Militants agree on ceasefire, hostages to be freed soon
WARRI—Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND) and the Niger-Delta Freedom Fighters (NDDF), aka Egbema One, which clashed in the creek, Sunday, following an audacious attempt by the MEND to rescue the four American hostages, kidnapped by the latter since May 8, precisely 22 days ago, have reportedly agreed on a ceasefire, raising hope, yesterday, that the foreign oil workers would be released before long.
Vanguard gathered that members of the NDDF held a meeting on the development in their camp but a top member of the group, who spoke to our reporter said: “We have not handed them over yet, they are still with us, but, there is a pointer that we will hand them over soon”.
How soon? Vanguard asked. His reply, “I don’t know now because we are still discussing but there is hope that they will soon be released”.
It was reliably learnt that some powerful Ijaw leaders prevailed on the leaders of both militant groups to sheathe their swords. Five members of the NDDF were captured by MEND operatives who took the battle to the den of the Egbema One.
Before the cheering news, yesterday, on the cessation of hostilities between the two groups, there were conflicting reports on the fate of the four kidnapped American oil workers, as an account said the NDDF had changed its base and moved the hostages to a different location to prevent the MEND from having access to them, while the other had it that the hostages were not relocated and that the Egbema One was still in their location in the swampy forest.
In deed, a source told Vanguard, early yesterday, that the NDDF had relocated the hostages and that it was not possible to contact them on the latest development.
However, Vanguard confirmed from an NDDF source, at about 2.30 pm, that the four hostages: Chris Gay, Mike Roussel, Larry Plake and Kevin Faller, all workers of Global Industries, a servicing company to the American multinational oil company, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), were kidnapped, May 8, precisely, 22 days ago, purportedly to compel the CNL to enter into an agreement with the militia on the company’s development package for the Ijaw people of Egbema Kingdom in Warri North local government area of Delta state were not relocated, that they were still very much alive and in the camp.
15 killed in inauguration shootout
One Prince Igodo, alleged to be the arrow-head of the criminal gang responsible for most of recent abductions in Rivers State, was among 15 members of the De Bam cult group killed in a shootout on Tuesday in Tombia, Degema Local Government Area of the state.
Reports had it that another cult group, known as the Outlaws, led by one Soboma George, received reports that Igodo and his boys were mobilising to disrupt the swearing-in ceremony of the new Rivers State governor in Port Harcourt and they stormed their Tombia hideout.
After accomplishing the mission to Tombia and on their way back, sources further informed that the Outlaws ran into a team of the Joint Task Force (JTF) on patrol of the water ways.
According to a source, the JTF immediately opened fire on them and killed two of their members.
The cultists, who were in three speed boats, were said to have quickly gathered themselves and fled the scene.
When reached, the spokesman of the 2 Amphibious Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Major Sagir Musa, said he had heard of the reported death of Prince Igodo, but said he was yet to confirm.
The state police commissioner said he had heard reports of violence in the Tombia area but was unable to confirm any details as the area was not accessible by road and his men had been busy all day providing security for the inauguration.
Gang fighting is just one facet of an 18-month upsurge in violence in the anarchic delta that President Umaru Yar'Adua pledged in his inaugural speech on Tuesday he would tackle urgently.
Yar'Adua will face an uphill battle. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, a rebel group responsible for attacks on the oil industry that have cut output by a quarter, immediately dismissed his pledge as not enough to stop violence.
Police Arrest Protesters in Lagos
Six human rights activists were on Tuesday arrested in Lagos and taken away to Panti Police Station in Yaba for allegedly carrying a coffin to mark the death of the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Also, the police at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) secretariat in Yaba forcefully stopped what would have been a protest against the alleged electoral fraud that took place in the April general election.
Those arrested, according to the spokesperson for United Action for Democracy and Joint Action Forum (JAF), Abiodun Aremu, were Mr. Debo Adeniran, Tayo Akingbade, Leke Adebanjo,.Jami Ogunsola and Monday Alabi.
