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Tag: criminals

  • Abia police to name lawyers backing criminals

    Abia State Commissioner of Police Adeleye Oyebade has said the command would soon make public, names of lawyers whose work is to defend robbers in court.

    Oyebade spoke at Osisioma divisional headquarters, during a tour of the 16 divisions under the Aba Area Command. He said for the war on crime to be won, the police must work collaboratively with the judiciary.

    The police chief said he was relocating the command headquarters to the state’s commercial hub to help him have a score card of the activities of his men in Aba and environs.

    He noted that the command is doing all it can to instill discipline and fish out “bad eggs” among its officers and men, saying many of them have been tried, demoted and in extreme cases, dismissed from the service.

    Oyebade urged his men to imbibe the spirit of pro-activeness in crime fighting because of the persistent efforts of hoodlums and criminal elements to beat security intelligence.

  • Ambode to Baales: ‘Collude with criminals, be dethroned’

    Ambode to Baales: ‘Collude with criminals, be dethroned’

    Any Baales or chiefs found to be collaborating with militants and other criminals to destabilise Lagos State would have their title revoked, dethroned and prosecuted, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has said.

    “Once you (the chiefs) are identified, you are gone,” he added.

    Reading the riot act to hundreds of Baales and chiefs at the Adeyemi Bero Hall, Ambode said the government would not fold its arms while some unscrupulous elements collude with hoodlums to make the state ungovernable.

    He spoke through the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs Mr Muslim Folami.

    Folami said the meeting with all the Part II and Part III Baales and chiefs was sequel to the one organised at the palace of the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi penultimate weekend where the Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni revealed that security reports had indicted some of the chiefs of aiding and abetting the militants in causing mayhem in the division.

    The discovery, according to Folami, made the government to resolve to apply the full weights of the law henceforth against any Baale or chiefs caught colluding with any criminal in the state.

    “To show you how serious we were, the governor directed that we summon all of you from all the five divisions of the state to inform you of our resolve as a government to protect lives and properties of all Lagosians and in doing this, we would deal decisively with anyone found colluding with criminals to disturb the peace-loving people of Lagos.”

    Early this month, militants had stormed the riverside community of Ishawo, in Ikorodu, killing a military captain, five other policemen and dozens of residents.

    Only recently, rival cult gangs had overrun some streets in Mushin causing mayhem, killing and destroying people’s properties.

    He said the government would continue to invest in the security architecture of the state with a view to being responsive to the safety needs of the people.

    “The Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, which we just established is another initiative by the government to secure all neighbourhoods from attacks from kidnappers, cultists, militants, vandals and other criminals threatening the peace of the state,” he said.

    He admonished all chiefs and Baales to be fully committed to helping the government to nip the spate of violence in the bud and not to join hands with undesirable elements to destroy the state.

    Folami also addressed the issue of land grabbing; urging these chiefs and community leaders to eschew greed, adding that anyone caught fomenting trouble in any part of the state would no longer be spared.

    In their response, the Baales and chiefs urged the government not to hesitate to flush out undesirable elements.

    One of the Baales, the Alakan of Imota Chief Abudu Sani, also called for transparency in the war against crime, alleging that some unscrupulous elements within the police also collude with criminals to destabilise their various communities.

    He said the Baales and chiefs would continue to collaborate with the government in order to sanitise the state.

  • Ambode reads riot act against chiefs colluding with criminals

    Ambode reads riot act against chiefs colluding with criminals

    Any Bale or chief found to be collaborating with militants and other criminals to destabilize Lagos State would have their title revoked, dethroned and prosecuted, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said on Thursday.

    “Once you (the chiefs) are identified, you are gone,” he said.

    Reading the riot act to hundreds of these Bales and chiefs at the Adeyemi Bero Hall, Ambode said the government would not fold its arms while some unscrupulous elements collude with hoodlums to make the state ungovernable.

    He spoke through the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs Mr Muslim Folami.

    Folami said the meeting with all the Part II and Part III Bales and chiefs was sequel to the one organised at the palace of the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi last weekend where the Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni disclosed that security reports had indicted some of the chiefs of aiding and abetting the militants in causing mayhem in the division.

    The discovery according to Folami made the government to resolve to henceforth apply the full weights of the law against any Bale or chiefs caught colluding with any criminal in the state.

