Channels TV anchor's father dies in kidnappers den – Newstrends
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Channels TV anchor’s father dies in kidnappers den

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Channels TV anchor’s father dies in kidnappers den

The father of Charles Erukaa, a popular television presenter and on-air-personality with Channels TV, has reportedly died in the den of kidnappers in Benue State, reports thegazellenews.com.

He was aged 80.

Charles’ father, Washima Erukaa was also the former Chairman of Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.

He was kidnapped on Saturday, 23 September, 2023 in Zaki Biam, headquarters of the local government but died after over one month with his abductors. What made the death so painful was that the Erukaa family had paid ransom for his release four times to the kidnappers.

According to the Sun News, Erukaa was kidnapped on 23 September, 2023, a day before his kinsman and the state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mathew Abo, was kidnapped. They were both kidnapped at Zaki Biam, in Ukum LGA. But while the Commissioner, Abo, was rescued 10 days later, Erukaa was not.

After the ex-Chairman was abducted, a family member identified as BenJones Erukaa was also lured to the kidnappers den on the pretext of negotiating with the family for payment of a ransom. He was also abducted and kept into custody with the former Chairman. It was learnt that BenJones was freed on October 20, but Pa Erukaa was still kept in custody by the kidnappers for reasons best known to them.

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When contacted on the news of his death yesterday morning, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benue State, SP Catherine Anene, said she did not have the information yet. However, a member of the Erukaa family, who didn’t want to be named, said the deceased’s lifeless body was found somewhere within Zaki-Biam town, the headquarters of Ukum LGA, on Sunday.

Washima Erukaa was the father of a renowned broadcaster with Channels TV, Charles Erukaa.

The source, who debunked reports that the kidnappers may have killed the former council chairman, said from what the family gathered, Erukaa died in his sleep. It was said that when his abductors found out that the former council boss had died, they dropped his lifeless body in a vicinity where he would easily be found.

The source said: “That’s how it ended; the kidnap saga. And I think probably that’s the kind of death that God reserved for him. So that’s how it ended. For some of us, after the third week we lost hope, but we were still praying because we knew that there is nothing God cannot do.

“We believe the conditions that he was kept in captivity were conditions that would not make for his survival. Based on what we learnt from hearsay, he slept and didn’t wake up. They (abductors) had no reason to kill him. It’s not as if they made demands that we didn’t meet up with. We paid them ransom like four times,” the source said.

Channels TV anchor’s father dies in kidnappers den

Credit: Sun News

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BREAKING: EFCC, Cubana Chief Priest agree to settle out of court

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BREAKING: EFCC, Cubana Chief Priest agree to settle out of court

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and celebrity bartender, Pascal Okechukwu, popularly called Cubana Chief Priest, have agreed to settle the naira abuse charge slammed against the socialite out of court.

The Federal High Court in Lagos State, on Wednesday, April 17, granted Cubana Chief Priest N10m bail with two sureties in like sum.

The court on Thursday fixed June 5 for a report of settlement in the case

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He was arraigned before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on three counts bordering on abuse of naira, spraying and tampering with the nation’s currency at a social event contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.

The socialite was alleged to have sprayed the naira on February 13, 2024 at Eko Hotel.

Cubana Chief Priest was said to have also committed the offences while dancing during a social event.

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Security forces, vigilantes arrest kidnapper terrorising communities in Kogi

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Abubakar Ali Damina

Security forces, vigilantes arrest kidnapper terrorising communities in Kogi

Security forces have arrested a suspected kidnapper and gun runner terrorising communities in Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The suspect, Abubakar Ali Damina,43, was arrested on Monday at Ofodo village close to Igabada during a joint operation conducted by security forces and vigilante operatives led by Mohammed Ajitata.

Abubakar, who hails from Bida in Niger State, was found in possession of a single-barrel dane gun, along with various suspicious items including charms, a gun firing cap, and local bullets.

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Preliminary investigations revealed his connection to an unidentified Hausa man from Shanawa, Lokoja LGA, from whom he allegedly purchased the gun.

Abubakar confessed to his involvement in criminal activities and disclosed his migration history from Niger State to various locations before settling in Igabada, Igalamela/Odolu LGA, in 2021.

The Igamela-Odolu Local Government Departmental Security Officer, Mohammed Aminu, who confirmed the arrest on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, said the suspect is currently detained at the Kogi State Vigilante Service facility for further investigation.

Security forces, vigilantes arrest kidnapper terrorising communities in Kogi

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Three ‘EFCC officials’ arrested for kidnapping, robbery in Nasarawa

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Three ‘EFCC officials’ arrested for kidnapping, robbery in Nasarawa

The Nasarawa State Police Command has announced the arrest of three fake officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the Nasarawa Local Government Area of the State.

This was contained in a press statement in Lafia on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Ramhan Nansel.

According to Nansel, the suspects who had been disturbing the peace of residents of the area recently launched an attack around the Federal Polytechnic in the Nasarawa LGA where they robbed people of their belongings and subsequently abducted a National Diploma student of the institution, Adudu Kingsley.

He further explained that the victim was released and the suspects arrested following painstaking efforts by officers of the command.

“On 17/04/2024 at about 1545hrs, a distress call was received that four individuals posing as the EFCC personnel, using a Toyota Corolla, green in colour, with registration number, Abuja YAB 509 TT, robbed some students of the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa at Samakwe Lodge behind Government College, Nasarawa LGA and abducted one Adudu Kingsley, an ND II Student of the same Polytechnic.

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“Reacting to the unsavoury development, police operatives gave the suspects a hot chase and a roadblock was mounted at the Laminga junction to stop the suspects from escaping with the victim, but they hit the barrier and fled.

“Furthermore, police operatives at Anguwan Madugu were contacted to mount another roadblock, which the suspects sighted from a distance, abandoned their operational vehicle and the abducted student and fled.

“Luck ran out of one of the suspects as he was caught and beaten mercilessly by a mob before the arrival of the police while others fled. The suspect was rescued from the mob by the police and rushed to the Primary Health Care, Laminga, where he died while receiving treatment.”

However, it was stated that the operational vehicle of the suspects was recovered and taken to the station where a search was conducted and two identification cards identifying the fleeing members of the syndicate were recovered.

“A follow-up investigation into the case led to the arrest of three other members of the gang namely: Hyelda Aliyu Ibrahim, Henry Patrick Okwu and Shuaibu Abubakar (the operational driver of the syndicate) all males of Custom Quarters and Up Market area of Masaka where one iPhone 12 Promax, Huawei and one Tecno Spark 5 earlier robbed from some of their victims and fake EFCC ID cards were recovered from them as exhibits.

“The suspects have confessed to being the syndicate responsible for robbing and terrorising student areas in Keffi and Nasarawa LGAs. Efforts are ongoing to arrest one identified suspect who is at large.

Also, victims of their nefarious activities have come forward and identified the suspects.”

Nansel added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Nadada, had ordered the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Lafia, while assuring the public that the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution upon the conclusion of an investigation into the matter.T

Three ‘EFCC officials’ arrested for kidnapping, robbery in Nasarawa

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