The Nation Newspaper

Category: Crime Diary

  • Save us from flooding, community begs Ambode

    Residents of Akowonjo area of Lagos State on Frirday urged Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to rescue them from flooding caused by channelization, following construction work in the area.

    The residents said the diversion of drainage water to the area is causing  serious flooding and untold hardship with negative effects on lives and property.

    Affected are Jimoh Akinremi, Lambe and Ogunbiyi Streets among others.

    A number of community leaders who spoke with The Nation urged the state government to rescue them from the situation.

    They said the blocked drainage had caused untoward hardship for human and vehicular movement after water that should have passed through the drainage flooded the road.

    One of the landlords in the community, Elder Durotoye said: ’’ We have nowhere to go . The channelization is giving us a nightmare especially when it rains here. Several houses and properties have been ravaged by flood.

    ‘’The situation is becoming unbearable considering the fact that the rainy days are just around the corner. We therefore appeal to the state government to save us from the negative consequences of this man-made flooding.’’

  • Police deploy Special Forces to fight kidnappers, bandits in North-West

    The Acting Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu has announced the deployment of Special Forces in the North-West to combat kidnappers and bandits.

    Adamu made the disclosure while addressing members of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) on Wednesday in Katsina.

    He said the forces would attack the bandits in their camps, destroy the camps, arrest them and occupy the camps so that they would not return.

    Adamu solicited vital information about activities of criminals and bandits in their domains to enable the police continue to secure lives and property.

    “The police are ready to meet the bandits and kidnappers in their hideouts in the forests and fight them.

    Read Also: Banditry: Katsina donates 12 vehicles to Police

    “You should assist police with vital information about criminal activities in the society,” he said.

    The police boss said that the force had been able to arrest those who kidnapped Gov. Aminu Masari’s mother-in-law who was kidnapped about a month ago.

    “Nobody will commit crime and go free,” he said.

    Abubakar also urged religious leaders and the public to intensify prayers to enable the police succeed in the fight against criminal acts in the country.

    He said that such would assist the police in continuing to secure lives and property across in the country.

    NAN

  • Man allegedly hacks only brother to death over N100,000 loan

    The police in Niger State have arrested a 45-year-old, ldris Aliyu of Daka’agi village in Wushishi Local Government Area, for allegedly killing his younger brother, Aliyu Aliyu.

    The Nation learnt that Aliyu was cut with a machete by his older brother for refusing to agree to the sale of farm products to offset a N100,000 loan.

    The suspect claimed he borrowed the sum of N100,000 from a friend of his and gave it to his late brother to renovate his house in the same area, adding that he promised the owner of the money that he would pay back after harvesting their farm produce.

    The suspect said his younger brother had refused that they sell the farm produce to offset the loan.

    Idris, out of anger inflicted machete cut on his younger brother leading to his death.

    “I and my brother have been living and farming together since our parents gave birth to us. I borrowed N100,000  from a friend and gave it to him to fix his house, yet, he refused that we should pay back the money .I begged him to sell our farm produce to settle the man (lender)he didn’t listen to me.

    “After the harvest, I told him the need to settle the person I borrowed the money from, he refused to listen to me and insisted that we were not going sell any farm produce to that effect. I lost my temper, pulled my machete and inflicted deep cut on his neck which resulted to his death.

    Read also: Drug trafficking: Another Nigerian arrested in Saudi Arabia

    “I killed my brother due to the pressure from the person I borrowed the money from and after my brother refused that we should sell our farm produce to pay him off.”

    The suspect who is married with two wives and 13 children regretted killing his brother. He attributed the incident to the work of the devil.

    ”My life is finished, I have killed my only brother whose wife will give birth any moment  from now; I am ruined forever,” Aliyu lamented.

    The spokesman of the state police command, Muhammad Abubakar who confirmed the incident said operatives found the deceased lying in a pool of his blood in his residence when they received the report and went to arrest the suspect.

    Abubakar said the matter would be charged to court after investigation.

