Nigerian court to rule on bail for deadly church attack suspects on Sept 10
The suspects, who pleaded not guilty when arraigned last week, appeared in court at the start of their trial on Tuesday, seeking bail three years after their arrest.
The massacre at St. Francis Catholic Church in the town of Owo that killed at least 50 worshippers and wounded over 100 others shocked the nation, highlighting the growing reach of Islamist militants beyond Nigeria's northeast.
Abdullahi Muhammad, their lawyer, told the court that their prolonged detention was unjustified and asked for them to be released on bail.
Prosecutor Ayodele Adedipe opposed the bail, citing national security risks and alleged links to foreign terrorist groups. He added that discrepancies in the bail application and alleged threats to witnesses were further grounds for denial.
They were remanded in Department of State Services custody, where they have been held since their arrests, until a judge decides on their application next month.
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Reuters
5 hours ago
- Reuters
Death toll in Nigeria mosque attack rises to 50, dozens abducted
MAIDUGURI, Aug 20 (Reuters) - The death toll from an attack by gunmen on a mosque and nearby homes in Nigeria's northwest Katsina state has risen to at least 50, with around 60 others abducted, local officials and residents said on Wednesday. The attack occurred early on Tuesday in the remote community of Unguwan Mantau, in Malumfashi district, as Muslim worshippers gathered for Fajr, the dawn prayer. Witnesses reported that armed assailants arrived on motorcycles, opening fire inside the mosque before moving through the village. Aminu Ibrahim, a lawmaker representing Malumfashi, said at least 30 people were killed and 20 others burned alive in what he described as a series of brutal attacks on the community. Katsina police spokesperson Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu said officers intercepted the attackers and successfully prevented a planned assault on two villages. But while fleeing through Mantau, the attackers opened fire on residents. Several homes were also set ablaze before security forces arrived at the scene, he said. Survivors recounted harrowing scenes of women and girls being dragged away by the assailants. "They started shooting inside the mosque while people were praying," said Muhammad Abdullahi, a resident. "My neighbour was killed. I was lucky I didn't come out early." On Tuesday, Fatima Abakar, an official at the local general hospital, told Reuters that 27 bodies were registered at the morgue, though many victims were taken by relatives for Islamic burial rites. Northwest Nigeria has seen a surge in attacks by gangs, known locally as bandits, in recent years targeting villages and highways, abducting residents for ransom, and extorting farming communities.
BBC News
11 hours ago
- BBC News
Anambra govment dismiss eight Agunechemba vigilante operatives wey assault female corps member, hand dem to police
Anambra State govment don dismiss di eight Agunechemba operatives wey dey involved for di assault on di female member of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) wey bin dey serve for di state. Dem parade di operatives for front of Agunechemba Security Command for Anambra state, wia dem go from dia land for police hand for more investigation. Di incident wey go viral for social media bin vex plenti Nigerians wey demand say dem must get justice for di girl wey dem assault. Wit di video wey go viral for social media, di security operatives of di Agunechemba wit dia guns bin join hand beat di young female corps member wit slaps, blows and di girl dey shout 'please' but dem no leave her. Afta different Nigerians including NGOs, politicians, police and even NYSC demsef chook mouth for di mata, di vigilante group don take step to remove di operatives wey carry out di operation and hand dem ova to di police. According to di special adviser to Govnor Soludo on Community Security for Anambra State, Ken Emeakayi wey make di announcement for di state broadcasting station, e say dem no dey cova di mata up. According to di special adviser to di govnor of Anambra wen e dey tok for Anambra Broadcasting Service on Wednesday 20 August 2025, e say dem no dey sweep di mata under carpet. "In readiness for openness and to dey fair to evribodi, we dey hand dem ova to di police. Dat na wetin we dey do, na di reason why we bring dem out make pipo see dem. We no dey hide dem E add say Anambra state govnor no support make any security outfit bin dey assault anybodi for di state. "Pipo dey tok say we dey try sweep dis under di carpet, dat no be wetin we dey do. Di govnor of Anambra no send us out to molest anybodi," e tok for di video. Wetin happun bifor Di young lady dey identified as corps members for Anambra State wen vigilante operatives bin assault and tear her clothes.. Inside di video, men wey wear mufti wit heavy guns bin enta into one compound and begin beat one lady. Dem tear her clothes and drag her left and right till dem push her out. Di incident happun for Oba, Idemili South Local Govment Area of Anambra State, and e don cause serious tok tok for social media. Di National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) condemn di "unacceptable and dehumanising" attack on di corpers. Caroline Embu di Acting tok-tok pesin for statement say dem believe in and