Tension as hoodlums set Anambra police station, council’s headquarters ablaze

• 100 death row inmates plead for clemency in Kano 
There was tension yesterday, in Anambra, as a gang of hoodlums set ablaze the Neni Police station and the headquarters of the Anaocha Local Council of the state.

The Guardian gathered that the armed hoodlums numbering about 30 perpetrated the act on Thursday morning between 3:00a.m. and 4:00a.m.

According to reports, the gangsters also whisked away some police operatives, including a female personnel at the police station.

When contacted, spokesperson for Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga said although the hoodlums attacked the police station with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), they, however, did not take away any arms, nor whisk away any police personnel.

According to him, the hoodlums were successfully subdued by the superior firepower of the operatives who engaged them, thereby forcing them to flee.

Ikenga stated further that operations were still ongoing in the area as at time he was reacting to the sad development.

“Our operatives’ gallantry resisted the attackers which made them flee. Operations are still ongoing and further development shall be communicated,” he said.

Ikenga did not however provide the details of damage caused at the council’s headquarters by the hoodlums.

MEANWHILE, about 100 inmates on death row have pleaded with the Kano State government and the Committee of Propagative of Mercy for clemency.

Spokesperson for Kano Correctional Centre, Musbahu Lawan Kofar Mata, in a statement, said the Controller of Correctional Centre, Suleiman Inuwa, has already presented a list of inmates who have formally applied for clemency to the committee.

He said the C
ontroller presented the lists of those who are seeking clemency to the Chairperson of the Kano State Prerogative of Mercy Committee, Hajiya Azumi Namadi Bebeji following the committee’s visit to the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Janguzu, Kano.

He noted that the chairperson received the list of Inmates on Death Row (IDR), those serving life imprisonment as well as those serving long sentences.

Also, inmates with serious medical challenges, elderly inmates and other classes of inmates made the list.

The chairperson assured the inmates that the government would look into their conditions based on the attestation of good conduct and industry by the Correctional Service.

Bebeji expressed delight over inmates who memorised the Holy Quran as well as the brilliance of some inmates who got nine credits in the National Examination Council (NECO) and the  National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) and are seeking admission into the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

She called on all inmates to obey the rules of the Custodial Centre and be productive to themselves and society.