Metro
Mother’s Heartbreak: Son Killed After Failed Ransom Payment in Port Harcourt
Gloria George’s life was shattered on the night of September 10, 2024, when her 34-year-old son, Horsefall Rowland, failed to return home. Earlier that day, Rowland had told his mother he was heading to a meeting at Peter Odili Road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, but as the hours passed without word from him, Gloria’s anxiety grew.
By 10 pm that night, she had spoken to Rowland, who reassured her he was on his way home. However, when she tried to reach him again later, there was no response. Her worst fears were confirmed early the next morning when Rowland called her at 5 am, frantic with fear. He explained that he had been kidnapped.
As the family desperately scrambled to raise the ransom, they began receiving threatening voice notes and photos from the kidnappers, warning them that Rowland would be killed if the money was not paid. In a last-ditch effort, they sent N30,000, hoping it would save their son’s life. Tragically, it was too late. Rowland’s body was later discovered along Queens/Kings Bakery, Abuloma Road, in Port Harcourt.
In a devastating statement to the police on November 1, 2024, Gloria shared the harrowing details of her son’s captivity. She revealed that the kidnappers initially demanded N2.5 million, though they eventually settled for N300,000. The money was transferred into Rowland’s account, but after that, there was no further contact.
“They sent two threatening voice notes and pictures to Rowland’s girlfriend, saying that if they didn’t receive the N300,000 within the shortest time, we should consider Roland dead,” Gloria said. Unfortunately, that was the last time the family heard from him.
After receiving the family’s complaint, the Rivers State Police Command swiftly launched an investigation, arresting five suspects involved in the crime: Endurance Thompson (23), Boma Otonye (41), David Ishaku (34), Moses Benjamin (29), and Emmanuel (32).
The prime suspect, Thompson, was arrested in his hideout in Woji, Rivers State. He confessed to the crime, revealing that Rowland had been beaten to death after attempting to pay for hard drugs with a fake bank transfer alert.
Thompson explained that Rowland had come to buy “Charlie” (a street name for cocaine) from him on September 11, 2024, around 3 am, behind the Port Harcourt Zoo, Trans Amadi. According to Thompson, Rowland had made a series of fake transfer attempts to pay for the drugs. “I received an alert, but the amount in my account remained unchanged. He owed me N150,000 and claimed to have transferred N8,000 first and N20,000. But the money never actually entered my account,” Thompson said.
An argument broke out over the fake transfer, and Rowland was subsequently beaten. He later begged Thompson to take him to the hospital for treatment. Thompson called a friend, Justice, but by the time they arrived, Rowland had died inside the Keke Marwa that had rushed him to Justice’s place. Thompson informed Justice of the death, and together with another accomplice, Michael, they disposed of Rowland’s body, dumping it beside a bakery on Abuloma Road.
SP Grace Iringe-Koko, spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, confirmed that Rowland’s body had been deposited in the morgue for preservation. She also stated that the investigation is ongoing, with efforts to apprehend other individuals mentioned by the suspects, who were allegedly involved in the beating that led to Rowland’s tragic death.
Rainstorm has destroyed properties worth millions of naira at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in Yikpata, Kwara State.
Tribune Online gathered that the heavy downpour, which began early Saturday morning, was accompanied by strong winds that wreaked havoc across the camp premises.
According to a source, the extent of the damage was significant, as key structures affected included the multipurpose hall, the administrative block, the camp mosque, and several hostel blocks housing corps members and camp officials.
The rainstorm also left a trail of destruction on the camp’s saluting dais and the newly constructed volleyball court, which had been one of the major attractions within the camp.
In addition, two vehicles belonging to camp officials were completely destroyed when a big tree, uprooted by the strong wind, crashed down on them, rendering them beyond repair.
An official of the NYSC in the camp suggested that relevant authorities should take steps to assess the extent of the damage for necessary repair work, in order to restore affected facilities and ensure the continuity of activities in the orientation camp.
A 37-year-old woman, Linda Stephen, on Tuesday, approached a Kaduna Customary Court, seeking divorce over her husband, Felix Stephen’s excessive sexual demands.
In her petition, Mrs Stephen, a resident of Ungwan Sunday in Kaduna, also accused her husband of beating her whenever she rejected his sexual advances. They have been married for six years.
She told the court that she was no longer interested in the marriage as she can no longer cope with the husband’s excessive demand for sex.
“I urge the court to dissolve this marriage because I can’t stand his excessive sexual urge. He likes sex too much, and I can’t bear it.
“Most times, he would have sex with me from midnight till early hours of the morning. Even when I am crying, he will not stop.
“It has been three months since I moved out of his house, his relatives have been pleading with me to go back to him, but they do not know what I am facing,” she said.
She further said that her husband does not control himself whenever he needed sex, and that whenever she refused his sexual advances, he would beat her up, even in front of their two kids.
‘I’m ready to control my urge’ -Husband
Stephen, in his response, told the court that he is in love with his wife.
He pleaded with the court to help him pacify her, and not to grant her wish.
Stephen said he had been pleading with her wife not to seek for divorce, as he was now ready to control his sexual urge.
“I took my uncles and friends to her parents house to plead with her. But she refused to listen to us instead she walked out on us,’’ Stephen said.
He further pleaded with the court to give him time to sort things out and reconcile with his wife.
The judge, John Dauda, adjourned the matter until May 6 for a feedback and outcome of the reconciliation, while advising them to maintain peace.
The Oyo State Police Command has rescued 84 Congolese from a human trafficking syndicate operating in Ibadan, the state capital.
The victims were allegedly held captive for an unknown period in a building located in the Orogun area of Ibadan.
Sunday PUNCH gathered that the victims were trafficked to Nigeria under the pretence of providing employment opportunities for them.
According to reports, the human traffickers had extorted large sums of money, reportedly in US dollars, from the victims’ families and relatives as part of their scheme to lure the victims into the country.
In a video shared by Channels TV, the rescued individuals, including a baby, were seen being escorted to police vans and buses.
The victims were later transported to the Police Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, where they are currently being held while investigations continue.
However, attempts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of Oyo State Command, Adewale Osifeso, for comment on the development were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to his phone were not responded to at the time of this report.
-
News17 hours agoGunmen abduct two senior LG workers, three others
-
News18 hours agoNDLEA storms Lagos hotel, recovers N1.042billion illicit drug consignments(Photos)
-
News18 hours agoArmy Chief condemns beating, harassing civilians in military uniform says, it’s wrong
-
News1 hour agoJust in: Senator Natasha tenders satirical ‘apology’ to Akpabio
-
News16 hours agoFrancophone Ambassadors, Nigeria Unite To Fight Against Climate Change
-
News10 hours agoBenue LG chairman gives Fulanis 48hrs to leave all farmlands
-
News10 hours agoFive suspected kidnappers eliminated by police in Delta
-
Sports18 hours agoCopa del Rey: Barca pumel Real Madrid 3-2 to emerge winner