I poisoned my husband because I hated him ─ Beninoise woman

Seventeen-year-old Beninoise woman, Abiodun Ojo, who killed her husband, Jimoh, in the Makoko area of Yaba, Lagos State, has said she poisoned her husband because she hated him.

Abiodun, during an interview with PUNCH Metro, blamed her father for forcing her to marry Jimoh, who she said never took care of her.

She said she had run away from the deceased three times, and was sent back by her father, who she described as the architect of her problem.

PUNCH Metro had reported that Abiodun had been handed over to Jimoh as wife by her father to stop her from marrying her boyfriend.

She was said to have given birth to a baby girl, Hannah, and was living with the victim in their home on Apolo Street, Makoko.

However, she was said to have met her former boyfriend’s elder brother, Wensu, who allegedly gave her the poison to put in Jimoh’s drink so she could marry his younger brother.

Our correspondent reported that Jimoh, a carpenter, who was retarded, had returned home from work on June 19, 2015 when his wife poured the poison into his soft drink and forced him to drink it.

The deceased was said to have collapsed and died despite spirited efforts by residents to resuscitate him.

Abiodun, who initially denied involvement in the crime, later confessed to community leaders, saying she was given the poison by her former boyfriend’s elder brother, Wensu.

The two suspects were said to have been arrested by policemen from the Adekunle Police Division and were subsequently transferred to the State Department of Criminal Investigation.

Abiodun said she never knew the poison would kill Jimoh.

She said, “I was born in Lagos, though I am from Cotonou, Benin Republic. My father married two wives and he had nine children. My mother had six children for him and I am number four. I did not go to school because my father did not allow me.

“I had a boyfriend, Papa, whom I dated for two years. I wanted to marry him, but my father refused because my elder sister was married to Papa’s brother.

“I was at home one day when my father brought some people and said I should look at all of them and say if I liked them, and I said yes. He then asked me to go. It was the next day that they took me to Jimoh.”

She said she was taken to a community in Ogun State, where the victim usually came to make love with her until she became pregnant.

She said when she returned to Lagos, she was not well treated by the deceased and she complained to her family members, who asked her to endure the hardship.

“On three different occasions, I ran away from home. But whenever I got home, my father would ask me to go back, saying marriage was always full of challenges.

“On the fateful day, I went to the market to buy fish for my sister-in-law when I saw Wensu on the road. He gave me the poison and said I should put it in my husband’s drink. I put it in his drink and he took it himself,” she added.

She said she regretted marrying the deceased because she never loved him.

It was learnt that the boyfriend, Papa, had travelled back to the Benin Republic.

His elder brother, Wensu, a herbalist, denied giving Abiodun the poison, saying she framed him up.

He said, “I am a herbalist by profession and I was taught the job by my grandfather in the Benin Republic when I was a child. I met her sister in the community and we married legally. She had three kids for me.

“But when I married another woman, she divorced me and married somebody else. I did not give her any poison and I have never met her husband, Jimoh, in my entire life. She is lying.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, said the suspects would soon be charged to court

Source:Punch

Police arrest trader, wife for armed robbery

The police in Lagos have arrested a man who deals in men’s wear, Akeem Ariyo, for allegedly robbing a shop on Ariyo Street, in the Balogun Market area of Lagos.

It was learnt that the 35-year-old suspect was arrested along with his wife, Mosunmola, on July 14, 2015, but the wife was freed the following day.

The police alleged that Ariyo and others at large burgled the shop owned by one Kudirat Akinyede, said to be the wife of a police officer, between 10pm of June 9 and 6am of June 7, carting away gold jewellery and cash sum, all estimated at N11.6m.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the security guards attached to the market were also apprehended in connection with the crime, but were later released after they were interrogated.

The police said the suspect confessed to the crime after he was transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Ikeja. But Mosunmola, quoted her husband as saying that he did so under duress.

“Officers at SARS said he had confessed. But when I asked him, he said he had suffered a lot; there are bruises all over his body,” she added.

