Crime
Anxiety as Mercy Aigbe’s sister burns down mother’s house, accuses her of witchcraft
By Funmilayo Olusanya
Mercy Aigbe’s older sister, Dr. Patience, has taken drastic measures to vent her resentment toward her mother by setting her home on fire.
Dr. Patience’s accusation that their mother is a witch and her use of her witchcraft activity against her in favor of her other well-liked daughter, Mercy, is the source of their argument.
She further claimed that the elderly woman refused to assist her in repaying a N800,000 loan that she had taken out and had to repay.
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The house on Adebayo Mokuolu Street, across from Anthony Village Recreation Center in Lagos, is said to have been set on fire by Dr. Pat. Nothing could be saved, and the house was completely destroyed.
People in the neighborhood claim that the house belonged to their mother’s deceased spouse, for whom the elderly woman had only one son.
She was residing in the mini-duplicate that his father had given to her son, who happened to be Dr. Pat’s half-brother.
The structure is separate from the main structure, which is in front and has additional apartments.
Fortunately, the fire did not spread to the other apartments that belonged to the deceased man’s other children from his previous marriage.
Dr. Pat reported herself to the police after destroying the structure.
Their mother was reportedly with Mercy when she started burning the house; Mercy subsequently arrived at the residence with her in a black SUV to assess the damage done to the house.
Before setting the house ablaze, Dr Pat was heard shouting that she is the one that will kill their mother, confirming people’s suspicion that she had planned to burn the old woman in the house if she was in the house that morning.
Those in the area said she had been manifesting mental instability for a while, insisting that her mother is the one deterring her progress.
The children of the late man, to whom the old woman was married, are now worried that Dr Pat might come back to do worse to their father’s property if they don’t take any action against her quickly.
As things stand, Mercy’s mother doesn’t have a house to go back to, as the house is totally destroyed.
Earlier on Friday, 30th September, residents had woken up to the noise and screams of Dr Pat, who went on a rampage, destroying her mum’s car.
Her mother, who suffers from arthritis, stayed inside while her enraged daughter tore up her car while cursing at her mother.
Later, after her daughter had departed, the elder woman emerged to inspect the harm done to her car’s windshield, wipers, and front and rear lights.
Many others watched in disbelief as the visibly enraged woman wrecked the car while berating her mother and yelling “destiny stealer” at her.
This may help to explain why she wasn’t home when Dr. Pat arrived and started the fire, as she had turned the house over to Mercy’s because she thought her life was in danger.
Those in the know claimed that Mercy and Dr. Pat are actually half-sisters who have separate fathers but the same mother.
A police officer is reportedly dead and another injured following an attack by unknown gunmen on a police checkpoint in the Ohafia area of Abia State.
The incident, which occurred on Wednesday at Ugwu Abba Asaga, has sparked concerns over the rising wave of insecurity in the region.
The Abia State Police Command has yet to release an official statement regarding the attack. However, when contacted, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Maureen Chinaka, assured reporters that she would provide updates, but no further details had been shared as of the time of this report.
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This incident is the latest in a series of violent attacks in Abia State. On Monday, the Abia State government accused unnamed politicians and external parties of fueling kidnappings and violence targeting security personnel and civilians since May 2024. In a statement signed by Ferdinand Ekeoma, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, the government vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable.
“The promoters of violence and insecurity in the state will pay a heavy price,” the statement read.
However, John Okiyi Kalu, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Commissioner for Trade and Investment, criticized the government’s position. He argued that insecurity in the state should not be politicized but rather addressed through actionable measures.
The attack has heightened tensions in the state, with citizens calling for swift action to restore peace and ensure the safety of residents and security personnel alike.
A yet-to-be-identified labourer was reportedly shot dead on Wednesday, while three others sustained critical injuries, during an altercation involving the Crack Squad of the Ebonyi State Police Command at Ugwuechara Junction in Abakaliki.
Witnesses say the incident began when members of the Crack Squad stopped a motorcycle rider, accusing him of fraud and attempting to seize his motorcycle.
The rider reportedly identified himself as a member of the military but was allegedly assaulted by the operatives.
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An eyewitness recounted, “As the policemen removed his cap and started hitting him with their guns, the bike man tried to resist them, possibly to snatch one of their guns.
“One of the team opened fire, which killed one of the labour seekers, who usually gather at the junction to look for daily jobs. Three persons were wounded and were rushed to the hospital.”
The deceased, a labourer waiting for work at the junction, was struck by the gunfire. Among the injured are a young apprentice at a barbershop and a female passer-by.
Witnesses say the police operatives took the body of the deceased and the motorcycle rider to their station after the incident.
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer in Ebonyi, Joshua Ukandu, were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls or messages.
However, Obinna Mbam, the Special Assistant on Internal Security to Governor Francis Nwifuru, confirmed the incident.
“Normalcy has returned to the area,” Mr. Mbam said. “The state government will ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.”
The incident has sparked outrage among residents of Ebonyi State, who have raised concerns about the increasing cases of police brutality, extortion, and indiscriminate arrests.
Many residents also expressed dissatisfaction with the Crack Squad, which was established as part of police reforms following the disbandment of the controversial Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in 2020.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has filed criminal charges against former Nigerian senator Andy Uba and two others, accusing them of defrauding a complainant, George Uboh, of N400 million.
The charges, which include two counts, were brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Uba, who represented Anambra South in the Senate from 2011 to 2019, along with Crystal Uba and Benjamin Etu, is alleged to have conspired with Hajiya Fatima, who remains at large, to defraud Uboh in 2022.
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According to the charges, the accused individuals falsely claimed they could secure the appointment of the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for anyone who could pay N400 million.
“The accused persons collected the N400 million from Mr. Uboh and converted it into their personal use,” the police said, describing the actions as a violation of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offenses Act of 2006.
The police also revealed that six witnesses would testify against the accused parties.
The case was officially filed on 10 October 2023 by Abdulrashid Sidi from the Police Legal/Prosecution Section.
During a hearing on 13 November, the prosecution informed the court that the defendants had been evading the service of court documents despite being granted administrative bail.
“The defendants obtained a fundamental rights enforcement order, which had prevented the police from bringing them to court,” said M.L. Anthony, a lawyer for the prosecution.
“It was only after the order was lifted that the defendants were finally charged before the judge.”
The trial, presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, was adjourned until 18 February 2025.
This delay allows time for the defendants to appear in court and take their plea, following the prosecution’s efforts to ensure they are properly served with legal documents.
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