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Tag: Don Awunah

  • Crisis rocks IYC as chairman escapes death in Bayelsa

    My deputy held me at gunpoint – chairman

    Claims false, says deputy

     

    Crisis is rocking the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Central Zone, following alleged attempts on the lives of the zone’s Chairman, Tare Porri and some elders in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    Porri, on Wednesday, said he survived an attempt on his life by the Vice-Chairman of the council, Amiebi  Turner and some of his loyalists, who invaded the venue of a peace meeting convened by the elders in council.

    Briefing journalists at his office in Izon House on Wednesday, Porri said his deputy stormed the venue of the meeting with bus loads of hoodlums and held him and other elders at gunpoint.

    He said properties belonging to the Chairman of the Elders Advisory Council, Mike Wenibowei, who provided the venue for the meeting were destroyed while the entire area was raided raided with valuables carted away.

    Wenibowei, former Chairman of the IYC, confirmed the incident and said he saw the thugs holding at least three guns adding that the invaders caused panic in the area through many gunshots they fired into the air.

    Wenibowei said it took the intervention of security forces to calm the situation.

    Turner and his loyalists were said to be angry  following an alleged plan  by Porri to handover to one of his supporters before leaving his chairmanship to contest the State House of Assembly seat for Ekeremor Constituency 1 in Bayelsa.

    It was gathered that the thugs attacked and beat up two policemen, including an inspector sent to serve an invitation from the Commissioner of Police in the state Don Awunah, to the suspects in Ogboloma.

    The policemen were reportedly hospitalized after the thugs descended and vented their anger on them.

    Read Also: APC lied on sacking of 28,000 workers, says Bayelsa govt

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Asinim Butswat, confirmed the attack on the security operatives, but said he needed a detailed briefing to get the facts of the matter.

    “I am aware, I just want to get detailed explanation before I talk to you”, he said.

    Porri said he was saved by the intervention of his security aide and the malfunctioning of the locally-made pistol when his deputy pulled the trigger.

    He said: “The Treasurer tried to hit me and when I dodged, I saw Amiebi trying to pull the trigger and the gun did not respond. Immediately I used my last strength to hit him and I don’t know how I got out. He still followed me and was aiming at me before my security detail faced him and that was how I escaped being assassinated.

    “They raided the whole street with all their valuables. As I address you, even my phone is still with him and they have vowed to kill me, my wife and my children and they will burn down my house,”, he said.

    Porri called on the Inspector General of Police, the Commander, Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, the police, Director of the Department of State Services in the state and other security agencies to come to his aid.

    “My life and those of my lieutenants are in serious danger. These hoodlums have vowed to eliminate us. They feel the only way to take over leadership of the IYC is by killing all of us. I have reported to the security agencies”, he added.

    Porri named others who attacked him as Beledayon Barracks, Juliana Okpu and Daniel Perebi, who are also members of the executive committee of the IYC.

    But Turner denied all the allegations describing them as malicious and fallacious and asked the public to disregard the claims.

    He said: “The allegations that I mobilize thugs to disrupt meeting, held a gun, and all that and fabricated. I wish the general public to disregard these allegations leveled against me because it was built and watered on falsehood.

    “I was not invited for the conflict resolution meeting with the Chairman and other stakeholders of Council, but i got the information and went there to make my stand and raise critical issues that could lead to crisis in the zonal leadership.

    “We had series of argument which resulted in reactions by some followers of Porri and, which I find condemable in strong terms. I had to run for my life because I was targeted. I never held a gun or involved in any uproar”.

  • FRSC partners police, military, others on highway security

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Bayelsa State Command, has teamed up with the police, the military and other sister security agencies to ensure security on the highways.

    At a workshop in Yenagoa at the weekend, FRSC emphasized the need for synergy between the corps and security agencies to tackle highway insecurity.

    The FRSC said all the security agencies – military and paramilitary, were saddled with the same goal of maintaining law and order in the country.

    The workshop was attended by personnel of the FRSC, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security services.

    The  Zonal Commanding Officer, FRSC, Port Harcourt Zone, Mr. Kingsley Agomoh,  said traffic management was becoming increasingly complex in Nigeria.

