The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Divisional Police Officer

  • ‘How to achieve peace in schools’

    Former Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Magodo Division, Lagos, Okon Effiong, has urged pupils to embrace peace and avoid settling scores among themselves.

    He gave the advice at the seminar on Peace and conflict resolution/prevention organised by the Rotary clubs of Gbagada South and Lagos Mainland in collaboration with their Rotaract clubs for secondary schools in Somolu Local Government Area at Eva Adelaja Girls High School, Bariga, Lagos.

    No fewer than 50 pupils and some teachers from over six schools attended the seminar. They included: Gbagada Comprehensive School, Oduduwa Senior High School, Gbagada Girls Senior High School, Bariga Junior High School and the host school.

    Effiong, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), who was a guest speaker, said fighting leads to destruction of lives and properties, some of which are irreplaceable.

    He noted that peace is not the absence of conflicts, but rather the ability to handle conflicts through peaceful means. He listed the causes of conflicts as alcohol, lack of counseling, cultism and personality problems, among others.

    To manage their conflicts, the former senior police officer gave the pupils the following tips:  reporting crimes to the police, telling parents, teachers and close friends about it, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and lonely roads. He  also asked them to avoid cultism.

    Another guest speaker and Counsellor with Bariga Junior Comprehensive School, Mrs Ugo Olugu Agbai listed tribe, religion, communication, socio-economic, alcoholism, temperament as factors affecting peace among pupils.

    She said principals have a lot to do in resolving conflicts in their schools. She urged them to meet regularly to fashion out ways to tackle the problem.  She said pupils should be counselled on the ills of conflicts and merits of peaceful existence. She advised parents to live up to their responsibilities to their wards.

    To promote peace, Mrs Olugu urged the pupils to form peace clubs in their schools, a call they pledged to implement.

    Earlier, a representative of the District Governor Alhaji Lanre Kazeem, an Assistant Governor, called for peaceful co-existence among Nigerians, especially pupils. He said where conflicts arose, there was the need to settle them amicably. This is the way to progress, he added.

    Rotary Club Gbagada South President, Bilamin Sanni urged the pupils to practise what they had  learnt at the event. Only then could they justify the resources spent in holding the seminar, he added. He later presented certificates of perticipation to each pupil and their teachers.

  • Police foil plot to kidnap oil merchant by employees

    The Lagos State Police Command says it has arrested two suspected kidnappers while planning to kidnap their boss, one Solomon Otungo, an oil and gas merchant.

    The Commissioner of Police in Lagos, CP Zubairu Muazu confirmed the arrest to newsmen on Thursday at the command’s headquarters.

    He said that the suspects were arrested based on intelligence report.

    “It is based on credible intelligence report received that some newly employed staff of one Solomon Otungo, an oil and gas merchant of Bucknor area of Ejigbo, Lagos, were holding nocturnal meeting on how they would kidnap and keep their employer incommunicado until a ransom of N60 million was paid that they were arrested.

    “The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ejigbo Police Station, CSP Okuwobi Olabisi, swiftly mobilized police detectives and stormed the venue of the meeting where two of the employees were promptly rounded up and brought to the station.

    “The confessional statements of the suspects, led to the arrest of one other suspect at Isolo area of Lagos State.

    “The suspects in unison, have confessed to the crime. They added that had their plan pulled through, they would have demanded a N60 million ransom from the business man.

    “Suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigation,” he said.

    In a similar development, on Tuesday, Feb. 19, about 1a.m, the Divisional Police Officer, Sabo Division, said he received a distress call that some hoodlums were burgling a store at No.11 Oweh Street, Jibowu.
    According to the CP, the officer led a team of policemen to confront the hoodlums.

    “On getting close to the scene, they sighted a mercury villager Space Wagon, with Reg. No. PG 393 AAA parked in front of the store.

    “However, the hoodlums, on seeing the approaching police team, sped off, driving against traffic in their desperation to evade arrest.

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    “They were, however, given a hot chase by the police operatives.

