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Court jails 17 suspected terrorists in Ondo

Published

2 years ago

April 3, 2023

Court jailed 17 suspected terrorists in Ondo

NO fewer than 17 suspected terrorists have been sentenced to five years imprisonment for alleged conspiracy and illegal possession of firearms.

A Magistrates Court sitting in Akure, Ondo state, gave the ruling over the weekend.

In the ruling, a commercial driver, Abubakar Aliu and his conductor, Aruna Tukur, were also sentenced to four years imprisonment after being found guilty of illegal possession of firearms.

Other convicts include; Abdularasaq Idris, Rufai Nura, Sagri Musa, Imarana Bello, Tasiu Suliaman, Musa Bala, Saliu Saidu, Musur Adamu, Abduhlai Ibrahim, Imarana Yusuf, Abdulahi Mustafa, Haruna Tukur, Nura Saidu, Abubakar Aliu, and Mubarak Tsalhs.

The trial Magistrate, Damilola Sekoni, convicted the defendants after they were found guilty of two out of the three counts charges levelled against them.

Sekoni said ” I’m satisfied with that circumstantial evidence given, in the instances of the avalanche of evidence before me, all defendants were guilty of the first charge, the 11th and 13th defendants who are the driver and his conductor, were guilty of the second charge while all the defendants are acquitted of the count.

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The trial Magistrate added that both sentences are to run concurrently without an option of a fine.

The defendants were arraigned by the men of the State Security Outfit, Codenamed ‘Amotekun, on three counts of conspiracy, illegal possession of firearms and wandering in public places.

Prosecuting counsel, Olusegun Akeredolu, told the court that the defendant was arrested on November 4, 2021, along Akure/ Ondo expressway by the men of the Amoteken Corps after their buses attempted to overrun the security agents and speed off.

Akeredolu said the defendant conspired to commit a felony.

The passengers were said to have conspired with the driver not to wait for the officers of the law when they were stopped at a checkpoint but instead sped off.

The Prosecutor added that the defendants were in possession of firearms without a valid license

They were also said to be found wandering in a public place at about 2a:m and under such circumstances that led to the conclusion that they were at the place for an illegal and disorderly purpose.

According to the charge, the offences contravene Section 516 and 260 of the Criminal Code Law of Ondo State, 2006 and Section 6(b) cap R11 Robbery and Firearms (special provision) Act, laws of the federation 2004.”

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The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge

The defence counsels, O.J. Emmanuel and P.O. Attah during the trial told the court that the defendants were innocent travellers that boarded a bus from a park in Katsina heading to Lagos.

Emmanuel, in his address, told the court that the driver of the bus knew nothing about the sack containing daggers found inside the bus as they were just a message given to him by someone in Lagos.

He added that the defendants refused to wait when they were asked to stop by the security agents and had to be pursued from Akure to Ondo town.

The defendants in their evidence individually denied the ownership of the sack of weapons found inside the bus, insisting that they were just passengers.

They equally said that they thought those that stopped them were armed robbers hence they took off without stopping.

The driver claimed that no gun was found in the bus and that the sacks containing knives and daggers were messages given to him at the park in Katsina expected to be delivered to someone in Lagos.

He claimed that he did not bother to check the content of the message.

Recall that 18 persons in a bus conveying weapons in Ondo town were arrested by the personnel of Amotekun

The bus was loaded with 500 pieces of weapons such as guns, knives, carriages and swords.

The items were reportedly concealed inside a sack and were kept under the seat of one of the buses.

According to the state Commander of Amotekun, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, three buses escaped from different checkpoints in the state but one of them was arrested in Ondo town.

“They had a brief stop just before they entered the town and when our men tried to stop them, the three buses escaped.

” We had to radio all our control points and we were able to bring the three buses to a stop at a point on Ondo road by a combined team including the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

“The buses attempted to overrun the security agents and speed off.

”The speed was so much that they hit the barricades on the road. We discovered that it was difficult pursuing them and didn’t want to cause any accidents. So we radioed our station at Owena and the security men there blocked the road.

Adeleye said that ” On getting there, they were able to escape by hitting the barricades again. “We continued pursue them while we called the Ile-Oluji junction, saying that they should block the road properly but the suspects also escaped. We now had a complete blockade before the Akure garage in Ondo town and there we were able to apprehend them.”

Court jailed 17 suspected terrorists in Ondo

metro

Fubara ignores pro-Wike lawmakers, signs N1.18tn 2025 appropriation

Published

1 minute ago

January 3, 2025

Trends Admin

Fubara ignores pro-Wike lawmakers, signs N1.18tn 2025 appropriation

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has signed into law the state’s N1.188 trillion budget for the 2025 fiscal year, once again shunning lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The development comes amid the continued power struggle between Fubara and Wike.

The governor signed the budget into law within two working days after presenting it to the three-member Rivers Assembly loyal to him.

