Man’s inhumanity to man
‘The policemen dragged him to the waterside, asked him to say his last prayers and, at gunpoint, ordered him to run inside the river. They stood there, watching him drown’
From FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa
Friday, June 03, 2011
•Tochukwu’s lifeless body
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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When Tochukwu Uzoukwu arrived in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, in April 2011, he was full of high hopes of a bright future after he might have served his master, Gideon Ezekwem, faithfully for the mandatory years. Born 25 years ago, Uzoukwu, from Umuduruejike community in Isiala Umuozu, Nwangele Local Government area of Imo state Nigeria, has had his dreams shattered. Sadly, Tochukwu is no more.

His hopes have been truncated allegedly by operatives of the dreaded Operation Famou Tangbei who were said to have taken custody of Tochukwu after a certain Sergeant Benjamin had handed him over to them after he was reportedly caught smoking a substance suspected to be Indian hemp.

Investigations by Daily Sun revealed that shock, disbelief and embarrassment were the expressions on the faces of men of the Bayelsa State Police Command, as their investigations have confirmed that actually the OFT operatives were involved in the killing of Tochukwu
Victor Ezekwem, a cousin to the deceased, in an interview, explained that the family would not rest until his killers are brought to book.

He told this reporter: “I am an Igbo man from Umduruejike community in Isi-Alaumuozu Nwangela Local government area of Imo state. This sad incident that led to the death of Tochukwu happened between 6.00pm and 7.00pm on Wednesday, May 11, 2011. I got to know about it when a police officer, Sergeant Benjamin called me on phone, telling me that he had caught one of my boys who was smoking at the time of his arrest. He told me that one of his colleagues went to the toilet at the Shellram waterside, Swali, and saw smoke coming out from one of the rooms and traced it to the boy, Tochukwu Uzuokwu, and that the boy was in his custody as he was speaking with me.

I pleaded with him to please take it easy with the boy until I came to see him. I also told him that that particular boy was an apprentice to my younger brother and that my younger brother was not in town. The next thing was that my relations called me and told me that many people had gathered at the waterside, around the scene of crime. They informed me that Operation Famou Tangbei had killed the boy.” According to an eyewitness, he was led to the river and commanded to raise his hands up, say his last prayers and jump into the river. Sensing that the end had come, he pleaded frantically that they should spare his life as he was Igbo and could not swim.

Otolo Ifeanachor continued the story: “I am just about 18 years old now, and I am an Igbo boy. I am one of the vigilantes here engaged by the traders to watch over their stores. I witnessed what happened to the deceased, Tochukwu on that fateful day. It occurred just before the day got dark, between 6.30 and 7.00pm. I saw the policemen of Operation Famou Tangbei when they dragged the late Tochukwu to the waterside, holding him firmly by his shorts. And I heard the boy saying, ‘I don’t know, I am innocent.’ Before this time, a certain police officer had handed him over to these very Operation Famou Tangbei policemen that they should take care of the boy. It was after they had kept him for a brief period in their van that they dragged him down to the waterside. And they ordered him to say his last prayers.

Tochukwu then said in Igbo that, ‘if God says I will die today I will die.’ The police then told him to run into the river. The boy told them he didn’t know how to swim. But they threatened him and forced him to jump into the river at gun point. Many people watched while this thing was happening. From where I was watching, I saw the boy’s hand come up about three times before he finally drowned. Some persons wanted to go and assist the drowning boy, but everybody was afraid of the gun the policemen were using to threaten everybody. Then, as the policemen were leaving the scene, I heard them talking. One of them said it might be true that the boy didn’t know how to swim. Another one said: “It is false. He knows how to swim and must have hidden himself in the water. I told you people that we should shoot him, but you have allowed him to escape.”

Gideon Ezekwem, who is the direct boss to the deceased, said there are eyewitnesses who are ready to testify whenever the case gets to court. “I am Gideon Ezekwem, a cousin to the deceased and I brought him to Yenagoa about a month ago to assist me in my business. We are from Umuduruejike community in Isiala Umuozu, Nwangele Local Government area of Imo State of Nigeria. I was not in town when the incident happened, though I was on my way to Yenagoa that same day. There are eyewitnesses who told me what actually happened and are willing to testify anywhere as to what they saw. My relations have also come from home to confirm the incident.”
Since the body of Tochukwu was discovered five days later and moved to the Federal Medical Centre mortuary amidst chanting of war songs by people who witnessed his murder, his alleged killers have been threatening Ezekwem.

