metro

Benue police shoot seven-month-old child, family decries neglect

Published

3 years ago

October 26, 2021

The family of seven-month-old Nadoo Ahaangba has accused the Benue State Police Command of neglecting them after some policemen attached to the command allegedly shot the child in the Makurdi area of the state.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the policemen, in an attempt to arrest some hoodlums around the Makurdi International Market on October 7, shot sporadically as a bullet hit Nadoo in her hand.

Her father, Tyokaa, said the police had refused to take responsibility for the incident, adding that his family had become impoverished due to payment of medical bills.

Narrating the incident, he said, “On October 7, my wife was selling food at the market junction when the policemen passed the area around 8pm. As they passed, they saw some boys bargaining over something on the road, so they reversed their vehicle. But as those boys saw them, they took to their heels and the police started shooting sporadically.

“As they were shooting, people started running and my wife ran too to avoid being caught up in what was happening, not knowing that a bullet had hit my baby in her right hand; the bullet shattered her finger.

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“We took her to E Division and when the DPO saw what happened, he helped to bandage her hand and rushed her to a hospital. When we got to the hospital, the doctor said we needed to deposit N200,000 before they could do any surgery for her so my elder brother went to the state headquarters to see the Commissioner of Police and complain.

“The CP spoke with the doctor and the doctor told him that we would need a lot of money for the surgery but that they should deposit N200,000 for the surgery and the CP sent the money to the doctor. But since that day, we have not heard or seen anything from them; they abandoned us.

“Although the bullet affected all her fingers, one of the fingers has turned black; the finger is destroyed as it is. I have spent the little money with me and this incident has affected me a lot. I don’t feel comfortable at all because the entire burden is now on me and I am only an Okada rider. My wife that used to support with the food she was selling is the one staying with the baby in the hospital. I am choked up.”

He demanded that the police pick up the hospital bills and compensate the family for the permanent injury to the child.

According to the father, Nadoo has lost her sleep since the incident happened.

“We always carry her in our hands to pet her. My wife can’t eat because there’s no money,” he added.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, denied that the command neglected the family, adding that the police were investigating the incident.

She said, “The police team has not been identified; the police have commenced investigation to find out which team went there.

“The CP came in to give some money to the hospital to save a life, to protect the child first, but to establish if it was the police that shot in the area has been an issue because the bullet that was shot was not retained in the hand.

“The command did not deploy any team at that time even though a police team can always patrol many areas, but the command is trying to establish which team went and if the incident was caused by a policeman.”

Punch

Related Topics:Benue family police shoot

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Court orders Alcon Nigeria to pay ex-workers over N39m

Published

8 hours ago

November 12, 2024

Trends Admin

Court orders Alcon Nigeria to pay ex-workers over N39m

Justice Muhammad Hamza of the Port Harcourt Judicial Division of the National Industrial Court has ordered Alcon Nigeria Limited to pay its former employee N39,707,607 for breach of contract.

In a statement on Monday, the court declared that Alcon Nigeria Limited’s non-payment of Mr. A. Ikenna’s salary from October 2021 to January 2022 constituted a breach of the employment contract.

The court further ordered Alcon Nigeria Limited to pay Mr. Ikenna N16,781,500 as pension contributions for the period from January 2017 to January 2022, N5,762,267.4 as salary for October 2021 to January 13, 2022 (less one month’s payment in lieu of notice), N11,289,600 as End of Service/Gratuity, and N5,874,240 as leave allowance for the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 periods, plus a 50kg bag of rice, among other payments.

Facts of the case

The claimant stated before the court that he was forced to resign from Alcon Nigeria Limited due to the company’s failure to pay his outstanding benefits.

The claimant’s legal team argued that their client’s obligation to comply with Alcon Nigeria Limited’s exit protocols only arises when the company has fully settled all outstanding salaries, allowances, and pension contributions owed to Mr. Ikenna prior to his resignation.

The claimant contended that, since Alcon Nigeria Limited admitted to breaching the employment contract, it could not claim that he had failed to adhere to exit protocols following his resignation.

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The claimant urged the court to grant relief for the various outstanding payments.

In response, Alcon Nigeria Limited’s legal team argued that Mr. Ikenna’s entitlements were withheld because he had not completed the exit process or returned company property.

The defense added, “Withholding these properties and assets is a clear violation of the collective agreement signed between the parties,” claiming that the claimant’s “self-help” actions in withholding Alcon Nigeria Limited’s assets hindered the company’s ability to settle his entitlements as stipulated in the collective agreement.

