The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Cops

  • Police dismiss three cops for reckless shooting

    Police dismiss three cops for reckless shooting

    THE police in Lagos have dismissed two Sergeants and a Corporal attached to Amukoko Division for reckless use of firearms.

    Sergeants Saturday Osaseri  (25759), Segun Okun (359075) and Corporal Adekunle Oluwarotimi  (496833) were dismissed after an orderly room trial convicted of breaching the Nigeria Police’ rules of engagement.

    According to police spokesman, Chike Oti, a Superintendent (SP), the dismissed Non-commissioned Officers (NCOs) committed the offence on January 11, at about 9:30pm at Ifelodun Street, Amukoko.

    Oti said they disproportionately responded with bullets fired from their weapons at some youths alleged to have hurled stones, sticks and bottles at them.

    He said the actions of the dismissed NCOs led to the death of one of the youths, while another was injured.

    Oti said: “They  were arrested, detained and tried immediately on the orders of the Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi. The guilty verdict was passed on them by the adjudicating officer who considered that the officers did not appreciate the situation critically and ought not to have applied maximum force on the unruly youths.a

    “The officers would be charged to court next week, while a duplicate copy of the casefile would be sent to the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.

    “Sequel to the above occurrence, the Commissioner of Police has directed all Area Commanders and DPOs in the state to warn their men against misapplication of force. He further warned that officers must abide by the Rules of Engagement (ROE) as stipulated in Force Order 237.”

  • Navy trains 139 cops in underwater tactics

    Navy trains 139 cops in underwater tactics

    One hundred and thirty-nine marine officers, trained in underwater tactics by the Navy, have graduated.

    The marine policemen, who were trained in three batches of 39, 50 and 50, graduated at the weekend, after a six-week intensive course at the Joint Maritime Security Training Centre  (JMSTC) in Navy Town, Ojo.

    The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Naval Training Command, Rear Admiral Obi Ofodile, said the Basic Marine Operations Course (BMOC) was aimed at improving the marine police’ ability in weapon and boat handling and maintenance.

    He said it acquainted them with the laws of the sea, search and rescue, chart work and rules of the sea.

    His words: “The training inculcated in them best global practices in seamanship, navigation and other specific areas of maritime operations. The JMSTC is one of the best in the continent. I have no doubt that despite the rigours of training, the participants have benefitted greatly from this citadel of learning.

    “You should, therefore, use the privilege of this training to improve yourself to meet the challenges ahead. It is pertinent to state that the security challenges confronting the country, especially in the maritime environment, needs the collaborative efforts of all security agencies, especially the Navy and police.

    “I appreciate the CNS and IGP for working out this training arrangement, which has not only brought the two services closer, but also enabled us to share knowledge. The Navy is ever ready to render necessary help to the police when called upon. As a maritime country endowed with enormous resources, the need to protect these resources becomes very necessary. I am highly delighted that the JMSTC has turned out this set of professionally trained and adept Marine Police Officers.”

    The JMSTC Commandant, Capt. Noel Madugu, said the trainings received were the start of their career in marine police operations.

    “The BMOC was developed to enhance the capability of the Marine department of the Nigeria Police for littoral and riverine operations, to enable them secure Nigeria’s maritime environment,l particularly the inland waters, effectively and efficiently.

    “Therefore, the objective of the course was to improve the knowledge of the participants in seamanship and navigation in line with international best practices,” Madugu said.

    The Inspector-General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, said the gains realised from the pioneer trainees instigated the force to enrol others.

    Idris, who was represented by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Maritime, Alkali Usman, said: “The initial batch was 39, and when we saw the improvement, we sent 100 more in two batches for the training. I can tell you the skills they have acquired have improved our strength around inland waters.

    “The marine police unit is waxing stronger; we have the unit in 22 states, and they have weapons to operate with. Our inland waters are better policed now.”

  • Boko Haram: Group holds Rally for Buhari in Abuja to Celebrate Nigeria’s successes

    Boko Haram: Group holds Rally for Buhari in Abuja to Celebrate Nigeria’s successes

    A group under the aegis of Coalition for Peace and Stability, Tuesday paralyzed commercial activities at the popular Wuse Market in Abuja in support of President Muhammadu Buhari’s success over terrorism in the country.

    Members of COPS, who marched from Wuse Market to the Presidential villa , likened President Buhari to the biblical David, who has succeeded in conquering terrorism in the entity called Nigeria.

    Comrade Abdulmumini Tijani, the national Coordinator of the group, who, spoke on behalf of the group, called on the Nigerian military to do all within it power to finish off the remnants of Boko Haram in the shortest time possible so that Nigeria would be in a position to celebrate total freedom from the blood-thirsty terrors.

    Tijani said, “The Institute for Economics and Peace has however auspiciously accelerated our achievement of this objective when it released the Global Terrorism Index 2017. From what is in the news about the report, it shows that the number of those killed in terror attacks have reduced by 80%. What we understand by this is that eight out of every ten persons that Boko Haram or other terrorists would have killed are alive.

