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32 escape death in Lagos-Ibadan Expressway multiple collisions

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32 escape death in Lagos-Ibadan Expressway multiple collisions

No fewer than 32 persons escaped death following multiple collisions of nine vehicles along the Danco area of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Monday.

This was contained in a traffic update by the Commandant of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Seni Ogunyemi, on Monday.

According to the traffic report, the accident occurred due to excessive speeding and loss of control on the part of one of the drivers which resulted in multiple collisions with other vehicles.

Oguyemi stressed that a Scania truck loaded with perishable items had fallen on the expressway after losing control due to speeding and thereby obstructing a section of the highway.

He added that another driver who was not driving with caution had rammed into the fallen truck from the rear thereby leading to collisions with other vehicles.

He said, “According to an eyewitness, excessive speed, loss of control by the driver of the Scania truck loaded with perishable goods and fell on the road. Also, excessive speed, and impatient by the Sino truck driver loaded with granites hit the Sienna from the rear which affected the other mentioned vehicles.

The TRACE boss noted that 32 persons were involved in the accident including 20 adult males and 12 adult females.

He identified the vehicles Involved as “a Ford jeep (KTU 980 FP), a Nissan jeep (GGE 440XP), a Sienna (AAA 609 LA), a Toyota Highlander (WDE 831AAA), and a Mazda bus (GNN 860 XB).

“Others are Toyota bus (SMK 860 FK), Sinotruck(JBD 51 XB), Scania truck (T.22058LA), and Toyota Camry (SRA 669 BL).”

Ogunyemi who noted that nobody was injured or killed in the crash, stressed that traffic was affected along the axis.

“Traffic was seriously affected, and normalcy was later restored with the efforts of TRACE operatives and Sagamu police division,” Ogunyemi concluded.

Abducted NDLEA officers regain freedom in Delta

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Delta Chief Judge reviews 215 cases in Kwale Correctional Centre

The Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Delta State Command, has confirmed the release of its kidnapped officers.

According to Metro had reported that the NDLEA officers were abducted on Thursday night some distances away from the head office of the agency located off the Isah-Ogwashi-Uku Road, Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State.

The officers were kidnapped by the hoodlums who laid ambush for them at the close of work at around 8:00 pm on the fateful.

However, the spokesperson for the state command, Mr John Kennedy, who confirmed the release on Monday in Asaba, disclosed to our correspondent that the officers were released on Sunday night after much pressure from the agency and other sister agencies.

He said, “I want to confirm the release of our officers, they were released on Sunday night after much pressure from the agency and other sister agencies.

“The senior officer was not abducted along with his orderly as it was reported, the senior officer was abducted and another officer was abducted in another location entirely.”

While applauding other sister agencies for their efforts that resulted in the release of the officers, the NDLEA spokesperson was silent about whether or not ransoms were paid for their freedom.

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Trafficker jailed four years for 800g drug import

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Four internet fraudsters bag jail terms in Kaduna

A drug trafficker, Nnamani Sunday, was on Monday convicted and sentenced to four years imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Lagos State for attempting to export 800 grams of Cannabis Sativa, also called Marijuana, to the United Kingdom.

Sunday was sentenced by Justice Ayokunle Faji without an option of a fine.

Earlier, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency prosecutor, Mr. Abu Ibrahim, told the court that Sunday was arrested on August 10, 2024, during the examination of cargoes to the United Kingdom, at the Skyway Handling Company Export Shed, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

Abu told the court that the convict concealed the weeds in Chikki Noodles packs.

He also told the court that the convict had procured one Nwajideopi Samson to export the prohibited drug.

According to the prosecutor, the offences committed contravened Sections 21 (2)(d) and 20 (1)(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Sections 11(b) and 20 (2)(a) of the said Act.

However, the convict pleaded guilty to the two counts marked FHC/L/788c/2024, when he was arraigned before the court.

