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Three ex-soldiers, 10 others arraigned for robbery
Three ex-soldiers, 10 others arraigned for robbery
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has begun a trial of three soldiers and 10 others over alleged armed robbery, burglary and receiving stolen property.
The suspects were arraigned by the Nigeria Police Force on charges of armed robbery, burglary and receipt of stolen property.
The Rivers State Police Command had in a statement by its spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, on May 27, 2024, said it arrested the 13 suspects, including the soldiers for alleged armed robbery, hijacking of food trucks and diverting them to other locations.
The police said among those also arrested in the criminal act was a member of the syndicate and operative of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps
Iringe-Koko said the feat followed a thorough investigation after the policemen made an initial arrest for suspected burglary in a private warehouse in Elimgbu community in Ohio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
The state police image maker further said following the development, the Nigerian Army dismissed the soldiers.
At the hearing on Wednesday, the prosecuting counsel, a legal officer with the Nigerian Police Force, F. D Sokari, representing the Inspection General of Police presented their first witness, Emmanuel Nwogu, who testified and gave consent for the extrajudicial statement he made to the police to be tendered and admitted as exhibit.
The defence counsel, Monday Stephen-Akpekon, however, objected, noting that the written statement on oath of the complainant, which is a fundamental document, hadn’t been served on them.
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Following the objections, a motion for adjournment was moved by the prosecution counsel.
The Presiding Judge, Justice G. O Ollor, directed the prosecuting counsel to make the necessary documents available before the court by the next hearing.
Ollor adjourned the matter to July 17, 2024, for the continuation of the hearing.
Speaking to our correspondent outside the courtroom, counsel for the first defendant, Monday Stephen-Akpekon, maintained that his client, West Isaac, was innocent, as he faulted the Nigerian Army for relieving him of his duties without proper investigation.
Stephen-Akpekon said, “He (West Isaac) used to be a soldier and he was sick from the North-East where he was fighting Boko Haram and he was given a pass to go home from treatment.
“He got to Port Harcourt only for them to allege that they were armed robbers, whereas he was not caught with any gun.
“The matter is before the court and he has no arms and the army did not even do a proper investigation. What they did was a media trial.
“After the police arrested them, detained them, maltreated them, returned them to the Amy, which just dismissed them and sent them back without doing proper investigation.”
On his part, the prosecuting counsel, F. D. Sokari, noted that the case involved 13 suspects, but one was struck off on health grounds, even as he expressed optimism that the prosecution is making progress.
“It is a case of armed robbery, burglary and receiving stolen property. We opened our case today by fielding our PW1. PW1 testified and the extrajudicial statement he made to the police was to be rendered and admitted as exhibit A and the court adjourned the case toJuly 17, 2024, October 2 and 16, 2024 for further proceedings in this case, to be precise, cross-examination of PW1.
“There are 12 persons on the charge sheet now. Initially, we charged 13 persons but one of them fell ill to the point of death and his name was struck out to enable him to go and receive treatment.
“So, there are 12 of them standing trial now. We have opened our case and we are making progress.”
Three ex-soldiers, 10 others arraigned for robbery
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Quack Doctor Sentenced to Death for Murder in Ekiti
Quack Doctor Sentenced to Death for Murder in Ekiti
An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado‑Ekiti has sentenced 48‑year‑old Olatide Temitope Emmanuel to death by hanging after finding him guilty of murder and impersonation for posing as a medical doctor and causing the death of a pregnant woman during a botched procedure. The ruling serves as a stern warning against medical quackery in Nigeria.
Emmanuel was arraigned before Justice Babajide Aladejana on two counts: murder for the June 24, 2019 death of Falade Bosede at Odo Ikole Compound, Erinmope‑Ekiti, and impersonation of a medical doctor on June 9, 2019 at Ajebamidele Street, Otun Ekiti. The offences contravened Sections 316 and 319(1) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
The prosecution, led by Kunle‑Shina Adeyemo, called seven witnesses and tendered multiple exhibits, including the defendant’s statements, medical reports, and photographs of the deceased, proving that Emmanuel — who had no recognized medical qualification — unlawfully conducted the procedure that led to Bosede’s death.
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During his defence, Emmanuel admitted he was not a certified medical doctor, claiming only to have worked as a nursing apprentice in Lagos and later opened his own private clinic in Erinmope. He did not call any witnesses to support his case.
In delivering judgment, Justice Aladejana stated, “The prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the reckless action of the defendant caused her death on 24th June, 2019. The defendant is accordingly found guilty as charged. The judgment of this court is that you, Olatide Temitope Emmanuel, be hanged by the neck until you are dead.”
Legal analysts note that the case underscores the dangers of unlicensed medical practice, particularly in rural communities where access to certified healthcare is limited. Experts say the ruling could act as a deterrent to quacks and fraudsters who endanger lives by impersonating medical professionals.
Emmanuel retains the right to appeal the judgment, which may be taken to a higher court for review. Meanwhile, the sentence reflects the severity of practising medicine without qualifications and the legal system’s commitment to protecting public health in Nigeria.
Quack Doctor Sentenced to Death for Murder in Ekiti
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Lagos Court Remands Four Police Officers Over Owode Onirin Market Killings
Lagos Court Remands Four Police Officers Over Owode Onirin Market Killings
A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ebute Metta, Lagos, has ordered the remand of four police officers accused of killing traders at the Owode Onirin International Spare Parts Market in Lagos State.
