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How ‘pastor’ brutalises woman, 90, Imam in Edo community

Published

2 years ago

July 20, 2024

How ‘pastor’ brutalises woman, 90, Imam in Edo community

Tempers have flared up in a riverine community, Ofukpo-Ekperi, in the Estako Central LGA of Edo State following a viral video of a man brutalising a woman in her 90s, Adishetu Atairu, and an elderly man, said to be the imam of the community, Musa Shaibu, and six others.

The video footage on WhatsApp and Facebook shows a crowd at night led by a man simply identified as Pastor Sharp-Sharp.

In one of the clips, the elderly woman with a walking stick was dragged to the middle of the crowd while a young man was yelling at her to sit down.

When she sat down on a chair, Pastor Sharp-Sharp was heard saying she should sit on the floor, even as another young man then kicked her legs, forcing her to fall to the ground.

In another clip, a man identified as the chief imam of the community is seen sitting on the bare ground while a young man removed his cap.

In another clip, a woman wearing a hijab was brought forward, and Pastor Sharp-Sharp was heard saying, ‘You killed Eshe and killed the wife’, and the woman said that she had something to say, but Pastor Sharp-Sharp cut her short, saying, “Not now, take her away”.

In another clip, another woman wearing a small hijab was also brought in and the pastor accused her that they were the two and then asked her to leave.

The crowd in the video was heard commending the pastor after humiliating his victims during the unfortunate incident.

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A resident of the community, Abu Buhari, told the Daily Trust in an interview that on July 5, his stepmother, Adishetu Atairu, and others were dehumanised and assaulted by Pastor Sharp-Sharp and his accomplices.

He said, like his stepmom, the community chief imam and other residents were also abducted by Pastor Sharp-Sharp in the middle of the night, using gun-wielding thugs. The victims were physically assaulted and made to confess to crimes they knew nothing about.

“On the faithful day, residents of my community went to bed as usual, only to be woken up by strange, gun-wielding men. The victims were dragged before a waiting crowd and accused of witchcraft. My stepmother was brutalised, humiliated and traumatised,” he said.

“The information I got was that the community youths who are vigilantes initiated a move to offer prayer for the community to progress. But the community members were not in support because of the gangsterism they employed in achieving it.

“They went ahead to contact one Pastor Sharp-Sharp whom, I learned, charged them fees. The youths said the pastor had been performing miracles in some areas. So against the wish of the community, they went and brought the so-called pastor and started unleashing terror on the people.

“The pastor organised a crusade in the midnight and perpetrated terror on those they claimed were witches and wizards.

“According to the information that was available to me, the youths wrote the names of the people they claimed were witches and wizards and handed them to the pastor, who in turn started calling their names out during his crusade.

“When the pastor called names of the people, the youths would go to the person’s house in the dead of night and forcefully bring them to the venue of the event and then proceed to assault and dehumanise them.

“Like in the case of my stepmother, they stormed our house, abducted her despite the injury she sustained on her leg and brought her to the pastor. They gave her a chair but the pastor commanded that she must sit on the floor, which she refused to do, saying she committed no offence.

“In order to force her to obey their so-called overseer, one of his boys tackled her and she fell down. That same treatment was meted on our chief imam and about seven other persons in the village.

“Because of beating and dehumanisation, some people ran away that night. And because of fear of the same treatment meted out to the victims, others started saying all sort of things they know nothing about.”

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According to Buhari, after the dehumanisation, the pastor forced them to pay sundry amounts ranging from N10, 000 and above for chaplain and some miracle medicines.

He said they reported the incident to the police, who asked them to submit a petition on the incident, detailing what happened.

He said after the petition was submitted, the pastor was arrested by the Police Area Command Office in Agenebode, Etsako East LGA on Wednesday, July 17.

“Ofukpo is a riverine community and in the rainy season, the people are cut off from the Ekperi community due to lack of access road,” he also said.

He called on the police and other relevant government agencies to intervene and bring the perpetrators to justice to avert communal and religious crises in the state.

