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Osun soldiers torture, force man to eat vomit, abandon corpse

Published

3 years ago

April 11, 2022

The family of a car dealer, Adeyinka Adekunle, have called on the Osun State Police Command and the military authorities to bring his killers to book after he was tortured to death by soldiers at the Nigerian Army Barracks, Ibodi, Osun State.

The victim’s father, 79-year-old Pa David Adekunle, lamented that none of the officers involved in the killing had been brought to book since the incident happened.

The torture was allegedly carried out on the orders of one Lt. Tobi Akindapo.

PUNCH Metro gathered that Adeyinka and a friend, Solomon Ogundare, went to a beer parlour at Imo, Ilesa, on Thursday, March 24.

While the duo were drinking, they were approached by three men who solicited drinks from them.

Adeyinka and his friends, however, refused, saying they did not have money to buy extra drinks.

Our correspondents learnt that the men, who were soldiers, were not in uniform.

The youngest among them, said to be in his 20s, later queried Ogundare for slacking his trousers.

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Adeyinka, 37, was said to have rebuffed him, questioning his authority to correct his friend’s dressing.

The matter was said to have led to exchange of words between the two groups.

As the altercation degenerated, one of the three men made a call to the barracks and soldiers stormed the scene.

However, while Adeyinka escaped from the area, his friend was caught and taken to the barracks, where he was tortured and locked up in a cell.

A Lexus 250 car belonging to Adeyinka which he drove to the beer parlour was reportedly vandalised and towed to the barracks.

Ogundare’s sister, Elizabeth Itunu, said she spoke to the soldiers during a visit to the barracks and they demanded N500,000 for the release of the car.

She said, “The soldiers said we would have to pay the money they used to tow the vehicle. I called Adeyinka and told him their demand. He thought the soldiers would not recognise him because the fracas happened at night.

“As we were both begging the soldiers, one of them identified him and that was how they seized him and started beating him in my presence. My brother was also tortured as well.

“So, I told the soldiers that now that you have beaten them, can you allow us take them for treatment? They did not listen. Instead, the young soldier who started the fight the previous night said he had not beaten them and he would start his own the following day.

“After much begging, they agreed to take N200,000 from us. I asked Adeyinka how much he had, and he said N40,000.

“We gathered N140,000 and I begged the soldiers to take the money and release them to us that night, and when we completed the payment, they could release the car; but they refused.”

Itunnu said she and a few other friends returned home without either Adeyinka or Ogundare, who were locked up in the guardroom.

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The following day, she returned to the barracks and met the two men cutting grass as the soldiers whipped and kicked them.

“I observed that Adeyinka was very weak. He suddenly fell. They thought he was pretending and they started hitting him. When they saw that he was not moving, they checked his body and their boss said he should be rushed to a hospital,” she added.

Itunnu explained that her brother was put in the army truck, saying she later heard that the car dealer died before he got to a hospital.

“At that point, I became afraid as I saw that my brother was not breathing well. Their commander asked us to take my brother to a hospital as well.

“My brother told me that while he and Adeyinka were in the guardroom, he (Adeyinka) vomited. The soldiers then ordered him to start eating the vomit,” she stated.

The deceased’s father, Pa David, said he was informed that his son was taken to a police station when he visited the barracks.

“I went to the Ayeso Police Division and the police said they did not see any soldier. One of the policemen said I should go to Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa. On getting to the hospital, I was referred to the mortuary.

“At the mortuary, they said soldiers brought a corpse, but they rejected it and demanded to see a police report. They said they were forced to take the body. They brought out the body and it turned out to be my son,” he added.

He accused the Osu Divisional Police Officer, Akinsanya Ebenezer, who had jurisdiction over the matter, of attempting to bury the case.

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The septuagenarian said he later reported the case at the police headquarters, Osogbo.

PUNCH Metro also learnt that the family had written a petition to the police and the army, demanding the arrest and prosecution of those involved in the murder.

“My son was buying and selling vehicles. He was my last child and my only son. He and his wife just had their first child, who is just two months old. I insist that the soldier that killed my son should be handed over to the police to face prosecution,” he added.

Akindapo could not be reached on his mobile phone, as he had yet to respond to a text message from our correspondents as of the time of filing this report.

The Osun State Police Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed that a soldier approached the Ayeso division, seeking assistance to enable him to deposit a corpse in the morgue.

She said, “But the police did not give him any operative to accompany him. The DPO only called the morgue and spoke to people there. That was the only police involvement.”

The spokesperson for 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Major Ikedichi Iweha, said investigation had commenced into the incident.

He said, “Our official position is that investigation has already commenced and appropriate action would be taken after the investigation.”

PUNCH

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NURTW scribe felicitates Nigerians on Xmas, urges caution

Published

6 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

NURTW scribe felicitates Nigerians on Xmas, urges caution

The General Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Comrade Kayode Agbeyangi, has enjoined Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of peace, love and compassion as taught through the birth of Jesus Christ.

