The Nation Newspaper

Category: Crime Diary

  • 11 fishermen re-arraigned over pipeline vandalism

    11 fishermen re-arraigned over pipeline vandalism

    Eleven fishermen on Wednesday re-appeared before a Federal High Court in Lagos over pipeline vandalism.

     

    The accused are Sidi Egbayelo, 31; Sunday Shadrach, 41; Edem Okon, 32; Godwin Kofa, 30; Rosemon Neito, 32; Ejona Kpamkpam, 25; and Moses Victor, 30.

     

    Others are Chris Sunday, 31; Peter Gay, 23; Remo Uchugwu, 25; and Mike Sabato, 31.

     

    They are standing trial on a four-count charge of conspiracy, vandalism, stealing, and unlawful possession of petroleum products.

     

    The accused were first arraigned on Feb. 7, 2013 before Justice Musa Kurya and they had all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

     

    Justice Kurya had granted them bail in the sum of N2 million each with two sureties each in like sum.

     

    The court had then commenced trial of the accused.

     

    However, the accused were on Wednesday, re-arraigned before a new judge, Justice Rabiu Shagari, following the transfer of Kurya from the Lagos division of the court.

     

    All of them, again, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

     

    Justice Shagari, ruling on the bail application of the accused, allowed them to continue with it on the conditions earlier granted by Kurya.

     

    He subsequently adjourned the case to June 13 and June 14 for trial.

     

    In the charge, the accused are said to have committed the offences on Dec. 21, 2012.

     

    The prosecutor, Mr Justin Enang, said that the accused were apprehended at 1.00 a.m. on the same day at Atlas Cove in Lagos, where they allegedly engaged in unlawful extraction of petrol.

     

    According to Enang, about 220 drums of petrol were recovered from the accused, who allegedly obtained the product from a vandalised pipeline for illegal sale.

     

    He said that the product was valued at N5.3 million.

     

    The prosecution indicated that the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 390 and 516 of the Criminal Code Act, 2004 and Section 7(a), (b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 2004.

  • Policemen, others arrested for ‘armed robbery’

    The Police in Lagos have arrested some of its personnel including one Sergeant Victor Omorokai, who allegedly hijacked a 20 feet container at the weekend in Ogun State.

    Also arrested were three civilians, including a supposed buyer of the container laden with auto spare-parts.

    It was gathered that the policemen numbering four, all attached to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti-Yaba, on Saturday night blocked the container with their Sienna car.

    The Nation gathered that they pretended to be officers on duty and flanked the heavy duty vehicle down.

    As soon as the driver stopped, they were said to have pointed a gun at him and his conductor, ordering them out of the trailer.

    The suspects were said to have detoured the container to Abbatoir, where they contacted a prospective buyer who came and inspected the goods but did not buy.

    Unknown to the suspects, the trailer conveying the container had a car tracking device and was being monitored by its owners.

    It was learnt that a distress call was made to the police informing the agency about the incident and notifying it that the trailer had a tracking device.

    “The police then started monitoring their location as they were moving and tracked them to Agege. Three police units made of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Safer Highways and the Okokomaiko Police Division were deployed.

    “The teams blocked the various entry and exit points. The suspects contacted another buyer and was moving towards Okokomaiko when the police stopped the container.

    “At first, they pretended they were policemen who arrested the truck but when they saw that they were in trouble they started shooting. While three of them managed to escape, Sergeant Victor Omorokai was arrested. Three civilians have also been arrested in connection with the crime,” said a  police source.

    The Nation gathered that an Inspector was among the fleeing suspects and that the case was transferred to SARS for discreet investigation.

    Confirming the arrest, the state command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos said: “They (suspects) were trailed to Okokomaiko where they were arrested. The case is still under discreet investigation.”

  • Police rescue boy from kidnappers, recover ransom

    Police rescue boy from kidnappers, recover ransom

    The Kebbi State Police Command on Tuesday said it had rescued a 14-year-old boy from kidnappers in Ribah, Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of the state.

    The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Yakubu Jibrin, told reporters in state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Yakubu Jibrin, that two out of the three kidnappers had been captured.

