Nigerian medical student murdered by Chinese gang in the Philippines 

By Edward Era Barbacena 

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission says it will investigate the alleged killing of a Nigerian medical student identified simply as Ikem in the Philippines.

This is just as the National Association of Nigerian Students has demanded justice for the deceased.

On Sunday, an X user, Michael Ojuola with the username – @michaelojuola, who is a friend to the deceased, tweeted that Ikem’s hands were tied, his mouth covered and he was beaten to death allegedly by a group of Chinese.

The tweep called on NiDCOM and the Nigerian Senate among others, to intervene.

His post reads, “A friend of mine, A Nigerian Medical Student named Ikem studying in the Republic of Philippines  was brutally murdered by a group of Chinese.

“They tied his hands up, covered and tied his mouth and was beaten blue-black until he gave up the gh*st.

“This should never be allowed to get swept under the carpet regardless of the relationship btw the Philippines and China.!

“This is so inhuman and barbaric! I can’t even think straight at the moment cos of the horrific videos I’m getting right now from the hospital.”

He also called on the Chairman of NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, alongside other stakeholders, to address the situation.

Reacting in a statement on Monday, the NiDCOM spokesperson, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said the commission would set machinery in motion to investigate the matter

“Though the matter had not been officially reported to the Nigerian Embassy in the Philippines, NiDCOM has asked the ‘eyewitness’ who posted the gory incident on his social media handle to provide more details to the commission’s e-mail —admin@nidcom.gov.ng.

“The commission will set the machinery in motion to investigate the matter and unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident,” the spokesperson said.

In the same vein, NANS, through its Senate Deputy President, Elvis Ekudina, has demanded justice for the deceased, and described the act as “wickedness and one not to be overlooked.”

NANS disclosed that it had received “confirmation from students in the Diaspora” that “the deceased, a Nigerian medical student named Ikem, was allegedly murdered in the Philippines by a group of Chinese.”

NANS called on the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “to look into the situation and make sure that justice is done as this seems to be another xenophobic attack against Nigerians.

“This is inhumane, and cannot be accepted by the leadership of Nigerian students. We also seek that on the account of the Chinese government, the murdered student should be given last respect by ensuring that his corpse is flown back to Nigeria to ensure he gets a befitting burial.”

 

 

A Sikh New York City resident was killed in a road rage incident.

Sikh Jasmer Singh, 66, was reportedly beaten to death by Gilbert Augustin in a road-rage attack in Queens, New York, last week. 

By Edward Era Barbacena 

On October 19, 2023, Jasmer Singh, aged 68, of Queens, was driving his wife home from a doctor’s appointment in preparation for a trip to India.

On the Van Wyck Expressway, Mr Singh accidentally bumped his car into another driver.

Moments after the collision, a witness said they heard a male voice say:

“No police.”

The witness also saw a man reaching into the victim’s car and taking a phone out of his hand.

Mr Singh allegedly got out of his car and followed the other man. Both men argued before Mr Singh managed to take his phone back.

But as Mr Singh returned to his car, the other man allegedly punched him three times in the head and face, causing him to fall to the ground and suffer a brain injury.

He spent a day in hospital before dying from his injuries.

The suspect was identified as Gilbert Augustin and he was arrested. Augustin is facing multiple charges including manslaughter, assault, aggravated unlicensed operation and fleeing an accident.

But the victim’s family believe Augustin should also be charged with a hate crime, requesting the police to explore this avenue.

His son Mr Multani said: “He was educational, a very noble person, a simple person.”

Mr Singh moved to the United States from India to raise his family.

He continued: “He was distinguished looking, with a turban and all that.”

Speaking about the violent incident, Mr Multani said:

“My father’s skull was broken. Two front teeth were gone.”

The victim’s wife was left traumatised after witnessing the attack, with Mr Multani adding:

“She still has that terrible impression right behind her mind. That’s why she’s not here with me. She’s not in that shape.”

Mr Multani believes the severity of the attack can be attributed to his father’s Sikh faith and wants his death to be charged as a hate crime.

He stated: “The guy was addressing my father with his costumes, with his turbans.

“There was no reason for someone to go in that intensity. My father was targeted and it is a possible hate crime.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams posted about Mr Singh’s death on X, writing:

 

Mass shooting in Canada leaves five people dead in Ontario 

By Edward Era Barbacena 

Five people – including three children and a shooter – were found dead in the northern Ontario city of Sault Ste. Marie after shootings at two homes, police said Tuesday, calling what happened a tragic case of intimate partner violence.

Sault Ste. Marie police said the shootings that took place Monday night had left the community in deep mourning.

"The grief the families, friends, and loved ones of the victims are facing is unimaginable. Our hearts go out to them," Chief Hugh Stevenson wrote in a statement.

"As our community grieves this tragedy, I urge everyone to please watch out for each other."

