Killing the IGP

By Patience Ogbo
  The home breed terrorist group, Bokom Haram has claimed responsibility for
the bomb blast at the Force headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
 Some media commentators said the group has shown its seriousness to keep
the nation in fear until their demands are met. Others  blame the IGP Hafiz
Ringim inaction able comment a previous day to the bomb attack of flushing
the Bokom haram sect, as responsible for the terrorist’s sect showing off
the stuff they are made of by detonating a suicide bomb in the police
headquarters.

From the report we have gathered, it is obvious that the target was
Mr.Ringim.  . A 234next version said

"A traffic warden near the scene who requested anonymity said the explosion
took place shortly after Mr Ringim's convoy entered the building. He said
the bomber, who was driving an old model Mercedez Benz car, was right behind
the IG's incoming convoy, and gained entrance into the building premises
despite efforts to dissuade him by policemen riding in the last vehicle in
the convoy.

Sources say that as soon as the suspected bomber entered the premises, he
attempted to park the car beside that of the inspector general but was
stopped by a police superintendent who forced him to move to an adjacent
parking garage." the newspaper reported.

 The question, is why is the IGP being targeted? Why did the police
officers at the entrance gate not stop the suicide bomber until he was so
close to Mr. Ringim and had to go park somewhere else?

If the car was suspected as claimed by the police spokes person Olushola
Amore, why was the same car allowed to park inside the premises? Why was he
not asked to park outside the police premises?  Other questions begging for
answers are ,where are the multi-million anti-terrorism and anti-bomb squad?
What about out dear SSS, and military intelligence? Why is somebody not
resigning already over these endless bomb blasts? If the bombers can easily
PENETRATE THE Force headquarters with the entire CCTV cameras they claimed
they have installed in Abuja, then somebody or some people are aiding and
abetting the Boko haram sect; the security officers are glaringly on their
side.

 The truth is that we are only left to what we can see and hear which is
very limited but it is high time we began to perceive beyond what we can see
and hear. The boko haram is the security officers and the security officers
are the Boko haram, they are already in the Nigeria police Force and other
security agencies.

 This suicide attempt on the IGP is the second in two weeks as it was
reliably  gathered that a” disgruntled" DSP attempted to kill the IGP two
weeks ago .The said DSP attached to the Federal anti-robbery squad has since
been detained on the orders  of the IGP. A police source who requested
anonymity said “the suspected DSP attempted to kill the IGP after he learnt
that the IGP has removed his name from the security personnel of a governor
in the north and has replaced it was one of his "boys". How the said DSP
attempted to kill the IGP is still being investigated.

 This brings us to the question I asked earlier, who wants the IGP dead? As
it is now, Mr. Ringim is the most “unsafe” man in the country. I wonder how
he can make Nigerians safe when he himself is been targeted and the first
instinct we know is that he will protect himself and his family first before
thinking of Nigerians.

 One would have thought that the attempt on Mr. Ringim’s life last week
Thursday would have elicited empathy from his officers, but the reverse is
the case .The officers  said the IGP should not expect their empathy  or
sympathy has he has not shown empathy to  his officers.

 Their disdain for the IGP is related to his comments exonerating the army
for dastardly murdering in cold blood key officers of the Badagry police
station on May 26th. Mr. Ringim’s comment infuriated his men and from the
interview I conducted with some of the officers after the bomb blast in
Abuja, some of them said he is being paid in his own coin by not showing
empathy to his officers' death. One officer said " the IGP is in-between the
devil and the deep blue sea, he has created a sense of apathy from his
officers, as the occasion of the death of the Badagry officers was one he
would have utilised to show his officers and men that he care about them, he
would have visited the officers' families and be present during their
burial; this would have portrayed him as a people centered boss,” the
officer said .another officer said “ the IGP’s attitude to the  Badagry
officers death is not right ,he was in Lagos when the officers were killed,
and after their death, he visited Lagos twice to commission projects, if he
has time to commission projects, I wonder why he cannot find time to visit
the  slain officers’ families and condole with them”

 It is sad that it is the same disgruntled officers that are “protecting”
the IGP, “tell me which officer would want to do his or her work effectively
when they have seen that their lives mean nothing  to the country?"another
officer, a constable said .

 Mr. Ringim's lackadaisical attitude to the gruesome murder of the Badagry
officers was condemned by Nigerians and the human rights groups and some of
them like the AfriRights and Access to Justice have chided the   presidency
for not reacting TO THE BADAGRY KILLING but “now that the IGP was involved
in a bomb attack, Mr. Jonathan has rushed to see him; is Mr. Ringim’s life
better that that of the slain police officers” the Rights groups also want
Mr. Ringim to resign. “Since he CANNOT PROTECT HIS OWN OFFICERS, HE HAS
SHOWN THAT HE CANNOT PROTECT NIGERIANS” Afolabi Gbajumo, the president of
AfriRights said.

 Somebody must take the blame for the bomb blast at the Force headquarters.
Mr. Ringim, himself, and then the security at the entrance to the Force
Headquarters should be investigated.

