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Four Killed As OPC, Cattle Dealers Clash In Kwara

Published

4 years ago

August 13, 2022

Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer, Ajayi Okasanmi

At least four people were killed in a clash between cattle dealers and members of the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) in Ajase, Irepodun Local Government of Kwara State, on Friday.

Some commercial vehicles and passengers plying the area were caught in the melee that lasted for hours.

Traders residents hurriedly closed their shops and scampered for safety as guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons were freely used during the incident.

Fulani leaders in Ilorin East, Ali and Ilesha Baruba, said they had been inundated with calls from their members over the matter.

It is unclear what actually led to the crisis but there were different accounts.

According to a source, trouble started after a cattle dealer who was crossing the road was almost hit by a bus conveying OPC members.

“On market day, the place is a very busy area and care is needed in crossing the road. But on this occasion, the Fulani trader in the market was almost hit and in anger, he attacked one of the OPC men in the vehicle. OPC members in the vehicle then descended on him.”

“But his colleagues moved in and the OPC members reinforced by informing several others in different vehicles. The pandemonium led to killing, maiming and destruction of vehicles with several motorcycles.

“There were close to 10 dead bodies and others chased themselves into the bush, we don’t know about their fate now,” a resident who simply identified himself as Al-Hassan, said.

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Another resident who didn’t want his name published told Daily Trust that the traders and some cow sellers had a misunderstanding in the market.

“But it spread to the major road. The OPC members who were coming from Osun festival in Osogbo got to Ajase-Ipo and ran into the traffic jam. Some of them got down from their vehicle and rushed towards the market area. It was in that process that we started hearing the sound of gun. Machetes and other dangerous objects were also used during the clash,” the resident said.

In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ajayi Okasanmi, confirmed the incident but put the casualty at four.

He added that crisis broke out after a cow destroyed the side mirror of a vehicle conveying OPC members.

“OPC members in a convoy of about twenty vehicles believed to be coming from Osun Osogbo festival, Osun state, were passing through the Kara market where a cow being led across the road by its handler broke the side mirror of one of the OPC vehicles.

“This resulted in an argument that eventually escalated into an exchange of gunfire by both the OPC members and the cow dealers in the market. Four lifeless bodies of unidentified persons were recovered at the scene,” he said.

The Police spokesman said the four unidentified corpse have been evacuated from the scene and deposited at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) mortuary while those injured have been taken to a hospital in Ajase-Ipo for medical treatment.

He said normalcy had been restored while policemen have been deployed in the area to prevent further break down of law and order.

When contacted Saturday morning, National President of OPC, Alhaji Maroof Olarewaju, said it was the Gani Adams faction of the OPC that was involved in the matter.

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First Daughter of Murtala Muhammed Reflects on Life Without Father, Preserving His Legacy

Published

5 hours ago

February 13, 2026

Trends Admin

Aisha Muhammed Oyebode and late General Murtala Ramat Muhammed

First Daughter of Murtala Muhammed Reflects on Life Without Father, Preserving His Legacy

Aisha Muhammed Oyebode, the first daughter of late General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, has opened up about the challenges of growing up without her father, the late military head of state assassinated on February 13, 1976, and her ongoing work in philanthropy, governance, and education.

In an exclusive interview, Aisha, who is a lawyer, entrepreneur, author, activist, and philanthropist, described losing her father at age 12 as a profoundly harrowing experience. She recalled the “silence of absence” and the “noise of expectation” that followed his death, explaining that she had to grow up quickly while navigating the pressures of public scrutiny and preserving her father’s legacy.

“My father treated corruption as an emergency, not a talking point. He believed in strong leadership, discipline, clarity of purpose, and a deep commitment to Nigeria,” she said.

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Aisha also highlighted the stabilizing role of her mother, Ajoke Muhammed, who raised six children after the assassination, instilling discipline, resilience, and a focus on education.

Currently, Aisha is the Group CEO of Asset Management Group Limited and the CEO of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF), where she champions girls’ education and youth empowerment. She noted that, particularly in northern Nigeria, female primary net attendance rates are as low as 47.3–47.7%, with young women’s illiteracy reaching 70.8%.

