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Family of boy allegedly killed by Cross River Governor’s aides demands N950m

Mr Stephen Mba, father of the late Moses, has filed a suit at Federal High Court in Calabar, demanding N950 million for the alleged killing of his son by security aides attached to Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State.

Moses Mba, 21, was alleged to have been killed by aides attached to the governor’s residence in Calabar.

Mba made the demand in a suit no. FHC/CA/FHR/79/2025 filed in the court by O. R. Ogboaka, Okon Efut (SAN) and Associate, his counsel.

In an originating motion filed on October 10, the applicant joined Mr Victor Edet, Police Service Commission, Commissioner of Police, the state Chief Security officer, and Governor Bassey Otu as respondents.

He prayed that the torture, assault and the murder of the deceased was unlawful, unwarranted, flagrant abuse and executive recklessness against the deceased.

The second order demanded N950 million against the respondents as exemplary and aggravated damages in favour of the applicant.

In addition, the applicant explained that the amount demanded would be for general damages including the torture, murder and wanton violation of the deceased’s fundamental rights.

The applicant, in the motion, concluded saying, ‘’any such other order as the court may deem fit in the circumstance.’’

The mother of deceased, Mrs Victoria Mba, had alleged that her son was beaten and shot by the security operatives attached to the governor’s residence on August 1, 2025.

Mba had demanded justice for her deceased son.

She had explained that the late Moses died on August 9 at the Naval Reference Hospital in Calabar, following injuries sustained from the beaten and gunshot.

According to her, the young Mba, who would have turned 22 in November, was beaten, shot, and left in his pool of blood right in front of the governor’s residence.

“We (my husband and I) were actually away in Abia State when the incident occurred. We got a call same day from an official of the Red Cross Society that rushed him to the hospital.

“Upon our arrival at the hospital, we sought to enquire from our son the event that led to the beating and subsequent shooting.

“According to him, he only requested to see the governor and that he had a message for him from God.’’

Mba, who claimed that she was not excusing her son from claiming to have a message for the governor, said that the late Moses had the gift of prophecy, manifested at the age of 10.

According to her, we only pleaded with him to be done with his education before facing God’s work fully.

She claimed that her son was beaten and shot as he insisted on seeing the governor and was left on his own without assistance from those who caused him harm.

“It was the Red Cross whose office had close by that time that rushed him to the hospital as he was bleeding profusely from the gunshot injury.

“They (Red Cross) also paid the sum of N1.3 million, aside from other medical bills paid to operate on him,” she further stated.

Mba, however, noted that all through the period her son was hospitalised, security operatives from the governor’s office were at the boy’s hospital bed mounting surveillance.

She said that they were on plain uniform and changed duties three times a day, morning, afternoon and night.

She added that one of the aides to the governor’s Chief of Staff, Emmanuel Dickson, was in touch with them and was coming around the hospital also.

According to her, the security demanded a copy of all the receipts generated for his treatments, just as the same was given to the Red Cross that footed the hospital bills.

“When my son passed on, on Saturday, August 9, I called the same Dickson to inform him that the mortuary bill was N54,000 plus, but he sent us N50,000.’’

Mba further noted that few days after depositing the body at the morgue, some persons, led by the state’s Commissioner of Police were at the morgue to see her son’s corpse.

She said that the mortuary attendant alerted them on the visit but they instructed him not to allow them to see the corpse.

She alleged that they were being threatened by the aides and refused them from burying their son while accusing the deceased of having a mental disorder when he was alive.

According to her, my son never had any issue, he wrote the last JAMB and had 196, and his WAEC result is perfect. He was to study Business Administration at the University of Calabar.

“They are saying all I need is money, and that N3 million will keep me quiet. Nigerians should please help me, I want justice for my son, who is still in the mortuary,” Mba said.

The government of Cross River had condemned the beating and the shooting of Moses Mba that subsequently led to his death.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr Erasmus Ekpang, however, exonerated the governor’s security aides.

He also alleged that the boy (deceased) was not mentally stable and that the house he went to was actually the governor’s former residence.

According to Ekpang, “firstly, the house is not where the governor presently reside and secondly, only one security person was there when the boy visited.

“There is video evidence that the boy was throwing big stones at the policeman. He was not mentally okay and, at a point, has to apologise for throwing stones.

“Inspite of this, we condemn the beating and shooting of the boy. It is not something that we should be happy about, no matter what.”

Similarly, the Commissioner of Police, CP Rasheed Afegbua, said the matter was before the DPP for advice.

“Whatever the DPP advises, we will follow,” he had stated.