 Also the police must begin to purge his own house as the bokom haram sect
has infiltrated the police Force because how will the bomber had known when
Mr. Ringim left his house?, who would have informed  the bomber  on how to
beat the security at the gate? who would have passed on the intel that the
IGP would be at the office at 11.am that day ?; these vital information on
the movement of the IGP can only come from an insider  and it is high time
he started the purging before he becomes a roasted meat.

 I am not saying he should surround himself with his Hausa or Muslim
officers, because typically and expectantly, that is what  the IGP will do,
in short  the IGP  has been  accused of deploying  officers  on ethnic and
religious sentiments all over the  country. Read TheNews magazine of June
20th. This is not what the nation needs and it will not serve the greater
goal of national security.

 What we need in and around the IGP manning our security outfits are
professional police officers who have proven their capabilities to rise to
the duty of safeguarding lives and property. Such officers are in  all
tribes, creed   and religions in the country and they should at this
critical moment in our nation's existence be called upon to braze the storm.

 It is time for Nigerians to unit in love and purpose for this country to
watch our neighbour’s back and be the security we desire, as the security
agencies alone as it has shown cannot guarantee our safety. This is not the
presidency or Mr. Ringim’s fight alone, it is our collective battle to  rise
to the challenge of protecting our homes, our dear country and our future
from the monster called Boko haram and all militant groups in and outside
the country; it is not a TIME TO FEAR, but a time to go the extra mile to
search for clues, to watch our neighourhood , to observe strange movements
and people and to give security agencies vital information that will help
them do their job better; Nigerians are the security we need; a   stitch in
time , they said save nine; this time , it will save millions.

Crimes and Justice in Nigeria: man flogged, disgraced for snaping photographs

Three local drug dealers arrested
By Patience Ogbo
May 27, 2011 01:49AM
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In an attempt to halt the abuse of illicit drugs, the Lagos State command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has raided major drug flash points in the state.
The raids took place at the Iddo motor park, Oyingbo railway terminal and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation depot at Ejigbo and led to the arrest of three suspected drug dealers and seizure of 122.65kg of cannabis.
The Lagos State commander of the NDLEA, Aliyu Sule, gave the names of the suspects as Gambo Amadu, 28, who was arrested with 90.3kg of cannabis, Fidelis Mike, 19, in possession of 7.35kg, and Diana Gabriel, 22, caught with 25kg.
The commander said a constant raid of areas will continue to flush out illicit drug peddlers and their buyers.
"The command will continue to raid drug flash points within the metropolis. Investigation is ongoing into the cases and the suspects will be charged to court," Mr Aliyu said.
The chairman and chief executive of the agency, Ahmadu Giade, expressed satisfaction with the raid. He urged Lagos residents to supply useful information on drug syndicates to the NDLEA, adding that the agency is interested in arresting all drug dealers in the country.
"Raid operation is a daily affair in the agency and I am pleased with the results of this operation. The agency is determined to bring every drug dealer to book. We are interested in taking away all drug users and addicts in our society," Mr Giade announced.
Everyday people
Mr Amadu, a commercial motorcyclist nabbed at Iddo area, claimed that his role was to guard the illicit warehouse where the cannabis was stored.
"I am an okada rider. I came to Lagos in 1993 and was introduced into the cannabis trade two years ago. My duty is to protect the cannabis warehouse. I work with one Isa but at the time of my arrest, Isa had gone out," Mr Gambo stated.
Mr Mike says his friends introduced him into cannabis.
"I can sing very well but I have no helper. I used to hawk Gala but friends lured me into cannabis sales. While selling Gala I can make 500 to 1,000 naira profit but with cannabis I can make a minimum of 3,500 naira a day. I attended Ladipo primary school in Lagos but after my graduation in 1996 I could not further my education because I lost my mother and my dad is bedridden," Mr Fidelis stated.
Contrarily, the female suspect nabbed in the raid operation denied her involvement in the crime.
"I do runs and attend club. I also smoke weed but I don't sell. I live with my father at Maryland," Ms Gabriel stated. "I am asking for early release to enable me write university entrance examination next month," she said.
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Crimes and Justice in Nigeria: man flogged, disgraced for snaping photographs

