metro
We get N5,000 for each human head —Suspected grave robbers
We get N5,000 for each human head —Suspected grave robbers
The two suspects found with a human head exhumed from a grave at Amuloko Area in Ibadan, Oyo State, and arrested by the personnel of the state command of the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), codenamed Amotekun, have said that they used to get N5,000 as payment for the job done.
The suspects were identified as Mustapha Bello and Damilare Oladele.
Sunday Tribune learnt that while returning home, the suspects were accosted at dawn on Monday by a night guard who saw them carrying a bag, and when challenged, Bello, who was the one carrying the bag, tried to struggle with the security man, which gave Oladele the chance to escape.
Bello was eventually subdued and handed over to Amotekun for investigation.
When the news went round the city with the video recording of Bello when he was caught, it was learnt that a law enforcement agent who had noticed the closeness of Bello and Oladele suspected him of being the arrested suspect’s accomplice and challenged him same day in the evening.
The crowd, which had gathered, was said to have started beating the suspect, leading to his pleas and confession to being part of the operation carried out to get the human head.
He was also immediately transferred to Amotekun for investigation.
In an interview with Bello, a 32-year-old carpenter, he told Sunday Tribune: “I’m an Ibadan indigene living at Labo area. It is true that I went with my partner to exhume dead body and remove the head at Amuloko area.
“One Saheed was the one who brought me into this kind of work. He works as a security man. He asked me to follow him to work in a place when I told him I was not having money. He told me not to worry, promising to give me some money the following day. I asked him the kind of work we were going to do but he said he would let me know when we arrive the place.
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“When we got to a gravesite in front of a residence at Ita Ege at about 1am, he opened up that we were there to get human head. We used cutlass and our hands to remove the mound of earth covering the grave. He removed the head and returned the remains into the grave.
“It is Saheed who used to sell the head. He used to give me N5,000 as my share.
“I went to the last operation with another accomplice, Damilare. After cutting the head, I was the one carrying it in a sack on our way back home when I was arrested by local vigilante. My partner escaped, and I was handed over to Amotekun.”
Explaining his involvement, the second suspect said: “I am Damilare Oladele. I’m from Ibadan and I live at Oranyan. I’m 25 years old. I’m a barber. I was arrested for exhuming a buried corpse and severing its head. Mustapha and I started working together in February this year.
“Mustapha was the one who really knew about the operation and invited me. My role was to watch out for any approaching security man while he would be digging the grave to exhume the buried corpse.
“Mustapha discussed the matter with me when we were relaxing one day. He had been doing it. The first time, he told me to go out with him that night as there was a task to be carried out. I asked him of the kind of task, and he opened up to me that we were going to get a human head. He told me that the one he targeted was already dry as it had been buried for long and it would not be smelly when being carried by us. He promised me the payment of N5,000 as my share.”
Disclosing his gang’s mode of operation, Oladele said: “We used to get to the area where we would get the human head at night at about 10 pm. We would hide in a place till after midnight when we would begin the exhumation at about 1 am.
“After the head had been removed, Mustapha would call me to cover the grave while he would go and hide the head. We would retire to our hiding spot and wait till dawn before we would go home.
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“He was the one who would take the head to the buyer. After he had been paid, he would give me N5,000 as my share, except once when he gave me N10,000 because we went for a fresh head. I have worked with him five times.
“We did the last one at Amuloko in Ona Ara Local Government Area in the early hours of Monday. The place was described to Mustapha by one Afaa. They discussed it on the phone. The Afaa said that the corpse was recently buried.
“We went to work, removed the head and went to sleep in a nearby school until 5am when we left. Unfortunately for us, we met a night guard who sought to know what Mustapha was carrying. As they were dragging the issue with each other, I quickly took to my heels.”
How I was caught
“I went to my shop and returned to where I live in the evening to find out how things went with Mustapha. It was the person he used to give the head for sale who came to me. His name is Saheed. Saheed is a native doctor, and he was the one who introduced the operation to Mustapha. He stopped doing it and was only collecting the severed heads from Mustapha and paying him for the job done. That was why Mustapha asked me to join him in doing the work.
“He was the one who informed me that Mustapha had been handed over to Amotekun. He said he would be using his phone to monitor things.
“I was on my way back to my shop when I was seen by a security personnel. I learnt that the crowd recorded Mustapha’s arrest on video and posted it. The post was seen by the security agent and on seeing me, knowing very well that I was a close friend of Mustapha, he called me to come and take a look. He said that he believed I worked together with my friend. That was how the people around started beating me. I was handed over to Amotekun.”
Oladele confessed to smoking hemp and drinking alcohol but said that he stopped taking marijuana last year, sticking only to cigarettes.
We get N5,000 for each human head —Suspected grave robbers
metro
NURTW scribe felicitates Nigerians on Xmas, urges caution
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
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
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.
CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m
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