A Mochudi man is fighting for his life at Deborah Retief Memorial hospital after his abusive wife set the house they were sleeping in ablaze last weekend.
As the international community observed the ‘16 Days of Activism on violence against women and children’, Shianyana Modise’s estranged wife went on rampage and attempted to burn her husband and three children including a two-month old baby, inside the house.
When describing details of the horrific incident, 39-year old Shianyana Modise told of how his habitually abusive wife, Violet, had phoned informing him that she suspected that the food in the house had been poisoned.
“I had gone to the cattle post on Friday when I received the call.
She told me that she had not cooked any food as she suspected that the food had been poisoned. When I got back home she had put all food-stuffs into a large bowl and mixed with water. When I asked why she did that she started throwing her usual tantrums, insulting me and throwing stuff all over the place.
She broke the furniture and other household property and I went to the police station and reported the incident. Continue after the cut…
The police told us that this time the dispute was getting out of hand and they told us that the matter would be taken to court on Monday.â€
Modise said he was awoken by a cloud of smoke engulfing his bedroom at 3am on Saturday and that when he opened the bedroom door the living room was on fire and he suffered burns as he tried to escape.
“When I tried to open the door to get out of the house I found that it had been locked. I then went through the inferno and tried to rescue Violet and the kids but their room was also locked.
I managed to break the burglar bars to my room and escaped through the window. It was only then that I managed to break the other window and rescue the kids. I was screaming for help at the same time and my brother and other neighbours came and doused the flames and we managed to get Violet out of the house.â€
Superintendent Simon Sitale of Mochudi Police confirmed the incident but said Violet was undergoing psychiatric examination before any charge could be considered against her.
“After the incident the affected family members who included children aged 11 years, 8 years and two months were taken to the hospital.
The husband was badly burnt and he was admitted in hospital while the rest were treated for shock and were released.
The woman has been admitted at Sbrana Psychiatric hospital in Lobatse for mental examination.
Should the results prove that she is sane she will face a charge of attempted murder but if not she’ll walk free,†he said.
According to family members, Violet has always been hostile to her husband’s relatives and after the marriage to Modise in 2007 she stopped all the relatives from visiting.
“We share a fence but ever since she got married to my younger brother she does not allow us into her yard but her relatives are allowed to visit any time,†Modise’s brother Marutle said.
Superintendent Sitale said the incident was the first of its kind in Mochudi and advised couples to settle disputes through family mechanisms and social services. {
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
A Mochudi man is fighting for his life at Deborah Retief Memorial hospital after his abusive wife set the house they were sleeping in ablaze last weekend.
As the international community observed the ‘16 Days of Activism on violence against women and children’, Shianyana Modise’s estranged wife went on rampage and attempted to burn her husband and three children including a two-month old baby, inside the house.
When describing details of the horrific incident, 39-year old Shianyana Modise told of how his habitually abusive wife, Violet, had phoned informing him that she suspected that the food in the house had been poisoned.
“I had gone to the cattle post on Friday when I received the call.
She told me that she had not cooked any food as she suspected that the food had been poisoned. When I got back home she had put all food-stuffs into a large bowl and mixed with water. When I asked why she did that she started throwing her usual tantrums, insulting me and throwing stuff all over the place.
She broke the furniture and other household property and I went to the police station and reported the incident. Continue after the cut…
The police told us that this time the dispute was getting out of hand and they told us that the matter would be taken to court on Monday.â€
Modise said he was awoken by a cloud of smoke engulfing his bedroom at 3am on Saturday and that when he opened the bedroom door the living room was on fire and he suffered burns as he tried to escape.
“When I tried to open the door to get out of the house I found that it had been locked. I then went through the inferno and tried to rescue Violet and the kids but their room was also locked.
I managed to break the burglar bars to my room and escaped through the window. It was only then that I managed to break the other window and rescue the kids. I was screaming for help at the same time and my brother and other neighbours came and doused the flames and we managed to get Violet out of the house.â€
Superintendent Simon Sitale of Mochudi Police confirmed the incident but said Violet was undergoing psychiatric examination before any charge could be considered against her.
“After the incident the affected family members who included children aged 11 years, 8 years and two months were taken to the hospital.
The husband was badly burnt and he was admitted in hospital while the rest were treated for shock and were released.
The woman has been admitted at Sbrana Psychiatric hospital in Lobatse for mental examination.
Should the results prove that she is sane she will face a charge of attempted murder but if not she’ll walk free,†he said.
According to family members, Violet has always been hostile to her husband’s relatives and after the marriage to Modise in 2007 she stopped all the relatives from visiting.