Crimes and Justice in Nigeria: man flogged, disgraced for snaping photographs

Crimes and Justice in Nigeria: man flogged, disgraced for snaping photographs

local drug dealeers arrested

Crimes and Justice in Nigeria: man flogged, disgraced for snaping photographs

Crimes and Justice in Nigeria: man flogged, disgraced for snaping photographs

man kidnap indian national arrested

Crimes and Justice in Nigeria: man flogged, disgraced for snaping photographs

Crimes andMan nabbed for kidnapping Indian national
By Patience Ogbo
June 3, 2011 02:14AM
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A 34-year-old man, Bassey Ekpenyong, is in police custody for allegedly kidnapping an Indian man.
Mr Ekpenyong was arrested by officers of the Ajah police division last month following a tip off from the victim’s family that he masterminded the kidnapping.
The victim, Bratish Joshi, 24, was kidnapped by a gang at the Piccolo Mondo night Club, at Victoria Island on May 2.
Mr Ekpenyong had been a close friend to the victim and he provided the kidnappers the necessary information which aided the kidnapping. Members of the gang who were identified as Ugbaka, 27, Koko, 28, and Baggie, 30, took Mr Joshi to a hideout and they called his parents and demanded a ransom of $200,000 US dollars before he will be released. The family of the victim paid the ransom and Mr Ekpenyong got $50,000 as his share of the deal.
He said he bought a piece of land for three million naira.
“I have known Bratish for more than six years now... we usually meet in night clubs and that was how I got to know his house and his father’s factory at Ikorodu,” Mr Ekpenyong said.
Mr Ekpenyong narrated how he lured the victim into the kidnappers nest.
“Sometimes in March this year, one of my friends called Ugbaka came to me and told me that I have opportunity to make money but I was not utilizing it,” he said. “I asked him what the opportunity was and he said that we should organize and kidnap my Indian friend. Ugbaka told me that I will get my share so that was how I agreed to the plan; that day I was the one who told Ugbaka and the other members of the gang where Bratish will be, so that was how they went to the Piccolo Mondo night club at Victoria island, they waited for Bratish to come out from the club and they forced him into a car. And drove to him to Ugbaka’s house.”
Mr Ekpenyong added that “Ugbaka got Bratish’s parents phone number and he demand for $200,000 dollars ransom before he will be released. They gave me $50,000 as my share. I used the money to buy land for three million naira.”
The Lagos State police spokesperson, Samuel Jinadu, said the police recovered three locally made pistol from the suspect’s house and the sum of $4000.
“The suspect has made useful information that will lead to the arrest of other members of his gang. The police are on the trail of the suspects who are at large and they will be arrested soon,” Mr Jinadu said.
Mr Jinadu advised members of the public to be very careful with friends who can set them up with kidnappers.
“This young Indian man did not know that the person he called a friend will set him up with kidnappers, so members of the public should be wary of such friends who can give out information to men of the underworld to kidnap them or their loved ones. The case is under investigation and the suspect will be charged to court soon,” Mr Jinadu said.
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Justice in Nigeria: man flogged, disgraced for snaping photographs

man flogged, disgraced for snaping photographs

notorious robber nabbed

Police boss denies allegations of election manipulation By Iniabasi Umo234next

Police Commissioner (CP) in Akwa Ibom State, Felix Uyanna has denied allegations that he was posted to the state by the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to manipulate elections.

Mr Uyanna who was until his deployment to the state, Commissioner of Police in Taraba State, refuted the allegation in a newspaper report, that his transfer came at a cost of N500 million. He spoke yesterday at an interactive session with political parties in Uyo, the state capital.

Inspector General has the right

“The IG has the discretion to do his posting. My mission is to secure the lives and property of the people of Akwa Ibom state, ensure that they sleep with their eyes closed, and to enforce laws I am readily charged with.” He said. Mr Uyanna stated that if that amount were paid to him, he would have preferred to retire having attained the peak of his professional career as any other rank beyond a commissioner of police was political.

He warned political parties against promoting violence during the forthcoming elections, urging that they should work towards the stability of the country. He mentioned that politicians were not expected to be accompanied by a retinue of personal assistants and policemen while casting their votes on the Election Day, and threatened to dismiss any policeman who would accompany politicians on the election day.

Mr Uyanna arrived the state Tuesday last week (the day PDP clashed with the ACN) to replace Sanni Magaji who spent barely three months in the state.

Back

security agencies reinstate commitment to peaceful polls

Barely six days to  the April general elections, the Lagos State
Police command and
other security agencies charged with the responsibility of  ensuring a
violence free elections, embarked
on a ‘show of force’ Sunday  , apparently to send  warning signal to
would- be  trouble makers, in the state.

The security personnel comprising policemen, Army, Navy, Airforce ,
NAFDAC operatives
and other paramilitary agents, were seen on motorbikes, patrol vans, Armour
Personnel Carriers(APC’s) in most areas of the state .

Violence prone areas like Mushin,
Idi-Araba, Agege, Ajegunle amongst others had larger concentration  of
the personnel.

 the Lagos State Police Public
Relations Officer, Samuel Jinadu said  the exercise was  aimed at
deterring criminals
from   criminal activities as the elections draws closer
' it was also to show the level of
preparedness by the security agents in combating those who will want
to  cause  trouble before, during, and after the election


The blaring of siring by the security personnel took residents of most areas
by surprise, as some of them initially mistook their presence for a distress
response of robbery operation.

Two die celebrating Fayemi's victory by Tayo Ikujuni 234next.com

Two men died at about last night at Aiyetoro-Ekiti in Ijero Local government Area of Ekiti state. The middle-aged men had been celebrating the Tribunal ruling that returned Dr. Kayode Fayemi as the Governor of the state.

A witness, Tola Ogunlolu, said the two men were riding on high speed when they fell off their motorcycle and died on the spot. Efforts by onlookers to revive them failed, and on reaching the general hospital they were confirmed dead.

