Security
We Have No Evidence That Oromoni Was Bullied, Assaulted- Police
A Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP Bamidele Olusegun on Tuesday confirmed to the Lagos State Coroner’s Court probing the circumstances surrounding the death of Sylvester Oromoni, that nothing in his investigation confirmed or said the deceased was beaten or bullied.
Olusegun while being cross-examined by Dowen College’s lawyer said that he found nothing in his investigation that indicted the five students that were accused to have assaulted him.
The police officer stated that nobody came forward as an eyewitness to the alleged assault and no evidence was produced by the school, students, parents of the deceased or members of the public to indict the school.
He added that part of his report stated that although the three housemasters were negligent, passive when cases of inadequate behaviour are reported to them in the past yet the same report also stated in another paragraph that he found nothing in his investigation regarding the murder case of the deceased against the house masters.
CSP Olusegun also told the court that the suspected students were in custody for fourteen days but he only visited them once.
He also said that none of them confirmed to him during the interrogation that the deceased was beaten or bullied on the 21st of November.
While answering questions from Magistrate Kadiri on whether he conducted a thorough investigation, the witness answered in the affirmative.
He added that when he visited the deceased room at Dowen College, he recalled that it had seven occupants, however, he could not interview all the students because the school was closed.
“I was able to speak to only four of Dowen students in the room, other students could not be interviewed because their parents said they were traumatized by the incident and cannot come to the police station.’’
Also during the Tuesday proceedings, a medical doctor with Dowen College, Dr Mojisola Bisiriyu narrated how she treated Sylvester Oromoni Jnr. for hip pain and not leg injury.
Dr Bisiriyu stated that the deceased did not have any leg injury when she saw him. She said leg injury is quite different from leg pain because he does not have any visible injury.
The medical doctor who stated she has worked with Dowen College for over five years made this revelation in the ongoing inquest into the death of a 12-year-old student of the Dowen College student, Sylvester Oromoni Jnr while being cross-examined by Mr Femi Falana, SAN.
Bisiriyu said, “As the school Doctor, I must take care of students in the school and for whatever we see that demands attention, we usually call the parent.
‘’I saw the deceased on November 22, 2021, he came in with pain on his right side and that was what I saw him for. He came with a limp and no other complaints.
“I spoke with the deceased’s mother, Mrs Oromoni to come and pick up her son for further treatment and they came the next day. I didn’t refer him to our partner hospital in Lekki because his case was not considered an emergency.’’
The doctor, however, said she was surprised that the deceased parent didn’t take him to any hospital after they took him away from the school.
The Inquest has been adjourned till February 28 for the continuation of the hearing
The suspects were apprehended for selling prohibited exotic birds and wild animals contrary to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act.
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), in collaboration with the National Park Service, has arrested three persons over alleged illegal trade in endangered wildlife species in Abuja.
This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by NESREA’s Assistant Director of Press, Nwamaka Ejiofor.
The suspects, identified as Musa Usman, Samila Abdullahi, and Saidu Jagaban, were arrested in different parts of the country’s capital.
According to her, the suspects were apprehended for selling prohibited exotic birds and wild animals, contrary to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act.
She stated that Usman and Abdullahi were found with 15 Senegalese parrots and one African grey parrot, while Jagaban was arrested for hawking three dead antelopes.
“The suspects were arrested in different parts of the city for the illegal sale of prohibited exotic birds and wild animals, contrary to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act,” the statement read in part.
“The trio is to remain in custody while investigation continues.”
NESREA Director-General, Innocent Barikor, reiterated that trafficking in endangered species remained a crime under Nigerian laws, and anyone caught culpable would be prosecuted accordingly.
Barikor emphasised on the need to protect endangered species, under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), to which Nigeria is a signatory.
He added that all living things play different roles in ensuring biodiversity sustainability.
No fewer than 26 people lost their lives, with three others sustaining injuries, following an improvised explosive device (IED) detonation along the Rann–Kala Balge–Gamboru Ngala highway in Borno.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, several civilian vehicles travelling from Rann in Kala Balge LGA ran into a series of hidden explosives.
Makama said the incident occurred on Monday after the convoy veered into a zone where the IEDs had been strategically placed.
The publication said the IEDs were triggered by the movement of vehicles, adding that emergency personnel were swiftly deployed to evacuate victims and administer first aid.
“Security forces have since cordoned off the affected route and commenced clearance operations to ensure safety and prevent a repeat of the incident,” the report said.
“Those injured have been transferred to nearby hospitals where they are currently receiving medical attention.”
Last week, Mohammed Badaru, minister of defence, said President Bola Tinubu is committed to addressing the growing security challenges in Borno state.
The minister spoke about the administration’s commitment to meeting all operational needs of the troops to enhance security in the region.
The Oodua Integrity Group, a Nigerian civil society organisation, has called on Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to investigate and arrest an alleged gun runner, land grabber,popularly called then insert Lucky Blessings Abuah aka bullets of Achala Ibusa village operating in Asaba and Ibuzor, Delta State, accusing him of orchestrating criminal activities with the aid of rogue police officers.
Tosin Olaoluwa, the group’s South-South coordinator, made the appeal following intelligence gathered from concerned residents.
The suspect, identified as Achala Ibusa but popularly known as “Bullet,” is accused of running a network involving illegal arms trafficking, land grabbing, and cult-related activities.
Olaoluwa claimed Bullet operates with the protection of police officers from Rivers State, in violation of regulations prohibiting officers from working outside their command without approval.
According to the group, four AK-47 rifles were recently discovered hidden in a house in Ibuzor.
Two mobile police officers guarding the property reportedly distanced themselves from the find, raising suspicions of their involvement with Bullet, who is allegedly a leader of the Viking cult.
The Oodua Integrity Group further alleged that an assistant commissioner of police is complicit in Bullet’s activities.
The group highlighted that up to 10 mobile police officers are attached to Bullet, despite IGP Egbetokun’s recent directive to withdraw such personnel from individuals not legally entitled to their services.
“We urge the IGP to take immediate action to arrest the culprit in the interest of the general public,” Olaoluwa said, describing Bullet as a miscreant exploiting government security agents to perpetrate crimes.
In a separate incident, the group claimed that security agents from an agency in Abuja, acting on intelligence, were prevented from arresting Bullet by his police escorts.
The officers, reportedly from Rivers State, allegedly used tear gas and fired shots to obstruct the operation.
The Oodua Integrity Group warned that Bullet’s activities, including stockpiling AK-47s and other weapons in Asaba and Ibuzor, pose a significant threat to public safety.
They called for a thorough investigation into the allegations and the immediate apprehension of those involved.
The Nigeria Police Force has yet to respond to the allegations. Efforts to reach a spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.