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Army defends killer soldiers, police kick, widow abandoned

Published

3 years ago

August 11, 2022

The Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday slammed the Nigerian Army after the immediate past General Officer Commanding, 81 Division, Umar Musa, said the soldiers linked to the death of an Inspector, Monday Orukpe, reacted to a gunshot fired by the policeman.

Musa, a Major-General, was handing over to the new GOC, 81 Division, Obinna Ajunwa, when he made the statement at the division’s headquarters in the Victoria Island area of Lagos State.

While noting that investigations were still ongoing, Musa said preliminary findings revealed that the police officer shot at one of the soldiers during the altercation, adding that the bullet missed the soldier’s vital parts.

“The other soldiers reacted to the shot fired by the police officer and this led to their beating the policeman to death. We have paid a condolence visit to the Commissioner of Police to tell him that we will take necessary measures to prevent future occurrences of such nature.

“The injured soldier is in hospital receiving treatment and investigation is ongoing to ascertain the next line of action to be taken,” Musa said according to the News Agency of Nigeria.

Reacting to the statement, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, in a rebuttal posted on his Twitter page on Wednesday, said no soldier was shot, adding that the soldiers attacked the policemen unprovoked.

He wrote, “Inasmuch as the Lagos State Police Command is in a grieving mood and has decided to toe the line of civility, it is pertinent to stand against misinformation.

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“The fact remains that on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, at the Trade Fair area of Lagos State, about 30 privates of the Nigerian Army attacked five policemen for stopping vehicles along their lane to pave way for a heavy-duty truck joining the expressway.

“After the soldiers had brutalised the ASP leading the team, taken out his magazine, and abducted two Inspectors with their rifles, the next Inspector they attempted to attack fired a single shot into the air – an act that made the soldiers retreat.

“At no point was anyone hit. While we mourn our fallen hero and pray for the total recovery of the second abducted Inspector, we urge Nigerians to disregard the claim that a soldier was shot as there is absolutely no truth to it.

“Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command looks forward to the fishing out of the soldiers behind the torture and murder of Inspector Monday Orukpe.”

Meanwhile, the wife of the late Inspector, Favour, while speaking to our correspondent on Tuesday, said she and her four children, alongside her husband’s relatives, had yet to receive any official visit from the army and the police authorities.

The mother of four, while demanding justice, said she started suspecting that something had happened to her husband after efforts to reach him on his mobile number proved abortive.

She said, “Normally, he is the type that always calls home to check on us. But on Wednesday, I didn’t hear from him and around 12pm and 2pm, I became worried but thought he was busy. Around 4pm, I called him but he didn’t pick the call. Around 8pm, I called again and he didn’t pick the call.

“Immediately, I started contacting his co-workers and got across to one of them around 5.30am the next day. He said my husband went out and promised he would call back when he returned.

“I searched for the admin number of the police station where my husband worked and the policeman that picked my call told me he went on a special duty across the river.”

Favour said she was making efforts to locate the whereabouts of her husband when she got the news that he was tortured to death by soldiers.

Describing her husband’s death as sudden, Favour said she was still nursing a three-month-old baby, Covenant, whose siblings, Divine, 13; Emmanuel, 11, and Praise, 7, had been distraught by the tragic loss of their father.

“They (army and police) just abandoned me; I have not heard from the Commissioner of Police, or the army, and not even his co-workers. They abandoned us because we are nobody. He (Monday) was our breadwinner.

“I want the soldiers that killed him to be brought to book. I also want the army to say what they would do for my children because I can’t take care of them alone. His corpse is still with the army,” she added.

Reacting to Favour’s allegation, Hundeyin said, “The command will not be that insensitive as to abandoning them. As a matter of fact, the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, was in Abuja when the incident happened and for that reason, he took the next available flight back to Lagos.

“On his return, he had a meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian Army in Lagos. Three Brigadier-Generals came to the office and the CP demanded that the perpetrators of this act be fished out and made to face the law.

“The CP has delegated the Area Commander in FESTAC to represent the command and pay a visit to the family of the fallen hero.”

The spokesperson, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, Major Olaniyi Osoba, said, “The army has already paid a condolence visit to the police and the case is still under investigation. It’s an unfortunate incident but it is still undergoing administrative procedure.”

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Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months

Published

2 hours ago

March 29, 2025

Trends Admin

Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months

A Magistrates’ Court in Abeokuta, Ogun State yesterday sentenced a mother, Falilatu Amidu, and her daughter, Ayisatu, to six months imprisonment each for stealing dry ponmo, stock fish and dried meat valued N1 million

The defendants, who reside at No 21 Ago-Oko area of Abeokuta, were convicted on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

The Magistrate, Mrs O.O. Odumosu, held that the evidence presented by the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the convicts were guilty of the offence as charged.

Odumosu sentenced both mother and daughter to six months in prison each with an option of N5,000 fine.

She ordered that the convicts should refund N100,000 each to the complainant as restitution before accessing the N5,000 fine option.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Kehinde Fawunmi, had told the court that the defendants committed the offence at Lafenwa market sometime in August 2024.

