The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Bandits shoot council chairman’s wife, policeman, vigilante

    Some suspected bandits have shot the wife of Bunza Local Council Chairman, a policeman and a member of the local vigilante at Zogirma community in Kebbi State after a botched kidnap attempt.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the victims are at the intensive care unit of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Birnin Kebbi.

    Aliyu Usman, a resident of Zogirma community, told reporters that when the bandits came into the community, they shot sporadically and abducted the woman from her home.

    “They went to the chairman’s house, but couldn’t initially gain entrance. They shot at the door several times and when they entered, they took his wife,” Usman said.

    He said a policeman and a member of the vigilante group went after the bandits in an attempt to rescue the woman.

    “They started shooting and they shot the woman, the policeman and a member of the vigilante group in the process,’’ he said.

    When NAN correspondent visited the FMC, the Chief Medical Director, Dr Hamzat Balarabe, said the centre operated on the vigilante group member for him to survive.

    Read Also: Bandits strike again, sacks Batsari village in Katsina

    “We are planning to move quickly on the woman too as she has multiple fractures and a wound at the lower part of her chest,’’ he said.

    The council Chairman, Alhaji Bello Zogirma, who confirmed the incident, said the suspected armed bandits invaded the community at about 1:40am on Sunday and shot sporadically to scare away residents.

    “The bandits in their numbers had kidnapped my wife and a father in the family but no lives were lost during the attack.

    “The kidnapped persons have regained their freedom after an exchange of fire between the bandits and the police with support from the vigilante group in the area,’’ Zogirma said.

    He said: “I have learnt that immediately after the attack, a combined operation of the Army, Police and other security operatives was launched around the bush.

    “And it paid off as one of the suspects that sustained gunshot injuries was arrested in one of the hospitals in Kamba where he was taken for treatment by the bandits.’’

    The council chairman commended Governor Atiku Bagudu and security operatives for their quick response to the attack.

    “Governor Bagudu was at the hospital early to see the three people that were injured in the attack,’’ he said.

  • Man jailed 15 years after 11 years in detention

    An Igbosere High Court in Lagos yesterday sentenced a man, Tijani Idris, to 15 years imprisonment for conspiring with an armed robber.

    Justice Adedayo Akintoye convicted Idris – the first of two defendants – after he struck a plea bargain deal with the Lagos State Government, pursuant to Sections 75 and 76 of the state’s Administration of Criminal Justice Law of 2015.

    The deal, approved by the court, saw him pleading guilty to a lesser one-count charge of conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery, contrary to Sections 403A and 402(2)(A) of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State 2003.

    The second defendant, who was not named, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery which carry a maximum sentence of death by hanging.

    Before handing down the sentence, Justice Akintoye acknowledged the terms of the plea bargain prepared by the prosecution counsel, Mr Sunmonu Babatunde, an Assistant Director in the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    The judge observed that the first defendant had shown remorse for his actions and had saved the time of the court.

    Read Also: Man jailed for killing friend over 2015 polls

    She also noted that: “The first defendant agreed to plead guilty to the offences of conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery with a lesser sentence of 15 years.

    “That the first defendant has been in custody since September 24, 2008.

    “That a term of 15 years imprisonment commencing from the date of remand at the Magistrate Court is approved by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, subject to the court‘s final approval.”

    Upholding the agreement, Justice Akintoye held: “The defendant is hereby sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. This sentence takes effect from September 28, 2008.”

    Earlier, Babatunde reviewed the facts of the case.

    He said: “About 12:30pm on June 19, 2008, along Badagry Seme Expressway, the defendants were arrested following a complaint by one Benedict Victor that he was robbed by them at Mowo Bus Stop and the sum of N6,000 and a mobile phone was stolen at gunpoint.

    “During a search, a locally made pistol, 9mm live ammunition, three mobile phones and the sum of N6,000, were recovered from the defendants.

    “The defendants were taken before Magistrate Court 19 Igbosere/Tapa on September 24, 2008 and were remanded by the court.

    “They were on remand before the case was assigned to Justice (Adeniyi) Adebajo (rtd of the Lagos High Court).”

