News
Eight Feared Dead In Shi’ites, Police Clash In Abuja …Security Agents Detain 57 Protesters …As Death Toll In Southern Kaduna Attacks Rises To 45
At least, eight people were feared killed, yesterday, after unidentified gunmen in uniform opened fire at some members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), who staged the annual Arbaeen trek at Gwarinpa District of Abuja, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
It was gathered that the gunmen attacked the sect members near the tricycle park at 3rd Avenue, Gwarinpa around 10:00am.
Eyewitnesses said that the armed men, who came in security patrol vans, stormed the area without prior notice to residents.
Although details of the attack were still sketchy, one of the sources said that the suspected operatives killed about eight people, including passers-by.
One of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “It was around 10:00am, we started hearing gunshots along the road. The shooting lasted about 10 minutes. But after the shooting, the gunmen appeared to have succeeded in thoroughly dispersing the Arbaeen trekkers.
“I can’t say how many people were killed but the corpses we have counted were eight. What I can tell you is that up to eight people were killed in the incident. Some of the passers-by who had nothing to do with the Shi’ites may have also been involved.”
When contacted, the Secretary of IMN’s Academic Forum, Abdullahi Musa, confirmed the incident but could not provide casualty details.
Musa, in an interview, simply said, “The Arbaeen trek is an annual street demonstration by Shi’ites globally. Since the military authorities demolished our centre in Zaria, we have been leading the religious trek from here (Abuja). It began on Monday. However, we had hoped to conclude the activities today (Tuesday).
“So, we assembled at the Galadima Gate (Charly Boy Bus Stop) in Gwarinpa around 9:00am, and staged our religious walk peacefully for about an hour. We neither made any demand on the government nor criticised anyone during the trek. It was purely a spiritual exercise for us.
“But as we were about to disperse, security operatives arrived at the scene, and opened fire on our members, injuring many and killing some people. As for the casualty figures, I need to verify the numbers and get back to you, please.”
Earlier, the Shi’ites staged a similar street procession in Nyanya – Mararaba axis of the FCT.
The trek, which kicked off from Masaka and terminated in Mararaba, caused a major gridlock in the area.
Some members of the sect were seen with placards, including portraits of the sons of their leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky who were killed during the ‘Zaria Massacre’ of December, 2015.
Speaking to journalists after the trek, IMN’s Sheikh Sidi Sokoto, said, “Today, the general public has witnessed how the Arbaeen trek like those before ended without any attempt to curb the right of safe passage to other road users. No panic was created by our Arbaeen trek.
“Though we started with few people and confined ourselves to a particular place and recited some supplication, we thank Allah now; we trek in millions globally.
“This is the handwork of Allah, and not the trick or influence of anybody as no one forced us to trek, it is out of the free will and love for the family of the Prophet.”
Investigations show that there was no incident of violence during the Mararaba rally as passers-by and residents were seen going about their normal businesses.
Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has confirmed the arrest of 57 suspected members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shi’ites who stormed the Gwarinpa area of the nation’s capital, yesterday morning.
A statement by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Adeh Josephine, revealed that the joint security operatives have restored normalcy to the area.
However, contrary to earlier reports, the Police PRO, in a statement, said there was no casualty recorded during the incident, stressing that the security team were able to foil attacks launched on them.
She said items recovered from the suspects include, a vehicle, flags, petrol bombs, weapons, mobile phones, charms and other exhibits.
The statement reads, “The FCT Police Command in a joint intervention with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies have restored normalcy to the Gwarinpa area of the FCT and other parts of the capital where miscreants identified to be members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) also known as Shi’ites, caused unnecessary hardship to motorists and other road users as well as individuals going about their businesses.
“The miscreants who were found in their numbers were promptly intercepted by the security operatives and dispersed to prevent them from causing further disruption of public order and peace and damage to public and private assets.
“The miscreants attacked the security forces with petrol bombs, weapons including stones but were adequately rounded up by the security teams without any casualty.
“A total of 57 suspects, including 39 male and 18 female were arrested and currently being profiled at the State Criminal Investigations Department of the FCT Police Command.
“A vehicle, flags, petrol bombs, weapons, mobile phones, charms etc are some of the exhibits recovered from the miscreants.
“The command, while calling on residents to be calm, warns any individual or group who may want to disrupt the peace being enjoyed in the capital to desist or be ready to face the consequences of their actions. Residents and commuters are also advised to go about their lawful endeavours without any fear or apprehension”.
Meanwhile, with yesterday’s recovery of the lifeless bodies of three victims of suspected bandits attacks on Southern Kaduna communities, the death toll in those attacks had risen 45 officially.
The Kaduna State Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, last Monday, had said 34 persons were killed by suspected bandits at Madamai, Kaura Local Government Area of the state.
He had also said eight persons were killed in Zango-Kataf.
However, yesterday, in a statement shortly after his visit to the scenes of the attacks, the commissioner said three additional corpses were recovered by security agencies.
The statement is titled, ‘Three corpses recovered in Kaura, Zangon Kataf LGAs’.
The commissioner said, “Following weekend attacks in Madamai and Kacecere villages of Kaura and Zangon Kataf local government areas, security agencies on Tuesday recovered three more corpses.