support di ongoing investigation by di Nigeria Police Force to find out wetin happen. "Dis we trust go help get justice for di Corps Member in kwesion and any oda aggrieved party,", Embu tok for statement. She add say "Furthermore, necessary administrative procedures dey go on to assist di Corps member to manage di physiological and psychological trauma resulting from dis unfortunate incident." According to di police for Anambra State, na di Agunechemba Vigilante Group bin carry out di assault. Dem add say di incident no be recent one as e don happun for July 2025. However, Anambra authority condemn di act and describe am as unfortunate incident wey no suppose happun. Anambra authority react to assault video Di special adviser to Govnor Soludo on Community Security for Anambra State, Ken Emeakayi don react to di trending video wia vigilante operatives bin assault di female corps member and odas. E say di operatives bin dey carry out operation wen di incident happun but e dey veri sad say dat kain tin happun. "Wetin happun for dat incident dey veri unfortunate. We no rule out dis unfortunate incident wey happun, we get di report and di step we take be say we arrest di operatives wey dey involved for di act." "We detain dem, invite di victim wit di NYSC state coordinator. Den we say, our men wey go dat place, dia action dey unacceptable." Di special adviser to Anambra State govnor tok for di interview wit Channels TV say na men of di local security outfit Agunechemba bin carry out di operation. E say dem bin dey pursue some suspected cultists wey run inside di compound wey di mata happun. According to Emeakayi, Udo Ga-Achi na di operational code name wey di operatives dey take carry out di operation. E say di operation get di police, DSS, army, civil defence and all di security agencies for Anambra State but Agunechemba na di state security outfit wey be say na homeland security law create am. According to di community security adviser for Anambra State, na di law of di state empower di Agunechemba security outfit "to enta any compound wey any questionable pesin run into wen dem dey pursue am". E say di Agunechemba security outfit fit form squad for di purpose of tackling kidnapping, banditry, cultism, and any oda vices. For dis video wey dem naked di female corps member and beat odas, e say di Agunechemba security outfit bin purse suspected cultists into di compound and dem begin search di building. E say na wetin carry di operatives go dat building be dat. "Di Agunechemba for Oba town bin dey chase group of cultist guys wey dey ride for motorcycle. During dat period, di suspected cultist run into one isolated area and into some houses." "Di operatives pursue dem into di compound, wia some pipo run into different houses and di operatives enta dia to bring dem out to screen and identify dem." However, e condemn di action of di security operatives wia e tok say dat assault no suppose happun. 'We don sabi di suspects' - Police Meanwhile, di Anambra State Police Command don condemn di sad incident wia vigilante bin naked di young female corps member. "Di assault dey carried out by vigilante operatives. Following di incident, we don identify di suspects wey dey involved," Anambra State police tok-tok pesin, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, tok for statement. E say di reason why di case neva move forward since e happun na becos say di victim dey unavailable. Ikenga also say dem don begin investigation into di case, and dem no go gree for any form of assault becos say na criminal offence under Nigerian law. "Any form remain criminal offence under di Nigerian law and get di right to take necessary legal action to help di court proceedings while we dey wait for di victim." Police also cut warning give vigilante groups say make dem stop dey use brutality and abuse of authority during dia operation.
BBC News
11 hours ago
- BBC News
Wetin Naira Marley tok about di death of Mohbad
Nigerian street pop musician Naira Marley don clear di air on top wetin e sabi about di death of im former signee, di musician wey dem dey call Mohbad. Naira Marley wey im mama call am Abdulazeez Fashola tok dis one for almost two hours for video wey im post for im YouTube channel wey im call - My Side of Di Story. Naira Marley bin dey accused say e get hand for di death of Mohbad wey im papa name am Aloba Oladimeji lleriOluwa wey kpai for 2023. For February 2020, Magistrate Court clear am and music promoter, Sam Larry say dem no get hand for di death of di rising musician. Naira Marley bin reveal among oda tins wia e bin dey wen e first hear di informate, im relationship wit Mohbad and also di relationship wit Mohbad family. Even as all dis informate wey don comot about im case including di acquittal for Febuary, pipo no gree anytin say e no get hand. Dis na due to video wia Mohbad allegedly tok say anytin wey do am make dem look Naira Marley and Sam Lerry side. Anoda tin wey pipo dey torchlight be di way Mohbad comot Marlian Music for 2022 afta about two years wit di record label. Na 7th of October 2022, na im Naira Marley tok say e get letter of termination from Mohbad lawyer. 