According to the Ezekwem brothers, threat text messages have been sent to their phones by unknown callers warning them to desist from pursuing the matter. The people of Umuduruejike community are also not taking it lightly. Checks indicated that the community has concluded plans to send a delegation to the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police to demand the arrest and prosecution of those involved in the death of their son.
The Civil Liberties Organization, (CLO), in a letter signed by Flint-Williams Odonmini and Alagoa Morris, state vice-chairman and secretary respectively, has called for a probe of the incident as well as the immediate arrest, investigation and prosecution of all those found culpable in the death of Tochukwu.

It advised the Commissioner of Police that depending “on the way your office handles this case, the CLO might have no option than joining other interested groups and members of the public to seek justice in the court of law.”
Victor Ezekwem added that aside bringing those who killed Tochukwu to book, the police authorities and the Bayelsa State government should pay compensation to the family.

Sources said the leadership of the Bayelsa Police Command was deeply worried about the incident, especially when its homicide division carried out an independent investigation and discovered that Tochukwu was indeed killed. Though a new commander, Aniete Eyoh Akpan, has assumed duties at OFT and has commenced a re-organization of the security outfit, Bayelsans are insisting that his reforms and re-organization would amount to nothing if those who led Tochukwu to his death are not apprehended and made to face the wrath of the law.
All efforts to get the official reaction of the OFT were unsuccessful. but a senior official assured that the incident would be investigated

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/june/03/national-03-06-2011-006.html

Police! Police!! Police!!! What a shame! Known robbers and criminals are parading the streets of Nigeria freely without any form of fear, you cannot do any to them because, you are directly benefiting from their loot. Why do you descend on a harmless man with your brutality? Police, you are the criminals in Nigeria and the Almighty God will judge all of you for the death of Tochukwu.

Eight knife stabs for woman, baby in womb

Monday, 20 June 2011 00:00 By David Ibemere and Oluwatosin Medessou News - Metro

Police hunt suspect for stabbing a pregnant woman and her unborn baby to death

LOOKS can be deceptive indeed, and a young man, for now only identified as Austin, is proof of that.

No one in their No. 2. Redeemed Avenue, off Olayeni Street, Ayobo-Ipaja, Lagos residence and its environs, believed when it was revealed that Austin did it.

No one could ever imagine that the young man who seemed so friendly and respectful could be the same brutal devil now on the run for stabbing and killing a nine- month-pregnant mother and the baby in her womb.

But indeed, Austin hands are stained with a pregnant mother and her unborn baby’s innocent blood, as the woman, Mrs. Ameenat Agbogbo, told the story herself before she died.

The widower, Mr. Jonathan Christian Agbogbo, a maintenance engineer told The Guardian he was away at work on night shift on Wednesday, June 8, 2011 when the incident happened.

“I was at work when I got a call at 10.30p.m.  Since my wife was pregnant and was almost due, I had been expecting a call throughout that week.

“So when the call came, I quickly assumed that my wife had gone into labour because the signs were already there.

“ Immediately I got the call from her nurse, I asked my driver to take me home because I had an emergency.

“On reaching home, I called again to know where she was, probably in a nearby hospital, only for the nurse to take the call and ask me to speak with my wife.

“When she gave my wife the phone, my wife kept mentioning the guys name, ‘Austin,’ ‘Austin,’ and I kept wondering what was going on.”

According to Isiaka Ogunbadejo, Agbogbo’s father-in-law, his daughter Ameenat, was able to narrate what happened before she died.

“ I don’t know anything except what my daughter told me before she died.

“It was during the period she was about to enter labour and her husband was at work.

“The suspect, Austin, was a family-friend who played with the children and he freely came into their home, whether they were at home or not.

“ He was more or less a peaceful and gentle person.

“My daughter said Austin owed her N20,000 and she had told him to please get the money ready as she would need it.

“ Of course, if there was any emergency, she would need the money, whether her husband was at home or not.

“When she told him about the money, he took offence and a quarrel ensued and he told Austin to leave her house.

“Because of constant power failure, the family uses a rechargeable lamp to relieve the generating set and because the weather was cool, there was no need to switch on the generating set.

“Then, Austin told Ameenat he could not find his key and asked her to allow him put on the generating set to look for his key, which she did.

“ After Austin had switched on the generating set, it didn’t supply electricity to the house, so Ameenat complained.

“All of the sudden, the guy came towards her and started beating her, and she collapsed.

“Austin now went into the kitchen, took a kitchen knife and stabbed Ameenat eight times in her abdomen.”

