Ogun returns rape victims to orphanage

Two teenage girls (names withheld), who were allegedly sexually abused by the director of Light of Hope Orphanage Akute, Ogun State, Mr. Olatayo Atunde, have been returned� to the orphanage.

The state government, two weeks ago took custody of the girls from Project Alert, a nongovernmental organisation on violence against women.

The government, which waded into the issue after police detectives from the Zone 2 command arrested Atunde, said it was for the safety of the girls.

The government had also claimed in a press statement to THE PUNCH on April 17 that the orphanage was not properly registered.

The statement said, "The orphanage is still undergoing the registration process with the state's Ministry of Women Affairs."

When PUNCH Metro visited the orphanage on Monday, activities were in full swing. Employees went about their duties while the voices of children chanting nursery rhymes could be heard from one of the buildings in the vast compound.

One of the victims, aged 13, emerged from an outbuilding in the compound and politely greeted our correspondent as she walked past.

Both girls were supposed to be witnesses in Atunde's prosecution. They were absent last Friday at the Ota Magistrate's Court when he (Atunde) was arraigned on four counts. Atunde was denied bail and is being remanded at the Ibarra prison, Ogun state.

But his wife told our correspondent on Monday that she did not know why the girls were returned to the orphanage.

She said, "It was the state government that brought the girls here last week. We were not told the reason for the change of heart."

Executive Director of Project Alert, Mrs. Josephine Effah-Chukwuma, expressed disappointment at the development.

She said, "I am not aware that the girls have been returned to the orphanage. When we were invited by the state government two weeks ago, we met with the Commissioner for Women Affairs, the Attorney General of the state and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Millennium Development Goals.

"They promised me that they would keep the girls safe. I heard both girls were being accommodated at the Stella Obasanjo Children Home at Abeokuta. When the issue of how one of the girls could finish up her junior WAEC came up, I offered to take them back because the exam is already at hand and their school is at Akute. The government told me that they would consider the option."

Effuah-Chuwkwuma said the development was a waste of efforts by her NGO and the police to get the girls and others like them who still live at the orphanage, justice.

She said, "This is not a good sign. This case is in court; they should not have been taken back to the scene where they were raped."

Officials of the private secondary school where the victims are students told PUNCH Metro that the girls had yet to resume classes.

One of the teachers in the school said, "We had hoped they would be allowed to at least finish the session with us because one of them is due to write her Junior WAEC but we have not seen them since we resumed."

There was no response from the Ogun State Commissioner of Women Affairs, Mrs. Elizabeth Sonubi. She did not reply the calls or text messages to her phone.

16-year-old pupil rescued, kidnapper killed

Lagos State Police Command has rescued Olufolabi Adeniji, the 16-year-old pupil of American International School, who was kidnapped on April 16, 2013.

According to police authorities, the victim was found in a bush in Ilaro area of Ogun State on Friday.

PUNCH Metro had reported on April 18 that the victim was being driven to school by his parents' driver, John Adebayo, when he was kidnapped.

It was also reported that the parent's vehicle was later found at the Palms Shopping Mall, Lekki, while the driver and the boy's whereabouts were unknown.

But police investigations had revealed that Adebayo masterminded the kidnap.

It was learnt that the kidnappers contacted the victim's parents and demanded N60m as ransom.

The police were said to have traced the suspects to Ilaro where they combed for two days.

It was learnt that the family were able to convince the kidnappers to accept N5m and in the process of collecting the ransom, they were arrested.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said the operation was carried out by policemen attached to Ikoyi Division.

She said, "The driver was the one that opened the door of the vehicle and allowed the other kidnappers to enter the vehicle. The kidnappers pointed a gun at the victim's head and took him to a bush in Ilaro.

"After the matter was reported at Ikoyi Division, the Divisional Police Officer, Aisha Haruna, began investigations to the matter and convinced the parents of the victim not to pay ransom.

"Policemen in plain clothes got to Ilaro and after two days, they found the location of the kidnappers.

"Around 4am on Friday, policemen spotted the suspects in the bush. On seeing the policemen, one of the suspects stabbed a policeman twice in the head.

"The suspect was shot and killed immediately while the three other suspects were arrested.

