Crime
HOLD DELTA STATE GOVERNMENT LIABLE, NOT POLICE, COUNSEL TELLS IIP SARS
HOLD DELTA STATE GOVERNMENT LIABLE, NOT POLICE, COUNSEL TELLS IIP SARS
By: Michael Mike
As complainants demand 3bln compensation Counsel to the police Fidelis Ogobe has stated before the Independent Investigative Panel on Human Right Violation by the defunct SARS and other units of the Nigerian police Force that rather than sue the police in the case of unlawful arrest detention ,cruel inhuman and degrading treatment seizure of property, malicious prosecution and extrajudicial killing of late Joseph Oveje brought before the panel, the Delta state government should be sued, therefore, the police should not be held liable for any damage .
Ogobe while reading his written address before the panel stated that the complainant Godwin Ikolo and 5 others who represent the Nation commercial Tricycle and motorcycle owners and riders Association Delta state chapter mentioned in their petition severally that the police men at the time of the operation were in company of their principal, the Delta state government.
According to Ogobe, the staff of the Delta state government led police to the association’s office, he also told the panel that the properties of the association that were seized are not in the custody of the police which shows the operation was not carried out by the police.
Furthermore the police counsel urged the panel to dismiss the allegation, citing the fact that the necessary party which is the Delta state government are not a party before the panel, adding that no specific allegations were mentioned against any of the respondent.
Meanwhile Ogobe said the police cannot be held liable for the death of one the members Joseph Ovedjie noting that he died ninety days after the said incidence and autopsy was not carried out to determine the cause of death which can be dependent on many factors he argued.
It may be recalled that Comrade Godwin Ikolo had pleaded with the Independent Investigation Panel on Human Rights Violations by the defunct SARS and other units of the Nigerian Police Force to order N3 billion compensation against the Police in favour of the National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association (NCTMORA), Delta state chapter, following alleged brutality and seizures of over 150 tricycles and motorcycles belonging to the association.
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Testifying before the panel, the witness alleged that a task force comprising some Police Officers, Delta state Ministry of Transport and the state Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) had at various times arrested, brutalized, detained their members for no justifiable reason.
According to Comrade Ikolo who is also the National Public Relations Officer NCTMORA, the harassment and intimidation of their Members by the Delta state task force led to the extra- judicial killing of late Joseph Ovedje.
He also stated before the panel presided over by Dr. Garba Tetengi (SAN) on behalf of the Chairman, Justice Suleiman Galadima (rtd) that the Delta state task force working with the police and other agencies of government in the state had impounded of over 150 tricycles and motorcycles belonging to his association and had refused to release them till date.
He said that those vehicles have been vandalized and that they need to be compensated to replace them, noting that the cost of one tricycle is N1.2m while one motorcycle is N530,000.
The witness who is also the Chairman of the National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association, Delta state informed the panel that his Members have been maliciously prosecuted amid other alleged forms of human rights violations.
According to him, a similar association recognized by the state governments as the state owned
Tricycle and motorcycle operators usually connive with the state task force to frustrate the operations of his own association in the state.
He further alleged that Delta state Ministry of transport expected his association to collapse into the state transport body, which according to him is not acceptable since they are fully registered to operate in the state.
Counsel to the Complainants, D. Faroae who led the witness in his testimonies, agreed with the panel that Comrade Godwin Ikolo testimonies are enough and therefore there might not be any reason to call more witnesses.
Meanwhile counsel to the complainant Sulieman Abubakar has raised three issues for determination. He asked Whether the petitioner and her members have the constitutional rights to join any Association/union of their choice and if so,
whether the arrest, detention, torture and seizure of the properties/working tools i.e Tricycles and motorcycles of the petitioner and her members by the police including members of the defunct SARS for their refusal to join the rival union in Delta state is illegal, wrongful and unconstitutional act and Whether the petitioner and her members are entitled to damages.
The matter has been adjourn for report
HOLD DELTA STATE GOVERNMENT LIABLE, NOT POLICE, COUNSEL TELLS IIP SARS
Two killed, two abducted in bandit attack in Zamfara
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed bandits have killed two persons and abducted two others in an attack on Ruwan Bore village, Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the attack occurred at about 1:30 a.m. on Monday when a group of armed men invaded the village, shooting sporadically.
“Two persons were shot dead while two others were abducted to an unknown destination,”said the sources.
The sources added that upon receipt of the report, troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA were mobilised to the area in search of the perpetrators and to rescue the abducted victims.
