The Nation Newspaper

Tag: burglary

  • An attention-grabbing burglary

    Interestingly, perhaps the clarifications were not clarifying enough. Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s spokesperson, Ikechukwu Eze, said in a statement: “Following series of enquiries from journalists and other concerned Nigerians on the extent of the reported vandalisation and theft in the house of former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan located in Gwarinpa Abuja, we therefore would like to make the following clarifications: 1) The theft was discovered last month upon which a report was duly lodged with the relevant police authorities. 2) The police immediately commenced investigations which led to the arrest and detention of some suspects, six of whom were policemen, even as investigations continue.”

    The statement also said: “3) The house, which the former President bought from CITEC estate developers in 2004, was totally stripped bare by the thieves who stole every movable item in the house including furniture sets, beds, electronics, toilet and electrical fittings, as well as all internal doors and frames.  4) However, contrary to exaggerated reports in some media, only six television sets, 3 refrigerators and one gas cooker were stolen. Being that the house is a modest 4-bedroom duplex, it couldn’t have been fitted with “36 Plasma television sets and about 25 refrigerators” as falsely reported by some media outfits.”

    It is understandable that the defensive statement focused on the allegedly exaggerated number of Plasma television sets and refrigerators stolen from the ex-president’s house. The figures given in some media reports were alarming, and naturally triggered questions about the ex-president’s sense of proportion. Considering media information that “the former president does not stay in the house,” why would there be the reported number of televisions and refrigerators in the house? Was the house a kind of store for the said items?

    It is noteworthy that the defensive statement described the house in question as “a modest 4-bedroom duplex,” suggesting that its owner is modest and not the kind of person, or the kind of former president, that is defined by materialism or showiness.

    Remarkably, there is an aspect of this attention-grabbing burglary drama that the defensive statement didn’t defend. Media reports said the allegedly stolen items include:  “Niger Delta traditional attires in about 20 Ghana-must-go sacks; Suits, each one with “President Jonathan” inscribed in the inner side, in five big Ghana-must-go sacks; About 10 big Ghana-must-go sacks of women attires made from lace materials sewn in Niger Delta style; More than 10 bundles of Ankara materials, known as Atamfa; About 10 sets of babban riga; One big Ghana-must-go sack containing clothes with PDP logo neatly sewn on each one; About 20 Niger Delta bowler hats.”

    What kind of modest person would reportedly have “President Jonathan inscribed in the inner side” of his suit jackets when he was certainly not going to be president forever?  Now that he is no longer president, does the alleged inscription make sense?

  • Boy in court over alleged burglary

    Boy in court over alleged burglary

    A 17-year-old boy, who allegedly burgled a residence and stole rice and jewellery valued at N275,000 was on Wednesday appeared at an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    The accused (name withheld), who resides at Agege, a suburb of Lagos is charged with burglary and stealing.

    The Prosecutor, Sgt. Raphael Donny, told the court that the offences were committed on April 10, 2017, at 6, Oloko Lane, Agege, Lagos.

    Donny said that the accused burgled the residence of late Alhaja Afusat Amao to steal.

    “The accused stole half bag of rice and gold jewellery all valued at N275, 000, property of the late woman, who died few weeks ago.

    “The accused was apprehended by the members of the vigilance group in the area and he was brought to the police station,” he said.

    He told the court that the offences contravened Sections 278 and 307 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Davies Abegunde, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N100, 000, with two sureties in like sum.

    Abegunde adjourned the case until May 31.

  • Students decry burglary at off-campus hostels

    Students of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida (BIDA POLY) in Niger State have decried incessant burglary in the off campus area. The complaint followed cases of theft in the off-campus hostels, where students are live at the mercy of hoodlums and burglars.

    Some students, who spoke with CAMPUSLIFE, complained of weak security patrol in the area, which they said gave miscreants freedom to break into students’ hostels and cart away properties.

