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Tag: CP

  • IG places AIGs, CPs on red alert

    The Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris has placed Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGs) and Commissioners of Police (CPs) across the country on red alert.

    The Police chief explained the directive is imperative following the killing of seven policemen in Abuja by yet- to- be identified gunmen.

    The policemen were killed at an observation post in Galadimawa roundabout in Abuja on Monday.

    Idris also ordered security and crime prevention strategies be fortified in all police formations with special attention on places of worship, schools, markets, venues of recreation and other public spaces to forestall any untoward incident.

    He also said his men should embark on massive raids of criminal hideouts and black spots across the country.

    These were contained in a statement in Abuja yesterday by the Force Spokesman, Ag.DCP Jimoh Moshood.

    The statement reads: “The Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris has ordered all Commissioners of Police in charge of State Commands and their Supervising Assistant Inspectors General of Police and other Police Formations nationwide to be on red-alert with immediate effect to nip in the bud and prevent crimes and criminalities in their States.

    “This directive from the IGP is consequent on the recent ambush attack and killing of seven Policemen at Galadimawa roundabout, FCT, Abuja on the 2nd July, 2018 by armed robbers /bandits.

    “The IGP promptly on the 3rd July, 2018 set-up a team of Specialised Crack Investigation Detectives, Police Scene of Crime Experts and Technical Intelligence Unit of the Force to investigate the ambush attack and killing of seven policemen, the investigation team have so far arrested five suspects connected to the killings.

     

    “However, there is the need to beef-up security throughout the country to enhance and ensure adequate security and protection of lives and properties across the nation.”

     

  • Six out of 10 young people are cultists, says CP

    Lagos State Commissioner of Police Imohimi Edgal has expressed concern over the rising cases of cultism among youths.

    He called for a state of emergency on cultism, stating that six out of 10 young people were cultists.

    Edgal spoke at a town hall meeting with some residents of Surulere, Lagos Mainland.

    The theme was: “Partnership with community for crime prevention.”

    He said he instructed one of his officers to conduct a research on the reason for the development. The result, he said, revealed that it gave members advantage over their peers and prevented them from being intimidated.

    He blamed parents for not caring enough for their children, saying that was responsible for the problem.

    Edgal praised Surulere residents for supporting crime fighting, adding that there had been reduction in crimes activities in the area.

    The success of crime fighting in the state, he said, could be attributed to information from of the public.

    He urged the residents to continue to provide information to the police, advising them report any unprofessional misconduct by police officers.

    Edgal urged parents and guardians to monitor their wards to prevent them from being used as thugs during the forthcoming general elections.

    “The election year is approaching and it is time we start talking to ourselves. Do not allow politicians to use your children as touts. All you need to do is get your Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) and vote peacefully. Let us not allow some people to come from elsewhere to disrupt the peace in Lagos,” he said.

    He also warned against attack of police formations and property.

  • Melaye: As the axe falls on CP…

    FOR Ali Janga, outgoing Commissioner of Police (CP) in Kogi State, the truth dawned like the knell of eternal damnation; chaos permeated his peace immediately Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris, announced his removal as Kogi CP.

    Like a poisonous tide unleashed like a dam, calm withdrew from Janga’s world following the escape from police custody, of six suspects, including two principal suspects, Kabiru Saidu aka Osama and Nuhu Salisu aka Small, on his watch.

    While he embarked on a race against time to re-arrest the suspects and save his job, Janga had to contend with the fear of reprimand by higher police authorities.

    He probably envisaged his fate prior to its dawn. Soon after the suspects made a miraculous escape from his custody, Janga was given the boot by IGP Idris.

    Even before his removal, the deposed CP was thrown in a state of flux. Under immense pressure, he embarked on a desperate quest to apprehend the suspects but his removal from office threw a spanner in his works and cast a dark pall on his future as a senior police officer.

    However, in a remarkable twist to the incident, the police has announced the re-arrest of three out of the six suspects involved in the arms case against Senator Dino Melaye.

