By SIMON EBEGBULEM, Benin City
Residents of Ogida quarters in Benin City were shocked last Saturday when they woke to see a house wife (names withheld) shouting and pleading for help.

They rushed to the house only to discover that the woman was raped by three young men who stormed the house at about 3am.

They further discovered the victim’s husband who was tied by the robbers and pushed  under the bed. Saturday Vanguard learnt that the suspects Peter Anigboro (25 years old), Lucky Williams (22) and Olise Friday, forced the door of the residence of the victim open with an impoverished gun and a dagger.

The suspects immediately went for the husband, whom they tied his legs and hands after which he was pushed under the bed.

After taking care of the husband, they went for the wife whom Saturday Vanguard learnt was their original target. It was gathered that the robbers have been monitoring her movement for some days before they struck last Saturday.

It was learnt that they requested her to declare the money she sold that day from her recharge card which she quickly obliged.

The robbers further requested for recharge cards, hand sets and other valuables. While they were threatening, the victim pleaded that they should not kill her. But to her greatest shock, they pounced on her and started undressing her warning that she will be killed if she tried to resist them.

The leader of the gang, Peter Anikoro was the first to rape her and while he was doing that, his mask pulled off and that was when the victim saw the face of her attacker.

Peter is a neighour who resides in the opposite building. However, after taking his turn, others followed suit.

As if the suspects were destined to meet their waterloo that same day, they attacked another house around that same Ogida quarters where they met a 60 year-old woman and attempted to rape her too. The woman pleaded with them, and though she was not raped, they fiddled with her private part and carted away hand sets and cash from the house.

Luck ran out with the rampaging robbers when Peter took other members of the gang to his uncle’s house at Siluko road to rob. Unfortunately for them, they could not gain access to the house due to the protector.

But through the window, they were able to cart away a hand set. But some body spotted them and raised an alarm which attracted the attention of members of the vigilante group in the area. They gave the robbers a hot chase and with the arrival of policemen on patrol, they were apprehended.

The Assistant Public Relations Officer of the state Command, ASP Ahwara Ejiroro, who paraded the suspects last Monday, said they confessed to have been involved in several robbery operations and have raped several other women in the past.

According to him, “they operate with impoverish guns and daggers and their victims will think they have a real gun while they also threaten with the daggers.

As if what they did that same night was not enough, Peter who is the leader of the gang took them to his uncle’s house to rob and that was where they were apprehended. They will be charged to court for rape and armed robbery”.

Leader of the gang Peter, confessed to Saturday Vanguard: “I don’t have a job so what I did that day was to call two of my friends and told them that we are going to operate that night. We met around 9pm in a palmwine joint close to the house.

We moved to the place around 3am when everybody had gone to bed. We were monitoring her movement from the wine bar”.

Asked why they decided to rape the victim, Peter said “it was devil’s work. We did not know when we did it”.

When asked why they could not rape the 60- year woman, their second victim, he explained that “she was crying and begging us. So we felt sorry for her. We only fingered her and left the house”.

In another development, the police in Benin also arrested a 73 year old grand father for using a kitchen knife to stab to death a 27 year old man, Gabriel Amayahu Aigbosuria. The suspect, Williams Omobude Uwadia was arrested at the scene of crime shortly after the alleged murder.

Saturday Vanguard learnt that the suspect had earlier in the day had a disagreement with the deceased following which he went to the nearest police Division in Benin City to effect his arrest, a situation which made the police to follow him for the arrest, but unknown to them that he had a kitchen knife on him. As the policemen were trying to mediate on the matter, the suspect was alleged to have suddenly brought a knife and stabbed the 27 year old man.

The complainant then turned accused as he was arrested by the police and transferred to the state CID, Benin for further investigation.

Ejiroro who expressed shock over the incident confirmed the arrest and said the state police homicide section was already investigating the murder case, just as he assured that the police will get to the root of the matter.