    He commended the Bayelsa State Command of the corps for building the capacity of its staff, noting that the command was ranked third in the whole country during the assessments of states in traffic management.

    Addressing the participants, the State Sector Commander, Mr. Ikechukwu Igwe, said the workshop, entitled, “Highway Security: Need for Synergy’”, was aimed at building trust among personnel to work in collaboration with other sister agencies for the interest of peace and tranquility in the state.

    Read Also: FRSC begins recruitment of new personnel — Spokesman

    The Sector Commander harped on the need for partnership to ensure protection of lives and properties on the highway.

    Ikechukwu said: “During this workshop, we are going to look at the advantages of working together instead of working in isolation. Security job is just like a tyre in a vehicle. The tyre carries the vehicle.

    “When you look at the tyre, you have rims and other parts. No one can work without the other. You remove the valve, it will not work; you remove the rim, it will not work, you can see that each one needs the other to function.

    “For instance,  I cannot say because I am a road safety official, I see a stolen car and I will not report to the police; I cannot see a person carrying illicit drugs and fail to report to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

    “I cannot say because I am a road safety official, I will see somebody carrying children in a way that looks suspicious and I will not alert NAPTIP or Immigration. We see that one way or the other, we need one another.

    “At the officers’ level, we do not have problems. But at the lower levels, there is need for a synergy and that is why we have come together to look at ways we can contribute  so that we can achieve the purpose for which the government pays all of us.”

    In his remarks, the Bayelsa State Police Commissioner, Mr. Don Awunah,  said that inter-agency relation was necessary to achieve maximum security for the people.

    Awunah, represented by a police officer, Osagi Agans-Irabor, noted that joint operations were good, saying it would in the system execution of their duties.

    He said; “When we collaborate, we can complement each other’s weakness and strength. I commend the FRSC for this workshop and we will continue to support each other in securing the environment.”

    On his part, the State Commandant, NSCDC, Godwin Nwachukwu, said the command was also ready to support the FRSC operations to ensure more security on the highway.

    Nwachukwu said:  “Individually, we cannot achieve it, but when we do it collectively, we can have better results.

    “We must support each other because we (the Army, Navy among others) are working towards achieving the same objectives.

  • Cultists risk 20-year-jail term in Bayelsa

    Bayelsa State Government, on Monday, took its war against cultism to a different level following the signing of the Secret Cult, Societies and Similar Activities Prohibition Amendment Bill 2018 into law, by the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson.

    The new law prescribes 20-year-jail term without an option of fine for anybody convicted of cultism-related offences.

    Assenting to the amended law in Government House, Dickson lamented the rise in cult and other related activities in the state, especially in Yenagoa and its environs.

    He stressed that, with the amendment, the law enforcement agencies had been empowered to deal decisively with suspected cultists and their sponsors.

    Dickson explained that, the amendment to the law, which had existed since May, 2012, was to check the rise in cult activities among youths.

    He said the amendment was necessary to give the law enforcement agencies more powers to proactively protect lives and property as well as safeguard the future of the state.

    The law also empowers the police and other law enforcement agencies to conduct search on the homes of suspected cultists and sponsors, even without warrant.

    The amendment prescribes that buildings and premises used for cult, activities, initiations as well as the storage of arms and dangerous weapons should be forfeited to the government.

    Read Also: Suspected cultists, police clash in Bayelsa

    The law further empowers the state government to destroy such buildings and premises, without any compensation to its owners.

    The governor called on landlords and property owners not to allow criminals and cultists to turn their property into centre of crime and criminality.

    He urged Bayelsans to report all suspicious and cult related activities to the appropriate authorities.

    Dickson said: “As a government we cannot allow this ugly trend of events to continue unabated.  A situation where children below 15, 16, 17 and majority of our youth population are members of one dangerous cult group or society, where they carry guns and other weapons and shoot, maim, kill  and create insecurity in parts of the State is totally unacceptable. As a responsible government, we must put an end to this and it has to be now.’’

    In his remarks, the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Don Awunah, said the new law repositioned the state in the fight against cultism and cult-related activities in the country.

    “With the amendments, we believe the police now have the comprehensive powers to confront crime and criminality head-on because most crimes in the state are cult-related”.