    “Yes, it is confirmed, but note that I am no longer the CP, I have been removed, so next time talk to the new CP, ” said Janga, the outgoing police commissioner of Kogi.

    The suspects were reportedly re-arrested yesterday at an undisclosed location. Two of them allegedly sustained gunshot wounds while they attempted to escape from the police.

    They are receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, according to police sources.

    It would be recalled that Police IG Idris, announced Janga’s removal, soon after the suspects were declared missing. While being paraded by the police, Saidu and Salisu, confessed   that Senator Dino Melaye and Alhaji Mohammed Audu were some of their patrons.

    The suspects’ revelations established them as high profile detainees; given the magnitude of their disclosure, the police declared them crucial to their case against the embattled senator. Their alleged escape was therefore, a rude shock to the country and a great embarrassment to police authorities.

    The Police in Lokoja on Wednesday, alleged that Saidu and Salisu, who named Melaye as their supplier of guns had escaped from custody.

    Addressing pressmen at the state command headquarters, Lokoja, CP Janga said that Saidu alias Osama and Nuhu Salisu alias Small, escaped at about 3:21 a.m. at the A Police Division in Lokoja, where they were being kept in lawful custody.

    According to him, four other suspects escaped along with Saidu and Salisu, bringing the total number of fleeing suspects to six.

    He said both Saidu and Salisu escaped on Wednesday when they were supposed to be arraigned before a Federal High Court alongside Melaye and Mohammed Audu, who was also named by the suspects as their sponsor.

    Janga identified Aliyu Isa, Adams Suleiman, Emmanuel Audu and Musa Mohammed as four other suspects that escaped from custody.

    He said that 13 policemen, comprising five operatives of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and eight conventional policemen on duty when the incident happened have been detained for interrogation.

    ‘The 13 police officers who were on duty when the incident occurred were defaulted and detained for interrogation,” he said.

    Corroborating Janag, the police in a statement signed by ACP Jimoh Moshood, the Force Public Relations Officer, Force headquarters, on Wednesday, said IGP Idris was dissatisfied with the circumstances surrounding the escape of the six suspects, including the two principal suspects – Kabiru Saidu, and Nuhu Salisu  – who indicted Senator Melaye and Mohammed Audu in a case of conspiracy and unlawful possession of prohibited firearm, already filed at the Federal High Court, Lokoja which came up in court today (Wednesday).

    Incidentally, Moshood was also in the mix when the incident that led to Janga’s exit as Kogi CP, began to unfold.  Moshood reportedly led the police’s PR team to Lokoja penultimate week, to parade Saidu and Salisu, before the press.

    During the parade, the two principal suspects narrated how they got introduced to Melaye, where they first met and how munitions and cash were given to them.

    A visibly mortified police IG, Idris, moved swiftly to announce Janga’s removal from his privileged position, hours after the news broke of the escape of the six suspects.

    The IGP ordered the Esa Sunday Ogbu, Commissioner of Police, Federal Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja to take over as the new Kogi State Commissioner of Police (CP).

    He also ordered the transfer of 13 other police officers out of the state; the officers have been detained and are being investigated for their roles in the purported escape.

    However, in a dramatic turn, Melaye, alleged sponsor of the suspects, pointed towards Lugard House, that is, Kogi Government House, where Governor Yaya Bello presides, as the abode of the mastermind of his travails.

    Melaye made the allegation soon after the suspects confessed that he supplied them with guns and money.

    In a state that is steadily living up to the proverbial ‘one week-one trouble’ sobriquet that is being ascribed to it, Melaye’s claims have been generating unprecedented buzz within political and social circuits.

    It would be recalled that the embattled lawmaker had alerted via the social media, of an alleged plot by the Kogi State government to frame him, using the police. It wasn’t surprising therefore, that he vehemently denied the allegations made against him.

    Reacting to the incident, Ayodele Olukore Okono, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi urged the police authorities to curtail the situation.