    “As a result, the occupants of the bus started firing at the team. The policemen fired back at them and in the process, the bus stopped abruptly, falling into a ditch.

    “Some of the robbers escaped with bullet wounds but one of them who sustained bullet injury on the right leg was found with three big sacks containing different sizes of shoes, bags, clothes and other items.

    “He was arrested and taken to the station. During interrogation, he gave his name as Paul Ozurumba of No.6 Igbobi Sabe Street, Jibowu, Yaba.

    “A search warrant was executed in his house and the following items, ranging from refrigerators, pharmaceutical drugs, bale of underwear, televisions and other property suspected to have been stolen were recovered from him.

    “Meanwhile, two other members of his gang, namely, Stanley Sungalome and Michael Agbunwor, have been arrested and they confessed to have committed the crime,” Muazu said. (NAN)

  • Woman arraigned for stabbing police officer

    Woman arraigned for stabbing police officer

    A 57 -year-old woman, Elizabeth Oyindo, who allegedly stabbed a police officer with a broken bottle was on Friday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    Oyindo, who resides at Ijaiye Ojokoro was arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, breach of peace and assault.

    The prosecutor, Sgt. Mr. Godwin Awase, had told the court that the suspect committed the offences on Jan.17 at her residence.

    He said that the accused and others, still at large, conspired to assault a police officer, Francis Azuruna, with a broken bottle.

    “The accused stabbed the complainant with a bottle while performing his lawful duty,” the prosecutor said.

    Awase said the complainant was sent to the house of the accused to restore peace between her and some staff of electricity company when he was assaulted.

    “The Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) wanted to disconnect electricity supply to the apartment of the accused for owing.

    “The accused invited some hoodlums who came to remove and seize the ladder which Mr Yusuf Oloyede, a staffer of IKEDC, used to climb up while he was still on top of the poll.

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    “Another staff of IKEDC called the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ojokoro Station who sent the complainant to the scene.

    “On getting there, the accused and others attacked him. The accused was dragging his riffle and in the process stabbed him with a broken bottle on his right hand.

    “The accused was later arrested, while others escaped,” the prosecutor said.

    He said that the offences contravened Sections 168, 174 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, as revised.

    The accused however pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    The Magistrate, Mr J. A. Adigun, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Adigun said that the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    The case was adjourned until Feb. 23 for mention.

    NAN

  • Foundation builds quarters for Abia DPO

    Foundation builds quarters for Abia DPO

    An organisation known as Emma Nwaka Foundation has built residential quarters for the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State to alleviate the accommodation problems that every DPO posted to the area experiences.

    Speaking with Southeast Report while handing over the building at Amokwe-Amiyi, Isuikwuato, the Chairman of the Foundation, Senator Emma Nwaka said he decided to build the residential quarters to solve the housing problems of DPOs posted to the council area.

    Nwaka, a former Senator said he empathised with the DPOs who have been operating from outside the council area, stressing that such situation does not allow them to give their best in terms of crime prevention or even combating crimes head on.

    He said most DPOs posted to the area either operate from Okigwe in Imo State or from Umuahia.

    “This is very bad for combating crimes. I felt pity for them and that informed why my foundation built this modest house for them,” he said.

    Nwaka, who is the immediate past state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the facility is a three bedroom house, en-suit masters bedroom and a room for his orderly.

    “There is a standby power generating set and a borehole for constant water supply.

    “I had wanted to furnish the house to taste but the recent burial of my mother drained my purse, but I am going to beckon on my friends to come and help in the furnishing so that every DPO posted here will have a place to live in and operate effectively.

    “I have also offered to help a son of the man who donated the land free for the building to get a job. Though the house is very close to mine, the land does not belong to me. The name of the man who donated the land is Paul Ihedioha”.

    Nwaka said the foundation had earlier sought the permission of the police to build and donate the house to the state police command.

    The letter, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent reads.