Mosunmola told our correspondent that the suspect had visited his parents, who live near the burgled shop, and was bathing on the premises in the midnight when he saw some men in black dresses. He reportedly ran inside, leaving his phone on a bench.

It was learnt that policemen attached to the Lion Building Police Division, later called Mosunmola with her husband’s phone, and traced them to their residence in Ikorodu.

She said the police ransacked their house and took her jewellery box to the station, where Akinyede was asked to identify whether they were hers.

She said, “On June 14, somebody called me that he found my husband’s phone. I gave the caller our address to bring it. Suddenly, a team of policemen stormed our house. They searched our house and took us to the station.

“At the station, my gold trinket was shown to the woman, but she could not find her own there. They later returned the box to me.”

Also, a resident, Rasheed Smith, said he, Ariyo and other friends had parted around 11pm on June 9, adding that he had made a statement at the police station in respect of the incident.

He said, “Akeem (Ariyo) had come to visit his parents on the fateful day. He, his sibling and I were outside chatting that day until around 11pm when we left for our respective houses. In the morning, he told me what he saw while he was bathing, adding that he could not find his phone.

“I was surprised when I learnt he was arrested for robbery. I was invited to the police station and I made a statement. I think the police need to do a thorough investigation because the woman’s shop was looted again a week after the first incident.”

However, the police arraigned Ariyo before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court on two counts bordering on armed robbery.

The charges read, “That you, Akeem Ariyo, and others still at large, between 10pm and 6am of June 9 and 10, on Ariyo Street, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire to commit felony to wit; armed robbery.

“That you, and others now at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district, while armed with guns, did steal gold jewellery valued at N8m, cash sum of N3m and a sum of $3,000 ─ all valued at N11.6m ─ property of one Kudirat Akinyede, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section (1) (2) (a) (b) of the Robbery and Firearm Act, Cap 398, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990, as amended.”

The defendant’s plea was not taken by the presiding magistrate, Mrs. O. Sule-Amzat, who ordered that the case file be sent to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

While adjourning the case till September 29, 2015, the magistrate remanded Ariyo in prison pending the outcome of the DPP’s advice.

Source:Punch

Woman cuts neighbour’s throat during argument

 The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a woman, Helen Okeke, who allegedly killed her neighbour, identified only as Rose, in the Ikota, Ajah area of the state.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Okeke slit Rose’s throat after the duo reportedly had an argument over who poured urine on the latter’s clothes that were spread on the entrance door to her room.

The incident occurred at about 5pm last Wednesday in the Ikota Housing Estate, Ikota Second Gate area.

Our correspondent gathered that Rose, who was reportedly preparing for her wedding, had returned from work in the afternoon, and noticed a foul smell on the clothes spread on her door.

It was learnt that the deceased went to the landlady, Alhaja Iyabo Hamzat, to report the matter. The landlady was said to have pacified her, offering to give her the money to buy some detergent to wash the clothes.

It was gathered that after some minutes, other neighbours, however, heard Rose’s sudden cry for help in the corridor. The suspect was said to have been found holding the deceased by the neck, with a bloodstained kitchen knife in her hand.

Our correspondent gathered that Rose died before she could be rushed to a nearby hospital.

The matter was said to have been reported to the Ajah Police Division, Ajiwe, and Okeke was arrested.

When PUNCH Metro visited the apartment on Friday, Alhaja Hamzat said she had served a notice to Okeke, commonly known as Mama Chinedu, on several occasions to pack out of the house, adding that the suspect refused to leave.

She said, “At about 5pm that day, Rose came to my apartment. She said she came to report Iya Chinedu.

“She said when she returned from her workplace, she found her curtain, towel and other clothes drenched with urine. She said she suspected that it was Iya Chinedu who poured the substance on her clothes.

“I begged Rose and told her that I would give her money to buy detergent to wash the clothes. She had hardly returned to her room when we heard screams of ‘help help!’ We all rushed there and we saw Rose in a pool of blood with Iya Chinedu holding a bloodstained knife.

“With shock, we rushed Rose to a hospital, but she died on the way.

“Iya Chinedu moved into my house just last year. She moved in with her son. The son later left, saying she was fed up with her mother. I had served her quit notices on several occasions, but she refused to move out.