Following the convict’s guilty plea, the prosecutor, after citing some authorities and some sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, urged the court to convict and sentence him in accordance with the charges against him.

The counsel for the convict, Anthony Nnamoko, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing his client.

Nnamoko also pleaded with the court to consider a fine option in lieu of the custodian sentence, on the grounds that his client was a first-time offender and for not wasting the precious time of the court.

In his judgment, Justice Faji, after legally considering the submissions of both the prosecutor and the convict’s lawyer, sentenced him to two years imprisonment in each of the counts, without the option of a fine.

Justice Faji however ordered that the sentences shall run concurrently.

Similarly, Justice Yellim Bogoro of the same Federal High Court, convicted and sentenced a 52-year-old drug trafficker, Jude Onah, to one and half years imprisonment for trafficking in 7.9 Kilograms of cannabis sativa, also known as marijuana.

The convict was handed the jail term after he pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawful importation, trafficking and possession of 7.9 Kilogrames of the prohibited weed.

According to the NDLEA, the convict was arrested in July 2024 at the agency’s checkpoint in Badagry, Lagos State.

Earlier, when the convict was arraigned, the NDLEA’s prosecution counsel, Aondofa Korijor, told the court that the convict attempted to bring in the prohibited weed into Nigeria from a neighbouring country, in a Sienna.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 11(a); 11(b) and 19 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

After the charge marked FHC/L/607c/24 was read to the convict, he pleaded guilty.

Based on his guilty plea, the NDLEA prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence him in accordance with the sections of the NDLEA Act he was charged with.

But his lawyer, Oke Ojakovo, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing his client, due to some aggravating factors, which included being a first-time offender and not wasting the time of the court in pleading guilty to the charges.

Ojakovo also pleaded with the court to consider a fine option in lieu of the custodian sentence.

Justice Bogoro after listening to the submissions of the prosecutor and the convict’s lawyer’s plea, sentenced the convict to one year on count one, and six months on count two.

The judge however ordered the convict to pay a total sum of N1.9m, in lieu of the jail term. Justice Bogora also ordered that the Sienna used in transporting the drug be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Probe begins as Plateau market fire guts 107 shops

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Probe begins as Plateau market fire guts 107 shops

The Chairman of Jos North Local Government Area, J. K. Chris, has said the council will probe the fire incident that gutted no fewer than 107 shops at the timber market situated in Katako community, Jos North Local Government Area  Katako.

Chris said the fire was contained with the help of the Federal Fire Service and other emergency responders, adding, “No one can say what caused the fire but we are investigating the incident.”

Our correspondent learnt that the fire, which started on Sunday night, destroyed several goods worth millions of naira including over 107 shops.

The Chairman of Plateau State Carpenters’ Association, Shuaibu Ali, who confirmed the fire to our correspondent in Jos on Monday, said the incident had been a recurring problem in the market.

Ali said, “Yes, the fire incident is true. I received a phone call around 11:00 pm on Sunday, informing me about the incident. It has been a recurring problem in the market, though the cause of this incident isn’t certain.

“So far, no one can say directly about what caused the fire because we have a time we normally close the market.

“So, we had closed as usual and on Sunday night, around 11 pm, one of my members called me and told me that there was a fire in the market and we rushed to the market. When we got there, the fire had spread to other areas. No one could even come close because of the heat. So, we called the fire service and the security agents to come to our assistance.”

He further said over over 200 persons were affected and a majority of them were carpenters and over 107 shops burnt down to ashes.

“It’s really unfortunate,” he lamented.

In his reaction, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, Sunday Abdu, hinted to According to Metro on Monday evening that the state governor, Caleb Mutfwang, had visited the market to ascertain the situation of things.

He said, “The governor just visited the place now. So, just wait and see what will follow next.”

When contacted, the Director of Press and Public Affairs, Government House, Mr Gyang Bere, said, “Yes, the Governor visited the burnt market. He sympathised with the people over what had happened. He also said that he would work with the marketers, traders and other stakeholders to see how his administration would remodel the market so that nothing of such happens again.”

