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Father demands justice over son’s death in Benue
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By Francesca Hangeior
Joseph Onminyi, the father of 19-year-old Peter Onminyi, who was allegedly killed by men from the Operation Zenda unit of the Benue State Police Command, has called for justice.
According to Onminyi, his son was killed in the presence of family members on May 19, 2024, around 8 pm while they were having dinner at their residence located at Welfare Quarters, Makurdi.
Speaking to journalists in Makurdi on Wednesday, the father of the deceased alleged that some policemen invaded their residence, shot his son dead, and took away his corpse.
While crying out for justice, Onminyi demanded the immediate release of his son’s body for a decent burial according to Idoma’s traditional rites and customs.
He also demanded the immediate return of items taken from their house and access to their home, as they have been traumatised and are tired of sleeping outside.
The father, a retired civil servant, described his son as a complete gentleman and said that, to his knowledge, his son had not committed any offence that would have warranted his killing by the police in front of the family.
He said, “I am Mr. Joseph Onminyi, the father of the deceased, late Peter Onminyi, who was shot to death by the police on May 19, 2024, in my own house, not even outside.
“No reason was given by the police for their actions. They didn’t ask or tell anyone about the offence he committed; rather, they just killed him while he was eating in the dining room.
“The police didn’t approach me, the father, or ask any of my children who were with me in the room what offence my son had committed. They just jumped over the fence, entered the house, and began shooting sporadically. They even shot at one of my sons, who was eating at the dining table.
“Not only that, after killing him, they took his body away and removed all the home properties, including a radio, refrigerator, washing machine, gas cooker and gas cylinder, as well as two motorcycles and everything else in the house.
“I think this action could be seen as armed robbery because they came unannounced, and nobody was informed of what they were there for. Whether they came to search for something or to investigate someone, they didn’t say anything; they just shot and killed my innocent child.
“After killing him, the police took his body away to an unknown destination. Up to this moment, I don’t know where my son’s lifeless body is. Not only that, the police locked my house.”
He added, “They locked the entrance gate to my house. My house has been locked and the key withheld since the incident in May.
“My family and I have been sleeping outside our home in an uncompleted building. I therefore appeal to Nigeria and the entire world to come to my aid and address the police brutality against innocent citizens,” Onminyi stated.
While mentioning that he had filed a case for breach of human rights against the police, the deceased’s father accused the police of delaying the case in court.
“They have refused to appear in court, which means the police believe they are above the law and can disregard the judicial process,” he said.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the State Command, SP Catherine Anene, said that the case involved someone suspected of kidnapping and armed robbery.
She said, “I am aware of the case, which involved a boy who was suspected of kidnapping. I think the police went there to arrest him, and during the process, one of the boys exchanged gunfire with the police, and in the process, he was killed.
“However, I am not sure of the name, but I will get back to you. This happened around the Welfare Quarters in the Makurdi area.”
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Tijani, has ordered a statewide clampdown on vehicles plying Lagos roads without number plates or with concealed registration marks, warning that offenders would be arrested and their vehicles impounded with immediate effect.
The directive, according to Fatai, formed part of measures to strengthen security architecture and prevent criminal elements from infiltrating the state through unregistered vehicles.
The CP gave the order during a strategic meeting with Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, DPOs, and Commanders of Tactical Units at the Officers’ Mess, Ikeja, yesterday.
He briefed the officers on resolutions from a recent conference with the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, and outlined new security measures to tighten security across Lagos.
According to Tijani, “The Inspector-General of Police emphasised the need to ensure that all vehicles plying the roads in the country have their plate numbers on them. On no occasion should anybody put a vehicle on the road without a plate number or with a covered plate number. If anybody is found driving such a vehicle, that vehicle will have to be impounded.
He observed that “Most of the vehicles being used by these criminals are either not registered at all or have their plate numbers covered. Apart from those genuinely permitted by law to cover their plate numbers, there are no other exceptions”.
CP Tijani also directed all DPOs to intensify community policing and intelligence gathering at the grassroots, stressing that effective security requires active collaboration between the police and residents.
He further disclosed that the command would sustain joint patrols and intelligence-sharing with other security agencies, particularly in border communities and along waterways, to forestall the movement of criminal elements into Lagos.
Assuring residents of the command’s readiness to tackle emerging threats, Tijani said , “ Lagos Police Command had maintained a strong intelligence network and would continue working closely with transport unions, community leaders and other stakeholders to keep the state safe. Our goal is to ensure that Lagos remains secure and that criminal elements find no space to operate.
Suspected gunmen have abducted a cleric with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), identified as Pastor Gbenga Sanny, in Ondo State.
It was gathered that Sanny was seized by three gunmen on Sunday evening in the presence of his children.
Sources who confirmed the abduction to The Nation on Monday said the incident occurred at about 7.00 p.m in front of his residence located at Ilu-Abo community in Akure North Local Government.
Sanny, who is also a staff of the Akure North Local Government Area of the state, was taken to an unknown destination by the attackers.
His wife reportedly escaped the attack.
“The three armed men reportedly came out of the nearby bush and whisked him away,” one of the sources revealed.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the police command, Jimoh Abayomi said investigation has been launched into the abduction case.
He stated that officers and tactical teams of the command have already been mobilised to the area and working to secure the safe rescue of the victim and apprehend those responsible for the crime.
A man was carried away by floodwaters at Christian Village in the Greater Accra Region on June 7, 2026, during a heavy downpour.
The victim, a father of four, reportedly slipped into a gutter while helping colleagues desilt it, and despite rescue efforts, the strong current swept him away.
Recounting the incident in a video shared by Ask Media on social media on June 8, 2026, eyewitnesses said the incident occurred while the victim and three others were clearing a heavily clogged drainage system to improve water flow during the rains.
The area is known to flood whenever there is heavy rainfall, prompting residents to regularly engage in desilting exercises.
One eyewitness said the victim lost his footing during the exercise and fell.
“He slipped and fell into the river while we were removing debris. I tried to hold him by his collar, but I couldn’t keep hold of him. The current was too strong,” the eye witness recounted.
Despite immediate attempts to rescue him, he was swept away by the raging floodwaters and has since gone missing.
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