The Nation Newspaper

Category: Crime Diary

  • Gunmen snatch N9m from chief accountant

    Gunmen on Monday attacked the Chief Accountant in the Office of the Niger State Head of Service, Idris Abdullahi, and snatched over N9.5 million from him.

    The victim was said to be returning from bank at about 10:30am where he went to withdraw the money.

    It was learnt that the money was meant for the overhead expenses of the Office of the Head of Service.

    The incident happened barely two weeks after gunmen waylaid an official of the Niger State Judicial Service Commission and snatched over N1.5 million meant for the commission’s expenses.

    An eyewitness told The Nation that the gunmen blocked the chief accountant’s car when he got to the secretariat’s gate. Then they shot sporadically and removed the money from the car before escaping.

    Read Also: Gunmen abduct varsity lecturer in Katsina

    It was gathered that the shooting caused pandemonium, as everyone, including guards, ran for safety.

    The eyewitness said the hoodlums drove towards the Customs office, along the western bypass where they abandoned their car, hijacked another vehicle and drove off.

    Efforts to get the Office of the Head of Service to comment on the incident proved abortive.

    Police spokesman Abubakar Muhammad described the incident as unfortunate.

    He said: “We are on the trail of the gunmen.”

  • Anglican priest jailed for defiling minor

    AN Ado-Ekiti High Court on Monday sentenced an Anglican priest, Gabriel Asateru, to five years imprisonment for raping a minor.

    Delivering judgment, Justice Oluwatoyin Abodunde said Asateru, 53, stands guilty and is convicted to serve a prison term of five years, adding that the convict will pay N50, 000 fine as stipulated by the Child’s Rights Law 2005.

    Prosecuting counsel Ronke Odetola said the convict defiled a five-year-old girl on December 23, 2016 at Ifisin-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

    The priest was arrested by the police and transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Ado-Ekiti for prosecution.

    Odetola said the offence was contrary to Section 31 of the Child’s Rights Law Cap 7, Laws of Ekiti State Nigeria, 2005.

    Read Also: Guard ‘defiles’ daughter, three other minors

    The suit with registration number HAD/112/ 117 was first heard in January 2018 before Justice Oluwatoyin Abodunde on a one-count charge of unlawful sexual intercourse.

    Odetola tendered the doctor’s report and the defendant’s statement on oath to prosecute her case.

    She called three witnesses to testify against the priest.

    Olanrewaju Oluwasola stood for the accused person.

  • Murdered priest: Abducted commercial driver’s body found

    The police in Enugu State on Monday found the body of a commercial driver abducted by suspected herdsmen, after killing a Catholic priest, Rev Fr Paul Offu, last Thursday.

    The deceased, whose name was given as Kenneth Igwe, was returning from Awgu to Enugu after dropping passengers when he ran into the herdsmen who were then attacking the priest.

    After shooting the priest, they dragged the man out his car into the bush.

    Read Also: Commercial drivers back Ayade for 2019

    The police, who had been on their trail with the assistance of a vigilance group, found Igwe’s body where it was dumped.

    The command has swung into action to arrest the culprits.

    Command’s spokesman Ebere Amaraizu confirmed the development.

  • MNJTF refutes ISWAP attack, killing of 40 soldiers

    The military has refuted claims that the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) killed 40 soldiers in an attack on Multinational Joint Taskforce (MNJFT) troops at Baga, Borno State.

    It described the alleged Monday killing reported by the media as completely unfounded and being sponsored by purveyors of fake news.

    According to a statement released Friday afternoon by spokesman for the MNJTF Timothy Antigha, a Colonel, there was a desperate attempt by certain individuals to promote falsehood, adding that the story was “completely unfounded.”

    Read Also: Soldiers allegedly rape varsity student

    He said the July 29 face-off between the troops and ISWAP left the terrorists bloodied as 10 of their members including four suicide bombers were killed.

    Antigha said ISWAP also lost  equipment during the encounter, wondering why news reflecting “much more than the opposite was being circulated.”

    “The public is therefore alerted and advised not to be misled by purveyors of fake news. ISWAP and their collaborators are down and hemorrhaging, hence the desperation to declare victory where no action took place,” he said.

  • Illegal oil bunkering: Naval officer, others get N10m bail each

    The Federal High Court in Lagos has granted a naval officer, Lieutenant Commander Bola Labinjo, bail for 10 million with one surety.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned her for alleged oil bunkering.

    She was arraigned along with Jonathan Abaka, Charles Ikemefuna Agaba, Benjamin Gagechi, Hamza Yakubu and a vessel, M.T. Adeline Jumbo, on two counts of conspiracy and dealing in petroleum products without license.

    Each of them was granted bail in the sum of N10million.

    The Navy, which arrested the defendants, said Mrs Bola Labinjo’s husband, also a serving naval officer, was under investigation.

    According to the prosecution, the defendants allegedly committed the offence between August and October last year within Nigerian maritime domain and the Gulf of Guinea.