He stated this in his Christmas and end of the year goodwill message to felicitate members of the union and Nigerians in general.

Agbeyangi urged Nigerians to use the festive season to reflect on the values of love, compassion, and sacrifice that Jesus Christ embodied.

“This period is not for merry making alone; we should also spare time to reflect on the birth and life of Jesus Christ.

“His birth teaches humility, love compassion and sacrifice. As Nigerians, we must show love to our fellow county men. We must love our country. As Nigerians, we must be ready to make sacrifices for the nation.”

The NURTW scribe also used the opportunity to appeal to members of the union and other road users to always exercise caution and adhere to all safety protocols while travelling during the festive season.

“As we celebrate, let us not forget the importance of road safety. The roads can be treacherous, especially during the festive season.

“I urge our members and all road users to drive safely, avoid overspending, overtaking at dangerous bends and overloading, and be courteous to other road users,” he stated.

He also advised drivers that all their vehicle papers should be up to date to avoid embarrassment from law enforcement officers on the highways.

Comrade Agbeyangi prayed for a peaceful and joyous celebration, and wished members of the union and Nigerians, a happy prosperous New Year.

metro

Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam

Published

6 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam

The Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos, Ridwanullah Jamiu, has said the “Jesus Christ is Not God” banner placed on the fence of the mosque was not intended to provoke anybody. The banner became a source of controversy after a picture of it was shared on social media, with many calling it an…

The Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque in Lagos, Ridwanullah Jamiu, has said the “Jesus Christ is Not God” banner placed on the fence of the mosque was not intended to provoke anybody.

The banner became a source of controversy after a picture of it was shared on social media, with many calling it an attack on the Christian faith.

Addressing his congregation, Jamiu said the banner was displayed to educate Muslims.

He said, “When you come to Lekki Central Mosque, at least you should learn something. You pass by the banners outside, you look here and there, you learn something because Islam treasures knowledge.”

The Imam said all the banners displayed outside the mosque contain Quran and Hadith verses.

He said after a photo of one of the banners went viral, he “received calls from the government, local government, and area command appealing to us to please remove the banners because of the festive period.”

He said the display of the banners was not to provoke anyone, noting that there’s a difference between propagation of Islam and provocation.

“It was not placed there just yesterday. It has been there for about two months or thereabout. We are peace loving people, we don’t provoke anyone. We only propagate our name,” he said.

Jamiu further stated that nobody can monopolise Jesus because Muslims also have what they believe about him as backed by the Quran which calls him Isah.

“If you don’t believe in Jesus, you are not a Muslim. We are Muslims and anything we believe must be in consonant with the Quran and the Quran says Jesus Christ is not God, he’s a messenger of God. We quoted this verse in the banner. Is there anything wrong if we paste what we believe on our territory to educate our congregation? It’s a verse of the Quran. This is freedom of religion, freedom of speech,” he said.

On the removal of the banner, Jamiu said he received multiple calls ascribing the gesture as cowardice.

“It is not cowardice. We removed it to let peace reign, to obey our government because we are peace-loving people and also because we know it’s a festive period, people may think it was actually calculated to enrage others. We are going to modify it and put it back. We are not cowards,” he said.

The banner has since been replaced with another which says “A

llah is the lord of Jesus.”

Why we displayed ‘Jesus Christ is not God’ banner at Lekki mosque -Imam

metro

CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m

Published

9 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has imposed a N150 million fine on a commercial bank for failing to dispense cash through its Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

This action follows an unannounced inspection by the apex bank, which uncovered deliberate cash hoarding and ATM manipulation by the erring bank.

Sources within the CBN revealed that the sanctioned bank was caught disabling its ATMs, thereby denying customers access to their funds while prioritizing cash disbursements to select VIP clients.

A staff member of the CBN stressed that the apex bank would not tolerate such practices.

“The Bank will not spare any Deposit Money Bank (DMB) caught in the act of hoarding cash or found favoring VIP customers over other customers,” the official stated.

To this end, the CBN has intensified spot checks on banks nationwide, exposing various illicit cash-handling practices by some unscrupulous financial institutions.

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For now, the CBN is imposing financial penalties on defaulting banks. However, according to the official, the next phase of enforcement will include publicly naming and shaming offending banks and prosecuting implicated bank officials.

“This fine is just the beginning. The CBN is determined to hold banks accountable for any actions that undermine public trust and the integrity of the banking system,” the official added.

Despite the ongoing challenges, the CBN has reiterated its commitment to promoting cashless banking in the country.

Another senior official disclosed that the apex bank’s management is intensifying efforts to encourage the use of electronic channels for transactions.

“The frustration faced by account holders is undermining our push for a cashless economy. We are doubling down on initiatives to restore public confidence in electronic banking solutions,” the official said.