    For us the Coalition for Peace and Stability, this is a testimony that President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to fulfilling his campaign promise of restoring security in the country. It is remarkable that keeping this promise has international impact because the global terrorism related deaths fell since the figures for Nigeria dropped. It is our earnest hope that this international impact will translate into positive gains like restored investors’ interest in Nigeria.

    “We also expect that those supporting evil by providing sustenance to Boko Haram will see this report as reason to cut off the lifeline they provide to terrorists. Human life is precious and sacred and nothing should be done to cut it short for whatsoever reason.
    Our coalition not only congratulate President Buhari on this positive report but also commend Mr President for this achievement considering that most of the efforts that have gone into degrading and defeating Boko Haram are homegrown. The President was able to achieve the improvement in terrorism ranking without going cap in hand to beg for foreign intervention.

    “We also commend the Nigerian Army under the leadership it the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen. Tukur Buratai, who leads a military to be proud of. Soldiers under his command continue to perform no mean feats even with funding constraints, harassment from international NGOs and blockade of weapons supply by some interested countries.
    COPS urge stakeholders, NGOs and human rights organizations and all well-meaning Nigerians to increase their support of President Buhari’s war on terror because our desire is to record zero terrorism related deaths. The 80% reduction implies that there are still “20% deaths that are needless. Our belief is that when Mr President and the military get more support the remnants of Boko Haram can be further degraded to a point where they are not able to cause sorrows and tears among us anymore.

    “While calling for support for President Buhari, we urge his administration to dutifully take a critical look at the Global Terrorism Ranking to see what areas improvements can be made in a way that more gains are made by our military in the year 2017/2018. We particularly want the strengthening of the military to finish off the remnant of Boko Haram in the shortest time possible to that Nigeria would be a position to celebrate a total freedom from terrorists killing citizens.”

    COPS further appealed to Nigeria’s international partners to take note of what the country has achieved with minimal support and to on the basis of that extend to Nigeria the support needed to restore peace to the West African sub-region.

    Addressing the rally at the Villa, Shehu Garba, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, thanked the group for their support to the anti-terrorism war of the current government.

    Shehu said this is the kind of support the government needed as it works round the clock in ensuring a terror-free Nigeria.

    A visibly elated Shehu said, “This is the kind of support the government need at the critical time.

    “I must assure you that the president is not relenting on his words that Nigeria must be free from terrorism.

    “In fact, our gallant military troops are working day and night to ensure that all our towns and villages are captured from the extremists. As I speak, I can boldly tell you that no local government in Nigeria is under the control of the insurgents.

    “Our soldiers are also helping to combat terrorism in neigbouring countries.

    “That goes a long way to tell you that the government is keeping to its promise on war against insurgency.”

  • Police quiz three cops, domestic staff over robbery in senator’s home

    Operatives of the Delta Police Command have arrested three policemen and three domestic staff over a robbery incident in Senator Peter Nwaboshi’s home.

    Senator Peter Nwaboshi represents Delta North Senatorial District in the NASS.

    The Nation gathered that the robber stormed the lawmaker’s home carting away an undisclosed amount of money, jewelry, laptops, clothes and other valuables.

    It was gathered that the robbers operated for over two hours before neighbours shot into the air to scare the robbers away.

    The Nation gathered that while the robbery lasted none of the policemen on guard duty were present.

    Police spokesman, Andrew Aniamaka confirmed the incident, saying:

    “The officers were quizzed for abandoning their duty post, it is a departmental exercise and way of investigating the crime. We have arrested many persons, we are investigating and at the end of the day, the truth will be out and those behind the attack will be brought to book.”

  • LAPD African Cops to premiere December 4

    The lives of African American cops in Los Angeles are the focus of a new movie, LAPD African Cops, set to be premiered in cinemas across Nigeria on December 4.

    The film, from the stable of The Atuma Brothers International Company, was written and directed by Hollywood-based Nigerian, Pascal Atuma. It tells the story of two West African men (Officer Naija and Officer Ghana) who join the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and go about installing African values of culture, respect and morals as they go about their policing duties.

    The resulting culture clash is however relaxed with comedy, the genre which the movie adopts. In the movie, the ‘African’ cops are seen comically enforcing decent dressing on young Americans who ‘sag’ and wear skimpy clothes in ways synonymous to correcting young people in Africa.

    “What we are trying to do is tell our own stories,” producer and director of the movie, Pascal Atuma, said during a recent meeting with journalists. Together with his brother and co-producer Dr Oscar Atuma, they also acted as cops in the movie.

    “We don’t want the western world to tell African stories.”

    LAPD African Cops also stars African American movie stars which include Vanessa Bell Calloway (Coming to America), Luenell Campbell (Borat), Dorien Wilson (The Parkers), Brian Hooks (Eve’s Show), Mari Morrow (One Life To Live), Jaszmin Lewis (Barbershop), Trina Mcgee (Friday After Next), Tonya Lee Williams ( Young & Restless), Caryn Ward-Ross (The Game) and Bless Brown Vera (Sexy Boy In America).

    Already, Silverbird Cinemas have acquired rights to show the movie in West Africa. The film is already being distributed in South Africa, US and Canada. Plans for airing it in London are also in the offing.