News

Police bust ‘baby factory,’ human trafficking syndicate in Ondo

The Ondo State Police Command has uncovered a suspected baby factory and human trafficking syndicate operating in Ore, the headquarters of the Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, DSP Olushola Ayanlade.

Ayanlade said the case, which originated from the Ore division, had been transferred to the Command’s Gender-Based Violence Unit for thorough investigation.

The discovery followed a report made on October 21, 2025, by a 17-year-old girl, identified as Vivian Peter from Akwa Ibom State, who told the police that she had been trafficked from her home state to Ore under the guise of securing a job opportunity.

Upon arrival in Ore, the teenager was allegedly taken to a facility posing as a clinic, which later turned out to be a baby factory.

There, she reportedly met other pregnant girls being held against their will.

She disclosed that the operator of the facility, Ada Clement, instructed her to be taken to another hospital for a medical scan, but she managed to escape and reported the incident to the Ore Police Division.

Acting swiftly on the report, police operatives from the Ore division, in collaboration with the gender unit, raided the facility, rescuing five pregnant girls and a baby boy.

One of the victims had already given birth and is currently receiving post-natal care at the General Hospital, Ore, while the others are in protective custody.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the prime suspect, Ada Clement, and some of her accomplices had confessed to operating the baby factory.

They reportedly admitted that the babies were sold to individuals seeking children, with male babies going for ₦600,000 and above, and female babies for ₦400,000 and above.

Ayanlade noted that the Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Lawal, ordered a comprehensive and discreet investigation to ensure that all members of the syndicate are arrested and prosecuted.

He noted that detectives from the Command’s Gender-Based Violence Unit were already on the trail of other fleeing members of the ring.

Lawal reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to the directives of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, stressing that the Nigeria Police Force remains steadfast in the fight against human trafficking, child exploitation, and all forms of gender-based violence.

Lawal assured the public that the Command would continue to protect the vulnerable and ensure justice for victims of such heinous crimes.

News

Police deploy operatives to 3rd mainland bridge ahead of planned protest

Following a viral report of a planned protest by residents of Oworonshoki, the Lagos State Police Command has deployed operatives to strategic spots on the 3rd Mainland Bridge to prevent possible violence and disruption of traffic.

According to a Monday statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, the command seeks to ensure the safety of all road users and to prevent all forms of obstruction or breach of the peace.

The statement reads, “The Lagos State Police Command is aware of information circulating regarding a planned disruption on the Third Mainland Bridge by some youths in the Oworonshoki area.

“The Command wishes to assure the public that adequate security measures have been put in place to maintain law and order across the state.”

It added, “Our officers are fully deployed to ensure the safety of all road users and to prevent any form of obstruction or breach of the peace. Members of the public are therefore advised to go about their lawful activities without fear and to cooperate with security personnel carrying out their duties.

“The Command remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting lives and property, and to ensuring the free flow of traffic across Lagos State,” the statement concluded.

Following the viral report suggesting that operatives of the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Police Force attacked residents during a demolition exercise carried out by the Lagos State Task Force, the command described the report as “entirely false, mischievously published to misrepresent the facts and mislead the general public“.

This was disclosed in a Sunday statement signed by the command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Abimbola.

News

Missing 3-year-old girl found dead in soak-away pit in Minna

A 3-year-old girl, Saudat Nasir, has been found dead in a soak-away pit a day after she was reported missing in Minna, Niger State.

Her lifeless body was recovered from the soak-away on Sunday, October 26, 2025.

Her remains have been laid to rest according to Islamic rites at Kpakungu Burial Ground in Minna.

A Facebook user, Abdulazeez Akintola, who confirmed the sad development said the Sadat had disappeared while her mother, Hafsat, was praying during a visit to a friend that recently gave birth.

“Her mother, Hafsat, lives in Gbeganu area. Due to illness, she went to her family house in Soje B to recover. While visiting a friend who recently gave birth in the same area. Hafsat left little Saudat playing within the compound during prayer time. Sadly, by the time she finished praying, Saudat had disappeared to an unknown location. All efforts to trace her have been unsuccessful, despite reports made to the nearest police station and Prestige FM Minna,” he wrote.

“INNALILLAHI WAINNA ILLAHI RAJU’UN. With deep sorrow, we announce that little Saudat Nasir, the young girl we reported missing a few hours ago, has been found in a soakaway lifeless. No one can truly explain how it happened, but Allah knows best. She has immediately been laid to rest according to Islamic rites at the Kpakungu burial ground, Minna, Niger State. Include her in your du’a when this pop up your timeline. Jazakumullahu khairan.”