Boko Haram, designated by the US as a 'terrorist' organisation, has been fighting since 2009 to establish sharia law in all 36 states of Nigeria, which is roughly equally divided between a mainly Christian south and a largely Muslim north.
No fewer than four people were seriously injured on Tuesday in an accident involving two vehicles on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos State.
An official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said among the injured was an expatriate, who “broke his spinal cord and a pedestrian, who was drenched in blood”.
It was learnt that one of the vehicles, a Pathfinder, had a brake failure and rammed into a pole, snapping it into two in the process.
The second vehicle, a Honda, reportedly somersaulted several times before crashing into the Pathfinder.
The LASTMA official said, “The accident happened around 12 noon at Y junction. It involved two vehicles ─ a Pathfinder and a Honda.
“One of the vehicles lost its brake and crashed into a pole. The concrete pole broke into pieces.
Then the second vehicle, while trying to manoeuvre, tumbled and somersaulted several times.
“Four people were seriously injured. A man passing by was hit and was soaked in blood, while an expatriate, who was in one of the jeeps, broke his spinal cord. He had to be supported into another vehicle.”
Our correspondent gathered that a crowd of sympathisers almost beat up LASTMA officials and other emergency workers, who were at the scene, for the unavailability of the Lagos State Ambulance Service to take the victims to a hospital.
A Good Samaritan was said to have stopped his commercial bus and asked his passengers to alight, so that he could convey the victims to a nearby hospital.
Our correspondent also learnt that one of the relatives of the victims, a military officer, brought his vehicle to assist in the rescue.
Policemen from the Makinde division were said to have arrived at the scene to assist in controlling the crowd around the scene.
The spokesperson for LASTMA, Mrs. Bola Ajao, confirmed the incident.
She warned that motorists should reduce their speed to avoid a recurrence of the incident.
“The crash was avoidable. Lagosians need to learn patience.
“We don’t know the fate of those rushed to the hospital because they were seriously injured,” she said.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, said he would call back, but had yet to do so as of press time.
Eight gunmen have ambushed a fuel station manager in the Morogbo area of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
They reportedly stole N6.8m, which was the proceeds from fuel sale for the day.
Our correspondent learnt that the assailants also shot their victim, identified only as Adewale, in the left arm before making away with the money.
The manager was attacked inside his Toyota Camry while taking the money to a bank.
According to the police, Adewale was the manager of De-Sholly Petroleum in the Morogbo area.
It was gathered that the gang, which came on four motorcycles, armed themselves with four locally-made cut-to-size double-barrelled guns.
Our correspondent learnt that a worker in the petrol station, who had been arrested by the police, was the informant for the gang.
The gunmen were said to have converged on a motor park in the Agbara area, where they planned the operation.
They were also said to have driven their motorcycles to a place near the filling station, disguising as commercial motorcyclists.
Our correspondent gathered that when Adewale drove out of the filling station, they waylaid and shot him.
In a bid to escape from his attackers, the manager reportedly knocked down two of the motorcycles and the riders.
But the money, kept in a schoolbag, was eventually snatched by the others who swooped on him.
It was learnt that the matter was reported at the Morogbo Police Division before it was transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
Our correspondent gathered that two suspected members of the gang, Ayodele Ogunbiyi and Olalekan Oladipupo, had been arrested by the police.
They were reportedly arrested from their hideout in the Iyana Oba area on Wednesday, April 7.
Ogunbiyi, 30, was invited for the operation by Webo, who he claimed to be the gang’s leader.
Ogunbiyi, who hails from Badagry, Lagos State, added that he got N430,000 as his share and used it for his son’s naming ceremony.
He said, “Webo is a notorious robber.
He was the one who called me on the phone that he had a job for us. He was the one who knew the informant.
“He brought the four guns that we used. When we finished the operation, he took us to a hideout in the Igando area.
He gave me N430, 000.
“I used the money for my child’s naming ceremony.
My wife had put to bed a few days to the time we robbed. It was when I called Webo to borrow some money that he suggested the operation to me.”
Our correspondent learnt that Ogunbiyi, when he learnt that the police were on his trail, fled from home to evade arrest. He was eventually arrested in Iyana Iba.
Oladipupo, 28, from the Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos, said he got N410, 000 from Webo.
He added that he was given a gun and three cartridges for the operation.
He said, “I was one of the two robbers that the manager knocked down. When I stood up, I shot at the windscreen of his car, but not at his body.
“I was the one who took the schoolbag containing the cash and two blackberry phones.”
Our correspondent learnt that the police were intensifying efforts to apprehend other fleeing gang members.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, promised to get back to our correspondent. He, however, had yet to do so as of press time.
There was pandemonium at the Iguodala Primary School in the Uhunduhun Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State after pupils stumbled on a fresh ‘grave’ in one of their classrooms.
The incident was said to have happened shortly after the morning assembly on Monday.
The pupils and their teachers were said to have raised the alarm and raced to the school gate on sighting the ‘grave’ which had blood sprinkled on it.
It was learnt that the Head Teacher, Georginia Ilongwo, calmed the pupils and ordered those in primary 1A, where the ‘grave’ was dug, to move to another classroom.
Ilongwo, who later alerted the Esigie Police Division to the incident, described it as “shocking.”
She said, “After the pupils and teachers raised the alarm, people around trooped into the school premises.
I informed the Odionwere community leaders, the Ministry of Education, the Nigeria Union of Teachers and the Parent-Teacher Association.
All of them advised that we call the police.
“When policemen came, they said they would assess the scene today (Tuesday).
We were all surprised because since I started teaching here, I have never experienced such a thing.”
She added that many parents did not allow their children to attend the school on Tuesday because of the incident.
The grave
When our correspondent visited the school, the ‘grave’ still looked freshly dug. A pair of knickers and a T-shirt were seen on the floor of the classroom.
Some policemen said they suspected that something or someone was buried in the grave.
They added that they kept watch until some cemetery workers from the council came at about 11.40am.
The men were, however, stopped from further digging of the ‘grave’ by some health officials after they dug three feet into the ground.
The officials said there was no sign that a corpse had been buried at the site.
A Deputy Director in the Health and Environment Department of the council, Mr. Sylvester Usoboh, said, “We have removed the earth that was dug and got to the stronger part, an indication that no further digging was done, and nothing was found.
“Maybe the police may investigate further; but we did not find anything.”
The Divisional Police Officer, CSP Akeke Eni, also allayed the fear of the community that the remains of an unknown person could have been buried in the school.
He said, “It is an empty ‘grave’. It was initially suspected to contain something, but we have discovered that there is nothing inside.”
Some residents of the community, however, called on the government to recontruct the school, which they said had become a hideout for hoodlums for years.
Kenyan authorities said Tuesday security has been beefed up along the restive Turkana- Pokot border in northwest region after raiders killed 46 people and left several others wounded.
Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Osman Warfa who confirmed the deaths said the incident took place on Monday after a raid by bandits believed to be from Turkana on a village in Nadome area on the Turkana-East Pokot border.
Shoki Dancing In The Studio For Oga Madam Office with Emeka (left), ZAccheus (centre) and Ogbolor. Oga Madam Office na Wazobia program with Igos, Lolo and Cheche
The grave
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