    He explained that the trial could not be concluded before Justice Adebajo retired. The matter was then re-assigned to Justice Akintoye where it commenced de novo…”

    “They were arraigned before this Honourable Court on February 16, 2016 on a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery, to which they pleaded not guilty, but changed their plea midway into the trial” Babatunde added.

  • Buhari hasn’t sacked me, Ofili-Ajumogobia tells court

    JUSTICE Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, who was dismissed by the National Judicial Council (NJC), yesterday told the Federal High Court in Lagos that she is still a judge of the court.

    According to her, she remains a judge until President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of her dismissal is gazetted.

    She is praying the court to decline jurisdiction to try her for money laundering because a serving judge cannot undergo trial until formally dismissed.

    Arguing her preliminary objection, Ofili-Ajumogobia’s lawyer Robert Clarke (SAN) faulted a letter from the Presidency confirming that she had been dismissed.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which arraigned Ofili-Ajumogobia, tendered the letter as proof that she is no longer a judge.

    But Clarke contended that the letter was addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) rather than to the Chairman of the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).

    Read Also: EFCC re-arraigns Ofili-Ajumogobia, Obla for alleged corruption

    Besides, he said the letter was marked “Restricted”, thus making it a private document.

    “Having been marked by the maker as ‘Restricted’, it means the letter cannot be used by third parties for any purpose,” Clarke said.

    The octogenarian SAN argued that the recommendation to dismiss Ofili-Ajumogobia was sent to the President by the FJSC.

    He said there was no evidence that the FJSC had received the President’s response approving or rejecting the recommendation.

    “The prosecution has failed to show that Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia is not a judge of the Federal High Court.

    “Until that is resolved, your lordship’s hands are tied with regards to the Nganjiwa case,” Clarke said.

    The lawyer referred to the Court of Appeal judgment in which it was held that a sitting judge cannot be tried.

    Also, Ajumogobia’s co-accused, Godwin Obla (SAN), is praying the court to quash the charge or order that he be tried separately.

    Arguing the application, his lawyer, Chief Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), accused the EFCC of persecuting his client and abusing the judicial process.

    EFCC first charged Ofili-Ajumogobia and Obla at the Lagos State High Court, but the case was struck out for lack of jurisdiction after 13 witnesses had been called.

    The court relied on the Court of Appeal decision in striking out the case.

    Obla had appealed the court’s decision not to rule on his no-case submission.

    Adedipe said EFCC filed the fresh charge at the Federal High Court while the appeal was pending.

    “It is improper for the prosecution to file two charges against the same person. No citizen should be the subject of prosecution on the same set of facts. They can elect to try someone on stealing or money laundering, not on both in different courts.

    “The court should not allow a situation where the state will persecute its citizens,” he said.

    But prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo said the charges were “different in form and in substance”.

    According to him, while the Ikeja High Court case was based on the Criminal Law of State 2011, the Federal High Court case is based on the Money Laundering Act, an Act of the National Assembly.

    “No law prohibits the prosecution from filing the instant charge. The pendency of the appeal does not affect the validity of the charge in that the offences alleged are not the same,” he said.

    Oyedepo said even if the Lagos High Court had acquitted and discharged the defendants, the EFCC would still not be precluded from filing the money laundering charge.

    Read Also: Drama in court as EFCC re-arrests Ofili-Ajumogobia

    EFCC arraigned Ofili-Ajumogobia on an 18-count charge. It alleged that she and Obla conspired on May 21, 2014, to indirectly conceal and retain N5 million in the Diamond Bank account of Nigel and Colive Limited.

    Ofili-Ajumogobia was also accused of indirectly concealing N12 million in the same account, despite knowing that it was proceed of “unlawful enrichment”.

    The offence is contrary to Section (2) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.

    The commission said she indirectly retained $150,000 in her account on May 30, 2013, knowing that it was a proceed of “unlawful enrichment”.

    Other sums she allegedly retained are: $20,000, $30,000, $50,000, $150,000, $70,000, $55,000, $50,000, $50,000 and $30,000.

    The prosecution said all the sums are “proceeds of unlawful enrichment”.

