News
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Saturday challenged Nigerian youths to compete with elders for elective offices in 2023, including the office of the President, instead of seeking to deny the old ones the constitutional rights to pursue their Presidential ambition.
Atiku who was the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP) in 2019, hinted that the electoral field is also opened to the younger one to "compete," however, expressed the confidence that he will get the PDP ticket for 2023 Presidential race.
The Waziri Adamawa spoke while fileding questions from reporters after a closed door meeting with his ex - boss, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in his Penthouse within the sprawling Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
The ex - Vice President who arrived OOPL at 10.10a.m. went into a private meeting with his host, saying 'I came to see my boss.'
He was silent on what he discussed with Obasanjo during the about an hour long meeting.
"I came to meet my boss. We will let you know when I declared, we will give a formal announcement.
Have I ever failed to get the ticket?
Let the youths compete with the elders. It is competition. It is democracy," Atiku said.
Atiku later proceeded to the palace of Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, in Ake, Abeokuta where he recalled his stint in Ogun State as a trained Customs Officer.
Although, Atiku did not disclose his political ambition at the palace of Alake but the revered monarch prayed that God will grant him his heart desires.
One day after armed robbers raided five banks in Uromi, headquarters of Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, carting away huge sums of money in sacks, a total of N34 million has reportedly been recovered.
Bello Kotongs, Police Public relations Officer in Edo, confirmed this on Friday night.
He said the money was currently in custody of the police.
Armed gang broke into Zenith, UBA, Unity, First and Union Banks in the community, gunning down seven person, including two security personnel.
While escaping through Ubiaja axis of a neighbouring LGA after the operation, the robbers were said to have abandoned the vehicles and motorcycles used for the operation in the bush.
Some youths were said to have blocked the road which forced the robbers to abandon the items recovered by the police.
Bello said the police did the recovery in collaboration with the local vigilante.
He said on receiving the information that some vehicles suspected to have been used by the robbers were abandoned at Oruen Quaters Bush of Ubiaja in Esan South East Local Government of the State, they mobilised to the scene.
“The police recovered two small bags containing women Items, one Union Bank ATM card and Thirty four million, five hundred and ten thousand Naira cash ( #34,510,000.00).
“Other recovered items were One Red Colour Camry car with Reg.No. EZA 105 KJA, One ash Colour Camry Car with Reg. No. KWL 19 DU, One Dark Ash colour corolla car with Reg. No. UBJ 734 SZ, One Lexus 330 car with Reg. No. AAA 973 FL, One Red Q. Link M/CYCLE With Reg. No. EZA 105 QN, One Red Day Long M/Cycle With Reg. No. ENU 204 QL, used for the operation.”
Daily Trust
Federal Government on Friday said there can be no evacuation of Nigerians in Ukraine until the airports in the European country, which is under attack by Russia, are reopened.
The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, in the early hours of Thursday, had ordered an invasion of Ukraine.
The invasion was marked with shelling and rocket attacks on several Ukrainian major cities, including the capital, Kyiv, leading to dozens of deaths.
The invasion, which has continued, has created widespread panic and seen many fleeing Ukraine.
Countries such as India, South Africa, among others had announced the facilitation of the evacuation of their nationals from Ukraine to neighbouring Poland by setting up offices at the Ukrainian-Polish borders.
According to the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Ministry, there are no fewer than 5,600 Nigerians in Ukraine, majority of who are students.
Ukraine is a choice destination for many Nigerian students, especially those in medical-related fields, because it is cheaper compared with other western countries.
National Association of Nigerian Students in Ukraine had sent out a Save Our Soul message to President Muhammadu Buhari seeking immediate evacuation from Ukraine.
On Friday, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said the Federal Government was concerned about the safety of the 5,600 Nigerians in Ukraine.
“The advice we were getting is that we should not panic. The embassy was in touch with the students telling them to take reasonable precautions,” Onyeama said.
The foreign affairs minister spoke in Abuja after having separate meetings with the Ukrainian ambassador to Nigeria, Kirdoda Valerii, and his Russian counterpart, Alexei Shebarshin.
Onyeama disclosed that during his meeting with the Russian envoy, he discussed the possibility of Nigeria getting her citizens out of Ukraine but the Russian envoy told him there might be risk involved.
According to him, Shebarshin, however, said Russia was mindful of the civilians from foreign countries and would take all the necessary measures to ensure their security.
“He was a lot more sanguine, optimistic that no harm will come to them, but we cannot take any risks,” the minister quoted Shebarshin to have said.