    A Higher National Diploma (HND) 1 Public Administration student, Matthew Chukwu, said he was yet to get over the shock of meeting his room almost empty. He said: “I have gone home for the semester break. On returning, I found out that my room has been burgled by unknown persons. They almost empty my room. They carted away my electronic devices and other valuables.”

    Another victim, Grace Odusola, a Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism Management student, said burglar took away a laptop she borrowed from her friend. “The ugly incident happened on my birthday. I was sleeping when the burglar broke in. The laptop I borrowed from my course mate to type my assignment was stolen. I could not explain how the burglar broke in. Now, I have to buy back the laptop,” she said.

    Babatunde Banjo, HND II Electrical Electronics Engineering student, said his hostel was burgled overnight by hoodlums, who carted away students’ kitchen utensils.

    Reacting, Students’ Union Government (SUG) Welfare Director, Monsuru Babalola, condemned the incident, stating that the SUG had swung into action to apprehend the perpetrators.

  • Lamido did not report ‘burglary’ to us, says AIG

    Lamido did not report ‘burglary’ to us, says AIG

    The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in-charge of Zone 1, Adamu Ibrahim, has dismissed online reports that his men arrested some men for the alleged burglary of the Kano home of former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido.
    Ibrahim, who addressed reporters in his office, said the former governor did not report any burglary at his office.
    “I am the AIG in-charge of Zone 1 which covers Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States, and I believe I should know if the former governor reported any such case to the police stations within my area jurisdiction.”
    He, however, hinted that there could be a case of alleged theft which could be traced within Lamido’s family, adding that the case remains under investigation because the culprits are still at large.
    An online newspaper yesterday reported that five domestic workers of Sule Lamido were arrested and detained by Ibrahim for their involvement in the alleged theft of N100 million belonging to the former governor.
    Neither Lamido nor his spokesman could be reached for comments.

  • Man gets four years for burglary, stealing

    An Egor Magistrates’ Court in Benin City, Edo State, yesterday sentenced 54-year-old Eze Oba to four years imprisonment for burglary and stealing.

    Chief Magistrate W. Aziegbemhin gave the ruling after Oba pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of burglary and stealing.

    He sentenced the convict to three years and one year in jail for counts one and two with no option of fine.

    Aziegbemhin ruled that the jail term would run concurrently.

    The prosecutor, C.S.O. Nnamdi, had told the court that the convict committed the offence on November 17 at 5, Emma Avenue, Benin City.

    He said Oba broke into the home of Jennifer Bazuaye and stole three Samsung phones valued at N60,000 and N20,000 cash.

    The prosecutor said the offence contravened sections 411 (i) and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code.

  • Nigerien arrested for shop burglary

    Operatives of the Anti-kidnapping Unit, Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) Zone II, Onikan, have arrested a Niger Republic national, Yakubu Adamu, 21, for allegedly breaking into shops at Lagos Island markets.

    Arrested alongside Adamu around 3:45pm on Thursday, was a father of five, Issa Musa, 48.

    The suspects were alleged to have been part of a seven-man gang that burgled shops at Idumota, Balogun and other markets, carting away people’s wares.

    According to the Zone II command’s spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, their arrest was sequel to complaints from traders about regular burglary into their shops.

    He said the suspects have been in the business for many years before they were eventually caught at Obalende, while awaiting the receivers of the stolen items.

    Adejobi said: “More than 10 bags of under wears worth millions of naira and one unregistered Toyota Corolla – their operational vehicle – were recovered from them.

    “Two cutlasses, two chisels and a heavy cutter were recovered in the bonnet of the car where they were concealed after their operation.

    “The AIG, Abdulmajid Ali, has directed the Officer-in-Charge of Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Zone to effect the arrest of other fleeing members of the gang and their receivers so that the police can have proper investigation and prosecution of the case,” Adejobi said.

