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Tag: ARMED ROBBERY

  • Police recovers 109 cows, 29 sheep; others from armed robbers

    Police recovers 109 cows, 29 sheep; others from armed robbers

    The FCT Police Command have recovered 109 cows, 29 sheep and others from an armed robbery gang that specialize in cattle rustling.

    The police also recovered one pump action gun and two live cartridges from the gang.

    According to the police, the recovery was made after a gun battle between members of the gang and operatives of the Police.

    The gun battle according to a statement in Abuja Thursday by the FCT Command Spokesman, DSP Anjuguri Manzah led to the death of one of gang members and fleeing of other members.

    The statement reads: “Poised to combat crime and frustrate criminals out of circulation, a gallant teamof Police operatives attached to Kwali Divisional Headquarters on patrol at Kwali village has dislodged and recovered one pump action gun, two live cartridges, 109 cows and 29 sheep from a dare devil armed robbery syndicate which specialises in cattle rustling.

    “The syndicate which was reported to have rustled some cows and sheep from a community in Niger state were intercepted at Kwali village on Wednesday 26/04/17 at about 1:00amwhere a fierce gun battle ensued between them and the Police patrol team.

    “As a result of the professionalism, gallantry and superior gun power of the Police Patrol team, one of the hoodlums was shot dead while five of his accomplices fled the scene with varying degree of bullet wounds.”

    The commissioner of Police FCT, CP Musa Kimo has however ordered for a massive manhunt for the fleeing suspects.

    He also commended the Police operatives for their bravery and gallantry that led to the dislodging of the notorious cattle rustling syndicate.

  • Four sentenced to death for armed robbery, conspiracy

    An Osun High Court on Tuesday in Osogbo sentenced four persons to death for conspiracy and armed robbery.

    The convicts, Joseph Moses, 24, Samuel Job, 19, Gideon Ode, 25, and Daniel Abraham, 24, were brought to the court on a four-count charge of armed robbery and conspiracy.

    The prosecutor, Mrs Abdulrahman Temitope, had told the court that the convicts committed
    the offense on Oct. 14, 2013 at about 8:00pm along Kajola expressway in Osogbo.

    Temitope said the convicts conspired among themselves to rob one Abubakar Rauf of his motorcycle with registration number BDG 896 QB.

    ” The suspects conspired to attack the complainant with a knife and dangerous weapons collecting his
    motorcycle.

    ” They injured the complainant and also carted away his Bajaj motorcycle to their house before they were
    apprehended, ” the prosecutor said.

    Temitope said the crime committed had been a serial occurrence within the vicinity which had led to the
    death and missing of some persons.

    The prosecutor said the offences contravened Section 6 and is punishable under section 1 of the Robbery and Fire Arm (Special Provision) Cap R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    Counsel to the accused, Mr Jimmy Jones, however, pleaded with the judge to temper justice with mercy in her
    judgment.

    Delivering judgment, Justice Olubunmi Ayoola, sentenced the convicts to death due to the magnitude of their crime, adding that the prosecutor had proved her case beyond any reasonable doubt.

  • Four armed robbery suspects held in Lekki

    •Police, army uniforms, equipment recovered from them

    Four men have been arrested by the police for allegedly terrorising residents of Lekki Phase I.
    They are Ndiyo Bassey, 24, Justine Simeon, 26, David Joseph, 23, and Sadam Babayo, 25.
    Recovered from them were knives, police, military uniforms and equipment, which they allegedly used to snatch motorcycles and other valuables.
    Bassey, who lives at 18, Fatai Arobieke Street in Lekki, was allegedly found with Police Mobile Force’ (PMF) trousers, a military camouflage cap and two knives.
    Simon, it was gathered, wore a military uniform and held a knife; Babayo was found with a PMF cap and a walkie talkie.
    The police said the suspects could not state how they got the equipment. It is believed that they may be linked to militants suspected to be dwelling in the Otodo Gbame slum of Lekki.
    The suspects have been transferred to the anti-kidnapping unit.

  • Court sentences Falae’s abductors to life imprisonment

    Court sentences Falae’s abductors to life imprisonment

    The Ondo State High Court, sitting in Akure, the Ondo state capital has sentenced the abductors of the Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Chief Olu Falae to life imprisonment for kidnapping and armed robbery.

    Falae was abducted by some Fulani herdsmen during his 77th Birthday on September 21, 2015 at his Ilado farm in Akure North Local Government Area of the state.