Meanwhile, the state House of Assembly has called on the Inspector General of Police to appoint a substantive Commissioner of Police in the state with a view to help curb crime in the state.

The Majority Leader of the House, Philip Shuaibu, who reiterated this call to Saturday Vanguard, shortly after the abduction of the lawmaker representing Esan Central constituency, Mr Victor Edora, lamented that the state needs a substantive CP to be able to fight crime head on.

Acording to him, “we are not happy that each day people are kidnapped or robbed in different parts of the country.

There have been incessant robbery operations along the by-pass and it seems the police is helpless about it. We are appealing to the IG of Police to assist us because we need an effective policing of the entire state to be able to check crime effectively”.

By JOHN AMODA
SENATOR Iroegbu’s story in ThisDay, the Sunday Newspaper captioned Mali: British Defence Chief Visit Nigeria, Pledges Support reveals the difference between European’s interest in Africa and Nigeria’s interest in Africa.

The UK Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. (Sir) David Richard in his discussion with his Nigerian counterpart Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim spoke unguardedly about his government security priorities in the world, Africa and Nigeria.

“He said Mali presents many challenges, but it is vital “that we resolve this issue for peace in the region and specifically in your interest too.

We will give you 150 per cent support; we have to be transparent in whatever we do. My discussion with my Prime Minister before coming here is that Britain as a whole is very committed to resolving this crisis. It is vital and in our national interest that we get it right.”

The defence chief continued: “After Afghanistan, Mali is the immediate imperative. It is important we resolve this threat of Mali especially for the sake of the African continent and the well being of Nigeria and in doing this, I must say transparency should be a key factor.

I believe as we draw down from Afghanistan, we will have more resources to support the efforts in the region (we) will come and train you… play football matches, whatever you wish and for the long term, not just in Mali, we are planning to come back to the region but before that we have to get Mali right”.

Richard said he was in the country to meet to discuss and identify areas of strength on the part of Nigerian and British Armed Forces in order to identify critical areas of support either in the future or regarding the Mali challenge.

Recognition of Nigerian war efforts

As we juxtapose the views of the Nigerian CDS on the meaning of Sir Richard’s consultation with him, it becomes apparent that Mali means two different things to the two officials.

According to Iroegbu’s report, Ibrahim commended Sir Richards on his “recognition of Nigerian war efforts and expected support of the British government for Nigeria in tackling the terrorism in Mali and West African sub-region.

“Your prompt decision to come and identify with us over the troublesome situation in Mali which is a cause for concern to nations in the sub-region, is appreciated and together, the challenge would be surmounted”.

Ibrahim also noted that even though the Africa-led intervention force in Mali is having an upper hand over the Islamic terrorists in Mali, he foresees the Nigerian troops could be there for one year in order to monitor the post crisis Mali because of her leadership responsibility in the sub-region”.

Admiral Ibrahim and General Richard are enunciating two different policies on Mali while they present their policies as complementary. Sir Richard announces that it is the position of the British Government that Mali is the immediate British African priority and that it is important that the UK supports a process that will “get it right” in Mali.

Thus the UK and the US Government have backed the French war in Northern Mali with logistics and intelligence resources. Getting it right in Mali has been the aim of the European support for the French. It is the French that have been waging the war in Northern Mali with Malian forces tagging along.

Sir Richard’s getting it right” in Mali can be read to be an approval for the strategy of supporting the unilateral decision of France “to get it right first” in Mali before the United Nations Resolution 2085 of an African led international deployment is effected.

Admiral Ibrahim is explicitly legitimizing the structuring of Resolution 2085 into two phases, the French phase and the ECOWAS phase. President Hollande and Vice President Joe Biden are in agreement on this restructuring of Resolution 2085.

However the course of the French war aimed at securing the territorial integrity of Mali may indeed end up in having Nigeria-ECOWAS Force assigned the more difficult task of combat with the Islamist Forces that have so far avoided ground war with the French.

