Metro
Man’s Inhumanity to Man: Trader Bathes Apprentice in Acid, Hides Him for Three Months
An apprentice, identified simply as Ifeanyi, is in pain after his boss, identified simply as Anaayo, allegedly bathed him in acid and detained him for over three months without treatment at their place of residence in the Lekki area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Anaayo, who owns Ayocity Surgicals, was taking stock of his goods at his shop in the Idumota area of the state sometime in November 2020 when he discovered that some items were missing.
Angered by the discovery, Anaayo allegedly summoned his apprentices, including Ifeanyi, and demanded an explanation for the missing goods.
It was learnt that when Ifeanyi and his co-apprentices, including the managers, could not give a satisfactory explanation for the missing goods, Anaayo was said to have told them that they would continue the discussion when they got home.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro, a businessman, Chijioke Emmanuel, whose shop is near Anaayo’s, said all the apprentices except Ifeanyi took to their heels after being interrogated by their boss, adding that Anaayo allegedly poured acid on the victim.
He said, “Ifeanyi is an apprentice under Anaayo, whose company’s name is Ayocity Surgicals. What happened was that Anaayo complained that some of his goods were missing before last Christmas. Anaayo has managers for his company and Ifeanyi, who is just 17-year-old, was one of them.
“He started serving Anaayo not up to five months and was also living with him like his co-apprentices. They all gave their explanations when Anaayo summoned them about the missing goods, but Ifeanyi appealed to him to discuss with his managers. They were to continue the interrogation at home when the managers ran away from Anaayo’s house, because what was missing concerned them.
“Ifeanyi didn’t run, so his boss got hold of him and started beating him to get more information about what happened and the whereabouts of the fleeing workers. Anaayo locked Ifeanyi inside the toilet and went to the market.
“On his return, Anaayo asked if he was willing to say the truth, but when Ifeanyi could not say anything, he brought out the acid that he usually uses to kill ants and snakes crawling into his house from a nearby bush, and poured it on him. Ifeanyi’s head, back and other parts of his body were damaged by the acid.”
Despite the pain Ifeanyi was going through, Emmanuel alleged that Anaayo locked him up for three months without treatment, adding that the incident became public knowledge when the victim escaped from the house.
Emmanuel stated, “Anaayo locked Ifeanyi inside the toilet, where he spent days before his boss brought him out and locked him up in a room. But the acid had already damaged his body; doctors are saying that the acid also affected his brain and he needs urgent surgery.
“The incident happened in November 2020, but when we no longer saw Ifeanyi at Anaayo’s shop, we started asking after him, but the boss told us that he was doing something for him at home. We never knew that he locked him up, because of what he had done to him. He never gave him any treatment after pouring acid on him.
“It was when Ifeanyi managed to escape from home that he got help from people, who took him to the human rights office in Ikeja and the police were contacted and Anaayo was arrested on Thursday, February 11, 2021, and he has been in detention at the Area ‘F’ Command in Lagos since then.”
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said, “As of now, we have not got any information regarding that particular incident; I will find out.”
The Punch
Adron Homes & Properties Limited has congratulated Muslim faithful across Nigeria and around the world on the occasion of Eid, urging them to continue embracing the virtues of peace, sacrifice, love, and unity that the season symbolizes.
In a statement issued by the management of Adron Homes & Properties, the company described Eid as a sacred period that promotes spiritual renewal, compassion, gratitude, and harmonious coexistence among people irrespective of tribe, religion, or social status.
The foremost real estate company noted that the values of selflessness, obedience, and generosity demonstrated during the holy season remain essential ingredients for national growth and societal development.
According to the statement, Nigerians should use the festive period as an opportunity to strengthen bonds of brotherhood, extend love to the less privileged, and pray for enduring peace and economic prosperity in the country.
Adron Homes further reaffirmed its commitment to providing affordable luxury homes and building sustainable communities that promote comfort, security, and family values for Nigerians at home and abroad.
The company prayed for divine blessings, joy, and fulfillment for all Muslim faithful celebrating Eid and wished them a peaceful and memorable celebration.