Police said the shootings were not random acts of violence and there was no ongoing risk to public safety. They also said they would not be releasing the names of the victims or the accused because it was an intimate partner violence case.

Police were alerted to the shootings late Monday night, they said.

Officers first discovered the body of a 41-year-old around 10:20 p.m. after someone called to report a break-and-enter at a home, the force said.

The shooter appeared to have fled and about 10 minutes later, police received another call for someone with a weapon at a home about three kilometres north from the previous residence

Police said they found three children – aged six, seven and 12 – dead in that second home and a 45-year-old who was injured with a gunshot wound.

They said officers also found the 44-year-old shooter, who appeared to have died after a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Tyson Jikinosky, who works at an auto repair in the neighbourhood, said there was still a visible police presence in the area on Tuesday morning.

He said he learned of what happened by reading the news and said it came as a shock.

"It's a really, really, really ugly, ugly scenario," he said. "I live a few blocks away. It's pretty small town, so we're all pretty close."

The Algoma District School Board said it was mourning the loss of three students in Sault Ste. Marie.

"The entire Algoma District School Board community is heartbroken," the board's director of education, Lucia Reece, wrote in a statement.

"Counsellors and support staff have been put in place at schools impacted by this tragedy ... Our thoughts and prayers are with all who have been affected."

Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Matthew Shoemaker called what happened "an unspeakable tragedy."

"There are no words to adequately address such a tremendous loss," he wrote in a statement.

"I extend our community’s collective condolences and support to the family and loved ones of the victims ... We grieve with them as we try to reckon with this inconceivable act of violence."

The mayor called Sault Ste. Marie a "strong and caring community," and encouraged residents to support each other.

Premier Doug Ford said the news out of Sault Ste. Marie was “gut wrenching.”

“This senseless loss of life has left family, friends and an entire community grieving,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “All of Ontario mourns this tragedy.”

Police spokesman Lincoln Louttit said investigators had learned more about the shooter through witnesses who came forward.

"It's crucial to the community that we let them know that this tragic event had taken place. But we also need to make sure that the investigation can continue and as as well protect other victims that are involved," Louttit said.

"We're not going to be providing any other details with the investigation at this point."

Officers were at the scene at both homes on Tuesday, police said, and the investigation remained underway.

 

Mass shooting again in the United States leaves one dead and three injured in Englewood, Chicago 

By Edward Era Barbacena 

Police are investigating following a deadly mass shooting in Englewood overnight.

Chicago police say four people were shot in an alley near 61st and Justine, just east of Ashland around 9 p.m. Officers were at the scene looking for evidence. 

A 35-year-old man suffered two gunshot wounds to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene. 

A 60-year-old woman also suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was taken to Holy Cross Hospital in critical condition. Another woman, 52, was shot in the upper right thigh and taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.

The fourth victim, a 64-year-old man, was shot in the fight forearm and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in good condition.

Witnesses stated they saw an unknown male who was shooting at the entrance of the alley and fled the scene in an unknown direction afterward.

No arrests were made. 

 

80-year-old American paedophile of Arkansas arrested for the rape of young girl and animal cruelty 

Gerald Leon Britton had been registered as a chronic sex offender in Gravette 

By Edward Era Barbacena 

Law enforcement arrested an 80-year-old Gravette man on charges of rape and animal cruelty.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, a young girl told a detective with the Benton County Sheriff's Office that a man identified as Gerald Leon Britton had performed sexual acts on her.

The affidavit did not list the girl's age but quoted her as using terms like "boo boo" to describe anatomy. The girl also described the room she was in with Britton as being dirty, saying there were spiders and a biting pig.

Detectives went to Britton's home and arrested him.

Britton had been a registered sex offender. He was classified as Level 3 because he didn't cooperate or comply with assessment procedures, according to the affidavit.

The Arkansas Sex Offender Registry website lists three previous charges of incest.

Law enforcement found seven internet-capable devices that he had not registered as required by the rules regarding Level 3 sex offenders, according to the affidavit.

Other members of law enforcement found a large pig trapped in an indoor closet. The male pig had overgrown tusks and front hooves, which appeared to cause it pain and made walking difficult, according to the affidavit.

 

American woman of California arrested for the murder of her own daughter and attempted murder of her own son

Mina Nazari, 34 of Modesto, has been charged with murdering her 4-year-old daughter by stabbing her.

By Edward Era Barbacena 

It is hard to believe that someone is capable of harming his/her own children.  United States is one of the countries in the world where cases of parents are responsible for the killing of their children.  The majority of the culprits are white 

A Modesto white woman has been charged with murdering her daughter and for trying to kill her son as well, authorities say.

According to Stanislaus County District Attorney Jeff Laugero, Mina Nazari, 34 of Modesto, has been charged with murdering her 4-year-old daughter by stabbing her to death 

Nazari is also charged with the attempted murder of her 10-year-old son and child endangerment.

