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Beninese father, others arrested over attempt to use son for ritual

Published

2 years ago

July 24, 2023

Beninese father, others arrested over attempt to use son for ritual

The Zone 2 Police Command has arrested a 50-year-old Beninese father, Mr Pome Banda, and three others who allegedly lured a nine-year-old boy from Benin Republic for money ritual.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Mr Ari Mohammed, disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos.

Mohammed said in the process of their plans, Zone 2 Criminal Investigation Department got information about them and the police acted as the herbalist who wanted to help them to use the boy for money ritual.

He said the operatives started discussing with the boy’s father, his brother living in Nigeria, one Benjamin Balobi, and two Nigerians – Segun Shile and Ige Koshelu.

The AIG said that Banda left Ajah Jakatome, his hometown in Benin Republic and came to Nigeria on May 30, 2023 with his son after telling him that they were coming to secure a housemaid job for him.

He said the boy was given to a man simply identified as Baba Shina, now at large, as his house help.

Mohammed said after the boy lived with Baba Shina for a month, he was then taken back to Cotonou and N35,000 was given to his father in his presence as salary so as to confuse the boy.

He said that between June 17 and 23, Banda, after making final arrangement with other suspects, brought the boy from Benin Republic again to Nigeria for money making ritual purpose.

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The AIG said the four suspects involved were arrested at Sango Ota in Ogun, the presumed native doctor place, stressing that all suspects have confessed to the crime.

He said they would be charged to court soon at the completion of investigation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that during interrogation, the boy’s father who spoke through an interpreter at the Zone 2 Police Command Headquarters, Onikan Lagos, said he wanted to use his fifth child for ritual because he was poor.

He said he called his brother living in Nigeria, Mr Benjamin Balobi, to make contact for a house help job and also assist in the money ritual.

Banda said his brother was able to secure one Baba Shina as his house help master.

He said he was connected to a Nigerian, one Ige Koshelu and discussed with him of what he wanted to use his son to do.

He said he met Koshelu at Ilaro area of Ogun, who then contacted another Nigerian, Segun Shile, who allegedly made arrangement for a herbalist at the Owode Yewa area in Ogun.

Banda said Shile became the middleman and coordinator between Ige, himself and the suspected herbalist, they never knew was a policeman.

On the part of Benjamin Balobi, the boy’s father called him to know what he was doing in Nigeria and wanted him to help get a place where his son would work as a house boy.

Balobi said he told Banda that the job he saw paid N5,000 salary monthly.

“It was later he opened up to me that he wanted to use his son for money ritual, that is when I connected him with one Baba Shina who is on the run now. The boy was taken to Baba Shina house.

“He said he wanted to be rich, that was why he wanted to use his son for the ritual, but I don’t know anything about it. I only assisted him to secure a house help job for his son,” he said.

Ige Koshelu said that when Banda brought his son from Benin Republic, it was Baba Shina ( the boy’s master) that called to inform him that he wanted to use his son for money ritual.

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Koshelu said that he told Banda that he did not know anything about ritual, but promised to help them to ask another friend who may help them to get a herbalist.

“It was a friend of mine whom I contacted that promised to get someone for them at the Oja Odan area of Ogun, who finally helped them.

“It was that my friend who later took us to the herbalist house at Owode Yewa, and from Owode Yewa, we moved again to Sango to meet the herbalist. Unfortunately, we were arrested at the scene where the policemen were already waiting,” he said.

Segun Shile said he was at Oja-Odan working as a welder when Koshelu met him that someone wanted to do money ritual with his son.

Shile said that the herbalist called on phone at Owode Yewa about the matter said that there was nothing like money ritual.

He said five days after, the herbalist called him again requesting to see him and the man who wanted to use his son for money ritual and they visited him.

“The herbalist called me two days after again that he had contacted another herbalist, who promised to help them but will collect N100,000.

“Balobi then told me he would donate N50,000, while I and Koshelu should contribute the remaining N50,000, as the father of the boy will not bring a dine, because he presented his son for the ritual.

“After the contribution, we took the money to the herbalist, after collecting it, he kept it under his mat and picked his phone to call someone.

“Few hours later, we were arrested on the spot by the police while we were waiting for the second herbalist,” he said. (NAN)

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Again Obasanjo accuses federal lawmakers of bribery

Published

38 seconds ago

March 25, 2025

Trends Admin

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

Again Obasanjo accuses federal lawmakers of bribery

Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has alleged that members of the National Assembly received bribes to ratify the state of emergency imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.

In a video clip seen by Daily Sun, Obasanjo was seen in a conversation with outspoken House of Representatives member, Ikenga Ugochinyere, who denied reports that federal lawmakers were paid $200,000 each to support the emergency rule. “Nobody gave anyone $200,000. That is just what I want to correct.”

However, the former president insisted that he had direct knowledge of the payments. “You can say anything. I heard it from the horse’s mouth. You can deny it, that is alright, but I heard it from those who got it and told me that they got it. If you didn’t get it, then maybe your case is different. Don’t tell me what I know. Most of your members who got it told me that they got it.”

This allegation follows an earlier denial by the Chairman of the House Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mukhtar Betara, who dismissed claims that cash payments were made to lawmakers to secure support for the emergency declaration.

