Startech Safety And Security News Blog

The police in Lagos have arrested 33 suspects following a violence that erupted at the Fadeyi and Onipanu areas of the state on Wednesday. Two people were killed, according to the police. Bala Elkana, the police spokesperson, said in a statement Thursday that the violence caused by a “fierce supremacy battle” between cult groups in Onipanu, Alakara, Mushin, and Shomolu. Mr Elkana said the police received a distress call that “cult groups armed with killer weapons are engaged in a fierce fight” and deployed patrol teams and operatives of the tactical unit to the scene. “As a result of the war, Tobi Kuti who was suspected to be one of the cultists and Samuel Geofrey, a worker at DTD Services, Apapa, were killed by the cultists. “The teams swiftly contained the situation and restored normalcy to the area. “33 suspects were arrested in connection with the incident and two locally made short guns with ten live cartridges and other dangerous weapons such as cutlasses, kni...

The police in Enugu say they shot dead a wanted armed robbery kingpin, known as KC, during a gun duel between the police and his gang members in the state. The Enugu police spokesperson, Ebere Amaraizu, made the disclosure in a statement in Enugu on Wednesday. He said police operatives recovered one locally-made pistol and three live cartridges from the deceased. Mr Amaraizu remarked that the confrontation that lasted over 30 minutes took place at the hideout of the armed robbery kingpin and his gang in Obolloafor area of Udenu Local Government Area on April 7 at about 7 p.m. ‘‘Police operatives confronted the armed robbers and kidnappers in their hide-out following a coordinated operation,’’ he said. Mr Amaraizu said that the armed robbers engaged security operatives before they were overpowered just as the deceased hoodlum got injured. ‘‘He was rushed by police operatives to a nearby hospital for medical attention and was later confirmed dead by a doctor on duty. ‘...

President Muhammadu Buhari has told parents of the schoolgirls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State who were abducted five years ago that there is hope for their return. Mr. Buhari said he has not forgotten their daughters, who were kidnapped from their dormitory five years ago (April 14, 2014). Mr. Buhari promised the parents this when he met them (parents), at the beginning of his first term as president, that he would bring their daughters home. He is yet to fulfill his promise. His spokesperson, Garba Shehu, in a statement Saturday said the president is aware that the promise he made is the main reason the people of Chibok voted overwhelmingly for him in the February elections. He said although his government has so far succeeded in bringing back 107 of the girls, he will not rest until the remaining are reunited with their families. ‘Still on the matter, five years on’ Mr. Buhari assured the parents that “his administration is still on the matter.”. ...

                                    Many were feared killed on Saturday in a fresh crisis between Jukun and Tiv tribes in Wukari, south of Taraba State. Fleeing residents said many houses were razed and several people injured in the clashes. The conflict has affected some villages belonging to both tribes along Wukari Kwatan Sule, Chonku and border communities of Jootar and Vaase. Trading blames A Jukun community leader, Bako Benjamin, said despite the peace accord reached last week between the two warring communities, “Tiv ethnic militias have continued to launch pockets of attacks on our communities.” “Just this morning in the wee hours, they struck at Chonku firing sporadically and razed down houses. They attacked four of our communities in the last three days and as I am talking to you, corpses of 15 people killed by Tiv militias have been deposited in Wukari and we have comp...

Suspected bandits on Saturday killed a prominent vigilante group leader in Rukudawa community in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. Residents identified the deceased as Rabiu Maiwelda, one of the community’s vigilante group leaders. He was said to be on the wanted list of the armed bandits. A source said the armed bandits were allegedly informed about the presence of the late Mr Maiwelda who has been on the run for some time, after he learned the bandits were after his life. “The armed bandits came heavily armed, walking around in the community, freely, heading toward where late Mr Maiwelda was seen on top of ladder plastering part of his building. They directed him to come down but Mr Maiwelda refused. “The bandits fired multiply round of bullets on him, surprisingly, the bullets didn’t penetrate him. They forcefully brought him down and tied him down, they used a heavy stone and shattered his head,” a witness said, asking not to be named. He was reportedly k...

                                   A prominent businessman based in Yola, Adamawa State, Abubakar Bashar, has been kidnapped. Sources close to the family disclosed to reporters on Friday that the businessman was kidnapped on Thursday evening at about 5.30 p.m. while returning from a farm along Yola-Numan road. Mr Bashar is a wholesale distributor who deals in various commodities at the Jimeta modern market. A family source, who requested for anonymity, said the kidnappers have called the family, asking for N20 million as ransom. The Adamawa State police spokesman, Abubakar Othman, has confirmed the kidnapping. He said the victim was kidnapped on Thursday evening near the “Welcome to Yola gate”. He said the police have commenced investigation. Many northern states and part of the south have experienced a spate of abductions in recent weeks with the security agencies battling t...

Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal, FRSC The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Saturday cautioned its officers against chasing erring motorists no matter the traffic offense committed. The FRSC Corps Public Education Officer, Mr. Bisi Kazeem, gave the warning in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. He was reacting to media reports of an accident on Friday in Ibadan following a chase by FRSC officers. Kazeem told NAN that the Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, frowned at the incident. “The Corps Marshal, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, condemned the act as it is our rule that officers should not chase any erring motorist. “Rather the vehicle number should be taken and the offender will in no time be arrested through our drivers’ license portal. “As a paramilitary agency investigation must be carried out and if the officers are found guilty, they will be dealt with accordingly,” Kazeem said.