  • Suspected ritualist kills 22-yr-old, dumps body inside river

    A suspected ritualist identified simply as Samuel has allegedly killed a 22-year-old , Quadri Omilani and dumped his body in a river in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

    It was said that the deceased was lured to a birthday party organized by Samuel, from where he was allegedly seized, bounded and taken to a river where his body was dumped.

    Samuel was also believed to be a suspected internet fraudster otherwise known as yahoo boy.

    According to sources, it was at the party held on March 4, 2019 that Omilani got drunk and posted his photographs at the event on his social media pages.

    The Nation learnt that Samuel urged Omilani to accompany him to see his mother and was being driven toward bush paths when the deceased became suspicious that something was fishy.

    It was at this juncture Omilani told Samuel that he was no longer willing to accompany him to see his mother.

    Sources said Samuel convinced him that his mother was a river goddess priestess and that she has a grove near the river.

    It was gathered that Samuel suddenly brought out a small calabash and gave Omilani, but he declined.

    Read also: Police rescue six year old child sold to ritualist

    Omilani was brutalized, bounded with a rope and spluttered incantations on his body before he was thrown into the river near Oyo dam in the Sabo area of Abeokuta.

    Samuel was said to have confided in a lady called Halimat who was used to lure Omilani to the party that the deceased drowned in a river.

    The lady was given Omilani’s mobile telephone with a stern warning never to answer incoming calls on the phone.

    Exasperated by persistent calls from the siblings of the deceased, Halimat answered their call and relayed what Samuel had told her about Omilani’s tragic death.

    Omilani’s body was later recovered from the river by the police.

    Samuel, according to sources , has since been arrested by the police and transferred to state police command headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta.

    Contacted, the spokesman of Ogun State Police Command, Mr Abimbola Oyeyemi said the case has been transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) where the suspect (Samuel) is currently being detained.

  • Furore over alleged attempt to circumcise man’s daughters

    A man, Shoyemi Adewale, has cried out after he was allegedly frequently assaulted and brutalised by his family members over his failure to present his daughters for circumcision.

    The latest attack happened on March 27, while Adewale was on a trip to Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

    The family members were said to have become angry after Adewale refused that his daughters be circumcised in line with his family’s age-long traditional practice laden with rituals.

    Last year, he was also allegedly attacked by some of his family members along Oba Akran Road, Ikeja, Lagos while he was returning home from work.

    ‘’This is the second attack on me. The first attack happened in Lagos around December last year over the same issue. The recent attack took place while I was on my way to pick up application form for doctorate degree at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, on March 27 this year.

    ‘’ I was assaulted by four family members for refusing to disclose the whereabouts of my daughters and not bringing them for circumcision. My car was even vandalised in the process, though I made a police report, I knew much won’t come out of it as I was told(by the police) to go and settle it in the family way while none of my attackers was arrested. ‘’

    Adewale noted that his wife, Olabisi, had been subjected to series of assault and brutality by his siblings in recent past.

    ‘’In July 2017, while I was on a trip outside Lagos, my family members went to my house and assaulted my wife for refusing to hand over our daughters for circumcision. My wife suffered swollen head and body bruises in the attack.

    Read also: FGM: 137 Osun communities abandon the cutting tradition

    ‘’Ever since then, we lived in fear until I decided to move them to a different location, but after some time my family members ended up knowing my wife’s whereabouts and continued to harass her until my wife made a drastic decision to live very far away.’’

    He said his father had recently insisted that he won’t get away with preventing his daughters from being circumcised because of certain negative spiritual consequences and had threatened to remove his name from his will.

    He added: ‘’I had changed addresses many times, but I was surprised how quick they knew my new address. There was a time in 2012 when I asked my wife to take my daughter to her brother’s residence in Bayelsa State. I was shocked to find out that she was trailed to a bus station there and assaulted again. She was saved by her brother and passers-by. But her brother was very unlucky. One of the assailants attacked him with a cutlass and almost cut off his arm. My wife quickly returned to Lagos, from where she went into hiding.’’

    Adewale said he was shocked that the assault could be unleashed on him.

    ‘’My wife is more than ever fearful after she received the news of the latest assault on me, because she never thought it would come to that.”