What the court said

In delivering judgment, Justice Muhammad Hamza held that, based on the evidence presented, the claimant was entitled to salary payments from October 2021 to January 13, 2022, minus one month’s pay in lieu of notice as specified in the company’s collective agreement.

The court further ruled that “Mr. Ikenna has proven his entitlements for unremitted pension contributions and End of Service/Gratuity from Alcon Nigeria Limited to the satisfaction of the court. The assertion that Mr. Ikenna had been employed by Alcon Nigeria Limited since 2004 requires no further proof.”

On the matter of damages, Justice Hamza held that although Alcon Nigeria Limited breached the employment contract by not paying the claimant’s monthly salary, Mr. Ikenna was not entitled to general or exemplary damages as he had retained company property after his resignation.
Justice Hamza subsequently ordered the firm to pay the claimant his dues while Mr. Ikenna was ordered to return all Alcon Nigeria Limited property in his possession, including a Lexus vehicle and a laptop, in good condition within seven days.
The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, established in 1976, presides over cases related to labor disputes, civil matters, child trafficking, employment issues, entitlements, allowances, and workplace sexual harassment.

Court orders Alcon Nigeria to pay ex-workers over N39m

metro

Two brothers remanded in Kaduna for alleged armed robbery, killing

Published

8 hours ago

November 12, 2024

Trends Admin

Two brothers remanded in Kaduna for alleged armed robbery, killing

A Kaduna High Court on Tuesday ordered that two brothers be remanded in a correctional centre for alleged culpable homicide and armed robbery.

The police charged Hamza Jibrin, 27 and Yusuf Jibrin 24, with conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide.

Justice Aisha Shagari ordered the remand of the defendants, after they pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.

Shagari adjourned the matter until Dec. 12 for hearing.

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Earlier, the Prosecutor, James Edward, said that the defendants and two others at large, while armed with matchete and other dangerous weapons along Airport Road, Kaduna, on Nov. 7, robbed and caused the death of a 26-year-old man, Rabiu Sani.

He said the defendants stole the deceased’s HP laptop, two cell phones, his wallet which contained two ATM cards and cash sum of N30,000.

Two brothers remanded in Kaduna for alleged armed robbery, killing

metro

Police dismiss bomb explosion reports in Jos as false alarm

Published

8 hours ago

November 12, 2024

Trends Admin

Police dismiss bomb explosion reports in Jos as false alarm

Residents of Jos, the Plateau State capital, who were at the Terminus area of the city early this morning scampered for safety as rumours of a bomb planted in the neighbourhood filtered to town.

Diverse messages had circulated on social media about a suspected explosive device in the vicinity, causing panic, but the State Police Command debunked the rumour, saying it was a false alarm.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Alfred Alabo, explained, “In the early hours of today, the 12th day of November 2024, at exactly 08:20 am, the Plateau State Police Command received a report of a shallow dug hole suspected to be planted with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at the Murtala Mohammed Way beside Old JUTH fence, which created panic among the residents.

“Upon receiving this report, the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, CP Emmanuel Adesina, immediately ordered the Area Commander Metro and the Officer in Charge of the Command’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit, aka Anti-Bomb Squad, to mobilise a team of bomb technicians to the scene in collaboration with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), “C” Division, to assess the situation and take necessary actions.

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“On reaching the scene, the area was immediately cordoned, and our EOD Team began examination. Upon conclusion of the examination, the hole was found to be safe and free of any explosive devices. CP Emmanuel Adesina and other members of his management team also visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment.

“The CP commends the people of Plateau State for being security conscious and cooperating with the police throughout the exercise. He therefore urges them to go about their normal business activities without fear, as the area is safe and free of any threats to lives and properties.”

Also, Cynthia Ukachukwu, whose shop is in the vicinity, told Vanguard on the phone, “I was in the market very early this morning to receive my goods. At about 8 am, I saw people hurrying about; when I asked what had happened, I heard there was a bomb close to the old JUTH.

“Police and other security agencies were here, and they asked us to vacate our shops, which we did, but as I am speaking with you now (11.25 am), I am in the shop because the police allowed us to go back to our businesses. Nobody is running here; everywhere is calm.”

Recall that the very busy neighbourhood had experienced a double bomb blast in 2014 where, yet to be ascertained, a number of people lost their lives, and scores are still carrying the scars of the scary incident.