    He was released after paying N5million ransom four days after his abduction.

    The convicts were: Abubakar Auta, Bello Jannu, Umaru Ibrahim, Masahudu Muhammed, Idris Lawal and two others.

    Charges against them read: “That you, Abubakar Auta, Bello Jannu, Umaru Ibarahim, Masahudu Muhammed, Idris Lawal and others now at large, on or about Monday, September 21, 2015 at Kajola/Eyinala Community in Akure Judicial Division did give information for the purpose of kidnapping and abducting Chief Samuel Oluyemi Falae.

    “Abubakar Auta, Bello Jannu, Umaru Ibarahim, Masahudu Muhammed and Idris Lawal, and others now at large, on or about Monday, September 21, 2015 at Kajola/Eyinala Community in Akure Judicial Division did aid the kidnapping and abduction of Chief Samuel Oluyemi Falae.

    “Abubakar Auta, Bello Jannu, Umaru Ibarahim, Masahudu Muhammed and Idris Lawal, and others now at large, on or about Monday, September 21, 2015 at Kajola/Eyinala Community in Akure Judicial Division did Kidnapped Chief Oluyemi Falae, the Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and did not release him until N5,000,000 ransom was paid.

    “Abubakar Auta, Bello Jannu, Umaru Ibarahim, Masahudu Muhammed and Idris Lawal, and others now at large, on or about Monday, September 21, 2015 at Kajola/Eyinala Community in Akure Judicial Division did conspire to commit a felony to wit armed robbery.

    “Abubakar Auta, Bello Jannu, Umaru Ibarahim, Masahudu Muhammed and Idris Lawal, and others now at large, on or about Monday, September 21, 2015 at Kajola/Eyinala Community in Akure Judicial Division did rob Chief Olu Falae of N15, 000 and his handset while armed with guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons”.

    The offence, according to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mrs. Adeyemi Kuti from Ondo State Ministry of Justice is contrary to Section 2 of Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Abduction Law, 5(1)(a) of the Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Abduction Laws, Section3(11)(b) of the Anti-Kidnapping and Abduction Law, Section 6(b) of the Robbery and Firearms(Special Provision) Act,Cap R11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Section 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act,Cap R11, Vol. 14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    However, when the charge sheet was read to the convicts in court on the first date of their arraignment, they all pleaded not guilty to the five counts charge leveled against them.

    However, when the case came up yesterday for judgement after several adjournments, the Presiding Judge, Justice Williams Olamide said he was able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the convicts committed the crime with the evidence tendered before him.

    Justice Olamide also said that during the hearing of the matter, the victim, Chief Olu Falae was able to identify three of the convicts as those who kidnapped him and threatened to kill him if he failed to pay the ransom when he was in their captivity.

    He thereafter sentenced seven of them to life imprisonment.

    The Prosecution Counsel, Mrs Adeyemi Kuti hailed the judgment, saying justice has been given to the victim.

    But, counsel to the seven convicts, Abdulrahman Yusuf from the Legal Aid Council (LAC)said he would obtain the judgment, study it,to determine whether to Appeal the judgement or not.

     

  • NSCDC personnel, two others remanded for robbery

    NSCDC personnel, two others remanded for robbery

    The Kogi Sate High court sitting in Lokoja has ordered the remand of a National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel, Taiwo Babalola at the Koto prison over his alleged involvement in a robbery case.

    Babalola who gave his service number as 46548, and attached to the Kogi State command headquarters, Lokoja, along with two others, Kolawole Samson and Ainoko Paul are facing trial for alleged armed robbery, which took place at Lokogoma village, in the capital.

    The victim of the alleged robbery, one Kadiri Mukailu told the court that on December 9, 2016, three suspected armed robbers stormed his residence at Lokogoma village, Lokoja and forcefully collected the keys to his Toyota car with Chassis No. 4TIBE46K67U145312 and registration No. LKJ 303 MA and drove it away.

    Mukailu said the car which is yet to be recovered was forcefully taken away along with a UBA ATM card, a Nokia handset valued at N12,000, an Itel phone valued at N4,000, wrist watch valued at N1,500, ten piecies of cloth valued at N30,000 and his original vehicle license.

    Mukailu further told the court that during the robbery incident which lasted over two hours he was able to look at the faces of the attackers, as there was electricity in the area on the particular day and the robbers wore no mask.