A nurse at the hospital, who pleaded anonymity, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the corpses had been deposited at the hospital mortuary.

In a related incident, four persons who sustained various injuries during the celebration in Ado-Ekiti on Friday were treated at the University of Ado-Ekiti Teaching Hospital and discharged.

Hospital sources said the victims were discharged late in the night following the ongoing strike by doctors in the hospital.

Meanwhile, celebrations of Dr. Fayemi's victory have continued in major towns of the state, such as Ikole-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti, Ode-Ekiti, Omuo-Ekiti, Emure-Ekiti, Efon-Alaaye, Okemesi-Ekiti and Oye-Ekiti, among others.

At Isan-Ekiti, the hometown of Fayemi, the people hosted all night parties celebrating the emergence of their son as the new governor of the state. However, most residents of Ifaki-Ekiti, the home of Mr Segun Oni, who lost the hearing, stayed indoors upon hearing about the removal of their kinsman as governor.

kidnap and stealing are not easy -----By Patience ogbo

A -26 –year old man, Chibuzor Anene is in the police custody for
allegedly kidnapping an 8 years old boy.

 Police spokes person Samuel Jinadu said the suspect was arrested by
the police on March 16th following a tip off from members of the
public .
“The suspect and his gang kidnapped the boy after school as he was
going back home with his sisters, at Alaigbo area in  Ejigbo on 16th
of March.
The police were informed about the kidnap and they swung into action
and arrested the suspect while the other two members of his gang
escaped.”Mr. Jinadu said.
 Mr. Jinadu added that the suspected kidnappers had snatched a car
from a victim on March 14th which they used to kidnap the school boy.
“It will interest members of the public to know that this same suspect
with his gang had on the 14th of March snatched a Gulf Volkswagen car
from one Tunde Abiodun at Ejigbo which they used to kidnap the boy,
Mr. Abiodun had reported the theft of his car at the Ejigbo police
station.”
 Mr.Abiodun  in a statement to the police said his car was stolen
from him at gun point by a three man armed robbery gang.
“Two of them stopped me at Cele Express and said they wanted to
charter my car to Ikotun, I agreed because I was heading to Ikotun.
shortly around Ori-oke area in Ejigbo, I noticed that an okada man was
trailing my car, suddenly, the okada man blocked my car and the two
men inside the car asked me to stop, they pointed two guns at me and
that was how I got to know that they are armed robbers and the okada
man is also a member of their gang and I reported the case to the
Ejigbo police station”
 Mr. Anene confessed to the crime .He said he joined the gang because
other members of the gang threatened to kill him.
“I used to an ice cream seller and later I went to start riding okada.
One of my friends called Emmanuel came to me to join his gang. Emma is
a bad boy and everybody knows him that he is into bad things.
  Emma was the one who planned everything and he told us about the
boy. I don’t know how he got information about the boy. Before we
kidnapped the boy, we had earlier snatched a gulf car at Ejigbo; I was
the man riding the motorcycle that day. So after snatching the car, we
used the car to go and kidnap the boy two days later. The boy was
coming back from school so Emma grabbed him and put him inside the car
and we zoomed off, later I started developing cold feet toward the
crime   , I told Emma that I was no longer interested in the crime.
When the vehicle slowed down, I opened the door and jumped out so I
was running and police men pursued and arrested me. I feel bad about
my crime, but I have no choice because Emma said he will do me
something bad if I do not join the gang.”
 Mr. Jinadu said the suspect will be charged to court.
“The police recovered a locally made gun from the suspect. The suspect
will be charged to court as soon as we are through with our
investigations.
Meanwhile the police is on the trail of other members of the gang and
they will be arrested soon.”

Police boss denies banning camera phones at polling units

By Emmanuel Ogala, Ini Ekott, and Soji Bamidele NEXT Newspaper March 29, 2011 04:56AM

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The Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, yesterday dramatically reversed his directive that allegedly banned the use of camera phones at polling stations in the forthcoming elections.

Following widespread condemnation of the order, which was set to be made public yesterday, police sources claimed the Inspector General was misquoted.

The Police boss was reported in the media last week to have ordered his officers – during the police commissioners’ conference - not to allow voters use camera phones in the polling units during elections.

Yemi Ajayi, a spokesperson of the police, said in an interview on Monday, that his boss was “quoted out of context.”

Mr. Ajayi added that the police boss simply warned that voters should not announce election results as only the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has the constitutional authority to do so.

News of the camera phone ban had led to strong criticism on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook through the weekend and created concerns over the dedication of the Police Force to the conduct of free, fair, and transparent elections.

Once news of the directive started easing its way into the public, political parties and notable Nigerians immediately condemned the move.

Speaking to journalists in Lagos last week, Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, slammed the directive as “nonsense and illegal”.

“It is stupidity of the security agents to ban Nigerians from taking their cell phones and cameras to polling booths. If they do not go to polling booths, how would they monitor electoral misconducts? People should ignore it because it is contrary to the electoral act,” Mr. Soyinka said.

