Metro
Soldier Shoots Motorist Dead for Flouting Lockdown Order in Delta
A motorist, identified as Joseph Pessu, was shot dead in Warri, Delta State, on Thursday, by a soldier for allegedly flouting the state government’s sit-at-home order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Eyewitnesses said the middle-aged motorist, who was cruising in a black Toyota Camry car without number plate, failed to stop at a military checkpoint on the NPA Road when the soldiers ordered him to halt.
Our correspondents gathered that rather than stop, Pessu allegedly accelerated the car in a bid to beat the security personnel.
But a soldier in the security team, who was apparently infuriated by the motorist’s effrontery, fired at the right rear tyre of the car in order to force the driver to a halt.
Pessu was alleged to have continued driving for several metres until he got to a location and abruptly parked the vehicle in the middle of the road.
He was said to have jumped out of the car to escape into the nearby bush, but a bullet from the gun of one of the soldiers pursuing him hit him.
His corpse was taken to the Police Area Command, from where it was transferred to the Warri Central Hospital’s morgue.
Meanwhile, two naval personnel, who were riding on a motorcycle in the area, were attacked by an angry mob few hours after the incident.
The angry mob, who had earlier made bonfires on the road to prevent vehicular movement, poured petrol on the motorcycle and set it ablaze to the astonishment of onlookers.
When contacted, the state Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Inuwa, confirmed the killing.
“Yes, a motorist was killed, but I have not got the details of the incident,” he simply told Punch correspondent on the telephone.
Commenting on the incident, the Warri Area Commander, ACP Mohammed Garba, stated that the soldier, who pulled the trigger and killed Pessu, had been identified, and gave assurance that justice would be served.
Garba also advised residents of the state to strictly obey the government’s stay-at-home directive.
He assured residents of Warri and its environs of adequate protection of their lives and property.
The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, said in a statement that the government was worried by Pessu’s killing.
He stated that the government had sent a delegation to the deceased’s family to condole with them over the loss of their son.
Aniagwu added, “The military authorities have been contacted to carry out an investigation into what led to the killing of Pessu.
“We, however, call on the people to remain calm and not to take the law into their own hands, while the government conducts an investigation into the killing.”
Reacting to the incident, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN), condemned Pessu’s killing.
Keyamo described the incident as barbaric in a statement posted on his official Twitter handle.
The minister promised to petition the relevant authorities to investigate the matter.
The statement read, “I condemn the killing of innocent person(s) in Warri by soldiers enforcing the COVID-19 lockdown.
“I have received disturbing reports and images of the high-handedness and shooting of innocent citizens by men of the armed forces deployed to enforce the COVID-19 lockdown in my state, Delta.
“Specifically, I have received reports of the killing of an innocent young man, Mr Joseph Pessu, in Warri. I unreservedly condemn this barbaric act by men of the armed forces, who should exercise restraint when dealing with the civilian populace.
“I am appealing to the youth and Deltans in general to obey the sit-at-home order by the state government in a bid to contain the spread of the pandemic coronavirus.
“I will be forwarding a petition to the relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate this murder and bring the officer(s) to justice. In the interim, let us not take the law into our own hands, please.
“I will also use this medium to sincerely appeal to my brothers and sisters in Delta State to be law-abiding and obey the orders of restriction imposed by both the Delta State Government and the Federal Government. They are lawful orders and they are for our own good.
“Images and reports of attacks on law enforcement agents by the civilian populace do not help our cause. I call on all and sundry in the entire country too to exercise utmost restraint at this point.”
Meanwhile, the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, has condemned Pessu’s killing.
Omo-Agege called for the arrest and prosecution of the trigger-happy soldiers, noting that the authorities must ensure that the law took its course.
A statement on Thursday said Omo-Agege spoke directly with the army and police authorities in the state, while calling on residents of the state not to take the law into their own hands.
He was quoted to have said, “I condemn in strong terms the extrajudicial killing of Joseph Pessu by men of the Nigerian Army. I call on the army authorities to fish out the culprit or culprits and hand them over to the police for prosecution.
“Those who are authorised to bear arms in defence of the nation ought to understand that this comes with responsibility, especially as human life is sacrosanct. The killing in Warri today (Thursday) is one too many as the issue shouldn’t have led to what, in my opinion, amounted to extrajudicial killing of yet another future hope of this country.
“I have heard that the army arrested the soldier that shot the deceased. It is my belief that thorough investigations will be carried out and adequate punishment will be meted out to those involved in the heinous crime.
“Yes, we are in strange times and nerves are high with all the issues surrounding the coronavirus lockdown in the country. Be that as it may, there are better ways of making Nigerians obey the government’s directives without the resort to violence or extrajudicial killings by law enforcement agents.”
The Punch
Troops of the 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army, have arrested a police officer found operating alongside bandits during a recent operation in Usmanu Village, Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.
The arrest came amid a swift military response to renewed communal clashes between the Shomo and Wurkun communities.
The disputes had escalated into violent confrontations, resulting in property destruction, including the burning of houses.
During the operation, soldiers engaged armed assailants at the Fadama axis, neutralising four militants and recovering weapons, including three dane guns, a fabricated AK-47 rifle, twenty-five rounds of ammunition, and two motorcycles.
Investigations revealed that the arrested officer had been aiding the militia.