    He added that he cannot forget the identity of one of them; Kolawale Samson who had scattered teeth and wielded a big gun and called himself the “MOPOL”.

    He told the court that the attention of his family members was drawn, when on January 8, 2017, the hoodlums returned, following which he immediately drew the attention of the local vigilante group who condoned off the area, before the arrival of the police that were alerted.

    The suspects, together with Babalola were later trailed to Babalola’s house, where they were arrested.

    Babalola in his defense at hearing yesterday, said he is a neighbour to the victim, but denied being part of the robbery.

    He told the court that he was in his house on December 9, 2016 when three men in mufti who claimed to be policemen accosted him and told him they were trailing some criminals whom they claimed entered his neighbours house.

    “As a security officer I asked if I could follow them but they declined my request. I even reported the incidence to my superiors in the office the following day,” he said.

    Babalola said he was however surprised when he was arrested in his house at Lokogoma village, on January 8, 2017 along with the two other suspects and taken to the D Division of the police station Lokoja where he wrote a statement.

    In the statement he admitted he saw some people drove off in a Toyota car on the day of the robbery, adding that the two other suspects are his brother and friend respectively.

    Justice Sunday Otu of the High Court 3 Lokoja  ordered that the three accused be remanded in prison custody, and adjourned the case to April 11 for further hearing to enable the prosecutor cross examine the two other suspects.

     

  • Former DSS personnel, ten others paraded for kidnapping, armed robbery

    Former DSS personnel, ten others paraded for kidnapping, armed robbery

    The Police Wednesday in Abuja paraded a former personnel of Department of State Service and ten others for their alleged involvement in kidnapping and armed robbery.

    The suspects were arrested after they kidnapped one Alhaji Isa Salami Former GM PAN, MD Nigeria Paper Mills Jebba and Chairman Gateway Insurance.

    The victim was rescued from the kidnappers’ hideout, a two bedroom house rented by the kidnappers in remote side of Suleja Town of Niger State.

    The gang consists of the gang leader, the second in command, former DSS personnel, driver, guards, and the supplier of registered sim cards which they use for their operation.

    Those paraded are; Kelvin Emeka, Ndubushi Prince Uzor, Abdulraheed Maigari, Sunday Travnor, Zayor Alfred, Avah Joseph, Gabriel Friday, Rajab Baba Ishiaka, Ali Sani, Nuhu Sule and Mohammed Abubakar.

    Items recovered from them included one AK 47 rifle, three AK 47 magazines, 90 rounds of 7.62 live ammunition, two pistols, 14 rounds of 9mm live ammunition and two bedroom flats at different locations in Suleja.

    The Police disclosed that the arrested former DSS personnel had earlier been dismissed by the service for alleged involvement in a N310million foreign exchange scandal belonging to the Senate President, Senator Nikolai Saraki.

    Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja at the Force headquarters, the Force Spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood said operatives of IGP Intelligence Response team IRT jointly with Anti kidnap Squad of FCT Police Command swung into action following the kidnap of Alh. Isa Ozi Salami.

    Alhaji Salami was the former GM of Peagout Automobile Nigeria PAN, MD Nigeria Paper Mills Jebba and Chairman Gateway Insurance.

    Highlighting the roles played by each member of the gang, he said: ” Kelvin EMEKA 28yrs overall gang leader, who was earlier Charged to Gwagwalada High Court in October 2016 with 3 others for Kidnapping and armed robbery of several people in Abuja.

    “The suspect and his gang members were released by the Court on 8/12/16 less than 8 weeks after been Charged for Kidnapping and Armed Robbery.”

    “Ndubisi Prince Ozor, the second in command was also charged to Court for Armed Robbery in November 2016 and was released by Court on 25/1/17.

    Continuing, Moshood said: “Abdulrasheed Maigari 35yrs native of Donga LGA Area Taraba State a 2006 Political Science graduate of Bayero University Kano  recruited into DSS as a graduate Officer and was dismissed and charged to court for robbing N310million with some dismissed Army Personnel in Abuja.

    “He was also released by Court and he immediately joined the gang and became the Cordinator and also rented the two houses where victims were kept.”

    Others who were paraded are: “Sunday Tyavnor, he is the arms dealer who sold the AK47 Rifle used for the kidnappings for four hundred and seventy thousand naira (₦470,000) and the two (2) Pistols for sixty thousand naira (₦60,000) each he was arrested in Nasarawa State.

