Category: Crime Diary

Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) at Magbon, Abeokuta, Ogun State, have arrested a 35-year-old tractor operator, Umoru Adams over alleged murder of an unnamed man.

It was said that Umoru trained as a caterpillar operator shortly after he completed his studies at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, where he bagged a National Diploma (ND) in Business Administration.

The operatives arrested the suspect at his parents’ residence in Papalanto, Ewekoro Local Government Area of the State at about 3 am penultimate Thursday.

Read Also: Police arrest two over alleged murder of 38-year-old man in Jos

The suspect, according to the police, had fled the community after he allegedly killed the unnamed victim.

The police were tipped off when the suspect sneaked into the community and was sighted by vigilant residents.

Contacted, the spokesman of Ogun Police Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) said: ‘’It was a case of murder. The suspect killed a man and ran away from the area. However, he thought that the matter would have been forgotten, hence, he sneaked into the community.

‘’Unfortunately, he was sighted by some people who alerted the police and was promptly arrested and he is currently undergoing interrogation.’’

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) on Friday announced its interception of 21 contraband drugs including tramadol valued at over N5 billion.

The National Public Relations Officer (NPRO) of NCS, Assistant Comptroller Joseph Attah, told newsmen in Ikeja that the drugs were   intercepted when the smugglers of the items were attempting to move them from Lagos to other parts of the country.

The smugglers, according to him, had intended to seize the opportunity of the festive mood of the last Eid-el-Kabir to play a fast one on the Customs.

The seizure was effected on August 3, Attah   said at the Ikeja Training College of the service where the truck containing the drugs is being detained.

Read Also: Onne Customs reject N1m bribe, arrest five over tramadol deal

He said:”On Aug. 13, at about 2 am, operatives of the Headquarters Strike Force Zone A intercepted a truck laden with dreaded codeine, tramadol and other controlled pain killers along Maryland, Ikeja road.

“The intercepted trailer contains illicit drugs and was immediately brought to the attention of the team leader of the force, Assist. Comptroller of Customs Usman Yahya, who deepened preliminary investigation that led to the discovery of a warehouse along Oshodi-Mile 2 road.

“The warehouse was stocked with tramadol, codeine and other unregistered pharmaceutical products without the National Agency for Foods Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) number,” Attah said.

He said the warehouse was immediately sealed with a detachment of well armed officers to guard the place.

Attah said the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), had already directed a thorough investigation with a view to bringing all those connected to the drugs to justice.

He said that evaluation of those intercepted drugs had commenced, adding that a suspect who happened to be the truck driver was apprehended and in custody for judicial process.

The police in Ogun State are currently on the trail of a man who viciously attacked his ex-girlfriend with a machete.

The 28-year-old fleeing suspect, Sola Adelakun penultimate Saturday lured the lady identified as Damilola to a bush at Owode Egba near Siun in Abeokuta, Ogun State, and attacked her with a machete.

It was said that the suspect and Damilola parted ways about two years ago, after she was continuously maltreated.

Damilola was returning home at about 8pm when she ran into Adelakun, who was riding on a motorcycle.

The suspect, according to sources, offered Damilola a lift home on his motorcycle but she initially declined to ride with him.

Read Also: Taraba killings: Families of slain officer, civilian seek independent probe

Damilola, a nursing mother, however agreed to ride with the suspect after much persuasion.

The journey took a bad turn after Adelakun refused to allow Damilola who was carrying a baby on her back disembark in front of her residence.

He then rode into a thick bush and started hacking Damilola, but fled after the victim’s baby cried uncontrollably.

Damilola raised the alarm that attracted worshippers at a nearby church and she was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The Nation learnt the matter had been reported to the police in the state, while efforts are ongoing to arrest the suspect.

The police spokesman, Mr Abimbola Oyeyemi was not available for comments at press time.

Justice Abiodun Adesodun of the Ekiti State High Court, has sentenced a former cashier with the Ado Ekiti branch of Fidelity Bank Plc, Michael Adedayo Ihinolurinjon  to ten years in prison for stealing money from the bank’s vault and diverting customers’ deposits to personal use.

Ihinolurinjon was found guilty of a two-count charge of stealing in a criminal case filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal office.

The offence, according to the charge sheet, was contrary to Section 390 (g) of the Criminal Code Laws Cap 16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

The bank had written a petition to the EFCC alleging that while he was  still a staff member, Ihinolurinjon stole a sum of N8, 891, 000 (eight million, eight hundred and ninety-one thousand naira) from its vault.

He was said to have also failed to remit a total of N7, 251,600 (seven million, two hundred and fifty-one, six hundred naira) he collected from customers to the bank’s account.

Read Also: Police arraign three for allegedly stealing MFM’s N2.7m

“Our preliminary review showed that Michael fraudulently diverted the sums of N8,891,000.00 and N7,251,600.00 of the branch vault and customers’ cash respectively. The cash deposit of N7, 251,600.00 received by Michael from various customers between 1/9/16 and 19/9/16 were neither posted to their respective accounts nor the cash accounted for”, the bank stated in a petition dated October 17, 2016.