“We share a fence but ever since she got married to my younger brother she does not allow us into her yard but her relatives are allowed to visit any time,†Modise’s brother Marutle said.
Superintendent Sitale said the incident was the first of its kind in Mochudi and advised couples to settle disputes through family mechanisms and social services. {
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
About three months ago, Chibueze Nkwocha lived peacefully in Awka, capital of Anambra State, with his wife and child. He quietly earned a living as an auto mechanic. Unfortunately, in what seemed like a sudden twist of fate, he was recently arrested by the police in Lagos for alleged armed robbery.
In an interview with CRIME DIGEST, Nkwocha recounted the circumstances that lured him into robbery.
“A few weeks before my wife put to bed, I had a surgical operation for hernia. I had pulled together all my resources to pay for the operation. It wasn’t long after this that my pregnant wife put to bed. Since I was not working actively at the time, I didn’t have the money to care for my wife and child.
“I phoned a cousin of mine who lives in Lagos and explained my predicament to him. I asked him to assist me with some money. He agreed to help me and encouraged me to come to Lagos. Before this time, I had never been to Lagos in my life,†he said.
Encouraged by his cousin’s invitation, Nkwocha got on a bus the next day and travelled to Lagos. When he arrived in the city, Nkwocha called his cousin to inform him about his location. But the latter’s cell phone was switched off.
He said, “I was stranded; I had spent my last kobo to get to Lagos and had no money to go back. I didn’t know what to do. I had no idea where my cousin lived in Lagos; he was supposed to have picked me up at the bus terminus.
“I wandered around and eventually found my way to Coker at about 8 pm. After loitering for a while, I noticed a group of men in a corner, smoking and drinking. I moved closer and overheard one of them speaking in Igbo.
“I approached the man and conversed with him in Igbo, narrating my predicament. He took pity on me and told me that he would help me, but I would need to cooperate with him and join his group. He was called Nduka.â€
And so began Nkwocha’s foray into robbery under Nduka’s watch. Although he didn’t make much money in the enterprise, he got enough to feed himself.
“One day, Nduka received a phone call and told me that I had to accompany his friend on an assignment. That was how I met Ajayi. I went with him on robbery operations three times. The first time, I got N4000. I was paid N2000 after the second operation. I was caught and arrested in my third attempt with Kola at Dolphin Estate in Ikoyi. I truly regret my actions. All I wanted was to raise funds to take care of my wife and baby back home,†he said.
Nkwocha’s accomplice, Kolawole Ajayi, was a dealer in telephone accessories at the Computer Village in Ikeja, who allegedly augmented his earnings by indulging in crime.
Ajayi was said to have been receiving stolen goods from his friends and sold them at different occasions. In 2006, he was arrested for buying a stolen laptop computer and charged to the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court. He was granted bail after a few weeks of being remanded at the Ikoyi Prison.
About one year later, Ajayi was back in court. This time, he had progressed to armed robbery. He was alleged to have stolen a laptop and phone from a shop at gunpoint. He was charged to the Ikeja High Court and subsequently jailed for two years.
After he was discharged from prison, Ajayi went back to selling phones. Soon, he started recruiting new members for his group, most of whom he met at a popular entertainment hangout in the Agindingbi area of the city.
By the time he was through with the recruitment ‘exercise,’ he had become the leader of an 11-man gang of robbers.
Ajayi led his gang to launch many robbery attacks in parts of Lagos. Most of the time, the gang roamed streets in search of possible victims. At other times, it acted on information as with the Dolphin Estate robbery incident that finally led to the arrest of the suspects.
Recalling that particular robbery attack, he said, “I didn’t mean to come back to armed robbery, but making ends meet was so difficult. There was a girl I met through a friend. She came with the idea of robbing a certain man at DolphinEstate. I don’t know her relationship with the family, but she assured me that we would get a lot of money.
“I prepared my gang and we went to the address she gave me. When I mentioned the name of the landlord and told the gateman that I wanted to see the man, he opened the gate for us and we went in. We got plenty of money in hard currency and jewellery from that house. I was paid N2m for the entire booty.â€
While the robbery was in progress, a neighbour had alerted the Dolphin police station. But Ajayi sighted a team of policemen approaching the scene of the crime and fled with other members of the gang.
Nkwocha and another suspect were not so lucky. The former was immediately arrested, while his accomplice was shot while trying to evade arrest.
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr. Umaru Manko, confirmed the incident. He said, “Nkwocha was transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad after his arrest by the Dolphin police division. His accomplice did not survive the gunshot.