  • Residents nab kidnap syndicate operating in taxi

    Residents of Bariga have arrested members of a suspected kidnap and robbery syndicate operating in a taxi.

    The suspects including an old man said to be the driver were arrested on Wednesday, after one of the victims identified their operational vehicle, a dark green Toyota Camry.

    It was gathered that the victim, a woman, had boarded the taxi on Tuesday on her way to work but was diverted towards Badagry Expressway where her hands, legs and mouth were tied.

    The gang comprising four men, allegedly dispossessed her of her phone, N20,000 and other valuables before pushing her out of the vehicle inside a bush, to find her way.

    Luck however ran out of the gang on Wednesday when the said victim saw them and raised the alarm.

    According to a resident, Alhaji Kolade Awofeso, one of the suspects fled but the mob was able to apprehend three.

    “The remaining three were taken to Bariga Police Station including the elderly man (driver). Surprisingly at the Bariga Police Station, the suspects were familiar with the policemen.

    “They surprisingly asked the elderly man about the stolen items collected from the victim. He responded that he has handed them over to one Mama who turned out to be the owner of the vehicle used for the unbridled kidnapping and robbing,” said Awofeso.

    Meanwhile, armed robbers last weekend attacked a photojournalist with Security Express Magazine, Oluwasegun Falola at his 17,  Bajulaye Street Shomolu residence.

    According to the victim, the robbers attacked his residence around 3am on Saturday, while he was asleep and hit his head with a cutlass after he told them he did not have money.

    They robbers, he said demanded for his Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card, laptop, three telephones, video camera, computer hard drive and other valuables before exiting his apartment.

    Falola said they also locked him inside his apartment so he would not be able to come out or raise the alarm, adding that he had to break his window to seek help from nearby De-Bajo Hospital since he was bleeding.

    But the victim’s plight was worsened after he realised that the robbers had withdrawn the only N50,000 he had which he planned to use in offsetting his medical bills.

    He said he was still at a loss as to how the robbers were able to access his account without his pin, adding that he had reported the case at the Alade Police Station in Shomolu.

    Police spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP) confirmed that two of the kidnap suspects were in custody and investigation was ongoing.

  • FG kicks over execution of Nigerian in Saudi Arabia

    The Federal Government on Tuesday faulted the execution of a Nigerian woman on Monday by Saudi Arabia authorities for alleged drug related offenses.

    The Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry said that two Pakistani men, a Yemeni man and a Nigerian woman were executed on Monday for drug trafficking, bringing to 53 the number of people put to death this year alone.

    The Nigerian government described the news of the execution as pathetic, tragic and sad, stressing some airlines have been working with drug syndicates to put such drugs in the bags of unsuspecting passengers.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, while speaking with State House correspondents, noted that the woman executed is the eighth Nigerian to be executed in Saudi Arabia for drug related offenses in the last three years.

    According to her, there are 20 more on death row for the same offense while 12 have been sentenced for various jail terms in the country.

    She said it has been established that there are cases of airlines working hand-in hand with syndicates to put those drugs in the bags of unsuspecting pilgrims.

    She said: “So we have had cases where truly they didn’t commit the offence. We have appealed to the Saudi Authorities to make the trials fair, open and ensure that justice is done.

    “Even if you are going to die, you will know that you die for an offence you committed.

    “So, while we appeal to Nigerians going to Saudi Arabia, we know it is tough, obey the laws of the land. Even Kolanut is treated as a drug.

    “So we will continue to appeal to the Saudi Authorities to treat some of the cases with some form of leniency.

    “Like I said, we have 20 of them in Saudi, this is the eighth to be executed and we are hopeful that maybe we will be able to save the others.

    “So, it is pathetic, it is tragic but we will continue to appeal to Nigerians to obey the laws of the land where you are.

    “However, we expect the trial to be fair, open and ensure that justice truly is done because somebody is sentenced to death.”

    She also described as disgraceful the arrest of five Nigerians, for allegedly robbing a bureau de change in Sharjah of Dh2.3 million.

    The men were caught on camera barging into the exchange and smashed the glass barrier between the customers and the staff, stole the money in multiple currencies and fled.

