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Ikem’s Employer to be Charged with his Murder in Philippines- Dabiri-Erewa
Ikem’s Employer to be Charged with his Murder in Philippines- Dabiri-Erewa
By: Michael Mike
Chairman/ CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has informed the Senate Joint Committees on Diaspora and Inter Governmental Affairs and Foreign Affairs that the employer of Ikem, a Nigerian student beaten to death in Philliphines, has been charged with murder, along with five others.
She also said that a viral video by a man posted on social media recently alleging that 250 Nigerians are slated for killing in Ethiopia was totally false and untrue.
This was the highlight of the investigative hearing of the Joint Senate Committees presided over in Abuja on Monday by Sen. Victor Umeh, saying on the case of Ikem, who was brutally murdered, the Philliphines authorities have declared the employer, who has since been on the run, wanted.
Dabiri-Erewa said that Nigeria Embassy had informed the Department of Foreign Affairs in the Philippines and also reported the case to the Inspector General of the Philippines National Police.
The Embassy, she added, had maintains regular contact with the line police station at the location; with a strong directive to go for the investigation.
Dabiri-Erewa said the investigating police team on the case are done with evidence building and presented the case to the Mandaue city prosecuting Department for action; who has evaluated it and deemed it fit for murder case filing.
“They have filed the case and issued a warrant of arrest to the boy’s employee and five other suspects; they are charged for murder, human trafficking and operation of illegal business in the Philippines”, she said.
The NiDCOM boss who gave the committee, a copy of the pictures of the suspects, said the pictures have been forwarded to all exits in the Philippines to prevent them from leaving the country.
She stressed that the case will be held as soon as the major suspect, still at large, is arrested.
On Nigerians in Ethiopian prisons, she said the official information received is that 160 Nigerians were serving various jail terms under very poor conditions and that over 90 per cent of them were for drug related offences.
She told the Committees that in order to decongest the prisons, amnesty was granted to them but majority of them went back and still committed the same crime.
She said that a Memorandum of Understanding was entered into awaiting Ministry of Justice in Nigeria to sign its own side of the deal to enable prisoners swap or to continue their jail term in their respective country.
In addition, she explained that most of those caught are those transiting from Addis Ababa to other countries of the world
Other stakeholders who appeared before the Committees were Hon. Amb. Enya Francis , Director, Consular representing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the sister of the deceased, Blessing Essien, President National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) Mr John Ogar and Country Representative Commonwealth Students Association (CSA), Mr Nwanba Chidubem.
Speaking in the same vein, the Director Consular in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Enya Francis said they are in close contact with Embassy and on top of the matter.
Francis said the corpse is yet to be buried as it will cost between N31million to N35 million to repatriate and bury the corpse in Nigeria as against N10 million to N15 million to cremate it in the Philippines.
He said the cost of keeping the corpse at the funeral home is accruing N30,000 on daily basis, hence the need to expedite action on the investigation and take appropriate action.
Speaking on behalf of the family of the deceased, Blessings Essien, Ikem elder sister, said he was the only son of the family and in-line with Igbo tradition, it would be an honour to bring the body back to Nigeria for burial.
She therefore appealed to the Federal Government through the Senate Committees to assist the family in repatriating the body back to Nigeria for a befitting burial.
The President of National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) in the Diaspora, Mr John Ogar said the group was troubled by the dastardly and wicked act in which late Ikem was killed and seeking for justice.
He and Mr Nwanba Chiduben, Country Representative of Commonwealth Students Association (CSA) said apart from protest they have done to seek justice for the death of Ikem, they have written to Gov. Charles Soludo of Anambra state to assist the family in bringing back the corpse home for burial while appealing to some foreign airlines plying the route to see it as Corporate Social Responsibility in flying the corpse home.
Senator Umeh thanked all the stakeholders for all their efforts, saying the investigative hearing was sequel to a motion he moved on the floor of the Senate and the joint committees were mandated to investigate the matter.