Use it

Although Attahiru Jega, the INEC chairman, met with Mr. Ringim on Monday morning, it was not clear if the ban was discussed.

However, in an interview, the electoral commission distanced itself from such a directive, saying voters are free to use their camera phones at polling stations on election days.

“The position of INEC is very clear. INEC has said anyone can bring their phone or camera to the polling unit. Anything to the contrary is not the position of INEC,” Kayode Idowu, the chief press secretary to the INEC chairman, said.

Mr. Idowu added that “INEC is trying to sort things out and is consulting with the security agencies.”

Real-time monitoring

Mobile camera phones and other specialised widgets are the contemporary tools of journalism which most observers, professionals, and journalists intend to use to monitor the elections and check rigging and fraudulent manipulations.

Kayode Ajulo, an FCT senatorial candidate for the Labour Party, said that such tools have been of immense help in determination of electoral fraud by the courts in past elections.

“The IG does not even have the right to ban its use,” Mr. Ajulo added.

Many of the non governmental organisations planning to monitor the elections with camera phones also said the comments attributed to the police chief were outrageous and that they will not succumb to it.

“We will not succumb to that,” Dafe Akpedeye, the first co-chair of an election monitoring group, Project 2011 Swift Count, said.

car thieves arrested by patience ogbo

The Lagos  state police command   advised resident to  patronize authorized car dealers.

 Samuel Jinadu the spokes person for the command said this following the arrest of two syndicates who specialize in snatching cars and selling stolen vehicles in the state.

 Officers of the, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the command smashed the syndicates, operating in Lagos and Anambra states.

  The suspects are   Christian Chukwu and Tom Ogbangwor,  operate in Onitsha and Sikiru Kareem, Wasiu Bello, Tayo Akinyemi  are   based in Lagos .

 The syndicate operating in Anambra state allegedly  snatched a Toyota Hyundai Accent car, with Reg. No Delta. AJ 454 SLK  from Onitsha and drove  it to Lagos  where they contacted Mr. Kareem a member of another syndicate to assist them get a buyer  to for  the car.

 Mr. Jinadu said that officers got information about the syndicate’s activities and posed as buyers for the stolen car which later led to their arrest.

Mr. chukwu a father of two is allegedly   the brain behind the robbery said hunger led him into crime.

“I used to be an aluminum fabricator but the money I make from it is not enough. I am always hungry and anytime I am hungry I will  go and steal, I used to steal handsets but the money from it is not  enough, one day, a student attacked me with a gun and I later snatched the gun from him;

 while the gun was with me, I thought of what to do with it and that was how I went to meet Tom who was a labourer and I asked him to join my gang, me and tom, used to steal handsets together, but we decided to monitor people with cars and we said we should start stealing cars so that was how we went into car snatching.”Mr. Chukwu said

Mr. Ogbangwor narrated how they attack their victims.

“we look out for the person driving and if he looks timid, we will monitor him for some days, we ensure that we wait for them to get to a pot hole or a bump where they cannot drive fast so when the vehicle is slowing down, I will call Christian who is stationed nearby to come out and he will swoop on the driver, pointing gun at him and that is how we will end up stealing the car. I joined this syndicate because my labourer work was not fetching me anything and in my village, if you are not a business owner at 25 you are seen as a nobody” he said

 Mr. Jinadu a Deputy supertiendent of police (DSP) said the suspects were arrested at MR BIGGS restaurant, Oba Akran, Ikeja where they were waiting to sell the car buyers.

“The officers from SARS posed as buyers and arrested them before they could sell the car;  investigation is on and the suspects will be charged to court , we are on the trail of other members of the syndicates and they will be arrested soon”

Journalist honoured

A Trust Fund has been set up in honour of the late Nation newspaper judiciary reporter, Edo Sule Ugbagwu who was murdered by unknown assailants at his resident at Akonwonjo area of Lagos state April 24th last year. 

The trust fund was set up by the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents.  (NAJUC), Ikeja branch during the association’s first annual lecture.

 The theme of the event “2011 election security of journalists; an imperative tool for free and  fair election” was held  at De Renaissance  hotel at  Alausa ikeja   in honour of Mr. Ugbagwu.

Waheed Abdullah, the chairman of the Ikeja branch of NAJUC said the trust fund is meant to cater for those late Mr. Ugbagwu left behind and to appreciate his immense contribution to judiciary reporting in the country.

“It is wonderful to know that late Mr. Ugbagwu who has been looking up to God for a fruit of the womb now has a baby boy delivered by his wife after he was killed. The association opened the fund for his baby and we call on the public to contribute to the fund”Mr. Abdullah said

The issues of welfare and insurance packages for journalists   were at the front burner at the event as the discussants at the event took turn to highlight the dangers journalists face in the country labeling them as “endangered species”

 They added that the   immense contributions of journalists to nation building are not appreciated and duly compensated.

Veteran journalist and human right activist Richard Akinnola urged owners of media organizations to take the welfare of journalists seriously.

