The Nigeria Police Force, Zone 5, has reiterated the ban on using fireworks within the zone during and after the yuletide.
AIG in charge of the zone, comprising Edo and Delta, Lawan Jimeta, disclosed this in a statement by DSP Tijani Momoh, Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, on Saturday, December 10, 2022, in Abuja.
According to Jimeta, the devices are explosive and can cause harm to lives and properties as well as disturb public peace and cause unnecessary panic to residents of the zone.
“In view of the above, the zone hereby appeals to the general public, parents and guardians alike, to desist from detonating or lighting these devices.
“Parents are to encourage their children and wards against the purchase or use of these items.
“Retailers of these devices are equally advised and warned to stop the sale, as any person or group of persons found flouting this order will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly,” he said.
The AIG also used the medium to extend his Yuletide greetings to the Christian faithful and others in the zone as they celebrate Christmas.
He gave assurance to residents within the zone that the zonal command was poised to guarantee the safety and security of lives and properties throughout the festive period.
He revealed that the zone had emplaced adequate security measures regarding men and material resources to ensure a hitch-free and seamless Yuletide celebration.
Jimeta further enjoined all to mark the festivities with moderation while maintaining security consciousness of their environment at all times.
“Suspicious persons or movements should be reported to the nearest Police Station immediately,” he advised.
Sit-At-Home: Gunmen Kill Popular Nollywood Actor’s Brother, Policeman In Owerri
Gunmen on Friday, December 9, 2022, shot and killed Prince Iheme, elder brother to Nollywood star, Osita Iheme, in Imo State.
Iheme was said to be riding with the state Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Martins Eke when the gunmen ran into them and opened fire at Ubomiri, Mbaitoli council area of the state.
It was gathered that the commissioner received a deep machete cut from the gunmen.
At Orji, Owerri North council area, an eye witness said the gunmen ran into a police checkpoint and killed one cop, while shooting sporadically and ordering motorists and passers-by to go home and observe sit-at-home.
“They ran into police checkpoint at Orji and opened fire on them, and killed one policeman.
“Some of them were shouting – ‘Go home, today is sit-at-home; people ran helter-skelter and they drove towards Okigwe road”, the source stated.
The Simon Ekpa-led IPOB had declared five days of sit-at-home which was countered by Director of Media and Publicity of IPOB, Emma Powerful.
Michael Abattam, the state Police Public Relations Officer, was yet to respond to enquiry as at press time.
INSECURITY: Gunmen Kidnap Ondo Monarch From His Palace
The Oloso of Oso, Oba Clement Jimoh Olukotun, in Ajowa-Akoko in the Akoko North-West Local Government Area of Ondo State, has been abducted by gun-wielding kidnappers.
According to sources in the community, the kidnappers stormed the monarch’s home on Thursday, December 1, 2022, at about 10:15 pm and took him to an unidentified location.
The kidnappers were said to have shot randomly and broken the monarch’s palace main entrance to gain entry to his residential complex.
One of the sources claimed that when the kidnappers arrived at the home, they knocked on the door and, upon seeing that the residents were not prepared to voluntarily submit, they shot at the main door and completely destroyed it.
The pellets, he said, pierced the living room’s door and wall, but none of the people within the palace were wounded.
The source claimed that no one in the town could leave their homes because of how loud the gunshots were.
“They destroyed the main door and entered. They terrorised Kabiyesi and his family members before dragging him out and took him away. None of the family members had been contacted, but we knew they were kidnappers”.
Confirming the incident, the police spokesperson in the state, SP Funmilayo Odunlami, said, “it is true, but the details of the incident are still not clear.
“Police from the Divisional Police headquarters at Oke-Agbe, headquarters of Akoko Northwest Local Government have been deployed in the town to launch investigation into the incident.”