“Nkwocha confessed to his crime and gave the investigating SARS team Ajayi’s phone number. Ajayi was tracked through his phone for two weeks after which the SARS team was able to stage an arrest through the help of one of his receivers.
“Ajayi was eventually arrested on Dec. 1. He cooperated with SARS and lured his gang members to their meeting point before any robbery attack close to Cash and Carry, Ikeja.
“Although four other members of the gang are on the run, seven others; Sylvester Okafor, Olalekan Williams, Femi Sosanya, Lucky John, Ebere Chukwu, Ugochukwu Okechukwu and Mohammed Ali, were arrested by SARS. Two revolver pistols, one locally-made pistol and four ammunition were recovered from the suspects. They would be charged to court upon the completion of our investigation.â€
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
About three months ago, Chibueze Nkwocha lived peacefully in Awka, capital of Anambra State, with his wife and child. He quietly earned a living as an auto mechanic. Unfortunately, in what seemed like a sudden twist of fate, he was recently arrested by the police in Lagos for alleged armed robbery.
In an interview with CRIME DIGEST, Nkwocha recounted the circumstances that lured him into robbery.
“A few weeks before my wife put to bed, I had a surgical operation for hernia. I had pulled together all my resources to pay for the operation. It wasn’t long after this that my pregnant wife put to bed. Since I was not working actively at the time, I didn’t have the money to care for my wife and child.
“I phoned a cousin of mine who lives in Lagos and explained my predicament to him. I asked him to assist me with some money. He agreed to help me and encouraged me to come to Lagos. Before this time, I had never been to Lagos in my life,†he said.
Encouraged by his cousin’s invitation, Nkwocha got on a bus the next day and travelled to Lagos. When he arrived in the city, Nkwocha called his cousin to inform him about his location. But the latter’s cell phone was switched off.
He said, “I was stranded; I had spent my last kobo to get to Lagos and had no money to go back. I didn’t know what to do. I had no idea where my cousin lived in Lagos; he was supposed to have picked me up at the bus terminus.
“I wandered around and eventually found my way to Coker at about 8 pm. After loitering for a while, I noticed a group of men in a corner, smoking and drinking. I moved closer and overheard one of them speaking in Igbo.
“I approached the man and conversed with him in Igbo, narrating my predicament. He took pity on me and told me that he would help me, but I would need to cooperate with him and join his group. He was called Nduka.â€
And so began Nkwocha’s foray into robbery under Nduka’s watch. Although he didn’t make much money in the enterprise, he got enough to feed himself.
“One day, Nduka received a phone call and told me that I had to accompany his friend on an assignment. That was how I met Ajayi. I went with him on robbery operations three times. The first time, I got N4000. I was paid N2000 after the second operation. I was caught and arrested in my third attempt with Kola at Dolphin Estate in Ikoyi. I truly regret my actions. All I wanted was to raise funds to take care of my wife and baby back home,†he said.
Nkwocha’s accomplice, Kolawole Ajayi, was a dealer in telephone accessories at the Computer Village in Ikeja, who allegedly augmented his earnings by indulging in crime.
Ajayi was said to have been receiving stolen goods from his friends and sold them at different occasions. In 2006, he was arrested for buying a stolen laptop computer and charged to the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court. He was granted bail after a few weeks of being remanded at the Ikoyi Prison.
About one year later, Ajayi was back in court. This time, he had progressed to armed robbery. He was alleged to have stolen a laptop and phone from a shop at gunpoint. He was charged to the Ikeja High Court and subsequently jailed for two years.
After he was discharged from prison, Ajayi went back to selling phones. Soon, he started recruiting new members for his group, most of whom he met at a popular entertainment hangout in the Agindingbi area of the city.
By the time he was through with the recruitment ‘exercise,’ he had become the leader of an 11-man gang of robbers.
Ajayi led his gang to launch many robbery attacks in parts of Lagos. Most of the time, the gang roamed streets in search of possible victims. At other times, it acted on information as with the Dolphin Estate robbery incident that finally led to the arrest of the suspects.
Recalling that particular robbery attack, he said, “I didn’t mean to come back to armed robbery, but making ends meet was so difficult. There was a girl I met through a friend. She came with the idea of robbing a certain man at DolphinEstate. I don’t know her relationship with the family, but she assured me that we would get a lot of money.
“I prepared my gang and we went to the address she gave me. When I mentioned the name of the landlord and told the gateman that I wanted to see the man, he opened the gate for us and we went in. We got plenty of money in hard currency and jewellery from that house. I was paid N2m for the entire booty.â€
While the robbery was in progress, a neighbour had alerted the Dolphin police station. But Ajayi sighted a team of policemen approaching the scene of the crime and fled with other members of the gang.
