A woman identified as Patience, who had abducted her friend’s baby over a month ago in Jos, Plateau State, and absconded to the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, has been apprehended by the police. The abducted baby has been safely recovered and reunited with the relieved parents.
Although the Police in Plateau State who paraded the woman on Monday alongside 25 other suspects said she was arrested, the woman who is a mother of two insisted she turned herself in having realized that leaving Jos with the baby whom she claims she “loves very much” was wrong.
According to her, “I had no bad intention when I left with the baby, the mother of the baby is my friend and I love the baby so much. I did not tell the mother because I knew she would not agree so I had to go with the baby. While in Lagos, I was always calling, chatting or doing video calls with the mother showing her how the baby was doing but because it was circulated on social media that I stole the baby, I had to go to the police in Lagos, they directed me on what to do so when I arrived Jos, the Police here pick me up at the park. I came back on my own, I was not arrested.”
The baby’s mother who was seen cuddling her baby at the State Police headquarters expressed joy that she is reunited with her baby.
She said, “We are living in the same compound and working in the same shop, She has been playing with the baby but the day she left with her, she did not inform me. When I insisted she return my baby, she said she just loved to stay with the baby. She took care of the baby but I did not permit her to go with her and I am happy to have my baby back.”
However, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Julius Okoro who paraded the suspects including an escapee from the last Jos prison break stated they allegedly committed offences ranging from the kidnap of seven students of the University of Jos, culpable homicide, defilement, criminal conspiracy, rape, receiving of stolen property, armed robbery, vandalism, possession of illicit drugs among others.
His words, “It will be recalled that on 12/06/2023 at about 10 pm, seven students of the University of Jos were kidnapped. The Command is pleased to inform you that one suspect Salisu Adamu ‘m’ 30 years, of Minta village; Bassa LGA has been arrested in connection to the kidnap. Further investigation conducted by the Commander, Anti-Kidnapping Unit revealed that the suspect is an escapee of the recent Jos Prison Jailbreak of 2020.
“The suspect confessed to the crime and mentioned some of his gang members who are currently on the run. Efforts are being intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects. On 09/08/2023 at about 12.30 pm, one Jumai Emmanuel ‘f’ of the Miango area of Bassa LGA chartered a driver, one Safiyanu Sulaiman ‘m’ to convey her goods from Saminaka market in Kaduna State to Jos. While they were travelling along Fuskan Mata forest, the driver pretended that the car developed a mechanical fault, but when he noticed that the passenger was calling another driver, he violently hit the victim with a log of wood on the head and she died on the spot.
“On 17/08/2023 at about 6.30 pm, the said Safiyanu Suleiman ‘m’ was traced and arrested by the DPO, Jengre Division, SP Tyem Cirdap while he was about to sell off the victim’s goods to one Sirajo Alhassan ‘m’. They were both arrested and on interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime. Exhibits recovered from the suspects include the vehicle and some luggage belonging to the deceased woman. The discreet investigation is being finalized to charge the suspects to Court.”
He added that “On 19/08/2023 at about 6 am, one Danladi Gurumbagal ‘m’ of Bul village Jipal District reported at the Mangu Police Station that on 18/08/2023 at about 10.30 pm one Kanu Samuel, ‘m’ of the same address came to his house and informed him that while on his way back from Chakfem district with his elder brother one Danladi Dazun ‘m’ 50 years, of the same address, a group of unknown gunmen attacked them and killed his brother.
“On receipt of the report, the DPO Mangu division, CSP Solomon Danja led a team of Policemen to the scene where they discovered the body of the deceased without the head and private parts. Further investigation led to the arrest of the following suspects; one Friday Yakubu, one Longul Dabor, one Sati Samuel, and one Yakubu Barnabas, all ‘m’ of Jipal District. The investigation is still in progress.
On 24/08/2023 at about 5.30 pm one Mohammed Ango, ‘m’ of Yelwa Shendam reported to the Shendam Police Station that on 20/08/2023 at about 11 pm, four persons namely; one Asamu Ibrahim aged 21yrs and one Ali Hashimu aged 23yrs both ‘m’ of Yelwa Shendam, Plateau State and Wukari, Taraba State armed with guns, conspired and invaded his house in Yelwa Shendam, ransacked the house and not finding any valuables worth stealing, took his wife one Hajara Mohammed ‘f’ aged 28yrs to a nearby bush and raped her.
On receipt of the report, gallant detectives led by the DPO, CSP Danladi Ringjwat swung into action and arrested the suspects together with two others namely; one Usman Yahaya ‘m’ aged 22yrs, one Idris Adamu ‘m’ aged 22yrs both of Shendam and Kanke LGA. Exhibits recovered from the suspects include; one Locally constructed AK47 rifle with five (5) 7.62 MM live ammunition, and one locally made pistol with three live ammunition.