"The suspects revealed the location of the boy and he was rescued in good health."

Our correspondent learnt that the slain suspect was the sibling of the driver.

Braide seized the opportunity to warn members of the public never to pay ransom in the event that any of their loved was kidnapped.

"It is because families of victims hurriedly pay ransom that is why kidnappers are having a field day. People should have faith in the police to do our jobs and kidnapping will become a thing of the past," she said.

Gunmen kill Keke NAPEP chairman, shoot another

A Chairman of tricycle operators in Surulere, Lagos State, Kolapo Olatunji, was killed while another person sustained gunshot wounds after gunmen invaded Shitta area of Surulere on Sunday.

According to eyewitnesses, Olatunji was about to enter his car, parked opposite Shitta Primary School, when the gunmen shot him and riddled his vehicle with bullets.

The second victim, who was yet to be identified, was said to be the deceased's friend.

A relative of the deceased, who wished to remain anonymous, said the incident occurred around 7pm.

She said, "Around 7pm on Sunday, Kolapo (Olatunji) was about to enter his car along with a friend when some gunmen from nowhere opened fire on him. They riddled his car with bullets and in the process, his friend was also shot.

"Sympathisers immediately rushed him to Lagos University Teaching Hospital but he was rejected so they then took him to Topaz Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. His friend, however, survived."

When asked why anyone would want to kill Olatunji, the relative said he could have been killed by people who were envious of his position.

"He was in charge of collecting money in the area and was also deeply involved in local politics, so he could have been killed by anybody," she said.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the 32-year-old man, who went by the pseudonym, Kaypee, was a graduate of Finance from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Oyo State.

The relative, who said Olatunji's parents were still alive, added that although he was not married, he had a child.

Olatunji's death, it was learnt, is the third murder in the area this week.

PUNCH Metro had reported on Tuesday that a deejay, Olamide George, was killed on Bank Olemoh Street for unknown reasons.

Residents say the killings are due to a feud between some youths in Shitta, Akerele and Bank Olemoh areas of Surulere.

When contacted on the telephone, the spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the murder.

Braide said police had begun investigating the matter.

She said, "We are aware of the situation at Shitta area and the Commissioner of Police is not happy about it. Our men are in the area and investigations are ongoing," she said.

Meanwhile, tributes have been pouring in on Facebook since last Sunday. Our correspondent, who visited his profile page on Wednesday, observed that over 50 condolence messages had been posted on Olatunji's wall.

A friend, Oluwafunmilayo Ademosu, wrote, "Kaypee, I still can't believe it. I never knew yesterday was the last time I would set my eyes on you. You were healthy and sound. We cracked jokes and the next thing was a gunshot, Jesus! Rest in peace, my big brother, my uncle and my small daddy. I am missing you already.

Another friend, Tumi Olatunji, wrote, "He was such a gem, a gentleman, the perfect cousin and a brother. We will miss you Kolapo "KAYPEE" Olatunji. May your soul rest in perfect peace."



We only target people in flashy cars - Suspected kidnapper

Kidnapping suspect, Sunday James, arrested by the Lagos State Police Command, has said he and his gang only go after people in expensive cars.

James was arrested along with five others- Solomon Eze, aka Pastor, Ikechukwu Chedom, Obinna Egbugha and Emmanuel Iloakazi- on April 6, 2013.

James, 29, said he had been involved in four kidnap operations.

He said, "I am from Ebonyi State but I live in Coker, Orile, Lagos. I was introduced to the gang by Victor Emmanuel, who is the leader of the gang.

"In January, Emmanuel rented an apartment in Ajah area and in February, we started the business fully. Whenever we kidnap, we take the victim to the apartment. We have kidnapped four people so far.

"The first person we kidnapped paid N1m ransom and my share was N100,000. Emmanuel received N200,000 since he was the leader. The second victim paid N1m and we shared the money in the same manner."

The suspect however added that they later increased their ransoms for subsequent operations.

"We later started demanding N2m as ransom. After our last operation, we bought a jeep for N1.5m and the remaining money was shared equally. I got N70,000 and that was the last time I saw the gang," he said.

The suspect said the gang was much organised as every member had his own role to play.