Nkwocha and another suspect were not so lucky. The former was immediately arrested, while his accomplice was shot while trying to evade arrest.
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr. Umaru Manko, confirmed the incident. He said, “Nkwocha was transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad after his arrest by the Dolphin police division. His accomplice did not survive the gunshot.
“Nkwocha confessed to his crime and gave the investigating SARS team Ajayi’s phone number. Ajayi was tracked through his phone for two weeks after which the SARS team was able to stage an arrest through the help of one of his receivers.
“Ajayi was eventually arrested on Dec. 1. He cooperated with SARS and lured his gang members to their meeting point before any robbery attack close to Cash and Carry, Ikeja.
“Although four other members of the gang are on the run, seven others; Sylvester Okafor, Olalekan Williams, Femi Sosanya, Lucky John, Ebere Chukwu, Ugochukwu Okechukwu and Mohammed Ali, were arrested by SARS. Two revolver pistols, one locally-made pistol and four ammunition were recovered from the suspects. They would be charged to court upon the completion of our investigation.â€
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
As part of its end of the year product campaign, Ecobank has started giving free gifts to its customers for any Rapid Transfer Transaction they carry out.
A statement on Friday said this would last till the end of January, 2013.
The Rapid Transfer is an Ecobank proprietary send and receive money transfer product available in all Ecobank branches in Nigeria.
According to the Head, Domestic Bank Products, Ecobank, Mr. Funwa Akinmade, the product facilitates easy transfer and access to funds across the country and in all countries where Ecobank is represented.
He explained that Rapid Transfer was a special platform for people to reach out to their loved ones during this festive season, pay for their goods and services – as well as their children and wards’ school fees, among other financial needs.
He said, “Rapid Transfer is available to customers and non-customers of the bank. It facilitates easy transfer and access to funds across the country as well as enabling money transfers to and from any of the 33 African countries where Ecobank operatesâ€.
He added that Rapid Transfer, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria, was designed to save the customers from the risk of carrying cash and facilitate easy payment for goods and services in Nigeria.
“Also it enables easy payments across African borders without the hassles of sourcing for foreign exchange as the payments are made in the local currencies of both the transferring and the receiving countries,†he said.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
As part of its end of the year product campaign, Ecobank has started giving free gifts to its customers for any Rapid Transfer Transaction they carry out.
A statement on Friday said this would last till the end of January, 2013.
The Rapid Transfer is an Ecobank proprietary send and receive money transfer product available in all Ecobank branches in Nigeria.
According to the Head, Domestic Bank Products, Ecobank, Mr. Funwa Akinmade, the product facilitates easy transfer and access to funds across the country and in all countries where Ecobank is represented.
He explained that Rapid Transfer was a special platform for people to reach out to their loved ones during this festive season, pay for their goods and services – as well as their children and wards’ school fees, among other financial needs.
He said, “Rapid Transfer is available to customers and non-customers of the bank. It facilitates easy transfer and access to funds across the country as well as enabling money transfers to and from any of the 33 African countries where Ecobank operatesâ€.
He added that Rapid Transfer, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria, was designed to save the customers from the risk of carrying cash and facilitate easy payment for goods and services in Nigeria.
“Also it enables easy payments across African borders without the hassles of sourcing for foreign exchange as the payments are made in the local currencies of both the transferring and the receiving countries,†he said.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Residents of Iboro, a town in Ogun State, desire a new king after eight years of steady decline linked to the vacant stool, writes BOSEDE OLUSOLA-OBASA
Iboro, a city in Ogun State, prides itself as one of the oldest towns in Yewa/Egbadoland. With its history dating back to the 17th century, it was famous for being a pacesetter in the area. It was one of the first places to be developed and equipped with modern amenities.
The town boasted the first pre-colonial police station in Yewaland; the first pre-colonial magistrate’s court, the first public waterworks, the first public library in the region and post office, to mention a few.
Also, it has produced some notable Nigerians, including the current Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Prof. Rahamon Bello; a former VC of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Prof. Titus Bamkole; and a member of the National Assembly in the Second Republic, the late Senator Jonathan Odebiyi.
Unfortunately, when Saturday PUNCH visited the town recently, it had become a shadow of its glorious past. It cut quite a pitiable sight. None of the founding fathers would have imagined that Iboro would decline rapidly and lose its pride of place in Yewaland.
The residents of Iboro are worried that it is heading towards a total social and economic ruin. The situation appears to have severely affected the town and lowered its stature beside the likes of Ilaro, Ajilete, Oke-Odan, Owode, Ibese, Oja Odan, Papa lanto and Imasayi communities.
