Hausa, “My name is Hamdiyya Sidi Sheriff from Sokoto state, Wurno Local Government Area.

“I am the individual who recently created a video highlighting the pressing issues of insecurity and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sokoto State.

“I’m apologising as a woman and a Muslim from Sokoto because I used some words in the video when I made reference to the governor’s wife and his family.

“The words are too heavy considering my age. The words weren’t supposed to have come from me.

“And the other comment I made that the IDPs should move into government facilities and occupy them, I regret saying that too.

“Please for God’s sake, I’m sorry, nobody has the right to move into or occupy a government facility without due process and permission.

“For the government, governor and anyone that my comment has affected, I’m sorry, please forgive me.”

Sokoto is one of states in Northern Nigeria plagued by bandits who raid and loot villages, kill residents and burn houses to the ground.

Hamdiyya Sidi makes U-turn, apologises to Sokoto gov over video on insecurity

(SAHARAREPORTERS)

metro

Customs officers, smugglers clash in Ogun, onlooker killed

Published

11 minutes ago

November 27, 2024

Trends Admin

Customs officers, smugglers clash in Ogun, onlooker killed

A bystander was fat@lly struck by a stray bullet when some Nigerian Customs Service officers and smugglers clashed in the Obada Idi-Emi area of Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State on Monday, Nov. 25.

The violent confrontation began earlier in the day, with gunshots ringing out, throwing the community into panic.

As both sides exchanged gunfire, a resident identified as Kazeem was k!lled by a stray bullet.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Services, Hammed Oloyede, confirmed the incident to Punch. Oloyede said officers of the command had received intelligence about a smuggling activity of some foreign rice and they trailed the vehicle.

He added that when the driver of the vehicle observed that he had been trailed, he abandoned the smuggled item and the vehicle in a bid to evade arrest and fled the scene.

He said: “On Monday, November 25, 2024, at about 1109hrs, the operatives of Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun Area 1 Command received credible information on a Mazda 323 laden with bags of Imported rice. A surveillance team was deployed in a private vehicle to trail and give real-time updates on the Information.

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“Upon confirmation, The team with the official patrol vehicle swung into action along the bush paths of Owode-Obada and intercepted one MAZDA 323 loaded with foreign rice of 50kg each at the said Owode Obada axis. The driver abandoned the vehicle upon sighting the official patrol vehicle and managed to evade arrest.

“While conveying the intercepted vehicle with foreign rice to the Government Warehouse for documentation, the intercepted vehicle broke down at Obada town. Given the volatile nature of the area, the team leader directed that the intercepted rice be evacuated into the official patrol Hilux.”

He added that some suspected hoodlums attacked the officers while they were transloading the seized contraband which led to a free-for-all between the officers and the hoodlums.

The Ogun Customs PRO added that during the ensuing melee, the customs officers fled the scene to ensure their safety. One officer (pictured above) was injured.

Oloyede said that an investigation has commenced into the matter.

Customs officers, smugglers clash in Ogun, onlooker killed

metro

Gunmen abduct three people from Anambra community

Published

19 minutes ago

November 27, 2024

Trends Admin

Anambra State Police command’s spokesperson, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga

Gunmen abduct three people from Anambra community

Gunmen terrorising Nigeria’s South-East region have abducted three persons in Anambra State.

The victims were abducted near the Innoson Motorcycle Showroom along Onitsha-Owerri Road end in the Nnewi North Local Government Area of the State.

A local privy to the incident said it occurred late on Tuesday, as the victims were driving along the road.

One of the sources said, “The three persons were in a vehicle when armed men suddenly blocked them with their vehicle. They ordered the victims to alight and as they alight, they forced them into their vehicle and immediately zoomed off.

“One of the assailants entered into their victims’ vehicle and also drove off and driving behind the other vehicle the victims were in. The incident, which happened within a split of seconds created panic on the road and around the vicinity. Because it was already dark, we couldn’t get the exact picture of what the vehicles look like.”

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The Anambra State Police Spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident on Wednesday.

He said the police were already working with information obtained from the scene for the ongoing rescue operations.

Ikenga said, “Anambra Joint Security Forces are on the offensive for possible rescue unhurt of three abducted victims and arrest of the abductors today, 26/11/2024 by 6:45 pm at Innoson Motorcycle Showroom along Owerri Road, Nnewi.

“The police command is determined and is already working with information obtained from the scene for the ongoing rescue operations.

“The command also urged residents or anyone with useful information that will aid the investigation to come forward to the Command headquarters, Awka, or the nearest police station