7 killed as police, cultists clash in Aba, Benin City – Newstrends
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7 killed as police, cultists clash in Aba, Benin City

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Chidi Nwabuzor

Two persons have been confirmed dead in a shootout between the police and suspected cultists, at Ndiegoro Community, in Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State.

Vanguard gathered that the suspected cultists had blocked a police patrol team from the Ndiegoro Division in the area, which led to a shootout between the two groups.

In the ensuing gun duel, a police inspector from the Ndiegoro Division was killed, while two of the cultists were shot dead.

Police sources said that the suspected cultists, who engaged the police in the shootout, were members of the Eastern Security Network, ESN.

The source said that the hoodlums killed the Police Inspector and injured others, but also lost two of their own members. They made away with one AK-47 rifle, belonging to the slain police inspector.

“The Police officer, who was killed by the hoodlums was on routine patrol duty with his colleagues on Umuanyogu Street, Iheorji Ohanku Road, Aba when the hoodlums, who were over 200 chanting war-like songs blocked their Patrol van singing about Biafra.

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“It’s bad that when the Police are killed, nobody talks about it but when a citizen, who attacked the Police dies in the act. people rise against the Police and call them all sorts of names.”

A resident of the Iheorji community, however, told Vanguard that the incident occurred when some police officers from the Ndiegoro Police Division were allegedly extorting motorists and some drug dealers in the area before a disagreement came up leading to a shootout.

“Remember that this same incident happened in 2018 in the same Ndiegoro Division when a police officer was killed and police came to Ndiegoro areas like Okojombo, Ntueke and other streets burning properties and destroying lives.

“They usually come to criminal drug areas here to collect money and when they have disagreements, it leads to such killings and this one, I learnt it was between them and some Aro cultists, who we know have taken control of Ndiegoro area for some years now.

“This place is under-policed. Only one police station oversees the whole neighbourhood in Aba. What do we expect? Why must Ndiegoro Police Division be having such problems all the time? Something must be done,” the resident said.

Contacted, Abia State Police Public Relations Office, Geoffrey Ogbonna, explained that the hoodlums were suspected members of ESN.

This is, however, contrary to the account of the incident by residents of the area.

4 killed in Benin City

Meanwhile, after what looked like a respite, a renewed cult clash in Benin City, Edo State, said to have started last Sunday, has claimed the lives of four persons around Erediauwa, a road linking Sapele and Sokponba roads, in Benin City.

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Investigation showed that what led to the clash was a case of mistaken identity, as it was gathered that there was an issue between Black Axe, also called Aiye, and Vikings, also called Arobaga, around Ekosodin Area of Benin City and that, in the process, a member of the Eiye Confraternity was killed, mistaking him for a member of Aiye and this led to the clash between members of Eiye and Vikings in the Erediauwa area.

A resident in the area, said: “The killing started on Sunday. One was killed on the street, before Osaze Odewengie’s guest house, by the left-hand side if you enter the street from Upper Sokponba near a brothel. Another was killed at Eriaria around a pure water factory, that is where the family stays and I heard he is the only child. The other two were also killed within the same area. The clash was between Eiye and Arobaga cult groups.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Chidi Nwabuzor said he was not aware of the clash yet but was awaiting a briefing

As press time,  it was gathered that leaders of the various confraternities under a rainbow coalition were trying to resolve the issues.

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

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

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

Eight vigilante members and two others have been killed by terrorists at Kakangi and Unguwan Matinja communities in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

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

A resident of the LG, Idris Khalid, confirmed the event, saying the gun-wielding men invaded the villages 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, abduct two village heads

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Repentant Boko Haram members burn NDLEA, Customs checkpoints in Borno

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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

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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.

Police identify officer who shot man dead at fuel station

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