The bank also accused Ihinolurinjon of absconding from duty ‘upon sighting one of the customers whose cash he had fraudulently diverted’.

Following the petition, the Commission went into a full scale investigation after which the accused was originally charged with obtaining through false pretense in a one-count charge filed in 2017.

The charge was later amended to a two-count, bordering on stealing, upon which he was re-arraigned on June 24, 2019.

While prosecuting the case, the EFCC, through its lawyer, Abdulresheed Lanre Suleman, called nine witnesses and also tendered several exhibits.

After listening to arguments on both sides, Justice Adesodun found the defendant guilty as charged, and sentenced him to five years in prison on each of the two counts. The sentencing, he held, would run concurrently.

The court, however, gave the convict an option of a fine of N100,000 on each of the counts. He was also ordered to pay a sum of N7 million as restitution to Fidelity Bank Plc, the petitioner in the case.

A 40-year old man, Oheneme Kingsley, has said that he paid the sum of N20,000 to some hoodlums  to break into Oko Minimum Security Prison to free his convicted brother.

Kingsley said his brother, Wisdom, an ex-policeman, was convicted for murder.

He said he was asked to pay N200,000 but he could only raise N20,000.

Kingsley was among the three suspects arrested for plotting to release some condemned prisoners inside the Oko Minimum Security Prison.

Other suspects are Raphael Ebisin (34) and Amos Isuku (35).

Read Also: Police foil jailbreak in Nasarawa prison

According to him, “They called me that some Ijaws wanted  to free their people from prisons and that I should pay N200,000 so that my brother could also be released but I told them I didn’t  have any money.

“They said I should send N20,000 which they would use to contact some persons and I did. I sent the money and I was arrested. My brother sent me an account number from prison.”

Raphael who is an international driver said he was contacted by his cousin, Hope, who police described as a notorious kidnapper and had  just left prison custody.

He said Hope told him to come to Ijebu Ode for the purpose of conveying arms and other things which they would use to carry out the attack.

Amos said he was shocked when he was told of the planned jail break but he didn’t report it to the police.

He said Wisdom called him from prions to pay N20,000 but he couldn’t raise the money.

Police Commissioner, Danmallam Abubakar, said the prisoners to be released have been transferred to another facility outside the state for the purpose of security.

He said the suspects were arrested through covert intelligence.

A yet to be identified female body has been discovered in a hotel room in Port Harcourt, River state.

A source said the body of the young woman, suspected to be a commercial sex worker, was abandoned in the room with a white cloth tied round her neck.

The incident reportedly happened on August 13.

Read Also: Police arrest woman assaulting kid in viral video

Contacted, spokesman Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed the incident.

He said suspects have been arrested, “but the hotel has not been shut down.”

Omoni assured the public that justice would be done

A self-acclaimed evangelist, Mr. Akinjide Durojaiye, was on Thursday beaten to a pulp for allegedly stealing two new techno phones in an office within Femi Johnson Building, at Dugbe, Ibadan.

The 49-year-old man, who claimed to be an evangelist at Dominion Assembly, Ilare-Ijesa in Osun State, said he was at the office where phones and accessories were sold, to preach the gospel to the occupants.

It was gathered that Durojaiye further claimed that he came all the way from Ilare-Ijesa on an evangelism mission to Ibadan, adding that it was the ‘spirit’ which directed him to the office to preach to them.

He was reportedly apprehended by the attendants and onlookers at the office while trying to make away with the two packs of phones valued at N70,000.

Read Also: Manager charged with stealing N5.38m

One of the shop attendants, who gave his name as Tunde, said he did not notice when the evangelist stole the phones, which were on display.

He added that they were already carried away by his preaching.

While being chased by the people, Durojaiye was said to have hidden in a store within the office complex, but was discovered by another attendant in one of the offices, after which he was brought out and beaten blue and black, while the stolen phones were recovered from him.

The self-acclaimed evangelist, who clutched a copy of the Holy Bible to his chest, attributed the incident to the work of the devil, saying it was his attempt to get money to treat his seven-year-old son, who was on admission at a hospital in Osun State that pushed him into committing the act.

Durojaiye, a father of four, said the son, whom he gave his name as Oluwadurosinmi, jumped from a two-storey building in Ilare-Ijesa which, he said, led to his being hospitalised.

He further claimed that his wife had divorced him, thus leaving him to take care of the children.

The man was, however, released after thorough beating due to the intervention by the people in the neighbourhood, who thronged the scene of the incident.

A 15-year-old boy has allegedly staged his own kidnap.

He demanded N500,000 as ransom.

The minor, who was paraded in Jos, the Plateau State capital, on Thursday, told reporters that he initiated the plan with his friends, to enable him buy clothes and celebrate his graduation.

“I was the one who initiated the plan and not my friends. I wanted my father to give me money for clothes and to also celebrate my graduation,” he said.

Briefing reporters on the arrest of the minor, Police Commissioner Isaac Akinmoyede said five persons were arrested in a case of criminal conspiracy and kidnapping, including the victim, who stage-managed his own kidnap.