Ibrahim may have under estimated the challenges of guerilla war with the Islamist who had defeated the Malian Forces and chased them out of Northern Mali. It will be better to make both wars, the second phase war of expelling the Islamist from the Sahel and the war of re-integration of Northern Mali into Mali one truly international effort.

This is all the more the case that the capture and occupation of Northern Mali is not a terrorist act but the developing of a base for international terrorist insurgency in Africa and outside of Africa. It is this threat of the Sahelian sub-region of ECOWAS becoming such a base that has to be eliminated. This is the French and the Western security interest in Mali. But Mali as a base is Nigeria’s and ECOWAS strategic interest.

The occupation of Northern Mali and its reconstitution as a part of a new state of Azawad is the worrisome fact- a fact of Islamist colonization of Northern Mali. When the Islamist attack and occupation of Diabally signaled a threat to Bamako, France intervened militarily to prevent the expansion of Azawad.

The United Nations, the African Union and ECOWAS are yet to define the issue of Northern Mali as an issue of recolonization in Africa- an issue that is a threat to the international peace and security in Africa.

The French, UK and the US governments have on their mind the containment and elimination of Al-Quaeda. And Al-Quaeda has shown its preparedness and willingness to seek for a Sahelian Base in Africa for waging its international war against the West.

This is the larger importance of Mali and why it is strategically critical and vitae that Nigeria sees Mali in its two dimensions, as simultaneously a global and as well an African issue.

Nigeria striker Emmanuel Emenike’s injury is not serious, while a scan will be carried out for Victor Moses, officials have disclosed.

Emenike injured his right leg during the semi-final victory over Mali while shooting for goal, but team spokesman Ben Alaiya said it was not a serious injury as the doctor is expected to confirm this later

Emenike Emmanuel

Thursday.

Alaiya said, “Emenike’s injury is not serious, he had just a knock which is minor. He should be fit for final, but we are waiting for the medical report on him which should be ready by lunch time.”

Emenike has scored four goals so far in the tournament with two assists to top the goals chart at the AFCON in South Africa.

He suffered what look like a hamstring injury while shooting from long range at goal against Mali on Wednesday.

Eagles coach Stephen Keshi disclosed that a scan will be carried out on Chelsea winger Moses, who also picked up an injury against Mali.

“We hope it is not serious and he will play the final,” said Keshi.

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – Tunisian referee Slim Jdidi has been suspended for his controversial handling of the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final between Ghana and Burkina Faso, the organisers said Thursday.

“We would have expected a better standard,” Confederation of African Football (CAF) secretary-general Hicham El Amrani told a media conference just hours after Burkina Faso lodged an official appeal against key player Jonathan Pitroipa’s red card in the semi-final win over Ghana on Wednesday.

“There is a meeting tomorrow (Friday) to discuss the Pitroipa incident,” El Amrani told reporters.

The official said Pitroipa’s chances of playing in the final depend on the match report sent in by Jdidi.

Burkina Faso’s Jonathan Pitroipa is shown a second yello card in his side’s semifinal win over Ghana.

“The organising committee does not have the power to change the referee’s decision unless the referee admits he made a mistake in his official report,” said El Amrani.

As it stands, Pitroipa will miss Sunday’s Cup of Nations final against Nigeria in Soweto after picking up two yellow cards in the stunning penalty shoot-out success over the Black Stars.

Pitroipa, who has scored twice in the tournament, was sent off three minutes from the end of extra time on Wednesday for diving when, in fact, he had clearly been knocked to the ground after tangling with an opponent.

Team manager Gualbert Kabore, speaking at the team hotel in north-eastern city Nelspruit, told AFP: “The Burkina Faso Football Federation wrote an offical letter of appeal to CAF (competition organisers).

“We lodged it in the two hours after the match as stipulated by the regulations.

“We think we have a good chance of winning the appeal.”

Kabore, a distant relation to another key Burkinabe player, midfielder and vice-captain Charles Kabore, echoed coach Paul Put’s dim view of Jdidi’s decision-making during the match.