    “We are looking towards the IG to do something fast, because we are no longer safe in Kogi. If it were a DPO that was in charge here, the case will be brought before the Commissioner of Police, but for criminals that were paraded, some of who accused Senator Dino Melaye of arming them and of being their sponsor, to now escape from custody, a lot needs to be answered. It is not only to remove the CP, but for thorough investigation to be carried out,” he said.

    Okono added that: “These criminals cannot be allowed out there in the open, because a lot is at stake here. We are worried as we no longer feel safe. The authorities should please get to the root of all that is happening here.

    “A whole senator was openly accused of criminal association, and suddenly the principal suspects disappear into thin air. No. Something urgent must be done. The state is steadily sliding into anarchy, and a halt must be put to the trend.”

    Offering an alternative perspective to the episode, Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Bode Ogunmola, stated that, “When you tell one lie, you need to continue to tell more lies to cover the previous once.

    “Every reasonable human being knows that police cannot come out clean on this matter. So, as a party, we are not surprised that they are now blowing hot and cold. Police can’t come out clean on the escaped suspect because from what is in public domain, the cell was not broken into. This means that someone opened the gates for them to  walk out. Conclusively, the police may need to tell the world the truth as their defense so far cannot convince anybody.”

  • Peace Corps commandant petitions AIG, CP over assault

    The Commandant of Peace Corps of Nigeria, Osun State Command, Patriot Ayinde Paul Kayode has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Zone 11, Agboola Oshodi and the Commissioner of Police in the state, Fimihan Adeoye over alleged assault on him by a police Sargent, Oluwole Oke.

    Ayinde alleged that Oke used tear gas on him, tore his clothes and damaged his phone and demanded that the incident should be investigated in the interest of justice and fairness.

    This incident which occurred at about 6 PM at Agbungbu village, along Ede-Ife road caused panic in the village.

    The Commandant of Peace Corps explained that the policeman seized uniform of a Peace Corps volunteer and that he (Commandant) met them at the scene and appealed to the policeman to release the uniform but he refused.

    According to Ayinde, “The policeman said it was illegal for the a Peace Corps volunteer to use our uniform. I introduced myself to Sargent Oluwole Oke and pleaded with him to release the uniform to our volunteer. That was how he started harassing me, he seized my phone and damaged it. He tore my clothe and used tear gas on me.

    The Commandant of the Peace Corps called on the Commissioner of Police in the state to investigate the matter and act appropriately as he lamented that the incessant harassment of Peace Corps volunteers in the state by policemen has become unbearable.

    Ayinde mentioned the case of a Peace Corps volunteer, Patriot Mukaila who arrested armed robbers and handed them over to the police and the policemen failed to prosecute the suspects but instead, they (police) tormented the peace Corps volunteer.

    When contacted, the Police Public Relation Officer in the state, SP Fasade Odoro said the case was yet to be reported and assured that necessary action would be taken as soon as the case was reported.

  • CP orders arrest of five policemen

    Edo State Police Commissioner Babatunde Kokumo has confirmed the arrest of five policemen, who allegedly pushed a commercial bus driver to death.

    The death of the driver, identified as John, caused protests in Benin City, resulting in burning of five police Hilux vans and killing of three people.

    The identities of the policemen were not known last night.

    Kokumo said he had set up a panel to investigate their involvement in the accident.

    He said policemen attached to a patrol vehicle were alleged to have caused the accident.

    The commissioner said: “We have set up a panel to investigate their involvement in the accident that caused the death of the driver.

    “Whether they pushed him or not is a matter to be investigated.”

  • CP lauds Oyo State security trust fund

    The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Odude, has commended the Oyo State Security Trust Fund for its support to the state police command as well as other security agencies in the state, saying the renewed vigour of the agency has helped in the reduction of crime in the state. He added that the intervention of OYSSTF has improved the efficiency and swift response of the men of the command in combating crimes in the state.