    “To show you how serious we were, the governor directed that we summon all of you from all the five divisions of the state to inform you of our resolve as a government to protect lives and properties of all Lagosians and in doing this, we would deal decisively with anyone found to colluding with criminals to disturb the peace-loving people of Lagos.”

    Early this month, militants had stormed the riverine community of Ishawo, in Ikorodu, killing a military captain, five other policemen and dozens of residents.

    Only last week, ruval cult gangs had over run some streets in Mushin causing mayhem, killing and destroying properties.

    He said the government would continue to invest in the security architecture of the state wuth a view to be responsive to the safety needs of the people.

    “The Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, which we just established is another initiative by the government to secure all neighbourhood from attacks from kidnappers, cultists, militants, vandals and other criminals threatening the peace of the state.”

    He charged all chiefs and Bales to be fully committed to helping the government to nip the spate of violence in the state and not join hands with undesirable elements to destroy the state.

    Folami also addressed the issue of land grabbing; urging these chiefs community leaders to eschew greed, adding that anyone caught fermenting trouble in any part of the state would no longer be spared.

    In their response, the Bales and chiefs urged the government not to hesitate to flush out undesirable elements.

    One of Bales the Alakan of Imota Chief Abudu Sani, also called for transparency in the war against crime, alleging that some unscrupulous elements within the Police Force also collude with criminals to destabilise the lead of their various communities.

    He said the Bales and chiefs would continue to collaborate with the government to sanitize the state.

     

  • Abia police parade 12 suspected criminals

    The Abia State Police Command, on Monday paraded no fewer than 12 suspected criminals, who were recently arrested in the state. At a press briefing held at the state police command headquarters in Umuahia, the state capital, Commissioner for Police(CP), Mr Leye Oyebade, said the command was poised to sustain the peace enjoyed in the state, hence, he and his men are ‘’working assiduously to ensure that Abians sleep with their eyes closed and pursue their daily activities without fears or threats.’’ Among those paraded were two members of a fiveman car snatching gang, David Onyebuchi and Chidozie Nwachukwu.

    The suspects were apprehended following a report made by one Chief Emmanuel Agwu of Ubakala, Umuahia on March 9, that five armed men forced their way into his house and made away with his RX 350 Lexus Jeep and GSM phones. Oyebade disclosed that operatives of the command also rescued one Duru Christopher, who was kidnapped in Aba on March 17, by unknown gunmen.

    He explained that one Chimezie Ezeigbo alias “Landlord” and one Emeka Ukaegbu alias “Small Pin” were arrested while keeping guard over the hostage. Others arrested include, Julius Nnachi of Amaetiti Ekoli Edda in Ebonyi State, for his complicity in the murder of Abia State Vigilante Group members. He said that one Toyota Sienna van belonging to the rescued hostage with reg. No. UMA 623 JU has also been recovered. Oyebade disclosed that one Pump Action rifle, one English made pistol, seven live cartridges, one 0.9mm live ammunition and five GSM phones were recovered from the gang adding that efforts are being made to arrest other members of the gang. All the suspects, according to the CP will be charged to court accordingly.