“I went to the police at Ikota to report her, but the policemen there said they would not meddle in landlord-tenants’ affairs.”

Another resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told PUNCH Metro that Okeke had been moody before that day.

Another resident in the area, identified only as Blessing, said after Okeke had stabbed her neighbour, some angry youths beat her up.

She said, “Mama Chinedu did not show any remorse at all. Some boys became angry and beat her up.

“Everyone was shocked, and wanted to find out what offence was committed that made Okeke to stab the young lady.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed the incident.

He added that the matter would be transferred to the State Department of Criminal Investigation, Yaba, for further investigation.

He said, “The police visited the scene and removed the corpse to a public morgue in Yaba.

“The suspect has also been arrested. She will be transferred to the SDCI after the police have concluded their preliminary investigations.”

Source:Punch

444 deaths in 39 days: Boko Haram, more daring, more heartless

Apart from the documented 444 murdered victims, hundreds of wounded persons and thousands newly displaced, all    from a surprising fresh onslaught by Boko Haram on scores of communities and towns in at least six northern states of Nigeria, the questions on the lips of Nigerians monitoring the carnage would all meet at some point.  Was the inaugural speech of President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29, 2015 in which he promised to stamp out Boko Haram shortly, just a brilliant prose with no work plan for execution?

Was his diatribe on the terrorists and    his    renewed pledge to route the insurgents mere bravado; a  politically-right outing to    woo everyone as the messiah, while knowing deep inside him he had no such capability?
Many of the residents who may have been inspired by the president’s speech to return to the war ravaged  village of the North-East, especially in Borno State, only to narrowly escape renewed violence may be wondering if Buhari spoke in good faith.

But those who still have faith in the president are wont to argue that it is too early to expect the man to wipe out a six-year-old orgy of murder in less than two months. They are likely also going to argue that those in opposition to the ruling APC are using the tragedy for political advantage. Ironically, it was the inability of the last government to cage Boko Haram that helped to swing winning votes in favour of the former, the opposition APC.
Meanwhile, there is no running from the fact that eradicating Boko Haram within the days that Buhari has been in power would be too ambitious a project in scope and content given what the President met on ground.

The most worrying factor, however, is that instead of ebbing, the deaths and destruction    caused by Boko Haram seem to be galloping compared to the pre-May 29 era.
This is despite the moving of the military command to Maiduguri, Borno State capital and epicentre of the violence which has so far claimed estimated 100,000 lives since the move by Boko Haram to declare Nigeria an Islamic Caliphate started in 2009..
But, Boko Haram is not only the group causing blood and tears to flow, even though many thought the situation ought not to get worse, given the hope Buhari inspired in the suffering communities, especially in the Middle Belt, when he came on board.

From Benue to Nasarawa, Plateau and Kaduna, the tales of night marauders stalking sleeping communities and killing defenceless citizens remain a daily occurrence.
Senator Danjuma La’ah, representing Southern Kaduna at the Senate,  penultimate week, addressed a press conference in Kafanchan, 180 km south of Kaduna metropolis, to register his displeasure with the state of security in his zone. La’ah, the only senator on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from the North-North-West Zone, said: “After several days of silence from the government of Kaduna State over the most recent killings of law abiding natives of   Southern Kaduna, I have decided to make public my resentment over the development.

“On the 5th  June, 2015, Ayagan village in Bajju Chiefdom in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State was invaded by well armed men. Four people were killed and several others injured when the invaders fired into a crowd of mourners, unprovoked.
“Till date, no culprit has been caught, nor has the state government made any announcement in its effort, if any, at apprehending the killers.

“On the 11th  June, 2015, one Tanko Nyam, 45, of   Kyari Daddu village in Jaba, LGA,   was ambushed by yet another set of gunmen and killed leaving behind his wife and five kids.
“Then on the 17th  of June, 2015, gunmen attacked the village of Katsak, Atakad Chiefdom, Kaura LGA, leaving behind nine dead bodies     and 13   persons   critically injured as early as 8am.