However, Onyeama said he made it clear to the Russian envoy that the Federal Government of Nigeria would not condone the violation of the territorial integrity of a United Nations member state with which Nigeria has diplomatic relations.
Onyema said he told Shebarshin that Nigeria was urging Russia to revert to the status quo before the military action on Ukraine and to prioritise diplomacy and dialogue.
“This is really the position of the government. And also, that we have 5,600 Nigerians in Ukraine and we are very concerned about what we are hearing and what we are seeing, regarding missiles and bombs about the safety of our Nigerian citizens over there, that we would like to be able to evacuate them.
“This would be communicated to his headquarters and that obviously, they consider Nigeria a friendly country and Nigerians; and that they would do nothing to harm Nigerians and assured me that their action is targeted at military installations and that they are not about to start attacking civilian areas and so forth,” Onyeama said.
On his meeting with the Ukrainian envoy, Onyeama said he told Valerii that Nigeria has over 5,000 students and citizens in the country and was very concerned about their safety and welfare.
“And we certainly want the cooperation of the Government of Ukraine to do whatever is possible to ensure their safety and security and to also seek advice as to how the evacuation can be facilitated,” he said.
He quoted the Ukrainian envoy to have said the evacuation of Nigerians in the European country, whose airspace had been shut down following Russia’s invasion, was not possible for now.
Valerii, however, said the Ukrainian government had given safety tips and instructions to residents, adding that there was no discrimination between Ukrainians and foreigners in the safety measures.
Onyeama quoted the Ukrainian envoy to have stated that, “Right now, we are in a very difficult situation, but we are fighting against the aggression and we believe that we will all win.
“Ukrainian Government does not differentiate between people on the basis of their nationality and that is the best effort to protect everybody.
“Currently, the evacuation of Nigerian students is not possible because it is not safe to fly in the sky of Ukraine. As soon as it is safe to fly on the sky of Ukraine, we will join the Embassy of Nigeria in Ukraine and jointly with the Nigerian Government, we will arrange for the evacuation of Nigerian students.”
Valerii expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and people of Nigeria for their support.
Fleeing Nigerian students stranded at Poland border
Nigerians in students fleeing the conflict in Ukraine have been denied access to Poland and are currently stranded at Yarviv, a border town in Ukraine.
It was gathered that Polish immigration officials are demanding that all Nigerians who wish to enter must possess visas and authorisation letters which the students have been unable to provide as the Nigerian embassy in Poland has yet to intervene.
The students had headed for the Polish border due to the shutting of Ukraine’s airspace. However, after being denied access to Poland, many of the students are now considering returning to Kyiv, which is now under attack.
Punch
Ahead of the 2023 elections, a community leader and Stalwart of the Peoples'Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Toyin Amuzu, TA has declared his intention to contest for the position of the House of Representatives, to represent Abeokuta South Federal Constituency at the National Assembly in Abuja.
His intention was officially declared at his political root, in ward 8 Erunbe, Abeokuta where his supporters and party loyalists came out enmasse to embrace him.
Chief Toyin Amuzu said, he is convinced that Nigeria can be better if we all decide to work together and put in worthy people to represent them at various political positions.
He said, "having consulted across boards, with the massive support and encouragement of our people, leaders, family, friends and fans, I am putting myself forward to serve and put the people first while I contest to represent Abeokuta South Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, in Abuja come 2023".
Chief Amuzu, stated that there is call for great concern as the Nation seems to be going backwards, stressing that, "if given the opportunity he will Iegislate to improve on Education, Health, Economic Empowerment, rights of citizens, legal and Social statuses among other needs to improve the lives of the people".
"One major move is to legislate on social security for the people. I will also recommend community services for minor crimes to decongest prisons."
According to him, all these are based on the desire to make meaningful impacts and developmental contributions to both humanity and my constituency as we try to cover the major flanks of Sustainable Development Goals.
The State Treasurer of the PDP, Alhaji Bola Taiwo who was full of praises for Chief Toyin Amuzu encouraged the gathering to go out to register in the on-going Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC registration to be able to get their voters cards.
He said this is the only way by which they can vote in credible candidates like Chief Amuzu who has been doing well for both the people and various communities.
The Chairman of the ward, Mr Segun Sodeinde who could not hide his surprise at the large turn-out of people found it hard controlling the crowd as they continue to sing and dance, to the admiration of those present.