He assured that the Committees will ensure that all those involved will be prosecuted and face the music, saying the matter would never be swept under the carpet.
Ikem, a Nigerian student based in Philippines, was on October 22, 2023 tortured by a group of Chinese co-workers over a minor disagreement with his supervisor.
“They tied his hands up, covered and tied his mouth and beat him until he gave up the ghost”, an eye witness said in a statement.
Ikem’s Employer to be Charged with his Murder in Philippines- Dabiri-Erewa
News
Five soldiers killed, three missing in clash with insurgents in Niger
Five soldiers killed, three missing in clash with insurgents in Niger
By: Zagazola Makama
Five soldiers were killed and three others declared missing following a clash between Nigerien Defence and Security Forces (FDS) and suspected Islamic State fighters in Sanam, Tillabéri Region of western Niger.
Security sources said the incident occurred on Feb. 12, 2026, during a confrontation between troops and suspected members of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS) operating in the area.
The clash reportedly took place in Sanam Zone, a locality near the Niger–Mali border known for recurrent armed attacks by jihadist groups.
According to the sources, the soldiers were engaged in an operation when they came under heavy attack, leading to a standoff. Five personnel were confirmed dead, while three others were declared missing after the encounter.
The Tillabéri Region has remained a hotspot of insurgent activities due to its proximity to Mali and Burkina Faso, with security forces frequently conducting operations to contain armed groups.
Authorities are yet to release an official statement on the latest incident, while search efforts are reportedly ongoing to locate the missing soldiers.
Five soldiers killed, three missing in clash with insurgents in Niger
News
Army, police rescue 12 kidnapped victims in Ekiti border attack
Army, police rescue 12 kidnapped victims in Ekiti border attack
By: Zagazola Makama
A Combined Army and Police operatives have rescued 12 kidnapped victims following an armed attack by suspected kidnappers in Oke-Ako area of Ekiti State.
Sources disclosed that the incident occurred on Feb. 13 at about 9:00 a.m., when sporadic gunfire was heard near their base. Preliminary assessment indicated the gunshots were from an assault launched by suspected kidnappers in the area.
Army troops, in collaboration RRS,Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS), and local security outfits, swiftly mobilised to the scene. On sighting the security forces, the attackers engaged in a gun duel, but were overpowered and forced to retreat into the forest, taking two victims with them.
Through intensified operations, the security forces successfully rescued 12 victims unhurt, while one, identified as Jeremiah Gambo, sustained a gunshot injury and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital in Ikole Local Government Area for treatment.
The troops also recovered an unregistered Boxer Bajaj motorcycle, a white Nissan Cabstar pick-up with registration number EJG-96XB, and a wine-coloured Toyota Corolla with registration number KLE-575AE, all belonging to the victims.
Army, police rescue 12 kidnapped victims in Ekiti border attack
News
Forest guard arrested for allegedly killing son in Monguno, Borno
Forest guard arrested for allegedly killing son in Monguno, Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
A member of the Forest Guard in Monguno Local Government Area of Borno State has been arrested for allegedly shooting his son to death.
Sources said the incident occurred on Feb. 13 at about 5:40 p.m. at the RRR Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp in Monguno.
The case was reported to the Monguno Division at about 6:20 p.m. by Maidugu Mustapha of Gana Ali Ward, who alleged that Mohammed Ibrahim Angoli, 28, a Forest Guard member, fatally shot his 24-year-old son, Ajiya Mustapha, in the back with an AK-47 rifle.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Monguno led a patrol team to the scene, where photographs were taken and the victim was evacuated to General Hospital, Monguno.
A medical doctor on duty confirmed the victim dead on arrival. The corpse was subsequently deposited at the hospital mortuary for autopsy.
The suspect has been arrested and the firearm recovered as exhibit.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Maiduguri, has commenced investigation into the incident.
Forest guard arrested for allegedly killing son in Monguno, Borno
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