The Nation Newspaper

Category: Crime Diary

  • Police bust ‘child-sale’ syndicate in Lagos

    A SYNDICATE with alleged expertise in selling children has been uncovered by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command, spokesman Bala Elkana said on Sunday.

    He said a traffic policewoman attached to Ejigbo Division on August 26 while controlling traffic at Jakande Gate, Ejigbo, noticed commotion near her post and intervened.

    According to him, the officer discovered that the altarcation was about a lady named Gift Michael, 24, found with a suspected new born baby. In her company is her ‘madam’, one Florence Nkem Douglas, 50, both of Ijegun area of Isheri.

    Elkana said the crowd was about to mob the duo after trailing them and reasonably suspecting them of buying and selling children for long at their maternity clinic but were rescued and taken to the Ejigbo Police station for investigation.

    Read Also: Police uncover fake hospital in Edo

    Elkana said detectives discovered pictures of over 50 babies in the madams’ phone suspected to have been sold off already, adding that the gang usually sold children between N500,000 to N1 million.

    “Investigation revealed that the said Florence Douglas, a native of Igueben in Edo State, who is not a registered  nurse operates two Maternity Clinics named Flofidel Clinic and Maternity  Homes with branches in  Shosanya Street, I82, Ijegun Road and Okunola Ijagemo area.

    “On interrogation, the said Florence admitted to have been in the business of sales of babies for a while. She revealed that a baby girl is referred to as “PINK” while a baby boy is called “BLUE” and are both referred to as “MARKET”.

    “She further confessed that the male child found in their custody at Jakande Gate Ejigbo, suspected to be a week old was brought to her from Gombe, enroute Akure and was to be sold for N500,000.

    “The rescued baby who appeared sick with symptoms suspected to be jaundice was promptly taken to hospital for medical attention. Worthy of mention are  pictures of about 50 different babies in the phone of the suspect, suspected to have already been sold off.

    “Babies are usually sold between N500,000 and N1million depending on their sex.

     

     

     

  • Lagos reassures residents on persistent rainfall

    THE Lagos State Government has reassured residents that measures are already in place to address the challenges posed by incessant rainfall.

    Lagosians have been witnessing heavy downpours in the last few days.

    Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tunji Bello, who inspected some of the major drainage systems, said residents should rest assured that irrespective of the volume of the rainfall, it would flow through the drains to discharge into the various channels.

    The commissioner warned against indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the drains as well as erecting structures on drainages lines and alignments.

    This, he said, could aggravate flooding.

    Read Also: Lagos schools get classrooms, computers

    He reminded the people of the Executive Order signed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on zero tolerance for indiscriminate dumping of refuse.

    According to him, while relevant agencies are on red alert for any unforeseen incident, residents must be vigilant and promptly report cases of indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drainage channels and unauthorized places as well as other incidents of drainage blockage to the relevant agencies.

    Bello advised Lagosians to be safety conscious during this period, urging them to take some safety measures such as avoid going out during the rains except when absolutely necessary and be careful when driving.

    He stressed that Lagosians residing along flood plains and low-lands should be at alert and be ready to move for safety whenever the need arises.

     

     

  • 10 held in Lagos cult clash

    IT was a weekend of horror. Suspected cultist Aliu Lamidi, 29, was Saturday night stabbed to death after rival groups clashed at Chukwuma Hotel in Babashola Street, Itire, Lagos.

    The hotel and some vehicles parked around it were also set ablaze in the fight that started  around 10:50pm.

    It was gathered that violence erupted after an altercation between rival cult groups in the hotel which led to the owner’s son stabbing Lamidi in the neck.

    Lamidi, a resident of Aboredhade Street, was said to have died at the hospital he was rushed to, a development that provoked his colleagues.

    Although the immediate cause of the altercation was unknown, The Nation reports that the Aiye and Eiye cult groups have been embroiled in age-long rivalry that has claimed many lives across the state.

    Read Also: One dead, seven arrested in Lagos cult war

    Angered by the killing of Lamidi, his members were said to have torched the hotel, vehicles and moved in droves to the home of the owner in a bid to kill anyone found.

    Wielding cutlasses and other dangerous weapons, the hoodlums were said to have threatened firefighters and policemen from Itire who got to the scene to put out the inferno.