The defendants — Msanu Bala (41), Jibrin Samaila (47), Ibrahim Garuba (29), and Ibrahim Kashimu (26) — were arraigned on a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy and murder over the deadly incident that reportedly occurred at the busy market.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offence took place on August 27, 2025, at about 9:00 a.m., when the officers and others still at large allegedly opened fire on traders using AK-47 rifles during a confrontation at the market.
The prosecutor, O.W. Ologun, told the court that the accused officers allegedly conspired to carry out the attack, which resulted in the deaths of several traders and injuries to others.
The charge sheet listed six victims allegedly killed during the shooting. They include Bamidele Dare Mufutau, Adebayo Adewale Mathew, Adeoye Taiye, Abraham Idowu Temilola, Akinboye Oluwaseyi Olamilekan, and Akeem Aderemi Adeoye.
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Authorities said the alleged offences contravene Sections 223 and 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, which deal with conspiracy and murder.
Following their arraignment, the presiding magistrate E. Kubeinje ordered that the suspects be remanded at the Kirikiri Custodial Centre pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The court subsequently adjourned the case until April 15, 2026, for mention.
Counsel to the defendants, Azuri Ejiofor, opposed the remand request, arguing that the accused officers had already spent more than five months in detention before being brought before the court.
However, the court granted the prosecution’s request for remand while awaiting the DPP’s legal advice to determine whether the case would proceed to full trial.
The case is linked to a violent confrontation between traders and armed security operatives during a dispute reportedly related to demolition activities and land ownership issues at the Owode Onirin market.
The incident sparked public outrage among traders and residents, who demanded justice for the victims killed during the shooting at the popular spare parts market in the Kosofe area of Lagos State.
Earlier, the Lagos State Police Command confirmed that the officers involved in the incident had been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force following investigations into the killings.
Authorities say the prosecution of the suspects is part of efforts to ensure accountability and justice over the Owode Onirin market killings.
Lagos Court Remands Four Police Officers Over Owode Onirin Market Killings
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Boko Haram, ISWAP Kill Officers, Soldiers in Fresh Attacks on North-East Military Bases
Boko Haram, ISWAP Kill Officers, Soldiers in Fresh Attacks on North-East Military Bases
Jihadi extremist groups, including Boko Haram and its faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have intensified coordinated attacks on military bases across Nigeria’s North-East, leaving several officers and soldiers dead and raising fresh concerns about security in the region.
Over the past week, insurgents carried out multiple assaults on military formations in Borno and Yobe states, targeting troop positions in remote areas and communities around the Lake Chad region.
Security reports indicate that at least two military officers and several soldiers were killed during the latest wave of attacks, while analysts estimate that no fewer than four officers may have died within the period as militants launched simultaneous operations against different bases.
The Nigerian military confirmed the incidents, describing them as coordinated attempts by terrorists to overwhelm troop positions.
Military spokesperson Maj.-Gen. Sani Uba said the attacks, which occurred between Sunday and Monday, resulted in the loss of an unspecified number of soldiers and at least one officer.
According to him, the casualties add to the deaths of several soldiers and another officer earlier recorded during separate attacks earlier in the week.
Reports show that Islamic extremists launched at least six attacks over the weekend across Borno and Yobe states, striking several military formations and checkpoints across the wider Lake Chad basin, a region that has remained the epicentre of the insurgency for more than a decade.
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During the raids, insurgents reportedly carted away military trucks, motorcycles, weapons and ammunition from some of the bases after temporarily overrunning the facilities.
Videos circulated by ISWAP after the attacks showed militants displaying weapons, ammunition, motorcycles and vehicles which the group claimed were seized during the assaults.
Security experts say such attacks are often aimed at replenishing insurgents’ weapons stockpiles.
Taiwo Adebayo, an analyst at the Institute for Security Studies, said insurgents typically target military camps to seize arms and supplies.
“When they hit those camps, they strip the base of weapons, burn it down and retreat into the forests,” he said.
Another security researcher, Malik Samuel of Good Governance Africa, warned that the vulnerability of some military bases allows insurgents to strengthen their arsenal without spending resources on purchasing weapons.
“As long as military bases remain vulnerable to being overrun, ISWAP does not need to spend money buying arms,” he said.
The renewed attacks have triggered public anger in Nigeria, with some citizens accusing the administration of President Bola Tinubu of focusing on political developments ahead of the next presidential election rather than addressing worsening insecurity in the North-East.
Observers note that although ISWAP has increased attacks on military positions in recent months, the latest wave marks one of the few times the group has launched multiple coordinated assaults on several bases within a short period.
The attacks are occurring despite increased security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, under which more than 100 US troops have been deployed to assist the Nigerian military with training, logistics and intelligence support.
Analysts say insurgents continue to exploit limited government presence and weak security coverage in remote communities, enabling them to move quickly between forests and border areas across the Lake Chad region.
Nigeria’s Boko Haram insurgency, which began in 2009, remains one of the country’s deadliest security crises, killing thousands of people and displacing millions across the North-East and neighbouring countries.
Boko Haram, ISWAP Kill Officers, Soldiers in Fresh Attacks on North-East Military Bases
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