Metro
HEARTLESS men: Two abducted deaf and dumb girls abused, released after we paid N5.5m ransom-Edo family
The sleepy community known as Oke Old in Sabongida-Ora, Etsako West local government area of Edo State was thrown into mourning and anxiety as kidnappers suspected to be criminal Fulani invaded a feed mill plant for their criminal activity and at the end of their operation, two deaf and dumb girls were abducted but the trainee manager identified as Elisha Udejei was not so lucky as he shot to death at close range. The community has a school and a church.
While Udejei, a young graduate of the University of Ibadan was killed, an eye witness who is also a worker on the farm and identified as Emmanuel Atafo abandoned his motorbike and ran to safety when he heard the gunshot fired at Udejei.
While Udejei was buried a few days after the incident, the kidnapped girls spent eight days in their abductors’, abused and were only released after N5.5m ransom was paid by their parents. They are 33 and 28 years old
The owner of the farm who did not want his name mentioned for security reasons said he took the girls to Lagos where they were trained in a special school in Oyo State before going back to the community to work in the factory after they graduated.
He said the kidnappers used the phones of the girls to contact their parents and negotiated for their release. They were kidnapped in Sabongida-Ora and released somewhere along Afuze road in Owan East local government area.
person who wanted to go and pay the ransom was told to go to Afuze area, at a time they will tell him go to a particular location, you will see police checkpoint there, they were giving him directives so he finally got to the place where they finally sighted him and directed him to ride the motorcycle into the bush with his bike then they got to a place where he met four of them and then the two girls.
“When they were going to pay the ransom, they instructed that when we are coming with the money, we should come with one pack of predator, one pack of malt and one pack of fearless drink so we bought the three items added to the money for them. They handed over the two girls to the man who went to pay the ransom. It was traumatic.” (Sunday Vanguard)
Metro
Wife flees after setting Nigerian Police husband on fire
A woman, identified as Sarah Ayinde, allegedly set her husband, Abidemi Ayinde, a special constable with the Ogun State Police Command, ablaze in Iperu community in Ogun State.
It was gathered that the incident occurred on December 12, following a minor disagreement between them.
It was reports that a source revealed the dispute escalated, leading the wife to allegedly set her husband, a police officer, on fire in an act of retaliation.
The source said, “There was an incident in Iperu where a police constable was set on fire by his wife following an argument. The victim is currently receiving treatment at the hospital.”
Confirming the incident in a telephone conversation, the state police command spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, stated on Sunday that the victim was hospitalised and efforts were ongoing to apprehend the suspect.
“On December 12, 2024, around 10:00 a.m., an attempted murder was reported in Iperu. At No. 20 Igboore Street, Abidemi Ayinde, a male special constable, was set ablaze by his wife, Sarah Ayinde, after a minor disagreement.
“The victim was rushed to Bolawatife Hospital for treatment and is now in stable condition. Meanwhile, the suspect, Sarah Ayinde, is currently at large, and a manhunt is underway. The division’s crime branch is investigating the case further,” Odutola added.
Metro
Wife flees after setting Ogun cop ablaze during dispute
A wife, Sarah Ayinde, is on the run after setting her husband, a special constable with the Ogun State Police Command, Abidemi Ayinde, ablaze in the Iperu area of the state.
PUNCH Metro gathered from a source who pleaded anonymity that the incident occurred on December 12 after the couple had engaged in a minor dispute.
The source disclosed to our correspondent on Sunday that the dispute escalated, and the wife resorted to setting the cop ablaze in a retaliatory attempt.
The Source said, “There is an incident in Iperu. A police constabulary was set on fire by his wife. They argued, and the wife set him on fire. He is currently hospitalised.”
Confirming the incident in a telephone conversation with our correspondent, the spokesperson for the state Police Command, Omolola Odutola, told PUNCH Metro on Sunday that the victim was hospitalised following the incident.
She narrated that efforts were underway to apprehend the wife.
“On December 12, 2024, at approximately 10:00 a.m., an attempted murder incident occurred in Iperu. Reports indicate that at No. 20 Igboore Street, Abidemi Ayinde, a male special constable with the police division, was set on fire by his wife, Sarah Ayinde, following a minor dispute.
“The victim was quickly taken to the Bolawatife Hospital for medical attention and is currently in a stable condition.
“The suspect, Sarah Ayinde, remains at large, and efforts are underway to apprehend her. The division’s crime branch is conducting further investigations into the matter,” Odutola said.
PUNCH Metro reported a similar incident in October 2019, when a policeman attached to the Highway Patrol Team of the Lagos State Police Command committed suicide after shooting his wife dead at the prison barracks on Awolowo Road in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State.