    EFCC also alleged that Ofili-Ajumogobia, on or about June 5, 2012, indirectly retained N18 million from Arkleen Oil and Gas Limited in her account domiciled at Access Bank Plc.

    The commission said she also reasonably ought to have known that the money “forms part of proceeds of unlawful act to wit: unlawful enrichment…”

    Ofili-Ajumogobia allegedly made a false statement to an officer, lying that the N33 million was paid into her account for the purchase of a landed property on Rita Ajumogobia Street, Asaba, the Delta State capital.

    The alleged offence of lying to an officer contravenes Section 39 (2) of the EFCC Act.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Justice Rilwan Aikawa adjourned till Friday for ruling on the matter.

  • Court orders arrest of Innoson Motors chairman, others

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday issued a bench warrant against Innoson Nigeria Limited’s Chairman Innocent Chukwuma and two others.

    Justice Ayokunle Faji made the order following an application by prosecuting counsel Julius Ajakaiye.

    The lawyer prayed the court to order Chukwuma’s arrest for failing to appear in court to take his plea in a criminal charge.

    According to him, the charge was served on the defendants by substituted means on February 8, 2016, following the take-over of the case by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

    Ajakaiye recalled that since then, the third and fourth defendants had been coming to court while the first, second and fifth defendants refused to show up.

    He urged the court to compel the absentee suspects to appear by ordering their arrest.

    Read Also: FG to Court: order arrest of Innoson boss, two staff

    Ruling, Justice Faji said it was clear that the first, second and fifth defendants had not appeared in the criminal charge, adding that the application had merit.

    “I hereby order as follows: a warrant of arrest is hereby issued against (1) Innocent Chukwuma, (2) Charles Chukwuma and (3) Sunny Anajekwe,” he ruled.

    The police charged the accused with an alleged N2.4 billion shipping fraud.

    The case was taken over by the AGF on March 18, 2016.

    The prosecution accused the defendants of conspiring to unlawfully falsify shipping clearance documents.

    They were accused of “uttering” (presenting) the suspected falsified shipping documents as collateral to Guaranty Trust Bank Plc to allegedly obtain a loan of N2.4 billion.

    The Federal Government claimed that the defendants committed the offence at Apapa Wharf, Lagos, on October 10, 2013.

    The alleged offence is contrary to sections 1(2) (c) and 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation 2004, the AGF said.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) also filed a charge against Chukwuma, Innoson Nigeria Limited and Charles Chukwuma at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja Division.

    Justice Faji adjourned till Friday for the defendants’ production.

     

  • ‘No party has selection formula for principal officers’

    Political parties’ leaders in the House of Representatives have not communicated to Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila their choice or selection formula for the election of other principal officers of the House, it was revealed yesterday.

    The House is currently on a two-week recess and it is expected that the principal officers for the majority party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), and other minority parties, led by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), would emerge within the week of resumption.

    Addressing reporters yesterday in Abuja, the nation’s capital, through the chairman of its ad hoc Committee on Media, Khadijah Bukar-Abba Ibrahim, the House said contrary to reports, no political party had made its intention on officials to its leadership.

    She said today is the last day for the submission of letter of intent for preferred committees of the House by members.

    The lawmaker said Gbajabiamila was set to begin his tour of troubled regions with visits to Zamfara and Borno states to assess the situation of banditry and insurgency.

    Read Also: Majority party, majority power

    She said: “No political party has communicated its decision on principal officers to the Speaker. No party, be it the majority or minority has sat down to select its principal officer and they have not communicated to the Speaker yet on how they intend to go about it.”

    Bukar-Abba noted that the Selection Committee had given lawmakers till today to submit their forms indicating their preferred committees where their competences would be best utilised.

    Besides, the lawmaker, who was accompanied by other members of the committee, said office accommodation for the lawmakers would have been ready by the time the lawmakers return next week as the ad hoc Committee on Welfare had been working round the clock to ensure a hitch-free allocation process.

    On the Zamfara and Borno states’ visits by the Speaker, Ibrahim said the reason behind it was for the Speaker to have first-hand knowledge of the situation of the people in the troubled region.

    “The Speaker has always expressed concern about the country’s security situation. The visits would enable him to know what the people are going through and how to use the instrumentality of the legislature to address the situation.

