An aluminium worker based in Okinni, Osun State, Sunday Ejoh, was on Monday sentenced to a six-month jail term by an Osun State Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Osogbo for stealing three tubers of yam.

Ejoh, who appeared before Magistrate Mr M. Olatunji, had been arraigned on one count of theft of the yam, valued at N3,000.

Giving the facts of the case, the prosecutor in charge, Mr Jacob Akintunde, said, “Ejoh, on September 22nd, 2024, did steal three tubers of yam valued at N3,000 belonging to one Oluwole Durojaye.”

The prosecutor stated that the stolen tubers, a cutlass, and a pair of slippers were recovered from the defendant.

He added that the offence committed was contrary to and punishable under “Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II Law of Osun State, Nigeria 2002.”

The artisan, who had no legal representation, pleaded guilty, stating that hunger had compelled him to commit the crime.
He told the court, “I was hungry, and I have a family.”

Delivering judgment on the matter, Magistrate Olatunji found the defendant guilty and subsequently sentenced him to “six months’ imprisonment with an option of a N25,000 fine.”

Olatunji also directed that the stolen yam should be returned to the owner.

By Francesca Hangeior

The kidnapped students and staff of the Federal University Gusau in Zamfara State, have regained their freedom after seven months in captivity.

Security analyst and counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, who confirmed their release in a post on X on Monday said “Abducted students of Federal University Gusau and staff regain freedom.

While the exact circumstances surrounding their release remain unclear, Zagazola’s sources indicated that security forces played a pivotal role in securing the victims’ freedom.

“It was gathered that the students and staff were kidnapped during an attack by bandits in the Gusau area in February of this year,” Zagazola said.

The news brought relief to the families and the academic community who have been waiting for the safe return of their loved ones.

Zagazola added, “After spending an extended period in captivity, it has been confirmed that all the abducted individuals have returned in good health.”

Recall that in September 2023, bandits reportedly kidnapped a significant number of students of the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State.

An indigene of Sabon Gida village, Abubakar Sani, said that the bandits, who were in large numbers, stormed the students’ off-campus residences in the village. He said the students abducted were mostly females.

Sani said the bandits invaded the area around 4:00 am, where they attacked three students’ hostels.

The Ogun State Police Command on Saturday confirmed the death of one Nwachukwu Ikechukwu, after inhaling generator fumes at their residence at the Shogoye area of Owode-Egba in the Obafemi-Owode Local Government area of the state.

Ikechukwu and his wife, Oyin Falodun, were said to have put on the generator in their sitting room around 10 pm on Thursday, but a neighbour, one Oladayo Olasubomi, who had come to drop the N1000 daily contribution for the wife found the couple lying down unconsciously.

Olasubomi reportedly raised the alarm which attracted other neighbours including the Chairman of the community, one Showunmi Sunday, who reported the sad incident to the Owode-Egba division of the state police command.

The spokesperson for the state police command, SP Omolola Odutola, disclosed this in a statement sent to journalists on Saturday.

Having gotten wind of this tragic incident, the police operatives were said to have visited the crime scene and found out there were no marks of violence on the deceased.

Odutola said that while Ikechukwu was lost to the incident, his wife who was rushed to the hospital later regained consciousness and explained what happened.

The wife was quoted to have explained, “That when it was 2200hrs of 19/09/2024 she asked her husband whether she could put off the generating engine they were using to power their fans in their bedroom, but her husband told her not to do so until when the two of them slept off.

“That the generator must have wreaked the havoc that befell them before it put itself off when the fuel inside it finished”.

She disclosed further that she later found out that both of them had fallen off their bed and that her late husband struggled to get out of bed after which he fell.

While Falodun is said to be recuperating at Ore Ofe Hospital, Owode-Egba, the corpse of Ikechukwu was said to have been deposited at the General Hospital, Owode-Egba for autopsy.