Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Police command, have apprehended onethe  Chinedu Aniekuoko over alleged maltreatment of his sister, Grace Aniekuoku.

The Commissioner, Ahmed Sanusi, who disclosed the unfortunate development while briefing journalists in Abuja on Monday, said the arrest followed a distress report received by the command on June 12.

The CP stated that the report indicated that the 36-year-old victim suspect was held captive under chains and locked in a room by her elder brother for over one year and four months.

He said upon receipt of the report, he immediately dispatched a team of detectives from Katampe Division to the scene.

Sanusi explained that upon the arrival of the officers, the suspect became hostile, refusing the officers access to the premises where he allegedly confined his sister.

The CP, however, said the suspect’s resistance “did not deter the police officers who gained forceful entry into the room, and discovered the victim in chains, in an extremely emaciated condition and in her own physical waste under very poor sanitary conditions.

“Mr Chinedu was promptly arrested, while the victim was rescued and rushed to the hospital by the Police, where she is currently receiving medical attention”.

The FCT Police boss further disclosed that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects had “forcefully taken away the victim’s son to an unknown location about two years ago, and subsequently kept his sister in confinement to prevent her from raising questions regarding the whereabouts of her child”.

He said while the victim continues to receive medical treatment in an undisclosed hospital, “efforts are ongoing to trace and rescue her missing son.

“The suspect remains in police custody and will be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations”.

Sanusi commended residents for the intel, stating that the successful operation was recorded largely through the timely information provided by “patriotic residents of the FCT.”

A devastating windstorm that struck Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State has rendered hundreds of residents homeless.  

The storm, which occurred on Friday and Sunday, affected several communities, destroying houses, schools, health facilities and electricity poles, while displacing many residents and causing widespread hardship.

One of the victims, Malam Musa, said the incident occurred on Friday evening when strong winds began at about 3 pm and ripped off the entire roof of his house in the Auramo Quarters area, leaving his family displaced.

According to him, the storm also damaged several parts of the building and destroyed valuable household property.

Another victim, Malam Muhammad, said the windstorm completely damaged his four-bedroom house, forcing his wives and children to seek temporary shelter elsewhere.

The affected residents appealed to the government, humanitarian organisations and well-meaning individuals to assist them in mitigating the impact of the disaster.

Speaking during a sympathy visit to the affected communities, the chairman of Ringim Local Government Council, Hon. Badamasi Garba disclosed that hundreds of houses had been affected by the disaster.

He said the local government council, the Jigawa State Government and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were working together to provide relief assistance to the victims.

The chairman added that all district heads had been directed to liaise with village heads to compile comprehensive records of those affected by the windstorm.

He expressed sympathy to the victims and prayed for the repose of the deceased child’s soul, as well as for the bereaved family to have the strength to bear the loss.

Also speaking during a courtesy visit to the council chairman, the NEMA director for the Kano/Jigawa zonal office, Dr Nuraddeen Abdullahi, said officials were in Jigawa State to sympathise with the victims and assess the extent of the damage.

According to him, “We are here to visit the affected communities to sympathise with the victims on behalf of the federal government and to assess the level of destruction for possible intervention.”

Represented by Zakar Muhammad, the NEMA director reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to supporting the victims and helping them recover from their losses.

Troops of Operation Fansan Yamma have repelled an attack by suspected Lakurawa terrorists and recovered rocket-propelled grenade launchers, explosives and other items during a clearance operation in Kebbi State.

According to a military report released on Monday, the operation was carried out by troops of the 8 Division under Sector 2 around Dogon Daji in Dandi Local Government Area on Sunday.

The report said the troops encountered the suspected terrorists during an offensive operation, leading to a firefight in which the assailants were overwhelmed by the military’s superior firepower and forced to flee.

Following the encounter, troops pursued the fleeing suspects and carried out exploitation operations in the area.

Items recovered during the operation included rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launch tubes, rocket-propelled grenades, several improvised explosive devices (IEDs), two motorcycles, a charger and other personal belongings allegedly abandoned by the terrorists.

The military said no casualties were recorded among the troops during the operation.

It added that the mission formed part of ongoing efforts by Operation Fansan Yamma to dismantle terrorist and bandit networks operating across the North-West.

According to the report, sustained offensive operations have continued to disrupt the activities and logistics of criminal groups, while further operations are underway to track down the fleeing suspects and consolidate gains recorded in the area.