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Four Killed As OPC, Cattle Dealers Clash In Kwara

Published

2 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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Terrorists kill eight vigilantes in Kaduna community, two village heads

Published

1 hour ago

May 3, 2024

Trends Admin

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Mansir Hassan,

Terrorists kill eight vigilantes in Kaduna community, two village heads

No fewer than eight vigilante members and two others were killed by terrorists in Kakangi and Unguwan Matinja communities in Kaduna’s Birnin Gwari Local Government Area.

The local leaders of Kakangi and Kisaya villages in Kakangi Ward were also kidnapped.

A resident of the LG, Idris Khalid, who confirmed the event to our correspondent, claimed the gun-wielding men invaded the villages about early Thursday.

Bala Kamba, Abdurrahman Musa (Ubale), Kabiru Dan Dugui, Hambali Abu, Aliyu Abu, Nura Jika (Maleka), Mubarak Musa (Dan Wamba), and Ikra Hantsi were the eight vigilante members killed at Kakangi.

Khalid also revealed that the two victims in the Ungwan Matinja neighbourhood of Gayam Ward were Christopher Abubakar and Isah Gambo.

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He claimed the vigilantes were attacked while tracking down the kidnapped victims, who were abducted on their way to a funeral between Kakangi and Sabon Layi.

“The vigilantes engaged the terrorists, killing scores of them, but could not rescue the two traditional rulers and others.

“Normally, anytime there is a kidnapping incident, the vigilantes always trail the terrorists to rescue the victims.

“It’s unfortunate that in the process, eight gallant officers of the vigilantes who have been sacrificing to ensure the safety of our people were lost,” the resident said.

When contacted, the State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, stated, “We are investigating the matter to determine the true story because the area where the incident occurred had a network problem.”

Terrorists kill eight vigilantes in Kaduna community, two village heads

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Repentant Boko Haram members burn NDLEA, Customs checkpoints in Borno

Published

10 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Trends Admin

Repentant Boko Haram members burn NDLEA, Customs checkpoints in Borno

A group of suspected repentant Boko Haram insurgents, on Wednesday stormed the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigeria Customs Service checkpoints at Kasuwan Fara, a suburb of Maiduguri metropolis, chasing away the personnel on duty and setting ablaze all structures at the checkpoints.

The incident, according to security analyst and counter insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, followed a fierce encounter between the former Boko Haram combatants and the police at the Kasuwan Fara Divisional Police Office.

The suspected repentant insurgents, reportedly wearing military uniform, had pounced on the police office to forcefully set free their eight colleagues arrested at the suburb over criminal activities bordering on dealing in hard drugs.

The arrest was made on April 24 during a raid carried out by the police on the notorious spot at the criminals-ridden Kasuwan Fara.

“Due to the rise and persistence of criminal activities and sinister operations by drug peddlers comprising dismissed military personnel, repentant insurgents and other hoodlums, who assemble there to conduct nefarious activities, the area had since been earmarked for closure by Borno State Government.

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“The April 24 raid, where the eight suspected repentant insurgents were arrested and 426 bottles of spirits such as dry gin confiscated, was conducted to sanitize the area, pending the final closure.

“The arrested persons were detained at the Kasuwan Fara police division since the day of their arrest.

” Subsequently, at about 7:40 am of Thursday, May 2, a dozen of the suspected repentant insurgents in military uniform, stormed the Kasuwan Fara police station in an attempt to rescue their arrested fellows.

” The Divisional Police Officer alongside his men were able to repel the attack while the perpetrators fled.

” Consequently, the assailants, in an apparent transfer of aggression, reverted to attacking NDLEA and NCS personnel checkpoint along the Maiduguri-Gubio road Kasuwan Fara, where they burnt down the checkpoints alongside the sandbags heaped on the road and fled the scene, ” Zagazola Makama said.

Borno Police Command spokesman, ASP Kenneth Daso, who confirmed the incident, said investigations were ongoing to apprehend the attackers, adding that the arrested eight suspects have been handed over to relevant security quarters.

Repentant Boko Haram members burn NDLEA, Customs checkpoints in Borno

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Police identify officer who shot man dead at fuel station

Published

10 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Trends Admin

Police identify officer who shot man dead at fuel station

The Police Command in Lagos State has identified the officer who allegedly shot a man dead at a filling station in the Obalende area of the state.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the development in a post he shared on his verified X handle@ben Hundeyin on Thursday.

He said that the officer had been identified.

“The person behind the shooting has been identified as a police officer serving at Special Protection Unit (SPU) Base 17, Lion Building, Lagos.

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“Investigation is still ongoing and further findings will be made available, ” he said.

According to Hundeyin, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Adegoke Fayoade is working with the family of the deceased to ensure that there is no miscarriage of justice.

It could be recalled that the deceased, Toheeb Eniasa, was shot dead by a policemam on Wednesday while struggled to buy fuel.

It was learnt that two officers drove into the station to purchase fuel but motorists asked them to join the queue.

In the process, an argument ensured which resulited into a fight and one of the officers shot Eniasa and ran away.