According to him, a gang member had a duty of feeding and looking after victims while in captivity.

He said, "Emmanuel was the one responsible for spotting people that we will kidnap. He was the one who usually contacted the families of victims and he also collected the ransom.

"Pastor's job is to provide the guns that the gang will use. I only follow the gang but I don't carry guns."

When asked how the gang usually picked its victims, the suspect said anyone seen in a flashy car was a potential victim.

He said, "Emmanuel usually sits on the passenger side and anytime he spots someone in a flashy car, we trail the person and then grab him or her.

"We then dump the victim's vehicle somewhere before contacting the family. We have never kidnapped a prominent person."

Eze, who claimed to be a deliverance minister at a church in Ijesha bus stop, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, was also accused of killing a policeman.

PUNCH Metro learnt that some months ago, Eze shot the policeman who was on a stop and search exercise.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the policeman flagged down Eze's taxi cab and began questioning the driver. When he was through, the policeman was said to have turned his attention to Eze and asked him what the contents of his bag were.

To the surprise of the policeman, Eze was said to have bolted from the car, causing the policeman to give chase. In the process, Eze allegedly fired at him twice in the head. The policeman was said to have died on the way to the hospital.

The Commissioner of Police for the state command, Umar Manko, said three AK-47 rifles and 11 magazines loaded with 30 rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the suspects.

He said, "We received information that the gang, which relocated to Lagos from the East, had perfected plans to operate on the day we arrested them.

"Special Anti-Robbery Squad tracked Eze to Ajegunle area of Lagos. He confessed to several robberies and kidnappings in the state.

"He led detectives to arrest other members of his gang. They led detectives to their detention camps at Ikorodu and Ibeju-Lekki areas. The two houses have been searched and sealed off."

Manko added that an unregistered Nissan Sunny car was also recovered from the suspects.


 

MORE PHOTOS EMERGE (VIEWER'S DISCRETION) : How 21-year-old kidnapped, raped 53-year-old woman

Troops of Sector 1, Operation Pulo Shield, Effurun Nigerian Army Barracks, last Thursday, acting on a tip-off, rescued a female senior staff of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, at PTI Junction, Delta State, from the hands of suspected kidnappers cum rapists. EBENEZER ADUROKIYA reports the claims and counterclaims that ensued during their parade.

The story of a 21-year-old boy, who comfortably rides on a Lexus car worth N4.5 million at Effurun, tells more about a generation needing redemption.

The young man, Mr Tadafe Egwolo, was last Thursday, arrested by troops of Sector 1, Operation Pulo Shield, Effurun, along with his friend, Mr Kelvin Uvwie, for kidnapping, raping and demanding N10 million ransom from a 53-year-old woman.

The woman, who was allegedly raped by Egwolo at Room 602, Casa De Perdro Hotel located at Effurun, last Tuesday, was subjected to a dehumanizing state. She was, according to the senior staffer in PTI, at gun point, picked up from PTI junction at Effurun and taken to a hotel room, where she was stripped naked and violated in the presence of Egwolo’s friend, Uvwie; who in turn, acted as a paparazzi. She was not only sexually molested, but subjected to a bestial state of sucking the penis of her traducer during the forced sex bout.

Thereafter, the mother of two, whose first daughter got married few months back, was requested to produce N10 million in few hours or face blackmail and/or death if she failed to concur.

The woman, while speaking with journalists on Saturday, said apart from being a worker at PTI, she was a children’s teacher in one of the churches in Warri, adding that she had never met the suspects before, let alone having a romantic affair with them.

It was, however, gathered that apart from being single, she lived with her two daughters before one of them got married few months ago.

But Egwolo, whose father said he was 21 and not 25 years old as earlier claimed during interrogation by journalists, hinted that the case between him and the woman, was one of love gone sour, over his unpaid monthly salary arrears. The agreed monthly payment was N150, 000, for bringing sexual satisfaction to the woman.

While giving the genesis of the relationship, the gigolo, Egwolo, insisted, “I’m here because of somebody I’ve been dating for one year and eight months. Her name is Jully Momoh (not real name). I’m 25 years old and we met when I paid a visit to PTI. I was wearing dreadlocks then, so she saw me and said that she liked me. She said that I looked handsome and gave me her address, asking me to meet her in her office. Before we started dating, she said she would pay me monthly and since we started dating, we used to meet at different hotels.