    Describing Oyo as one of the safest states in the country going by every parameter, Odude said the three main issues confronting the effectiveness and efficiency of the police are getting deserved attention through the state security trust fund. He listed the challenges to include, logistics, equipment and communication.

    “Oyo State Security Trust Fund has been very useful to us. Our challenges basically are in terms of logistics and equipment. For example, we have 57 divisions in the state and we don’t have enough vehicles to cover them. The ones we have have broken down and we try to keep them working as much as we can but of course, if we have more stable vehicles we will be able to work better than we do.

    “Another major challenge is communication. Policing is about communication because we want to know where a crime is happening instantly and you can quickly move and combat it before they start doing anything, once you hear on the radio that there is a robbery incident going on at a particular location. Even officers who have walkie-talkie can quickly move in there before they are given instructions.

    “Well as we speak, by the grace of God, they just handed over 10 vehicles to us which they have repaired from scratch. These are vehicles that have completely broken down which they repaired. These are the first set, immediately that is done, there is an approval already, they will take up another 10 to refurbish for us, and they have also promised brand new vehicles when resources are better,” he said.

    Responding, the Executive Secretary, OYSSTF, Mr. Femi Oyedipe, who was at the CPs office in company of other officials of the agency, said although the agency does not get any budgetary allocation from the state government, it is making sure that the goodwill and patronage gotten from individuals and corporate donors are devoted to supporting the security agencies in the state.

     

  • Assembly summons CP, other security chiefs

    The Oyo State House of Assembly has summoned the commissioner of police, special adviser to the Governor on Security Matter and other security chiefs over robberies in Ibadan.

    It reached the resolution during plenary, following a motion by Mr Akeem Ige representing Ibadan South East Constituency, on curbing night robbery attacks on citizens.

    Ige said security threat unleashed on the people by  robbers in the Ibadan metropolis must be stopped.

    He enjoined the House to take measures that will stop robberies and restore peace.

    Contributing to the motion, Bimbo Olawunmi Oladeji from Ogbomosho North Constituency thanked the mover of the motion, saying: “I want to remind you the similar case in my constituency which was promptly addressed by the police and nipped in the bud. Therefore, there’s need to invite security operatives to the Assembly and fashion ways to stop the activities of men of the underworld.”

    The Speaker, Michael Adeyemo, summoned the police commissioner, special adviser to the governor on security matters and others following the House’ resolution.

  • CP advises parents on kidnapping

    Kano state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Rabiu Yusuf yesterday in Kano urged parents in the state to always be mindful of the movement of their children so as to prevent them from falling victim of kidnapping and abduction.

    Mr. Yusuf who spoke during the quarterly meeting with Eminent Personalities Forum (EPF), agreed that abduction of children has become a major security challenge in the state in recent times.

    He, however, noted that adequate cooperation from members of the community had helped the police in controlling the menace of kidnapping, cattle rustling and armed robbery in the state.

    “We have the challenges of stealing of children and we have advised the parents to always ensure that they care of their wards, they take of the minors, let them not allow them to roam about most especially during odd hours,” he noted.

    He further stated that, “really we have recorded tremendous successes, we have been able to at least to some extent reduce the menace of kidnapping. The problem of cattle rustling has been solved.

    “Armed robbery cases have reduced to the minimum level. So to some extent really we have recorded a  lot successes within the period under review.”

    Commenting on the large turnout of EPF members to the meeting, Mr. Yusuf said it was a clear testimony that the police and the people are working in synergy to ensure a crime-free society.

  • Lagos CP decries state of National Theatre

    Lagos CP decries state of National Theatre

    The National Theatre Lagos drew the concern of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni who lamented the state of the edifice during a recent visit.

    “How could they have left this bush to grow like this? Is there no one responsible for this place?

    “I expect that they should know that not clearing a bush like this exposes residents to security risks, as hoodlums can capitalise on the situation to dispossess residents and passersby of their valuables,” said the Police chief.