At present, virtually all the facilities previously enjoyed by residents of the town are no longer functional. Some of them have been relocated to other towns in the area, while Iboro is littered with uncompleted and abandoned public facilities.
The public library, a facility that used to be the pride of the community, now lies disused and virtually abandoned to goats.
The story is not different at the magistrate’s court, which now serves as classrooms for a kindergarten school.
Similarly, the first secondary school in the town, Eyinni Secondary School, is in a state of disrepair. The school lacks chairs and desks, and some parts of the roof over the classroom blocks have been blown off by the wind.
A resident, who identified himself simply as Adeola, said that during lessons many of the students were forced to sit on the windows for want of chairs and desks. Even the building that once served as the first dispensary/public health centre has been abandoned, while the first police station building is now dilapidated and serving as a makeshift habitation for some residents.
Perhaps, the only things that still give joy to the residents of the town are the central mosque and Anglican Church, as well as kokoro, a ring-shaped local snack made from maize.
Adeola, noted that many private business initiatives that once thrived and created employment for the youths had become moribund, while the youths of the town now migrate to other states in search of jobs.
He said the development had halted the progress of the town for the past eight years, noting that not even the body of elders constituted for the purpose of advancing the cause of the town at the local government and state levels had been unable to help.
Another resident, Muniru Akanbi, told Saturday PUNCH that Iboro people reserved the secret recipe for producing the delicacy, which is sold by almost every household in the town.
But Akanbi laments that an unresolved stalemate in the kingship of the town has resulted in a significant loss of revenue from the production of kokoro for some time.
An investigation by Saturday PUNCH showed that, indeed, the town’s fortunes assumed a steady decline about eight years ago. Since that period, the town has been without a king.
Founded by Aboro, the eldest of four brothers from Ile-Ife, Iboro had its first king, Oba Adeleye (Eyinni), in 1650.
Akanbi said that since its foundation, about 10 kings had ruled the town on a rotational basis among four royal families: the Aro, Olakokan, Agunloye and Oko-Aje houses.
He said that the town was enjoying steady developmental growth until the death of the last king, Oba Samuel Bakare. Since then, all efforts to crown another king have failed, especially as the next ruling house, the Agunloye family, failed to choose a candidate.
“Since the death of the last king, the town has remained without a king due to a tussle within the Agunloye family. It is however heartwarming that they have been able to put their differences away. The town is in dire need of a king. We have suffered a lot without a leader to lead to town to its place in history0 these past years,†he says.
However, a member of the council of traditional chiefs, the Odoboro of Iboro, acknowledged that the people, having decided to sheath their swords, were ready to elect a new king.
Chief Phillip A. Majagbe said everyone in the town yearned for the coronation of an oba with a vow to support whoever emerged as king.
He called on the Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, to assent to the process of electing a king without delay, as the procedure demanded. He called on all the sons and daughters of the town to revive their hopes in the town as it recuperates from years of stagnation and makes its way back to prominence again.
“The Agunloye ruling house has picked three candidates out of which one is expected to emerge as king in an election. We have all suffered for the periods that the infighting lasted. So many of the things that our forefathers achieved have been lost in the process, we need to revive Iboro town and it is my prayer that it would happen soon, in my life time.
“We know that as soon as we have a king, there will be a positive turn in the scheme of things in the land. It has been hard to get even things that are our entitlements from the government because of this trouble. That is our heart cry and earnest plea to the state government,†he says.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Residents of Iboro, a town in Ogun State, desire a new king after eight years of steady decline linked to the vacant stool, writes BOSEDE OLUSOLA-OBASA
Iboro, a city in Ogun State, prides itself as one of the oldest towns in Yewa/Egbadoland. With its history dating back to the 17th century, it was famous for being a pacesetter in the area. It was one of the first places to be developed and equipped with modern amenities.
The town boasted the first pre-colonial police station in Yewaland; the first pre-colonial magistrate’s court, the first public waterworks, the first public library in the region and post office, to mention a few.
Also, it has produced some notable Nigerians, including the current Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Prof. Rahamon Bello; a former VC of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Prof. Titus Bamkole; and a member of the National Assembly in the Second Republic, the late Senator Jonathan Odebiyi.
Unfortunately, when Saturday PUNCH visited the town recently, it had become a shadow of its glorious past. It cut quite a pitiable sight. None of the founding fathers would have imagined that Iboro would decline rapidly and lose its pride of place in Yewaland.