  • INEC: parties field criminals, forgers

    INEC: parties field criminals, forgers

    WITH its eyes set on the 2019 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday promised never to let the nation down.
    Chairman Mahmood Yakubu reaffirmed the agency’s independence, saying it will never take instructions from anybody.
    He said while over 40 electoral offenders had been prosecuted, there were 100 outstanding case files.
    Prof. Yakubu said the 23 INEC officials indicted during the rerun in Rivers State had been suspended.
    But he expressed regrets that political parties had been presenting criminals and certificate forgers as candidates.
    He said a similar disciplinary action might be taken against the 202 officials being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) over the alleged N29billion poll bribery scam during the last elections in 2015.
    Yakubu spoke at a Stakeholder Validation Conference in Abuja on the 2017-2021 INEC Strategic Plan.
    He said: “We will never take instruction from anybody. We will take our own decision and stand by the consequences of the decisions we take.
    “We have been learning lessons from the past elections and we will continue to do what we have been doing courageously while we learn from the past.
    “We will continue to approach the conduct of election with honour and credibility. We will never, never let the country down.”
    He defended INEC’s decision on the Kogi State governorship election after the death of the preferred candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Abubakar Audu.
    Yakubu said the commission did not take any cue from the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), as speculated.
    He said: “I have explained this over and over. Kogi was the first governorship election conducted by this new commission. It came less than two weeks after we were sworn in. It came with its own complication that challenged our own electoral jurisprudence.
    “What happened in Kogi was not provided for in the constitution and in the Electoral Act and our guidelines. But we managed to do very well, specifically with our response, which some said came late (as it only came after a pronouncement by the Attorney General of the Federation) suggesting also the implication of the coincidence.
    “ The election was held on Saturday and was declared inconclusive on Sunday and the candidate also died on Sunday.”
    Yakubu said before reaching its decision, INEC sought the advice of its legal department and a legal consortium to arrive at its conclusion.
    He added: “We took our decision on Tuesday. We issued our response via press release and I was told that the Attorney-General spoke somewhere without consultation with the commission and then people began to postulate that we took a cue from the attorney-general. “
    “The decision we took in the case of Kogi was vindicated by the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment after the election.”
    The INEC chairman, however, blamed the lack of due diligence on candidates by political parties for emergence of criminals and certificate forgers.
    Yakubu said proper checks on candidates will help reduce drastically the rate of rerun elections.
    He said it was beyond the commission to choose or reject any candidate as the law states that the leadership of the parties should submit names to the commission for election.
    He said: “In some cases, some of the candidates nominated shouldn’t have been nominated. If the parties had done due diligence, we will never have the kind of problems that we do have.”
    Yakubu cited instances where some parties nominated people with criminal records and certificate forgers only for the court to nullify the elections. The commission then conducts reruns at an additional cost.
    On the need for the Commission to be strong on the prosecution of electoral offenders, Yakubu said INEC had been very active within its limit.
    He said: “We had some difficult elections in Kano. When we mobilised for the election, the severity of the violence was such that in the middle of day, we had to invoke the power of the electoral law to suspend the election.
    “But what did we do? We walked to the police and successfully prosecuted over 40 electoral offenders. It was the first number of successful prosecution of electoral offenders in the country.
    “Again, working with the police since we came on board, we received 100 case files of electoral offences nationwide from the last general elections.
    “Of course, after what happened in Rivers, the Director of Public Prosecution of the federation is prosecuting 23 staff of the Commission. We have already invoked the terms of condition of service and placed all the 23 staff on suspension and on half salary until they prove their innocence or guilt.
    “We are going to do the same thing with the list of 202 staff with the EFCC.”
    Yakubu also used the opportunity to call for the establishment of Electoral Offences Tribunal.
    He said: “While we continue to make efforts, my position has consistently been … that it is very, very difficult for one to prosecute himself.
    “INEC has been saddled with the responsibility of prosecuting electoral offenders. Look at the challenges; we will continue to do our best, but the ground rule is, one, you are bound to make arrest of electoral offenders and INEC is not police to make arrest.
    “Secondly, you have to investigate, so that you can have the evidence that can give you successful prosecution. We have no power under the law to carry out the investigation. So, how do we successfully prosecute?
    “That is why I have been saying consistently that the nation needs Election Offences Tribunal to which every electoral violation is subjected, be it INEC staff or others. This is the submission of INEC so that if you violate the electoral law, you know that there will be justice, whoever you are and whatever way you will pay.”
    Yakubu debunked the notion that his tenure had been marred with inconclusive elections.
    He said INEC under his watch had conducted 167 elections with only one nullified.
    In his view, off-season election is the most difficult one for the commission to conduct as it enables political actors from other states to move around to support their party members.
    He said INEC had been working closely to support the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) despite the autonomy granted the agency at the state level.
    The commission, he said had cooperated with Sokoto State.
    “We have been approached by Niger and Kaduna states while staff of the commission are already assisting Lagos states ahead of its local government election.”
    On e-voting, Yakubu said Kaduna may lead the way by experimenting with the coming local government election.
    He said: “In fact, in the case of Kaduna, they even want to experiment with the electronic voting. So we are looking forward to seeing how this experiment works in Kaduna.”

  • Hard times ahead for criminals in Lagos

    Hard times ahead for criminals in Lagos

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, aside hosting a state dinner to mark Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s 65th birthday, also honoured the former governor with brand new roads and bridge. Two days before, he also rebranded a project dear to Tinubu’s heart, the Neigbourhood Watch, writes WALE AJETUNMOBI

    •Ambode’s birthday gifts to Tinubu

    Aboru and Abesan communities in Alimosho, popular as Tinubu’s Country, in Lagos came alive five days ago.  A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was there to inaugurate Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s projects to mark his 65th birthday.