    “He is starting with Zamfara and Borno states before other regions. When he was hosted to a dinner by the Lagos State government, he also enjoined Nigerians to be patient and fully participate in the activities of the legislature by offering useful information and providing constructive criticisms.

    “This, according to him, would make the job easier for the House to carry out its constitutional responsibilities.

    “He also advised key stakeholders not to heat up the polity by their utterances and actions but have all hands on deck towards steering Nigeria to where it rightly belongs. He appealed to all Nigerians to be patient and follow due process while expressing their grievances,” she added.

  • ‘EFCC recovered N116.9m, 65 cars, foreign currencies in six months’

    The Ibadan zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday said it recovered N116,945,981 and 65 vehicles from various operations in the last six years.

    Other foreign currencies it also recovered within the period include US$39,125; £50 and 1,800 Euros.

    The commission spoke through the Head of its Ibadan Zonal office, Mr Friday Ebelo, when he addressed reporters at the Iyaganku, Ibadan zonal office to update the public on the successes achieved by the anti-graft agency within the period.

    Explaining how the recoveries were made, Ebelo said the money was partly forfeited to the Federal Government and partly to individuals who were defrauded.

    He said: “This briefing is essentially organised to share with you the successes of the commission’s Ibadan zonal office in the last six months.

    “With the unwavering support of our Acting Chairman and other stakeholders, the zone has recovered remarkable successes in the period under review.

    Read Also: EFCC nabs 32 suspected internet fraudsters in Ibadan

    “This year, the zone received 481 petitions out of which 117 were rejected. About 364 were approved for investigations and we were able to secure 83 convictions out of the 107 cases filed at different courts within the zone. That represents 83 per cent of the total number of cases filed.

    “From January to June 21, an aggregate sum of N116,945,981.68 was recovered. Others, which are foreign currencies, include $39,125, £1,800 and £50. Also recovered are 65 vehicles – 54 registered and 11 unregistered.”

    Decrying the increase in the number of suspects brought to the commission’s office, Ebelo urged parents to monitor their children and wards.

    He noted that those in higher institutions, especially, engaged in cybercrimes at alarming rate.

    “I want to say that in the last six months, going by the crime indices done by the commission, most of the suspects brought in are young Nigerians with potentials to be great in life.

    “It is not enough to send kids to school; parents should pay unscheduled visits to their schools, especially higher institutions of learnings, and see what the children are doing. That will help to nip in the bud any criminal tendency they might be showing or engaging in.

    “Also, we must be wary in using or giving our bank accounts to people around to use to receive funds. Many innocent people are falling victims and it is increasingly becoming difficult to prove, especially when they are the ones who also help them withdraw cash which could have been proceeds of crimes. Parents must monitor their wards and ensure that they do not keep bad company.”

  • NIS mulls issuance of multiple passports to high net worth Nigerians

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has said it is contemplating the idea of issuing multiple standard international passports to high net-worth Nigerians who are frequent travelers to facilitate their business trips overseas.

    This is just as the service will today officially roll out the 10-year security enhanced validity standard, official and diplomatic passports.

    Besides, the NIS said it will soon begin the registration of migrants to curtail the activities of other nationals who engage in banditry, terrorism and other illegal activities across national borders.

    Its Comptroller General (CGI) Muhammad Babandede, who spoke in Lagos, said the initiative followed pressure from businessmen and frequent travellers.

    The CGI said the most affected persons are those with trapped passports at embassies and high commissions as they seek to get visas to travel to different countries while having many businesses to attend to at the same time.

    He said issuance of multiple standard international passports would allow such businessmen and high net worth individuals to attend to different needs without the constraint of possessing a single passport.

    But Babandede explained that the issuance of such passports would be subjected to rigorous scrutiny for individuals who do not pose security problems, and are not involved in narcotic or other nefarious activities.

    Read Also: Court orders Nigeria Immigration Service to pay ex-staff N9.7M in 60 days

    The NIS chief also said there were over 70,000 international passports uncollected at the service’s passports offices nationwide.