    EFCC said they conspired to deal in Automobile Gas Oil (AGO) off the coast of Gabon on August 13, 2018, without lawful authority and appropriate licence to deal in petroleum products.

    In count two, the defendants were accused of conspiring to deal in Automobile Gas Oil (AGO) on the coast of Gabon on August 13, last year, without lawful authority and appropriate licence.

    The alleged offence is contrary to Sections 1 (19) (a) and (b), and 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offence Act Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Revised Edition) 2004 and punishable under Section 1(17) (b).

    Read Also: Weak civil-military relations jeopardise military operations – Navy

    The defendants, including the vessel which was represented by its Chief Financial Officer Nike Folarin, were arraigned before Justice Chuka Obiozor.

    Prosecuting counsel, Stephen Odiase told the court that the defendants were arrested last August 13 by men of the Nigeria Navy with the vessel illegally loaded with the petroleum products.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Defence counsel, Jerry Omoregie; O. J. Omoruwayo; Uche Obi and Nelson Otaji urged the court to grant their clients bail on liberal terms.

    But, Odiase, urged the court to refuse the bail applications on the ground that the alleged offence was an economy sabotage which affects Nigeria negatively.

    Ruling, Justice Obiozor granted them bail for N10million each with one surety in like sum each.

    The judge also ordered that the sureties must produce three years tax clearance, evidence of means of livelihood, statements of account, title of landed property and two passport photographs.

    The bail conditions were to be verified by the court’s Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR), the court ruled.

    Justice Obiozor, however, granted the defence counsel’s request to release the defendants to them temporarily.

    He released the defendants, except the sixth, to their lawyers, and directed the temporary sureties to deposit their original Call-to-Bar Certificates with the DCR.

    He directed that the bail terms must be fulfilled within 14 days, failing which the defendants will be remanded in prison custody.

    Folarin’s lawyer, P. Amara, urged the court for a short date to enable him file his client’s application, as he was just served with the charge in court.

    The case was adjourned to August 8.

  • Insecurity: South West governors plan joint patrol

    Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State on Friday announced plans by governors of the South West Zone to operate a joint security team to patrol the entire region.

    Abiodun disclosed this in Abeokuta at a sensitisation programme on the vision and focus of his administration held in preparation of the 2020 budget .

    “A joint security team that will patrol major roads and provide adequate security to the people of the southWest region of the country will soon be set up,” he said.

    Abiodun, who expressed concern over the security situation in the country, said governors in the region had concluded arrangements over the issue.

    He noted that no serious investor would be willing to commit funds in an area where they were not sure of the security of their lives and investments.

    The governor also announced plans by the Ogun government to amend the laws guiding the security trust fund of the state.

    Read Also: Insecurity: Renegotiate membership of ECOWAS, Shehu Sani tells FG

    Abiodun said that an amended Security Trust Fund Bill would soon be forwarded to the state House of Assembly for legislative action.

    He said that major stakeholders would be involved in the management of the fund, adding that under the proposed arrangement, they would be allowed to take decisions without waiting for him.

    The governor also stated that the government had commenced palliative measures on some bad roads in the state, particularly federal roads linking Ogun and Lagos states.

    Explaining further about his plans for the state, Abiodun said his administration would convert some of the Model Schools built by the immediate past administration that had remained unused to technical and vocational training centres.

    He added that the digitisation of the state would be pursued and deployed in the various sectors of the state to improve and enhance service delivery.

    The governor, who also reeled out his administration’s plans for the agricultural sector, said government would liaise with other ‘agric-focused’ states to produce food that could feed the state and its neighbours.

    Abiodun said the sensitisation programme was meant to produce a realistic budget that would focus on performance, adding that his administration was committed to taking the state to greater heights.

  • Outrage as security men attached to First Bank assaults customer

    Nigerians have condemned video footage showing policemen and private guards attached to First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) violently assaulting a man alleged to have threatened to close his account.

    The incident occurred at Osapa, Lekki in Lagos branch of the bank on Wednesday.

    Already Nigerians are demanding the arrest of the security men who assaulted the man as well as compensation for the victim by the bank.

    The video showed the victim spotting a lemon tee-shirt being dragged by one of the private guards while two policemen slapped him repeatedly from opposite direction.

    It also showed one of the policemen hitting him with the butt of his gun.

    Read Also: American gets N200,000 bail for alleged assault

    Trouble was said to have started after the victim had an altercation with another bank customer.

    He was said to have been asked to leave the banking hall but he refused and insisted on closing his account which.

    His decision to close his account however, did not go well with the operatives who descended on him.

    Reacting to the video, the bank through its verified Twitter handle said the matter was being investigated.

    “Our attention has been drawn to a video posted online of an incident that happened at one of our branches.

    “The bank is currently investigating this unfortunate incident and will take immediate steps to address both the reasons behind the episode and its fallouts.

    “We assure the public that our customers remain at the core of our business and we are committed to delivering the highest standards in customer experience across all our touch points,” First Bank said.