“In the cause of interrogation, the suspects confessed to kidnapping a certain Igbo man in Enugu city about two weeks ago and collected a ransom of N4,500,000.00 (Four Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira). They further confessed to having committed the offence together with four others, namely; one Mabe and one Puri, surnames unknown both ‘m’ of Enugu State now on the run. Efforts are being made to arrest the fleeing suspects. The case has been transferred to the State CID and the suspects will be charged to court on completion of investigation…”
The CP maintained, “We would not have achieved such tremendous successes without the cooperation and intelligence we have been receiving from the good and peace-loving citizens of Plateau State. For this, we are grateful. We have put in place a series of strategies to prevent crime and ensure the security of all lives and properties within the State. One of such measures is the intensification of efforts toward ensuring the arrest and due prosecution of criminals.”
Gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed a couple, Iliya Gyang, 30, and his pregnant wife, Grace Iliya, 25, in a fresh attack on the Angwan Ishaku community in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State.
Rwang Tengwong, spokesperson for the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM), told Peoples Gazette that the incident occurred at about 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
In a statement sent to the Gazette, Mr Tengwong condemned the gruesome attack carried out by terrorists on Wednesday evening.
“The couple were both shot by the assailants while the husband was working in front of their home, leading to the immediate death of Mrs Grace Iliya at the scene, while her husband, who sustained serious gunshot injuries, was rushed to the hospital but sadly later gave up while receiving treatment,” he said.
Mr Tengwong noted that the attack came a day after the State Security Council meeting, where the Plateau government announced decisive measures aimed at addressing persistent attacks and destruction of farmlands across communities.
According to him, the attackers arrived on a motorcycle, opened fire on the couple and others in the area, and fled through the road leading to Fulani settlements in Fass along the Rakung-Sho road.
“The deceased woman had only recently finished breastfeeding their one-year-old twin boys and was pregnant again. The tragic killing of the couple has now left the innocent twins orphaned and devastated their entire family.
“Two other persons also sustained gunshot injuries during the attack, while their health conditions are yet to be confirmed,” Mr Tengwong said.
The group described the attack as barbaric, wicked, and inhuman, saying it reflects the worsening insecurity confronting residents of Barkin Ladi and surrounding communities.
Mr Tengwong also called on the Plateau government to immediately provide support for the orphaned twins left behind by the deceased couple.
Efforts to reach the police spokesman in the state, Alfred Alabo, were unsuccessful. Text and WhatsApp messages sent to him remained unattended as of press time.
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, sentenced a former Minister of power, Saleh Mamman to 75 years imprisonment for money laundering charges.
Mamman, who was absent in court, was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for money laundering to the tune of N33,804,830,503,73( Thirty Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Four Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Three Naira, Seventy Three kobo).
Justice Omotosho convicted him last week on all the 12-count charges preferred against him by the EFCC but deferred his sentence to Wednesday.
Count one of the charges reads:
“That you, SALEH MAMIVIAN {Male), sometime in 2019, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Court, whilst you were the Minister of Power conspired with other officials of your Ministry and some private companies to indirectly convert the total sum of =N=33,804,830,503.73
{Thirty-Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Four Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Three Naira, and Seventy-Three Kobo) through various private companies which sums you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity, to wit: criminal breach of trust in relation to the funds released for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Plant Projects by the Federal Government of Nigeria; and you thereby commit an offence contrary to Sections 18(a), 15(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 {as Amended), and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”
Count two reads:
“That you, SALEH MAMMAN (Male), sometime in December 2019, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Court, conspired with SAMSON BITRUS to make a cash payment of US$665, 700:00 (Six Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand and Seven Hundred United States Dollars) to MOHIBA INVESTMENT LTD (acting through Mohammed Asheik Jidda), without going through a financial institution, and that you thereby commit an offence contrary to Sections 1 and 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as Amended), and punishable under Section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.”
At Wednesday proceedings, Prosecution Counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo,SAN informed the court that the convict again was not in court and no reasonable excuse was given from his lawyers about his whereabouts. He urged the court to continue with the sentencing in his absence citing Section 266 and 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 which provides guidelines for such an occasion.
Oyedepo also urged the court to order the forfeiture of properties traced to the convict to the Federal Government. The properties are, two units of four- bedroom detached apartments located at 93 Ahmed Joda Crescent, Kado Estate, Abuja and a property located at No 12A & B, Lingo Street, Wuse, Abuja.
Also, Oyedepo, who is also the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, urged the court to order the forfeiture of cash recovered from Mamman’s house: $13,890, €19,960, £10,000 , 42,390 Doran, R35,000, ₹50,60,00 and 247 Saudi Arabia Riyadth . He also urged the court to direct that the convict refund the difference of the amount recovered and the amount remaining in the N22bn for which he was found guilty.
Delivering judgment, Justice Omotosho sentenced Mamman to 75years imprisonment: seven years each on counts 1,2,3,6,7,8,9,10,11& 12 without an option of fine, three years on count 4 with an option of fine of N10m and two years on count 5 without an option of fine. The sentence will run consecutively from the date of his arrest.
Justice Omotosho ordered all national and international security agencies to arrest and handover the convict to the Nigerian Correctional center.