Buhari said his stepmom and other victims are still in pain as a result of the beating and dehumanisation they suffered.

The spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, who confirmed the incident, said, “Yes, the incident is confirmed, the police are aware of it.

“The pastor and one other person have been arrested and they are in police custody. The suspects have been charged to court.”

Reacting to the incident, the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria’s Amir (president) in Edo State, condemned the attack and called on the state government and security agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Also reacting, Afemai Islamic Movement’s (AIM) Amir, Sheikh Ismaeel Danesi, called for justice for the people of Ofikpo community.

“Our people are peaceful. No one has the right to assault anyone, let alone old people who are innocent. Our culture forbids it, just as our religion is against it.”

On its part, the Edo Muslims for Equity and Good Governance, (EMEGG) commended the Nigeria Police and other security operatives for wading into the matter before it escalated.

The group’s coordinator, Sirajudeen Muhammad, assured Muslims in the state that justice for those humiliated will not be compromised.

He said religion is to save and not to harm, adding that the group will follow the case to its logical conclusion.

“The pastor and two others have been charged to court, we were at the court today and we will always be present at the court. The case has been adjourned to August 7, for hearing.”

– Trust

How ‘pastor’ brutalises woman, 90, Imam in Edo community

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Mob Kills Injured Motorcycle Rider After AK‑47 Rifles, Ammunition Found in Crash Scene

Published

12 hours ago

February 20, 2026

Trends Admin

Niger State Commissioner of Police, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman

Mob Kills Injured Motorcycle Rider After AK‑47 Rifles, Ammunition Found in Crash Scene

A motorcycle accident in Niger State turned deadly when an injured rider was beaten to death by a mob after a sack recovered from the crash scene was found to contain three AK‑47 rifles, six magazines, and 104 rounds of ammunition, police have confirmed. The incident occurred on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, along the Boyi‑Sarki/Toll Gate area in Suleja, as the riders travelled from Tafa in Kaduna State towards Abuja.

According to the Niger State Police Command, two men on a motorcycle collided with a road construction/diversion barrier in a lone accident. One rider died instantly from injuries sustained in the crash, while the second, who was injured, was lynched by a crowd that had gathered under the guise of helping. Both corpses were later taken to the General Hospital morgue in Suleja.

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Police confirmed that a sack belonging to the victims contained three AK‑47 rifles, six magazines, and 104 rounds of live ammunition, raising concerns about illegal firearms trafficking and potential criminal activity along the busy Kaduna‑Abuja corridor.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, condemned the act of jungle justice, stating that the injured rider could have assisted police in tracing the source of the weapons and exposing criminal networks. CP Elleman directed the Area Commander in Suleja to conduct a thorough investigation and arrest the perpetrators. The recovered rifles are currently undergoing ballistic analysis for further investigation.

The Niger State Police Command emphasised that mob justice endangers lives, obstructs investigations, and undermines the rule of law. Authorities called on citizens to report crimes and suspicious activities to law enforcement rather than resorting to violence.

Security analysts warn that incidents like this highlight broader challenges in parts of northern Nigeria, including illegal arms proliferation, mob violence, and the risks of self-help justice. Communities are urged to cooperate with law enforcement to ensure public safety and accountability.

Mob Kills Injured Motorcycle Rider After AK‑47 Rifles, Ammunition Found in Crash Scene

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Police Bust Gang Armoury, Arrest Two Suspects in Delta

Published

14 hours ago

February 20, 2026

Trends Admin

Police Bust Gang Armoury, Arrest Two Suspects in Delta

The Delta State Police Command has made a major breakthrough in its fight against armed gangs and violent crime by arresting two suspected armed robbers and uncovering a gang armoury containing locally fabricated firearms and ammunition.

According to the Command, the operation reflects a renewed commitment to dismantle criminal networks, recover illegal weapons, and ensure public safety. Commissioner of Police Aina Adesola stated that the Command “remains resolute in dismantling criminal networks, mopping up illegal firearms, and ensuring that perpetrators of violent crimes are brought to justice.”