Read Also: Kidnappers free DPO after N3m ransom

He said the father of the victim, Mr. Jerry Vichi, on July 19 reported at ‘A’ Division, Jos that his son, working as an apprentice at a motor vehicle electrical wiring shop, did not return after the day’s job.

The police commissioner said the suspect’s father reported that he received a phone call from a hidden number informing him that his son had been kidnapped and taken away from Jos.

“The father said the caller demanded N500,000 ransom and threatened the boy’s life,” he said.

Akinmoyede said the command had arrested 44 suspects in connection with alleged kidnapping, armed robbery, culpable homicide and other cult-related activities as part of its efforts to protect lives and property of the people.

“We have arrested 11 notorious kidnap suspects and a syndicate responsible for the recent kidnap at Plateau State Polytechnic staff quarters, Haipang, Zawan and other places in Jos South Local Government Area.

“We have also nabbed two suspects in a case of threat to life and kidnapping at Bokkos Local Government and another for criminal activities, armed robbery and allegedly belonging to an unlawful society, with locally-made pistol and two live ammunitions recovered.

“Three suspects were also arrested for shooting dead Chinedu Okoye at Chorbe junction in Jos North Local Government Area, while other robbery suspects were also apprehended,” he said.

Gunmen suspected to be cultists have shot dead the leader of a vigilance group in Rivers State.

The victim, identified as Emmanuel Ikechukwu, who was said to be the leader of Choba community security outfit in Obio/Akpor Local Government, was allegedly killed in his Rumuchuakara home town, about 10pm on Wednesday by the armed men.

Besides the security leader, two other persons allegedly sustained gunshot injuries in the hands of the hoodlums.

The incident, according to the community source, caused tension among residents of Rumuchuakara and their neighbouring community.

The source, who claimed to be a member of the bereaved family, who preferred anonymity, told reporters in Port Harcourt on Thursday that the victim, who he referred to as his uncle, was killed by suspected cultists, who were in the community on a different mission.

Read Also: Tension as gunmen kill union leader in Benue community

He said the victim, who was also the youth leader of the community, had confronted and interrogated his killers to disclose their identity and mission in the community, as he did not recognise them as residents of the community. The source suspected that his killers might have shot him in anger for trying to unveil their identity and mission in the area.

Police spokesman Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident, but noted that the victims was killed by yet to be identified individuals.

He said Police Commissioner Mustapha Dandaura had ordered investigation into the killing, adding that peace had been restored.

Two persons were yesterday reportedly shot in a clash at Lewe community in Gokana Local Government.

An eyewitness, who broke the news, said: “There was heavy shooting at Lewe community today (yesterday). Two persons sustained bullet injuries, but survived.

“The victims are receiving treatment. The reason for the attack is not clear to us. Most of the villagers, who are afraid, have started moving out of the community to avoid being attacked.”

An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Thursday adjourned till October 27 and 30 the trial of six ex-employees of CHISCO Group of Companies, including the chairman’s brother, who allegedly defrauded the firm of N634million.

Mr B. I. Bakare fixed the long adjournment because magistrates of the Lagos State Judiciary are going on retreat in September.

The first to fourth defendants are: Henry Uwalaka, 48, Chukwudi Ezeoma, 42, Stephen Okeke, 55 and 42-year-old Mrs. Nonye Obianwu.

The fifth and sixth defendants are: 47-year-old Nonso Anyeagbu, who is a brother to the Chairman, CHISCO Group of Companies, Chief Anyeagbu, and 56-year-old Essang Okon.

Read Also: Alleged N3b fraud: EFCC seizes Head of Service Oyo-Ita’s passports

They were arraigned early in the year on a 23-count charge of conspiracy and fraud, before Mr B.I. Bakare.

They pleaded not guilty and were granted bail.

According to the charge, the defendants committed the offences between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2015 at 104, Funsho Williams Avenue, Iponri, Costain, Lagos.

The court heard that they and others on the run conspired and stole the sum, contrary to Section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Henry Uwalaka and Chukwudi Ezeoma were alleged to have stolen N13.1million by inflating prices of vehicle particulars from N20,000 to N56,000, property of CHISCO Group of Companies.

The duo allegedly stole N26 million by inflating prices of 642 vehicle emblems from N4,500 to N45,000, property of CHISCO, being their employers, contrary to Section 285(7).

Both Henry Uwalaka and Chukwudi Ezeoma were also alleged to have stolen N16.4million meant for vehicle recovery expenses and another N329 million unlawful debit from excess usage of Automated Gas Oil (AGO), property of CHISCO.

Okeke and others allegedly stole 134 motor batteries valued at N6million by negligently allowing those stolen items pass through the gates they manned as security officers.

Fourth defendant Obiawu allegedly diverted N12million belonging to CHISCO into her personal account, while fifth defendant Anyaegbu allegedly conspired with others to steal N177.5 million, property of CHISCO, by diverting it into different accounts for his personal use.

Sixth defendant Okon allegedly conspired with accomplices on the run to steal 1,950 tyre rims valued at N29.2 million, property of CHISCO.