    He said the negative trend arose because some Nigerians would declare their passports missing in order to meet up with visa requirements at some embassies or high commissions.

    According to him, other reasons for the high rate of uncollected passports are fraudulent declaration of lost passports by some Nigerians, either to escape justice or what he called irrational excuses.

    Speaking at the NIS Ikoyi passport Office in Lagos, where five financial institutions donated several social responsibility projects to the service, Babandede said the partnership with the private sector would assist the service to fill the gaps in infrastructure and render timeous services under transparent and customer-friendly consideration.

    The Comptroller General said government had begun the registration of migrants to checkmate incessant cases of banditry and terrorism by some foreigners who enter the country through the land borders.

    Babandede said patrol units have been established at land borders to checkmate the activities of unscrupulous elements, who are poised to carry unauthorised activities.

    The NIS chief also spoke of plans to engage private sector players to establish passport offices across countries where Nigeria does not have embassies and diplomatic relations to ease the challenges of getting vital documents for Nigerians.

    The move, he said, was the fallout of the incident in London, where a Nigerian destroyed property at the country’s high commission because he could not collect his passport from the officials.

    Babandede urged Nigerians to refrain from such conducts because they tarnish the image of the country.

    He said: “Officers caught involved in infractions will be punished, in line with the provisions of the law. Non-Nigerians trying to get a Nigerian passport will be prosecuted.

    “All immigration officers involved in illegal offences will be prosecuted. There is no immunity for corruption officers. Immigration officers that issue fake visa on arrival will be dismissed. We will apologise to the foreigner and the officer will be prosecuted.

    “London is our busiest immigration outlet in Europe. The young man in London came after the timeline had lapsed. He started attacking people and destroying property, it is not right, he is tarnishing the image of Nigeria.

    “He should be calm and have control over his social and emotional intelligence.

    “When you apply, there should be a self-addressed envelope …to reduce the incidence in London. The NIS has learnt lessons from that experience; it is an opportunity to learn to improve service.”

  • My life is under threat, witness to murder cries out

    A witness, Isa Abubakar, has cried out over alleged threat to his life by the police in Ayegbaju-Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

    Abubakar, 45, is a witness in a case of murder of one Elijah Ogor, who was killed in his farmland between Ayegbaju and Iludun-Ekiti.

    Ogor, who hailed from Benue State, was allegedly killed by a suspect identified as Babuga on February 15, after his farm was invaded and destroyed by the herdsman’s cattle.

    But the case has since turned against him with the arrest of the suspect.

    Speaking in Ado-Ekiti Monday, Abubakar alleged that the police were trying to frame him up as the murderer.

    He said: “I only helped the police to catch the suspect, but the way my life has been threatened in the last one week, has made me undergone undeserved hardship.

    ‘’I knew about the incident when some Igede people came to me with machetes and other dangerous weapons after Ogor was murdered in his farm. They said I am the Fulani man they know, so they planned to attack me until some indigenes of the town stopped them.

    Read Also: My in-laws after my life, 40-yr-old woman cries out

    ‘’I called the Seriki Abashe, the head of the Fulani people in that area, who lives at Ido-Ekiti. He told me to confirm the incident and I went there with some police officers. Later that day, he called to inform me that the suspect had been arrested and that we should come for him.”

    Abubakar said the suspect was handed over to the police in Oye-Ekiti, but trouble started when the case was transferred to Lokoja, the Zone 8 headquarters.

    He said: ‘’I was called by a policeman in Oye and asked to make myself available for a trip to Lokoja. I was ready to go, but they had one excuse or the other for about three days, so we couldn’t make the trip.

    ‘’They started threatening me after that, saying I would answer for the murder if I don’t make myself available. They even came to my house twice to search for what I don’t know.

    “I was ready to comply with this request until information got to me that they were about to lure and poison me in Lokoja because the suspect had a connection with some prominent Nigerians.”

    Abubakar urged Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Muhammed Adamu to wade into the matter.

    Ekiti Police Command spokesman Caleb Ikechuckwu, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), could not be reached for comments as his phone was switched off.

  • Alfa ‘defiles’ minor in mosque’

    An Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court yesterday remanded in prison an Islamic cleric, Abdulsalam Salaudeen, following his arraignment for allegedly defiling a five-year-old girl in a mosque.

