26 worshippers dead, 28 injured in Maiduguri mosque attack

A suicide bomber, yesterday, sneaked into a mosque along Ali Kotoko Road, near Monday Market in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, leaving 26 dead  and  28 critically injured, security sources assisting in the  evacuation of victims said.

The incident took place at about 3:45pm when Muslim faithful gathered  to perform their afternoon  prayer.

Unconfirmed sources, however,  revealed that apart from the mosque explosion, another  blast  rocked some area of the Monday Market with  fewer casualty figure.
The incidents came barely 12 hours after Boko Haram gunmen were repelled by the military in Maiduguri, which also claimed many lives.

The mosque explosion, according to Modu Fugu of Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), occurred when the prayer session was about to commence  with over five dozens of people in attendance.
“We were  terrified by the loud explosion that rocked the  mosque near bicycle sellers market and other shops when the prayer session was cut  and worshippers fled to  safety. But many were killed and scores injured”, Fugu stated.

Borno State Police Command  confirmed the mosque blast, but said  it was  yet to get the casualty figure. The Red Cross and volunteers were reportedly involved in the rescue operation.

In another incident, yesterday,  15 residents were reportedly dead when suspected members of Boko Haram, in a convoy of vehicles and motorcycles laden with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), rocket grenades and anti-aircraft guns attacked Malari village in Borno State. 19 others in Bulunkutu Saleke, Gomari and Ajilari areas of the state were said to have been wounded.

The killings, according to Ibrahim Yakubu of Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), were caused by the  insurgents’ sporadic gunshots, explosions and shelling on the  four villages that commenced from 12.35 – 2.45 a.m.

Confirming the incident in Maiduguri, a source at Borno Police Command said many residents of Gomari, Bulunkutu Saleke and  Ajilari were killed during the attacks.
Source:Vanguard

Police rescue 2 abandoned toddlers in Lagos

LAGOS—Two toddlers, reportedly abandoned in different locations at Owutu, Ikorodu, a suburb of Lagos, have been recovered by police.

It was learned that one of them, a day-old baby girl, purportedly abandoned by a young mother, was found by a good Samaritan identified as Kola Oyekunmi, around Yinka Oguntile Street, Igbolowo Estate at Owutu, Ikorodu.

The other, who is about two years old, was found by one Mrs Adesina Yomi of Olabose Olatan Crescent in the early hours of yesterday.

Kola Oyekunmi, who reported the case of the newborn to Owutu Divisional Police Station, said: “We found the baby by the side of a bush close to our house crying. It was the cry of the baby that alerted residents in the area. Surprisingly, the baby still had blood all over its body and its placenta still attached.

“All attempts by residents in the Estate to find out who gave birth to the baby or who abandoned the baby were futile. We had no option but to take the baby to the police station.”

Vanguard learned that officers of the Juvenile Welfare Centre section of Owutu Divisional Police, headed by Inspector Bolanle Akinsanmi, took the baby to Ikorodu General Hospital, where its placenta was detached.
The baby is currently undergoing medical care at the intensive unit of the hospital.

Found at dumpsite
Vanguard gathered that Mrs Yomi alerted Owutu Divisional Police, when she discovered the toddler near a dumpsite beside her shop at NEPA area of Isawo Road, at about 6:40a.m.
She said: “When I found the child, I looked around to see if his parents were close by, but there was no one around, apart from passers-by who had gathered around the child. It was then we alerted the police of the discovery.

“He was rushed to Ikorodu General Hospital when the police officers from Owutu Police Division discovered that he was very pale and sick with rashes all over the body and liquid coming out from an injury on his head.

“At the hospital, it was discovered that the reason he could neither sit, stand nor walk was because he is a child with special needs.”
Vanguard gathered that after the child was discharged from the hospital, female police officers on duty took turns to bath, feed and care for the child, as investigations continue.

Police officers of Owutu Police Station bought a mattrass for the baby, and brought their children’s clothes for him.

The DPO has taken it on himself to provide diapers for the toddler.
Ironically, while foundations are jostling to take the new baby girl, who is still at the General Hospital, Vanguard gathered that the boy was rejected by officers at the Juvenile Welfare Centre at Alakara on the grounds that they do not have facilities to accommodate the child’s special needs, but referred them to the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Social Development, Alausa.

When Vanguard visited, the child’s health condition had improved, although he was still unable to sit or stand, the injury on his head and rashes on his body were gone.
Source:Vanguard

42 Year Old Man Sends Thugs To Pour Acid On Ex-Wife In Lagos

Wickedness and evil everywhere! So One Ajayi Olatunbosun has been arrested by the police for allegedly hiring thugs to pour acid on his ex-wife, Bamidele Otakiti, in her shop on Adejobi Street in the Ajasa Command area of Lagos.

PUNCH Metro gathered that all had been well between the couple since they moved to Lagos in 2005 until a few months ago when a disagreement soured their relationship.
The quarrel was said to have led to their separation in February, 2015.

It was learnt that the suspect, prior to the divorce, had on several occasions accused Otakiti of adultery.

Our correspondent gathered that despite his discontent with the alleged act, the 47-year-old commercial motorcycle rider (okada rider) had pleaded with the woman not to divorce him.
It was learnt that Otakiti bore three children for Olatunbosun.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the two-man assailant team had come to Otakiti’s shop on April 21 at about 7.30pm, with a substance which later tested positive for acid. She was reportedly trying to give them change for some items they had bought when they poured the substance on her.
The attackers allegedly told the woman that they were sent by her ex-husband before they fled the area.

She was said to have been rushed to a nearby hospital, from where she was referred to the General Hospital, Ile Epo, for intensive care.
Olatunbosun, who lives on Adetoun Street, Abule-Egba, was apprehended after his alleged involvement in the incident, which was reported at the Meiran Police Station.

