Mohammed Shosanya

The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a notorious gang of ex-convicts after they attempted to kidnap a woman from her Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) in Woji road, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The Command identified the three-man gang ringleader as Chinonso Emmanuel, a 37 years old native of Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State and father of three, who was imprisoned on charges of attempted murder.

The Public Relations Officer for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko in a statement on Friday night said the trio started as petty criminals operating within Ikwerre road axis of Port Harcourt, spanning from mile three to Rumuokoro, before they amassed more weapons and graduated to kidnapping and car snatching.

Iringe-Koko stated that the gang members formed their criminal alliance in prison after they were incarcerated for different crimes at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional facility, but decided to unleash terror on the society after they served their time and were released.

Narrating how the suspects were rounded up,the state Police Spokesperson said, the gang members were arrested when they attempted to kidnap one, Theresa Anyanwu, on the 14th of January, 2023.

She said, “On the day of the operation, the impetinent bunch gathered under the Rumuokoro bridge to develop a strategy on how to identify and kidnap potential victims.

“They resolved that they would hire a tricycle ‘keke’ and use it to follow flamboyant cars discreetly before pouncing to seize them.

“They spotted Theresa in a Lexus SUV and began tailing her in the hired tricycle, and when she got to Woji, they saw an opportunity to swerve in front of her. She stepped on the brakes as they got in front of her, and they proceeded to alight the tricycle and board her car.

“They bundled her into the back of her car as one of them took the wheels and zoomed off, but the victim did not stop fighting them off. She continued to struggle, attempting to open the back door. Her struggles yielded success when she managed to open the door and stuck her leg out. The gang member charged with securing her pulled her back, but she had already drawn considerable attention from onlookers.

“Some commercial Keke drivers noticed the commotion as the vehicle passed them and gave a chase. The gang noticed they were being followed, abandoned the victim and the car, and took to their heels. In the confusion that ensued, the gang leader, Chinomso Emmanuel’s phone, fell out of his pocket into the victim’s car. The phone was then used to make arrests of the gang leader and other members of the gang.”

Iringe-Koko listed items recovered from the gang to include one machete and two daggers, adding that a locally made gun recently acquired by the gang was still in the possession of a fleeing member currently trailed by operatives.

She quoted the state Police Commissioner, CP Olatunji Disu, as urging members of the public to remain vigilant and collaborate with the police in the ongoing efforts to combat crimes and criminality in the state,adding that the CP has also commended operatives of the command for achieving the fear.

“The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Rilwan Disu psc, commended the swift and effective action taken by the officers to apprehend the criminals and noted that the operation underscores the unwavering dedication and commitment of law enforcement personnel to preserving peace and security in Rivers communities.

“He also urges the public to remain vigilant and collaborate with the police in the ongoing efforts to combat crimes and criminality in the State.”

Mohammed Shoaanya

Inmates of Jos Prison on Friday protested the alleged moves by the Prison authority to reduce the quantity of their daily meals as prices of food materials supplied the prison has skyrocketed in the market.

The inmates were said to have expressed displeasure over the plan by prison officials to reduce their food ration.

The protest erupted after the inmates got wind of the plan to reduce their daily food ration which most of them considered inadequate.

The contractor in charge of food supply to the centre was said to have complained to the authority about the high cost of food items, especially rice which is a stable menu of the inmates, suggesting that supplies should be adjusted from four times to twice in a week and will be substituted by either grains or garri.

This decision seemed not to go down well with the inmates as they expressed their grievances on Friday during a routine briefing by the official in charge.

The Nigerian Correctional Service in Jos, the Controller of Corrections Plateau State Command, Raphael Ibinuhi, stated that tear gas canisters and firing shots in the air were applied to disperse the unruly inmates when they refused to return to their cells.

“By the time the inmates were called this morning for briefing, they were not happy that the period for consumption of rice has been reduced from four times to two in a week and expressed dissatisfaction on the development,” Ibinuhi stressed

“I instructed the officer in charge to return them to their cells but instead of returning to their cells , they became violent and started throwing stones at the personnel.”

“To keep the situation from getting out of hand, we have to resort to firing tear gas canisters and gunshots which enable the men to return the inmates to the cells.”

”Some of the personnel sustained minor injuries from the stones thrown at them but no inmates were injured during as the situation was brought under control.”

Three men in Ibadan,Wednesday engaged in heated arguments over the paternity of two children from a woman they all claimed they were married to.

The woman at the centre of the controversy, Taiba Raman, confirmed she was having a sexual relationship with the men around the same time.

According to the accounts of the men, they were all married to Raman after fulfilling her mother’s condition of helping to pay off her debts before they were accepted as rightful husbands.

They all claimed they helped clear the debts of Raman and rightfully married her.

Complications arose when two of the men claimed to have fathered a child each with Taiba, only to have them given to another man who insisted he was the father of both children.

They disclosed this while appearing on a radio programme anchored by Oriyomi Hamzat, tagged Kokoro Alate on Agidigbo 88.7 FM in Ibadan on Wednesday.

One of the men identified as Sharafa said when he met Raman, she informed him of her debt and he promised to pay if he could meet her parent whom he met, adding that he sold his work instruments to pay the debt and later had a child with her.

Speaking further, a few days after they had their first child and named him, someone else came to claim ownership which he found surprising, adding that his wife later exhumed the placenta that was already buried.

Sharafa said, “When I met her mother, she told me that whosoever pays off the debt will have her daughter in his home as his wife. I did and a few days after the naming of our first child, some people came to our house to claim ownership of the child. So, we were all taken to the police and the area commander asked her who the father of her child was and she answered that I was the father. So, I was told to go home with my child and wife.

“A day after, she exhumed the child’s placenta claiming that she was threatened to be embarrassed by the man who earlier claimed to be the father of my child over her debt if she didn’t bring the placenta. So, we went back to the area commandant and he asked her who the father of the child was again and she changed her initial statement and said it was the other man who owned the child and we were all surprised.”

Besides,the second man, Oseni claimed to be the father to the second child, saying Raman lived with him for eight months in 2023 after paying N40,000 from her debt.

He said after conceiving their second pregnancy, Raman lied to him that she had a miscarriage, adding that he discovered she lied about the day she was named the supposed miscarried pregnancy with another man.

He said, “I have accepted that the second pregnancy was lost according to what she told me but I want my first child. She should give me my child, I have forfeited all the money I spent on her and her mother. All I want is my child.”

The third man, identified as Rauf, said he was surprised that Raman had two other men while she was with him but insisted that he was the father of the two children.

“I am surprised by this revelation. I never knew she had other men because we had been together for a long time. However, I am the father of the children,” he stated.

Defending herself,Raman insisted that Rauf was indeed the father of the children, despite being married to all three men and having a sexual relationship with them.

The Punch