“According to security agencies, two corpses were recovered in Madamai while one was found in Kacecere. The search-and-rescue operation is still in progress and the government will continue to update the public.”
In a statement posted yesterday, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said recent seizures by the agency’s officers had revealed attempts by criminal elements to introduce prohibited substances under the guise of everyday snacks.
“As parents, if your kids and young ones always crave for cookies and gummies, you may have to pay a little more attention. There may be more to it than ordinary cookies and gummies,” Babafemi wrote, sharing images of seized packages.
The photos showed colourful pouches of “Cookies Delta 8 Gummies” in flavours such as Hawaiian Rain Pineapple Guava and Thai Mango, labelled as vegan and hemp-derived, alongside the actual gummy products.
The warning comes amid a major interception by the Nigeria Customs Service at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos.
Officers seized two 40-foot containers containing large quantities of cannabis-infused products concealed among legitimate imports such as used vehicles, generators, batteries and fabrics.
The consignment included thousands of Delta-8 cannabis pre-roll cookies, packs of cannabis-infused gummies and other cannabis-infused cookies, with a combined estimated street value of about ?373.8m.
The items were subsequently handed over to the NDLEA.
NDLEA officials described the products, which originated from the United States and were packaged to resemble ordinary vegan snacks with appealing flavours, as an emerging public health threat.
They noted that the attractive packaging could appeal especially to children, students and young people, raising the risk of accidental consumption of concentrated cannabis.
The partnership was unveiled during a meeting between officials of RIWAMA and the leadership of the Rivers State chapter of the PCRC in Port Harcourt, recently, where both organisations pledged to work together to restore the Garden City status of the state capital.
In his speech, the Supervisor of Market and Community Sanitation in RIWAMA, Mr. Omereji Ukoha, said the collaboration was in line with the vision of the agency’s Managing Director, Dr. Ibimina Wokoma, and the Board Chairman, Dr. Samuel Nwanosike, to promote a cleaner and healthier environment.
Ukoha described the PCRC as a strategic grassroots partner capable of mobilising communities and driving behavioural change through sustained public enlightenment on proper waste disposal.
He expressed concern over the increasing rate of indiscriminate refuse dumping in parts of Port Harcourt, particularly in New GRA, where blocked drainage channels and illegal shanties have continued to contribute to flooding and environmental degradation.
According to him, the agency is determined to intensify enforcement against environmental offenders, warning that unregistered cart pushers and residents who patronise them would be prosecuted in accordance with the provisions of the RIWAMA Act, 2014.
The RIWAMA official urged residents to embrace proper waste disposal practices and patronise only government-approved waste operators in order to safeguard public health and protect the environment.
Responding, the Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee in Rivers State, Dr. Voke Emore, commended RIWAMA for seeking collaboration with the committee in addressing environmental challenges confronting the state.
Emore said the PCRC would deploy its community-based structures across the state to support public sensitisation and encourage residents to comply with environmental sanitation regulations.
He also called on local government councils to play more active roles in waste management, noting that they collect sanitation levies and should complement the efforts of the state government in maintaining a clean environment.
The PCRC chairman described indiscriminate refuse disposal as a serious environmental and public health concern, stressing that sustained collaboration among government agencies, community leaders and residents remained critical to achieving lasting sanitation goals.
Both organisations expressed optimism that the partnership would promote cleaner communities, reduce environmental hazards and strengthen public participation in efforts to ensure a healthier and more sustainable environment for the people of Rivers State.
King Onunwor
The State Police Command disclosed this in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, ASP Blessing Agabe, in Port Harcourt, recently.
The suspects were arrested during a coordinated operation at Oyigbo, following directives by the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, CP Olugbenga Adewole Adepoju.
Those arrested were Ezekiel Emmanuel, 44, from Benue State; Chukwuma Mbanefor, 51, from Anambra State; Nicholas Diala, 65, from Imo State; Ndubuisi Uwakwe, 49, from Abia State; and Ifeanyi Nwakwo, 51, from Imo State.
The Command said the arrest represented another significant operational success in its ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal networks operating in the State.
According to the Police, preliminary investigation indicated that the suspects were allegedly involved in kidnapping operations within Rivers State.
The suspects, during interrogation, allegedly confessed to their involvement in kidnapping and further admitted participating in several operations carried out in Kom-Kom, Railway, Obeama and Afam communities.
The Command said investigation was ongoing, with efforts intensified to identify and apprehend other members of the suspected syndicate who may be connected with the criminal activities.
The Police boss said the operation reflected the implementation of operational directives and the intelligence-driven policing strategy of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, psc, NPM.
Adepoju reaffirmed the Command’s determination to sustain aggressive intelligence-led operations against kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery and other violent crimes across Rivers State.
He warned kidnappers and other criminal elements operating in the State that there would be no safe haven for them, stressing that the Command would relentlessly pursue, arrest and ensure that those found culpable were brought to justice.
The Commissioner further assured residents of the Command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, urging members of the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies in the fight against crime.
He appealed to residents to provide the Police with credible and timely information capable of assisting security operatives in preventing criminal activities and apprehending suspected criminals.
The Command urged members of the public who may have useful information on the activities of the suspected kidnapping syndicate or other criminal elements to contact the Police through its emergency lines, assuring that such information would assist ongoing investigations.
King Onunwor
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