“The last sex we had which turned sour, was at Room 602, Casa De Pedro. Sometimes she would pay me between N1, 000 and N2, 000, but she later promised to increase my payment,” he explained.

Egwolo, who claimed to be a Business Administration student at the Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State, said he and his lover agreed on N150, 000 monthly for his services. According to him, the centre could no longer hold when she was not fulfilling her own part of the bargain and was rather promising him to wait till November this year, for his arrears.

Unsatisfied with the arrangement, Egwolo said he decided to set her up by taking her to the hotel room while he had arranged with his friend, Uvwie, to hide in the wardrobe and take snapshots of them. He said he intended to use the photographs to intimidate her to redeem her pledge.

“Sometimes she takes very good care of me and she promised to pay me N150, 000 per month. But she kept deceiving me every time I went to her office and yet she still expected me to continue to please her sexually. Later, I was worried and I confided in one of my friends on what to do. So we agreed on taking snapshots of me having sex with her, as a tool to retrieve the money from her,” Egwolo, who said he had lost his fiancée to the incident, lamented.

Mr Uvwie, on his part, did not take part in the actual purported rape, but joined his friend to take the snapshots of the sex scenes. He denied ever being promised any amount for his job, claiming initially that he was a student of University of Abuja, studying an non-existent course, before he later said he was also into dredging, having finished studying Oil and Gas in India.

Egwolo, however, begged for pardon while swearing before press men that her victim was the first ever sugar mummy he had ever dated, appealing to youths to beware of such fast business as the end may not be as envisaged.

“I would advise Nigerian youths not to do such things, because what you never planned for is what you would get. But I never wanted to blackmail her, I just wanted to threaten her so as to get my money.  I threatened her that I would show the photographs to her children if she did not give me my money. I did not kidnap her. She paid the hotel bill herself. Though she begged me to wait till October to collect my money, I was not ready for such bargain,” Egwolo affirmed.

Meanwhile, afraid of being blackmailed or even killed, after the threats, the woman reported the case to the Joint Task Force (JTF) and was asked to play along. The JTF laid an ambush for the culprits when they came to the woman’s office at PTI to collect the ransom she claimed they demanded and the suspects were nabbed.

Preliminary investigations, according to Commanding Officer, 3rd Battalion, Nigerian Army, Effurun, Lt. Col. Otu, while briefing the press after the parade of the suspects on Saturday, showed that the duo had confessed to committing the crime.

According to Lt. Col. Otu, the suspects came in a Lexus car with registration number; Delta EFR 02AA which belongs to Egwolo to PTI where they were to pick up their ransom.

While informing that more investigations would still be carried out on the case, Lt Col Otu gave other items recovered from them to include one Blackberry, two Nokia phones and one LG phone, saying that the suspected toy gun used for the action was yet to be retrieved.

He added that the suspects would be handed over to the appropriate quarters for prosecution after the JTF was through with them.

Agony Of A Baby

This baby will never know her mother. Her mother will never sing lullaby to her or rock her to sleep. Worse still, she will never suckle from her mother’s breast.

This is because just one week after her birth, suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded their community in Mbalaagh Council Ward of Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State and murdered her mother, Felicia Asongo.

The baby, who looks so smallish for her age, was lucky to have been smuggled away from the crisis by her grandmother during the attack in which 27 people were allegedly killed. She is now being fed with baby milk under the watchful eyes of her aged grandmother.

For more than two weeks now, over 200 members of the Mbalaagh Community have been taking refuge in the North Bank area of Makurdi, with some of them sleeping under trees after the gruesome invasion.

The baby girl, who was yet to be given a name, was about three weeks old when the reporter visited the North Bank area of Makurdi where the Mbalaagh people were taking refuge. She slept peacefully in her grandmother’s arm, oblivious of what had befallen her mother.

Narrating the incident, Mama Margaret Asongo said the heavily armed Fulani invaders came into their village at about 6.30am that fateful Wednesday and started killing everyone in sight.