“It is very sad that the media organizations do not provide the necessary welfare package for the journalists working for them, there is no insurance and they do not make available the tools the journalists need to work with. Their job makes it inevitable as they are on the cross fire   and in the forthcoming election they will become targets . The critical thing is the welfare of these journalists; their insurance and welfare is very critical and should be taken seriously”Mr. Akinnola said.

Bamidele Aturu a Lagos based lawyer and human rights activist blamed the violence in the country on politicians and their do or die attitude to politics.

“the Nigerian state is a rental state and the political barons are the ones who sponsor their children, and family members in a bid for them to hold on to power, it is sad that no mainstream political party in Nigeria is progressive , the politicians are the killers and to halt  this trend, we must go back to  our values and bring back democracy to the people”Mr. Aturu said .

The younger brother of the late Mr. Edo urged journalists not to relent in their efforts to always publish the truth.

“I urged you not to be deterred as you go about your duties, always ensure that you publish the truth. We the family have committed Edo’s death to God, seeing that there is no justice in Nigeria”.

APAPA CULTISTS ARRESTED

By Patience Ogbo March 23, 2011 12:05AM

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The police in Lagos, yesterday, paraded four suspected cultists who allegedly terrorised residents when they engaged in a fight on March 19.

Osifo Emmanuel, 27, Kelvin Ehiro 32, and Tony Ekpo, are alleged to be members of the Aiye Confraternity in the Apapa area of the state; while Amechie Obodike, 25, confessed to be a member of the Eiye Cult also in Apapa.

The suspects were arrested on March 19 during a fracas between the rival cults at the POP Restaurant at Apapa. Witnesses said the cultists engaged one another with dangerous weapons like cutlasses and axes and terrorised residents of the area. The police were alerted, and the youth got arrested.

Their confessions

Mr Emmanuel is alleged to be a leader of the Aiye Cult. He said members of his cult had gone to relax at a popular drinking spot, called Malamido at Apapa, when members of the Eiye Cult attacked them with dangerous weapons. “I am a deejay at POP restaurant at Apapa, and I am a member of the Aiye Cult,” he said. “I graduated from the Polytechnic, Ibadan, and since I came back to Lagos, I have been doing deejay.

On Thursday last week, I was relaxing at the POP restaurant when I heard that our guys were attacked at Malamido. I rushed to the scene and I saw one of my friends, Ovie, in the pool of his own blood. Some people had stabbed him and I rushed him to the hospital. We later found out that the people who attacked that day were Eiye members. We left and on Saturday, I was in POP restaurant where I work and my friends were with me. So that was how police came and pick me up saying that we are planning to attack, so I don’t know anything.”

Mr Obodike also confessed to being a cultist. He said he was forced to join the Eiye cult last December, and was on his way with members of his cult to cause mayhem when he was arrested. “I am a auto mechanic at Apapa,” he said. “One of my friends called me that we should go to POP, he was carrying a cutlass. My friend’s name is Taju and he was the who introduced me to Eiye Cult. That Saturday, we were going to POP when we heard that something was happening and before we escaped, police came and arrested us. Taju ran away but before I could flee, the police held me and brought me to their station. I feel bad involving myself in this kind of thing.”

Police response

Patricia Amadin, spokesperson for the police, said the police is on the trail of the other suspected cultists, and urged members of the public to provide the police with useful information that will lead to the arrest of trouble makers in their community. “The case is under investigation and the suspects will be charged to court soon,” she said.

Mushin cultists

By Patience ogbo

Residents of Mushin, in Lagos State, say they have lost confidence in the police and other security agencies in curbing gang wars in their community.

The residents registered their displeasure with security agencies in the state following the continuous attacks they have been exposed to from the different cult groups in their area. Barely one week after some youth, suspected to be members of a cult, the Eiye Confraternity, unleashed terror on residents of Elekoro area of Mushin, suspected cultists from the Black Axe Confraternity, on Wednesday, went on rampage in the Akala and Alakara areas of Mushin. The suspected cultists, numbering 15, and wearing black T-shirts, armed with cutlass and other dangerous weapons were seen stopping vehicles and molesting passengers. The residents, on sighting the youth, took to their heels. The suspected cultists, however, retreated when a police patrol van arrived the scene.

Reign of terror

A resident of Alakara, who spoke on condition of anonymity, accused the government of shielding the cultists in the area. “Mushin is a place for terrorists and cultists,” he said. “These boys are terrorists and the government is not doing anything about them. The problem has many causes and it started with the NURTW members who are at loggerheads to control the motor parks in Mushin and at Fadeyi. Every day in Mushin, you will see these boys fighting each other, to get more power to control the motor parks. They killed one another and nothing happened. Some of the NURTW members have joined the Eiye Cult while others have joined the Black Axe Cult. Today the boys from the Black Axe moved from Fadeyi, on a revenge mission to Mushin because last week the Mushin boys, who are mostly Eiye Cult members, invaded Elekoro at Fadeyi and unleashed terror on the people. They are called the Akala boys from Mushin and they went on rampage because they felt cheated in a reconciliatory meeting held by the NURTW branch to settle the problem. The problem has it root in the NURTW motor parks and the endless fight is about who will control the parks. Some of the NURTW members are OPC members and they also belong to the black axe and the Eiye cults.”

