Crime
Abia Court Adjourns To Tuesday Attempted Murder Case Against Electricity Vandal
A special court in Aba, Abia State, has adjourned to Tuesday the attempted murder case against a man described as a notorious thief of the power electricity infrastructure in the leading Southeastern industrial city who is accused of planning and mobilising a mob to lynch four Aba Power staff members on field duty.
Uche Maduabuchi, 40, will remain with the Police Anti-kidnapping Unit in Aba till next week for his effort to kill Chinonso Nwabundu, Stephen Ngozi John, Samuel Nwachukwu and Onyeka Ezeaguba, all employees of Aba Power.
He is on a holden charge before a special magistrate court with The Hon Ukaegbu presiding at the Aba Area Command of the Nigeria Police Force because judiciary workers have for weeks been on strike in Abia State over nonpayment of salaries for several months and other welfare issues.
“Afraid that the four electricity employees would stop him from further vandalism against electricity infrastructure that day and report him to their organisation or even to higher authorities”, according to a policeman looking into the case who does not want his name in the media because he is not allowed to speak to the press on the issue,” Maduabuchi began to scream hysterically that the workers were electricity vandals always throwing the city into darkness through their stealing critical electricity distribution parts.
“ Despite the fact that the workers wore their corporate field dress, had their name tags on their clothes, and were in their company vehicle, complete with the company colours, a crowd of about 100 persons quickly gathered and beat the workers to stupour.
“As the mob was about to set the electricity workers ablaze with petrol and match sticks, gallant security men appeared on the scene, and that was what saved the day”.
The police officer advised citizens against taking the law into their hands, explaining that criminals have been found to be responsible for most mob actions.
“Criminals use the opportunity of mob action to steal from victims believed to be with big cash or to settle scores or to kill innocent persons on legitimate duties, as in this case”.
He expressed optimism that a successful prosecution of the suspect “will go a long way to prove that criminal conspiracy or any other form of crime does not pay.
“It will rather expose criminals to the long arms of the law, especially those who vandalise critical infrastructure like power facilities which serve the public”.
The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has arrived in Kebbi State to meet with the state government officials and families of schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga.
The aircraft carrying Shettima landed at the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Birnin Kebbi.Shettima was accompanied by Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Zubaida Umar, and other government officials.
Shettima, who had earlier departed Abuja for Kebbi on the directive of President Bola Tinubu, is expected to convey Tinubu’s message to the people of the state, as well as receive a briefing on the situation for onward communication to the President.
Ohibaba.com recalls that the attack on the Kebbi school claimed the life of the school’s Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, who was reportedly killed while trying to prevent the bandits from taking the girls away.
Meanwhile, the police said on Monday that a combined tactical team was deployed to comb the forests in a bid to rescue the girls.
President Bola Tinubu has condemned the attack and commiserated with the families of those affected.
He also postponed his scheduled trips to Johannesburg in South Africa and Luanda, Angola, to attend the 20th G20 Summit of leaders and the 7th AU-EU Summit, respectively.
Bandits have killed the Vice Principal, Hassan Makuku, and abducted 25 students from the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS) in Maga, Kebbi State.
The attack occurred on Sunday night in the Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of the state. Sources said the gunmen shot Makuku while he tried to protect the students before abducting several schoolgirls.
The Kebbi State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, confirmed the incident on Monday, stating that 25 students were taken by the attackers.
Ahmed Idris, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, said Deputy Governor Umar Tafida had been sent to the school to assess the situation on behalf of Governor Nasir Idris, who is currently out of the state.
The Kebbi State Government has confirmed that terrorists attacked the Maga Comprehensive Girls Secondary School in Sakaba Local Government Area, abducting an unspecified number of female students.
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ahmed Idris, said on Sunday that the assault occurred in the early hours of the day, adding that details remain sketchy as security agencies continue their operations.
Idris noted that Deputy Governor Umar Tafida has led a delegation of senior government officials and security personnel to the scene to assess the situation and coordinate response efforts.
According to local sources, the attackers stormed the school premises, shooting sporadically. A staff member was reportedly killed, while others sustained varying degrees of injuries during the invasion.
Security operatives have since intensified search and rescue operations as the government assured parents and residents that all efforts are being made to ensure the safe return of the abducted students.
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