  • 40-yr-old transporter killed during police shootout with suspected kidnappers

    Operatives of the  Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) have allegedly killed an Ogun-based transporter,  Agbomofuegbe Odion, while hunting for suspected kidnappers in Ijebu-Ode area of the State.

    The father of three was returning from a trip to Benin, Edo State, where he had delivered a consignment of frozen turkey when the tragic incident occurred  on Thursday.

    He was returning in company with his partners when they were intercepted by some vigilance men at Ijebu Ode end of the Benin- Ore highway.

    According to witnesses, the vigilance men were carrying out a stop and search on vehicles on the road after some pastors of the Redeemed Christina Church of God (RCCG) were abducted by suspected kidnappers.

    It was while the search for the victims was ongoing that the late Odion’s vehicle ran into some local vigilance men who allegedly manhandled him and others in the vehicle.

    Witnesses said Odion was shot by policemen who rushed to the scene while the late transporter was fleeing.

    Read Also: Police arrest kidnappers of village head in Nasarawa

    A witness said: ‘’ We were returning from Benin, when on getting to a place immediately after J4 axis of the Benin-Ore highway the vigilance men who were in mufti stopped us and order us out of the vehicle.

    ‘’They were armed with cutlass and jarred bottles. They started manhandling us unjustly. They beat us mercilessly even when we asked them to tell us what we had done. It was when the brutality became unbearable that Odion fled and the next thing I heard were gunshots from SARS operatives, which killed Odion on the spot.

    ‘’One of the policemen ordered another officer to shoot our legs and I shouted that we only used our vehicle to convey frozen turkey to Benin.When the the Divisional Police Officer of Ogbere Division visited the scene of the incident,I described to him two of the officers attached to the squad that fired the shots that killed Odion.

    ‘’The DPO later asked that Odion’s body be taken to the mortuary, while our vehicle was moved to their  station. As at the time I was invited to the police station; the DPO and his men were still inside the nearby bush where Odion fell down  in a pool of his blood after he was shot by the policemen.’’

    However, Ogun police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) on Friday said the late transporter was hit by bullets when policemen engaged suspected kidnappers who abducted five pastors of the Redeemed Christian Church of God(RCCG) along the highway.

    ‘’ There was a case of abduction of five pastors of RCCG who were coming to Lagos from Abia State. The man was hit by bullets when policemen engaged the kidnappers in a shootout. Even the commissioner of police and operatives are still combing the forest to free those abducted from the kidnappers.’’

  • Police deploy detectives to hunt killers of Catholic Priest

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Mohammed Adamu, has deployed detectives from the Force Headquarters to hunt for the killers of Rev. Fr. Paul Offu, a Catholic Priest in Enugu State.

    The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), DCP Frank Mba in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said the IGP had ordered massive manhunt for the killers of the priest.

    The priest, who was shot dead on August 1 by unknown gunmen, was in charge of St. James the Greater Parish Catholic Church, Ugbawka, Enugu state.

    “Crack detectives from the IGP-Intelligence Response Unit (IRT), the Forensic and Homicide sections of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) have been deployed to Enugu State.

    Read Also: Catholic priests protest in Enugu over herdsmen killing of Rev.

    “The deployment is to complement the Enugu Command of the Force in their investigations into the unfortunate incident.

    ”In addition, the AIG in charge of Zone 9 Headquarters has been directed to mobilize more units of Police Mobile Force (PMF) personnel to black spots in Enugu State,” he said.

    He said that intensified operations had commenced for the rescue of RCCG Pastors who were abducted along J3 Area of Ogbere on their way to Lagos from the Eastern part of the Country.

    According to him, Tactical and Operational assets of the Force have been deployed with the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command taking the lead-role in the search and rescue operations.

    He said the IGP, while condemning the killing of the Catholic Priest and the abduction of the clergymen, called for calm and assured that the perpetrators would not go unpunished.

    Mba said the IGP urged the public to avail the police with credible information that would assist in apprehending the criminals.

  • Police chief assures Chinese of adequate security

    The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, AIG Lawal Shehu on Friday assured Nigerians and Chinese citizens in the country of adequate security.

    The police chief gave the assurance during a courtesy visit by the Consular General of the People’s Republic of China, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Guan Zhongpi at Zone 2 Command Headquarters.

    He said: “Today is a historic day to see you here. This is the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Lagos and Ogun State. Overtime, we have had cordial relationship with the Chinese as we have about 60, 000 residing in Lagos and Ogun State.

    Read Also: 40-yr-old transporter killed during police shootout with suspected kidnappers

    ‘’There are lots of Chinese companies scattered all over the states, and it is our duty to provide them with adequate security especially in Lagos being the commercial hub of Nigeria. No society in the world is free of crime but our responsibility is to protect lives and property of Nigerians and Non Nigerians here. I want to assure you of adequate security and am sure you have confidence in us which is why you move freely.’’

    The Deputy Consular said the ‘’purpose of our visit is to enhance partnership with Nigeria especially police relations in terms of security. We promise to cooperate with the police and share ideas on how to use technology to protect lives and property.’’