    Two days before the Aboru event, Ambode was at the Agege Stadium to unveil the rebranded Neighourhood Watch, which is now equipped to give criminals the challenge of their lives.

    At the Aboru event, people trouped out to receive Tinubu and other eminent Nigerians, including Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Senator Isiaka Adeleke; Deputy Governor Idiat Adebule; former Deputy Governor Femi Pedro; Senator representing Lagos West, Solomon n Adeola; Senator Ibrahim Kazaure from Jigawa State; Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa; and members of the Lagos State Executive Council.

    Ambode described the event as a historic day in the life of the people of Alimosho and the state. He recalled his visit to the Aboru  in March 2016, saying that aside the state of the road, which was totally unacceptable, there were reports of series of deaths and fatal accidents caused by the presence of a valley, adding that he immediately directed that work should commence in the area.

    He said: “Exactly one year after, we are here to keep our promise to the good people of Aboru, Abesan and other communities and reaffirm our commitment that no community or area will be left behind. Every Lagosian counts. We are a government of inclusion.”

    PIX 7956

    He said the 480 metres bridge linking Aboru to Abesan, both in the Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council of Alimosho Local Government Area would significantly ease the burden of travel between the two communities by reducing travel time.

    The governor said aside the bridge, additional adjoining inner roads to create an efficient road network that will aid connectivity permanently were also constructed.

    Ambode listed the roads to include Church Street, Giwa Street, Victor Fagbemi Road, Ogunfayo Road, Ogundare Street, Salami Kazeem, all totalling 5.5km with drainage, walkways and street lights, adding that the road network would ease the pressure on the Abeokuta Expressway and links residents with Iyana Ipaja, LASU-Iba Expressway.

    Night life is gradually returning to the area as the road and the Link Bridge have been connected to the ‘Light Up Lagos’ Project, an initiative of  the Ambode’s administration.

    The governor also flagged off the turning of sod for the construction of a network of roads within the boundaries of Lagos and Ogun States, saying that it was in honour of Tinubu, whom he described as the brain behind the 21st century Lagos.

    He expressed optimism that the roads which have been identified for immediate construction and rehabilitation would complete the new face of Alimosho constituency, saying that work would commence in one week.

    He listed the roads to include Ikola Road with Odo Obasanjo Bridge – 6.4km (from Ipaja/Command to Ilo River); Ogunseye Road – 1.75km (from Ajasa/Command to Ikola Road);Oko Filling Road – 1.5km (from AIT to Ilo River); Osenatu Ilo road – 620m (from Ibari Road to Ilo River); Amikanle road – 3.1km (from AIT to Ogunseye Road); Aina Aladi road – 1.9km (from AIT to Ilo River) and Aiyetoro Road with a bridge– 1.4km (from New Market/Ishefun Road intersection to Ilo River).

    He appealed to the residents of the communities to cooperate with the contractors so as to enable them deliver the network of roads not later than the scheduled completion date.

    Mosan Okunola Community Development Association (CDA) Chairman Pastor Gbenga Adanri used the opportunity of the occasion to debunk insinuation that the people of the area were not happy with the government and even protested, saying there was nothing of such.

    “I like to debunk the untrue impression that we are not happy with Governor Ambode. There is no truth in it. I don’t know where that is coming from and I must say here that we the people are very happy with him. We are happy because our roads have been put in proper shape and we now have a bridge to travel seamlessly within Aboru and Abesan.

    “Before now, if your wife is pregnant and wants to deliver, to cross to the other side was always a big issue and we always indulged in prayer that nothing untoward should happen but today, we can move freely,” Adanri said.

    Tinubu poured accolades on Ambode over his sterling performance in the last 22 months, saying that the Governor has made him proud. He said the achievements of Ambode were a reflection of a Governor who is not only a thinker but a doer, and expressed satisfaction that he was delivering on the promises to the people.

    Tinubu also inaugurated a primary healthcare centre named after him and donated to Aboru Community by the contractor who handled the projects.