“This government was brought to power by a legitimate election from the electorate who are expecting a dramatic improvement on their security and general well-being. While, I acknowledge the fact that the government   is still young on the seat, it cannot claim ignorance or destitute of ideas on what to do in circumstances like this”.
Source:Vanguard

Girl, 15, commits suicide after being gang- raped

Rage, shock and confusion pervaded Okwoyi village, Isieke community in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State as a 15-year-old girl committed suicide after being ganged-raped.

The deceased, Comfort Uche-Ume, a native of Amaeke Abam in Arochukwu LGA of the state, was allegedly raped by three boys; Ndubuisi Wogu, Chinaza Ufomadu, and Francis Onwoboro now on the run.

The deceased was a JSS 3 student of Isieke Community Secondary School and had just finished writing the “Junior WEAC” exam, according to a source.

The source also said two of the culprits hail from Okwoyi while the other is from Ikwuano LGA.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ezekiel Onyeke said the police had declared the suspected rapists wanted.

Onyeke told Southern City News that the victim who until her death resided at Iyienyi village with her parents, had gone in the company of her sister who was married at Okwoyi, a neighbouring village, to see her (sister) husband.

He said that as evening approached, the deceased opted to return home to remove the clothes they spread outside to save them from getting wet from the threatening rain.

But another source said the deceased decided to return home because she was having the key to their house so that the parents who travelled would not be stranded upon their return.

The PPRO said that as the deceased was trekking back to Iyienyi village alone, she was allegedly accosted by Nwogu, who had been making unsuccessful advances at her.

He said Nwogu, assisted by two other accomplices, dragged the victim to a nearby bush where they gang-raped her, threatening to kill her if she raised any alarm.

Police said that when the sister of the deceased returned home, she met her crying and after enquiries, Comfort narrated her ordeal to her.

Irked by the sexual assault on her sister, she was said to have informed her husband, who quickly rushed to confront one of the suspects and engaged him in a free-for-all.

According to the police, the victim was later brought to Umuahia Central Police Station around 9pm by her parents to officially report the matter.

Onyeke said after lodging the complaint, the police first decided to take the victim to the police clinic for examination and medical attention.

He said after she was examined and the police wanted to take her statement, but the parents pleaded that they should be allowed to take her home, promising to return the next morning since it was getting late so that they could still get transport home.

The incident, according to him, took place Friday last week.

“But instead of returning as they promised, the parents never showed up. The mother of the deceased rather decided to scold her over the incident.

“The mother mismanaged the situation. She said to her ‘Have I not warned you not to go to Okwoyi village alone? Now three men have raped you and if you become pregnant, who will be the father of the baby?’

“On Tuesday morning, the mother of the victim allegedly went to her room again and started talking to her. She later invited her for the family’s morning devotion, but she declined,”

The state police spokesman pointed out that when the family began to hold their morning devotion about 20 minutes later, a shout was heard outside the house and the family members rushed out.

According to him, the initial thinking of family members was that the rapists had come to attack her again.

But that was not to be as they were shocked to their marrows to see the lifeless body of their daughter, who was reportedly seen leave her room with a head tie/ veil across her shoulders, dangling on a guava tree beside their house. She had committed suicide!

Police said the deceased might have decided to take her life out of frustration and possible stigmatisation.

The PPRO, therefore, advised parents and guardians to exercise caution when “they manage sensitive situations that might come their way, especially the ones affecting their children or wards.”

He said, “Parents should avoid stigmatising their children, but treat them with love anytime such unfortunate situation comes up.”

Onyeke also appealed to members of the public with any credible information about the whereabouts of the alleged rapists to volunteer same to the nearest police station for prompt action.

Meanwhile, a source at Okwoyi told our correspondent that the villagers had begun a manhunt for the suspects.

The source said hunters had been mobilised to comb every nook and cranny of the village for their possible arrest.

According to the source, the villagers are not taking the incident lightly, vowing to stop at nothing in bringing the culprits to bok.

“This is an abomination and we will make sure we fish them out of any hole they may have run into,” the source said.

Source:Punch