  • Police arraign two for burglary

    The police have arraigned two men, Olatunji Razak, 23, and Kareem Azeez, 25, before an Ebute Metta Magistrate’s Court for burglary.

    The accused persons allegedly broke into the residence of one Esther Ogundeyi of 9, Awe Street, Orile, Lagos State, at about 8:00 p.m. on July 21.

    They were said to have stolen N85, 000 and damaged the mosquito net and burglary protector on the window valued at N20, 000.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Magistrate Fowowe Erusaife granted them bail in the sum of N50, 000 and two sureties each in like sum.

    The case was adjourned to August 16 for trial.

  • Four charged with burglary, rape

    Four charged with burglary, rape

    The police have accused four men of robbing a woman in her room in Agege, Lagos. The fourth member of the gang allegedly raped the woman.

    The defendants – Saheed Lawal (32); Ajanaku Wasiu (32); Tayo Inawole (27) and Musa Ismail (32) – were yesterday arraigned at an Ogba Magistrates’ Court on a four-count charge of burglary, stealing and rape.

    Prosecuting police Inspector Clifford Ogu said the defendants committed the offence around 2am last December 26 on Okunola Street, Oniwaya, Agege.

    He alleged that they broke into the room of one Blessing (surname withheld) and stole her BlackBerry, Techno and Nokia handsets, valued at N91,500.

    Ismail raped Blessing before they left, the prosecutor alleged.

    The defendants denied the charges.

    Magistrate T. Akanni granted them N200,000 bail with two sureties each in the like sum.

    She adjourned hearing till January 25.

     

  • One held for Ekiti Assembly burglary

    One held for Ekiti Assembly burglary

    A suspect has been detained in connection with the burglary at the Ekiti State House of Assembly last Thursday. Two plasma television sets were stolen.

    The burglary was said to have shocked the Speaker, Kola Oluwawole, and other lawmakers, who reportedly called in the police to investigate the matter.

    It was gathered yesterday that the police arrested four persons and later released three.

    The burglary, which is the third in recent times, was reported at the New Iyin Road Police Station.

    A source said the chief suspect, a son of a senior Assembly worker, told the police all he knew about the crime.

    The imprint of the sole of the suspect’s shoe on the chair in one of the offices, where one of the TV was stolen, reportedly gave him away.

    He was believed to be operating with a gang, whose members were still at large.

    The suspect, our source added, was caught with a bunch of keys and could not produce the receipts of the stolen items.

    The source said: “We are still puzzled that the burglary succeeded, despite the presence of a police post within the Assembly.

    “Despite the fence and the gate, the suspect had access to the complex and that should be a subject of investigation.

    “We have internal security. We have a police station and we have security men when the burglary took place. Although the chief suspect is in custody, the police must get to the root of this matter to prevent a recurrence.

    “In the burglary last year, files were removed from the Office of the Clerk and this is the third since the Clerk (Tola Esan) resumed office.”

    Police spokesman Alberto Adeyemi said the matter was yet to be reported to his office

  • Expectant mother arraigned for alleged burglary

    A 25-year-old pregnant woman, Wunmi Malik, has  been arraigned before an Ogba Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Ikeja, for allegedly breaking into a house.

    Malik, who was accused of unlawfully entering the residence of one Mrs. Florence Adeto Olatosi and carting away jewellery worth N30,000, is facing a two-count charge bordering on burglary and stealing.

    The prosecutor, Inspector Uche Simon, told the court that the accused, who lives in Ogun State, had no relationship with the complainant and committed the offence on September 14, 2015, at 12:45pm at No. 4, Olagoke Street, Oke-Oba, Agege, Lagos.

    He added that the offence was contrary to and punishable under Sections 305(a) and 285 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

    The accused pleaded not guilty to both charges and trial magistrate, Chief Mrs Y.R. Pinero granted her bail in the sum of N20,000 and one responsible surety in the like sum.

    The matter was adjourned to October 12.