    It was gathered that the violence continued Sunday morning and extended to Oseni Street which prompted the deployment of reinforcement from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and the Area Command led by Deputy Commissio of Police (DCP) Tunji Disu.

    The police were said to have prevented the cultists from wreaking further havoc as they chased the hoodlums and eventually arrested eight of the culprits. Two more suspects were added to the number, bringing those arrested to 10.

    Confirming the incident spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) said security has been beefed up.

    He said the hotel’s owner’s son was currently at large, adding that investigation was ongoing and all suspects would be charged to court.

  • Confessions of an alleged serial killer

    • ’How I murdered seven women’
    • Says I enjoy killing when the urge comes on me
    • ’I killed my first victim in a Lagos hotel’

    It was confession time on Friday for the man believed to have been responsible for the serial killing of young women in Port Harcourt over the last few months.

    Thirty-nine year old Gracious David West told reporters in the Rivers State capital that he had also killed in Lagos and Imo States.

    He put the number of his victims at seven.

    He was arrested on Thursday by the police while en route Uyo from c.

    His arrest came hours after protests by women groups in Port Harcourt calling for the security agencies to fish out the brains behind the mysterious killings of women in hotels.

    West, who hails from Buguma in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, claimed that he  killed five women in Port Harcourt and  one each  in Ikeja and Owerri.

    His modus operandi was to take his victims to a hotel, confiscate their ATM cards and thereafter kill them.

    He would then proceed to the nearest ATM and clear the accounts of his victims.

    His first killing was in Lagos.

    “I started the killing in Lagos, that was where I got money because the first girl had N85,000 in her account,” West said.

    “After that, I went to Port Harcourt, then Owerri. I returned to Port Harcourt. The last girl I killed I met her at the club.”

    Read Also: #ProtectPHGirls trends as Nigerians react to ‘serial killer’ in PH

    West said he was on his way to Akwa-Ibom when he was arrested by operatives of the special anti-robbery squad, Bori in Rivers.

    ”When the urge comes, I move into a hotel, invite a girl after and after eating and making love, I will bring out a kitchen knife and threaten her not to shout,” West said.

    He added: “I don’t know what comes over me to kill. After I have killed, I feel remorse and cry for killing, but after that, the irresistible urge to kill comes over me again. I kill alone.

    ”I was a member of the Degbam Cult group, I have since repented. I am not killing for any cult group. I just kill. I don’t know what comes over me to kill.

    ”The first woman I killed in one of the hotels in Ikeja had about N85,000 in her account. Before I strangled them after love making, I used the knife to cut the hotel bedding into a semblance of a twine which I used to bind their hands and feet, and also used the knife to threaten them.

    “The kitchen knife was sold to me by an aboki. I would threaten that if they raised the alarm, I would kill them with the knife.

    “Out fear, they kept quiet while I raised the volume of the television set in the hotel room to prevent any noise from my room. I never killed with the knife.”

    West also revealed that before he killed his female victims, he insisted on knowing their account balance and ATM pin number.

    “After strangulating them, I would steal their ATM cards, empty their accounts from any nearby ATM machine and move on.

    “It was not all the girls I slept with that I killed. I only killed whenever the irresistible urge to kill overwhelmed me.

    “l don’t have a house. My mother died through poisoning from her mate and I am homeless. I sleep in hotels.”

    He said that the phones he stole from his victims were sold to a customer in Waterlines Junction, off Port Harcourt/Aba Expressway and another buyer around MTN office by Oil Mill Market in Port Harcourt.

    West claimed to be an  ex-militant  rehabilitated by the Omega Power Ministry (OPM) which also got  a job for him at the Federal University of Science and Technology, FUTO, Owerri, through the Church.

    He ditched the job after stealing students’ property.

    Police Commissioner, Mustapha Dandaura who paraded the suspect  does not believe that West was acting alone.

    “The suspect is definitely not alone in these killings, though he had made useful confessions, but the command will go beyond his confessions to ensure that a conclusive end is achieved that serves the interest of justice ,” he said.

    Dandaura said his insistence that hotels in the state should install Closed Circuit Television Cameras, CCTVs, was beginning to yield positive results.

    He vowed that the Police, under his Command would fight crimes headlong in the state, adding that with joint operations with the army and other security agencies, the killings in Ogoniland was dropping, while “I have stabilized East-West road, the Elele-Owerri road.”

  • Three ‘kidnappers’ held in Abia

    THREE suspected members of a notorious kidnap gang have been arrested in Abia State, the police said.

