Metro

Outrage in FGC Akwa Ibom as senior’s bully allegedly leads to JSS 1 student’s death

Published

2 months ago

April 8, 2026

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There is a public disquiet following the death of a 12-year-old Junior Secondary School student of Federal Government College Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Ufokobong Edwin Godwin, on Easter Sunday.

It was gathered that late Ufokobong was tortured in the school hostel by his senior student in Senior Secondary three (SS3) before the Easter holiday.

Narrating the incident, one of the students who lived in the same hotel with the deceased, said the Senior Student approached the victim for his provisions during the terminal examinations but the deceased colleague refused, insisting that he didn’t have enough to share.

He said, “A fellow student (a senior student in SS3) asked the boy for provisions, but he refused.

“The senior hit him on the neck, after which he went into a coma and other students raised the alarm prompting the compound master to come. He was rushed to hospital.

“He later regained consciousness in the hospital and was taken back to school. When the holiday came, the parents picked him up without being informed of any incident involving their son. (Perhaps the school did not think the injury was that serious.)”

He said when the parents picked the boy up on closing day, the school management refused to inform them of what happened to the boy so as to continue medication at home during the Easter holiday.

It was gathered that at home, the boy developed severe pains on his neck and the parents bought pain relief drugs unknown to them that the incident was more than ordinary pains.

“When the incident becomes more severe, the father rushed the deceased to hospital where he died on Easter Sunday.

“Back home, the parents said the boy started complaining of throat pain on Wednesday, and they got medication for him.

“On Saturday night, the father called some of his friends (one of whom shared this story ), asking them to pray for his son, who had been taken to the hospital. By Sunday morning, around 1:00am, the boy passed on

“The hospital later confirmed that he d!ed from complications associated with blood clots around his throat (neck area),” as reported by Oga Yenne on Facebook.

Meanwhile, investigations have revealed that there were other cases of bullying in the college but much have not been done to address the issue.

One of the parents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that last year, a senior student in SS3 used box iron to hit a junior one on the head and the boy fainted.

He said the school management rushed the student to University Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) where the boy spent more than one month for treatment after the school had spent over N200,000.

He alleged that bullying had continued in the college, while Parent Teachers Association and the school management looked the other way.

He disclosed that bullying has continued in the school unabated, including girls hostels where fellow students subjected their juniors to torture and other forms of punishment, while the management looked the other way.

“Last year some girls put their junior girls in a bag and zipped it until the child suffocated,”

Meanwhile, the family of the deceased student have called on the federal government to investigate the circumstances leading to death of their son.

Speaking, the father said though he is weakened by the incident, the government should intervene immediately for justice to prevail.

“I cannot talk now. I am calling on the federal government to intervene for justice. I will talk at appropriate time,” he said on phone.

Metro

Police arrest suspect in N1.02bn PMS theft, recover N300m assets in Lagos

Published

2 hours ago

May 26, 2026

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The Lagos State Police Command has arrested one of the key suspects linked to the alleged theft of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, valued at N1.02 billion and recovered assets worth more than N300 million connected to the crime.

The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Fatai Tijani, disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing journalists at the command headquarters in Ikeja.

Tijani explained that the arrest followed a petition submitted by MEA Energy over an alleged case of conspiracy and theft involving petroleum products worth N1.02 billion reportedly carried out by two suspects.

According to him, the command immediately launched a discreet investigation backed by intelligence gathering, surveillance and technical operations after receiving the complaint.

“Upon receipt of the complaint, operatives of the command commenced discreet investigation supported by technical intelligence gathering and surveillance operations.

“After 12 days of intensive tracking and follow-up operations, one of the principal suspects, aged 38, was apprehended in Delta, where he had fled in an attempt to evade justice.

“The suspect was successfully tracked and apprehended through coordinated interstate policing efforts by operatives of the command,” Tijani said.

The police commissioner further revealed that the suspect confessed to participating in the alleged crime during interrogation.

He added that the suspect later assisted investigators in recovering cash and properties valued at over N300 million, believed to be proceeds from the unlawful diversion of petroleum products.

Tijani stated that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the second suspect, who remains at large.

He added that the arrested suspect would be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations.

Metro

Police arrest six over murder of Ebonyi traditional ruler, recover AK-47

Published

2 hours ago

May 26, 2026

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The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested six suspects allegedly linked to the murder of the traditional ruler of Ishinkwo Community, HRH Eze Josephat Nnanna Ikegwu.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Abakaliki, noting that the arrests followed sustained intelligence-led investigations by operatives of the command.

The suspects, identified as Ucha Johnson, Ogobuchi Igwe, Nkpuma Nwankwo, Edwin Onwoshi, Itumo Joseph, and Emmanuel Nwaoba, were apprehended in connection with the killing.

According to the police, operatives also recovered one AK-47 rifle loaded with eight rounds of live ammunition during the operation.

The monarch was reportedly murdered at his residence on April 2, 2026, a development that sparked tension and concern within the community.

Reacting to the arrests, the Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, Hope Urunwa Okafor, reaffirmed the command’s determination to ensure that all those involved in the crime are brought to justice.

She assured residents of the Command’s continued commitment to tackling violent crimes and maintaining public safety across the state.

The police said the suspects would be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.

Metro

Fake EFCC officer arraigned for impersonation in Abuja

Published

3 hours ago

May 26, 2026

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday arraigned a man, Salifu Olije Mustapha, before the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Kubwa, Abuja, for allegedly posing as an operative of the anti-graft agency and defrauding unsuspecting members of the public.

Mustapha was brought before Justice A.I. Akobi on a four-count charge bordering on impersonation and misrepresentation.

According to the EFCC, the defendant allegedly presented himself as an officer of the Commission and took part in activities aimed at deceiving and extorting members of the public.

One of the charges against him reads: “That you, Salifu Olije Mustapha sometime in March 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while falsely pretending to be a Nigerian Air Force officer did abet the duo of Abubakar (now at large) and Haruna Mamuda (currently undergoing investigation with another law enforcement agency by conveying them fully dressed in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s operational uniforms as operatives of Commission in a Toyota Corolla with Registration No. KTU399GT to Sheriff Plaza, Wuse II, Abuja to defraud unsuspecting members of the public and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 84(c) and punishable under Section 132 of the Penal Code Act.”

Another charge states: “That you, Salifu Olije Mustapha sometime in March 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, impersonated a Public Servant by falsely presenting yourself as officer of the Nigerian Air Force and in that assumed character defrauded unsuspecting members of the public and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 132 of the Penal Code Act.”

When the charges were read to him, Mustapha pleaded guilty to all four counts.

Following his plea, prosecution counsel, R.U. Adaga, urged the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly.

Justice Akobi subsequently adjourned the matter until June 1, 2026, for sentencing.

The EFCC said Mustapha was arrested after security information linked him to the impersonation of EFCC personnel.

Investigations showed that he was allegedly seen wearing a fake EFCC uniform alongside two other suspects while harassing motorists and obtaining money from them under false pretences.