After surviving the insecurity and other socio-economic challenges of 2022, death is the last thing on the minds of most people who crossed over to January 2023.
However, less than 20 days into 2023, the Nigerian polity is littered with untimely and aborted dreams. No fewer than 508 people, across the country, have had their lives violently terminated in their prime, according to Saturday Vanguard checks.
A deadly combination of violence, accidents, cult clashes, activities of Boko Haram insurgents, unknown gunmen and separatists in, kidnappers, and bandits have practically created many killing fields across Nigeria in the last 19 days.
On December 31 of every year, many people troop to religious and prayer houses where they thank God for the ending year and pray for better tidings— good health, long life, prosperity and other favours in the new year.
Often, many people outline a litany of lofty goals they want to pursue in the coming year.
They top it up with the exchange of goodwill wishes and messages with friends and family. No matter how old, instant death is usually ruled out. Even those who are ill expect to get well in the New Year.
The 508 deaths, according to Saturday Vanguard’s checks, include 25 Nigerians who were snatched by the outbreak of Diphtheria disease in Kano. Two persons died of Diphtheria in Lagos. They also include those of a couple set ablaze by suspected arsonists shortly after they returned from cross-over church service in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on January 1.
* Seven persons were confirmed dead in an accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, and sixteen others were injured in the crash.
*Five persons were killed and four others were injured as a motorist rammed into a group of friends at Akinmorin near Oyo town.
*Gunmen killed a seven-month pregnant woman, Mrs Urenma Chima, Ebubeagu commander’s wife in Ebonyi State.
*Two persons were shot dead as gunmen attacked a military checkpoint at Ubomiri/Nwaorie Ubi Road in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.
*A medical doctor, Dr Uyi Iluobe was shot dead at Olive Clinic, in Oghareki, Ethiopia West council.
*Suspected arsonists set a couple ablaze, shortly after they returned from cross-over church service in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
*Eight persons died, 22 sustained various injuries in two separate accidents in Ogun State.
* Airstrikes killed 33 Boko Haram militants in Bama, Borno.
* Bandits killed three and abducted one in Abeokuta, Ogun.
* Five were killed when someone deliberately drove into a party in Afijio, Oyo.
* Police killed one bandit in Gusau, Zamfara.
* Gunmen killed five in Awka South, Anambra.
January 2
* Gunmen killed four police officers during an attack on Ohakim’s convoy in Ehime-Mbano, Imo.
* Police officers killed one bandit in Jibia, Katsina.
* Gunmen killed one and abducted six in Toto, Nassarawa.
* Troops killed four bandits in Giwa, Kaduna.
* Ohakim escaped death as four of his police orderlies were killed in a bomb attack on his convoy.
* Four persons were shot dead by suspected hoodlums in Nodu Okpuno in Akwa North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
* Police Command in Katsina State neutralised a suspected terrorist while repelling their attack on Magamar Jibia, Jibia Local Government Area of the State.
* Nigerian Air force Super Tucano jets between January 1 and 2, eliminated 33 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists during air strikes at four of their camps in Bama Local Government Area.
January 3
· Gunmen killed five in Akoko North-East, Ondo.
·Kehinde, a herbalist died during a marathon sex romp with his girlfriend in a hotel room in Ekiti State.
· Remains of Oreoluwa Fatinoye, son of the couple killed and set ablaze afterwards by assailants, was fished out from Ogun River.
· Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, confirmed that 15 persons were killed and five others were injured in an auto crash that occurred in Kogi State.
· Troops of Operation Forest Sanity eliminated four terrorists and recovered arms and ammunition in two encounters in Kaduna State.
.More than 20 farmers were feared killed after a boat carrying about 100 farmers capsized in Kebbi State.
January 4
·Councillor and five others were killed in the Sapele bloodbath.
·A vigilante operative was killed and two others were injured by gunmen in Anambra State.
· Police in Zamfara repelled the bandits’ attack, killed one and arrested five others.
·Multiple auto crashes that occurred a few kilometres from Nabardo village on Bauchi-Jos Federal Highway burnt 18 people to death.
·A couple, and six others were arrested for killing and dismembering a 26-year-old lady in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
· A cult war resulted in four deaths in Sapele, Delta.
· Gunmen killed one vigilante in Ihiala, Anambra.
·Police officers killed one bandit in Malumfashi, Katsina.
·One police officer and two bandits were killed during a clash in Akwanga, Nasarawa.
January 5
·Family of a 35-year-old baker, Hanofi Taofeek was thrown into mourning after he was crushed to death by a commercial bus driver, Arinze Okafor, in Lagos.
January 6
·No fewer than seven people from Kwanar Dangora town in Kiru Local Government Area of Kano State were killed in an auto crash that occurred along Kano-Zaria Road.
·Seven people from Kwanar Dangora town in Kiru LGA died in a motor accident along Kano-Zaria road.
·Three persons died and eight others were injured when a speeding Toyota Corolla hit a taxi from the rear at the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
·Nuhu Usman from Bauchi State was arrested for killing one of his wives with a dane gun.
·Burnt body of an unidentified man, concealed in a sack, was dumped by alleged cult members in Akure.
·Gunmen shot four persons dead including the legislative leader of Warri North Local Government Council.
·Taiwo Ajalorun was arrested by police operatives in Ondo State with a container full of a human dead body and an Itel phone of a dismembered 26-year-old mother of two.
·Ondo State government imposed a 24-hour curfew on Ikare-Akoko, Akoko North East, following a bloody clash, which claimed five lives during the youths’ carnival.
·Precious Adiele, member of a cult group was killed in a gang war that also left an unidentified elderly resident burnt to death in Port Harcourt.
·Kidnappers killed one and abducted one in Ethiope West, Delta.
January 7
· Police officers killed two gunmen in Gusau, Zamfara.
· Boko Haram killed 35 Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) militants in Kukawa, Borno.
· Police officers killed two kidnappers in Alkaleri, Bauchi.
January 8
·A woman was killed while her husband and son sustained injuries in a motorbike accident on the Abeokuta-Ibadan road.
·12 persons were killed and five others were injured in a road accident that occurred in Sokoto.
· Communal violence resulted in one death in Pategi, Kwara.
January 9
· One person was confirmed dead with many others injured during the Yoruba Nation agitators rally in Ojota, Lagos.
·Police neutralised two suspected gun runners and recovered explosive shells in Zamfara.
·Kano State Police arrested Ghadiffi Sagir for allegedly killing his step mother and her daughter.
·Bandits killed twelve security operatives in Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna.
·Bandits killed one vigilante in Rafi, Niger State.
·Three men were arrested in Katsina State over a clash between the police and some hoodlums on New Year’s Day which resulted in the death of a nine-year-old boy.
·Police in Zamfara killed two gun runners who were conveying arms to terrorists’ camp in Zamfara from Taraba State.
·A member of a vigilance group was killed as local hunters repelled bandits’ attacks In Niger State.
January 10
·Warri cult groups killed one person in his home in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra.
·A 200-level student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University was shot dead by armed robbers.
·A young man, Uchenna Okafor, allegedly died in police custody in Anambra State.
·An unidentified woman was killed by motorists around NNPC junction along the Kubwa-Zuba Expressway, Abuja.
·Suspected hoodlums murdered an intending couple in Imo State.
Source : Vanguard