Mr Sodeinde in his words said, Chief Toyin Amuzu is a great ambassador of the ward who has been supporting various communities with genuine intentions to better the lots of the people.
He urged everybody to support Chief Toyin Amuzu who has shown great leadership, selflessness, patriotism and love for the people.
Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos High Court in Ikeja, on Friday, sentenced Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike (alias Evans) and two others Uche Amadi, and Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu to life imprisonment for kidnapping a businessman, Donatus Dunu.
Evans and five other defendants — Uche Amadi, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba— were arraigned in August 2017 for kidnapping Dunu, who is the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd. on February 14, 2017, and collecting 223,000 Euros as ransom from his family.
Delivering judgment in the case, Justice Oshodi held that the prosecution had succeeded in proving the charge against the three convicts beyond a reasonable doubt.
He concluded that the evidence tendered before the court especially the videos evidence collaborated the guilty of the convicts.
Justice Oshodi, however, discharged and acquitted Ogechi Uchechukw and two former soldiers of the Nigerian Army, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba for lack of sufficient evidence linking them to the crime.
He noted the allocutors of the defence counsel Olarewaju Ajanaku and H.O. Ajibola that the convicts are first time offenders, remorseful and learnt their lesson.
But disagreed with the defence lawyers that the convicts have shown remorse.
He held that they are unrepentant and comfortably lied to the court.
The trial judge also noted the submission of thẹ former DPP, Ms Titi Shitta-Bey that in view of the gravity of the offence and that kidnapping has been on the rise, that maximun sentence bẹ imposed to serve as deterrence to others.
Judgement
Justice Oshodi held that the defendants have not shown any remorse going by the video shown in court.
He said: “I believe a lesson must be taught to serve as deterrence to others.
“The Law is the Law. Section 411 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State (ACJL) 2015 must be applied to send the right message to the public that crime does not pay.
“Under the section 411 of the law on which the convicts were arraigned, the penalty for the offence of kidnapping is life imprisonment and the law does not give the court any discretion in the matter.
“I hereby sentenced the three convicts, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, Uche Amadi and Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu to life inprisonment.”
Evans’s counsel, Victor Opara (SAN), while making his final oral submission, in December 21, had asked the court to discharge and acquit him of the two-count charge before it, saying there was no direct evidence linking Evans to the alleged crimes.
But, prosecution counsel, Adebayo Haroun, urged the court to convict the defendants as charged, saying there was circumstantial evidence linking them as well as confessional statements and video recordings of the accused.
Evans and several other alleged accomplices are also facing two charges before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of an Ikeja Special Offences Court and another two charges before Justice Adedayo Akintoye of the High Court in Igbosere.
Lagos State Government on Friday said it had approached the Supreme Court for clarification on the settlement of a judgment delivered by the apex court on the ownership of the Shangisha/Magodo land.
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, in a statement on Friday, said there was a serious division among the judgment creditors, representatives of the Shangisha Landlords Association, as to who had the right to represent the association.
In the statement, titled, ‘Update on settlement of Supreme Court judgment on Shangisha/Magodo,’ Omotoso said following the intervention of the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, officials of the state government and representatives of the association held a series of meetings.
He added that both parties explored the possibility of complying with the court judgment.
Omotoso said, “At the said meetings two issues arose: there was a serious division among the judgment creditors as to who controlled or had the right to represent the association; and the demand by the judgment creditors that a single global Certificate of Occupancy should be issued.
Punch
There is heavy security presence at the secretariat of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun ahead of the party’s primary election today (Saturday).
The security presence may not be unconnected to the clashes that have been recorded in parts of the state over leadership crisis.
There are currently two factions of the APC in Osun — the Ilerioluwa Group is the faction loyal to Gboyega Oyetola, the governor, while The Osun Progressives (TOP) has the backing of Rauf Aregbesola, minister of interior and former governor of the state.
Both factions have been at loggerheads over control of the state chapter of the party.
On Monday, Aregbesola expressed his support for the governorship bid of Moshood Adeoti, a former secretary to the state government (SSG), while Oyetola is seeking reelection.
The Osun governorship election is scheduled to hold on July 16, 2022.
The Cable
Some 17 people died after a fuel tanker and commuter bus collided in Ogun state on Friday, the Federal Road Safety Corps said.
Spokesperson Bisi Kazeem said the crash happened around 5:00 a.m. on Friday and that the number of fatalities may vary.