“When they got to our compound, I quickly carried my granddaughter and went into hiding. But my daughter-in-law could not run because she just had a baby that week. So, they killed her.

“I am not happy at all that my daughter-in law was killed. I have been thinking of how to take care of the five children that she left behind. She was a farmer before her gruesome murder in the hand of Fulani herdsmen.”

Also speaking, one of her sons, Abraham, said when they finally found Felicia’s corpse, they had to hurriedly bury her in the night for fear that the Fulani invaders would attack them again.

Asked if they had any problem with the Fulani herdsmen before the attack, Abraham alleged that the Fulanis’ cows destroyed their farms and in the process of chasing the cows away, the herdsmen attacked them.

“We only complained that their cows were destroying our farms and in the process of driving them away, the Fulani herdsmen came and attacked us. We did not have any problem with them before.”

The 37-year-old Abraham, who is also taking refuge in North Bank with his two wives and six children, said he had been living on charity since the incident, adding that he could no longer go to farm to cater for his family.

“I want to go back home, but I am afraid to go because we don’t know if these Fulani herdsmen will attack us again. They have destroyed everything we had; our compound, our farm, our foodstuffs. They’ve destroyed everything.”

Corroborating Abraham’s claims, Jonathan Iorgrim, a 32-year-old father of two, said his children could no longer go to school, adding that they had been sleeping in the open since the attack.

Mrs. Augustina Ortim, a farmer, told our reporter that she really desired to go back home as the farming season was already setting in. She said, however, she was afraid to go for fear of another attack by the Fulani herdsmen.

On his part, Mr. Emmanuel Aakyor said he had been at the camp for over two weeks with his family and appealed to government to come to their aid with a view to ensuring that they go back to their village as soon as possible.

“Government is yet to come to our aid. Hon. Emmanuel Jime who was here last Saturday gave us some bags of pure water and promised to table our plight on the floor of the National Assembly. Also, Governor Gabriel Suswam sent some soap, magi and rice to us last week.

“But more than that, we want to go back to our village so that we can continue with our farming activities. Our children are also out of school because of the attack and they need to go back to school. We appeal to government to provide security for us so that we can go back home.”

However, Secretary of the Miyette Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Benue State Branch, Garus Gololo, lamented that some people who were benefiting from the Tiv/Fulani crises were fuelling the problem, adding that many Fulani herdsmen have also been murdered by Tivs too.

Gololo disclosed that in the past, Tivs would only take one or two cows, belonging to Fulanis, lamenting that these days, the Tivs would elope with a whole herd of cows. “Sometimes, 100, 200 or even 300 cows would be missing at once. Recently in Guma, 200 cows were missing with two of the rearers and up till now, we are yet to see them.”

He added that the solution was to call the two parties together and fashion out a workable solution to the matter. He said at present, the Tivs cannot farm freely and the Fulanis too cannot graze their cows freely.

“The problem is affecting everybody. We need the Tivs to farm so that we can have food and we also need the Fulanis to graze their cows so that there can be enough meat for all.”

-Daily Sun

Policemen, not hired killers, killed my friend’

Tochukwu Ofogeli, a friend of Santos (Nwabueze) Korie, who was allegedly killed by policemen around Daleko Bridge, Lagos, has said his friend was killed by policemen and not hired killers.

PUNCH Metro had reported on April 12, 2013, that Korie was killed in his vehicle after being accosted by policemen for driving against traffic.

The police had said the perpetrators were probably hired killers in police uniform.

However, Ofogeli, who was in the vehicle when the incident occurred, said the killers were policemen with name tags.

He said, “We were coming from Mile 2 area but on getting to Iyana-Isolo, we saw a roadblock as the road was under construction. A newspaper vendor advised us to drive against traffic and then make a U-turn and ascend the bridge.

“As we approached the bridge, two policemen accosted us and cocked their guns. Korie tried to park properly when one of the policemen opened fire and killed him on the spot.

“After he was shot, the vehicle rammed into an oncoming truck laden with sachet water.”

Asked if he could recognise the killer policemen, he said, “One of the policemen wore the usual black shirt and black pair of trousers while the other one wore a black shirt and khaki trousers.