    Justice Abiola Soladoye remanded him at the request of the prosecutor’s, Ms T. Olanrewaju-Dawodu.

    She adjourned till October 14 for trial.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Salaudeen, 43, is being tried for allegedly defiling the child, who was under his tutelage.

    The prosecutor said Salaudeen committed the offence last December 22 at the premises of Olorungbebe Mosque at 15, Palace Road, Igando, a Lagos suburb.

    Olanrewaju-Dawodu said Salaudeen, popularly called Alfa, was caught defiling the child via the footage of a hidden camera installed on the mosque premises by suspicious individuals.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty.

    Also yesterday, the court  warned three persons accused of abducting and gang-raping two 15-year-old secondary school pupils as part of their initiation.

    Read Also: Man, 26, ‘defiles’ girl, 10

    Kayode Damilare, Laguda Kamal and Quadri Ajala, alleged to be members of the Eiye confraternity are facing a three-count charge of abduction, defilement and belonging to an unlawful society.

    Justice Soladoye warned them to stop threatening the complainants and their families.

    She issued the warning following the request of the prosecutor, Mr Akin George, for court’s protection of the  complainants.

    George said the defendants and members of their gang had been threatening the complainants and their families, forcing one of them to relocate to Ibadan for safety.

    Justice Soladoye said the defendants would be liable  if any harm befell the complainants or their family.

    “This court will hold you solely responsible if anything happens to any of the complainants. You better inform other members of your gang out there to stop threatening the witnesses or else you will all bear the consequences,” she warned.

    The judge also advised the complainants and their families to file a formal complaint at the nearest police station.

    Damilare, Kamal and Ajala were alleged to have gang-raped the first complainant sometime in February 2017 at Agarawu on Lagos Island.

    The prosecution alleged that they abducted and gang-raped the second complainant from January 26 to 29 last year at a house in Idoluwo Street, Adeniji Adele, Lagos Island.

    Justice Soladoye adjourned till October 17.

  • Chartered Accountant, partner found dead in Ejigbo  

    How did a Chartered Accountant, Rasaki Balogun, 56, and his partner die in Ejigbo, Lagos on June 20?

    This is the puzzle the police are now trying to unravel following the incident.

    The bodies were said to have been found around 8am on June 20 by Balogun’s widow, Akorede at his 16, Taiwo Oke Street, Victory Estate, Ejigbo home.

    Police spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent, said in a statement yesterday that some detectives led by the Ejigbo Divisional Police Officer (DPO) visited the scene and found the bodies covered in blood. The unnamed woman, the statement claimed, was lying on a knife.

    The Nation gathered that the bodies were found lying face down in the sitting room. There were burnt meat and stew on the gas cooker in the kitchen.

    It was learnt that a doormat was used to prevent the blood from flowing out of the apartment.

    Read Also: Apprentice found dead in Delta community

    “The man is said to be living alone in the house while his family lives in a different place. The identity of the woman has yet to be established as he was said to have met her about two days before the incident.

    “The crime scene was sealed off for forensic analysis while the corpses were evacuated to hospital for autopsy. Homicide detectives from the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Yaba have taken over the case on the instruction of the Commissioner of Police Zubairu Muazu. Investigation is ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding their death,” Elkana said.

    In another development, the police have arrested Ojo Adesola, 45, said to be a land  of grabber and serial killer.

    Adesola was arrested around 7am on June 21   along Amikanle in Alagbado. He was allegedly conveying firearms in a white bus.

    Elkana said four locally made rifles and 38 rounds of live cartridges were recovered from him.

    He alleged that the suspect belonged to a notorious gang of land grabbers and hired killers, terrorising Ogun and Lagos States.

    “They act as warlords, waiting to be hired by anyone who can pay for their services to take over lands by force. They engaged in series of killings and maiming of land owners.

    “According to the suspect, they were hired by someone to dislodge land owners at Epe and that he was on his way to pick the other members of the gang for the operation, before he was arrested.

    “Police are on the trail of five other members of his gang who are at large. Investigation is ongoing.”