    He said one of the suspected abductors died at the Zuru General Hospital from injuries sustained in his escape bid.

    Jibrin disclosed that some N550, 000 ransom paid by the parents of the victim as ransom was also recovered from the suspects and that weapons used by the abductors were also recovered.

    The police chief said, however, that investigations had commenced to determine if the captured suspects were among prisoners, who were recently granted amnesty.

  • Police Command parades 2 arms dealers, 7 other criminals

    Police Command parades 2 arms dealers, 7 other criminals

    The Akwa Ibom State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has paraded  a group of nine suspected criminals for various criminal involvements including gun running.

    The parade was done at the State Command headquarters at Ikot Akpan Abia area, Uyo, the State capital by the State Police Commissioner, CP Murtala Mani.

    Emmanuel Akamaba aged 38 and Ezekiel Adie aged 35, were among the nine suspects paraded at the police headquarters for their involvement in gun running.

    The commissioner, CP Mani told journalists that the paraded suspects were arrested by operatives of the command at various locations in the state during stop and search operations on highways and roads.

    CP Mani said Stop and Search exercise is one the proactive measures taken by the command to rid the Akwa Ibom state of criminal elements.

    According to him, two suspects, Emmanuel Akamaba  and Ezekiel Adie both from Ogoja in Cross River state were arrested with four locally-made pistols along Calabar/Itu Highway by Safer Highway Patrol team who carried out a search on the vehicle which they traveled with.

    In their confessional statement, both Emmanuel and Ezekiel admitted to the crime. “When the police stopped us at their Check Point in Itu, and searched the vehicle we boarded, they discovered the four pistols in our traveling bag. We were going to sell the guns to our agent in Bayelsa at the cost of N100,000.00 each. We bought the guns from the manufacturer in Benue state and we have been in the business for about a year now.”

    However, CP Mani who was represented by the state public relations officer (PPRO) of the command, ASP Cordelia Nwawe said that among the paraded suspects was one Blessing Effiong Ambrose who was arrested for human trafficking.

    Blessing was allegedly arrested by the Patrol team stationed along Oron-Mbo Highway who intercepted a white colour Toyota Hiace commuter bus with registration number Lagos – JJJ454 XD which Blessing was among the passengers and were travelling from Oron in Akwa Ibom state to Lagos state.

    Among the passengers in the bus were six children aged between five and fifteen who were victims of child trafficking by Blessing who was taking them to buyers in Lagos state. The children were however rescued and handed over to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) in Uyo for investigations, the ASP Nwawe stated.

    Also paraded were those who robbed worshippers of a Presbyterian Church at Okopedi Itiam village, along Uyo – Ekim Itam Highway, those who were caught with three stolen Perkins sound proof generators purportedly removed from the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), those who were caught with stolen power transformer and other electrical  appliances on the way to Lagos from Uyo.

    Police said upon proper investigations into the crimes, all those found involved would be prosecuted accordingly.

    CP Mani called on members of the public, especially commercial vehicle drivers to always check the luggage of passengers to ascertain the contents before carrying them.

    He also warned that the command would not condone crime of any kind in the state, therefore parents should warn their children and wards against keeping bad friends or indulging in crime.

    The Police Command appeals to members of the public to bear with the Police when they are asked to stop for a brief check, that it is done for the overall good of all.

  • Man, 22, docked over alleged theft of N50,000 phone

    Man, 22, docked over alleged theft of N50,000 phone

     

    An Ikorodu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State on Tuesday granted N20,000 bail to a 22-year-old man, Tosin Adenuga, who was charged with stealing a cell phone valued at N50,000.

     

    Magistrate A. Oshodi-Makanju said that the accused should also provide two responsible sureties in like sum.

     

    “The sureties are persons who must be gainfully employed and they must show evidence of tax payment, as well as have their addresses verified,’’ Oshodi-Makanju said.

     

    The accused, of no fixed address, had pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge bordering on stealing.

