By Francesca Hangeior

Suspected terrorists have killed two worshipers in Ekklesiyar Yanu’wa a Nigeria Church located in the Chibok Local Government Area of Borno state.

The Police Public Relations Officer for the Borno State Police Command, ASP Nahum Daso, who confirmed the attack to our correspondent in Maiduguri, on Monday, said that the command has mounted surveillance and an armed team to restore confidence among residents of the area.

He said, “We got a call from our Chibok Division. The report from them said the terrorist shot sporadically, and unfortunately, two persons died.

“It was around 2 am, there was no worshipper in the church at the time of the attack. Aside from the church attack, they burnt down seven shops as part of their efforts to put fear in members of the public, “he narrated.

He further added that aside from the two deaths, two others including Esther Yohanna and Ali Yohanna sustained gunshot injuries.

“So far, we are keeping to the Inspector General of Police directive as regards the Ngazai attack. We have directed all human and logistics assets to be deployed to the axis (Chibok) to build confidence among people, “he added.

Also, a statement on Sunday evening by the media team of the Chairman, Chibok Local Government, Mustapha Madu, said the terrorists attacked around 2:10 am on Sunday.

The Chairman of Chibom LGA, Mustapha Madu, condoled with the family of the bereaved and also inspected all burnt houses, shops, and the church auditorium.

A midnight bomb explosion occurred in Umuneke community, Mbieri in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the explosion, which occurred at a newly completed family house on Saturday night, reduced the house to rubble though no casualty was recorded.

A source, Iyke Njoku, said, “The sound was massive as well as the bang. We waited a while and when we didn’t see any movement or hear screams, we decided to check, only to see the house in rubble.

“When our neighbours from neighbouring villages called to ask us the cause of the sound, that was when we went to check how safe we were.

“The house was a bungalow and the couple just completed it even as they were planning to move in by February.

“It is so painful that all their efforts have become a waste because they can’t move in as planned again.”

A resident, Mr. Emma Emeka, told our correspondent on Sunday that they were jolted in the night by an enormous sound.

Emeka said, “We were in our house when we heard a massive sound, just like an explosion. When we rushed out, a newly constructed bungalow was destroyed. It happened so quickly, as nobody saw what triggered it or who was behind it.

“All we heard was the loud explosion; now, we are gazing at the new building of our kinsman reduced to rubble.

“The couple had worked hard to complete the building and were planning to move in this year but they cannot do so again.

“The funny part is people in neighbouring villages heard the sound and wondered where the blast came from. We all slept with one eye open for fear of attack.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the state police spokesperson, DSP Henry Okoye, proved abortive as his number did not connect.

Credit: PUNCH

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a bricklayer, Elela Monday, for allegedly k!lling his 14-year-old son over alleged involvement in criminal activities.

The incident occurred at Ajowa Akoko, Akoko North-West Local Government Area of the state.

The 34-year-old father of seven confessed that he killed his son and buried him in a shallow grave for ‘’embarrassing the family by engaging in housebreaking, stealing and other criminal activities.”

The state Commissioner of Police, CP Wilfred Afolabi, paraded the accused father alongside 24 other suspects arrested for various crimes at the command headquarters in Akure on Sunday, January 12, 2025.

“On the 30th of December, the police received an anonymous call that one Elela Monday living in Ajowa Akoko k!lled his 14-year-old son named Tope Elela and buried him in a shallow grave under a banana tree behind his house,” the CP stated.

“The suspect was arrested, and during interrogation, he said the boy was always involved in criminal activities and was embarrassing him, so in order to put a stop to the disgrace, he and his wife decided to k!ll the boy.”

Speaking with journalists, Elela said he only beat his son and didn’t intend to k!ll him.

“I did not know that the boy would die when I beat him in the night after he escaped from the custody of the State Security Network codename Amotekun,” Elela said.

He added that he usually handed over the late son to Amotekun or vigilante groups whenever he was arrested for stealing or other criminal activities for punishment.

Elela, however, noted that his wife took to her heels alongside other children when she got to know about his arrest.

“The deceased had escaped from Amotekun’s detention and was embarrassing the family as a result of criminal activities he engaged in. When he came back, we beat him and went to sleep. The following morning, his siblings discovered that he was d3ad and I decided to bury him under a banana tree,” he narrated.