     

  • Police fighting cultism frontally in Bayelsa – CP

    The Police Command in Bayelsa says it is fighting cultism in the state headlong with the collaboration of other security agencies.
    The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Don Awunah made the disclosure in an interview with the News men on Tuesday in Abuja.
    “The police, the state Government and other security agencies are fighting it frontally,’’ he said.
    The commissioner noted that, generally, the state was peaceful as it ranked the lowest among states in the country within the National crime index.
    “Bayelsa generally is a very peaceful state. Within the national crime index, the state ranks the lowest.
    “We have issues of cultism, a lot of misguided youths have formed all kinds of cult groups,’’ he said.
    The commissioner said that the few cases of crime in the state were driven by cultism that had permeated all strata of the state.
    Awunah said that all cases of kidnapping and armed robbery in the state were one way or the other linked to cultism.
    He said that the command had put in place “Operation Safer Bayelsa’’ as a measure to check crime and criminality in the state.

    Read Also: Police officer Ibrahim accused in ‘Apo six killing’ decorated

    “We have also put in place anti-cultism unit essentially streamlined to fight cultism and other related offences,’’ he said.Awunah blamed parents for not guiding their wards who had chosen to engage in cultism.

    “Our parents are not guiding their children enough. All we need to do is for people to cue behind the police to check cultism among youths in the state,’’ he said.
    On recovery of illegal arms, Awunah said that some members of the public had voluntarily submitted their arms to the police.
    The Inspector-General of Police,( I-G), Mr Ibrahim Idris, had directed all command Commissioners of Police to commence the recovery of prohibited firearms in the country.
    Awunah said that the command had recorded a huge success in the recovery of prohibited and illegally acquired arms in the state.
    The commissioner said that the state government had invested so much in security infrastructure.

    NAN

     

  • Police recover six guns, grenades, military fatigue from suspects 

    The Police in Bayelsa State have intensified their war against armed robbers terrorising Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital and its environs.

    Within a week of continual raids under the Operation Safer Bayelsa project of the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Don Awunah, a crack team of the police arrested over 14 suspected armed robbers.

    It was gathered that the team recovered over six guns, military fatigue, ammunition and four hand grenades.

    In one of the operations, the team nabbed three persons involved in alleged cases of cultism, pipeline vandalism and armed robbery in the state. 

    While one of the suspect, identified as Temona Boleigha Alison, following a tip-off by the command’s strike force, two others were arrested by men of the anti-robbery squad based on intelligence sourced from the Bayelsa Volunteers. 

    It was gathered that four hand grenades, one live cartridge, a pair of military uniform, one machete, one SIM card, and twelve wraps of substance suspected to be cocaine were recovered from them. 

    The command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Butswat Asinim, who confirmed the development also said that one Prince Loosen Elevate was arrested for attacking and robbing a victim, Emmanuel Eyemudoro at Osiri Road.

    He said two gang members of the suspect, who operated in a tricycle with registration number KTA 371 QA were at large adding that Elevate was apprehended by community  youths when he tried to escape from the scene.

    Butswat added that a locally-made pistol was recovered from him while the police were trailing his cohorts.

    The spokesman, who said all the arrests were effected between March 5 and 12 noted that a lone suspected armed robber identified as one Monovie Abilo with a locally made pistol attacked one Mrs Karina George, while she was making a phone call at Etegwe by Glory Land Hospital.

    He said: “Luck ran out on the suspect as one Mr. Efiemi George who was driving a Lexus Jeep knocked down the armed robber. The armed robber was arrested and a locally made revolver pistol was recovered from him. Investigation is ongoing. 

    “Based  on a tip-off policemen raided a restaurant and bar at Agudama-Epie, Yenagoa and arrested one Gbelele Beecroft 28yrs; Prince Felix Terrence, 17yrs;  Olali David, 18yrs; Tony Francis, 28yrs; Timothy Charles, 17yrs and Monovie Francis 38yrs. Two locally revolver pistol and one locally-made gun, Seven rounds of 7mm ammunition were recovered from the suspects. Investigation is ongoing.