"There was a head-on collision that resulted in fire," Kazeem told Reuters. "Efforts are ongoing to remove the charred bodies as well as the crashed vehicles."
Nigeria is facing fuel shortages caused by imports of sub-standard petrol. This has angered motorists, who have been spending hours in lines to fill their tanks while some public transport owners have taken advantage to hike fares.
State oil firm NNPC said this week that over 2.3 billion litres of petrol is scheduled for delivery by the end of the month as it struggles to solve the shortages.
Congested roads in Africa's most populous nation are poorly maintained, and riven with gullies and potholes large enough to swallow cars. Accidents are frequent, particularly at night with vehicles poorly-lit, although the death toll is rarely so high.
Reuters
Nigeria’s internet users dipped by 7.99 percent to 141.9 million — as telecoms operators lost 12.3 million data subscribers in 2021.
National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said this in its telecoms data released on Monday.
TheCable had reported how restrictions on sales of SIM cards stifled the telecoms sector in 2021 — coupled with the ongoing national identification number (NIN) and SIM integration exercise.
In 2020, the federal government directed Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to audit the subscriber registration database.
The directive instructed mobile network operators to suspend the sale, registration and activation of new SIM cards.
The controversial policy denied new entrants into the country access to purchase mobile lines while existing users who want to retrieve their lost lines were not allowed access.
It was lifted in April.
According to NBS, a total of 141,971,560 subscribers were active on the internet in the fourth quarter of 2021, as against 154,301,195 in the same period of 2020, representing a 7.99 percent decrease in internet subscriptions year-on-year.
“In Q4 2021, a total of 195,463,898 subscribers were active on voice as against 204,601,313 in Q4 2020. This represents a 4.47 percent decrease in voice subscriptions Year-on-Year. Quarter-on-Quarter growth was 2.42 percent,” the report reads.
“A total of 141,971,560 subscribers were active on the internet as against 154,301,195 in Q4 2020. This represents a 7.99 percent decrease in internet subscriptions Year-on-Year.
“Lagos State had the highest number of subscribers in terms of active voice per state in Q4 2021, followed by Kano State and Ogun State, while Bayelsa and Ebonyi states had the least number of subscribers. However, MTN had the highest share of subscriptions in Q2, Q3, and Q4 2021.”
Checks by TheCable Index showed that internet subscribers in the state dipped by 1.23 million in one year.
In Katsina and Kano states, subscribers also dipped by 1.21 million and 1.15 million year-on-year, respectively. Zamfara (888,817), Sokoto (676,259) and Ogun state (574,727) also recorded declines.
Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, had said the internet subscribers that deserted the telcos within one year are mostly criminals.
“The over 12 million that have dropped are mostly criminals that cannot come out to regularise their numbers,” the minister had said.
The Cable
Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Abba Kyari and four other police officers have been arrested by the Nigerian Police for allegations of tampering with narcotic exhibits, official corruption and sundry unprofessional infractions.
This was disclosed in a statement received by Nigerian Newstrack, indicting officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA and issued by the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
The concerned officers include the suspended Head of the Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari who was earlier declared wanted by the NDLEA over alleged drug links, ACP Sunday Ubuah, ASP Bawa James, ASP John Umoru (at large), Inspr. Simon Agrigba and John Nuhu.
According to the statement, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba has ordered the immediate transfer of the Case to NDLEA, charging the agency to Investigate indicted officers.
The statement reads that, "the Nigeria Police Force has arrested DCP Abba Kyari and four other police officers for their involvement in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy, discreditable, unethical, and unprofessional conduct, official corruption and tampering with exhibits in a case of illicit drug trafficking involving a perpetual transnational drug cartel. The arrest of the officers was sequel to pieces of information received from the leadership of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on 10th February, 2022."
"In line with standard administrative procedure of the Force, the Inspector General of Police ordered a high-level, discreet, and in-house investigation into the allegations. The interim investigations report revealed that two (2) international drug couriers identified as Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus, both males, were arrested at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu on the 19th of January, 2022 upon their arrival from Addis Ababa aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET917. The arrest led to the recovery of substantial quantity of powdery substance suspected to be cocaine from the two narcotic couriers. The operation which was intelligence-driven, was undertaken by a Unit of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT)."
"Although the case and the two suspects were subsequently transferred to the NDLEA on the 25th January, 2022, the findings of the in-house investigation ordered by the Inspector General of Police established reasonable grounds for strong suspicion that the IRT officers involved in the operation could have been involved in some underhand and unprofessional dealings as well as official corruption which compromised ethical standards in their dealings with the suspects and exhibits recovered."
