The Nation Newspaper

Category: Crime Diary

  • Teenager nabbed for allegedly defiling girl, 5

    Adamawa State Police Command has arrested a teenager for allegedly defiling a five-year-old girl.

    The police told our correspondent on Monday that 16-year-old Adamu Abdullahi of Jambutu, a community in Yola North Local Government Area, took advantage of a heavy rain last weekend to commit the crime, injuring the girl.

    The victim has been admitted at the Federal Medical Centre, Yola where she will undergo surgery.

    The hospital Information Officer, Mohammed Dodo, told our correspondent that the girl, who was admitted last Saturday, had been moved to the theatre and was being attended to by surgeons (when he was called on the phone just before 3pm on Monday).

    Read Also: Senator condemns murder of raped woman

    Disclosing how the police arrested the suspect, police spokesman Sulaiman Yahaya Ngurore said the victim’s parents took her to a sexual assault referral centre on the premises of the Adamawa State Specialist Hospital in Jimeta when they realised that her condition was bad.

    “When the centre found that she would need surgical operation, they transferred her to the Federal Medical Centre in Yola where she was admitted,” he said, adding that this drew the attention of the police.

    “We arrested the suspect, who is now helping with investigation. We will charge him to court when we complete our investigation,” Ngurore said.

  • ‘Nabbed suspected kidnapper of toddlers is a specialist’  

    Suspected kidnapper, Ruth Okoronkwo, who was arrested by the Army’s 20 Model Battalion at Serti in Gashaka Local Government Area of Taraba State and handed over to the police for further investigation, is a specialist in the trade, it was learnt.

    Ruth, 37, was apprehended at a checkpoint at Sabon Gida, along Jalingo-Wukari Road. She was nabbed among a three-man gang who allegedly abducted two toddlers aged one and two.

    One of the children hails from Adamawa State, while the other is from Iware in Taraba State, the Army said.

    The parade of the suspected kidnappers came after Governor Darius Ishaku last month signed into law, an anti-kidnapping Act prescribing death penalty for offenders.

    When Lt. Col. Musa Adamu paraded the three suspects at the weekend, before handing them to the Police Headquarters in Jalingo, Ruth confessed the crime, but claimed she was a novice in the act.

    She said she has been recruited to kidnap infants for a fee.

    “This is my first time of doing something like this. I was promised N50,000 if I could assist kidnap some children. I will not do it again if I am freed,” she said.

    Read Also: Ogun to demolish houses harbouring kidnappers

    The Nation investigation, however, reveals that Ruth was once arrested and jailed at the Makurdi Prisons and it was not long that she was released on bail.

    The suspect also told the Army she was a “businesswoman from Abia State,” but it was learnt that she is a resident of Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

    “Ruth is Igbo, but was born and brought up at Iorkyaa-Ako Street in Makurdi.

    “She was slim while growing up until now that she is making money from kidnapping of children that she has become plumped,” our source who is her neighbour in Makurdi told The Nation.

    It was learnt that the Lexus Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) with Lagos registration number in which she was intercepted by the Army, was acquired from the proceeds made from abduction of infants.

    Ruth was nabbed with a man she claimed was her brother and one other Emmanuel Kelechi she identified as her driver. But The Nation gathered the two were all her accomplices.

    Our source added that Kelechi had been her driver for a long time.

    Sources from the Makurdi Prisons, on condition of anonymity, revealed that Ruth  and Kelechi were once arrested (together) at Aliede in Gwer Local Government Area of Benue State.

    “During her arrest at Aliede, she was with that her driver, and like a coincidence, with two kids,” said our source.

    It was gathered that Ruth had spent over a year in the Makurdi Prisons before she was bailed.

    It was gathered that she uses sweeties like biscuits to lure her victims.

    Schools, churches, mosques, wedding grounds, markets, etc are said to be areas she trails her victims.

  • Housekeeper, others charged with stealing

    A housekeeper and two other men, who allegedly stole jewellery worth N1.5 billion belonging to a businesswoman, at the weekend appeared at an Ikeja Chief Magistrates Court in Lagos.

    The police charged Nnenna Anari, 25, Babalola Olaitan, 41 and Bashiru Yahaya, 32, with four counts of conspiracy, stealing, burglary and receiving stolen goods.

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Peter Nwangwu said the defendants committed the offence on May 26 at Ikoyi, Lagos.