    “When it came to our notice that the DPO of our area does not have a befitting accommodation, we thought it wise and necessary to build a house and hand same over to the Nigeria Police on the understanding that it shall become the permanent abode of any DPO posted to the area.

    “The job these people do can, at times, be quite hazardous, as most times, they lead their men to confront dangerous criminals. It is not fair that, at the end of the day, such an officer goes back to dwell among these miscreants without absolute control over his own house.

    “This motivated our foundation to build a three-unit apartment for the DPO. It is made up of a three bedroom flat en-suit, a two room apartment for his orderly/assistant and a security outpost with perimeter fence. There is water and dedicated power generating set to augment public supply.”

    In a letter sent to the foundation on the occasion of the unveiling and handing over of the building to the state police command, the Senator representing Abia North at the Senate, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa was read.

    The letter reads: “I sincerely commend you and the entire members of the Emma Nwaka Foundation for this rare choice of providing a comfortable perpetual accommodation for the DPOs in your council area. This is, indeed, an added strength to the foundation of our national security in Isuikwuato and the entire nation which is worthy of emulation”.

    While unveiling the building, the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Michael Ogbizi commended the Emma Nwaka Foundation for remembering to give back to the police which he said will go a long way to encourage them to do more.

    Ogbizi, who was represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Sagir Abubakar said he had wished that there are 774 Nwakas across the country which would have helped the police to perform better.

  • Police arrest four for expressway robbery 

    Police arrest four for expressway robbery 

    The Ogun State Police Command has arrested four member robbery syndicate while robbing victims at the Sagamu Interchange stretch of the Lagos – Ibadan expressway.

    The suspects were said to have attacked their victims last Sunday night in bids to dispossess them of the belongings but following a tip off to the Police, the Divisional Police Officer, Sagamu division, Mr Moses Aduroja, led a team of Anti–Robbery squad to the scene  and apprehended four of them.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, gave the names of the suspects as Sulaiman Fatai (21), Ayobami Alao(21), Yusuf Sodiq (20) and Emmanuel Adeleke (18).

    Abimbola added that cutlasses, iron rod, knife, and other dangerous weapons were recovered from the suspects.

    According to him, the suspects claimed they usually come from Oshodi in Lagos to carry out robbery operation at Sagamu interchange.

     

  • Subsidy protest: How the dismissed DPO shot Daramola – Witnesses

    Subsidy protest: How the dismissed DPO shot Daramola – Witnesses

    A Lagos High Court, Ikeja, has been told that the dismissed Divisional Police Officer, Pen Cinema Police Station, Agege, Segun Fabunmi , shot at Adedamola Daramola and some fuel subsidy protesters on January 9, 2012 at Yaya Abatan in Ogba.

    At the resumed trial of the DPO on Tuesday, two prosecution witnesses, Adekunle Alabi and Alimi Abubakar accused Fabunmi of allegedly shooting at some fuel subsidy protesters.

    The witnesses made the allegation while testifying before the court presided by Justice Olabisi Akinlade.

    Led in evidence by Mrs. Olabisi Ogungbesan, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Lagos State, Abubakar told the court how the incident happened.

    The witness recalled that himself and some other persons were reading newspapers at Yaya Abatan Junction, Agege, when the policemen arrived in two patrol vehicles.

    Abubakar said that when the team which was led by the defendant arrived at about 8am, one of the officers started shooting in the air and towards the ground to scare people away.

    He said that Fabunmi, seeing this, moved to the officer and snatched the gun from him.

    The witness alleged that the defendant started shooting at the people, including the deceased at the junction.

    He said: “I can’t tell how many times he fired but I was hit by a bullet on my leg.

    “Daramola was standing by my side and the bullet also injured him. He ran towards Abeokuta Street while I ran into a nearby mosque.”

    Abubakar also claimed that from his hiding place in the mosque, he saw Fabunmi chasing Daramola and some other persons towards Abeokuta Street.

    The witness, however, admitted that he did not see the DPO shooting Daramola because he was in hiding.