    “One Mr. Godddwin Ukpai Emeka alerted the control room that he was attacked by about five armed robbers operating in a Dark grey Toyota Camry, after withdrawing the sum of One Million Naira (N1,000.000.00) from First Bank, Yenezuegene Branch, Yenagoa.

    Consequently, the Command Tactical Teams were alerted and they swung into action. A reliable source informed the team of the location of the suspects at INEC Road, Yenagoa. 

    “The team trailed and arrested the following suspects namely; Douye Isoun, 30yrs; a native of Odi in Kolokuma Opokuma LGA, Kelvin Godwin, 30yrs;  a native of Igbide Community in Isoko South LGA and one Kelvin Canus 25yrs a native of Koluama in Southern Ijaw LGA. 

    “One locally made single Barrel gun, three machetes, one military camouflage nickers, one police camouflage, Fez Cap, substances suspected to be hard drugs and a Toyota Corolla Saloon Car with REG NO BY 800 CD were recovered from them. 

    “Similarly, at about 1750hrs, Operatives from Operation Doo Akpor chased some suspected hoodlums in a Toyota Camry Car, with registration number:  TDU-826 PX the suspects abandoned the car at Tenacious Road Edepie.

    “The following items were recovered from the vehicle; two locally made cut-to-size single Barrel gun, three live cartridges and one expended cartridge”.

  • My captors were angry I had only N20,000 in my account – Hirse

    My captors were angry I had only N20,000 in my account – Hirse

    Mr Bagudu Hirse, former Minister of State (Foreign Affairs), who was kidnapped in Kaduna, on Nov. 20, 2016, has said that his captors were angry when they confirmed that he had only N20,000 in his account.

    Hirse, who relayed his experience with the captors in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Jos, said that the captors confirmed the balance in his account when they checked his phone.

    “They went through my bank details and expressed deep disappointment that a former minister and Ambassador had such a little sum in his account.

    “That was when they started harassing my wife because they had earlier asked for a ransom of N50 million.

    “In fact, when they confirmed the figure, they started doubting if I was the Bagudu Hirse, a former Nigeria envoy to Namibia,” he said.

    Hirse said that the kidnappers kept ordering his wife to bring the money that her husband was hiding.

    “My wife told them the truth about our financial status, but they were not convinced,” he said.

    The former minister, however, confirmed that the captors were “paid something in dollars”, before he was eventually released.

    He said that the captors told him that they were graduates who were forced into kidnapping to survive because they were “jobless and frustrated”.

    “One said that he graduated from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, six years ago, and had remained without a job, while another said he studied Chemical Engineering and had been jobless for five years,” he said.

    Hirse, who said he was “treated very well” by the kidnappers, said that he maintained a cordial relationship with them throughout the period of the captivity.

    He advised government to create more jobs, and stressed the need to concentrate on building the private sector.

    “If the private sector is supported to be viable, there will be jobs and most of these idle youths will be absorbed,” he said.

    NAN reports that eight suspects have been arrested in connection with Hirse’s ordeal.

    Mr Don Awunah, police spokesperson, who announced the arrest, said that the gang was apprehended based on intelligence reports and surveillance which led to the arrest of one Dominic Nwakpa, the gang leader, on Jan. 1.

    Among those arrested and paraded by the police was a dismissed police officer, Clinton Abere.

    Others included Ifeanyi Chukwu, Balat Paul (driver), Ibrahim Samuel, Jatau Peter and Afini Paul, younger sister to the driver of the gang and owner of the house where kidnapped victims were kept.

    The police quoted the suspects as admitting that they collected ransom before releasing Hirse.

  • Rivers rerun: Six policemen arrested for professional misconduct

    At least six policemen have been arrested for professional misconduct during the December 10, 2016 parliamentary rerun elections in Rivers.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that those arrested are – Ex-Insp. Eyong Victor, Ex-Sgt. Peter Ekpo, Ex-Sgt. Ogun I. Goodluck, Ex-Sgt. Orji Nwoke, Sgt. Okpe Ezekiel and Ex-Sgt. Tanko Akor.

    The Force spokesman, Don Awunah, disclosed this while presenting the suspects to journalists in Abuja on Friday.