    The former governor said: “Akinwunmi Ambode has reflected that he is clearly a thinker and doer. I want to say thank you because experience is a great teacher and I am experienced. I am on the spot and I have watched things in Lagos since my tenure ended.

    “I was worried hell when you (Ambode) took over, not about your credibility, character or capacity, but because however wise or smart a man is, if there is no resources to back the ideas, production would be zero, progress would be zero.

    “When you (Ambode) took over, I know you inherited a burden of debt. The debt profile of Lagos was high, I was wondering how you will re-engineer and face the challenges to make progress.

    “Today, I can see your report card, you have scored well, and you have shown prudency especially in the judicious use of resources of the State.

    “You didn’t disappoint us. Ambode is silently achieving, meticulously planning, religiously executing and brilliantly giving results for Lagos State,” the former Lagos governor said.

    Tinubu said all over Lagos, the results of good governance was being felt by the people, and wished Ambode sound health and wisdom to continue to lead the State.

    “All over Lagos, we are seeing the results. At Oshodi, on our way down here, you can see what is happening there, that place is a construction site. It used to be a den of robbers but what is going on here now is developmental activities for the benefit of the entire country. Ambode is very quiet, very peaceful, not a noise maker, but he is delivering on the job.

    “Today, you (Ambode) have given me a good birthday present. This is a great opportunity for me to be very proud again. Therefore, if we can continue in this direction of infrastructural development in the manner Governor Ambode is moving, Lagos will soon match international states or country anywhere in the world.”

    Nathaniel Ajayi, a resident of Abesan community, described succinctly Ambode’s interventions when he said: “I was born in 1993 here in Abesan, I had always dreamt that one day the kind of development I see in Victoria Island, Lekki and Ikeja will take place here. Today our governor has made my dream come true.”

    Aregbesola and Senator representing Lagos West at the Senate, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola said it was obvious that Ambode started well and is doing well, and solicited the cooperation of the people to engender further dividends of democracy.

    At the launch of the Neighbourhood Safety Corps, 177 cars and vehicles equipped with communication gadgets, 377 motorcycles, 377 helmets, 4,000 bicycles and metal detectors were released to the Corp to ensure that illegal weapons are not smuggled into public places.

    Ambode said the move was another giant step towards enhancing security and a vital part of the ongoing efforts of his administration to reform the security and justice sector.

    The governor, who on August 15, 2016 assented to the law that created the Neighbourhood Safety Corps, said the Corps had been designed to provide a second layer of policing in order to ensure that the State and communities are more secure.

    He acknowledged the fact that the Nigerian Police had been very supportive to the State Government especially in fighting crime, but that the need for the Neighbourhood Corps arose from the identified security challenges confronting the State due to huge population, adding that the members of the Corps would complement police especially in areas of community policing.

    “Let me, however, make it abundantly clear that the Neighbourhood Safety Corps is not in any way in competition with the regular Police Force.

    “In actual fact, they are expected to assist and complement the Police by providing useful intelligence for crime prevention and to facilitate the arrest of perpetrators of criminal activities in our communities,” governor Ambode said.

    He added that in realization of the fact that nothing can be more important in law enforcement than educating the people in charge of enforcing the law, the rebranded Neighbourhood Corps have been trained and equipped with the requisite knowledge and skills to complement the good work of the Nigerian Police.

    He said in addition to the induction on orthodox community policing techniques, the Corps were also trained on how to mediate disputes and the art of negotiating for peaceful resolution; balancing communal interest in resolving disputes and proactive policing engagement instead of reactive policing.

    “Special hotlines have also been created direct to the Executive Secretary and senior management of the Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency for easy communication with our communities in the event of any crime.

    “Any valuable information given to the Corps will attract handsome rewards from the state government. I therefore call on all Lagosians to join hands with us to say a final no to crime in our state.

    “All these equipment have been made possible through the judicious use of tax payers’ money and funds from the State Lottery Fund for good causes. Please continue to pay your taxes for a better Lagos.

    “I am very happy to state that through this Safety Corps initiative the State Government has created over 7,000 jobs for officers of the Corps, artisans and other support staff. Job creation is at the heart of economic prosperity and we remain fully committed to a more prosperous Lagos for our citizens,” the governor said.

    Ambode urged the Corps not to indulge in brutalizing citizens, but that they should exercise lot of restraint, patience, understanding and maturity while carrying out their duties.