The sources said assured pf efforts track the attackers.
Two killed, two abducted in bandit attack in Zamfara
Fleeing General Overseer arrested in Lagos for cross-border drug trafficking
By: Michael Mike
A fleeing founder and General Overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, Prophet Adefolusho Aanu Olasele (alias Abbas Ajakaiye) after months underground has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for masterminding multiple shipments of illicit drugs into Nigeria.
A statement by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said Prophet Adefolusho was arrested at his church located in Okun Ajah, Ogombo road, Lekki area of Lagos on Sunday 3rd August 2025 by NDLEA officers who waited for him since morning to conclude the Sunday worship service in the evening before moving in on him the moment he stepped out of the church premises.
He noted that the arrest came after he had evaded arrest twice and fled to Ghana to hide since June when operatives started trailing him following the seizure of two shipments of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis linked to him.
He said the first seizure of 200 kilogrammes of the psychoactive substance was made at Okun Ajah beach on 4th June 2025 while another consignment of 700 kilogrammes of Whitten substance was recovered from his delivery van on 6th July 2025.
He was said to have admitted in a written statement, ferrying the illicit consignments through the waterways from Ghana into Nigeria, adding that he had fled to the West African country to hide after he escaped arrest twice in the recent past.
In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives last Thursday raided an apartment at Kishi House 11 Layi Ajayi Bembe street, Parkview Estate Ikoyi where they arrested a suspect Benjamin Ukoh and recovered 32 pouches of Canadian Loud, a strain of Cannabis with a total weight of 15.63 kilogrammes.
In Nasarawa state, NDLEA operatives last Saturday recovered a large consignment of skunk, a strain of cannabis weighing 3,093 kilogrammes from the trio of Emmanuel Asoquo, 51; Okem Raphael, 33, and Chekwube Odo, 25, at New Karu area of the state.
While 29-year-old Nura Yahaya was nabbed at Geza area of Kumbotso Kano State with 639 blocks of skunk weighing 359 kilogrammes last Friday, another suspect Umar Adamu Umar, 27, was taken into custody last Wednesday by NDLEA officers after seizing 9 kilogrammes of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis from him along Zaria-Kano road, Kano.
In another interdiction operation in Kano, 20,000 pills of tramadol and 200 ampoules of diazepam injection were recovered from a suspect Usman Musa, 30, at Gadar Tamburawa along Zaria-Kano road last Friday.
A raid at an uncompleted building located at Tudun Wadan Pantami in Gombe town, Gombe state last Friday led to the recovery of 550,266 pills of opioids mainly tramadol, while a suspect Usama Isah was arrested.
The following day Saturday another suspect Ibrahim Adamu, 23, was arrested by NDLEA officers along Potiskum road, Bajoga with 50,000 capsules of tramadol.
In Edo state, a white Toyota Hiace bus marked YAB 5522 K coming from Onitsha, Anambra state and heading to Isanlu in Kogi was last Wednesday intercepted at Ewu junction, Edo by NDLEA operatives who after a search recovered 23,940 capsules of tramadol, 1,100 tablets of same opioid and 400 ampoules of pentazocine injection with a suspect Taiye Jethro arrested.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending commending the officers and men of the Lagos, Nasarawa, Gombe, Kano, and Edo Commands for the arrests, seizures and their dexterity, enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the agency.
Fleeing General Overseer arrested in Lagos for cross-border drug trafficking
Chinese expatriate dies in Kogi after collapsing at work
By: Zagazola Makama
A 47-year-old Chinese national working as a supervisor at BN Ceramics in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, has died after slumping at his duty post, the police have confirmed.
Sources said that the expatriate, identified as Mr. Luo Zhi Mao, collapsed on Aug. 2 at about 6:30 p.m. while working at the Press Department of the factory.
He was immediately rushed to Covenant Hospital, Ajaokuta, and subsequently referred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja. However, due to an ongoing strike by doctors and nurses at FMC, he was later moved to Shifaah Hospital in Lokoja.
At about 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 5, Mr. Luo was confirmed dead at Shifaah Hospital.
His body has been deposited at the Kogi State Specialist Hospital Mortuary for autopsy.
Sources said investigations were ongoing to determine the exact cause of death, though no foul play has been suspected at this stage.
The management of BN Ceramics has yet to issue a formal statement on the incident.
Chinese expatriate dies in Kogi after collapsing at work
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