'I no bully Mohbad, I no kill am' - Naira Marley Naira Marley tok say e bin bring Mohbad as part of im brand for Decemeber 2019, wen e dey run im Marlian Fest show for Nigeria togeda wit CV Black and Zinolessky For di video, Marley reveal di chats wey im bin get wit Mohbad and also reveal di first time e hear say di musician bn dey on drugs. E say, "Dis be 7th of June 2020, di na wen I first hear say, Mohbad dey use sometin, dem say na Ice. Na di first time I hear say Mohbad dey use Ice but I no really knw wetin ice be." E come find out say ice na anoda name for crack cocaine, and e even know pipo wey dey sell am say e even know wetin e don do pipo for di UK wey e dey come from. "I no vex I just call to advice am and e tell me say, e bin start to de take am wit im crackhead friends. I sha advice am, no bad blood inside." E use dis example to explain say e bin no dey tell im record label signees wetin dem go do, say, "I no dey force dem to do anytin". Na Mohbad pick im own manager Naira Marley tok say na Mohbda pick im own manager for imself. E say, "dis dey very important, dis na for di 30th of July 2020, for ids chat you fit see say Mohbad pick im own manager by imself." E say na bicos if you dey do your own music im no go pick your manager. Di chat allegedly show Naira Marley dey tell Mohbad sometins wey dem wan run for im EP bifor di tok-tok move to manager. Naira ask Mohbad, "abeg confam your manager for me again" and Mohbad reply say, "Tunde". E say di only tin e chook mouth inside na di percentage na how much dem go pay di manager bicos Mohbad bin wan give am 25% but e tok say make dem give am 10%. E also say di label get in house managers wey go guide di activities of di talent personal managers. DIs point bin comot as important on top say for 2021, wen Mohbad bin disconnect wit Marlian Music, e also part ways wit im manager, get new one. So, tok-tok come dey as to weda na Naira Marley bin pick im manager for am. Howeva for 2022, Tunde and Mohbad start to dey fight about say Tunde no dey do di work ofbookingshows so e go book am imself. Di fight heavy wella sotay e go physical but Naira Marley tok say "na record label terminal escape plan" E tok say "di 4th of October, 2022, wit di fight between Mohbad and im manager, na di last time wey I don eva see Mohbad." Mohbad dey fear hospital? From di same Whatsapp chat thread, Naira Marley say Mohbad tell am say e don go hospital bifor. E recall di chat wey Mohbad bin allegedly tok say e sick and e dey for hospital. So di whole mata make Naira ask wit shock say, "Mohbad di fear hospital?" Dat come up on top di auxillary nurse wey bin treat Mohbad just bifir e die, di tori from dat time be say e no dey like go hospital, na why e go meet dat nurse instead. Wunmi mata and Money Naira Marley reveal say dia contract bin dey very easy as e reveal say e dey pay for evritin while dem go share di proceeds 50/50. But at first di account wey Mohbad dey give to collect im money no be im own and while Mohbad say na im mama account number, Naira Marley say e bin no like to dey send money go dia. E reason say na bicos e tink say di account belong to Wunmi, Mohbad wife mama. Later on, according to Naira, na so Wunmi call am say na im make Mohbad dey carry im money spend for women dem. Howeva e say, "wit money me and Mohbad no get any wahala." Howeva wen e comot Marlian music, Marley say e comot $72,000 from one account wey no be all im money be im own. So Naira Marley reveal say e hold im stream revenue till di money complete. Mohbad mental health and health issues "Nobodi wan make you die. If you die, notin go beta, e go just make evritin worse." Naira Marley bin tell Mohbad dis one afta e bin dey alerted to Mohbad suicide attempt for 27 March, 2022. E advice am say make e comot anytin wey dey stress am weda na im parents ooo, or even if na im wife, make e carry imself go relax wit Zino small. E also cousel am say, "no be you make yourself, if you kpai now, na hell you dey go straight." All dis one na on top di video wey Mohbad bin make in di last year say if anytin do am make dme hold Marlian music and Naira Marley responsible. But Naira Marley later reveal say di video na sake of duress afta di NDLEA bin come pick up Zinolessky and odas. "E bin dey for state of psychosis and for dat time e tok say Zinolessky na snitch and im no trust im wife", as we dey hear di video wey im play in Mohbad sound for di background wit woman as e dey cry. Di mata bad sotay, Mohbad allegedly go show start to dey forget di lyrics to im own song. For di video Mohbad bin complain about pain and stress. Naira Marley reveal say e bin spend a lot of money to dey run tests and get medicine for Mohbad wen e tok say e no dey feel imsef well. E bin even say e follow Mohbad mama and papa tok on top di mata. Mohbad Death From di 4th of October wia Mohbad fight wit im former manager, Naira Marley say e no see di musician again even though pipo dey come tell am say, Mohbad one tok sorry. But e say, "if I tink say e go die proably I go let am tok sorry but evritin bin dey alot". When Mohbad die for Spetember, Naira Marley dey Amsterdam to go spend time wit im pikin dem and to shoot music video. And na for dat outside di kontri waka, dem hear di news of Mohbad death E say, "We go meet Zino for Montenegro, we go buy fried fish. We don buy di food, dem bring am na im someone for our group tok say Mohbad don kpai. I look am say na lie e wan blow again." Na wen dem start to dey accuse am e see wetin kill Mohbad, na im im eye clear say e fit be true. But e also accuse bloggers say pesin pay dem to accuse im say na im kill dem. E say, "I no even get chance to mourn am properly bicos dem dey blame me for im death."