    Two of the suspects were arrested by mobile policemen on stop and search operation along the busy Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway, the third by regular police through intelligence.

    Also recovered from the suspects were a mobile phone and an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card later discovered to belong to a kidnapped victim, a woman, who was still in their custody when they were arrested.

    Two of the suspects were nabbed while ransom negotiations were going on with the kidnapped woman’s husband, said to be a banker.

    Police sources told our reporter that the mobile policemen flagged down a commercial bus in which the suspects were travelling, and upon interrogation, determined that the two men were members of a notorious kidnap gang.

    The kidnap was later released by police, while the suspected third member of the gang was picked up.

    The three suspects were said to have made confessional statements of being behind a series of kidnappings in Aba and other parts of the state.

    The state police boss Mr Etim Okon confirmed the three suspects were in custody and would be arraigned once investigations were over.

  • NDLEA arrests seven ‘drug barons’ in Kwara

    NATIONAL Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kwara State command on Thursday said it has arrested seven alleged drugs barons in different parts of the state.

    The agency added that it also arrested 19 other “drug offenders”.

    State Commander of the agency, Umoru Ambrose told reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, that 40kg of cannabis sativa was seized at different warehouses and joints owned by the drug barons and distributors.

    The NDLEA boss, who said that the arrest and seizure were made between August 14 and September 14, 2019, added that the suspected barons nabbed with cannabis were arrested at Ganmo, Maraba, Oja Iya, Osere; in the Ilorin metropolis, including Omupo, Jebba and Kaiama towns.

    He said that one of the suspects, Chukwuemeka Odehokewu Johnson, aka Chuks, was first arrested by the command in 1994, adding that the command located his drug warehouse and recovered 396 bags of cannabis weighing 4,356kg in 2017 and was declared wanted.

    The NDLEA commander also said that the suspect that had been on the watch list was eventually apprehended on August 26, 2019 due to intelligence.

    He said that raid carried out on some drug joints at such locations as Ilofa road GRA, Ajikobi, Adewole, Tanke, Maraba motor park, Oko Olowo, Malete and Omupo led to arrest of 19 suspected drug users.

    The NDLEA boss said that the warehouses had been sealed, adding that the suspected barons would soon be prosecuted.

    Read Also: NDLEA seizes 702.063kg of hard drugs

    “In the ongoing Operation Keep Kwara Drug Free, some people who use drug that were arrested have been counselled and released to their respective families, while seven are currently undergoing care, treatment, and rehabilitation at the state headquarters with a view to reintegrate them to the society”, he said.

  • Man jailed for drugging victim

    A 39-year-old man identified as David Onyema has been jailed by an Oredo Magistrates Court for drugging and robbing one Egbon Omonigho Khalim.

    David pleaded guilty to the two-count charge of causing harm through drug and stealing preferred against him.

    He was said to have met Egbon at the Iyare Motor Park in Benin City on May 25th, 2019.

    It was learnt that David gave Egbon food laced with drugs and stole his property.

    Police prosecutor, Patrick Agbonifo, told the court that the convict pretended to make friend with Egbon and gave him food laced with drug.

    Agbonifo said Egbon felled asleep and his belongings worth N715,000 were stolen by David.

    He said the offences were punishable under sections 337 and 390 of the Criminal Code vol II laws of the defunct Bendel State now applicable to Edo State.

    Presiding Magistrate, I A Osayande sentenced David to 44 months imprisonment without an option of fine.

  • ‘Killer’ prophet paraded in Imo

    POLICE have paraded a man dubbed a fake prophet who allegedly killed and buried one Christopher Anoruo on his church premises in Egwe, Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.

    Also arrested were three persons who allegedly took part in the act on March 2019 .

    Parading the suspects at the Imo State Police headquarters, Police Public Relations Officer, Orlando Ikeokwu explained that the arrest of the suspects followed discreet investigations and hard work.

    The police spokesman said on March 11, 2019, the suspect and some other hoodlums, numbering three, entered the house of the deceased, robbed them of their valuables like phones, laptop and abducted the same, Hon. Christopher Anorue.

    “They took him out and about two poles away from his house, they assassinated him,” he said.

    Read Also: Travelling with tears on Imo roads

    The Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Ladodo ordered an investigation into the matter.