An uncle to the late Ameenat, Dr. Wale Ogunbadejo, who owns one of the hospitals where she was treated told The Guardian:  “I received a call from my brother, who was on admission in my hospital that his daughter, who was nine months pregnant, had been stabbed eight times and she had been rushed to a hospital in Ipaja.

“ We visited the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Ayo Oni, who also operated on her, and he showed us a video of Ameenat before and during the operation.

“The video revealed horrendous and gory images because her intestines were spilling out of her stomach.

“We later spoke to her because she was still conscious and she told us what transpired but in an inaudible tone.

“ The name of the man is Austin and he hails from the same area as her husband: Edo State.

“They met in the same area where they live and later became friends.

“Apparently, she loaned Austin some amount of money, which he refused to return.

“This resulted in a quarrel between them and Austin became enraged to the extent that he started punching her.

“The generating set was on so he was able to subdue her.

He took a knife from the kitchen, placed a pillow on her face and started stabbing her tummy in the presence of her two- year-old son who was screaming ‘Mummy! Mummy!, ’

“ Austin then left Ameenat to die after she had stopped moving but not without forgetting his pair of slippers.

“He took her phone instead of his, wrapped the knife which he used in a piece of cloth, left it in the kitchen and ran out of the house.

“When she was sure that Austin was gone, she called her neighbour who then called Ameenat’s nurse in a clinic not too far from the house.

“  It was the nurse that took Ameenat to Agape Medical Centre in Ipaja where she was taken care of, treated and that was where her husband located her.

“ Ameenat was later transferred to her uncle’s hospital, Aniyun Hospital in Ifako-Gbagada, but she expressed fears that Austin might come back to attack because her place of residence was not far away.

“Thus, she was transferred to Lagoon Hospital in Apapa for intensive care, after it was discovered that she developed breathing problems.”

Giving an account of the knife wounds on Ameenat and her unborn- baby, Dr. Ogunbadejo told The Guardian: “Austin stabbed Ameenat’s tummy in eight different places.

“The baby was fully developed and when brought out, it was discovered that the baby died as a result of four direct knife stabs.

“It was buried the same day while Ameenat initially survived the attack and was given blood transfusion on Thursday, June 9, because she had lost so much blood.

“But when Saturday came, we discovered that she had breathing problems, so we transferred her to Lagoon hospital in Apapa for intensive care, where she died on Tuesday, June 14, at about 9.40a.m., ”Ogunbadejo said.

More than 10 days after the incident, the assailant is still at large.

The Investigating Police Officer, Mr. Fadara confirmed to The Guardian that the case was being investigated.

The family, which has expressed gratitude to the police for their efforts, are however, pleading with the police to do more towards bringing the culprit to book as soon as possible.

Source: http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51810:eight-knife-stabs-for-woman-baby-in-womb&catid=3:metro&Itemid=558

This is wickedness from the pit of hell. Please, beware of those who you call your friends these days, they could be your worst enemies. God help us.

Man stabs friend to death over disagreement on ludo
By Eniola Akinkuotu
Tuesday, 21 Jun 2011

In any game, there is bound to be a loser and a winner. Probably, two friends, Ismail Adeniyi (23) and Olu Afolabi, did not realise this when they settled down to play ludo, an indoor game on Sunday.

After rounds of game, PUNCH METRO learnt that the two friends had a disagreement, which degenerated into a fisticuffs resulting in the death of 18-year-old Afolabi.

It was learnt that Adeniyi stabbed Afolabi to death with a broken bottle.

Narrating his ordeal in tears, Adeniyi said, “Around 7.30am on Sunday, Afolabi and I were playing a game of ludo. Afolabi, who lost the game, became angry and began to insult me. The argument escalated and he punched me in the mouth before breaking a bottle and threatening to stab me.

“Immediately, I went to get a broken bottle and as we began to fight, I stabbed him in the chest. When I discovered the extent of his injury, I went to get help but unfortunately, he died.”

Adeniyi told PUNCH METRO that he and Afolabi were co-workers in a painting workshop and had been friends for years, adding that he did not know that what started as an altercation would lead to his friend’s death.

He said, “This act was the handiwork of the devil. I have never commited any crime before. If the police can pardon me and if the deceased’s family can drop all charges against me, I promise never to kill again.

“In fact, I promise to take care of Afolabi’s parents as an act of contrition. I will remain indebted to his family forever.”

Afolabi, who denied being under the influence of any substance, said his mother had being hospitalised ever since his arrest.

