Today’s Headlines: Rivers APC pressures Tinubu to reject Wike, Two Ondo men remanded for killing naval officer

Rivers APC pressures Tinubu to reject Wike

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has called on President Bola Tinubu not to succumb to antics by some people to force former governor Nyisom Wike to hijack the party in the state. The party said recognising Wike would undermine the loyalty of party members, who had kept faith with the APC.

In an open letter to President Tinubu, dated 6th July, and sighted by newsmen in the State House, Abuja, Friday, the Rivers state branch of the APC also called on the President to reject former governor Wike’s overtures to stealthily foist himself on the party in order to take control of its structures in the state.

The letter signed by its Publicity Secretary, Comrade Darlington Nwauju, warned President Tinubu to be wary of Wike and his cohorts, saying the former governor’s claims of working to favour the party now will only undermine loyal and dedicated APC members and other stakeholders.

Two Ondo men remanded for killing naval officer

An Ondo State Chief Magistrate’s Court, sitting in Akure, the state capital, has ordered the remand of two men, Ayomide Sambo and Johnson Adeleke, for allegedly killing a naval officer, Samson Akingbagbohun.

The defendants were arrested by men of the state police command for allegedly killing the officer at Ido Ani in the Ose Local Government Area of the state after an argument.

They were thereafter arraigned before the court on two counts of conspiracy and murder.

According to the prosecution, the offences contravened sections 319, 316 and 342 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, Nigeria 2006.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Nelson Akintimehin, informed the court that the defendants and others at large committed the offences on June 26, 2023, around 7:40pm.

He urged the court to remand the defendants in the Olokuta Custodial Centre to enable him to forward their case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

But the defence counsel, Tolulope Adebiyi, prayed the court to grant her clients’ bail.

In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Musa Al-Yunus, remanded the two defendants.

The court, however, admitted a third defendant, Francis Shagari, to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

The case was adjourned till August 1, 2023, for mention.

Markets, schools, banks shut in Onitsha, Nnewi over gunmen threats

Pandemonium broke out yesterday at some markets, schools and banks in Onitsha and Nnewi the commercial and industrial towns of Anambra State, as commercial and business activities were disrupted following sporadic gunshots by unknown gunmen enforcing the sit-at-home order.

The development caused traders at the markets in the communities including Onitsha Main Market, Ochanja Central Market, Relief Market and Head Bridge Markets to close abruptly while banks hurriedly shut their doors against customers who visited to carry out some banking transactions.

This is even as the Anambra State Police command had urged residents of the state to go about their lawful activities and not to panic over rumours making the rounds, asking the people to remain indoors on Friday.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP, Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement on Friday, said the panic was created by some “mischief makers” sharing false security alerts/messages and doctored old videos of security incidents to cause tension and panic in the state.

Police kill one terrorist, arrest two, recover 100 rustled cattle in Katsina

Police operatives have killed one suspected terrorist, arrested two others and recovered 100 rustled cattle in Katsina communities.

The command’s spokesperson, ASP Sadiq Abubakar who disclosed this in a statement on Friday said nemesis caught up with the suspects following receipt of a credible intelligence report on their activities and hideout.

Consequently, the DPO Danja led police operatives in a gun duel with the suspected terrorists, who attacked Fulani settlements at Unguwar Rogo and Rafin Gora in Danja LGA, Katsina and successfully repelled them, recovering 100 cattle in the process.

The neutralised body of one of the suspected terrorists was found in the course of scanning the scene. ASP Sadiq gave the identity of the suspected terrorists arrested as: Ahmadu Abubakar 30, also known as “Mai Boza’ of Wagini village in Batsari LGA, and Abbas Lawai, 40, aka “Abbas Dogo” of Filin Polo quarters, Katsina LGA.

Both suspects confessed to have participated in the attack. They also confessed to being under the camp of one Surajo, a suspected notorious bandit leader. The duo admitted to have participated previously in the attacks on Galadimawa, Karau-karau, Rijana, Fan Turawa communities, all in Kaduna State and some parts of Niger State.

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