Fawunmi explained that Falilatu conspired with her daughter, Ayisatu, to steal a big sack containing stock fish, dried ponmo and dried cow meat valued N1million, belonging to one Mrs kafayat Alao.

According to him, one of the defendants, Falilatu, used to help the complainant to carry load from her store in Lafenwa to where the complainant sells her items.

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“The complainant asked her to help her pick some goods from the store. She waited for over an hour and did not see the defendant, which made her to go to the store to check on her.

“On getting to the store, she did not find Falilatu, and she noticed a big bag containing dried meat, ponmo and stock fish was missing while the defendant was nowhere to be found,” he said.

Fawunmi further explained that Falilatu stole the goods and gave it to her daughter (Ayisatu) to sell. He said Ayisatu received the goods from her mother, knowing that they were stolen.

The prosecutor noted that the offence committed contravened sections 516, 390(9) and 127 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun 2006.

Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months

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Ex-Rivers HoS wife cries for help over husband’s safety

Published

2 hours ago

March 29, 2025

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Florence Nwaeke and her husband, George Nwaeke

Ex-Rivers HoS wife cries for help over husband’s safety

The wife of the immediate past Rivers State Head of Service, George Nwaeke, has voiced concerns over his whereabouts and well-being following his resignation, saying she has been unable to reach him.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, Florence Nwaeke said she became alarmed after seeing an online interview attributed to her husband, which she found suspicious.

“When he got to Abuja, he called that he had landed. I said, ‘Thank God,’” she recalled.

However, after coming across the interview, she began to fear something was amiss.

“I said, ‘That is not my husband. That is not my husband.’

“So I sent him a message. I said, ‘Are you under duress?’ I sent him a message. I said, ‘Have they kidnapped you? Talk to me now. Why are you not talking to me?’ This is the message I sent to him when I saw his interview online,” she said.

Overcome with worry, she made an emotional appeal for help.

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“Oh, Jesus, help me. Nigerians, help me. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. My husband is in trouble. Look at the message I sent to him. See the message I sent to him. I said, ‘Daddy, why? Were you in hostage?’ I said, ‘Why didn’t you talk to me?’ These are the messages I sent to him, but he didn’t reply to me. His numbers are not going through. Nigerians, help me! Nigerians, help me!” she pleaded.

Her concerns follow allegations made by George Nwaeke against suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Nwaeke had accused the governor of plotting to back Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed for the 2027 presidency and of using militants to attack oil facilities. He also alleged that Fubara ordered the bombing of the State House of Assembly in 2023 to prevent his impeachment.

Florence Nwaeke, beyond raising alarm in the media, also directed a personal plea to the governor.

“Governor, help me. My husband is in trouble. He is in trouble,” she implored, claiming that her husband resigned under pressure.

However, Fubara dismissed the claims, insisting that Nwaeke had been influenced by external forces.

“The truth is that Dr. Nwaeke has been compromised, and whatever he is saying is only aimed at fulfilling his promise to those who may have paid or coerced him to lie against me,” the governor stated late Friday.

Fubara also released screenshots purportedly showing chats between Nwaeke and his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie, where Nwaeke allegedly requested financial assistance.

Ex-Rivers HoS wife cries for help over husband’s safety

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Fubara reacts as Ex-HOS, Nwaeke accuses him of bombing oil pipelines, Rivers Assembly

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2 hours ago

March 29, 2025

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Siminalayi Fubara

Fubara reacts as Ex-HOS, Nwaeke accuses him of bombing oil pipelines, Rivers Assembly

Suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara has denied accusations from his former Head of Service, George Nwaeke, disclosing that he never ordered the bombing of the Rivers State House of Assembly or any Oil Pipeline.

Fubara, in a statement made available to newsmen, stated that no such thing occurred during his administration. The statement read;

“My attention has been drawn to a press briefing by the former Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke aired on Channels Television on Friday the 28th of March 2025. Ordinarily, I would not have responded to his claims, but to correct the erroneous impression such allegations may create in the minds of the people, and the disaffection it is bound to cause in the state and the country.”

“First, on the claim that he was aware of my discussions and plans to support Bala Mohammed’s alleged 2027 presidential bid, it is laughable that Dr. Nwaeke would be part of any high level political meeting as Head of Service, much more sitting in my alleged night meetings with Bala Mohammed and militants like he claimed. Howbeit, none of such meetings ever held.”

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“The truth is that the whole world knew when the Bauchi State Governor, as Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum visited the State, and there was nothing secret about the visits.”

“It is also ludicrous for Dr. Nwaeke to claim that he was aware of my meetings to encourage attacks on oil pipelines and other National assets in the State, as there was no time I held any meeting with militants or any criminal group to destabilise the State. It is on record that I have been at the forefront preaching peace in the State even in the face of obvious provocations.”

“The truth is that Dr. Nwaeke has been compromised, and whatever he is saying is only aimed at fulfilling his promise to those who may have paid or coerced him to lie against me.”

“I call on all well meaning Nigerians and the good people of Rivers State to disregard everything said by Dr. Nwaeke as they are mere desperate attempts to discredit me and my administration, and undermine the peace process by Mr. President”.