“My mother fainted immediately she heard that I had killed Afolabi. My father is late and because we are poor, my mother was not able to send me to school. If I go to prison, she will not recover from the shock of my being jailed. I pray that God sees me through this,” he added.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, said the incident happened on June 19, 2011, at 33, Omidiji Street Okeodo in Lagos, adding that “Adeniyi stabbed Afolabi to death in a fight. Afolabi was later rushed to Isolo General Hospital where he gave up the ghost.”

“Meanwhile, Adeniyi has committed murder and will be charged for it. I use this medium to appeal to parents and guardians to warn their children and wards to be of good behaviour and not to foment trouble as whoever foments trouble in any area will be sanctioned.”
Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201106212302653

My God! What is happening? Just disagreement? Oh no.

What should we do to save man from man?

Man kills friend over girlfriend

…As irate mob raze building where alleged assailant lives
From: OKEY SAMPSON, Aba
Wednesday, June 22 2011

Photo: Sun News Publishing
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The trio of Miracle Onyedikachi, 21; Chiebuka Onuoha, 20; and Udochukwu Ogbonna, 22, were best of friends as they lived together in the same vicinity. They had come to know each other as they grew up in the neighbourhood and their friendship blossomed. As peers, they almost always went out together and did things in common.

That was how strong the bond of friendship that held them together remained until Saturday, May 21. On that fateful day, as Onyedikachi set out with Onuoha to see one of their friends in Umuogele, a suburb of Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, little did he know he would never come back home alive.

Even if he had had a premonition of any danger lurking, he may not have probably thought it would be in the mould of meeting his end more so in the hand of his friend. As they moved along, chatting away in the ecstasy of the moment, they never knew that man’s common foe, danger was hanging around few meters away.
Daily Sun gathered that moments after the duo set out in their journey, Onuoha saw a girl he had known for some time.

He beckoned on her and they engaged in discussions. As they stood by the road side chatting, another young man said to be one of their friends and identified as Udochukwu Ogbonna, emerged from nowhere, clinching an empty bottle in his right hand.
That marked the genesis of the trouble which ultimately consumed Onyedikachi and resulted in the razing down of a building where the suspect and his mother lived.

As he approached towards the direction of Onuoha and the girl, according to our source, Ogbonna allegedly broke the bottle in his hand and without asking questions, began to stab the former, muttering words that he had warned him (Onuoha) severally to stay away from the girl whose identity is yet to be ascertained.

It was also gathered that immediately the deceased who stood at a close distance waiting for Onuoha to end his discussion with the girl so that they could proceed to where they were going to, saw what happened and how blood was gushing out of his friend’s body, rushed to intervene and that landed him too into trouble.

Our source further hinted that as soon as he rushed to ask Ogbonna why he took the action and to prevent him from stabbing Onuoha to death, he allegedly bounced on him and gave him more deadly stabs within the region of the neck and he fell down instantly.
Onyedikachi did not die immediately. He was said to have managed to crawl to a nearby private hospital on Ohanku road within the precincts of the incident, screaming for medical attention.

His cries to be attended to in order to save his live fell on deaf ears as the doctor and nurses on duty threw professionalism to the winds and insisted on some amount of money being deposited first before he could be treated.
Onyedikachi in the unfortunate state he found himself died moments later in the pool of his own blood inside the hospital premises.
Some youths who witnessed what happened, apprehended the suspect and handed him over to the police at Ndiegoro Police station where the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr. Joshua Bakyu ordered for his detention and directed his men to carry out thorough investigation on the matter.

Ogbonna is believed to have been moved to Umuahia for further interrogation.
He was said to have told the police that it was better he was killed as he was no longer enjoying his life.
The matter did not end there; Onyedikachi’s death triggered off a chain reaction which rendered over eight families homeless and property worth over N100 million destroyed.

Immediately the news of the death of the young man spread to the neighbourhood, an angry mob believed to be his kinsmen living in Aba mobilized themselves for a revenge mission.
The mob headed to No. 10 Nworgu Domiri Street by Ohanku Road owned by one Prince Joshua and where Ogbonna and his mother were said to be living.

They pulled down the building which cost was put at over N100 million and set it ablaze.
The Police at Ndiegoro were, however, said to be on the trail of the arsonists.
Daily Sun was informed that this was not the first time people from a particular community in Ebonyi State resident in the Aba would take the laws into their hands by vandalizing, pulling down and setting buildings ablaze where persons they believed that caused the death of one of their own live in revenge.
Meanwhile, Onuoha who was said to have survived the attack is now recuperating in a private hospital in the city while the body of his late friend, Onyedikachi was deposited in a private mortuary.

