Metro
Seven suspected ritualists nabbed in Ogun
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested no fewer than seven suspected ritualists from different parts of Abeokuta, the state capital.
Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday.
Oyeyemi identified the suspects as Lekan Oladipupo, Sulaiman Aremu, Ifayemi Madru, Shittu Saheed, Samod Sulaiman, Akanji Moruf and Tajudeen Adekunle.
“They were arrested following a report lodged at Bode Olude divisional headquarters by one Abraham Okosun, who reported that he visited his brother, Sunday Okosun at Agbara village via Mawuko Abeokuta, only to discover that his brother has been brutally murdered by unknown person(s), and his remains had been dismembered,” the force PPRO said.
Upon receiving the report, the Divisional police officer of Bode Olude Division, Durojaye Rotimi, visited the scene with his detectives and then embarked on intelligence based investigation to reveal those behind the dastardly act.
The police spokesperson said detectives acted on credible intelligence, traced and apprehended Lekan Oladipupo.
The suspect was said to have confessed to having shot and killed Okosun with his Dane gun.
According to the police public relations officer, his confession led to the arrest of the six other suspects.
“Lekan Oladipupo informed the police that his own role is to look for their victim, usually in the bush around Mawuko area and shot such unfortunate person to death.
“He will then contact Sulaiman Aremu, who will butcher the corpse of the victim and remove vital parts to be distributed to their standby customers,” the police spokesman stressed.
One of the suspects – Ifayemi Badru – police authorities say, bought the heart, hands and other parts of the body, while Shittu Saheed bought the head.
This is even as Akanji Moruf is accused of buying the heart of another of their victims, with Tajudeen Adekunle buying the head.
The statement continued, “The suspects confessed to have killed not less than four persons in similar circumstances and that their body parts were used for money-making rituals. They also informed the police that they have code names for each human part whenever they want to request it from their butcher. For example, they normally referred to human head as ball, the heart as a transformer, while the hand is code-named fans.”
Items recovered from the suspects include a gun and cutlass which the suspects used in carrying out their activities.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Lanre Bankole, described the incident as the height of man’s inhumanity to man.
He equally ordered that the suspects be transferred to the homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for discreet investigation with the view to charging them to court as soon as possible.
Customers of Zenith Bank have taken to social media to voice their frustration over difficulties encountered during online banking transactions.
Reports emerged on Tuesday of challenges related to payments and various features, leading to widespread discontent among users on social media platforms like X.
In a statement shared on X on Saturday, Zenith Bank announced that routine maintenance would commence on September 29 and conclude on October 1, running from 12:01 AM to 5:00 AM. The notice, titled ‘Notice of Routine Maintenance,’ stated, “Please be informed that we are currently undertaking routine maintenance of our Information Technology Infrastructure to enable us to significantly improve the quality of service rendered to you.”
However, customers reported that the maintenance did not begin as scheduled, causing considerable inconvenience.
On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, the bank’s Mobile Banking App, USSD Service, Internet Banking, and Corporate Internet Banking platforms remained unavailable for an extended period, specifically between 12:01 AM and 2:30 PM WAT.
One dissatisfied customer, Adetunji Akeem, expressed his frustration, sharing that he was unable to withdraw money for food and transportation to work, which forced him to borrow from colleagues.
“It is frustrating. I haven’t eaten all day because I wasn’t able to withdraw money today. Zenith said they would be undergoing maintenance on Saturday through a pop-up message on the bank app, but they didn’t start until this morning,” he lamented.
Another customer, Adeleye A. P., known on X as #deji4ever, criticised the bank for not scheduling maintenance during the night, especially at the end of the month when many employees are expecting their salaries.
He tweeted, “The worst bank award should be given to Zenith. Why deny customers transfer privileges to other banks on the last day of the month? It’s a bad business strategy to ensure money doesn’t leave its coffers.”
Dave Oriss, tweeting under the handle #orissonline, echoed similar sentiments, adding, “#ZenithBank, you should keep frustrating your customers. Some have emergencies, and you are busy shifting the time for maintenance.”
Iran fired 200 missiles, including hypersonic weapons, at Israel in a major escalation of the ongoing conflict, state television reported on Wednesday.
The barrage, which Iran claims targeted military bases near Tel Aviv, came as retaliation for the recent killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah by Israeli forces.
This picture shows a projectile flying above the Jordanian capital Amman towards Israel, on October 1, 2024. – Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said a missile attack under way against Israel on October 1 was in response to the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah last week as well as that of the Hamas leader. (Photo by Khalil MAZRAAWI / AFP)
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the missile launches, stating that “90 percent” of the projectiles hit their intended targets, which included three military bases.
The footage of the missile strikes was broadcast on Iranian media, showing a significant show of force by Tehran.
This picture taken from the West Bank city of Hebron shows projectiles above the Israeli city of Ashdod on October 1, 2024. (Photo by HAZEM BADER / AFP)
The Israeli military countered that 180 missiles had been fired into their territory, with most being intercepted by Israel’s advanced defense systems.
Despite the intercepts, the attack marks the first reported use of hypersonic missiles by Iran against Israel.
This picture shows projectiles being intercepted by Israel above Jerusalem on October 1, 2024. (Photo by Menahem Kahana / AFP)
Hypersonic missiles, capable of traveling at speeds of up to 15 times the speed of sound, pose a unique threat due to their low-altitude flight path and ability to evade conventional missile defenses.
Iran unveiled this advanced missile technology in June 2023, with then-president Ebrahim Raisi proclaiming it as a cornerstone of Iran’s deterrence capabilities, designed to maintain peace and stability in the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded swiftly to the attack, warning that Tehran had made a “big mistake.” He vowed to make Iran “pay” for the strikes, further raising tensions in an already volatile situation.
Fire erupts between Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv and the city of Modiin following an Iranian missile attack, on October 1, 2024. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said a missile attack under way against Israel on October 1 was in response to the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah last week as well as that of the Hamas leader. (Photo by Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP)
In Washington, the United States indicated that it was discussing a joint response with Israel.
Meanwhile, Iran’s chief of staff issued a stern warning that Tehran would strike key Israeli infrastructure if Iran’s territory were attacked in retaliation. The region now braces for potential further escalation amid growing fears of a broader conflict.
No fewer than 60 bodies have been recovered following a tragic boat accident in Niger State, officials confirmed.
According to a statement released by Abubakar Dakani, Press Secretary to the Chairman of Mokwa Local Government, the boat was carrying over 300 passengers when it capsised at the notorious Gbajibo River in Mokwa Local Government Area yesterday evening.
Dakani disclosed that the ill-fated boat was en route from Mundi to Gbajibo for the Annual Maulud celebration when the disaster occurred.
The Chairman of Mokwa Local Government, Abdullahi Muregi, acknowledged the recovery of about 60 bodies and confirmed that 10 survivors have been found so far. Rescue operations, involving the State Emergency Management Agency and local volunteers, are ongoing in a bid to recover the missing passengers.
This incident brings painful memories of a similar boat tragedy in September 2023, when a boat carrying over 50 passengers capsized, killing 24 people who were traveling to their farms for harvest.
Authorities have expressed concerns about the recurring boat accidents in the region, calling for urgent measures to improve safety on the waterways.
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