The budget was presented before the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led faction of the assembly on Monday.

This development is similar to last year’s events, where Governor Fubara presented the N800 billion 2024 budget before a four-member assembly and assented to it within 24 hours.

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In a statement on social media, Fubara said,

Today, I signed into law the 2025 Rivers State Appropriation Bill. Tagged “Budget of Inclusive Growth & Development”, the bill is estimated at N1.1 trillion.

I deeply appreciate the Rivers State House of Assembly for their diligence and my executives for their unwavering commitment to service.
Together, we are setting the pace for a prosperous year ahead, focusing on education, healthcare , agriculture, and infrastructure.

Let me, on this note, thank everyone and once again wish you a happy and prosperous New Year ahead as we continue the journey of making Rivers State great again.

Fubara ignores pro-Wike lawmakers, signs N1.18tn 2025 appropriation

metro

Rivers elders accuse Wike of disrespecting Peter Odili

Published

27 minutes ago

January 3, 2025

Trends Admin

Former Governor of Rivers State Dr Peter Odili and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT Nyesom Wike

Rivers elders accuse Wike of disrespecting Peter Odili

The Concerned Elders of Rivers State have lashed out at Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, following his recent public remarks about former Governor Peter Odili.

Wike had claimed that he had brought Odili out of political obscurity and referred to him as a “General Overseer,” citing the appointments of Odili’s wife, Justice Mary Odili (retired), and daughter, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

In a statement released in Port Harcourt, signed by former Governor Sir Celestine Omehia, former Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru, and 12 other prominent elders, the group condemned Wike’s comments as disrespectful and immature.

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According to them, such behaviour runs counter to the core values of unity, respect, and decorum that Rivers State upholds.

The elders specifically called out Wike for using a church event to publicly insult Odili, a respected elder statesman, and his family.

They stressed that elders are the custodians of wisdom and any disrespect toward them undermines the community’s values.

The statement also linked Wike’s outburst to Dr. Odili’s advice against a potential impeachment plot targeting Governor Fubara.

The elders suggested that Wike’s anger stemmed from Odili’s statesmanlike intervention to prevent instability in the state government.

“Wike is acting like a proverbial child who burns his fingers despite warnings from his elders,” they stated.

Rivers elders accuse Wike of disrespecting Peter Odili

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Female-led phone thieves smashed in Kano, 5 suspects arrested

Published

47 minutes ago

January 3, 2025

Trends Admin

SP Abdullahi Haruna

Female-led phone thieves smashed in Kano, 5 suspects arrested

Operatives of Kano State police command, on Thursday, said it has busted a female-led syndicate with an arrest of five suspects who specialize in stealing mobile phones in the metropolis.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Abdullahi Haruna, said the suspects carried out their atrocities in connivance with a tricyclist, a cybercriminal who specialized in buying the stolen properties.

SP Haruna said the syndicate were arrested after a series of complaints about their atrocities.

He identified the suspects as Shamsiyya Adamu, the 19-year-old principal suspect and leader of the syndicate, Idris Yusuf, Al’asan Dahiru, Abdulmajid Haruna and Salim Auwalu.

According to him, “A female-led syndicate of thieves has been dismantled by the Kano State Police Command, with the arrest of five suspects. The principal suspect, Shamsiyya Adamu, a 19-year-old resident of Brigade Quarters Kano, was arrested on December 21, 2024, following reports of stolen mobile phones in Unguwa Uku Quarters Kano.

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“In the year 2024, the Kano State Police Command received numerous reports from residents of Kano Metropolis about a young lady who steals mobile phones from residential houses. The reports indicated that the suspect was using a tricyclist and a cybercriminal to aid in her operations. The State Commissioner of Police, CP Salman Dogo Garba raised a special intervention squad, and the principal suspect was arrested on December 21, 2024.

“The Syndicate’s Modus Operandi is that the syndicate, led by Shamsiyya, specialized in stealing mobile phones from residential houses, using a tricyclist and a cyber criminal to aid in their operations. The suspects would deceive housewives, steal their mobile phones, and swindle money from their victims’ bank accounts.

*Suspects arrested included, Shamsiyya Adamu: The 19-year-old principal suspect and leader of the syndicate, Idris Yusuf, 23-year-old tricycle rider who aided in transporting the principal suspect to commit crimes and Al’asan Dahiru, 24-year-old suspect who specialized in disposing stolen items for the principal suspect.

“Others include, Abdulmajid Haruna, a 27-year-old suspect who specialized in buying stolen properties and Salim Auwalu, a 21-year-old suspect who specialized in swindling money from victims’ bank accounts.

“Six mobile phones have been recovered so far, and efforts are ongoing to recover more stolen phones. Thirty complainants, including 29 females and 1 male, have lodged complaints against Shamsiyya, who confessed to stealing the mobile phones on various occasions in 2024,” SP Haruna however stated.