The residents of Iboro are worried that it is heading towards a total social and economic ruin. The situation appears to have severely affected the town and lowered its stature beside the likes of Ilaro, Ajilete, Oke-Odan, Owode, Ibese, Oja Odan, Papa lanto and Imasayi communities.
At present, virtually all the facilities previously enjoyed by residents of the town are no longer functional. Some of them have been relocated to other towns in the area, while Iboro is littered with uncompleted and abandoned public facilities.
The public library, a facility that used to be the pride of the community, now lies disused and virtually abandoned to goats.
The story is not different at the magistrate’s court, which now serves as classrooms for a kindergarten school.
Similarly, the first secondary school in the town, Eyinni Secondary School, is in a state of disrepair. The school lacks chairs and desks, and some parts of the roof over the classroom blocks have been blown off by the wind.
A resident, who identified himself simply as Adeola, said that during lessons many of the students were forced to sit on the windows for want of chairs and desks. Even the building that once served as the first dispensary/public health centre has been abandoned, while the first police station building is now dilapidated and serving as a makeshift habitation for some residents.
Perhaps, the only things that still give joy to the residents of the town are the central mosque and Anglican Church, as well as kokoro, a ring-shaped local snack made from maize.
Adeola, noted that many private business initiatives that once thrived and created employment for the youths had become moribund, while the youths of the town now migrate to other states in search of jobs.
He said the development had halted the progress of the town for the past eight years, noting that not even the body of elders constituted for the purpose of advancing the cause of the town at the local government and state levels had been unable to help.
Another resident, Muniru Akanbi, told Saturday PUNCH that Iboro people reserved the secret recipe for producing the delicacy, which is sold by almost every household in the town.
But Akanbi laments that an unresolved stalemate in the kingship of the town has resulted in a significant loss of revenue from the production of kokoro for some time.
An investigation by Saturday PUNCH showed that, indeed, the town’s fortunes assumed a steady decline about eight years ago. Since that period, the town has been without a king.
Founded by Aboro, the eldest of four brothers from Ile-Ife, Iboro had its first king, Oba Adeleye (Eyinni), in 1650.
Akanbi said that since its foundation, about 10 kings had ruled the town on a rotational basis among four royal families: the Aro, Olakokan, Agunloye and Oko-Aje houses.
He said that the town was enjoying steady developmental growth until the death of the last king, Oba Samuel Bakare. Since then, all efforts to crown another king have failed, especially as the next ruling house, the Agunloye family, failed to choose a candidate.
“Since the death of the last king, the town has remained without a king due to a tussle within the Agunloye family. It is however heartwarming that they have been able to put their differences away. The town is in dire need of a king. We have suffered a lot without a leader to lead to town to its place in history0 these past years,†he says.
However, a member of the council of traditional chiefs, the Odoboro of Iboro, acknowledged that the people, having decided to sheath their swords, were ready to elect a new king.
Chief Phillip A. Majagbe said everyone in the town yearned for the coronation of an oba with a vow to support whoever emerged as king.
He called on the Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, to assent to the process of electing a king without delay, as the procedure demanded. He called on all the sons and daughters of the town to revive their hopes in the town as it recuperates from years of stagnation and makes its way back to prominence again.
“The Agunloye ruling house has picked three candidates out of which one is expected to emerge as king in an election. We have all suffered for the periods that the infighting lasted. So many of the things that our forefathers achieved have been lost in the process, we need to revive Iboro town and it is my prayer that it would happen soon, in my life time.
“We know that as soon as we have a king, there will be a positive turn in the scheme of things in the land. It has been hard to get even things that are our entitlements from the government because of this trouble. That is our heart cry and earnest plea to the state government,†he says.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
They are saying they will come back in December, that the soldiers and police can’t withstand them’
Auchi, the headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, was plunged into another round of confusion on Tuesday as the news of an impending robbery attack filtered into the town.
The residents were panic-stricken as they got wind of a strange letter notifying them about the planned attack.
Traders hurriedly closed shop and scampered for cover. There was a stampede as many residents desperately sought to avoid getting caught in the line of fire.
Residents of the town clearly dread another deadly visit by armed gangs that had perfected the act of plundering and killing innocent people without the least challenge from law enforcement agents.
The members of the Forum of Bankers, who were the worst affected by the persistent robbery attacks in Auchi, were quite apprehensive that afternoon. Still nursing scary memories of the last attacks that took place on Nov. 26, 2012, they were eager to avoid another bloody confrontation with the men of the underworld. So, they had to close shop, too.
A reliable source in the palace of the Otaru of Auchi told Saturday PUNCH on the condition of anonymity that the monarch, Alhaji Haliru Momoh, had immediately summoned the alleged recipient of the strange letter to the palace for more explanation.
