Metro
Seven bodies recovered, eight missing after Taraba bus attack
The Commissioner of Police, Taraba State Command, Mr David Iloyonomon, stated on Wednesday that his men found seven dead bodies in the bush while on patrol to control rising tension between Ichen and Tiv in the Donga Local Government Area of the State.
The commissioner informed journalists that trouble started on Tuesday when Ichen youths from Mararaba area of Donga reported to the Police Area Command in the area that a Pastor and his church member were missing while on their way to the church.
According to him, the youth had on the same day, at about 3pm, found the decomposing bodies of the missing persons and started attacking the Tiv residents in the town.
“It took the efforts of our men to rescue some of the Tiv people to Takum for safety.
“Today, while our men were on patrol to maintain law and order and to ensure that peace returns, they found seven dead bodies including five women, a man, and a baby. The corpses have been evacuated to the police station,” he said.
Our correspondent had earlier reported that 15 persons including women and children were missing after armed men suspected to be vigilante personnel attacked an 18-seater-bus conveying passengers from Zaki/Biam in Benue State to Maihula in the Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State on Tuesday.
It was gathered that the incident happened at Gankwe village on Donga-Mararaban-Baissa road in the Donga Local Government Area of the state.
Narrating the incident to journalists on the phone, the driver of the bus, Mr Mpuuga Mbaave, who escaped death by a whisker with machete cut wounds, said the armed men in vigilante uniform attacked his bus.
“I loaded 18 passengers from Zaki/Biam in Benue State to Maihura in Taraba State, and on our way close to Mararaba, I saw many people in vigilante uniform. I suspected something was wrong and I parked the vehicle.
“One of the villagers who was passing by told me that I should proceed. According to him, two members of the vigilante personnel were killed by kidnappers and the vigilante came to carry their corpses.
“As I moved closer, some of the vigilante personnel started shouting, ‘kill all of them,’ ‘kill all of them,’ it’s their people (Tiv) that killed our members, and they started attacking the passengers and cutting them with machetes.
“They ordered the passengers out of the bus, and forced them to lie face down. I refused to come down, but when I discovered that it was getting out of hand, I decided to jump out of the bus and ran away. My conductor too followed me. They came after us cutting us with machetes, but we ran for our dear lives,” he narrated.
Confirming the development, the Chairman of Donga Local Government Council, Ezra Voka, said he was already in the nearby forest in search of the missing persons.
“Please, my friend, I am already in the bush in search of the missing people. We cannot talk much now until I get more information from here,” he said.
The driver has since recovered his bus to safety and is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Donga.
The Lagos State Government has announced plans to prosecute 74 individuals apprehended for violating environmental regulations within the state.
According to the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, the suspects were arrested during a coordinated enforcement operation by the state’s Taskforce in the early hours of Tuesday around 1 a.m., targeting key locations across the Lekki axis of Lagos Island.
The enforcement sweep covered areas including the Falomo Bridge, Eko Hotel Roundabout, Oniru Beach, Lekki Phases 1 and 2, and the 1004 Estate. A total of 72 men and two women were taken into custody.
Wahab explained that the operation aimed to restore order and sanitation in the affected areas.
He added that the suspects will face prosecution in accordance with state laws and urged residents to remain law-abiding and committed to maintaining a clean, orderly environment for all.
The police in Benin City, Edo State, on Tuesday arraigned 30 persons before a Benin High Court for alleged murder and cultism.
The 30 persons are standing trial on a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy, murder, cultism, armed attack, and belonging to unlawful society.
The defendants were arraigned in three batches with the same seven-count charges.
The defendants arraigned in the first batch are Paul Elekun 25, Muetinyan Osagbovo 25, Opkala Bernice 22, Nnajiofor Francis 23, Imuetinyan Osanogara 21, Christian Augustine 22, Aniyea Choice 33, Saturday Umukoro 20.
The second batch are Gmogbo Ufoha 22, Emoh Emmanuel 29, Olavwola Gchinamen 32, Eriator Osaihon 44, Isaac Michael 32, Festus Arihian 37, Tedius Jude 25., Emmanuel Okhie 29, Daniel Oyakhilome 29, John Umoren 28.
The third batch are Ogoigbe Richard 33, Omokwua Cliton 32, Solomo Peisi (No specific age), Ezebuke Bright 29, Okoloagu Chicks 45, Ajuja Frank 25, Onemu Oghenekome Michael 19,
Jerry Lazarus 27, Patrick Arneka Joshua 22, Daniel James 28, Moses Peter 37, and Ewalefoh Prosper Osamudiahen 20.
The Prosecutor, Polycarp Odion told the court that the defendants and others, allegedly on May 1, did conspire to commit a felony.
Mr Odion alleged that on the same day within Benin City, without lawful authority, the defendants allegedly carried out armed attacks against a section of residents of the Benin metropolis.
The defendants were also alleged to have conspired among themselves to commit murder.
According to the prosecutor, the defendants and others at large, at different dates within Benin City did conspire and belong to an unlawful society.
He said the offences contravened Sections 412 (2), 64, and 247 of the Criminal Law of Edo State Law, 2022.
The prosecutor urged the court to remand the defendants in the Correctional Centre for an initial 14 days, pending the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
Counsels to the defendants prayed the court to grant them bail as they were presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
According to the counsels, the defendants were picked in indifferent areas in the metropolis, which includes Ugbowo axis, Sapele road axis and Garrick Memorial College axis.
They said some were picked while they were eating, some inside the bus on their way home from work, some were arrested while driving and their vehicles impounded.
They said that the judge has the right to grant the defendants bail, urging the judge to exercise the same to grant the defendants’ bail.
They added that they all have reasonable surety to stand for their bail and ensure their presence in court on an adjournment date.
Among the defence counsels for the defendants who spoke were a former Chief Magistrate, Peter Asemota (retd), Ede Asenoguan, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Benin City Branch, Paul Badaki, J.E. Igunma, A.D.Ajeka, O.J.Odi, E.B.KiKa, among others.
The presiding judge, Justice Williams Azeigbemhin, however granted the defendants bail in the sum of N1 million each with one surety in like sum.
Mr Azeigbemhin said both the defendants and surety must produce their NIN card, valid ID cards, and three passport photographs each.
He said that the surety must be a senior staff member of a recognised establishment.
He added that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and all information must be verified by the court registrar.
He then adjourned the case until May 19.
(NAN)
A fire outbreak on Monday afternoon engulfed a recycling facility operated by Jincheng Company at 11B Eric Moore Road, Surulere, Lagos.
The fire, reported at about 12:15 p.m., drew a prompt response from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service. Firefighters from the Sari-Iganmu Fire Station were the first on the scene, but the intensity of the blaze required reinforcements from the Ajegunle Fire Crew.
Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs. Margaret Adeseye, stated that the fire began at the rear of the main building and was suspected to have been caused by negligence.
The affected section reportedly housed large quantities of cardboard materials used in the recycling process.
Although the full extent of the damage is yet to be determined, the facility—which spans three acres—suffered significant losses.
“No casualties have been reported so far,” Adeseye confirmed, adding that the situation was under control by the time of reporting, with damping down operations still ongoing.”
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