"Beyond this, the Police investigation also established that the international narcotics cartel involved in this case have strong ties with some officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu who are on their payrol. The two arrested drug couriers confirmed that the modus is for the transnational drug barons to conspire with the NDLEA officers on duty and send them their pre-boarding photographs for identification, seamless clearance, and unhindered passage out of the airport with the narcotics being trafficked."
The Nigerian Newstrack in the statement gathered that "the two arrested drug couriers also confirmed that they have been enjoying this relationship with the NDLEA officers at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport since 2021 and had in this instant case of 19th January, 2022, been identified and cleared by the NDLEA officers as customary, having received their pre-departure photographs and other details prior to their arrival in Enugu, and were on their way out with the narcotics when they were apprehended by the Police."
"The Police investigations report also indicted DCP Abba Kyari, who had been on suspension for his alleged involvement in a different fraud case being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), for complicity in the allegation of official corruption, tampering with narcotics exhibit and sundry unprofessional conducts that negate the standard administrative and investigative protocols of the Force as well as extant criminal laws. It is to be emphasised that DCP Abba Kyari’s involvement in these allegation occurred while his suspension from service was subsisting."
"On the strength of the findings of the in-house Police Investigation Panel, the Inspector-General of Police has ordered the immediate arrest and transfer of all the indicted police officers to the NDLEA authorities for conclusive investigation, while appropriate disciplinary actions are also being initiated against them by the Force leadership. They have all been, accordingly, handed over today 14th February, 2022 to the NDLEA authorities."
"In so doing, the Inspector General of Police has also formally requested that the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency should ensure the identification, arrest and investigation of the Agency’s officers who have also been found to be colluding with the international drug cartel involved in this case towards advancing the anti-narcotics agenda of the federal Government."
"The Inspector General of Police assures the public of his administration’s commitment to upholding the tenets and values of policing in line with the agenda of ethical regeneration, restoration of professional standard, enhancement of the anti-corruption drive, respect for the rule of law and inter-agency collaboration in the drive to stabilise the internal security order of the country."
More...
A commercial motorcyclist, identified as Ashimiu Lawal has been shot dead along Leme area of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
The deceased, was found dead in a pool of his blood without his motorcycle.
It was gathered that Lawal was shot by some unknown persons, as his body was discovered at the early hours of Sunday.
According to information gathered, a relative of the deceased, Akintunde Sanni, who confirmed the incident, said the deceased went out to work when he was attacked by his assailants.
Sanni explained that somebody who could identify the deceased, had broken the news to him.
He added that the police had evacuated the corpse on Sunday morning.
“Somebody who knows Ashimiu ran to my house this morning to inform me of the incident. He was shot and his okada was taken away by his killers. We don’t know how or when it happened, but we discovered the body this morning. It is a painful thing. Our brother’s body has been deposited at the morgue by a patrol team of the police,” Sanni said.
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident, saying, “It was a case of armed robbery.”
Oyeyemi added that “the police have commenced investigation to unravel those behind his death.”
Daily post
Barely few weeks when 4 teenagers were arrested burning human head, a 43-year-old Kehinde Oladimeji and his wife, Adejumoke Raji (35 years) have been arrested by the Ogun State police command for being in possession of fresh human parts in Abeokuta.
The couple, who are residents of 72, MKO Abiola way Leme Abeokuta, were arrested on Saturday after a report was lodged at Kemta Police station.
The Baale of Leme community, Chief Moshood Ogunwolu, had reported to the police that one Pastor Adisa Olanrewaju, who is a co-tenant with the couple, informed him of offensive odour oozing out of his neighbour’s room.
Acting on the complaint, the DPO of Kemta division, CSP Adeniyi Adekunle, was said to have led his detectives to the scene.
On searching the room, a plastic bowl containing fresh different parts of human being was discovered in the room, and the couple were promptly arrested, the Ogun State police image maker, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said on Saturday.
“On interrogation, the suspects confessed they were herbalists and that the human parts comprising of hands, breasts and other parts were given to them by one Michael who they claimed resided in Adatan area of Abeokuta. All efforts to locate the said Michael proved abortive as the suspects could not locate his house,” Oyeyemi stated.
He explained that a dismembered body of an unknown person was discovered last week around Leme area of Abeokuta.