At Yaba venue of the planned mass protest, the policemen numbering about 100 led by the Surulere Police Area Commander, Mr. Temi Yahaya Omojola,who had arrived at the NLC secretariat as early as 6.30 a.m., told the leaders of Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO) that he had been instructed not to allow the protesters to march in Lagos.
The protesters, led by Tunji Braitwaite, Femi Falana and others, who had assembled at the NLC secretariat at about 6.30 a.m., were furious at the police order but vowed to go ahead with their planned protest march.
This led to a disagreement between the police team and protesters.
Earlier, Mr. Falana had described the inauguration of Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’ Adua and state governors as a charade, because out of the 60 heads of state invited for the ceremony, only eight arrived in Abuja last night (Monday night) which shows that the whole exercise lacks credibility.”
Speaking to journalists on the aborted mass protest, one of the leaders of the LASCO, Mr. Abiodun Aremu, said though police had disrupted the protest, the fact remained “that we have made our point that some Nigerians are not happy with the imposition of candidates on the country as president and governors.”
(From the Vanguard) No fewer than eleven activists including four women were arrested yesterday in Lagos and Edo states by the police, as Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO), made good their threat to protest against the conduct and outcome of April general elections.
Those arrested in Lagos were members of United Action for Democracy (UAD) and Joint Action Forum (JAF) and their names were given as Messrs Debo Adeniran, Tayo Akingbade, Leke Adebanjo, Jamiu Ogunsola and Monday Alabi, while names of those said to have been arrested in Benin city, Edo State, were given as Mr. Teimoloede Paul, Mr. David Falola, Mrs. Rabi Egulie and three other women whose names could not be ascertained at press time.
The five in Lagos were arrested in Ikeja with mock coffin of ex-President Obasanjo on their way to Yaba, protest venue after staging an earlier protest at Ijaiye area of Lagos.
Confirming their arrest to Vanguard, Secretary of JAF and Convener of UAD, Comrade Abiodun Aremu said: "Five members of UAD and JAF were arrested by Police today (yesterday) in Ikeja area of Lagos with a mock coffin of General Obasanjo which they were bringing for the Yaba rally with the aim of burring the wicked regime of Obasanjo forever.
They were arrested on their way to Yaba, after holding a protest in Ijaiye area of Lagos. As I speak to you now, they are being moved to State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Panti, Lagos. Their names are Debo Adeniran, Tayo Akingbade, Leke Adebanjo, Jamiu Ogunsola and Monday Alabi.
"Similarly, we have been informed that at least six persons including four women were arrested in a spot in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) in Benin City, Edo State. We have been informed that they were arrested after the police in compliance to the order by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero to shoot and kill innocent Nigerians who try to protest the election robbery and subversion of the people’s will, shot live bullets at a Jeep belonging to the Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSSAN).
"One thing is clear, they cannot intimidate us. This is just the beginning. We are certain that Nigerians would overcome this evil.”
But in a swift reaction to the reported arrest of activist in Lagos, the Lagos State Police Command’s spokesman, Mr Olubode Ojajuni stated categorically that the command did not arrest any protester. He said that there was no mass protest of any kind in the state let alone an arrest.
He however said that what would have been described close to a protest was at Ikeja but that the police led by the Area F commander quickly put the situation in check. Noting that all area commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) had earlier been briefed on the necessity to keep surveillance over their jurisdictions with a view to ensuring that the inauguration ceremony to usher in the new administration was not in any way disturbed, Ojajuni said the directive was taken to its letter as all policemen on duty behaved themselves. He said that the manner at which policemen conducted themselves was even commended by some of the activists.
PDP supporters boo Bode George in Lagos
A mild drama ensued at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, yesterday, as hundreds of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faithful in the state booed the deputy natioal chairman of the PDP, Chief Olabode George when he accompanied former President Olusegun Obasanjo to Lagos.
They alleged that the PDP chieftain was responsible for the party’s failure at the gubernatorial elections in Lagos, which the party’s candidate, Musiliu Obanikoro lost to his Action Congress candidate, Babatunde Fasola.