    Read Also: Court remands 23-yr-old man in prison for stealing biscuits

    He alleged that the housekeeper, Anari, conspired with the two other defendants and stole diamond and gold jewellery worth N1.5 billion belonging to Mrs. Catherine Ifejike.

    Nwangwu also alleged that the third defendant (Yahaya), who knew that the items were stolen, agreed to keep them.

    The offence, he said, contravened sections 287, 307, 328 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Chief Magistrate Y. O. Aje-Afunwa admitted them to N10 million bail each with two sureties each in the like sum.

    Aje-Afunwa adjourned hearing in the case till August 29.

  • Police arrest three highway ‘robbers’

    The police in Ogun State have arrested three suspected highway robbers alleged to have terrorised Odogbolu/Ijebu-Ode Expressway.

    Johnson Afokolu, Victor Michael and Jacob Usang were arrested last Saturday morning by a police patrol team that saw them allegedly taking position to attack early travellers.

    The suspects were said to have attempted to flee when they sighted the policemen, but were chased and apprehended.

    Read Also: RRS arrests suspected traffic robbers

    It was gathered that a toy gun, a knife, phones, substances suspected to be marijuana, military accoutrements and torches were recovered from them.

    “They confessed to have been responsible for most armed robberies in the area and that other members of the gang usually joined them on special operations,” said police spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP).

    He said Police Commissioner Bashir Makama has ordered the transfer of the suspects to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) for discreet investigation, while manhunt for their accomplices has begun.

  • RRS arrests vehicles ‘brain-box thieves’

    Operatives of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad (RRS) have arrested two suspects who allegedly specialised in stealing brain boxes from vehicles.

    The suspects, Sodiq Musa, 28, and Saidu Atiku, 34, were arrested at 27, Awolowo Way in Ikeja with three Toyota brain boxes. Their accomplice, Ridwan Adamu, fled with another suspect, the police said yesterday.

    According to the police, Musa claimed that he could remove a brain box from a vehicle within four minutes.

    The Political Science graduate, the police said, confessed to have relocated to Lagos in 2017 in search of better life.

    “I worked in Lagos as a barbeque man in various hotels and event centres before I met Ridwan, who introduced me to brain box theft. He taught me all the antics and styles.

    “We use ‘magic stone’ that is vehicle spark plug to break vehicles’ windows without attracting attention. It takes two minutes to loosen a Toyota Hiace bus brain box and it takes four minutes to loosen a Toyota Hilux brain box.

    Read Also: Unemployed accused of stealing motorcycles

    “The spark plug reduces the noise and effects quick break of any vehicle window. We tie the plug in a handkerchief if we have many vehicles to work on.

    “We specialise in stealing Toyota brain boxes because they fetch good money in the market. The demand for them is higher than any other brand. For example, we sell a Toyota Hiace brain box for N40,000, while that of Toyota Hilux goes for N20,000.

    “Ridwan connects with the buyers of the brain boxes, who he claims are from popular spare-part markets in Lagos. We always meet the buyers outside the market where we exchange our loots for cash.

    “They usually pay in cash and will never spend more than two minutes as we already have an understanding on the prices. Ridwan gives me 40 per cent of whatever we make from the sale of our loot. He never tells me where our next operation will be because he feels he is my boss.

    “Our target areas are usually night clubs where people come with different types of vehicles. We strike between 1am and 2am when most of the clubbers would have started enjoying themselves,” Musa told detectives.

    He confessed that Atiku, a guard with a company on Awolowo Way, Ikeja was the one who invited them to vandalise vehicles belonging to the company he worked for, which were parked on the street.

    He said they arrived the venue around 1am, broke into two Toyota Hiaces and Hiluxes belonging to the company and stole the brain boxes before another guard working for a nearby firm raised the alarm and they were nabbed.

    According to him, “Atiku, who was supposed to be on night duty for his company, slept beside the vandalised vehicles and pretended as though nothing was wrong until the other guard raised the alarm.”

    The suspect also confessed to have stolen two boxes at a popular night club at Lekki, Lagos Island, another at Ogunlana Drive in Surulere and Allen Avenue in Ikeja.

    Police Commissioner Zubairu Muazu has directed the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti, Yaba, Lagos Mainland.

    He advised night clubbers to ensure they park their vehicles in safe areas.

  • Gunmen kill two policemen

    Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have killed two policemen attached to the Chief Medical Director of the Irrua Specialist Hospital, Prof. Sylvanus Okogbenin.

    Two other persons in the convoy whose identities were yet to be ascertained were shot in the legs.

