ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

The Kebbi State Police Command has neutralised a suspected kidnap kingpin, identified as Jiji Mujugu, and arrested another gang member during an operation in Bagudo Local Government Area of the state.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday.

According to him, police operatives, in collaboration with other security agencies, acted on credible intelligence and arrested Bube Tukur of Yarma Village in Suru Local Government Area, who resides in Kasuwar Daji, Bagudo.

Usman said investigations revealed that Tukur belonged to an eight-member gang allegedly led by Mujugu and linked to the abduction of a resident, Alhaji Abu Geza.

He added that one locally fabricated pistol and a live cartridge were recovered from the suspect.

According to the police spokesman, Tukur subsequently led security operatives to the gang leader’s hideout.

Usman said Mujugu opened fire on security personnel and attempted to escape when operatives arrived at the location.

He said the operatives responded and neutralised the suspect during the exchange of gunfire, recovering another locally fabricated pistol from him.

The police also rescued the abducted victim, Alhaji Abu Geza, unharmed from the hideout.

According to the statement, the gang had been terrorising several communities, including Geza, Adawa, Matsinkai, Sharabi, Illela, Suru, Dakin Gari and Bagudo, as well as surrounding areas.

The command said efforts were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang.

Usman added that the Commissioner of Police commended residents for their cooperation and urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

The Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the University of Ibadan (UI) has confirmed the abduction of a 300-level female law student while returning from a religious conference in Imo.

The SUG President, Mr Temidayo Adeboye, disclosed in a statement issued in Ibadan on Friday that the victim, simply identified as Tomisin, was abducted alongside seven others.

According to the president, Tomisin was travelling with the National General Director of the Scripture Union Student Fellowship, Mr Uwem Cosmos and other participants.

They were said to be on their way back to Ibadan after attending the Scripture Union National Conference, held at the Camp of Faith, Okigwe, Imo.

According to the SUG president, Tomisin serves as the National Secretary of the Scripture Union Student Fellowship, Nigeria, and the fellowship’s Vice President, University of Ibadan chapter.

He said that, contrary to reports circulating on social media, only one student of the university was among those declared missing after communication with the group was lost.

‘The union has initiated the necessary engagements to ascertain the facts surrounding the situation and has established contact with relevant religious organisations and security agencies to facilitate appropriate intervention.

‘We wish to clarify that reports claiming that eight UI students are missing are inaccurate.

‘Tomisin is the only University of Ibadan student currently unaccounted for in the incident’, he said.

Adeboye said the student’s disappearance became apparent after she failed to sit for her faculty examinations, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.

He added that another UI student from the Department of Music, who also attended the conference, had since returned safely.

Meanwhile, UI Director of Public Relations, Mrs Joke Akinpelu, confirmed that the institution was aware of the incident, but was not informed about the trip.

According to her, the incident occurred on Saturday, adding that she was the only UI student abducted, contrary to viral reports that eight UI students were abducted.

‘The student left the university without officially notifying the institution of her destination’, she said.

It was reported that students and members of the Scripture Union have called for prayers and urgent efforts to secure the victims’ release.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Dare Bejide, governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the Ekiti governorship election, has accused a presidential aide, Makinde Olaoye, of physically assaulting him and severely attacking his driver during voting in Ilawe-Ekiti.

Bejide alleged that the incident occurred at his polling unit in Ward 2, Ilawe-Ekiti, Ekiti West Local Government Area, following a dispute over the alleged distribution of money to voters.

According to him, his driver sustained serious injuries during the altercation and was subsequently hospitalized.

“The SA to the president came here and pushed me. He beat my driver to stupor, full of blood. He is in the hospital now. Is it because he is SA to the president?” Bejide alleged.

The ADC candidate further claimed that Olaoye, who he said was not registered at the polling unit, confronted him after he challenged individuals allegedly involved in vote buying.

“He is not from this polling booth. His name is Makinde Olaoye. He came here to push me. I am as old as his father… just because of an election,” Bejide said.

The allegations were made while Bejide addressed a police patrol team that visited the area as voting progressed across the state.

According to the ADC chieftain, tensions began after he repeatedly alerted security operatives to the alleged distribution of cash to voters, but no immediate action was taken.

“I have been calling the police for the past two hours,” he said.

“There was a crisis here. I alerted the police officer here. I told her that they were distributing money, but she said she couldn’t go there. That was the beginning of the problem.”

Bejide stated that voting had initially proceeded peacefully until reports emerged that a woman was allegedly sharing money with voters.

“We started on a very clean slate. I came here even before the officials. And there was no problem until there were allegations that this lady was distributing money,” he said.

“I confronted her. She called her boss. And the council chairman came here and started abusing me.”

He also alleged that the council chairman, whom he claimed was not from the polling unit, intervened in the matter alongside the presidential aide and individuals he described as “fake policemen in uniform.”

“It has been rancour since morning here. I don’t believe people should hang around here after voting. They should go home. But they are distributing money from a certain arena,” Bejide alleged.

Responding to the complaints, the Commissioner of Police leading the patrol team said security personnel were focused on maintaining peace and order throughout the election.

“We are on operational duty and the assignment today is very critical. And that is why you see me as a commissioner of police within your ward and unit,” he said.

The police commissioner advised that formal complaints could be lodged after the conclusion of voting.

“We may not be able to entertain your complaints now. But if there are issues, you can come and either produce everything in writing or lay complaints,” he said.

He added that additional security personnel would be deployed to the polling unit to prevent any breakdown of law and order.

“I am going to drop more manpower for you, so that they deal with any opposition or force of harm that may invade your unit. But for now, the area is calm and we already directed that those not voting should go home,” the police commissioner said.

“The only thing I can do for you, as an institution, is to provide an enabling environment. Every player should play the game according to the rules.”

The allegations come amid growing concerns over the conduct of the election. Earlier, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Wole Oluyede accused security operatives of voter suppression and harassment of party supporters during the exercise.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the All Progressives Congress (APC), Makinde Olaoye, nor the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had responded to the allegations.