     

    The Prosecutor, Cpl. Kemi Adeniran, said that Adenuga committed the offences on March 24 at about 8.25pm, at Sabo Roundabout in Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

     

    Adeniran said that the accused stole one blue 650 HTC Desire cell phone valued at N50,000 belonging to one Olasunka Oshinowo.

     

    She said that the accused contravened Sections 409 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

     

    The case was adjourned till May 5 for mention

  • Court remands seven teenagers for alleged possession of arms

    An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court on Friday remanded seven teenage boys in Bostal Correctional Centre for alleged possession of arms.

     

    The Chief Magistrate, Mr Tajudeen Elias, ordered that they should be remanded in the centre located at Adigbe in Abeokuta Area of Ogun.

     

    Elias adjourned the case till April 27 for continuation of hearing.

     

    Two of the accused are 17 years, one is 16, three are 15 while the last is 13 years and they live in Agege, a suburb of Lagos.

     

    The boys were being tried for conspiracy and unlawful display of arms in public.

     

    The Prosecutor, Insp. Benedict Aigbokhan, told the court that the offences were committed on March 25 at Amoo Area of Oko Oba, Agege, Lagos.

     

    Aigbokhan said that the boys went with arms to a carnival they were not invited to.

    “It was at the point of entering that the security men discovered the boys were with cutlasses and knives,’’ he said.

     

    He said the offences contravened Sections 51 and 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

     

    They pleaded not guilty to the charge.

  • Man bags three-year jail term for stealing N300,000

    Man bags three-year jail term for stealing N300,000

    A 20-year old man, Joseph Nanchang, was on Friday sentenced to three years imprisonment by an Evbouriaria Magistrates’ Court in Benin for stealing N300,000.

     

    The Prosecutor, Sgt. Olatoye Oluwaseun, told the court that the convict with others now at large committed the crime on Feb. 23 at No. 18 off Muritala Mohammed Way, Benin.

     

    Oluwaseun said that convict stole the sum of N300, 000 belonging to one Mrs Victoria Owie.

     

    The convict, of no fixed address, was charged on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

     

    The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 516 and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 48, Vol. II, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976 as applicable in Edo.

     

    Nanchang, however, pleaded not guilty to the first count charge of conspiracy, but accepted his guilt on the second count charge of stealing.

     

    The Magistrate, Mrs C.E. Oghuma, sentenced the convict to a three years imprisonment without option of fine.

  • Paris attack suspect to be extradited to France ‘in few weeks’ – lawyer

    Salah Abdeslam, a key suspect in November’s Paris attacks, would be extradited to France from Belgium in a few weeks to allow for additional questioning by Belgian investigators, his lawyer said on Thursday.

    The Lawyer, Sven Mary said Abdeslam, who returned from Paris hours after the IS attacks in which his brother blew himself up, hid from police for four months until he was captured in a raid on a house in district of Molenbeek on March 18.

    His finger prints were found three days earlier in an apartment in the southern Brussels borough of Forest after a gun battle during which an Islamist gunman was shot dead and four police officers were injured.

    “Prosecutors want to question him about that incident.

    “There is a hearing, which will take place regarding the attempted murder of several police officers during the home search in Forest,’’ Mary told newsmen.
    Abdeslam, who previously said that he wanted to be extradited to France, was not present at a court hearing in Brussels.

    “As I said, he wishes to go to France and that is the reason that things need to proceed and why we hope that it will be over in a few weeks,’’ Mary added.
    The shooting and bombing rampage by IS militants killed 130 people in Paris on Nov. 13.

     

  • NDLEA parades seven suspected drug peddlers

    NDLEA parades seven suspected drug peddlers

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Abia State Command have paraded seven male suspects, allegedly arrested for being in possession of banned/prohibited substances.

     

    The suspects, Uzochukwu Nnanna,35, Kingsley Ugwubueze 31,  Agbaeze Kalu,40,  Saidu Iliyasu, 29, Solution Kingsley, 22, Ikechukwu Nwankpa, 31, and Ugochukwu Nwachukwu, 22 were said to have been arrested in the month of March by NDLEA operatives.