    “Mohammed Abubakar 21yrs native of Mokwa LGA Niger State supplier of pre-registered Sim cards to the kidnappers.”

    Other members of the gang were guards responsible for guarding and securing the victim from escaping.

    The police added that the suspects were identified by the victims, adding that they also confessed to the crime admitting to the various roles they played in the commission of various kidnappings, armed robberies and other violent crimes linked to them.

    The police noted that they will be charged to court on completion of investigation.

    The Inspector General of Police assured members of the public of adequate security and urged them to co-operate with the Police personnel deployed in their localities.

     

  • Police parade 17 suspected cultists, armed robbers in Bayelsa

    Police parade 17 suspected cultists, armed robbers in Bayelsa

    The police in Bayelsa State, Thursday, paraded 17 suspected youths arrested in connections with armed robbery and cultism.

    One of the suspects identified as Innocent Chidoka was arrested for robbing his passenger, Mrs Happiness Orukipadi along Mbiama-Yenagoa road of her bag containing personal belongings.

    Chidoka was reportedly nabbed in the act while his dagger, handbag of the victim and a tricycle with registration number KMR 589 WL were recovered from him.

    The Commissioner of Police, Asuquo Amba, who paraded the suspects said one Joseph Precious, who threw his pistol away and escaped from a crime scene after attacking one Solomon Preye at a gunpoint, was apprehended by the police.

    He said the Anti-Robbery Squad later sighted Precious, a suspected cultist, at Tombia Roundabout in Yenagoa and arrested him adding that the suspect led the police to recover another locally made revolver pistol.

    Amba said the police also rounded up three suspected cultists, Ese Jacob, Endurance Dede and Nwobiara Chinedu, who gathered at the Transformer Junction, Swali planning to unleash trouble in Swali Community.

    He said: “The Police swung into action and arrested the three suspects. A locally-made pistol and a live cartridge were recovered from the suspects. The suspects confessed to the crime and admitted to be members of the Greenland Secret Cult.

    “In Sagbama Town, a leader of a notorious secret cult group, one Peremobowei Eyitimbai was arrested with a locally-made pistol and two live pistols.

    “Policemen on patrol along Tombia-Amassoma Road arrested one Ovieni Johnson. A locally made single barrel pistol with one live cartridge was recovered from him”.

    On strategies adopted by the police to fight crimes in the state, he said: “We have intensified patrols and surveillance. Members of the public are more willing to volunteer useful information.

    “This strategy has paid off with the arrest of armed robbers, recovery of firearms, recovery of cars and arrest of suspected cultist”.

    Amba said having effectively tackled kidnapping in the state, the issue of cultism had become rampant in the state.

    But he said that his command was engaged in a mass arrest of suspected cultists adding that anybody apprehended would be diligently prosecuted.

    He urged parents to pay attention to the activities of their children to discourage them from getting involved in cultism.

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  • Armed robbery: Court sentences man to death by hanging

    An Abeokuta, High Court on Monday sentenced Gabriel Joseph to death by hanging for armed robbery.

    Joseph, whose address was not given, was found guilty of a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.

    In her judgment, Justice Olatokunbo Majekodumi, said the convict was found guilty of the offences.

    “Having found that the accused person is guilty as charged on both counts, you shall be hung by the neck until you are dead,’’ she said.

    The judge said that the offences committed contravened Section 6(b) and was punishable under Section1(2)( a) of the Robbery and Firearms (special provisions)Act, Cap Rll Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the convict, who had been standing trial since December 2013, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    He was arrested and charged for robbing one Damilola Alade of his Toyota Camry car with registration number SL 937 AAA, one iPad, a blackberry phone and other valuables, at gun point.

    The Prosecutor, Mrs Bolarinwa Adebowale, had told the court that the convict committed the offence. at no 4JB, Awo-osejo Street, Arowofela, Magoboro, Abeokuta .

    According to Adebowale , the convict and three others robbed the complainant and his family in front of his house after arriving from a trip.

    “When Alade was about to enter his compound, the accused and three others came down from a motorcycle, accosted him and pointed a gun at his head and ordered him to surrender the money in his possession.

    “The complainant answered that there was no money on him, the accused then asked them to come down from the car, tore the driver’s cloth and used it to tie Alade, his wife, driver and their three-year old child.

    “When Alade saw how desperate they were, he told them he had no money but an IPad phone and blackberry phone inside the car.

    “The accused and his gang entered inside Alade’s car and drove off,’’ the prosecutor said.