Adeniran Ojo, a welder at Mushin ,said the security agencies are unable to curb the lawlessness of the suspected cultists. “It is a sad thing that these boys go on rampage as they feel in the Mushin and the government and the security in the area cannot do anything to stop them,” he said.

“Every day is a battle field and innocent lives are lost with goods and property worth millions of naira destroyed. Another thing that has made these cultist to be bold is that the AC government in the state use them as hoodlums and thugs during election, even after police have arrested them, the big shots in Alausa will call for their release because they use them during election. So what do you expect security officers to do, anytime the police arrest them, somebody will just call for their freedom, so Mushin will continue to boil and there is nothing anybody can do, the security will come after the boys have finished their evil work, so the residents do not know what to do again.

the mighty fire

By Patience Ogbo March 9, 2011 02:29AM

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Nine-year-old Chichi Njoku wants to go to school, but cannot afford to. The pale looking girl, armed with a dirty exercise book, a pencil and a tattered Macmillan textbook, is determined to keep abreast with her studies. Her classroom is a corner of her family’s tiny rusted zinc shanty house. The tattered and rusted zinc roofs of the shanty protects the family of ten from the scotching sun and the intermittent rains.

All due to the great fire

The girl is not in school like other children of her age as a result of the fire that levelled the Otto-Illogbo Slum last year. Chichi’s family lost everything to the mysterious fire. Her case typifies that of over 300 children living in the community. Life has been unbearable for the families living in the slum since the fire. Over two hundred houses were destroyed and more than 1500 residents rendered homeless. Businesses and property, valued at millions of naira, were also destroyed.

One year after the fire, the residents’ hope of starting afresh has been dashed as no assistance has come from the state government or any other organization to help them rebuild their lives and pick up the pieces of their past. Agbodimu Musbau, the Chairman of the community, said the residents are disheartened by the failure of the government to resettle them and provide relief materials. “After the fire, the next day we wrote an appeal letter to the governor calling for assistance,” he said. “Officials from LASEMA, Special Duties, and the Rural Development came to visit us, and delivered the government’s condolence. They said very soon the government will resettle us and provide relief materials. The officers visited us on two other occasions but up till now nothing has been provided as relief materials or aid to help us rebuild our lives.”

Mr. Musbau added that several visits by the executives of the slum to get the government to assist them have not yielded any result. “It is just the Star Clinic at Ebute-Metta that came to our aid,” he said. “We are citizens of Lagos and according to one of the MDGs, housing is one of the amenities that must be provided for the people before 2015. How can the government achieve that, when they are neglecting people living in the slum?”

Not voting

As a result of the development, most of the residents said they may not vote for any of the candidates in the forth-coming election. Paul Njoku, who lost his business to the fire, said residents have been living like animals and would not vote during the April polls. “My family lost more than N500, 000; money my wife was using for business,” he said. “I was a cloth merchant but I lost all my goods. One of my children got burnt in the fire and our house was completely razed. We have been living like animals since then ... we are suffering bitterly and it is sad that during the governorship debate our hope was further dashed when none of the governorship aspirants in the state even mentioned us. To them we do not exist, so why should we vote for them, when they do not know that we are existing.”

Another resident, who gave her name as Mama Bola said: “I was selling drinks and my business was booming, sometimes I used to make profit of more than N50, 000 per day but since the fire I have lost everything. There was time that I fell ill because of the troubles the fire caused. I was hospitalised and my children have not been going to school. So I am going to stay indoors that voting day because the government is not helping us.”

Effort to contact the state’s Commissioner for Rural Development, Lanre Balogun, were unsuccessful as calls made to his mobile phone went unanswered.

Detained by soldiers

By Patience Ogbo February 18, 2011

Waking up fresh from my Valentine’s night, I learnt that the Mammy Market at the Ikeja Army Cantonment had been gutted by fire with about 100 shops destroyed. I decided to go and do a story about how the traders would cope after the fire incident. That was February 15, 2011; a day I will never forget.

I strolled into the cantonment at about 11.05am and was directed to the scene of the fire. I saw some of the traders, mostly women, trying to salvage what was left of their goods. One was already telling me how she had lost her grocery store business to the fire; 13 crates of soft drinks, cash and other valuables like generator set and coolers. “What will you do now, madam?” I ask. “I will start selling pure (sachet) water by the road side until I can raise money to build my shop, or get another shop elsewhere. Please tell the army to come to our aid o. They may want to build the shops and give it out to the highest bidders or family members,” she said, and quickly posed by her wrecked shop for a photograph. “Aunty, please snap me let them see me that I am one of the traders that our shop got burnt,” I obliged her.

Not too far from this woman was another food vendor, popularly called Iya Calabar. She was gazing woefully at the ruins that was now her shop. I went to her, and there and then two men walked up to me and told me to follow them to their office. “Who are you?,” I asked the two officers in mufti. They said: “We are army, just follow us and explain yourself in our office.” When we got to their office, a military post, I saw officers torturing two young boys they said had stolen handsets at the market. “Madam who are you? Why are you snapping [photographs] and talking to people in the market?,” one of them asked. I introduced myself and showed them my identity card.

