Kogi Police Admit Killing Nsukka-based Lawyer in Error

The Kogi State Police Command has admitted complicity in the killing of a lawyer, Elias Ugwu, last week Friday, admitting that the Nsukka-based lawyer was killed in error.

Ugwu was killed in Anyigba last Friday by Policemen while he was in the state to pay ransom for his cousin, who was kidnapped some days back.

The Kogi Police Command in a statement, yesterday, in Lokoja by Public Relations Officer, Williams Anya said the police mistook the late lawyer to be a member of the armed robbery gang that robbed some banks a day earlier.
The police statement read: “It will be recalled that, on 07/03/2024, armed robbers invaded Ayingba in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State and robbed three banks and also attacked Police Stations. A Tactical Team was deployed to the area to restore normalcy and trail the hoodlums to apprehend and bring them to deserved justice.

“The Tactical Team received a report that some persons were sighted in a bush around Alade Village in Dekina council with an ox-blood Toyota Avalon car roaming up and down for two days or more asking the villagers for direction around the place where two vehicles and two motorcycles abandoned by the armed robbers were recovered.
“The operatives promptly swung into action and in conjunction with the local vigilantes moved into the area.

When they sighted the car already described by the villagers, they waved down the driver to stop but instead, zoomed off. In a bid to stop the car, shots were fired at the tyres of the car which brought it to a halt. It was then discovered that the car conveyed three persons (the driver and two others).

“The two men gave their names as Chidi Anieke and Elias Ugwu, both of Nkanu and Ihiakpoka, Nsukka, while the driver was identified as Elias Ugwu. The driver sustained injury and was taken to Maria Goretti Hospital, Ayingba where he gave up the ghost. The two surviving men stated that they were in Alade bush in Dekina for ransom payment to secure the release of a victim of kidnapping.

“They equally stated that they were not aware of the bank robbery that took place in Ayingba, Dekina and that they did not report or inform the Police of the alleged kidnap incident or of their presence or mission in that area, hence they were suspected to be part of the hoodlums that invaded Ayingba on March 7, 2024.

“The Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command, extends his condolences to the family of the deceased over the unfortunate incident which was avoidable if they had stopped when they were waved down by the Police, who were with their patrol vehicle at the scene.”

FBRA, FPA screen film on waste pickers’ challenges

The Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance, FBRA, and the Fair Plastic Alliance, FPA, have screened a documentary on the livelihood of waste pickers to mark the 2024 International Waste Pickers Day.

The film, “The Heroes of Recycling,” highlights the critical role waste pickers play in the waste management value chain, their challenges, and successes, as FBRA supports their integration into the waste management value chain.

FBRA and FPA in a statement, yesterday, said in the past months, they engaged over 1,000 waste pickers in the 20 Local Government Areas in Lagos State in their pilot Waste Pickers Livelihood Study Project.
The project is aimed at understanding the challenges and opportunities in the sector while seeking to develop interventions that would hasten their formalization and result in their integration into the waste management ecosystem.

The result of these engagements was documented as a film to showcase their successes and inform stakeholders of their challenges.

The screening had about 100 persons from the public and private sectors in attendance, including the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Titilayo Oshodi, MD of the Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, Muyiwa Gbadegesin, representatives from NESREA, LAGRA, WAPAN, ASWOL, Private sector, PwC and Sustainability Consultants graced this event.

FBRA’s Executive Director, Agharese Onaghise emphasised how symbolic the project was in capturing waste pickers’ successes, challenges and identifying how best to support them to ensure they remain relevant, and completely integrate them into the waste management ecosystem.

FPA’s Chairperson, Bilkiss Adebiyi-Abiola was thrilled by the outcome of the documentary which captured the importance of waste pickers and further provided guidance on actionable steps that can be taken to improve their livelihood.

Amaka Onyemelukwe of Cola-Cola system, a member of FBRA, said the documentary again reiterated the need to enable the ecosystem.

The Waste Pickers in attendance expressed delight in the project, saying it demonstrated their contribution to the sector. They commended FBRA and FPA for taking the initiative to spotlight the “great work” they do.