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Niger AG clarifies Govt’s stand on viral Video on suspected kidnappers from Mokwa LGA

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Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Niger State, Barrister Nasiru Mua’azu,
By Uthman Baba-Al-Naseer, Minna
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Niger State, Barrister Nasiru Mua’azu, has clarified the ministry’s position regarding a viral video related to an ongoing legal case involving suspected kidnappers from Mokwa Local Government Area.
 One Usman  Mohammed, Chairman Vigilante group Mokwa local government area of Niger, alleged in the video that the vigilante group in Mokwa town arrested five kidnappers and handed over to men of Anti kidnapping squad of Niger State Police Command.
He alleged further that three out of the arrested kidnappers were arraigned before a Magistrate court in Minna but we’re released and going about freely in Mokwa.
In a swift reaction to the viral video and the allegation raised, the Attorney General told Journalists in his office that,”the man was in my office with the issue he raised in the video.
” Right in his presence, I put a call to the Presiding Magistrate to confirm his claims only for the Magistrate to confirm that they are in Correctional Custody contrary to his allegations”
According to the Attorney General, the person in the video is not strange to him adding that he was in his office with the same complain he brought to the video clip ” that I even gave him my phone number to call me if there is any further information he want to bring to my knowledge”
The Commissioner, who expressed surprise over the video’s content, stated that the individual featured in the clip is not unfamiliar to him. “Last year, he and two other individuals visited this office with the same complaint. During that meeting, I personally called the presiding Magistrate of Court 7 to confirm the status of the suspects involved. In his presence, it was confirmed that they were still in prison custody based on the magistrate’s remand order. I even gave him my number for any future updates, but instead of reaching out, he chose to go public.”
He added that during the last Ramadan, the same individual called him. “Though I wasn’t sure if the call was intentional, I called him back and introduced myself. Still, I received no direct complaint from him afterward.”
The Commissioner explained that the case initially involved two suspects—Mohammed Dan Sajo of Tunga in Mokwa and Mohammed Dengi—who were charged before Chief Magistrate Court 1 before the case was reassigned to Magistrate Court 7. “Later, a third suspect, Abubakar Usman of Kara, also in Mokwa was arrested and added to the case,” he said.
He further clarified that, despite the video’s claim that five people were arrested, only three were officially documented and charged. “If five were indeed arrested, the other two were either still under police investigation or found not culpable. The Ministry of Justice does not interfere in police investigations. We only vet the case files forwarded to us for possible prosecution.”
According to him, the police submitted a file containing only three names, upon which the ministry issued legal advice. “As it stands, Mohammed Dengi remains in custody here in Minna, and we’re working on transporting him to New Bussa to stand trial alongside Mohammed Dan Sajo.”
He refuted allegations that a court application was filed to begin trial in New Bussa without all suspects present. “That’s false. No counsel would proceed knowing that one of the accused is still in Minna.”
Addressing the release of a suspect during a prison visit by the Chief Judge, he stated, “We cannot fault the Honourable Chief Judge’s decision. Based on the documents available to her at the time, there was no formal charge or evidence against the individual who was released.”
The Commissioner concluded by reaffirming the ministry’s position: “We don’t arrest or investigate. We only act on the files presented to us. In this case, only three individuals were arraigned based on the information received. The identity of the person released by the Chief Judge remains uncertain due to discrepancies in documentation and names.”
In the viral video, the Chairman of the vigilante group member of  Mokwa community alleged that five suspects involved in kidnapping and other crimes had been arrested. However, this appears to be misinformation, as only three suspects were officially documented and charged by the authorities.

Law & Crime

Minna Court remands six persons in Correctional Custody for alleged kidnapping 

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Judicial logo
By Uthman Baba-Al-Naseer, Minna
The Minna Chief Magistrate court Number one has ordered for the remand of six persons among them a married woman in correctional custody for alleged kidnapping.
Hajiya Ummulkhatum Mohammed the Presiding Chief Magistrate who gave the ordered for their remand held that her court lack the Jurisdiction to try kidnapping case,” even with their plea of guilty to the offence.
The Operatives of the Anti kidnapping squad of the Niger State Police Command arrested and charged them to the Chief Magistrate court on four count charges bothering on Conspiracy, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.
According to the  Police First Information Report (FIR), marked MN/ CM/ CR/11/2025 the four count charges were punishable under section 3 (1),2 (2) of the kidnapping and cattle rustling law of Niger State 2016 and section 27 of the firearms  Act Cap 28 law of Niger state  2004.
The defendants include, Aisha Sani, Abuh Mohammed,Daudu Mohammed,Mamman Sani Shehu Arzika Laura and Jibrin Ahmadu all of Kwanar Sangir, Tunga Magajiya,Udu and Duggi village in Rijau local government area.
The Police Prosecutor Inspector Bello Mohammed Beji told the court that on the 10th, of March,2025, ” one Mallam Sarkin Noma Gata of Marrando village in Rijau local government area of Niger State reported  on the 5th,March 2025. He was  sleeping with his family with his  compound when unknown gunmen numbering six invaded his house, firing sporadically into the air and beat him until he became unconscious.
“But he managed to escape to the nearby house and his daughter Mai-Kyau Mallam, a 22 year old,was  also kidnapped to an unknown destination,”he told the court.
During Police investigation ,the Prosecutor further told the court that they all freely confessed to have conspired among themselves to have committed the crime.
” And also confessed that they demanded the ransom of Nine Million Naira. But they bargained to Five Million Naira”
They were rescued  by some group of hunters when they were to deliver the ransom in the  Ari Gida Bush in Rijau one of the victim Mai-Kyau was rescued.
When the charges were read to them by the Presiding Chief Magistrate Hajiya Ummulkhatum Mohammed,four them pleaded guilty of the offence while two others pleaded not guilty.
At this point the Presiding Chief Magistrate held that her court lack Jurisdiction to convict and sentence them ” is only High Court that has the Jurisdiction to convict and pass verdict on them”
She then told the prosecutor to hasten up and file the appropriate charges against them in the High court and she then ordered for their remand in Correctional Custody
Hajiya Ummulkhatum Mohammed adjougned the case to 6th of May, 2025 for further mention.
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Law & Crime