    The State Commander of the agency, Bamidele Akingbade told newsmen that the suspects were apprehended at various venues in the state with illicit substances (psycho-tropical substances) weighing a total of about 14.23 kilograms.

    He said that some of the substances include Cocaine, Heroin and Indian hemp at the time of their arrests.

    The NDLEA boss said that the suspects would be arraigned in court after they must have concluded investigation into the matter.

    One of the suspects, Saidu Iliayasu, 29, a security man at a private hostel in Uturu, was said to have been arrested during a raid in Uturu after the incident at a private hostel in Uturu where two students of Abia State University, ABSU were reported to have been beheaded.

    Iliayasu was said to have been in possession of Indian hemp of over N3000 he was yet to sell to prospective buyers.

    According to Uzochukwu Nnanna, police officers caught him with Indian hemp and later handed him over to the NDLEA.

    Nnanna who pleaded for forgiveness stating that he was pushed to go into the trade because of hardship.
    Kingsley, admitted being in possession of cocaine (“White”), stating that he was pushed into the business after he lost his father at the end of his secondary education and had to seek help to further his education.

    He noted that it was in the process of seeking help that he met a man called Nwa-Charlie who introduced him into the Cocaine business as a way to help him raise money to go further.

    Another suspect, Kingsley Ugwubueze, a native of Ohaji-Egbema in Imo State said he was living in Ibadan by Orlu Street, Aba where he was caught for possessing Indian hemp last month.

    Forty year-old Agbaeze Kalu, a wheel barrow pusher said he went to buy hemp for personal consumption when he was caught by the Vigilante in Aba and handed over to NDLEA.

    He said that smoking weed helps to give him strength to continue working when he becomes weak after doing heavy jobs.

    “I now know that it is dangerous to my health and when I leave here I will not return to it”, he said.

    Ikechukwu Nwankpa, 31, from Eziama Nvosi who lives at the Omuma road said he was arrested with hemp.

    He said he was shoemaker until he had a problem and had no money to continue with the trade and then his friend urged him to sell hemp to help him.

    He said that if he sold his shoes in a day, he makes about N5000 gain but chose to be selling hemp which he could sale for N1, 500 for the time with gain of about N500.

    Ugochukwu Nwachukwu, Ugiri Mbano, Imo State said his father died in December 2015 and he had no one to help him which led him into the business of selling Indian hemp until he was caught.

    They all pleaded to be pardoned saying that if they are released, they would not return to hard drug trade and consumption again.

  • Anambra: NSCDC arrests three illegal sand excavators

    Anambra: NSCDC arrests three illegal sand excavators

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have arrested three suspects believed to be illegal sand excavators at a quarry in Nsugbe, Anambra East Local Government Area in the state.

     

    The state commandant of the agency, Mr. Godwin Omoreigie, made this known Tuesday in Awka, while speaking with reporters.

     

    He said that the arrest followed series of complaints by officials of the Federal Ministry of Solid Development, Abuja and a licensed company, Konaza Oil and Gas limited about the illegal mining.

     

    According to him, “The activities of illegal miners was becoming rampant in the state”

     

    “We received complaints from the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development that a staff was beaten up by some illegal miners along the riverside in Onitsha when he enquired into their activity.

     

    “On March 9, we mobilized about 20 armed NSCDC officials to Nsugbe and Otuocha along Omambala/Anambra River in Anambra East local government area where we arrested three suspected illegal miners”

     

    “The arrest is to deter other unlicensed miners from excavating sands, the organization has launched a special operation to arrest defaulters across the state,” Omoreigie said.

     

    However, he refused to give out the names of the suspects, while explaining that investigations were still ongoing to arrest more culprits.

     

    He noted that the offence of illegal mining and encroachment attracts 20 million naira fine or eight years jail term if found culpable by the courts.

     

    He also said that the organization achieved a feat with the seizure of badge loaded with 100 barrels of crude oil along the Onitsha Riverine area in September, 2015.

     

    Omoreigie therefore, assured the people of the state that the command was working hard to ensure that filling stations with petroleum products do not hoard them.