    Adebowale said that in the course of investigation a female policewoman pretended to be friendly and sent an invitation to the stolen blackberry.

    “The user of the phone, who is a student responded and said one Niyi, who is a friend of the accused sold the blackberry to him,’’ she said.

    The prosecutor said that this led to the arrest of the accused at a beer parlour at Kara, Ibafo, Ogun State,’’ she said.

    During the trial the prosecutor said that all the proof tendered convince the court beyond reasonable doubt that the accused committed offences.

     

  • Trader jailed 21 years for armed robbery

    An Ikeja High Court yesterday sentenced a 29-year-old trader, Nwajamba Nwauta, to 21 years imprisonment for armed robbery.

    Justice Sedotan Ogunsanya convicted him of a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.

    “I find the defendant guilty of the two-count charge, he is hereby sentenced to 21 years in prison,” Ogunsanya said.

    The Judge did not condemn him because of the prosecution’s failure to prove that the gun tendered in evidence was the one used in the armed robbery.

    “I will not be relying on the evidence of Rasheed Kilani, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) because the revolver presented as evidence was not recovered by him but by a mob,” Justice Ogunsanya held.

    Nwauta was arraigned on a two-count charge of armed robbery, with an accomplice, who is at large.

    The prosecutor, Mr Adebayo Haroun, told the court during proceedings that Nwauta and his colleague, while armed with a locally made revolver, went to a jewellery shop, threatened and robbed the salesman, Evan Obi, of a bag containing N25,000, a mobile phone and an unspecified amount of jewellery.

    Haroun said Nwauta was caught by a mob following the alarm raised by the salesman.

    But his accomplice escaped with the stolen property and jewellery.

    He said the convict and his accomplice committed the offence on September 13, 2011 at 24, Isolo Road, Egbe, Lagos.

  • Reps to meet Buhari over incessant Killings

    Reps to meet Buhari over incessant Killings

    Worried by the continuous killings across the country, the House of  Representatives Thursday mandated the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and the security chiefs over the rising wave of insecurity

    The proposed meeting with  Buhari is for the purpose of getting him to act urgently on the trend of herdsmen attacks, armed robbery, kidnapping, and other security challenges.

    The House also said a conference on security involving all security agencies should be convened to proffer solution to the problem and called for a Declaration of Emergency in Southern Kaduna senatorial district by the Federal and Kaduna State governments.

    The lawmakers also urged the Director of the Department of State Service in charge of internal security to wake up to his responsibility in terms of securing the lives of Nigerians in the country.

    The resolutions of the House was sequel to the adoption of the amended prayers of a motion  of urgent public importance by a member, Hon. Simon Arabo (Kaduna APC) who decried the senseless killings in the region, especially the recent killing of 43 persons and destruction of houses in Kauru Local government, by unknown gunmen.

    Recall that armed men attacked Kigam, Kitakum, Ungwan Magaji, Ungwan Rimi, Ungwan Makera and Kizipi villages in Kauru Local government area of Kaduna state, on November 13 to 14, 2016, killing 43 persons including women and children and injuring several others.

    The lawmakers called for the establishment of a military strike force in the area in the meantime as a form of deterrent, saying the attacks are becoming too rampant.

    The Green Chamber urged security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend and prosecute perpetrators of the attacks, in accordance with its resolutions of October 19, 2016 which came on the heel of a previous attacks.

    While supporting the motion, Hon. Jagaba Adams Jagaba (Kaduna APC) accused the military of apathy to the killings.

    “You call them and they tell you that they do not have mandate to act. In some cases, they come and arrest the same people who have asked them for protection, after the attackers have gone,

    “There is no concern by government. People do what they like and get away with it. The repercussion is great for the nation.

    Majority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila warned that the attacks have a tendency to migrate to other parts of the country. Its coming to a time when a state of emergency will be declared in Southern Kaduna. It should therefore not be considered a southern Kaduna problem, This is the time to act,” he said.

    Another member, Hon. Zakari Mohammed (Kwara APC) noted that such incidents speak to the need to revisit laws that regulate the rights of citizens to bear arms and the consideration of state police.

    He said: “We have to look at these issues seriously else people would resort to self help. The problem with self help is that it could cause more harm than the initial harm.”

    Other members who supported the motion include, Mohammed sanni Abdul, Garba Datti Mohammed, Babale Bachir, Shehu Garba, Kingsley Chinda and Sanni Zoro.