Our correspondent gathered at the time that a fight broke out between the couple which led the policeman to shoot his wife dead with his gun.
After shooting his wife, it was learnt that the cop also shot himself dead.
PUNCH Metro correspondent who visited the area at the time of the incident gathered that the policeman and his wife were arguing about their marriage when the tragedy occurred.
Credit: PUNCH
Metro
Why I Was Sentenced To Death – Osun ‘boy’ convicted of fowl theft
Segun Olowookere, sentenced to death in Osun State for allegedly stealing fowls as a teenager, has shared his account of the events that led to his conviction.
Arrested in November 2010 at the age of 17 alongside Sunday Morakinyo, Olowookere was accused of robbing a policeman, Tope Balogun, of two fowls and eggs in Oyan, Odo-Otin Local Government Area.
The pair was arraigned on January 30, 2013, before Justice Jide Falola of the Osun State High Court in Ikirun.
The charges included robbery, conspiracy, and theft. Prosecutors alleged that they had also conspired to rob Oguntade Faramade of items worth N20,000, stolen two mobile phones from Balogun Taye, and attempted to rob Alhaja Umani Oyewo in her home. They were further accused of using weapons, including a cutlass and a Dane gun, to rob Elizabeth Dare of vegetable oil.
Despite his pleas of innocence, his ordeal worsened due to his family’s inability to raise the N30,000 bail demanded by the police.
While both men pleaded not guilty, the prosecution presented six witnesses, including alleged victims and police officers, who testified against them.
A confessional statement purportedly made by Olowookere to the police was pivotal to the case, though he denied ever writing it.
His lawyer, Ayo Omolesho, argued that the case lacked sufficient evidence, emphasizing that Olowookere was not apprehended at the crime scene.
Despite this, the court convicted them, sentencing them on December 17, 2014, to death for conspiracy, life imprisonment for robbery, and three years for theft. Olowookere was 21 at the time.
In a recent interview, Olowookere described his journey to incarceration, alleging police misconduct and coercion.
He recounted that in April 2010, while discussing his university admission plans with his father at their shop, police officers stormed the area and arrested him after an initial attempt to detain his father.
He said, “I was at my father’s shop in Oyan after returning from school. My dad and I were discussing my university admission and suddenly, we heard gunshots, and everybody ran away except my dad and a few others.
“My father was taken to a police van where there were some children. I was peeping out and could hear and see what was going on. The police asked my dad where I was and he asked them what my offence was. When they couldn’t give him a satisfactory response, my father shouted at the top of his voice that I should run away because the police wanted to arrest me.
“But I was wondering what my offence was. So, I came out and went to meet them. I was detained at the police post in Oyan, and was taken to Okuku Divisional Police Headquarters the following day. I met the children who were in the police van when they came for me sitting on the ground and eating rice.”
Olowookere claimed he was tortured into submission and falsely accused by minors who were also arrested but later released.
He said, “The DPO told me that one of the children confessed to stealing two broilers and some crates of eggs. I met the broilers and the eggs at the station. The children were eight in number. He told me the children said I was their gang leader, which I denied.
“The children he was talking about were around 12 and 13 years old, while I was 17 then. I told him I knew the children but I didn’t have anything to do with them other than greeting them in the community.”
He denied knowing Morakinyo or participating in any criminal activities.
“I met Sunday Morakinyo at the station and he told the police that he didn’t know me, nor had anything to do with me. I don’t even know where he was arrested. All the children were released but Morakinyo and I were not.
“We were seriously tortured from the first day I got to the Okuku Police Station under the supervision of the DPO. The children who allegedly committed the crime were not beaten. He repeatedly asked me to admit and confess to a crime I didn’t commit.
“After some days, we were given cutlasses to cut the grass at the police station premises despite having injuries on every part of our body as a result of the torture.”
He also refuted reports suggesting he had written a confessional statement or lived in a luxury apartment, asserting that he lived with his parents at the time of his arrest.
“I never wrote any statement to the police. My parents never had a flat, not to mention a six-bedroom flat. I lived with my parents until I was arrested,” he stated.
Asked why his lawyer didn’t object to the statement during the trial, Olowookere said, “I didn’t know anything, but I am sure I didn’t write any statement.”
Reacting to Olowookere’s case, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has directed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, to investigate the matter and explore options for a pardon. In a statement on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Adeleke assured the public of his commitment to justice and equity.
“I have instructed a thorough review and expedited action on granting prerogative mercy to the young man. Osun is a land of fairness and justice, and we will ensure that every citizen’s rights are protected,” Adeleke said.
The case has sparked widespread concern, with many calling for a review of the judicial process that led to Olowookere’s conviction and sentencing.
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