Source: http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/june/22/national-22-06-2011-0017.html

NewsPlus
Man butchers neighbour

… Over political debate
From GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna
Wednesday, June 22 2011
•The late Isiyaku
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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Residents of Kamsalen Street, Badarawa, a suburb of Kaduna metropolis, were thrown into confusion recently when a 29-year-old man was murdered over a political argument.

Already, the suspect, a 32-year-old man and father of three, Mohammad Nura (a.k.a Argentina) accused of committing the murder has been picked up by the police. He is currently telling detectives what he knows about the incident.
Daily Sun gathered that the incident flustered those who witnessed what happened as they tried to help the victim whose intestines gushed out as a result of the deep stab in his stomach.

Investigations revealed that the deceased and the suspect were neighbours but shared different political and religious opinions despite adhering to the same faith. They were said to have usually engaged in unnecessary argument each time they met.
According to a close friend of the deceased, Usman Tela, the incident occurred around 12:40 on that fateful day while they were having an argument over the outcome of the just concluded general elections in the country.

“The argument has been based on whether those people that did not vote has a right to criticize the outcome.
“The argument turned bitter and Argentina who was not part of the argument intervened. But because of their differences, Isiyaku told him that his contributions were not needed. This resulted to another argument between them that later turned into to a physical fight.
“Our friends who were present at the scene separated them and so the deceased went back to his room while the suspect also returned to his shop angrily.

“We did not know that Argentina was holding a knife when he came out of his shop. I was in my shop when I heard Isiyaku screaming. So I rushed out immediately and I saw him holding his stomach. He told me to take him to the hospital. I was completely confused because of the blood I saw coming out of his stomach,” he said.

It was gathered that Isiyaku died at FOMWAN Hospital in the area as doctors struggled unsuccessfully to save his life.
The suspect, Nura Argentina told Daily Sun at the Anti Homicide division of the Kaduna Police Command where he was detained that it was an act of God. He said it was the deceased that interfered in their discussion.

“He encroached into our discussion. I told him to stay away but he refused. His refusal to back out caused our fight.
“When I saw the deceased going into his room I thought he was going to bring something to harm me. That was why I quickly rushed into my shop and brought out my knife. I don’t know what pushed me to bring out the knife which has been in my fridge for long. I really regret my reaction,” he added.

Some people in the community insist it is not the first time the suspect would commit such an offence. A man who pleaded anonymity told Daily Sun that the suspect had earlier been mentioned in two previous killings but had managed to escape prosecution.
“Look, this is the third person this man had killed. We are worried that he may end up being freed again. He is so unrepentant despite having two wives and other relatives that depended on the little money he earns from his business,” the man lamented.

Father of the deceased, Aliyu Yauri, however expressed his grief over the loss of his son just as he expressed his optimism and confidence in the police to carry out a thorough investigation with a view to bringing the culprit to justice.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Aminu Lawan, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) said investigation was already ongoing and that the suspect would be charged to court very soon.

Source: http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/june/22/national-22-06-2011-0016.html

Son kills mother as brother stabs own brother to death in Delta
on JUNE 27, 2011 · in NEWS

By Austin Ogwuda
Asaba — IT was a bloody weekend in Delta State as a son allegedly killed his 65-year-old mother at Orerokpe while a brother similarly stabbed his blood brother to death at Sapele.

State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Charles Muka, who confirmed the two incidents said investigations were on-going.
According to him, a young man (names withheld) of Okwejegba village, Orerokpe had misunderstanding with his mother, one Margaret Uyuayefe, aged 65 years, and following the quarrel, the son hit his mother on the head and back with a block.

The mother was rushed to a nearby clinic for treatment but as she was being transferred to Sapele General Hospital yesterday she died on the way.

He added that the “corpse of the woman had been deposited at Orerokpe general hospital while the scene of crime was also visited but the suspect is yet to be arrested.”

Giving account of how a brother killed his own brother, the PPRO said: “On 25th June, 2011, at about 2045 hours, two brothers had misunderstanding over money which resulted to a fight and following which the brother (names withheld) stabbed Kelly of the same parents on his stomach with a knife.

“Kelly also died at the Central Hospital Sapele while undergoing treatment but the suspect was promptly arrested and detained.”

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/06/son-kills-mother-as-brother-stabs-own-brother-to-death-in-delta/