“The Otaru has sent for the despatch rider to come and explain how the letter was delivered,†said the source.
Letters were said to have been sent to the offices of two new generation banks in the area, informing the workers of the planned attacks. Subsequently, the news had quickly spread around the town and ignited tension among the residents.
In his reaction to the development, the chairman of the Bankers Forum, Mr. Sanusi Bash, described the situation in Auchi as worrisome.
He says, “They wrote a letter and dropped it in the banks. In the letter, they are saying they will come back in December, that the soldiers and police cannot withstand them. We are scared. The government should provide security in the town. We are not attending to customers now and we live in perpetual fear. We will open to customers once we are guaranteed proper security measures. We cannot risk our businesses and personnel.â€
Just as anxiety continues to mount in Auchi, the survivors of the last attack on Nov. 26 are yet to recover from their ordeal.
After that Monday’s attack, no fewer than 13 families, including the families of three soldiers, grieved over the deaths of their loved ones in a raid that affected four commercial banks in the town.
The police area command office, the divisional police office and the soldiers’ quarters were attacked by the bandits, who blocked the points of exit and entry into the town.
One of the victims of the attack, a young woman named Khadijat, spoke with our correspondent in her residence at Ikpeshi Quarters. She said the attack was like a scene from an action movie.
She said, “I was on a commercial motorcycle near First Bank when we saw the assailant. I greeted him, ‘Good evening’, but he shot at us. The bike-man died and I was rushed to Central Hospital, from where they removed bullets from my body. Some were not that lucky.â€
The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Jude Omoregie, said Khadijat had two pellets lodged in her body. He confirmed that three soldiers were brought in dead to the hospital.
Another survivor, Eric Oleme, told our correspondent he was exploring other means of staying out of harm’s way, should the attackers come visiting again.
Eleme said, “My brother, this one is the height of it; they (bandits) came in and operated unhindered for three hours. Only the soldiers repelled some of them. The soldiers killed one of the bandits that made attempts on the quarters. Apart from that, nothing happened.
“I have already contacted my brother and informed him that by Christmas, I am relocating away from here. In the last two years alone, I can count at least four different successful bank robberies in this town, and I am not sure the police ever unravelled any of them.â€
However, Governor Adams Oshiomhole has come down hard on the police for their inability to offer any form of resistance, not to talk of apprehending any of the attackers.
Oshiomhole, during a visit to the town, called for deployment of more personnel and machinery by the police, even as he expressed disgust over the inability of the police to maximise the use of the ones in their possession.
For one, the Armoured Personnel Carrier that was destroyed by the attackers was merely packed in front of the police formation, without anyone manning it, making it easy for the hoodlums to ‘take it out.’
The Acting Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Hurdi, was to rule out the attack as the handiwork of terrorists, apparently to douse perception in some quarters and halt rumours making the rounds that the well planned and coordinated attack was not merely a robbery.
Hurdi said, “I have visited all the places and the extent of the damage is what matters. The area command and other banks were affected. These places were destroyed by the dynamite they threw, but in terms of loss, it was only one bank they were able to gain access into. That is where some amount of money which is yet to be ascertained was lost.
“As far as we are concerned, for now, it is robbery and nothing more than that because they were after money, not even after arms, even when they attacked the police station and the area command, nothing happened to the armoury, it was intact. They wanted to demobilise the police, so that they can have access to the bank vaults.â€
What beats the imagination of many residents is that the attack seemed to have defied security measures. Added to this is the easy manner with which the bandits have turned the town to a ‘sitting duck’ for their attacks.
Auchi town serves as a major exit and entry point to different parts of the country, a fact yet known to security authorities, but which they have not been able to strategise against.
It is rumoured in some quarters that some of those who participated in the attack were in the town long before they struck, while other accomplices were said to have joined from Okpella in Etsako East Local Government Area and Okenne, in Kogi State.
As people go about their activities with tempered fear, the words of the Otaru should at least appeal to the conscience of the attackers and others of equal disposition.
He said, “We want peace and security for the state and for this country.â€
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
They are saying they will come back in December, that the soldiers and police can’t withstand them’
Auchi, the headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, was plunged into another round of confusion on Tuesday as the news of an impending robbery attack filtered into the town.
The residents were panic-stricken as they got wind of a strange letter notifying them about the planned attack.
Traders hurriedly closed shop and scampered for cover. There was a stampede as many residents desperately sought to avoid getting caught in the line of fire.
Residents of the town clearly dread another deadly visit by armed gangs that had perfected the act of plundering and killing innocent people without the least challenge from law enforcement agents.
