Alleged killing of youth by soldier on Valentine day sparked protest in Osun

There was apprehension in the ancient city of Ede, Osun State, on Monday, as heavily armed youths of the town moved round major streets to protest against the alleged killing of an indigene by a soldier on Valentine day.
Residences, shops and other commercial entities in the town were under lock and key when the demonstration was ongoing while students in public and private schools were restricted to their classrooms to safeguard them from being caught up in the web of protest.
Our correspondent gathered that most of the residents of Stadium area, Oja Oba and other major areas in the heart of the town also vacated their houses for fear of being attacked by the protesters.
As a result of the development, policemen and soldiers were reportedly patrolling the town, with Armed Personnel Carrier (APC) vehicle, thus creating fear among the residents of Ede.
Credible source informed the Nigerian Tribune that the angered youths threatened to revenge the killing of one Ismaila Adekola who was allegedly killed by a soldier about 8.30pm while relaxing at a pub located around Stadium area of the town last week Friday.
The suspected soldier had since been arrested and detained by the police at the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Osogbo.
The irate youths had, on Saturday night, set the restaurant where the soldier killed Adekola ablaze and also vandalised the property of the owner of the restaurant, Mrs Bilikisu Ajani, at her family house in Olukoyi compound of the town.
Investigation indicated that the owner of the restaurant and two of his children were instrumental to the discovery of the soldier and his subsequent arrest by the police.
One of the children of the owner of the restaurant, Gafar Ajani, who had fled the town for fear of attack by the protesting youths, told the Nigerian Tribune from his hideout that “the case has gone beyond normal and I don’t know why we should suffer for an offence we never committed.”
TRIBUNE

Boko Haram: Northern govs worried, call for more troops

Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF), on Monday, said the incessant attacks by the Boko Haram sect has gone beyond the traditional pattern of their attacks.
Chairman of the forum, Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger, expressed the concern, when he spoke to newsmen on the agenda of the one-day general meeting held in Kaduna.
“The situation has gone beyond the normal pattern that we gave to Boko Haram and I think we need to really appreciate the gravity of the situation,” he stressed.
Aliyu decried the spate of attacks in the northern region, particularly in Borno and other North-Eastern states, stressing the need for the Federal Government to take measures to curtail it.
“But it appears that we are becoming a little callous that we don’t seem to care much about what is happening. We must continue to encourage the Federal Government to really do what it is supposed to do,” he said.
The forum also urged the Federal Government to deploy more troops to the North-East to contain the upsurge in attacks by insurgents.
In a communique issued at the end of their meeting in Kaduna, Governor Aliyu, who read out the resolution to newsmen, said the security situation in the North-East was assuming a worrying dimension.
“The forum called on the Federal Government to deploy more security personnel with superior military equipment, as well as adopt measures to boost their morale, to enable them to effectively fight the insurgents and other threats to security in the region.
“The forum called on the government to secure the country’s porous borders, by restricting trans-border movements, providing adequate funding, as well as implementing all past security reports in the country,” he said.
The governors resolved to adopt common approach towards combating insurgency in the region.
This, he said, would be done by “downplaying political differences and working towards a common goal; improving on intelligence gathering and vigorously pursuing employment and youth empowerment programmes to take idle youths off our streets.”
The governor stressed the need for the region to create a position and engender the political will that would address issues affecting the region.
“And we must take a position. If it is lack of political will on our part, we must create that political will so that from our own end, it transcends to the Federal Government and to the people of Nigeria,” he added.
According to him, the forum would also discuss ways to coordinate and regulate the operation of cattle dealers, cattle traders and abattoir operation, as well as agriculture and activities of nomadic herdsmen.
The northern governors also expressed concern over the inability of the New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC) to actualise its mission and vision.
It challenged the company to address critical issues affecting the North, “particularly human capital deficit, economic regeneration and infrastructure deficit”.
The governors also resolved to nominate the “best of brains from the North” to represent it at the forthcoming national conference.
It commended the effort of the Kano State government for banning street begging and urged other states to adopt the measure.
The communique called on the Federal Government to compensate families of security personnel killed in the Ombatse crisis in Nasarawa State.
Governors at the meeting included those of Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Benue and Zamfara, while deputy governors of Jigawa, Kogi, Gombe and Katsina represented their bosses.
TRIBUNE