Investigative journalist Jaafar Jaafar alleged on X that Betara clarified the $5,000 given to each committee member was a “Sallah gesture” and not a bribe.

“The chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Mukhtar Betara, has clarified to me that he only shared $5,000 to each member of his committee as a ‘Sallah Gesture,’ not an inducement to support emergency rule in Rivers State,” Jaafar wrote.

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Meanwhile, Obasanjo has said democracy is dying in Africa because it has become a system of government by a small number of people over a large population, who are deprived of their needs.

He spoke at a Colloquium to mark the 60th birthday of former Imo State governor, Emeka Ihedioha in Abuja, yesterday.

The former president stated that democracy, which is expected to deliver services to all the people and not a section, is failing in Africa because it is not African in context and content.

According to him, from the Greek model of democracy, where all the citizens participate directly in their affairs, it is now a representative system which has not taken care of everybody.

“When we talk of democracy, we should remember that in Africa, before the colonial rule, and the colonial power, we had a form of government which attended to the needs of our people. And whatever you call it, to me it is democracy, because what is democracy about? Democracy is meant to be a system of government that delivers. And delivers to all the people, not just a section of the people. Not just a few. But what do we have today?

“Today, we have democracy which is a government of a small number of people by a small number of people over a large number of people, who are deprived of what they need to have in life. Now, that is not democracy that will endure.

“So, if you are talking of democracy failing in Africa, democracy in Africa has failed. Why has it failed? Because in context and in content, it’s not African. It does not have any aspect of our culture, our way of life, what we stand for, what we believe in. Umbutu, I am because we are.”

He added that democracy in the continent today is “I am because I can grab. What sort of democracy brings you and you grab everything and then illegally, corruptly and you say go to Court when you know that even in the Court, you cannot get justice?

“So, if democracy is failing, democracy is dying and if we are going to make democracy not to die, we have to look at democracy in the context and in the content of Africa. I hope that we will get to that stage so that democracy which will deliver will be the democracy that we will have in Africa.”

Again Obasanjo accuses federal lawmakers of bribery

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Explosion in Yobe, three people hospitalised

Published

21 hours ago

March 24, 2025

Trends Admin

Yobe State Police spokesperson, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim

Explosion in Yobe, three people hospitalised

At least 3 persons have been hospitalised after an undetonated Improvised Explosive Device exploded in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.

The explosion took place on Saturday at Ngomari Community in Buni Yadi, headquarters of Gujba Local Government Area.

A reliable source in the area told Daily Trust that the incident happened when a 22-year-old discovered live ammunition and four AK47 rounds while fetching firewood in the bush.

“The young man attempted to open the ammunition out of curiosity.

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“He proceeded to strike the ammunition with a hammer, which triggered an explosion. 3 persons including the young man sustained various degrees of injury,” the source said.

Confirming the incident, the Secretary of the Local Metal Fabricators Association, Gujba LG, Malam Isyaku Dahiru, said the victims were moved to Yobe State Specialist Hospital Buni Yadi for urgent treatment.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Public Relations Officer of the Yobe State Police Command, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, were not successful as he did not pick his calls and was yet to reply to the calls as at the time of filing this report.

Boko Haram terrorists have been using IEDs to launch attacks on communities in the area.

Explosion in Yobe, three people hospitalised

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Rivers: Presidency reveals security intelligence leading to emergency rule

Published

21 hours ago

March 24, 2025

Trends Admin

Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, Suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Rivers: Presidency reveals security intelligence leading to emergency rule

The Presidency has revealed that security intelligence reports led to the suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and elected members of the State House of Assembly.

According to the government, militants were already targeting oil pipelines, posing a serious threat to national security and the economy.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, disclosed this in an article titled “Imagine Rivers State Without a State of Emergency”, published on Sunday.

He maintained that intelligence reports showed an escalating crisis in the oil-rich state.

President Tinubu, in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, explained that his efforts to mediate the political conflict in Rivers had been ignored. He stated that worsening security threats necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency.

“The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today, there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militants, without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course, given stern orders to the security agencies to ensure the safety of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines,” Tinubu said while announcing the emergency rule.

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The decision has drawn criticism from various quarters, with many questioning its necessity. However, the Presidency has defended the move, insisting it was based on credible security intelligence.

Onanuga explained that Section 305 of the Constitution empowers the President to act when there is a threat to law, order, or economic security.

“Impeachment threats might have spurred attacks on lawmakers by the governor’s supporters, while militants in the creeks—primed to sabotage critical oil infrastructure—could have plunged Nigeria’s oil production back to pre-2023 lows,” he stated.

He further alleged that militants were awaiting instructions from Fubara before launching attacks on pipelines.

“Intelligence confirmed that militants, told by Fubara to await signals, were already targeting pipelines, risking a collapse in output and a Niger-Delta domino effect,” Onanuga added.

According to him, Tinubu’s intervention was crucial, as Rivers State is a key player in Nigeria’s oil sector. He warned that any disruption in the region could have dire economic consequences.

He dismissed claims that the emergency rule undermines democracy, arguing that it is a “temporary, surgical” measure aimed at restoring order rather than replacing democratic institutions.