However, Oyeyemi explained that it could not confirm yet whether or not the parts is that of the found body.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the homicide section, vowing that anyone who is directly or indirectly involved in the crime would be brought to book.
Recently, three teenagers were arrested for beheading and burning the head of a girl for money ritual.
There was pandemonium in the Enugu State capital on Thursday as gunmen attacked a police checkpoint and killed three policemen.
The hoodlums were also said to have shot a point-of-sale operator in the leg.
While making away with the operator’s money, they reportedly abducted a woman around the area.
The incident, which happened around 1.20pm at a police checkpoint near Ulumalinda Estate, Maryland, in the Enugu South Local Government Area of the state, paralyzed economic activities in the state capital.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that the hoodlums operated for close to 30 minutes without a challenge despite multiple police and military checkpoints around the state capital.
He said, “The hoodlums shot for nearly 30 minutes. About five poles away from the checkpoint they attacked was another police checkpoint. But immediately the shooting started, the policemen fled.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the incident.
He said, “Details are sketchy, but a manhunt has been launched for the attackers.”
Punch
Two policemen and a civilian have been confirmed dead after armed robbers attacked a bullion van conveying money from a bank on Iwo Road to the Idi Ape area of Ibadan, Oyo State.
It was gathered that one of the hoodlums was also killed during a shootout with the police.
The incident happened around 1.35pm on Thursday in the Idi Ape area, where the robbers reportedly waylaid the bullion van.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that the bullion van was heading towards the Gate area of Ibadan when the armed hoodlums, who were in a Toyota Sienna, overtook the van and opened fire on the occupants and the police escorts.
One of the victims reportedly killed was an Okada rider who was oblivious of the mission of the occupants of the Sienna.
The commercial motorcyclist, who was said to be in a hurry, reportedly attempted to overtake the hoodlums’ vehicle when he was shot dead by the robbers.
But some residents also said the escorts engaged the robbers in a shootout, adding that the hoodlums outnumbered the operatives and killed two of them.
Some motorists, who were unlucky to be at the scene, reportedly sustained gunshot injuries.
A man, who was driven in a sport utility vehicle, was said to have been hit by a bullet in the upper arm and was rushed to a hospital after the robbers left.
A resident, who identified himself as Waheed Adegoke, said the robbers carted away huge sums of money from the bullion van.
He said, “The armed robbers attacked a bullion van conveying money from a bank to another one at Idi Ape. It happened at a junction close to the traffic light.
“Some lives were lost, including innocent persons. I saw two policemen on the ground after the armed robbers left. Two of them died and one was seriously wounded. Some persons were also injured in their vehicles and those who managed to escape from their vehicles hid inside the drainage.
“There was blood everywhere and people were weeping, as residents trooped out to rush the victims to hospitals.”
Another resident, who refused to disclose his name, told our correspondent that the incident caused the road to be deserted, as motorists and motorcyclists fled the area.
He said, “I was coming from the Gate area when the incident happened. I had to hide somewhere safe until the shooting was over. Some of us moved to the scene to rescue the victims and some who were still in their vehicles were asked to be driven to hospitals for treatment.
“There were spent bullets on the road and persons were killed. I saw two policemen on the ground shot and they had apparently died.”
He added that some policemen from the area command at Testing Ground, Iwo Road, about one kilometre from the scene, later arrived.
Some videos obtained by our correspondent showed vehicles that were shot with shattered windscreens; there were bullets and blood on the road.
Some injured victims were also seen, including two policemen who were later picked by sympathisers and taken to a hospital.
The state Commissioner of Police, Ngozi Onadeko, while speaking to journalists after the incident, described the attack as a coordinated one.
Later, the CP, in a statement made available to our correspondent, confirmed that three persons, including two policemen, were killed.
Onadeko said, “Today, Thursday, February 10, 2022, around 1.45pm, a group of masked armed robbers about 10 in number, trailed, targeted and attacked a bullion van around the traffic light area, Idi-Ape Junction, Agodi, Ibadan.
“The armed robbers engaged the police officers escorting the bullion van and in the process, an undisclosed amount of money was carted away.
“In a swift response, the police equally neutralised one of the armed robbers, while some were believed to have escaped with multiple gunshot injuries.
“Consequently, a civilian onlooker was hit by a stray bullet and died at the scene, while two police officers later died in the hospital as a result of gunshot injuries. Four others, including two police officers, are responding to treatment.
“The citizenry are hereby enjoined not to panic as efforts are in top gear to track down and apprehend the criminal gang.”
Punch