At around 12:47 p.m. Saturday, there was a 911 call reporting a possible assault at the Crown Ridge Apartments, located at 3925 Scenic Drive When police arrived at the scene, they found the child's body. 

After investigating the incident, police determined that the victim's mother killed the girl intentionally and placed her under arrest.

Nazari was arraigned in Stanislaus Superior Court, assisted over Zoom by a Farsi interpreter. She was born in Iran, according to the booking log at the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center.

Nazari remains in the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center without bail. Judge Kellie Westbrook ordered her to return to court Tuesday, Oct. 24, to hear a defense request that bail be set.

At the arraignment, Nazari wore a jail uniform with orange and white stripes and shackles on her wrists and ankles. She mostly looked straight ahead during the proceeding.

Family members in the courtroom declined to comment afterward to The Modesto Bee. Nazari’s public defender, Ryan Bowler, did the same.

 

A masked American cop  robbed three Las Vegas casinos of $164,000. He was identified in part by his unusual walking pattern 

Caleb Rogers sentenced To 12 years in prison for committing three casino robberies

By Edward Era Barbacena 

CNN: The mysterious white American man pulled up outside the Red Rock Resort and Casino in a pickup truck covered with trash bags.

Wearing dark clothing, black latex gloves and a mask over his face, he walked up to the cashier’s cage and demanded money, his hand tucked into his pocket as if he was concealing a weapon.

It was shortly before 4 a.m. on November 12, 2021. The cashier was terrified that he’d begin shooting, so she handed him almost $74,000 in cash.

The robber stuffed the money – mostly $100 and $20 bills – into a bag hidden in his jacket and left. Nobody got a good look at his face, but when authorities reviewed the security camera footage, they noticed the man had an unusual gait, appearing to kick out his left foot as he walked. It was a key clue.

The robbery, detailed in federal court documents, was the first in a trio of brazen casino heists over the next three months totaling $164,000 and ending with the arrest and conviction of Caleb M. Rogers, who turned out to be an officer with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

A judge this week sentenced Rogers, 33, to 12 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Evidence in the case revealed that in the third robbery, Rogers brandished his service firearm and threatened to shoot casino and security employees.

The casino heists followed a similar pattern

Charging documents show that on January 6, 2022, Rogers pulled off a second robbery at the Aliante Casino and Hotel in North Las Vegas.

This time, he arrived at the resort around 4:30 a.m. in a white Volkswagen and parked in a handicapped spot near the entrance. He again wore a mask and gloves and approached a cashier with his hand in his pocket and demanded money, leaving with $11,500.

Again, a review of surveillance video showed him walking with the same distinctive gait through the casino and parking lot.

About six weeks later he struck the sportsbook at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. Shortly before 7 a.m. on February 27 of last year, casino employees were transferring money from a bag into cash drawers when Rogers approached them with his hands in his pockets.

He yelled, “Get away from the money. I’ve got a gun. I will shoot you!” according to a press release from the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.

Rogers climbed over the counter and shoved one of the employees to the floor before grabbing almost $79,000 and fleeing after an employee triggered an alarm, prosecutors said.

During the robbery, he repeatedly yelled to the employees, “This isn’t your money. It’s not worth losing your life over,” court documents show.

Security officers chased Rogers to a parking garage, where he pulled out a silver revolver and threatened to shoot as an officer tackled him. Police later learned Rogers had covered the gun’s serial number with a yellow sticker, court documents show.

Officers said they noticed that Rogers had trouble running because of an apparent problem with his left leg, documents show.

Security officers disarmed Rogers and held him until Las Vegas police arrived. When officers checked the serial number of his .357 caliber firearm, they learned it belonged to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and had been checked out by Rogers during the time of the three robberies.

After Las Vegas Metropolitan Police took Rogers into custody, he identified himself with his officer number, court documents show.

Rogers was apparently seeking money to pay off debts

A subsequent search of Rogers’ Las Vegas apartment revealed eviction notices and past-due notices, according to court documents – along with occupational injury forms from a knee injury he had sustained in 2019.

Prosecutors argued at his trial that Rogers had robbed the casinos to pay off debts he’d incurred as the result of a gambling addiction.

In July a federal jury found Rogers guilty of three counts of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime.

He faced up to 20 years in prison on each robbery count and life imprisonment for the firearm conviction, but his attorney asked for leniency, citing Rogers’ career as a law enforcement officer.

“While many of his peers chose career paths and lifestyles that served only themselves, Rogers opted for service in one of the most dangerous professions dedicated to protecting our society,” the attorney, Richard Pocker, wrote in a sentencing memo.

Rogers’ mother, Crystal G. Rogers, also pleaded for leniency.

“This is not the end of his story, and he has the ability to change the trajectory of what will define him,” she wrote the judge before the sentencing. “These are dark hours for us all. But it is just that. I pray this is his season of change.”

Pocker told CNN he’s grateful that the judge considered Rogers’ service as a police officer when determining the sentence.

He said he plans to appeal the convictions