The raid followed intelligence-led investigations that led operatives of the Special Assignment Team (CP‑SAT), under ASP Julius Robinson, to a suspected criminal hideout along the Sapele–Warri Road near Adeje Community in the early hours of February 19, 2026. The operation was linked to the interrogation of 25-year-old Dafiaga Timothy from Effurun, allegedly associated with a gang terrorising commuters along the Warri–Sapele axis.

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Police recovered a locally fabricated long gun, a cut-to-size firearm, and a Beretta-style pistol loaded with five rounds of live ammunition, along with ten additional cartridges and a dagger. The Command described the seizure as a major disruption to the operational capability of the gang, while investigations continue to identify other suspects and trace the source of the arsenal.

In a related operation on February 18, 2026, officers from the Area Command in Warri intercepted a tricycle along the Agbarho/Warri Expressway. Two occupants fled, but the driver, Aliyu Sabo, 25, was arrested. A search uncovered a locally fabricated pistol, one live cartridge, one expended cartridge, and several other items, including mobile devices and a bag suspected to be linked to criminal activity. Sabo remains in custody as police work to apprehend his accomplices.

The Delta State Police emphasized that these operations form part of a broader campaign to curb violent crime, illegal firearms proliferation, and gang-related activities across the state. Authorities have urged residents to remain security-conscious and report credible information that could aid ongoing investigations.

The discovery is expected to have a significant impact on reducing armed robberies and cult-related violence, particularly along high-risk corridors such as Sapele–Warri Road and Agbarho/Warri Expressway, which have long been affected by criminal syndicates.

Police Bust Gang Armoury, Arrest Two Suspects in Delta

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Woman Dies in Bandits’ Camp After Family Pays ₦25 Million Ransom

Published

14 hours ago

February 20, 2026

Trends Admin

Army headquarters reviews troops combat readiness

Woman Dies in Bandits’ Camp After Family Pays ₦25 Million Ransom

The family of seven abducted residents in Erinmope-Ekiti, Moba Local Government Area, Ekiti State, is mourning the death of one of the victims, identified as Hawau Suleiman, who reportedly died in captivity, even after her family paid a ₦25 million ransom for the release of the hostages. Six other abductees were freed following the payment, but the deceased’s remains have not yet been recovered.

The victims were initially kidnapped on January 24, 2026, when armed gunmen stormed the community, abducting five women, including a nursing mother and a pregnant woman. The kidnappers initially demanded a ₦100 million ransom for their release.

Family members first raised ₦10 million and sent two relatives to deliver the money, but the kidnappers rejected the amount and detained the emissaries, increasing the number of captives to seven. After further negotiations, a total of ₦25 million was paid, resulting in the release of six abductees.

One of the freed victims, Muhammad Soliu, who had also been detained as part of the ransom negotiation, recounted the harrowing conditions in captivity. He said the abductees were tied together like goats and forced to trek several kilometres barefoot through dense forests spanning Ekiti, Kwara, and Kogi states.

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Soliu revealed that the deceased, Hawau Suleiman, became too weak to continue the trek and collapsed. “She was exhausted from the long distance we were made to walk. We pleaded with them to allow us carry her, but they threatened to kill us if we stopped. They ordered us to keep moving without looking back. It was the worst experience of my life,” he said.

He added that the pregnant woman among the captives was taken to an undisclosed hospital for medical attention, while locating Suleiman’s remains would be difficult due to the depth and density of the forest where she reportedly died.

Sunday Abutu, the Police Public Relations Officer in Ekiti State, said the command would investigate the incident and provide further details, but no official updates have yet been released regarding the recovery of the deceased.

The ordeal highlights the growing kidnapping crisis in Ekiti and southwestern Nigeria, where families are often forced to pay large ransoms under threats of violence, and victims face life-threatening conditions in captivity. Security analysts continue to warn that ransom payments, while sometimes saving lives, may embolden criminal gangs and perpetuate the cycle of banditry and insecurity.