Metro
Ikorodu Security: CP Tijani Launches ‘Command Sweepers Squad’, Deploys Three LSSTF Refurbished APCs
In swift response to the recent security concerns emerging out of Ikorodu and its environs over the nefarious activities of some criminal elements that are tormenting places such as Ijede, Ginti, among others, the Lagos Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Tijani personally led a major show of Force across different part of Ikorodu to assert the dominance of the Police and other security agencies to thwart any crimes in the areas. This show of Force was also accompanied by the Inauguration of a special tactical security outfit codenamed ‘Command Sweepers’ Squad,’ which is a temporary intervention security outfit created to address the growing incidents of crimes and criminality within Ikorodu and adjoining areas, comprising of Command Tactical Teams, RRS, Lagos Taskforce, Eko Strike Force, 2 PMF, 22 PMF, and 63 PMF of the Lagos Police Command, alongside personnel from other sister security agencies and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), all working collaboratively to combat and stamped out criminality within Ikorodu and its environs. The Squad has been strategically deployed to identify black spots and criminal hideouts to carry out intelligence-led operations, raids, stop-and-search duties, and confidence-building patrols aimed at flushing out criminal elements and ensuring the safety of lives and property.
Top among the security equipment deployed for the show of force and the temporary Inaugurated ‘Command Sweepers’ Squad’ are the three (3) newly refurbished Armoured Personnel Carriers which were just handed over to the Lagos State Police Command by the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF as well as Patrol vehicles.
While Inaugurating the ‘Command Sweepers’ Squad’, the Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani assured residents that the operation will be conducted professionally and in line with the rule of law, while urging members of the public to remain vigilant. He warned all criminally minded persons in Ikorodu and its environs to immediately pack their bags because his Command will not hesitate to decisively deal with them. Noting that the Command wasn’t resting on its oars, he revealed that the Squad will continue to patrol all nooks and corners in its bid to flush out all crimes and vices from the area.
Tijani assured law-abiding residents to continue supporting the Command with timely and credible information, through any of the emergency lines: 07061019374, 08065154338, 08063299264, 08039344870, and 09168630929.
He noted that this valuable information will enable the Police to effectively tackle crime and restore public confidence within the area. He also thanked the Executive Secretary/CEO of LSSTF, Dr Ayo Ogunsan for the logistics support including the 3 APCs which have enjoyed immediate deployment.
The Squad is strategically situated in Ijede to ensure swift deployment and easy access to all parts of Ikorodu and adjoining communities for effective crime prevention and rapid response operations.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja to set aside the judgment that voided the timelines it issued for the 2027 general elections.
The Commission also applied for the stay of execution of the judgment, pending the determination of its appeal.
In the notice of appeal dated May 25, which INEC filed through its team of lawyers led by Dr. Alex Izinyon, SAN, the Commission nine grounds it urged the appellate court to consider and vacate the judgment the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on May 20.
Aside from its contention that the high court erred in law when it failed to determine a jurisdictional issue it raised, INEC maintained that the legal action the Youth Party (YP) initiated against it was not only hypothetical but academic.
It argued that failure of the trial court to make pronouncements on the issues, resulted in the denial of fair hearing to the Appellant.
More so, INEC insisted that the high court erred in law when it held that: “It is clear from the wordings of Sections 29(1), 82 and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the following can be understood. Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 mandates Political Parties to submit the names of candidates in prescribed forms of the candidates who emerged from its valid primaries which such a political party intends to sponsor at the elections, not later than 120 days before the date of the General Election.
“What is required of Political Parties to do under the Electoral Act, 2026 is to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 21 days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, or any conference or meeting convened for the election of its executive committees, other governing bodies for nominating candidates.
“The Defendant is not mandated to impose a timeframe for political parties to conduct their primaries provided that it will be done and submitted not later than the 120 days provided by the Electoral Act, 2026. See Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.”
INEC argued that the verdict of the trial court was against the weight of evidence placed before it by the parties.
Consequently, it prayed the appellate court for an order allowing the appeal and setting aside the judgment
The electoral body further urged the Court of Appeal to strike out YP’s case on the ground that it lacked the locus standi (legal right) to institute and maintain the action it said was merely academic.