Obanikoro himself was in the midst of the crowd of the party supporters, as they rained curses on Chief George.
But in a swift reaction, Obanikoro condemned the action of his supporters, describing it as most irresponsible.
The party supporters had thronged the airport as early as 10:00am, calling for the head of the PDP chieftain.
Not even the scorching sun dampened the enthusiasm of the party supporters who stormed the airport in scores of commercial buses, including the popular Molue buses.
The chanting of songs continued till the first presidential jet touched down at exactly 3:05pm, and thinking it was the former president and Chief George the aircraft brought to Lagos, the party supporters surged towards it to get at him.
It soon became obvious that it was the body guards of the former president that the jet brought to Lagos, and they immediately made a retreat.
Meanwhile, Arik Air’s Bombardier CRJ 900 aircraft had earlier conveyed all ministers and special advisers of the former president to Lagos to receive their former boss.
At exactly 3:11pm, the much awaited OBJ Presidential Jet, marked 001, conveying the former president and some of his aides and Chief George arrived the presidential wing.
As soon as they sighted the PDP chieftain disembarking from the aircraft, chants of Bode Goerge Ole, Bode George Ole, (Thief) again rent the air.
Sensing trouble, security men immediately whisked him into a waiting presidential helicopter, as some others made efforts to push back the surging crowd.
Robbery suspects run into brick wall in Delta
DELTA State Police Command has recorded another success in the battle against criminals in the state with the recovery of three military rifles after an encounter with some armed robbers along Warri-Sapele road in Warri, Delta State on May 7. Crime File investigations revealed that a three-man gang had dispossessed one Sheriff of his commercial bus at 10.10pm on the said day and driven towards Enerhen road. Following complaints by the victim, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) alerted all patrol teams along Warri-Sapele road while policemen at a road block mounted along Urhobo College later tracked down the fleeing robbers.
A reliable police source told Crime File that the robbers, on sighting the police, opened fire which was spontaneously replied, leading to the arrest of two of them with bullet wounds while the three others escaped with bullet wounds. On searching the vehicle, the policemen discovered three military rifles comprising one G.3 with No. GT 5279; Two AK47 rifles with model 1968 No. 4352 and model 1069 No. 543314 respectively with eight rounds of 7.62mm AK 47 ammunition. It was gathered that the arrested suspects later died when they were being rushed to the hospital. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hezekiah Dimka, who confirmed the recovery of the weapons commended his officers and men attached to Enerhen Divisional Command for a job well done.
In addition, an armed robbery suspect who claimed to be a serving soldier attached to 20 Battalion, Sadi Buruwa in Taraba State has been arrested by the police. Security sources told Crime File that the suspect, Tama Kpeluke, was arrested on May 4, over his involvement in a armed robbery in the state. Crime File gathered that the soldier was arrested following a distress call by one Sunny Ogbeteire that his Golf car with registration BK 429 ENU was snatched from him by two armed men on a motorcycle. The source said further that policemen from the ‘A’ Division, Asaba, swung into action and went after the robbers only to receive another distress call that robbers were operating at Fan Milk Company where N515, 000 and some handsets were carted away. On receipt of the second information, the patrol team was said to have rushed to the scene but the robbers, on sighting them, sped towards River Niger where they abandoned the vehicle and jumped into the river.
Crime Life learnt that the police who were determined to make a success of their assignment also jumped after them and were able to arrest Tama Kpeluke while others escaped. “When Tama Kpeluke Dickson was arrested, he claimed to be a soldier serving at 20 Battalion, Sadi Buruwa, Taraba State. He confessed to having participated in the first and second robberies. We are still investigating whether he is actually a soldier,” the source added. Among the items recovered from the Golf car that was abandoned at the river bank were six rounds of Brownie pistol ammunition; one round of 5.56mm live ammunition and N163, 220.00. Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hezekiah Dimka, confirmed the arrest and said efforts were on to contact the Battalion for proper identification of the suspect.
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