Police arrest man with fresh human head in Ogun

• NULGE chairman in Osun burnt to death • Gunmen abduct Katsina farmer

POLICEMEN from the Ogun State command has arrested a 25-year-old man, Babalola Alex, with fresh human head. The command’s spokesman, Mr. Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a statement in Abeokuta yesterday, disclosed that the suspect was arrested following a tip-off. According to him, Alex and his accomplice, who he failed to name, concealed the severed head in a sack. Upon interrogation, the suspect admitted that he and his escaped accomplice were going to give the head to a herbalist for money ritual.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ahmed Iliyasu, has ordered a manhunt for the escaped suspect, assuring that he would soon be arrested.

Meanwhile, disaster struck yesterday in Osun State as chairman, Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Ayedaade Local Government Area, Tajudeen Alabi, was burnt to death when fire swept through some shops in Odeyinka Road, Ikire.

A resident, who identified himself as Yinka, said the fire was ignited by power surge. His words: “We were all asleep when they restored power around 1:00a.m. yesterday. We heard people screaming and shouting for help, but the locked shops and the de- ceased’s house hindered us from getting close to the scene.

Speaking on the incident, former Executive Secretary, Ayedaade Local Council, Oduwole Basiru Iyanda, described the incident as un- fortunate. He described the late NULGE chairman as loving and jovial. He, however, charged people on the need to always be cautious of fire, saying they should be mindful of their electrical appliances.

In another development, some gunmen have kidnapped a 60-year-old man, Mr. Emmanuel Kwanki, at his residence in Tsiga, Bakori local government area of Katsina State in the early hours of Wednesday. It was learnt that the gunmen stormed Kwanki’s residence, locked up other members of his family and whisked him away to an unknown destination.

Described as a successful farmer, the victim’s younger brother, Mr. Ismailia confirmed the kidnap to newsmen. He said his kidnapped brother called him around 3:00p.m. on Wednesday, saying he was being held at an undisclosed location, “but we have not heard anything again since then.”

The District Head of Tsiga, Alhaji Abdullahi Kwantakwaram, who went to sympathise with the victim’s family said he had to cut short his visit to Funtua when news of the abduction reached him.

When contacted, spokesman to the police command in the state, DSP Gambo Isah, said he would make inquiries and get back on the issue.

Customs seizes 26 vehicles, 375 bags of rice in Oyo

THeoyo/osun command of the Nigeria Customs yesterday claimed it has made seizures worth N215 million in duty paid value and has generated more than N17 billion, which represents 85 per cent of its target in the outgone year.

The new Area Controller of the command, Chris Odibu, told newsmen in Ibadan that his command is working hard to surpass last year’s revenue generated.

Of the seizures, vehicles top the list with 26 trucks and cars, with 375 (50kg) bags of rice. Others are 271 bales of secondhand clothes, 43 sacks of used shoes and 600 bags of fertilizers.