    Owoseni, who was not on a planned visit, then sought the attention of those in charge of the edifice.

    The situation is also worrisome for commuters and residents who ply the access road daily. Some of them said “the area has now become a security risk and a clear danger to lives and property in the neighbourhood.”

    A resident who spoke with The Nation, said: “there is still need to light up the whole area and the overgrown weeds should be cut.

    “Most of the Area Boys around now use the place as toilet at night. Everywhere smells during the day. As you can see that it is now a thick bush which doesn’t befit this place apart from the hazard it poses to the residents.

    “For government to sanitise the place, let them start by securing the place because there are fears that the people go through the place at their own risk except the issue of security is taken care of.

    Meanwhile, indications emerged recently that the National Theatre, which used to be the premium entertainment hub will return to its past glory, as the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government have agreed to give the edifice a facelift.

    The Nation reported recently that the Minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed is midwifing the process of partnership between the two governments on the renovation of the national edifice.

    Speaking after an inspection tour of the theatre in Lagos on January 28, 2017, ahead of the renovation, Alhaji Mohammed described the facility as a valuable national asset that cannot be allowed to become derelict.

    “We are here today to take physical stock of what the Lagos State Government has offered to help us with – that is the rehabilitation of the National Theatre,” he said, adding that “The National Theatre is an asset we can boast of, and what we need to do is to bring it back to a working condition.’’

    The minister promised that after the renovation, the national edifice will not be allowed to go into a state of disrepair again.

  • CP orders re-arrest of Policeman’s wife for stabbing neighbour

    CP orders re-arrest of Policeman’s wife for stabbing neighbour

    The Commissioner of Police for the Lagos State Command, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, has ordered the re-arrest of one Mrs. Desola Ochoche, over allegations that she severally stabbed her neighbor, one Mrs. Olaitan Ayobami, during a scuffle that ensued between them at their Etunrenren Street, Ikorodu, Lagos residence.

    Ochoche, said to be the wife of a serving Police officer attached to the Lagos State command, had earlier been arrested by the police at Igbogbo Police division.

    But the suspect was allegedly released by the Investigating Police Officer in charge of the case, a development that provoked reactions on numerous social media until it was brought to the attention of the police spokesperson in the state, SP Dolapo Badmos, who promptly waded into the matter.

    Our correspondent gathered that Ochoche laid ambush for her victim while the latter was on her way to school with her children and stabbed her on her head and hand. Her action, it was learnt, followed an earlier scuffle between the two housewives earlier in the morning of the fateful day.

    The suspect subsequently left her victim in a pool of her own blood and attempted to flee the scene, but was prevented from escaping by other the Landlord of the house and other neighbors.

    A  neighbour who spoke with The Nation said Ochoche, before the attacked, had broken the bottle she used in stabbing Ayobami in her kitchen and had gone outside the building to wait for her victim.

    “She waited for nearly an hour before the other woman who is a school teacher, finally came out with her children on their way to the school. That was when she attacked her and stabbed her severally before anybody could intervene to stop her. She alleged that the woman had earlier injured her,” our source said.

    Speaking from her hospital bed, Ayobami alleged that the Policewoman in charge of the case is attempting to turn the case against her because Ochoche is the wife of a Policeman. She then urged the Police authorities to come to her aide and ensure justice.

    “The IPO told me it is whatever she write that the Judge will rely on since I was insisting on having the case charged to court. Few hours later, while I was being treated for my injury, she called me and said I should rush down to the station as she was ready to take us to court for fighting in public. I was shocked,” she explained.

    Meanwhile, the case has been referred to the Area Command in Ijede for better prosecution. According Badmos, the Command is interested in ensuring that justice is done irrespective of the person or marital status of the suspect. Ayobami also confirmed that she has been informed of the new directive.

    “I was told today that the case has been taken away from Igbogbo by the Commissioner. I was told the woman has been arrested again. I thank the CP for coming to my aid and I thank Nigerians for helping me to seek justice,” she said.