“From our experience, the solution to girls’ education must be holistic — removing economic barriers, ensuring safety, fostering community ownership, and making education relevant to livelihoods,” she said.

She emphasized that educating girls stabilizes families and strengthens the nation, adding that the MMF Foundation has been instrumental in providing scholarships, school feeding programs, and community initiatives to enhance female education.

Reflecting on her father’s legacy, Aisha described him as a man of humility, vision, and principle, whose simple resting place in Kano reflects a life devoted to duty rather than display. She and her siblings have committed to refurbishing his grave and that of their brother Zack while carrying forward his vision through their work.

“A grave does not hold a legacy — people do. The real monument to his memory is in how we choose to live, and the kind of Nigeria we are willing to build,” she said.

Aisha’s reflections combine personal remembrance, national history, and advocacy, highlighting the enduring influence of Murtala Muhammed on his family and the nation, while underscoring the importance of education, integrity, and principled leadership in Nigeria today.

First Daughter of Murtala Muhammed Reflects on Life Without Father, Preserving His Legacy

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Anambra Police Arrest Motel Owner, Two Others Over Firearms, Drug Trafficking

Published

6 hours ago

February 13, 2026

Trends Admin

Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga

Anambra Police Arrest Motel Owner, Two Others Over Firearms, Drug Trafficking

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested three individuals, including a motel owner, in Uke, Idemili North Local Government Area, for alleged possession of illegal firearms and involvement in illicit drug activities.

Police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga disclosed that the suspects — Ifeanyi Ibeabuchi (39), Abdullahi Shaibu (26), and Obah Chima (18) — were apprehended by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad Awkuzu following credible intelligence.

The raid, carried out in the late hours of February 9, 2026, led to the seizure of multiple controlled substances, including Cannabis Sativa, Crystal Methamphetamine, Colos, and Mkpuru-mmiri. Authorities also recovered a Jojef pump action gun (breach number 21SA-0724) loaded with three live cartridges at the scene.

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Ikenga noted that Ibeabuchi confessed to the offenses during initial investigations, which helped law enforcement track and arrest the two other suspects.

“The Command reiterates its commitment to sustaining ongoing operations against criminal elements in the state and urges members of the public to continue providing useful information to aid policing efforts. Further developments will be communicated as the investigation progresses,” the spokesperson said.

The Anambra State Police Command has vowed to continue targeted operations against firearms and drug-related crimes, reinforcing efforts to enhance public safety in the state.

Anambra Police Arrest Motel Owner, Two Others Over Firearms, Drug Trafficking

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2 Nigerians Killed While Fighting for Russian Army in Ukraine War

Published

6 hours ago

February 13, 2026

Trends Admin

Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole and Mbah Stephen Udoka

2 Nigerians Killed While Fighting for Russian Army in Ukraine War

Two Nigerian men have reportedly died while serving in the Russian Armed Forces during the ongoing Russia–Ukraine War in eastern Luhansk.

The deceased, Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole, 42, and Mbah Stephen Udoka, 38, were reportedly attached to the 423rd Guards Motor Rifle Regiment of the 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Tank Division, according to Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence. Their bodies were discovered in late November 2025, highlighting the growing risks faced by foreign nationals recruited into Russia’s military operations.

Kolawole and Udoka reportedly signed contracts with the Russian army in the second half of 2025 — Kolawole on August 29 and Udoka on September 28. Udoka received no formal military training and was sent to the front just five days after enlistment on October 3. Kolawole also appears to have been deployed with minimal preparation, raising concerns over the treatment of foreign recruits.

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The men were killed in a drone strike while attempting to storm Ukrainian positions, and Ukrainian authorities reported that they did not engage in conventional combat before their deaths. Kolawole is survived by a wife and three children in Nigeria.

Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence has used the incident to caution foreign nationals against travelling to Russia for employment, warning that recruits may be sent into dangerous combat units with little or no training. The deaths come amid increased recruitment of foreign fighters from Africa into Russian forces, sparking concern among human rights and foreign policy observers.

This development highlights the risks associated with participation in the Ukraine conflict as a foreign mercenary and underscores the humanitarian and security issues arising from the recruitment of untrained personnel into active combat zones.