    Dabiri-Erewa said the men were a disgrace and an embarrassment to the country, themselves and their families.

    She listed their names as Chimuanya Emmanuel Ozo, Benjamin Nwachukwu Ajah, Kingsley Ikenna Nwonka, Toochukwu Leonard Arise and Chile Micah Ndumodu.

    “These five boys are a disgrace to this country and an embarrassment. So if UAE decide to be hard on Nigerians then we will complain that they are hard on us.

    “But we will continue to say that one bad apple should not spoil the whole bunch. Nigerians are hardworking, intelligent so these few should not spoil the whole bunch because this has made news all over the UAE now.

    “We are going to continue to name those who disgrace the country anywhere in the world and we will continue to appeal to Nigerians to be good ambassadors wherever they find themselves,” she added

    Speaking on efforts to educate pilgrims going to Saudi Arabia following the connivance of some airlines with drugs syndicates, Dabiri-Erewa, said: “Since this law came into force where you ensure baggages are identified, it has reduced.

    “The case I am talking about happened between 2016-2017. So it is important you identify your bags, take responsibility for your luggage.

    “The Hajj Commission is also working with these airlines to ensure this is done because we do not want an innocent person to be jailed for an offence he or she did not commit.”

    Read Also; ‘Big men’ must go through security checks at airports, Immigration boss declares

    On whether the Nigerian government will protest to the Saudi Arabia authorities, she said: “We have been doing that. The Nigerian consulate in Saudi Arabia has been talking to Saudi Arabia authorities but I think we need to take it to a higher level now, I mean with 20 on death row, this is the eighth to be killed, we need to engage with the Saudi Arabia authorities more than we have done in the past.

    “With 20 Nigerians on death row, we may be able to save those who did not carry out the crime.

    “We know that drug issues in Saudi Arabia carried death penalty but we will continue to ensure that we intervene properly on behalf of all our citizens to be sure that at least justice has been done.

    “While we condemn drug trafficking in all ramification, let’s ensure we get justice for every Nigerian.”

  • Police reveal cop-killers of Kolade Johnson

    The Lagos State Police Command has revealed the identities of the anti-cultism unit officers whose stray bullet killed Kolade Johnson, a soccer fan on Sunday night at Ikeja.

    The officers currently in detention were identified as Inspector Ogunyemi Olalekan and Sergeant Godwin Orji.

    Eyewitnesses stated a police team, which stormed Olu Aboderin Street in Onipetesi to arrest a suspected cultist, had released sporadic shots into the air after picking their target and one of such bullets hit Johnson, an only child, said to be watching Liverpool match at the time.

    Although the policemen were arrested and detained after the incident, a statement by spokesman Bala Elkana on Tuesday disclosed that Commissioner Zubairu Muazu had paid a condolence visit to the family.

    He said the police boss reassured the family that justice would prevail, adding he was accompanied on the visit by the Deputy Police Commissioners (DCPs) Administration, Operations and State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Ayuba Elkanah, Mohammed Ali and Yetunde Longe, respectively.

    “The Commissioner of Police was received by the head of the deceased’s family Alhaji Remi Lukman in their residence at 1, Beco Street, Onipetesi, Mangoro bus stop.

    “The Commissioner of Police condemned the action of the members of the Anti-Cultism team suspected to have carried out the shooting and reiterated his commitment in ensuring that justice is done in the matter.

    “He stated that the men suspected to have carried out the shooting have been apprehended and subjected to internal disciplinary procedures. He revealed their names as Inspector Ogunyemi Olalekan and Sergeant Godwin Orji attached to Anti Cultism Squad

    “The CP prayed for the repose of the soul of Kolade Johnson and also prayed that the Almighty God will grant the family, friends and well- wishers the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” said Elkana.”

    According to him, the family head expressed gratitude to the Commissioner for visiting them and his assurances of justice.

    He commended the CP for the bold steps taken in exposing those behind the shootings.

    He said: “I thought it is going to be a one man’s fight but seeing the Police high Command joining our family in this fight has shown that justice will not only be done to Kolade but to the entire Nigerian youths. I am glad that we have a new police force which believes in Justice.