Uber Uber, a transportation network company, headquartered in San Fransisco, has re-assured its users in Nigeria of safety due to innovative safety tools recently put in place. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the company’s reaction was on the sideline of recent security challenges faced by its drivers and users in the country. NAN recalls that some customers of the company recently complained of security challenges. Francesca Uriri, Communications, West Africa/Sub-Saharan Africa told NAN in an interview in Lagos on Friday that security of its users was paramount to it and that was why in October 2018, Uber launched the safety toolkit. Uriri said that the toolkit was with new innovative features to ensure the safety of its 134, 000 active riders and 9,000 drivers across the country. She said that the toolkit was aimed at raising the bar on safety and increase transparency, accountability, and peace of mind for all users. According to her, since launching ...

Nigerian Air Force Alpha jet Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), on Saturday said Nigeria Air Force has would soon deploy two additional helicopter gunships to support the ongoing operations against the bandits in the North-West. Abubakar made the disclosure while speaking with newsmen in Maiduguri. Abubakar spoke on the sideline of the inauguration of newly constructed accommodation for technicians’ crew and airmen at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Composite Command, Maiduguri. He disclosed that two additional helicopter gunships would be inducted this month by President Muhammadu Buhari for deployment to the North-West. Abubakar said: “We are looking forward to acquiring additional platforms. The President is going to induct two additional helicopter gunships this month. “It will be deployed to the North-West to support our operations, to enable farmers to have the freedom to cultivate their farmland and feel safe. “We will continue to work hard t...

The Democratic Chairman of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Richard Neal The Democratic Chairman of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Richard Neal, on Saturday set a new April 23 deadline for the Internal Revenue Service to comply with President Donald Trump’s taxes. In a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, Ways and Means Chairman Neal, said the tax agency’s failure to comply with the new deadline would be interpreted as a denial of his request. The Trump administration has already failed to comply with an earlier April 10 deadline set by Neal. Democrats want to review Trump’s taxes as part of their investigations into possible conflicts of interest posted by his continued ownership of extensive business interests, even as he serves the public as president. Trump broke with a 10-year-old precedent by refusing to release his returns as a presidential candidate in 2016 and continues to do so as president, saying his tax returns are under IRS audit. Neal...

Xenophobia The Nigerian Union in South Africa (NUSA) on Saturday commended South Africa’s Gauteng Province for initiating a Social Cohesion Programme to end discrimination and xenophobia in the province. Mr Adetola Olubajo, the President of NUSA, gave the commendation in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt. According to him, the Premier of Gauteng, David Makhura, launched the programme at an event in the province on Friday. “The Social Cohesion Programme which also features the Social Cohesion games will begin on Sunday, April 14, 2019. “The programme is designed to curb all forms of discrimination and xenophobia as well as enhance cordial relations between nationalities of sister African countries and other nationalities in the Province. Olubajo urged other provinces in that country to emulate Gauteng in building social cohesion in their areas. “NUSA believes that this move will assist to curb xenophobic attacks because of m...

Court Gavel A Court in Morocco has sentenced a 33-year-old Swiss man to 10 years in prison in connection with the murder of two Scandinavian tourists, according to state news agency, MAP. The Swiss man, who had been living in Rabat with his family, was not convicted of being directly involved in the murder but for being part of a terrorist group. The two female Scandinavian backpackers were beheaded, according to police, in the national park of Toubkal near Marrakesh in mid-December. Authorities have arrested 23 people in connection with the attack, according to Moroccan prosecutors. They included another Swiss man suspected of training the alleged murderers in weapons use.

                         The suspects and the victim. Photo: TVC A graphic and horrifying details have emerged on how a herbalist and his friend allegedly killed an unknown man for ritual in Ogun State. The herbalist, Owolabi Mesioye and his friend identified as Oloruntoyin, have been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for killing the unknown man for human sacrifice at Alaako-Ijeun Egboro area of Abeokuta, Ogun State on March 28th. According to the police, Oloruntoyin allegedly lured the victim to his home near Mesioye’s residence at night, and then called on the herbalist that he had brought the man to be used for the ritual they had talked about. The duo lured the victim to the back of Oloruntoyin’s residence, where they allegedly hit him with a charm that made him unconscious. According to TVC, the neighbours who had seen Oloruntoyin come home with the man grew suspicious when they did not see the ma...

The IGP of Police, Mohammed Adamu. [PHOTO CREDIT: Official twitter handle of the Nigerian Police] The Nigerian government has given all foreigners involved in mining activities in Zamfara State 48 hours to leave the sites. The government announced a ban on all mining activities as part of measures to restore peace in the state. Bandits have been attacking villages in Zamfara for almost two years now. Hundreds have been killed while several others have been kidnapped for ransom. The bandits also often destroy houses and properties of villagers. Nigerians staged protest marches  in Abuja and other cities on Saturday demanding urgent action to end killings by the bandits. Following the protests, President Muhammadu Buhari said ending banditry remains a priority of his administration and he would do whatever it takes to save lives. He, however, called on Nigerians not to  politicise   the matter The decision to ban mining and sack foreigners from si...