One of the soldiers called a number on his mobile phone, and another officer who identified himself as the commander of the cantonment spoke with me on the phone, saying I would be made to wait for him. He added that I was not authorised to take pictures or write any story about the army and that I would be held until he came back from an event. The other soldiers seized my camera, put me in a vehicle, and we drove to the military police station in the cantonment. The soldiers in the vehicle with me collected my phones.

The officer in charge of the station ordered that I should write a statement, but I refused. They later took me to the commander‘s office where I was made to wait indefinitely. The commander came back at about 3.45pm and I was ushered into his office. “Who are you? I am Brig. Gen. S.N. Muazu,” he said. I learnt later he is the commander of the 9 Brigade, Ikeja Cantonment. I introduced myself and he went on to tell me how unethical and unprofessional I had been. “I am ordering you to apologise for trespassing and for not going through the normal process to get your story,” he said. “This is a restricted area and you came in without permission, so you must apologise or you will be prosecuted.”

I said: “Telling me to apologise is like saying I should deny that I am a journalist. I can’t do that sir, I cannot apologise sir.” “Then we will prosecute you,” he said angrily. I reluctantly said “I am sorry.” “You must put it in writing,” he replied. “You should be grateful that it is not the police. They would have planted one exhibit on you and charged you for one offence. Do you think you have a good lawyer in your office that will bail you? You will just rot in the cell; your colleagues will write and write but nothing will come out of it.” “If you want me to apologise in writing then I am doing it under duress,” I said. “I don’t care,” he responded. “It’s either you write it or you will be sorry. By the time we handle you, you will write two fullscap sheets without knowing it. If you like yourself just write and sign.”

I ended up writing an apology letter to him. “You are missing the point you must write that you were not authorised to do the story,” he insisted. I wrote the letter more than five times before he finally accepted it. When I finished writing the letter, he ordered that I should be released, but the soldiers made sure that they deleted all the pictures and recording I had on the fire incident. They handed me my phones and camera. “Sign here and book out your property,” one of them said. But when I looked at my Blackberry phone, my scroll key was missing. I had more than 20 missed calls. I walked out of the station at about 4.30pm.

I am not a threat

By Patience Ogbo



A 20 year-old man, Promise Bassey, is in police custody for  alleged  assassination threat on the life of  a middle aged man.

Mr. Bassey, from Calabar, Cross River State, said he masterminded the crime, with one Godstime, who is at large.

A written note to their victim, one Mr. Stanley, who resides in Festac Town, stated that they are “professional hired killers, men in red suit from Abuja.” In their letter, which has no date or address, they claimed they have been paid N3.5million to eliminate the victim, but stated that if the victim can pay them N2million, he will be spared.

A traumatised Mr. Stanley negotiated with the suspected assassins, for close to one month and they stepped down on their demand later, agreeing to collect N200,000.

Mr. Stanley however, went to the Festac Police Station and reported the incident. The police provided him with the marked notes which he was to pay to the suspects.

However, when Mr. Bassey went to pick up the money from the Festac First Gate junction, the police who had already placed men in strategic positions swooped on him.

Mr. Bassey said his desperation to get money for his late mother’s burial, made him to commit the crime.

“I work at Chisco Motors Ltd., at Maza Maza, as a loader. Since I came to Lagos in 2008, I have not made enough money for me to start life on my own. Where I am staying at Maza Maza, belongs to one of my friends. You see, the money I make from my job is just N500 per day, so it is not enough. Last month, I got a message from home that my mother died. I did not know what to do, because I do not have enough money and my sisters said I must bring money for the burial.

“One day, I was discussing my money problem with Mr. Godstime, one of my friends, and he was the one who came up with the idea, that we should write the letter that we are hired killers. Our aim is to just get money, not that we want to kill anybody. It is not as if we knew Mr. Stanley before.

“Mr. Godstime said a lot of rich people live in Festac, and that was how we just went to one of the houses on 6th Avenue. We picked one of the houses and Mr. Godstime was the one who wrote the letter which we dropped with the gate man of the house we chose. I was surprised the next day that Mr. Stanley called and said we should negotiate and that was how we agreed that he should drop N200,000 at Festac First Gate.”

The police also paraded one Mr. Uzochukwu as an accomplice in the crime. He however, denied the allegation.

“I do not know anything about this crime. I was just passing by, when I saw Promise picking up an envelope. Since he is my colleague at Chisco, I told asked him what he was doing. As we were talking, the police just jumped on us and arrested us. It was when we went to the station that I knew what was going on. God will vindicate me.”

The spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Frank Mba, who paraded the suspects at the Oduduwa Police Station, advised Lagosians to always report any threat to their lives to the police.

“These men were arrested on March 26th. We advise Lagosians to always report cases of threat to life to the police. One of the suspects is still at large but we are on his trail. The case will be transfered to court as soon as we are through with the investigation.”