Police arrest bandit’s commander, rescue 60 yrs old woman

Juliana Francis

The Police have rescued a 60 years old woman, identified as Hajiya Inno, from the clutches of suspected bandits in Zamfara State.

In the process of rescuing her, the Zamfara Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), a Superintendent of Police (SP), Muhammed Shehu, stated that eight suspects were arrested, including a commander of a bandit group. The commander has been named, Bello Turji.

Shehu said: “Sequel to the report received by the Police on the abduction of 60 years old   Hajiya Inno by suspected bandits on 21^st March 2022, operatives commenced an extensive search and rescue operation, which lead to the arrest of eight suspects, including one of the commanders to a notorious bandit kingpin, Bello Turji in connection with the case. The suspects and their collaborators have been terrorising Gummi and its environs. They are currently in Police custody undergoing discreet investigation aimed at apprehending other gang members to face the full wrath of the law. The rescued victim had since been reunited with her family after medical check and debriefing.”

How lady was killed, dismembered, burnt over inheritance

Juliana Francis

The National Human Rights Commission, (NHRC), Ebonyi State, has called on the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, to fish out the killers of 32-years-old Nnennaya Onu, who was allegedly killed, dismembered, and then burnt over inheritance quarrel in Onicha Igbeze of Onicha Local Government Area of the state.

Our reporter gathered that the incident had been brought to the attention of the police since February, but to date, they were yet to launch an investigation, let alone to make an arrest.

According to reports, Onu was killed, dismembered, burnt, and then her killers forbade anyone in the community from speaking of it, and also warned that nobody should share pictures of her burnt remains on social media. The deceased was alleged to have been killed over her late father’s property.

Sources further revealed that her legs were chopped off and that her only crime was in having the effrontery to repeatedly demand that she should inherit her late father’s property, which the killers didn’t agree with because she was a woman.

Our reporter further learned that the officials of the NHRC got wind of the gruesome murder and had since written a petition to the State’s Commissioner of Police, calling for an investigation of the matter and arrest of her killers.

However, another source told our reporter on Saturday night, 26^th March, that the Police in the state had finally vowed now to leave no stone unturned in its search for the killers of Onu.

Meanwhile, there were allegations that she was killed by her cousins.

A source said: “She was dismembered and burnt. She was murdered in cold blood, her leg chopped off and she was burnt beyond recognition. All these happened behind her father's house at Onicha Igbeze of Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. Her offense is that she insisted on demanding her father’s inheritance as a woman. She was not married but lived in her late father's house at Onicha Igbeze. Her only brother died years ago under mysterious circumstances according to the old mother. She has a surviving sister who is married.

“Her old grieving mother points at her cousins as the suspects of this atrocity due to their numerous threats to her life before she was eventually murdered, dismembered, and burnt. Her killers forbade people in the village from talking about the incident and nobody must share photos of her burnt carcass either on social media or otherwise. NHRC Ebonyi State office has officially written to the Ebonyi State Commissioner of police since February when the complaint was received for necessary action on this matter. But as at this time of reporting, the police are yet to investigate or make any arrest on the matter. Her poor mother wants justice but has no money to sponsor police investigations.”