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Eight in police custody amid search for abducted UNICAL professor

Published

8 months ago

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Eight suspects are currently in police custody over the abduction of Ekanem Phillip-Ephraim, a professor at the University of Calabar (UNICAL).

Ekanem, a professor of medicine, was abducted by gunmen at her private hospital in Atimbo, Calabar on July 13.

The academic has since been in captivity for over eight weeks as the state police continue its search for her.

Irene Ugbo, the police spokesperson in Cross River, confirmed to newsmen on Monday that a total of eight suspects are being arraigned in court over their involvement in the abduction.

She said the suspects were arrested at various locations and at different times over the past weeks.

“We arrested about eight suspects who were charged to court on Friday last week. They have been charged with conspiracy and other offences. We are still trying to trace the professor,” Ugbo, a superintendent of police, said.

“One of the suspects who led us to the seven others who were arrested said the last time he saw the woman was on a particular day before she was transported to the other side of a river.

“The landlord of the house where she was kept was arrested. A spiritualist was also arrested. A boatman who conveyed the abductors was also arrested. He was the last person who saw the professor.

“He says before he returned from where he went, the professor had already been transported again.

“They took her across the river, the state is surrounded by rivers. We are still on the case. The suspects have been charged and remanded. By the 25th, they will be appearing in court again.”

Ugbo said the suspects gave useful intel that will help the police in its quest to rescue the abducted academic.

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Crime

NDLEA arrests 80, convicts 12 drug dealers, seizes 3,000kg drugs in FCT

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21 hours ago

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May 15, 2024 12:39 pm

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested over 80 suspected drug dealers with over 3,000kg of drugs in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between January and March.

Kabir Tsukuwa, Commander of Narcotics (CN), NDLEA, FCT Command, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

Tsakuwa said that over 50 suspects had been prosecuted adding that out of the number, 12 had been convicted and sentenced to different jail terms. He said that the command had been going after the drug peddlers and the records were there to show from the arrest and seizure over the years.

“If not for the continuous effort of the agency and the command in particular, the drug situation in FCT and even the entire country would have been worst,” he said.

The NDLEA commander said that the current situation of drug abuse in the FCT was not a peculiar one as it was same world over. Tsakuwa said that drug abuse was a major concern to all countries of the world.

He said that all regional and global bodies like ECOWAS, EU and UNODC were advocating for global concerted efforts to deal with the challenge of drug trafficking and abuse. He said: “the drug situation varies from countries to countries, states to states and even localities.”

According to him, the command has maintained consistent raids of drug joints within the FCT, even though, that cannot be said to have been dismantled completely but it is a continuous process.

“There is no society that is crime free, not even the developed world.

“In 2023 alone, we arrested over 500 suspects with over 7,000kg of assorted drug seizure and conviction of over 200 offenders.”

Tsakuwa said that the issue of drug abuse was serious, adding that Nigerians must join in the continuous fight against the drug menace. He emphasised that there was a strong nexus between drug abuse and other criminalities like kidnapping, insurgency, theft, armed robbery among others.

“When drug abuse and trafficking is dealt with, the rise in other criminalities will certainly drop.

“Although, we have had cases where we carry out operations of drug joints, but the next minute, they are back again.

“Be that as it may, we shall continue to give in our best to ensure sustainable action in our efforts.

“We shall not rest until we achieve our desired goal of drug free environment in the Federal Capital,” he added.

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Crime

Police arrests man strapped with bomb in Plateau bank

Published

2 days ago

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May 14, 2024 4:04 pm

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Security operatives have apprehended a man strapped with Person Borne Improvised Explosive Device (SPBIED) inside a bank in Plateau.

Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, said the man was nabbed at a bank in Dadin Kowa town in Jos South LGA of the state.

The publication said the incident occurred on May 13.

Intelligence sources told Makama that the man planned to detonate the explosives at the bank but was spotted by a vigilante operative who raised the alarm.

The publication said after the suspect was apprehended, an angry mob surrounded him and insisted he should be killed.

Makama could not confirm if the suspect is connected to the fighters of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).

The publication added that the suspect is in the custody of the police and currently undergoing investigation.

Nigeria has been battling insurgency for two decades, with suicide bombings, displacement of entire communities and kidnapping for ransom by the terrorists, recorded in that span.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said about 83 children — mostly girls — were used as human bombs in 2017 alone.

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Crime

‘Big head, wide mouth, tribal marks’ — police describe blogger declared wanted for murder

Published

3 days ago

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May 13, 2024 8:23 am

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The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has declared one Dorcas Adeyinka wanted in connection with alleged murder.

The police also alleged that the suspect is linked with cyber-stalking, abduction, murder, injurious falsehood, threat to life and extortion.

In a poster on X, the police described the suspect as 1.64m tall.

The force highlighted other attributes of the suspects, including “big chin, full lip, wide mouth, and a large head” size.

The police said the suspect hails from Ekiti state but lives in the UK and frequently visited places including Ikeja, Fagba, Ogudu, and Sango.

‘HILARIOUS DESCRIPTION’

The description of the suspect has sparked reactions on social media.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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