    Sources said the gunmen abducted Prof. Okogbenin after killing the policemen.

    The incident happened at Ramat Park Ikpoba-Okha local government area while the CMD was coming to Benin.

    It was gathered that two Assistant Directors of the hospital were abducted last week and were released after payment of ransom.

    Police spokesmen, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, said investigation into the incident has commenced.

    READ ALSO: Gunmen kill nine mourners at burial ceremony

    Chairman of Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospital Research Institute and Associated Instituions of Nigeria, Irrua branch, Comrade Emmanuel Igiechi, said the union would protest against insecurity in the area.

    Comrade Igiechi said the abduction showed that staff of the hospital were being monitored.

    “This tells us how serious the security situation has become. It is a very dire situation we are in. The security agencies should strengthen their presence in Irrua and environs.”

  • Two brothers arrested for defrauding people with fake currency

    Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have  arrested two brothers, Sunday Durosinmi Onikoyi, 29, and Felix Durosinmi Onikoyi, 20, for allegedly defrauding unsuspecting members of public with fake currency.

    The arrest of the duo who reside at 30 Akala Street Idi-Oro Mushin Lagos followed a complaint  by one Moses Nwese of Gas-line area of Ijoko in Sango- Ota, who claimed that two men came to his shop to buy two bags of rice and gave him the sum of N29,000 (Twenty Nine Thousand) in one thousand Naira denomination.

    He stated further that they left his shop hurriedly and while counting the money, he discovered that all the one thousand naira notes were fake.

    Read Also: Maid bolts with employer’s N1. 6m six hours after she was employed

    Police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said that a police patrol team went after the suspects  and caught  up with them  in an Honda Odyssey car with registration number LSR 504 AZ.

    “On searching them, N78,000 (Seventy Eight Thousand Naira) fake one thousand naira notes were recovered from them. Also recovered from them were  one unregistered Bajaj motorcycle and 10 bags of rice,” he said.

    Oyeyemi said the suspects would  be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction as soon as investigation is concluded.

  • Angry transporters shut market, protest extortion in Ogun

    Commercial activities were crippled on Wednesday after transporters including commercial motorcyclists popularly called okada blocked access roads leading to Oja Odan market and parts of Ilaro in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State, in protest against  alleged extortion by law enforcement agents.

    The protest triggered a traffic gridlock as vehicles conveying  traders and buyers  from several towns in the country and the Republic of Benin to the market could not move from where they were parked.

    The protesters accused policemen, customs operatives and vehicle inspectors of extortion at checkpoints on the roads.

    Holding leaves in their hands and chanting solidarity songs, the protesters asked the appropriate  authorities to dismantle the  checkpoints.

    Some of the transporters told  The Nation that the law enforcement agents had formed the habit of intimidating  and harassing motorists and commercial motorcyclists.

    Read Also: Group protests alleged harassment of APC members in Imo

    A commercial bus driver, Ismail Alarape said “We have appealed to the security forces several times to no avail. We have been paying heavily at the checkpoints manned by the police, customs men and vehicle inspectors.

    “The bulk of what we make from fares paid by passengers goes to these law enforcement agents as bribe while we have little or nothing left to for  ourselves and family members. We don’t want checkpoints here anymore because of the extortion by law enforcement personnel.’’

    An okada rider identified simply as Deyemi said: “We don’t carry hard drugs, yet we are constantly harassed for money. I am a graduate, but there is no job available in the country, that is why I work as okada man to make ends meet but the police have made life unbearable for us here. We want them removed from our roads.

    ‘’Many of us got our motorbikes on loan and it has been difficult paying back our creditors because of police extortion.’’

    A trader, Jolayemi Ojo lamented that she could not carry out transactions at the market because of the lock down.

    “It is sad that this is happening on a day like this when many people from various parts of the country and neighbouring Benin Republic have come to this market for trading activities.

    “Every entry point to the market and access road have been blocked and no one can enter the market. Some of us have sold our perishable goods at cheap prices because we cannot take them home and that’s a huge loss to us.’’

    Police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)  said normalcy had  returned to the areas.

    “It was a protest carried out by some transporters who asked that checkpoints be removed from their neighbourhoods. The Police Area Commander has since addressed the protesters and normalcy has been restored.’’

  • Tenant rapes, strangles Ekiti landlady

    The police have launched a manhunt for a yet-to-be identified commercial motorcyclist popularly called okada , who on Thursday allegedly raped and killed a  middle aged woman, Mrs Bukola Olarewaju in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital.

