News
Scores killed, markets, vehicles burnt, as gunmen run riot in Benue, Imo communities
Benue and Imo were again theatres of bloody attacks on Friday, with the former badly hit, as the gunmen who stormed parts of the state, were said to have left no less than 27 dead persons dead and several others injured by the time they left the scene.
Reports say some heavily armed men, suspected to be enforcing the stay-at-home order, stormed Amaraku market located at Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo state, while another group, whose motive remained unknown, attacked Adogo Ugbaam, Akpuuna and Diom communities in Ukum Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue state, both on Friday.
Though it was said no casualty was recorded in the Imo attack, the victims of the other attack were not so lucky, as trails of blood was left behind by the gunmen, who apart from killing scores of persons, left may others with several forms of injuries, some of them said to be life-threatening.
First, the gunmen were said to have stormed the venur of a funeral at Adogo Ugbaam community where they killed three mourners on Friday night and on Saturday morning at about 11 am another gang invaded Akpuuna and Diom communities where 24 persons were murdered.
Reports quoted sources as saying the armed men whose motive was not known, stormed the villages on motorbikes killing the three mourners at Adogo Ugbaam village at about 9 pm after which they invaded Akpuuna and Diom on Saturday morning at about 11 am when the local market in the area was busy with the day’s activities.
“Nobody saw this coming; the armed men stormed Diom and Akpuuna on motorbikes at about 11 am when the local market in the community had picked up with activities after killing three mourners at Adogo Ugbaam village last night (Friday) at about 9 pm.
“At Akpuuna and Diom they shot at anybody they saw, mercilessly killing the people in the market and the two neighbouring villages. There was pandemonium, people ran for their lives but many could not escape. Apart from those killed, many are still missing; and from all indications that number will rise. After killing the people and injuring many, the armed men set fire on people’s property and fled the scene.
“As we speak people are fleeing the attacked communities but the search for missing persons is ongoing. It is a sad day for our people,” the source said about the incident, confirmed by Chairman of Ukum LGA, Kartyo Tyoumbur, who said information at his disposal indicated that 24 bodies had been recovered from the two attacked villages.
His words: “I learnt that after attacking Akpuuna and Diom, the armed gang fled the scene but on getting to the Tine-Nune community on the Zaki Biam-Wukari Road they met the military who confronted them. Though no one knows how many of them were killed but I believe some of them must have been neutralised in that exchange. No one knows the motive of the attackers.”
Spokesman of the Benue State Police Command, Catherine Anene, a Superintendent of Police (SP) while confirming the incident, said in a statement: “At about 12 pm, a militia gang invaded Akpuna village, Ukum LGA of Benue state and were shooting sporadically. Upon receipt of this information, police teams in collaboration with other security agencies rushed to the area and engaged these bandits who were eventually repelled. Eight corpses were recovered at the scene while many other injured persons were taken to hospital for treatment. Operation is ongoing in the area.”
In Imo, where the hoodlums were said to have burnt a tricycle and some vehicles, while destroying some goods at the market, an eyewitness was quoted as saying that they started shooting sporadically in different directions as residents and other people fled the scene.
“The gunmen were angry with the traders and transporters for flouting the order. The attackers warned traders to close shop and never to flout the order, warning them not come out on Saturday. They went on to raze part of the market and burnt vehicles,” the source reportedly said.
It was another day of misery in Kwara State, when daredevil terrorists reportedly stormed Yashikira Community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, and as has been the case in many of the attacks, abducting scores of residents including women and children.
But, apparently to register their authority, the gunmen, who were said to have operated for hours without challenge from the security operatives, were said to have torched the palace of the Emir.
The attackers, which reportedly occurred late Sunday night were said to have announced their presence through heavy firing and after storming the palace of the monarch during the period, set it on fire before whisking away their victims, but a similar attempt at the police station in the community, was repelled.
While some of the residents, narrated how the spent hours without resistance, leaving behind destruction and fear in the border community, another account said the villagers were caught unawares as the gunmen invaded the town under the cover of darkness.
However operatives made up of the police and military personnel, were said to have launched a manhunt immediately for the immediate rescue of the victims, including throwing a cordon in the area as part of the mission.
“The suspect offered ₦500 million to the SPU commander in an attempt to make the team stand down and allow him to contact his associates to move the consignment elsewhere. The offer was rejected immediately and properly documented for further investigation.”
These were the exact words of Olohundare Jimoh Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), with which he detailed how operatives of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) scoffed at a N500million bribe to turn their eyes off the importation of a huge consignment of drugs imported into the country.