    He said through painstaking and discreet investigation, the phones of the deceased were traced to Hassan Kabiru and he was consequently arrested, adding that one Chimezie and Solomon Onyemaechi were later arrested also.

    Similarly, the police paraded about 13 suspected cultists, arrested on their way from an initiation in an 18-seater bus.

    “Our stop-and-search team on suspicion decided to search them. It was discovered that they are members of the Black Axe confraternity. A locally made pistol, wraps of Indian Hemp and live ammunition were recovered from them.”

    Speaking to newsmen, leader of the group, Nkwocha Chinaza explained that they had initiated 13 new members the same day. He further stated that they were students of Imo State University, Owerri and Alvan Ikoku College of Education, respectively.

    In another development, the Police paraded a ‘Prophet’ and other suspected killers of one Princewill Ezeji in Emii, Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State.

    Ikeokwu said that command received an information on a missing person, one Princewill Obinna Ezeji and swung into action leading to the arrest of the fake prophet who was later discovered to have killed Princewill “who bought a Toyota Camry car and went to his Prophet with the sum of N10,000 and some drinks, to show him the car and ask for his blessings , in appreciation of God’s favour.”

     

     

  • Three shot in Onitsha market clash

    A MEMBER of a vigilance group and two others on Wednesday sustained gunshot wounds in an altercation between policemen and some members of the vigilance group in main market, Onitsha, Anambra state.

    The police were said to have gone to a plaza in the market named “Our lord plaza” to arrest a trader who allegedly bought a phone from a suspect who came with the police to point the trader he sold the phone to.

    The Nation gathered that the traders, angry over what they suspected to be conspiracy with the police, tried to prevent the police from arresting their colleague, insisting they must report to their leadership before he would be taken away.

    The traders’ action was said to have provoked the police who reportedly shot sporadically in the air which resulted in the gunshots injury by the victims.

    Confirming the incident, the Police spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed said the victims were taken to the hospital and were responding to treatment.

    He said, “There was an altercation between Policemen who went on inquiry at “our lord plaza” in Onitsha Main Market and some Vigilante group today at about 1:30pm.

    “As a result, a Vigilante member was shot on the leg and two other persons also sustained injuries.

    “Situation was brought under control through the concerted efforts of the Police led by the Area Commander Onitsha and market leaders.

    “Normalcy has been restored and people are going about their lawful business.

    “Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police CP John B. Abang has ordered for a discreet investigation to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident after which perpetrators will be brought to book.”

  • ‘Thugs terrorising Lagos Island’

    LAGOS Island residents have cried out to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIGP) Force CID Annex, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, to save the area from the menace of miscreants and thugs.

    They said last Sunday, the criminals, comprising about 22 men, shot a resident and injured several others, while terrorising several streets on the island.

    The mayhem, they added, had scared away many residents, including those of Issa Williams Street, Oke Arin Street, Doherty Street, Idumota, Idumagbo, Dosunmu Street and Ofin Canal area.

    They urged the police to move fast, apprehend the troublemakers and prosecute them.

    Three residents, Alhaji Fatai Otun, Alhaji Ayinla, Alhaji Isiaka Emmanuel and Alhaji Idowu Onikoyi Johnson, stated this on behalf of the people.

    They spoke through their lawyer, A.S. Fashina in a September 17 petition to the police titled ‘Save Our Souls: threat to life, violence, conduct likely to cause breach of peace, unlawful possession of fire arms, conspiracy and murder.

    The petition reads: “Our clients informed us that on Sunday the 15th of September, 2019, mayhem was unleashed in some parts of Lagos Island by miscreants and thugs led by their leader … wielding dangerous weapons e.g. guns, knives, bottles, cutlasses, terrorising the peace of the community.

    Read Also: Lagos to crack down on land grabbers

    “These activities took place along Issa Williams Street, Oke Arin Street, Doherty Street, Idumota, Idumagbo, Dosunmu Street and Ofin Canal area.

    “Due to these gangsters’ activities, many were injured and an innocent life was lost at the front of Diamond Bank Oke Arin and another one at Ofin Canal Street, who we were informed, was gunned down by these dangerous gangsters.

    “Our clients also informed us that due to these incidents, residents living on Lagos Island especially the above mentioned streets now live in fear of losing their lives and properties and many have relocated.”

    They implored the AIG to “use your good offices and look into our clients’ claim and investigate the individuals in view of what is recently happening in Lagos Island.