Falana, others raise the alarm over threat to Fawehinmi’s house in Lagos 

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Right Activist,Gani Fawehinmi
By Our Correspondent
Alarmed at the threat facing the family of of the late human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi,Human rights advocates including Femi Falana; Executive Director, International Press Centre (IPC), Lanre Arogundade; Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Edetaen Ojo and others have lamented the imminent danger facing the family of the late human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi.
Speaking to journalists on behalf of the team, Falana said, Gani’s family members are being threatened by a developer that erected a four-storey hotel right by the fence protecting the front part of Chief’s house within Ikeja GRA.
Falana said, “An individual or group of individuals, either acting in utter contempt of the rules and regulations guiding property development in Lagos State or acting in connivance with unscrupulous government officials, have decided to erect a four-storey hotel right by the fence protecting the front part of Fawehinmi’s house in Ikeja GRA.
“So brazen were the dare-devil builders or developers that they ignored family warnings and chose to build their structure almost on top of Fawehinmi’s fence. It is possible that they believe they are above the law. Or perhaps, they bear some grudge against him and his family and therefore do not see anything wrong in their brazen act of recklessness and injustice.
“But, whoever they think they are and whatever their motive, our stance is that this injustice should not, cannot and must not be allowed to stand.”
Falana noted that besides the fence protecting Fawehinmi’s house facing imminent collapse, a 1000-litre capacity water tank installed right on top of the 4-storey structure has thrice collapsed and fallen into Chief Gani Fawehinmi’s compound.
“We are fortunate that no one has so far been hurt or killed as a result of these incidents. But these repeated incidents themselves show without doubt how dangerously close this structure is to Fawehinmi’s house.
“We do not want to wait until any such catastrophe occurs before taking action. We have, therefore, chosen to speak out now before deadlier incidents occur,” he added.
The group demanded that the building should be pulled down, alleging that the construction violates Lagos State urban development and building regulations, particularly with regards to the mandatory setback requirement of at least three-meter space in-between buildings.
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Law & Crime

Tension as suspected cult gang kill rival Bobos cult leader in Bayelsa

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IGP Kayode Egbetokun

 

There is rising apprehension among residents of Yenagoa,the Bayelsa State capital following the killing of Olotu Wanemi Omubo, the alleged leader of the Bobos cult group in the State.

The deceased Olotu Wanemi Omubo, an Indigene of Nembe in Nembe Local Government Area of the State, was also a beneficiary of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) and a leader of the Phase 2 amnesty beneficiaries in the State.

Investigations revealed that some unknown rival cult gang had on Thursday night at about 9pm trailed him to the residence of a female friend, and shot him three times at close range on the head, the chest and the side.

Another version of the report claimed that the deceased was shot three times and heavy stones were rained on him to confirm he was dead before the suspected killers fled the scene.

Some security operatives confirmed that the head ruptured in the attack. And the killing made residents of the Good news street along Azikoro town scampered for safety.

Some members of the Bobos group are however suspecting the involvement of external marksmen in the killing of Wanemi.

Security sources informed our correspondent that the killing of Olotu Wanemi Omubo is a follow up to the lingering battle between the rival cult groups, the Greenlanders,Vikings and the Bobos in the State.

The Bobos cult group were also implicated in the shooting of one suspected Unit leader of the Vikings cult group identified as Christian along the Kimowei filling station area of Imgbi road in Amarata.

Christian was shot in the shoulder at close range and currently in a critical condition in an undisclosed hospital.

The shooting of the Vikings member was reported to have led to the invasion of the Swali area of the State capital where four persons were killed on Easter Sunday.

It was revealed that the Greenlanders group had in the last few days held a national meet where key decision were made on ways to wad off rival cult attacks.

Close observers have started sounding note of warning to residents to avoid night movement and unnecessary social gatherings in anticipation of a reprisal attacks from the Bobos cult groups in the state,” there would more killings if the Police and the State government failed to intervene. Innocent persons were killed at Swali when they did not see the cult boys”

Another resident from the Imgbi road area, identified as Melvin told our correspondent that the known notorious cult members in Amarata have gone into hiding out of fear,” we don’t see most them around again. Those at Apex,Imgbi road and Omoadec areas have gone into hiding. We now live in fear.”

Contacted on the development, the Police Spokesperson, Musa Mohammed said the police have received the report of the killing of one person along Azikoro town but awaiting full details on the incident.

However a Senior police officer attached to the State Police Command told our correspondent that the Police is tactically investigating developments and monitoring key actors in the renewed cult gang war.

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