A police source told our correspondent that the Ifewara, Osun State, indigene initially denied the allegation, but later owned up after being thoroughly quizzed.

The source said, “He initially denied hiring the thugs. But after a comprehensive interrogation, he confessed, saying the woman had been flaunting her beauty and committing adultery. He is giving us useful information to track the fleeing suspects.”

Olatunbosun was brought before an Ojokoro Magistrate’s Court on two counts of assault preferred against him by a police prosecutor, Inspector Benson Emuerhi.

The charges read, “That you, Ajayi Olatunbosun, 42, and two others now at large, on April 21, 2015, at about 7.30pm on Adejobi Street, Ajasa Command, Lagos, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did conspire to commit felony to wit: grievous harm and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

“That you, and two others now at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district, did grievously harm one Bamidele Otakiti by pouring liquid acid on her and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 243 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.”

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Mrs. O.A. Olayinka, a senior magistrate, admitted him to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

“The sureties must show evidence of means of livelihood to the court for verification,” Olayinka added.
The case was adjourned till June 25, 2015
Source:Punch

I’m first child, I have responsibilities ─ Robbery suspect

The police in Lagos have arrested five suspected members of a robbery gang which unleashed terror on residents of Ijanikin area on Sunday, May 24.

One of the robbery suspects, 25-year-old Ajayi Solomon, told PUNCH Metro that he went into armed robbery because his parents were late and he needed to take care of his siblings.

Apart from Solomon, the other suspects arrested are Momodu Williams, 19, Kazeem Ganiyu, 19, Seun Ariyo, 20, and Elijah Dada,19.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the gang, which is said to have about 40 members, allegedly robbed residents and commuters in Ketu, Iyana Era, Alasia, Morogbo areas and environs.

Our correspondent gathered that on the night of the fateful Sunday, the gang stormed Palace Road and Amosugboro streets in the Ijanikin area, and carted away money and valuables.

The Anti-Robbery Squad from the Ijanikin Police Division, which received a distress call, was said to have attacked the gang and apprehended five of them.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro, Solomon, who hails from Oto-Awori, Badagry, said the gang had planned the robbery while they drank and smoked at the Egun festival. He added that he had five siblings which he took care of with the proceeds of robbery.

He said, “It was at the Egun festival in the Oto Awori area that we planned the operation. We drank and smoke hemp during the festival. At about 8pm, we left for the Ijanikin area. We were about 40 persons. We robbed till dawn.

“Some of the gang members entered shops, restaurants, and stores to loot property. But in the process, I was arrested by the police. It was about three weeks ago that I returned from prison. I started robbery two years ago.

“I had no option because my parents are late and I am the first child. In 2010, I also joined a cult group in the area. I belong to the Eiye Confraternity. As a result of the death of my parents, I dropped out of school in Senior Secondary School Class 2. I tried to learn welding, but it was not successful. Then, I joined the robbery gang. I am not the leader of the gang; the name of the gang leader is simply Dollar.”

Solomon, who lived on Baale Street in the Morogbo area, added that it was a tenant who paid for his bail when he was arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad sometime last year.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, had yet to get back to our correspondent.

Source:Punch

Kidnappers demand AK-47, machine guns as ransom

The Rivers State Police Command has said that two suspected kidnappers have confessed that they demanded one AK-47 and 12 general purpose machine guns as ransom for the release of their victim, Mrs. Chinyere Olumma. Olumma was rescued on Friday, May 22.

The suspects, according to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, had given the family of the victim an option of paying N50m as ransom or providing one AK-47 and 12 general purpose machine guns before their victim would be released.

Mohammad, who spoke with newsmen on Tuesday, disclosed that the hoodlums had initially collected the sum of N1m from Olumma’s family for the upkeep of their victim.

Luck, however, ran out of the two suspects as they were rounded up by the police in Abua as they shared the N1m meant for the victim’s upkeep. They were caught in one of the suspects’ room.

“It was sometime around 1am in the morning, they kidnapped one woman by the name Mrs. Chinyere Oluma from Erema in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area. They kidnapped her and then made contact with the family of the victim.

“They demanded N50m with an option of providing one AK-47 rifle and 12 RPMG, that is General Purpose Machine Gun. The kidnappers called the family of the victim to give them N1m for the upkeep of the victim and themselves. The N1m you see with them is the money they demanded for the upkeep of the victim and themselves. So, this money you are seeing is the N1m that was given to them. They (kidnappers) did not know we were tracking them after they received the N1m.

“So, we tracked and caught them at Abua. When our men got there, they were four and they were with the money before they were arrested. You can see the charms we recovered from them. On their way coming from their hideout, their colleague from behind opened fire on our men. Our men injured one of the hoodlums, who later died in a hospital and then, one of them escaped. The two we have here could not escape and out of the pressure mounted on them, they took our men to where they kept the woman (their victim) inside the bush near Egbeda,” Mohammad said.

Apart from the cash sum of N1m recovered from them, a rope used in tying their victim to a tree was also recovered from the suspected kidnappers.

However, one of the suspects, identified as Solomon Obigwe, said he never knew that his friend (Christian Enwe) was a kidnapper and that he was unfortunate to be with him (Enwe) and his friends when police struck. Obigwe, who was silent on the confession he made to the police, pleaded for forgiveness and promised to turn a new leaf.

“I was there when he (Christian Enwe) came in with his friends with his bag. As he came, he told me as a younger brother that we should go to my house. When we got there, I asked how manage they got such money. They told me they kidnapped somebody and the person paid them this money.

“We argued over their action. I have never kidnapped before and I have never had that in mind since I was born. I was arguing about how they got such amount of money when police came and arrested four of us,” Obigwe said.

Source:Punch