Lagos bizman jailed 21 years for N43.5m fraud

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Four internet fraudsters bag jail terms in Kaduna

A Lagos Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, on Monday, convicted and sentenced the Chairman of the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria, Fatuyi Yemi Philips, to 21 years’ imprisonment for N43.5m fraud.

Justice Mojisola Dada handed down the sentence after finding Philips guilty of two counts brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The EFCC accused Philips of obtaining N43,502,000 under false pretences and filed charges against him alongside Oceanview Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited.

Philips was first arraigned on April 7, 2022.

The anti-graft agency said Philips and Oceanview Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited committed the offences on September 28, 2016, in Lagos State.

The EFCC said the convict obtained the aggregate sum of N43,502,000 from one Elochukwu Okoye and Elebana Unique Ventures Nigeria Limited on behalf of WAPCIL Nigeria Limited under the false representation that he would sell WAPCIL Nigeria Limited $98,870, a representation he knew to be false.

He was also accused of stealing the sum of N43,502,000, property of WAPCIL Nigeria Limited.

However, Philips pleaded not guilty, and the trial commenced.

During the trial, the prosecution, led by the EFCC counsel, O.S. Owede, called five witnesses including a Bureau De Change operator, Musa Mohammed, who testified that in September 2016, Philips gave him the sum of $40,000 in cash to exchange.

After the prosecution closed its case on March 30, 2023, the case was adjourned for the defence to open its case.

On June 16, 2023, Philips who was led by his counsel, Olanrewaju  Ajanaku, opened his defence.

He claimed he had given $100,000 to one Olumide Adegbite in exchange. He alleged that Adegbite promised to secure a preferential rate through connections at the Central Bank of Nigeria.

During Philips’s testimony, drama ensued when the prosecution counsel, Owede, objected and informed Justice Dada that the convict was reading from a prepared script.

The paper from which Philips had written account numbers and figures was presented to the court but Justice Dada allowed him to continue using the document.

After two hours of testimony, the defence concluded its case.

In her judgment, Justice Dada held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

She found Philips guilty and sentenced him to 14 years for count one and seven years for count two adding that the sentence will run concurrently.

Justice Dada also noted that Philips did not pay the naira equivalent of the funds to the nominal complainant, and remarked that the case could not be prolonged further.

She declared that the sum of $8,000 recovered from the convict during the investigation did not absolve Philips as he had remained unrepentant.

In her words: “Philips never had the intention of giving the nominal complainant the naira equivalent of the dollar.”

Justice Dada ordered Philips to restitute the full sum of N43.5m to the nominal complainant within 90 days of the judgment.

She also directed that Oceanview Oil and Gas Nigeria Limited pay a fine of N500,000 for count one and N250,000 for count two within 30 days deadline or face liquidation.

Police probe killing of Abia lawmaker’s orderly by gunmen

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Two policemen arrested for kidnapping minors in Sokoto

The Nigeria Police in Abia has begun an investigation into the killing of an officer by some gunmen on Sunday night at Ubakala, near Umuahia, the Abia State capital, even as the state government has vowed that promoters of violence and insecurity in the state will pay a heavy price.

This came barely four days after three soldiers were gunned down at Ekenobizi in Umuhia South LGA.

According to Metro gathered that the incident happened at a road bump at the Dr Okezie Ikpeazu Shopping Plaza located at the gate of the council headquarters, Apumiri Ubakala of Umuahia South LGA and barely 10 metres away from the Ubakala Police Station.

According to an eyewitness around the scene, bullets rained as if it was a war engagement, while all around there scampered for safety, leaving their homes and shops abandoned.

Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Maureen C Chinaka, on behalf of the state Commissioner Of Police, CP Danladi Isa, said, “On 17/11/2024, at about 20:30hrs, two police officers, from the Special Protection Unit Base 4, Makurdi, Inspector Dunna Jatau and Inspector Bala Mohammed, assigned to a member of the House of Representatives representing the Isiala Ngwa North/South constituency, Ginger Onwusibe, were ambushed by armed assailants while on official duty in Umuahia.

“The officers were in a Police Toyota Hilux vehicle after accompanying and dropping off the lawmaker in Umuahia. On their way, near Umuahia South Local Government Area Secretariat in Ubakala, their vehicle was intercepted by armed men dressed in black attire, operating in a Toyota Corolla with tinted windows. The assailants blocked the path of the police vehicle and opened fire. Tragically, Inspector Bala Mohammed sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene. Inspector Dunna Jatau and the driver escaped the attack.

“The area was immediately combed by officers of the command as a comprehensive search operation was launched to locate the attackers. Tactical teams have been deployed to track down the fleeing suspects. Investigation into the incident is ongoing.

“The Abia State Police Command is committed to bringing the perpetrators to justice. We urge the public to remain calm, stay security conscious, go about their activities and report any suspicious persons or vehicles to the nearest police station.”

In its immediate reaction, the Abia State Government, in a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor, (Media and Publicity), Ferdinand Ekeoma, said, “Following a series of tip-offs from patriotic citizens and reliable intelligence, it has been firmly established that some unpatriotic politicians, in connivance with some external parties, are behind the current wave of violence and crime in the state since the end of May.

“The sole agenda is to cause disaffection and distract the government from its focus on the development of the state. This strategy kicked in as they realised that their initial efforts at churning out lies and fabrications against the government in pretentious posturing as “opposition” had failed to gain currency amongst Abia people who have thoroughly ignored them and their antics since they know the truth.”

Ekeoma said, “While the Abia State government is known and acknowledged locally,  nationally and internationally as a peace-loving government, devoid of involvement in politics of violence, division and destruction, it must be noted that we will not yield to blackmail or intimidation. It needs to be understood that the government will not sit idly by and watch any person or group of persons unleash violence on innocent and peace-loving citizens of the state.

“Having sworn to an oath to protect the lives and property of Abians, including every inch of Abia territory, the government wishes to declare as follows:

“That those behind the attacks on security agents and innocent civilians, including the kidnapping of law-abiding citizens to create anarchy and instil fear in the minds of Abians and visitors, after their failure to use lies and propaganda to incite Abians, should understand that the government will bring its full capacity and institutional forces to bear to smoke them out.”

Ex-bank manager remanded for alleged N122m fraud

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Three men remanded for alleged killing of Ondo farmer

A former new generation bank manager in the Iju branch, Abiodun Sanni, was on Monday remanded in the correctional centre by a Lagos State Special Offences Court, in Ikeja, over alleged N122,011,441 fraud.

Sanni was arraigned on 16 counts bordering on obtaining credit by false pretences, forgery, use of false documents and stealing by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The EFCC’s prosecution counsel, O. Adewunmi, told the court that  Sanni committed the offences on or about February 24, 2020, in Lagos.

Adewunmi told the court that the defendant while he was the bank manager of the lju branch of Polaris Bank Limited, obtained credit in the form of a loan in the sum of N17m, for one Bamgbose Tayo Taofia trading under the name and style of Banut Haulage.

The prosecutor said that the money was obtained from Polaris Bank Limited, by the false pretence that the loan had collateral in the form of a fixed deposit account number 0071572791, worth N111,540,380.52 belonging to Yinkus Multibiz Ventures and that the owner, one Mrs Olayinka Hannah Aderibigbe, consented to it being used as collateral.

He was also alleged to have dishonestly converted a Polaris Bank Limited fixed deposit account number 0071277522 worth N15, 011,441.00 (Fifteen Million, Eleven Thousand, Four Hundred and Forty-One Naira) belonging to Atolagbe Joshua Tinuoye, to his use.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

The prosecutor, urged the court to remand the defendant at the correctional centre, pending his trial date.