“I saw their name tags from afar but did not put it to memory because I did not know they would kill my friend and they fled immediately after killing him. I am however sure without doubt that they were policemen and not hired killers.”

Ofogeli said ever since the incident occurred, he had not been feeling too well because he witnessed the murder.

He said, “Korie was a good friend and we were just chatting when policemen killed him even though he never said a word. The blood splashed all over the car and it happened in my presence. As I speak to you, I am still in shock because I had no idea that such a thing would happen that day.”

Reacting to the incident, a civil society organisation, Network on Police Reform in Nigeria, said police extra-judicial killings seem to have risen in recent times.

The Programme coordinator, Okey Nwaguma, said it was however difficult to prove this as there was little data documentation on police killing.

He said one of the reasons why the killings continued was because perpetrators were hardly brought to book.

He said, “One of the factors causing the increase in police extra-judicial killing is the fact that perpetrators are hardly brought to book. Also, families of victims are sometimes intimidated by the police while some others are just too afraid to speak.

“Police deliberately mess up investigation by encouraging families of victims to hurriedly bury them. Sometimes, the police might even claim that killers are impostors in police uniform and refuse to investigate.”

Video: Nigerian Lady Raped And Buried Alive In Bonny Island

Viewers discretion is highly advised as you watch this video. The content of the video took place in 2012, where a Nigerian lady was raped by a group of men in Bonny Island, Rivers State.

 Please click or copy the youtube link below into your browser
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcaXhp0Nkmc&feature=player_embedded&oref=http%3A%2%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DxcaXhp0Nkmc%26feature%3Dplayer_embedded&has_verified=1

After raping her, the men tied her hands and legs before burying her alive. 12 hours after she was buried, the Nigerian army got to know about the incident, and the video shows the culprits and the JTF exhuming her corpse.
Unfortunately the lady was already dead by then.

Bloodbath in Borno: 185 killed in Army, Boko Haram clash

What may rightly be considered the worst bloodshed since terrorism became real in Nigeria  a few years ago  has been recorded in Borno State where a clash between  gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members  and the military left 185 dead in a single day.

 The Village Head of Baga, Kukawa Local Government Area,  Mallam Ali, who gave the figure while briefing Governor Kashim Shettima on Monday, added that  2,000 houses, 62  vehicles and  486 motorcycles were either burnt or vandalised during the clash in the early hours of Saturday.

The Presidency which on Monday  ordered investigation into the incident, however, said it believed the figures might have been “grossly exaggerated.” Authorities of the Defence Headquarters, Abuja had before the Presidency’s comment,  put the casualty figure at 25.

 Shettima, who was on an assessment tour of the village and other affected areas,  announced  a cash  donation of N5m  and  relief materials to the victims. He said  his  government would also pay the medical bills of those injured.

He said, “We are going to convey those with serious injuries to Maiduguri for further medical attention at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. Others will be taken to the Umaru Shehu Specialist Hospital for proper care.’’

He expressed sadness over the incident and urged the residents of the affected areas to take it as an act of Allah.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mallam Isa Gusau,  later issued a statement in which the  state   Ministry of Works  was directed by the governor  to start the reconstruction of the burnt houses.

The statement added, “The number of persons killed as well as houses destroyed has not been accurately ascertained by any competent authority as government awaits the report of its committee or any reliable source of information to ascertain accurate figures.”

Commander of the Multi-National Joint Task Force,  Gen. Austin Edokpaye, who shed  light on the clash denied that the military engaged in massive killing of  civilians.

Edokpaye, whose troops are drawn from Nigeria, Chad and Niger, explained that the incident happened after a patrol van of the task force was attacked by some suspected terrorists in the evening.

“A patrol team of the task force was attacked by suspected terrorists on Friday evening killing one soldier and injuring two others. The incident led to sustained exchange of fire between the team and the terrorists,’’ he said.

Nigeria, Chad and Niger agreed to establish the force to counter banditry and other crimes in their common border communities.

The Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, who also reacted to the clash,  said the military killed 24 of the insurgents but lost a personnel whose nationality he did  not disclose.