Chief among the Tunisian’s perceived errors in the Burkina Faso camp were the rejection of a legitimate penalty claim, a disallowed goal that appeared to be valid, and Pitroipa’s sending off.

“There were some scandalous decisions, we don’t know why, we’re asking lots of questions, there are lots of theories,” said Kabore.

“Curiously, the players reacted better than us (the team management). They said if the referee is against us that must mean we are the stronger side.”

Burkina Faso are hoping to hear later Thursday whether their appeal has been successful.

The Stallions are already having to do without the services of top scorer Alain Traore.

He was leading the scoring charts in South Africa with three goals only for his Nations Cup to end prematurely when he sustained an injury against Zambia in the final first-round game.

The Joint Task Force in Kano arrested a man identified simply as Babawo, said to be a mastermind in the attack on Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, in a raid it conducted on Wednesday morning at Dorayi, close to the old site of Bayero University Kano.

Security sources also confirmed to Vanguard that the suspect subsequently led men of the JTF to two others, one of them, an undergraduate student, connected to the attack.

* Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero Photo: AFP

Several gunmen had opened fire on the convoy of the Emir of Kano on Saturday January 19, 2013, as the monarch headed away from an occasion he had just attended, killing six and injuring many, including two of the Emir’s sons.

Security agents had on Monday, January 21, 2013, arrested a man who they claimed was a principal suspect in the attack and who they said had been providing them with useful information about others involved in the attack, information which led to the arrest of three others.

By Charles Mgbolu

It’s still early in the year; just the second month that announces love and Valentine; no one saw this coming but Wizkid is causing a panic; scaring fans; as rumours continue to swirl even louder that he is walking out on E.M.E; the label that literally gave him life.

Because of the deafening silence within the E.M.E label no one can confidently put a finger to the cause of the fracas; all anyone has are the tweets from Wizkid himself.

On his twitter handle, Wizkid has removed his management name EME/Konvict to Disturbing LDN (Tinie Tempah) and Godwin Tom his new manager after sacking Osaghie Osarenkhoe.

Reports also reveal that Wizkid has moved out of the E.M.E’s ‘mansion’ in Lagos and acquired his own home in Lekki Phase 1, this was shortly after he bought his BMW X6 auto-mobile late last year.

Fans particularly were shocked because they had been pacified by BankyW in an interview only some days ago where he (Banky) assured everyone that nothing was amiss; he said all was well in E.M.E.

Wizkid

Trouble within the pack, evidently had been going on for some time now. It is reported that the E.M.E all stars concert which held in December last year pulled through only with the stroke of luck as Wizkid hardly made it to the crews’ pre-show rehearsals.

His tweets show a disgruntled perhaps frustrated young man and no one knows for sure why.

Speculations spew left and right that it has to do with his contract. It alleges Wizkid is unhappy with the huge amount taken off his income by E.M.E as conditions of his contract. Wizkid is the most selling artist in the E.M.E label. The young star is suspected to be feeling ‘used’ as a money machine to finance the E.M.E label and the individual careers of other E.M.E acts Skales, Niyola and Shaydee.

These speculations further state that E.M.E plans to turn a more stronger attention to it’s other artists this year with Skales releasing new videos after the success of his hit single ‘Komole’.

Niyola has also come strongly in the picture with her video “Don’t delay me” steadily gaining momentum in the music-sphere.

It is alleged Wizkid is afraid his new album which is in the making could be delayed as a result of this and so has taken his destiny in his own hands.

In February last year, D’banj and Don Jazzi called it quits to their Mo’hits empire after months of muted disagreements. We fear this might be the case here.

Whatever the reason is for this fall out within E.M.E no one is saying anything yet, but time as always, will tell.

What is clearly certain is that this means trouble for E.M.E and for the many careers involved.

Charles Mgbolu is an on-line entertainment reporter for Vanguard. @nutprince
charlesmgbolu@vanguardngr.com