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High Court Sentences Three Kidnappers To Death By Hanging In Rivers

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A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has convicted and sentenced three men on charges of kidnapping.

Just three of the four individuals who were accused with the kidnapping of the late Chief Abbot Ogbobula in June 2017 were found guilty; the fourth was released from custody after being found not guilty.

The late Chief Abbot Ogbobula was the victim of four allegations of conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, plot to murder, and murder. Boma Thompson, Emelike Mathias, and Daniel Thankgod were found guilty on all four counts.

Justice Monina Danagogo presided over the case which held on Thursday.

Speaking to Channels Television, counsel to Goodnews Nwoka (fourth suspect), Augustine Ojekudo, said of his client, “he is very very happy, he was only trying to help and that got him into trouble. He was the CSO of the LGA and even arrested the 1st defendant who he handed over to the police but somehow, he was arrested.”

Speaking further the senior lawyer said, “This has convinced me that the courts are indeed the last hope of the common man and are indeed capable of dispensing justice.”

In June 2017, late Chief Ogbobula was kidnapped in Ahoada and taken by his abductors to Manikin Bush in Degema LGA where he was held hostage and died eventually in the hands of his abductors.

He was buried in a shallow grave in the said bush but his body was later exhumed in the course of a police investigation of the case. Four persons were charged to court in a four-count charge of conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, conspiracy to murder and murder the Late Chief Abbot Ogbobula.

In respect of count one (conspiracy to kidnap), the 1st, 2nd and 4th Defendants were convicted and sentenced to seven years imprisonment with no option of fine.

In respect of count two (kidnapping of Late Chief Abbot Ogbobula), the 1st, 2nd and 4th Defendants were convicted and sentenced to death by hanging.

In respect of count three (conspiracy to murder Late Chief Abbot Ogbobula) the 1st, 2nd and 4th defendants were convicted and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with no option of fine.

In respect of count four (murder of Chief Abbot Ogbobula), the 1st,2nd and 4th Defendants were convicted and sentenced to death by hanging or by lethal injection.

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Inside Jigawa: One Dead, Groom Hospitalised As Bride Allegedly Poisons Wedding Guests

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A wedding in Jigawa State has turned tragic after a bride allegedly poisoned food served at the reception.

The incident reportedly left the groom critically ill and one of the wedding guests dead.

The incident occurred in the Jahun Local Government Area of the state.

Eyewitnesses suggested that the bride’s actions may have been driven by a personal vendetta.

Speaking on Friday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Shi’isu Adam, confirmed the incident and stated that an investigation was underway.

“We received a report that the bride had tainted the food served at the wedding reception, leaving the groom critically ill.

“Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the alleged food poisoning incident that occurred during a wedding ceremony in the state,” Adam said.

He revealed that the two suspects are the bride and another female, adding that they are in custody and being interrogated by the Criminal Investigation Department of the command.

The police spokesperson added, “We will do everything in our power to ensure that justice is served.”

According to the police spokesman, all the wedding attendants who consumed the poisoned food have been discharged from the hospital, except for the one person who was confirmed dead.

“The command is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, and we will provide more details as soon as possible.

“For now, we can confirm that the incident occurred, and we are working tirelessly to unravel the facts. We urge the public to remain calm and assured that justice will be served,” he concluded.

The identities of the deceased, the groom, and other victims have not been disclosed by the authorities.

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Peter Obi Hellbent On Inciting Nigerians Against President Tinubu, He’s A Doomsayer — APC

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described Peter Obi’s New Year message as “misleading and an attempt to score cheap political points.”

Obi, who was the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, used his New Year message to criticize President Bola Tinubu, expressing grave concerns over institutional corruption, mismanagement, poverty, hardship, and an escalating debt profile.

The former governor of Anambra stated that corruption has been deeply entrenched in government and nepotism has become the norm under Tinubu’s leadership.

He also demanded “vigorous, positive actions” from the administration to bring succour to Nigerians.

However, in a counter-statement on Thursday, Felix Morka, APC spokesperson, stated that Obi’s assessment contradicted all indicators showing that the nation’s economy is rebounding across various sectors.

Morka accused Obi and members of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of relentlessly trying to incite public outrage against the Tinubu administration.

The APC further accused Obi of portraying himself as “a leading doomsayer, omniscient and philosopher’s stone” while failing to deliver “meaningful achievements during his eight-year tenure as governor in Anambra state.”

“In reality, 18 months later, the economy, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has shown a steady record of progress,” the statement reads.

“Despite these and other initial beneficial outcomes of ongoing reforms, the administration is doubling its effort to ensure their fullest benefits for the transformation of our country.

“It is a thing of irony that Obi, who now arrogates to himself to be omniscient and philosopher’s stone, when it comes to our nation’s challenges, left no record of significant achievement, let alone transformation of any kind, in his eight-year tenure as Governor of Anambra State.”

“Like his co-travellers in the PDP, Obi’s obsessive pessimism and endless but futile effort to incite public outrage against the administration is borne out of the realization that Tinubu is unwittingly cementing their political irrelevance by his visionary and full-throttle reform.”

“Under the banner of the Renewed Hope Agenda, President Tinubu is dutifully turning our nation’s fortunes around. We urge Nigerians to remain confident of better days ahead.”

The ruling party added that Tinubu’s goal is to reduce inflation from 34 percent to 15 percent in 2025.

“With the vigour in the administration’s war on corruption, evidenced by ongoing investigations and trial of well-heeled Nigerians, Obi’s pontification on the urgent need to tame corruption is a clear case of carrying coal to Newcastle,” the party added.

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Five Arrested As Police Bust Female-Led ‘Phone-snatching Syndicate’ In Kano

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The Kano state police command has announced the arrest of members of a female-led phone-snatching syndicate operating within the Kano metropolis.

In a statement released on Thursday by Haruna Kiyawa, the police spokesperson in Kano, five members of the group, including its leader, 19-year-old Shamsiyya Adamu, were apprehended.

Kiyawa stated that Adamu was arrested on December 21, 2024, following reports of stolen mobile phones in Unguwa Uku Quarters, Kano.

He named the other suspects as “23-year-old Idris Yusuf, a tricycle rider who aided in transporting the principal suspect to commit crimes; Al’asan Dahiru, 24, who specialised in disposing of stolen items for the principal suspect; Abdulmajid Haruna, 27, who was buying stolen properties; and Salim Auwalu, 21, who was in charge of swindling money from victims’ bank accounts.”

“In the year 2024, the Kano State Police Command received numerous reports from residents of Kano Metropolis about a young lady who steals mobile phones from residential houses,” the statement reads.

“The reports indicated that the suspect was using a tricyclist and a cybercriminal to aid in her operations. The State Commissioner of Police, CP Salman Dogo Garba, raised a special intervention squad, and the principal suspect was arrested on December 21, 2024.

“The syndicate, led by Shamsiyya, specialised in stealing mobile phones from residential houses, using a tricyclist and a cybercriminal to aid in their operations. The suspects would deceive housewives, steal their mobile phones, and swindle money from their victims’ bank accounts.”

“Six mobile phones have been recovered so far, and efforts are ongoing to recover more stolen phones. Thirty complainants, including 29 females and 1 male, have lodged complaints against Shamsiyya, who confessed to stealing their mobile phones on various occasions in 2024.

“Anyone with a complaint against the suspects can contact the investigation team at 08032617800.”

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