ATM ROBBERY: I USED MY N300, 000 TO PAY RENT, GIVE TO MY FAMILY

Tallest

Juliana Francis
Forty-year-old Tairu Kareem alias Tallest, has been described by
policemen as the 'engine of the gang.' He is the person who knows how
to use gas cylinders and blasts open the ATM doors.
Without him, every robbery operation would be exercise in futility.
The first N300, 000 he made, he gave almost every dim to his family
members, except to pay his house rent.
According to him, it doesn't usually take more than 40m minutes to
blast open doors of ATM. Although he had earlier told the police that
it usually takes him 10 minutes.
He said that he joined the gang after his shop where he doing welder
was demolished and the land used to build residential houses. Life
became pretty difficult, until he met a friend, Jonathan Nsirim, who
led him to the gang.
He said: "The first operation I went with them was at First Bank. The
second was Access bank, but we got nothing at Access bank. I got N300,
000 from the First Bank operation. I was arrested through my
girlfriend. I was in my house, in my bathroom, bathing when the
policemen entered. I saw my girlfriend with the police and knew
immediately she has sold me out."

ATM robberies: Pastor uses bible to tell why he joined

Juliana Francis
Pastor Isaiah Willie, 41, is one of the pastors who used to stand at
the holy podium at the 'Happy People Bible Church 'Ayobo, Lagos State,
to preach about fire and brimstones to members of his congregation.
Yet under the cover of darkness, Pastor Willie will remove his holy
cassock to join the band of ATM robbery gang to break open ATM and
cart away money.
Stating his reason for joining the gang, he said: "Go and read Matt
26: 41. It says: 'The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.'
Temptation always comes. At my age, I should not be in this sort of
thing. I have a cab that I even used to manage. I have already
belittled myself by getting involved in this mess. My experience since
I was arrested has taught me that one should be contented with what
one has."
He confessed that he had followed the gang to two operations, adding
that he became involved after they asked to use his cab.
"Their car was faulty and they had to hire mine. It was my town's man,
Confidence Saviour who introduced me to the gang. He used to drive
their car for them, but it developed fault. That was how he linked me
to them. Yes, I knew they were robbers."
He vividly recalled the attack on a woman at Christ Embassy.   He
said: "There was a robbery they went at Christ Embassy. They gave me
N400, 000 but I didn't go with them. It happened that a guy called
Richard and one dismissed mobile policeman went and got the deal about
the robbery. Richard later told me about the deal. We went to Alade
Market area, where we met with a lady and a bank manager.
"The lady is the girl friend to the bank manager. She told us that she
was working with one woman who goes about with dollars. She told us
that the woman used to go to Central bank and get dollars, to give to
Christ Embassy that they were into money laundry. She asked if we
could intercept the woman and the money.
"I now told Confidence Saviour. They traced the woman from Lagos
Island down to Christ Embassy. I don't how much they collected from
the woman, but they gave me N400, 000."