“My Lord, the prosecutor intended to call 10 witnesses regarding this case and we urge the court to remand the defendant in custody”, Adewunmi said.

But the defence counsel, Osho Oludoshu, told the court that he had filed a bail application on behalf of his client.

In a short ruling, Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe adjourned the case and ordered that the bail application should be submitted to the court before the date of trial.

“I adjourn this case to Match 6 and 19, 2025, and I remand the defendant at the correctional centre. They are entitled to bring a bail application before his trial date”, the judge held.

Lagos to probe school over alleged sodomy

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Lagos to probe school over alleged sodomy

The Lagos State Government has announced plans to investigate the alleged defilement of a 10-year-old boy by a 22-year-old teacher, Louis Prosper, at Blessed Peace School in Abule Odu in Egbeda community, Alimosho Local Government Area of the state.

The spokesperson for the state Ministry of Education, Mr Kayode Sutton, disclosed on Monday that the issue could have been addressed much earlier if they (the ministry) had been aware of the teacher’s alleged crime.

A According to Metro report on Monday detailed how the 22-year-old teacher was arrested and detained by the state police command for allegedly sodomising the minor at the school.

The suspect had allegedly told the survivor to behave like a girl and take off his trousers after luring him to a solitary spot in the school.

The report also revealed that the suspect had enticed the survivor to the location on October 18, 2024, on the pretence that he intended to take him to a spelling bee and art competition where the minor would earn money and possibly even travel abroad.

“He took the boy to a classroom and instructed him to act like a girl. He then ordered him to pull down his trousers and close his eyes.

“He assaulted the boy and threatened him not to tell anyone, assuring him that he would win the competition,” a key figure involved in the teacher’s arrest, who requested to remain anonymous, told According to Metro on Sunday.

When reached on Monday to enquire about the state government’s efforts to ensure school safety and its response to the incident, Sutton stated that the appropriate department had been notified and an investigation would begin.

“Officially, we are not aware of the incident. We are not unmindful that things like these happen in private and public schools, which of course we have to a large extent nipped in the bud. We have reprimanded a lot of teachers in this regard.

“Because it is a private school and the incident was not escalated by the management at any point in time, it would be difficult for the government to be aware of it.”

We have the office of quality assurance that handles cases like this. If the private school had escalated it, the state government would have stepped in immediately.

“Now that we know this, we have forwarded the information to the appropriate authorities. They will take immediate action, investigate, and visit the school. This will determine our next steps. We already have a monitoring team in place to handle such cases, but without such information being brought to our attention, our ability to act is limited,” Sutton stated.

Speaking with our correspondent on Monday, a woman who identified herself as the school’s proprietress but declined to disclose her name said the suspect had already been arrested by the state police.

She also told According to Metro that the suspect had been dismissed after the school became aware of his alleged crime.

“The teacher has already been detained and is no longer at the school. That’s all we know about the matter for now; he is no longer employed with us,” the proprietress said before ending the call.

According to Metro reports that in July, a 27-year-old teacher, Bright Emelogu, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Lagos for sodomising a pupil.

Police hunt killers of five in Anambra

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Anambra judiciary workers begin indefinite strike

The Anambra State Police Command said it had begun a manhunt for the yet-to-be-identified assailants who killed five persons when they attacked two communities in the early hours of Monday.

Our correspondent gathered that the armed hoodlums, operating in unregistered Lexus 330 SUV and Honda FJ Cruiser SUV, launched the attacks at Ekeagu community in Abatete, Idemili North Local Government Area and Ukpo junction in Dunukofia LGA of the state.

During the attacks, no fewer than five persons, including three members of the vigilantes and two others were said to have been killed by the heavily armed assailants, while several others were injured.

The Anambra State police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, had launched a manhunt for the assailants and vowed to catch the perpetrators.

