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metro
TUESDAY , SEPTEMBER 27 , 2016 ... City , Crime , Courts 08185225745 , 08055126196
OPC abducts
• The packs
Customs intercept 70 packs of hemp
Samuel Awoyinfa , Abeokuta
Th e Ogun Area Command , Nigeria Customs Service , has intercepted 70 packs of textile materials containing hemp .
The customs operatives of the command were said to have intercepted a motorcycle conveying the illicit drug at Olodo village , in the Yewa North Local Government Area of the state on Friday .
The Controller , Nigeria Customs Service , Ogun Area Command , Multafu Waindu , in Abeokuta on Monday , said a suspect , Abraham Ayinde , was arrested in connection with the seizure .
While handing over the hemp packs to the state Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency , Bala Fagge , Waindu said it was the second time this year that the state command of the NCS would intercept packs of hemp in the state .
He said the hemp seized in Olodo weighed 76.3kilogrammes with a market value of N2.1m
He said , “ Our operatives intercepted 70 packs containing hemp , which weighed 76.3kg with a market value of N2.1m
“ This type of illicit substance affects the youth in the country , it affects their brain , and some of them turn to crime .
“ Since we have interagency synergy with the NDLEA , this is the second time this year that the state command of the NCS will be handing over such seizure to the agency .”
Speaking with journalists , the suspect , Ayinde , who claimed to be a commercial motorcyclist , popularly known as okada rider , said he was flagged down by the original owner of the hemp to convey him to the Sabo Roundabout area of Abeokuta .
The suspects explained that he picked the owner of the hemp at Oke Agbede Village in Imeko Afon LGA ,
Robbers attack Balogun Market , one
Olaleye Aluko
Armed robbers have attacked Balogun Market on the Lagos Island , hacking three security men with machetes , in a failed attempt to burgle some shops in the market .
PUNCH Metro learnt that in the attack on Friday at about 5am , one of the robbers , a Nigerien identified only as Saidu , was also hacked to death by a mob .
It was gathered that the robbers , whose number had yet to be ascertained , were armed with cutlasses and attempted to open some shops .
Our correspondent learnt that a distress call was put across to the Ebute Ero Police Division , after which policemen went to the scene . The robbers , except Saidu , reportedly fled .
When PUNCH Metro visited the market on Monday , most traders refused to comment on the incident , saying business activities had not started as of the time of the incident .
A night guard , who did
Photo : Samuel Awoyinfa
adding that the owner fled after he was stopped by the customs operatives .
The NDLEA commander , Fagge , explained that his agency would investigate the matter further and charge the suspect to court .
The NDLEA commander , who attributed 60 to 70 per cent of crimes to drug influence , stated that his agency would continue to keep the country free of illicit drugs .
not want his name in print , however , told PUNCH Metro that the injured security men
• Balogun Market
Samson Folarin
A pastor with the Christ Apostolic Church , Onigbogbo , Atan Ota , Ogun State , Pastor Olusegun Omoniyi , is critically ill after he was allegedly abducted and tortured by some members of the Oodua People ’ s Congress .
It was learnt that 45-year-old Omoniyi had also gone into hiding after he was rescued by policemen from the Sango Area Command .
He said he feared for his life as the OPC members had threatened to recapture and kill him .
PUNCH Metro learnt that the OPC members were acting on the instruction of some relatives of Omoniyi ’ s late wife , Omolade , who had vowed to deal with him over the sickness and subsequent death of the woman .
Our correspondent gathered that Omoniyi and his wife married in 1999 and had a set of twins in 2000 .
However , the twins were said to have died shortly after they were born .
It was learnt that since the death of the children , the couple had not been
were rushed to the Lagos Island General Hospital .
He said , “ It was around able to have any child , which resulted in pressures from Omolade ’ s family .
Early 2015 , the wife was reported to have left the cleric despite entreaties from church leaders and relatives of the husband .
PUNCH Metro gathered that seven months after separating from the husband , the 42-year-old was attacked by a strange illness .
Omoniyi said , “ She had told me that her family members didn ’ t want her to continue living with me , but I begged her to stay .
“ However , sometime in 2015 , I went for a church meeting when some of her family members came . They took away her property . Attempts at getting her family members to reconcile us were abortive as they said she had made her choice .
“ However , in July 2015 , I was told she was sick . On the instruction of the church leadership , I went with some other elders to give her N50,000 . But her brother did not allow us to see her , saying I should go alone to see her . We refused .
“ On February 6 , 2016 , while I was leading a church programme around
5.30am on Friday . We were the only ones on the market premises , except for some
Photo : Olaleye Aluko
10am , four men entered the church . Two of them were OPC members and the others – Adebayo and Stephen – were my wife ’ s relatives . While I was on the altar , the two OPC members said they had come to take me away .
“ I told them that I would not follow them since I did not know where they were taking me to . They beat me up and one of them showed
• Omoniyi
Muslims praying in nearby mosques . We observed that the robbers were armed with cutlasses . They wanted to break into some shops . We confronted them and they attacked us .
“ They injured three security men with cutlasses . Some people called the police at the Ebute Ero division . Two policemen were also on patrol around the market . They assisted us in confronting the robbers .
“ The injured security men were quickly rushed to a hospital on the Lagos Island . When the robbers sighted the police , they fled . But we made sure that all of them did not escape . One of them was caught , and he turned out to be a Nigerien . He was beaten up by a mob . I don ’ t know his fate .”
A police source at the Ebute Ero division told our correspondent that the injured robbery suspect was rushed to a hospital , but he did not survive .
“ The robber was hacked with machetes . He was also beaten up . He was later rushed