Olukolade  said  the soldier was killed while on a mission to rescue some residents  in the besieged village. But he did  not  give the number of civilians caught in the crossfire.

When told that the head of Baga village put the casualty figure at  185, he replied  , “Are you sure of that number?”

He added, “The information we have here is that the attack was from the Boko Haram insurgents and there was a distress call on the military that intervened immediately.

“The casualty we had yesterday (Sunday) was 25 insurgents and then, we lost a soldier. Actually, it was the soldier, who was in a team (sent) to rescue the villagers that turned out to be a victim.

“I don’t have the casualty figure of civilians. I don’t want to give a figure that is inaccurate or properly not given to me.”

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan  has  ordered a full scale investigation into the  Baga  clash, saying he was “deeply pained by the continuation of these needless deaths.”

Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati, in a statement said the President gave the directive after receiving preliminary briefings from the Military High Command on the incident.

Abati said while the preliminary briefings indicated that the casualty figures being reported by the foreign media may be grossly exaggerated, Jonathan assured Nigerians and the global community that the Federal Government  placed the highest possible value on the lives of Nigerians.

According to him the  Jonathan administration will continue to do everything possible to avoid the killing or injuring of innocent persons during security operations against terrorists.

The statement reads, “Rules of engagement for the military and security agencies are already in place for this purpose and the investigation ordered by President Jonathan into the incident in Baga is to among other things, determine whether or not these rules were fully complied with.

“The President has also ordered the National Emergency Management Authority   and federal health agencies to liaise with the Borno State Government and take urgent steps to provide immediate relief and medical support for all who suffered losses and injury in the fighting at Baga.

“He commiserates with all those who have regrettably lost their lives in the fighting, including the soldiers who gallantly made the supreme sacrifice in the operation against terrorism, insurgency and insecurity in Nigeria.

“The President is deeply pained by the continuation  of these needless deaths and will continue to do all within his powers to achieve a lasting peace, security and stability in all parts of the country.”

Source: Punch

Bamigbetan: Kidnapper jumps to death

One of the kidnappers of the Chairman, Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Kehinde Bamigbetan, jumped to his death at a hotel along Old Ojo road, Agboju, Lagos.

Although Bamigbetan was set free by his abductors on Saturday night, five days after he was kidnapped, it was learnt that police pressure could be part of the reasons he was released.

The LCDA boss returned to his house at about 10.45pm, an hour after he was released by his abductors on Saturday.

But our correspondent gathered that the police had been on the trail of the suspects and had actually made some arrests.

They were about to arrest one of the perpetrators, known as ‘Onye Army’ when he (Army) killed himself

It was learnt that operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja tracked Army to the hotel, and in order to evade being caught, he jumped from the balcony of his room on the second floor of the building.

PUNCH Metro learnt that one of the suspects arrested by SARS following Bamigbetan’s kidnap gave the police the information on Army and how to track him.

A police source said, “Onye Army was actually in the hotel with some members of the kidnapping gang.

“However, by the time SARS operatives got there, other members of his group had cleared out leaving just Onye Army’

“While some of the SARS operatives went up to his room and knocked on the door, some waited by the entrance of the hotel. It seems, however, that Onye Army had sighted them through his window because he refused to open up the door. When they started to force the door open, he came out on the balcony, hoping to jump down safely and make his escape.

“Unfortunately, it was a fatal fall. Onye Army broke both legs and his spine; he was in serious pains. Despite all attempts to keep him alive and lead the SARS operatives to the hideout where his colleagues were keeping Bamigbetan, he died while being rushed to the hospital.”

The source said Bamigbetan was set free after the kidnappers discovered that some of their members were being rounded up by SARS.

A family friend of the Bamigbetans told PUNCH Metro on the condition of anonymity that a ransom of N15m was paid to secure his release.

He said, “After the family paid the N15m, the kidnappers reneged on the agreement and demanded another N10m.

“But to our surprise, they suddenly released Bamigbetan on Saturday.”

The Lagos State Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Damasus Ozoani, said, “I can confirm that Bamigbetan has been released.

“As for any ransom being paid, I am not aware of that.

“I also don’t have details of the suspect who jumped to his death. However, police investigation on this case is still on.”

Source : Punch