    He added that to further strengthen security, a new executive bill to regulate employment of domestic workers and security guards would soon be forwarded to the State House of Assembly, explaining that the bill, among others, will prescribe regulations for the set of workers and other details to monitor their activities.

    Ambode said there was no longer any room for child abuse or under aged workers, adding that it had been discovered that domestic workers were largely undocumented and pose a grave security threat in the State.

    He also said the recruiting agencies, under the bill, would be licensed and regulated to ensure safety.

    Ambode also handed over four vans fitted with Close Circuit Television Cameras (CCTVs) to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the State Police Command.

    The Corp’s rebranding and the roads and bridge inaugurated mean economic activities would witness a boom in the coming months, while motorists would have better stories to tell – with criminals singing dirge.

  • Gov. Ortom blames criminals for recent killings in Benue

    Gov. Ortom blames criminals for recent killings in Benue

     Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue has said the most recent killings in the State were not perpetrated by herdsmen, but criminal elements.

    Ortom said this after the State Security meeting in Makurdi on Monday.

    The governor also said the killings were not due to communal clashes, stressing that they were carried out by criminal elements bent on unleashing terror and mayhem on innocent citizens.

    He, however, promised that the killings would soon be nipped in the bud; and the perpetrators arrested and prosecuted.

    He further said that the criminals had been identified and that the security agencies would soon go after them.

    “’We are not ready to surrender the state to criminals”, the governor vowed.

    He said all hands must be on deck to enable the government to succeed in addressing insecurity.

    “’Security challenges cannot be tackled by a single individual or by the police alone but all must cooperate for the overall benefit of all and sundry”, he said.

    Reacting to Rivers Gov. Nyesom Wike’s recent comments on the issue, Ortom said he was ready for probe at any given time.

    He said he had nothing to hide as he was keeping Benue people abreast of every financial transaction undertaken by the state and what he had received from the Federal Government.

    Ortom advised Wike to concentrate on governing his state and stop making unguided utterances against him. 

  • Lagos task force arrests four criminals with snatched laptop

    Four notorious criminal were Tuesday arrested with a snatched laptop at under bridge, Oshodi by operatives of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force).

    According to a release signed by The Public Relations Officer, PRO. of the Agency, Taofiq Adebayo, the task Force chairman, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police, said the criminals were arrested by the monitoring team of the Agency who were strategically positioned around Oshodi.

    The arrested criminals are: Master Ojo Olaomo,  21yrs,  Mr. Damilare Balogun, 20yrs, both from Ibadan, Oyo State,  Mr. Ola Akinwunmi, 25yrs, from Abeokuta,  Master Okiki Nurudeen, 22yrs, both from Abeokuta, Ogun State.\

    Egbeyemi disclosed further that the criminals specialises in dispossessing innocent citizens of the public of their valuables such as phones, laptops, necklaces, wrist-watches, and ear-rings.

    Adding that they were arrested immediately they snatched a laptop from a woman who simply identified herself as Mrs. Adebambo due to security reasons at under bridge, Oshodi.

    The woman said “Immediately my laptop bag was snatched from me, Lagos Task Force Officers chased these criminals got them arrested and recovered my laptop for me”

    She however commended the operatives of the Agency for their prompt interventions.

    Egbeyemi commended the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode for his developmental projects across the State particularly the ‘Lagos light-up Initiatives’

    He noted that with the ‘Lagos light-up Initiatives’ every criminal activity could be easily monitored as everywhere is now illuminated particularly under bridge at Oshodi.

    He confirmed that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni  has directed that the arrested  criminals be immediately charged to court after he was duly briefed .

    Egbeyemi who said anyone caught buying stolen items from criminals would not be spared from prosecution however warned innocent members of the public to be very careful in buying stolen items as fairly used.

    One of the criminals, Akinwunmi pleaded and promised the Chairman of the Agency that if released he would turn a new leaf.

    He confessed that they were ‘a 4-member gang’ and that every snatched or stolen items were been sold as fairly used at either computer village at Ikeja or Obalende.

    A second criminal, Nurudeen said he doesn’t partake in snatching or stealing goods, claiming that he only cordinates on daily basis how every stolen items would be supplied to computer village at Ikeja or Obalende where they would be sold back to innocent members of the public as fairly used.