The members of the Forum of Bankers, who were the worst affected by the persistent robbery attacks in Auchi, were quite apprehensive that afternoon. Still nursing scary memories of the last attacks that took place on Nov. 26, 2012, they were eager to avoid another bloody confrontation with the men of the underworld. So, they had to close shop, too.
A reliable source in the palace of the Otaru of Auchi told Saturday PUNCH on the condition of anonymity that the monarch, Alhaji Haliru Momoh, had immediately summoned the alleged recipient of the strange letter to the palace for more explanation.
“The Otaru has sent for the despatch rider to come and explain how the letter was delivered,†said the source.
Letters were said to have been sent to the offices of two new generation banks in the area, informing the workers of the planned attacks. Subsequently, the news had quickly spread around the town and ignited tension among the residents.
In his reaction to the development, the chairman of the Bankers Forum, Mr. Sanusi Bash, described the situation in Auchi as worrisome.
He says, “They wrote a letter and dropped it in the banks. In the letter, they are saying they will come back in December, that the soldiers and police cannot withstand them. We are scared. The government should provide security in the town. We are not attending to customers now and we live in perpetual fear. We will open to customers once we are guaranteed proper security measures. We cannot risk our businesses and personnel.â€
Just as anxiety continues to mount in Auchi, the survivors of the last attack on Nov. 26 are yet to recover from their ordeal.
After that Monday’s attack, no fewer than 13 families, including the families of three soldiers, grieved over the deaths of their loved ones in a raid that affected four commercial banks in the town.
The police area command office, the divisional police office and the soldiers’ quarters were attacked by the bandits, who blocked the points of exit and entry into the town.
One of the victims of the attack, a young woman named Khadijat, spoke with our correspondent in her residence at Ikpeshi Quarters. She said the attack was like a scene from an action movie.
She said, “I was on a commercial motorcycle near First Bank when we saw the assailant. I greeted him, ‘Good evening’, but he shot at us. The bike-man died and I was rushed to Central Hospital, from where they removed bullets from my body. Some were not that lucky.â€
The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Jude Omoregie, said Khadijat had two pellets lodged in her body. He confirmed that three soldiers were brought in dead to the hospital.
Another survivor, Eric Oleme, told our correspondent he was exploring other means of staying out of harm’s way, should the attackers come visiting again.
Eleme said, “My brother, this one is the height of it; they (bandits) came in and operated unhindered for three hours. Only the soldiers repelled some of them. The soldiers killed one of the bandits that made attempts on the quarters. Apart from that, nothing happened.
“I have already contacted my brother and informed him that by Christmas, I am relocating away from here. In the last two years alone, I can count at least four different successful bank robberies in this town, and I am not sure the police ever unravelled any of them.â€
However, Governor Adams Oshiomhole has come down hard on the police for their inability to offer any form of resistance, not to talk of apprehending any of the attackers.
Oshiomhole, during a visit to the town, called for deployment of more personnel and machinery by the police, even as he expressed disgust over the inability of the police to maximise the use of the ones in their possession.
For one, the Armoured Personnel Carrier that was destroyed by the attackers was merely packed in front of the police formation, without anyone manning it, making it easy for the hoodlums to ‘take it out.’
The Acting Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Hurdi, was to rule out the attack as the handiwork of terrorists, apparently to douse perception in some quarters and halt rumours making the rounds that the well planned and coordinated attack was not merely a robbery.
Hurdi said, “I have visited all the places and the extent of the damage is what matters. The area command and other banks were affected. These places were destroyed by the dynamite they threw, but in terms of loss, it was only one bank they were able to gain access into. That is where some amount of money which is yet to be ascertained was lost.
“As far as we are concerned, for now, it is robbery and nothing more than that because they were after money, not even after arms, even when they attacked the police station and the area command, nothing happened to the armoury, it was intact. They wanted to demobilise the police, so that they can have access to the bank vaults.â€
What beats the imagination of many residents is that the attack seemed to have defied security measures. Added to this is the easy manner with which the bandits have turned the town to a ‘sitting duck’ for their attacks.
Auchi town serves as a major exit and entry point to different parts of the country, a fact yet known to security authorities, but which they have not been able to strategise against.
It is rumoured in some quarters that some of those who participated in the attack were in the town long before they struck, while other accomplices were said to have joined from Okpella in Etsako East Local Government Area and Okenne, in Kogi State.
As people go about their activities with tempered fear, the words of the Otaru should at least appeal to the conscience of the attackers and others of equal disposition.
He said, “We want peace and security for the state and for this country.â€
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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