    “He described his late son as a peace- loving person and called on well- wishers to remain calm and allow the law to take its cause,” Elkana stated.

  • Why cult killings can’t stop in Edo, by suspect

    A suspected member of Eiye confraternity, Leviticus Okon, has said that cult killings cannot stop in the state because it’s a generational war.

    Leviticus was paraded alongside 81 suspected cultists arrested in connection with the ongoing cult war.

    Police described Leviticus as a dangerous killer cultist.

    Leviticus told newsmen only one of his victims died while the other escaped with bullet wound.

    He was arrested along Second East Circular road while he and other cultists were on their way to kill a rival cult member

    He said: “The first person I shot did not die. The other one died. We were on our way to kill another person when we were arrested.

    Read also: Outrage trails killing of corps members in Bayelsa

    “The one we killed is a bus conductor. He is a member of Aye. The fight is generation fight. The fight does not end.”

    In Uromi, the police arrested one Micheal Ebhodaghe and Henry Ighalo for selling arms and cartridges to cultists in the locality.

    An army deserter, Private Mbawa Lucky was paraded for belonging to one of the cult groups.

    The Edo Police Commissioner, Mr Muhammed Dan Mallam, said the suspects would soon be charged to court.

  • Surveyor petitions police over breach of contract

    A Lagos-based surveyor, Mrs Halima Awosika has petitioned the Ogun State Police Command over alleged breach of agreement in a surveying contract and land deal.

    In a petition written by Awosika’s lawyer,  Latif Rashidi &Co and dated January21,2019 said the Olaogbe Family of Igbesa community in Ogun State had engaged Awosika to carry out a perimeter and layout plan of 1,250 acres of land belonging to the family, but failed to honour the termsof agreement after Awosika paid a sum of N1.5 million to the family.

    He accused the family of reneging on its agreement duly signed by its leadership and threatening Awosika, who demanded a refund of money she paid to cement the contract.

    The petition reads: ‘’Our client(Awosika) on May 16, 2013 entered into an agreement with the Olaogbe Family of Igbesa, Ogun State, to carry out a permeter and layout plan of about 1,250 acres of land at Itamobaland in Ishaku , Igbesa in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, belonging to the family.

    ‘’When the agreement was duly executed between our client and the family, our client paid  the sum of N1.5 million cash to the family as fee of permission to access aside from other sundry expenses incurred by our client  running into thousands of naira that were not recorded.

    ‘’Eventually, our client mobilized to site. Not quite long , the family stopped her from continuing the assignment and surreptitiously brought in anothersurveyorto carry out the perimeter survey and layout plan. This is clearly in breach of clauses of the agreement duly signed by both parties

    ‘’After the breach of the agreement, we had series of consultations with the family, but they were very deceitful. After several peaceful and oral negotiations with the family , we wrote a letter to them dated February 30,2016. As at the time of this petition, there was neither an acknowledgement nor feedback to our letter.

    ‘’After patiently for another two years without meeting our demand, we wrote another letter on behalf of our client to the family  dated November 2,2018. Thisletter to did not see the light of day ast at the time of this petition. This shows that the Abiodun Olaogbe Family is nothing but a very cunny and deceitful family readily milking the vulnerable ones in the society.

    ‘’Our demand on behalf of our client has been 50 acres of land instead of the 1,250 acres as agreed in the executed and breached agreement.

    ‘’We wish to put it on record that further demand for the land by our client has met the force of threat to life by members of the Abiodun Olaogbe Family. They told our client to desist from asking for her entitlement otherwise, she should be satisfied with whatever she sees behind it.’’

    Responding,  a top member of the family, Chief Alani Akinogun explained that  a suit over the ownership of the land had prevented Awosika from continuing with the contract.

    He said: ‘’It is not true that our family had breached our agreement with the woman (Mrs Awosika) concerning the survey contract. Instead, what really happened was that a faction of the family had challenged our ownership of the land in court and the suit is still ongoing at Ota High Court.

    ‘’It was the court that has restrained both parties from carrying out work on the land and we have only complied with the ruling by asking her to suspend work on the landed property. She was not threatened and her job has not been given to another surveyor.’’