    The suspect was alleged to have broken into the woman’s room located at Olorunda area of the state capital with a cutlass and forcibly perpetrated the dastard act.

    The mother of three was raped and strangled by the suspect identified as her tenant.

    It was said that the suspect who was a tenant to the deceased fled after committing the nefarious act.

    A resident who asked not to be named said the woman was raped around 11am while her husband had gone to work and children were away at a summer coaching centre.

    The source said the corpse of the woman was seen in the room while her two hands were tied by the unnamed assailant before she was forcibly raped.

    Read Also: Why I shunned PFN panel on Busola Dakolo’s rape allegation— Fatoyinbo

    “Her two hands were bound while her pant was down which confirmed that he was raped”.

    Contacted, the police public Relations Officer Caleb Ikechukwu confirmed the incident, saying the suspect after raping the woman strangulate her to death.

    He disclosed that medical examination conducted on the deceased at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) confirmed that she was raped before  being strangled to death by her assailant.

    “Medical examination confirmed the above but we have not been able to ascertain who actually committed the crime and what actually led to that.

    “Apart from this, we saw condom and semen within the scene where the crime was committed, which also substantiated the fact that she was actually raped.

    “We were told that a man, who was a neighbour actually did it and fled. We are yet to arrest the man but proper security arrangements have been made that would ensure speedy arrest of the suspect”.

    Ikechukwu said the deceased’s husband had deposited her body at EKSUTH morgue while investigation is ongoing on the matter.

  • Maid bolts with employer’s N1. 6m six hours after she was employed

    It took a newly employed housemaid only six hours after she  started work to show her hand: she stole  N1.6million cash in foreign currencies belonging to her boss.

    But 26- year- old  Franca Amaha could not enjoy the loot for long as the police arrested her shortly afterwards  and is now undergoing interrogation.

    Amaha who hails from Cross Rivers State had allegedly approached an employment agent for a domestic job on July 24, 2019 using a fake name , address and guarantor.

    She got the job and was subsequently assigned to  one Mrs Taiye  at  Masha area of Surulere ,Lagos ,the following day.

    A few hours later that same day , she accompanied her boss to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, to pick her boss’ sister who had returned to the country from abroad.

    Moments after they returned to the house, Amaha  allegedly sneaked into the guest’s room ,ransacked her  luggage and  stole $2800, £1000 and 2000 Dutch Guilder.

    She hurriedly left the house and switched off her phone so that she could not be reached.

    Read Also: Woman arraigned for N22.9b allegedly received from ex-NSA Dasuki

    Her boss immediately lodged a report at the  nearest police station in Surulere.

    She was traced to the residence of one of her friends at  Ajah , Lagos where operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) arrested her.

    In her confession, the suspect said she stole the money to enable her pay for her mother’s treatment.

    Amaha who said she came to  Lagos in 2014 had first  worked as a maid  for another woman  who paid her N20000 per month and enrolled   her  for a diploma programme at the  Isolo campus of the  Lagos State Polytechnic in Isolo.

    “After staying with her for two and  half years, she started complaining that I was returning late  from school and that I was no longer  performing my home chores. I left when her complaints became unbearable for me,” she said.

    “When I left her house, I went into the street and started doing prostitution. When my brothers heard that I was into prostitution, they asked me to come back home.

    “I went back to our village. From there, I  went to Onitsha, Anambra State, where I spent some time with my brothers.  When I came back to Lagos I worked as a house help with a woman in Ikorodu for three months and went back to the village and started farming.

    “I came back to Lagos again to look for job in order to raise money. I approached one Mr Frank who is a job agent and he led me to one Mr. Ade who linked me up with the woman in Surulere whom I started working for.

    “However, before I started working for the woman she told me about herself and gave me advice on how to work for her and she said that my salary would be paid through my agent.

    “But I gave her a  fake name and address because I had the intention of stealing her money or anything of value which I could  easily sell. So,  when I   got to the woman’s house around noon, we went to the airport around 3:30pm to pick her sister and we parked all the woman’s luggage into the house.

    “I later opened the bag and took six pieces of $100, five pieces of  £20 , five pieces of $20totalling $700 and  £100 pounds. I changed $100 and made my hair with it and bought a new pair of sleepers.

    ‘’I changed the remaining money and deposited it into my account.  I stole her money because I got a call from my village that my mother was sick.  Please help me to beg her to forgive me. I will not do it again.”