The officer is currently undergoing profiling to determine the extent of his involvement.
Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, Commander of 6 Brigade/Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke, praised troops for their professionalism and swift action.
He reassured residents of Karim Lamido and Taraba State that the Army remains committed to restoring peace and urged communities to report suspicious activities.
The Nigerian Army emphasized that operations under Operation Peace Shield, Operation Lafiya Nakowa, and Operation Zafin Wuta will continue, urging citizens to cooperate fully with security agencies.
For seven remarkable decades, women have stood as pillars of courage, service, and resilience in the Nigeria Police Force. They are breaking boundaries, shaping operational excellence with gallantry, and championing the protection of vulnerable persons across the nation, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report.
This milestone celebration also provides a worthy moment to honour the transformative leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, whose administration has become widely recognized for its unprecedented commitment to gender inclusion and professional empowerment of women in the Force. Under his watch, female officers are not only rising to senior leadership positions but also leading innovations in policing strategy, operations, and public engagement.
Further, the strategic guidance of the Force Gender Advisor, Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG Aishatu Abubakar Baju, has opened new frontiers for Policewomen to contribute their full potential to national security.
To commemorate the 70 Years of Women Policing in Nigeria, the Zone 2 Police Command (comprising Lagos and Ogun States) used the opportunity to emphasize that gender-based violence, child molestation, rape, intimidation, and every form of abuse must have no place in our society. This was marked by a 5km sensitization walk around Onikan down to Falomo in Lagos on Friday, 28th November. Other events will continue till Monday, 1st of December, 2025.
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, AIG Adegoke Fayoade speaking shortly after the Policewomen Walk celebrated the women in Police and urged the general public to shun gender based violence. ‘We say no to gender-based violence. We want gender mainstreaming, let all gender be given their proper place in the affairs of the nation. Our Policewomen are very gallant, supportive, professional, and innovative.’
A top female officer and AC X-Squad Zone 2, ACP Edinor Justice said: ‘We are grateful to God for the strength and commitment. We went out to create awareness on gender-based violence. We all know it is a menace not only in Nigeria but worldwide. It is not something that we cannot overcome, that is why we have created awareness to individuals, organizations, and institutions that we should come together to say no to violence, no to rape, and no to GBV. We pray that as we are celebrating the past, we are committing to the present, and inspiring the future.’
Another senior female officer, ACP Amina Yakubu added: ‘I am excited because today, women in Nigeria Police are celebrating 70 years anniversary of women policing in Nigeria. We say no to every form of gender-based violence.’
The Zonal PRO, Zone 2, CSP Ayuba Tunni Umma indicated: ‘We commend the initiator of this program, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun and our mother in person of AIG Force Gender Advisor, AIG Aishatu Abubakar Baju, for this great initiative. This has never been and it’s kind of first time, we want to say a very big thank you, because this has never been in the history of Nigeria Police, and it’s a good thing that we’re celebrating 70 years of women in policing. Just like my fellow colleagues have said, it is not easy being a woman, being a mother, and then pursuing a career in the police job. You know, you have a lot of challenges, but we’re grateful that women are growing, and then we’re soaring above and rising to the peak of our career in this it has not been so in the history but, with the present administration, women have been given the opportunities to play their strategic roles, to exhibit their full potentials in different areas of the police. We want to say a big thank you to IGP Kayode Egbetokun for being gender friendly IGP. We say a very big thank you to AIG Aishatu Baju for being the architect behind this new gender-inclusivity, then to our own father, the AIG in charge of Zone 2 command, AIG Adegoke Fayoade for his support always.’
‘The 5-km walk is more of a sensitization on gender based violence. We want to say women are important. We want to say no to violence against our children, because our children are leaders of tomorrow, We don’t want to begin to groom and raise our children in this kind of manner.’
The Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, has charged Police graduands to uphold the highest standards of discipline, integrity, and service to humanity.
He stated this, according to a statement made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), during the convocation ceremony of Regular Courses 1 to 7 of the Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Kano, where he was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Police Affairs, Dr. Anuma Ogbonnaya Nlia.
The Minister said the Academy remains a critical institution in Nigeria’s security architecture, producing officers equipped with world-class knowledge, ethical grounding, and operational competence.
“The badge they wear is not merely a symbol of authority; it is a reminder of the trust the Nigerian people place in them. Let your conduct reflect the values of transparency, accountability, respect for human rights, and strict adherence to the rule of law,” Gaidam stressed.
He added, “Today is not only a celebration of academic achievement but a reaffirmation of our commitment to building a modern, highly skilled, and professional Police Force capable of meeting the evolving security needs of our nation.”
The Minister pointed out that the graduands are joining the Force at a time when the nation faces complex security challenges, including insurgency, banditry, cybercrime, kidnapping, and violent extremism. “The responsibility is enormous, but the training has prepared them to confront these challenges with professionalism, courage, and sound judgment,” he said.
Gaidam expressed the Ministry’s commitment to the ongoing reform, modernization, and repositioning of the Nigeria Police Force, citing policy reforms, strategic capacity-building initiatives, improved welfare packages, enhanced training infrastructure, and technology-driven policing as key areas of focus.
He congratulated the graduands, their families, and all who have supported them on this journey, commending the Commandant, Academy Management, faculty members, instructors, and support staff for their dedication to grooming the next generation of police leaders.