  • Don’t celebrate criminals — TUC President

    Don’t celebrate criminals — TUC President

    Mr Bobboi Kaigama, President, Trade Nigeria Congress (TUC), has called on Nigerians not to celebrate corrupt individuals who have embezzled public funds meant for the development of the country.

    He made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at interactive session with newsmen on preparation to hold one-day rally on good governance and anti-corruption.

    He said that the rally, to be held on Feb. 9, in Lagos and Abuja simultaneously, would be in collaboration with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

    Kaigama said: “for instance if you go to court in developed countries, you will never see a criminal being escorted to court being celebrated on his way to court or being celebrated at an event.

    “But what we find in Nigeria is a different thing.

    “So it is not just the issue of prosecution or investigation, Nigerians must own the fight against corruption.

    “We must fight it jointly and we will take to the door steps of the criminals.

    “Not until we do that, those in the executive, legislative and judiciary arms of government and the three tiers of government will never see this fight as a major issue. ‘’

    The TUC president said that Nigerians must own up to the fight against corruption without fear or favour.

    He said that the rally was an opportunity to enlighten Nigerians on the consequences of corruption and the best way out of it.

    “Corruption is killing us, what we are experiencing now is a product of bad leadership; we want to install good governance at all levels especially in states and local government areas.

    “The fight against corruption must start somewhere and end up somewhere at the door step of the criminals.

    “The issue of corruption has taken another dimension.

    “How can somebody who served four years or at most eight years get humongous pay at the end of the day when a public servant who served meritoriously for 35 years or attainted 60 years can never get such in his life; where is equity?

    Kaigama said that TUC, NLC and their civil society allies were ready to partner anti corruption agencies to “say enough of the era of celebrating criminals.’’

    “We want the EFCC, ICPC and the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption to be strengthened.

    “We want this fight on corruption to be holistic; we want good governance, so each of these agencies must do their job holistically without interference from any of the arms of government, ‘’he said. (NAN)

  • Group to Fed Govt: tackle criminals without bias

    The Muslim Association of Nigeria (MAN) has appealed to Nigerians to stop the colouration of crime based on religious sentiments.

    Its President Alhaji Sulaiman Yusuf said the Federal Government should punish offenders, regardless of their tribe or religion.

    Yusuf said this at the first 2017 National Executive meeting of the association in Lagos.

    He noted that herdsmen were first Nigerian citizens and should be prosecuted accordingly if they are found guilty in court of crimes.

    The cleric said: “Let’s pay more attention to the issue of national security. During this hardship, we should not compound people’s problems. They should be free to go about their activities safely. The best way to address issues that we have around us is to be open-minded. We are Nigerians. Whosoever behaves well, we acknowledge them, whoever doesn’t behave well, we identify them as an individual or group and deal with them decisively. The moment you start bringing in religious colouration, you start having sympathy for people.

    “Nigerians should see people as Nigerian citizens and if they are not doing well, we bring them out and deal with them, without necessarily bringing out the issue of religion. This is not palatable for us.”

    He noted that citizens’ basic rights to life and security should be defended, rather than infringed upon.

    “I think what government should do is that wherever you may be in any part of Nigeria, if you identify any group of people that are not doing the right thing, there are rights and obligations. We are citizens and we have the right to live. But you should know where your right stops. You don’t tamper with other people’s rights. So people need to be educated and properly guided. And if they are doing things that are wrong, we should stop them in time. Time is very important in anything we are doing. If you waste time, things will get worse. It should be recognised that you have no right to start killing people unnecessarily. They are people like you. They are not different. We are all made by God. You are not special in anyway,” Yusuf said.

    The Muslim leader also called on government to step up efforts to revive the economy through agriculture and provision of employment.

    Yusuf said: “Also on the economy, we still have a large number of unemployed youths out there. I think we need to do more to ensure that unemployed graduates have jobs to do. Idle hand is the devil’s workshop. People are crying of hardship every day and this has to be revoked.

    “More should be done on our agricultural expansion programme to ensure that food is available for the citizens. We are happy with the collaboration Lagos State is having with Kebbi. More of such need to be done. We are not limiting these issues to Federal Government. The state and local governments also have their roles to play. They must buckle up this year and deliver as expected. People are waiting on these three tiers of government to deliver on their promises so that life can be better off for the citizens.”