Ikenga said, “The Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, stated that the command should fish out the criminals who murdered four vigilante operatives and left two others seriously injured in the state.

“The armed men today, November 18, 2024, unprovoked by 8:45 am operating in an unregistered Lexus 330 SUV and Honda FJ Cruiser SUV at Ekeagu Abatete, murdered three members of the vigilantes and injured another unsuspecting member of the public.

According to Metro learnt that the gunmen stormed the Abatete community, targeting security officers attached to the town’s President-General.

Some sources in the community told our correspondent in confidence that three security men were shot and killed instantly during an exchange of gunfire, adding the PG of the community, whose identity has yet to be ascertained, was critically injured and rushed to a nearby hospital.

One of the sources said, “We are praying for his (PG) recovery. The armed hoodlums invaded the community in the early hours of today and started shooting indiscriminately. This senseless violence left our community shaken.”

Some residents who also spoke on the development said they were still in shock, with many calling for increased security presence.

In another separate incident, some gunmen attacked the Ukpo Community at the Ukpo Roundabout, in Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state, killing one vigilante operative and a motorcycle rider.

An eyewitness who refused to disclose his identity for fear of reprisal said, “It was chaos. The attackers came out of nowhere, shooting indiscriminately and shouting and claiming to be freedom fighters.

“We are still trying to process what happened. It was an unprovoked attack on security operatives.”

It was gathered that both incidents were said to have occurred within an hour interval, with the first attack happening at 8 am in Abatete and the second at 8:45 am in Ukpo.

The Anambra State Police spokesman, Ikenga, also said in the statement on Monday that at Ukpo junction, Dunkunofia LGA while escaping a hot chase by the Police Responding Team, the assailants shot and killed another member of the vigilante, injured another and set two vehicles ablaze.

“Meanwhile, the bodies of the deceased have been recovered and the injured are currently receiving treatment in the hospital.

“The CP condoles with the family, friends and community of the deceased and states that the police shall leave no stone unturned until those behind the barbaric act are arrested and justice served.

“Further development shall be communicated, please,” he concluded.

32 escape death in Lagos-Ibadan Expressway auto crash

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32 escape death in Lagos-Ibadan Expressway auto crash

No fewer than 32 persons escaped death following multiple collisions of nine vehicles along the Danco axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Monday.

This was contained in a traffic update issued by the Commandant, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Seni Ogunyemi.

According to the report, the accident occurred due to excessive speeding and loss of control on the part of one of the drivers which resulted in multiple collisions with other vehicles.

A TRACE operative with some of the crashed vehicles

Oguyemi stressed that a Scania truck loaded with perishable items had fallen on the expressway after losing control due to speeding and thereby obstructing a section of the highway.

He added that another driver who was not driving with caution had rammed into the fallen truck from the rear, thereby leading to collisions with other vehicles.

He said, “Also, excessive speed and impatience by the Sino truck driver loaded with granites hit the Sienna from the rear which affected the other mentioned vehicles.”

The TRACE boss noted that 32 persons were involved in the accident, including 20 adult males and 12 adult females.

“Number of occupants: 32 (20 adult males, 12 adult females). Nil number of injured and nil number of deaths,” he added.

He identified the vehicles Involved as “a Ford jeep (KTU 980 FP), a Nissan jeep (GGE 440XP), a Sienna (AAA 609 LA), a Toyota Highlander (WDE 831AAA), and a Mazda bus (GNN 860 XB).

“Others are Toyota bus (SMK 860 FK), Sinotruck(JBD 51 XB), Scania truck (T.22058LA), and Toyota Camry (SRA 669 BL),” he said.

Ogunyemi noted that nobody was injured or killed in the crash, stating that TRACE operatives restored normalcy to the axis after vehicles were held in traffic.

“Traffic was seriously affected, and normalcy was later restored with the efforts of TRACE operatives and Shagamu Police,” Ogunyemi concluded.

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