Fake practicing medical doctor for 34 years, held for ATM robbery

DOCTOR

Juliana Francis
Sixty-five-year-old Doctor Tajudeen Dosunmu is one of the robbers
arrested for attacking and breaking into ATM at banking premises.
It appeared that Dosunmu had been living a lie all his life. For more
than 10 years, he worked in General hospital as a practicing medical
doctor. He worked with forged medical certificate.
The suspect had been practicing medicine for over 34 years before his
eventual arrest.
Dosunmu was in charge of treating any of the wounded gang members. It
was gathered that he used to go to robbery operations with medicines
and IV drips, just in case any of the robbers got shot.
Dosunmu who had no reason to take to robbery, since he is a
'practicing medical doctor' and has two kids overseas, with one in US
Navy and another in Germany, said: "I have only three wives and eight
children. One of my sons is in US Navy and my daughter is in Germany.
They used to send me money. I don't know what happened to me. But I
believe that some of my family members are after me because of my
father's property. Maybe that's how God wants it. I didn't do this
sort of thing when I was 18-year-old, so how come I'm doing it at this
age? I had already celebrated my 63rd birthday. But I thank God I have
lovely children."
At that point, the suspect broke down in tears.
He further said: "I got my forged certificate to practice as medical
doctor from University of Ife. When I was in 400level, I had some
problems, I dropped out. But my lecturers were able to arrange a
certificate for me. That was in 1980.
"They also arranged that I should go and do my National Youth Service.
I went to serve at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna. It was
a long time ago, but it just cost me only N20, 000 back them to get my
lecturers to arrange all those things for me.
"After my NYSC, I went to LASUTH, to see my father's younger brother
who was working there. He was a medical doctor. He was the one who
made it possible for me to get a job there. I worked there from 1980
to 1996 before I stopped."
After he stopped working there, he went and set up his hospital.
He claimed that he joined the gang because they came to hire his car
for an operation.
His words: "I have followed them to only just two operations. The
first one was a filling station at Iyano-Igberi. They met a brother of
mine and said that they wanted to use my car. There was no security
there. They gave me just N10, 000 for that operation.
"The second operation was at Ayobo, Access Bank. They called me to
assist them carry gas cylinders with my car. I assisted them to carry
the gas cylinders to where they used to hide before they go out for
operation. We were not given any money for the Access bank operation
because it was not successful.
"I believe that if I can escape this, my God will forgive me. My last
wife is presently pregnant. None of my wives or children knew I was
into this sort of lifestyle."

AFTER SERIES OF ATTACKS ON ATM, SUSPECT SAYS, 'I'M NOW A BORN AGAIN'

Nsirim

Jonathan Nsirim was among the seven-man gang
Jonathan Nsirim was among the seven-man gang robbers arrested by the Lagos State Police Command, which specialized in breaking open ATM with gas cylinders to cart away the money.
Speaking with journalists, Nsirim said he was now a born again and was
ready to face the consequences of his action.
Narrating how he became a member of the gang, Nsirim said: "I used to
play music in night clubs. It was there that I met some of the
members. They took me to a man whom they used to call chairman. They
told me that the chairman will assist me with money to buy my musical
instruments. On the second visit to the chairman, they told me that if
I wanted to get money to buy my instrument, I would have to go and rob
with them."
Nsirim desperate need to have his own band took preeminence over his
sense of right and he went with the gang to attack an ATM. He said he
was given N250, 000 the first time. Apparently, that was not enough to
buy the musical instruments because Nsirim went again the second time,
where he was given N350, 000.
He further said: "When the gang took me to the chairman, they told me
they were robbers and what they wanted me to be doing in the gang. I
knew if I had refused, they would have killed me. I had to play ball
with them."
After the fateful failed Access Bank operation, he went underground.
He was later arrested through his girlfriend. "What they asked me to
be doing is to carry the gas cylinders for them. On the day we went
for the Access bank robbery, I was told to keep out of sight. I
suddenly heard gunshots and started calling   Eyo Bassey, who we used
to call the General. I asked him what the gunshots were all about. He
said I should not worry. It was later I heard they killed three
policemen."

NDLEA finds heroin on praying rugs

The exhibits.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has found five kilogrammes of high grade heroin at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The drug was said to have been stuck on some praying rugs imported from Pakistan.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the discovery was made during the inward screening of cargoes on Qatar Airline flight.

NDLEA Airport commander, Mr. Hamza Umar, said the examination of the consignment was witnessed by other security agents.

He said, “The consignment was given 100 per cent physical examination in the presence of customs officials and other security agents. During the search, we found 35 sachets of brown powdery substance that tested positive for heroin concealed inside praying rugs.

“Also, a 29-year-old man, Uchenna Osigwe, was arrested for ingesting nine wraps of methamphetamine weighing 400 grammes. He tested positive for drug ingestion. The total value of both drugs is N45m.”

Osigwe, however, said, “This is my first time of smuggling drugs. I feel sad because my pastor had warned me against crime.”

NDLEA Chairman, Mr. Ahmadu Giade, said, “Nigeria is winning the anti-narcotic crusade against all odds. Drug cartels only abandon their drugs when the operating environment is too hot for them.”

PUNCH