This was part of the details of a major breakthrough by the operatives after bursting a major drug trafficking syndicate in Lagos, which led to the seizure of suspected illicit drugs estimated at ₦7.8 billion and arresting several suspects, including the alleged kingpin.
In the operation, reportedly carried out by officers of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) in collaboration with divisional police detectives, the operatives, were said to have stormed a house in Mende, Maryland area of Lagos, following months of surveillance and intelligence gathering coordinated by the Zone 2 Headquarters.
The recovered drugs consisted of hundreds of bags of suspected Canadian Loud, allegedly stored in the residence of the prime suspect, Jimoh, said disclosing that the suspect was apprehended on May 19 after weeks of strategic monitoring by operatives.
Offering further details, he said the operation was executed with technical support and guidance from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, alongside coordinated efforts between the SPU and divisional police teams.
Jimoh revealed that during the operation, the suspect allegedly attempted to bribe the SPU commander with ₦500 million to compromise the mission and allow the movement of the drug consignment.
The AIG described the development as a reflection of the renewed professionalism and operational discipline being entrenched in the Force under the current policing strategy.
He noted that the success of the operation underscored the importance of deploying specialized police units alongside conventional divisional teams in tackling organized crime.
According to him, the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid containment strategies, intelligence-led policing, and professional conduct among the operatives involved in the raid.
“Rapid containment was achieved as the Special Protection Unit worked with divisional teams to secure the perimeter and prevent escape or interference with evidence.
“The operation was intelligence-driven, following months of surveillance and technical monitoring before the raid was carried out.
“The immediate rejection and documentation of the bribe attempt also reflect the standard expected from redeployed personnel at the divisional level,” Jimoh added.
Reacting to the development, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, commended the operatives for their professionalism, saying the success of the operation validated the ongoing redeployment of personnel to divisions and units across Lagos and Ogun states.
The IGP noted: “Policing must be close to the people, and our specialized units must work side by side with divisional teams on the ground.
“The professionalism shown by the SPU commander in rejecting a ₦500 million bribe and following due procedure is the standard we expect. It shows that when you put your best foot forward at the grassroots, you get results and restore public trust.”
Disu further assured that the Force leadership would continue to reward integrity while holding officers accountable to the highest ethical standards.
Police authorities said exhibits recovered during the operation have been properly documented and will be tendered in court. The suspects are currently in custody while investigations continue to track down other members of the drug trafficking network.
Slavery is a wound on the memory of the Universal Church, Pope Leo XIV, said on Monday, as he issued a fresh apology over the participation of the the Catholic Church in the centuries-long delay in condemning slavery.
The pontiff stressed the position of the church after his predecessors had offered similar apologies, said: “For this, in the name of the Church, I sincerely ask for pardon.”
Writing in a major text that warned about “new forms of slavery” behind the digital economy, the joined John Paul II, who denounced slave trade in 1992 before issuing a sweeping request for forgiveness for historical injustices in 2000 and Pope Francis who also repeatedly denounced contemporary forms of slavery.
In his own vein, Pope Leo, pointed out that the Church owned slaves until the Middle Ages and it also advised European sovereigns on how to justify the enslavement of “infidels.”
He stressed in “Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity), a document focused primarily on the rise of artificial intelligence, that it was only in the 19th century that “a formal, absolute and universal condemnation of slavery was clearly articulated.”
Hear him: “It is true that past events cannot be judged anachronistically, as though the moral criteria that matured over time had always been available. Yet neither can we deny or diminish the delay with which both society and the Church came to denounce the scourge of slavery. This constitutes a wound in Christian memory, one from which we cannot consider ourselves detached.”
-
News4 weeks agoBREAKING: Makinde, Turaki, lose! *S’Court affirms Wike’s PDP leadership
-
News2 weeks agoTinubu to African leaders: Copy Nigeria, produce your way out of poverty
-
Features4 weeks agoJim Nwobodo: The Sun shines, thrills, at ‘The Vanguard Awards’
-
News6 days agoBREAKING: US-Nigeria troops slaughter 175 ISWAP fighters
-
News2 weeks agoWhy we pegged presidential ticket forms at N60million – NDC
-
Columns3 days agoDear General Gowon: That apology you’re running from is your nemesis
-
News2 weeks agoGowon on civil war: My book is to put records straight, remove falsehood
-
News2 weeks agoBREAKING! Coast brightens for Obi, as NDC zones presidency to South