    “In the course of discreet investigations into the above misconduct, the following personnel were found to have in total disrespect to orders and directives, compromised, engaged in unprofessional acts,” he said.

    He said the suspects who were subjected to internal disciplinary measures were found guilty and dismissed from the force.

    Awunah added that the suspects would be prosecuted under the Electoral Act to serve as a deterrent to other police personnel.

    He explained that the suspects took laws into their hands and opened fire on the crowd.

    “They joined in storming the Port Harcourt City Council secretariat and prevented the movement of election results in Emouha polling unit to the appropriate collation centre,” he said.

    The force spokesman said the suspects in convoy of the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, on the election day misused firearms contrary to Force Order 237.

    He said the suspects violated the warnings and instructions from the police high command that officers on duty should desist from escorting their principals (public officers and politicians) on election days.

     

     

  • B’Haram: IGP seeks support from Botswana, Burkina Faso

    B’Haram: IGP seeks support from Botswana, Burkina Faso

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris has solicited the support of Botswana and Burkina Faso to bring Boko Haram to a halt.
    The IGP sought the support in Abuja on Wednesday when the High Commissioners of both Countries Mr Myron Bonang (Botswana) and Mr Piable Firmin (Burkina Faso) paid him a visit at the Force headquarters.
    This is contained in a statement in Abuja by the Force Spokesman, Don Awunah.
    “The IGP solicited their cooperation and support in the fight against terrorism in the country.”
    The IGP also emphasised that information sharing plays a vital role in tackling terrorism and other violent crimes
  • Police foil kidnap attempt on Otedola

    Police foil kidnap attempt on Otedola

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) has foiled an attempt by a three-man gang to kidnap business mogul, Femi Otedola.

    Ikechukwu Daniel, 28, Adeyemi Kayode, 29, and Ayodele Temitayo who were arrested in June, confessed to have planned Otedola’s kidnap.

    They were also said to have admitted being responsible for various high profile kidnappings in the Southwest.

    While Kayode was said to be a personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ikechukwu, the prime suspect, was dismissed from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, for cultism.

    According to Force Headquarters’ spokesman, Don Awunah, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), two AK47 rifles loaded with live ammunition were recovered from them, adding that the planned to collect one billion Naira as ransom.

    He said: “The arrest was achieved through coordinated intelligence gathering and deployment of technical investigative tools that spanned several weeks.

    “The Principal suspect, Ikechukwu Daniel, a 28-year-old indigene of Imo State, who is the mastermind of the gang, was rusticated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, due to his cult related activities on campus in 2009/2010.

    “He doubles as the IT guru of the kidnap gang with mastery of computer applications. He made damning revelations of their criminal exploits in the south-west of the country.

    “Another member of the gang, 29-year-old Adeyemi Kayode, a serving officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and a native of Ojoo in Ibadan, Oyo State serves as a Personal Assistant to the Commandant, NSCDC Oyo State Command.

    “The suspect took undue advantage of his office to obtain the GSM number and location of their would-be victim. He hatched the plan on how to kidnap the business magnate to make a demand of one billion naira ransom.

    “The third suspect, Ayodele Temitayo, a native of Oyo in Ibadan, Oyo State was the marksman and armourer of the gang. He claimed to have been dismissed from 213 Battalion Maiduguri of Nigeria Army as a Private in 2015.

    “All the suspects made confessional statements revealing that they had successfully carried out several high-profile kidnappings and two AK47 rifles loaded with live ammunition were recovered from them.

    “While efforts are currently being intensified to apprehend other members of the gang and extend the investigation to their other criminal enterprise, the IGP Ibrahim Idris restates the commitment of the Force to clamp down on all criminal activities across the country and reassures law-abiding citizens that criminal elements would be eventually apprehended and charged to court.”

  • Police parade alleged killers of P’Harcourt-based lawyer

    Police parade alleged killers of P’Harcourt-based lawyer

    • Father, son named among suspects

    The Police have paraded a father, his son and two others for their alleged involvement in the kidnap and murder of a Port Harcourt – based human rights lawyer, Mr. Ken Atsuwete.

    The victim was murdered in cold blood on August 29 along Onuchiolu Road, Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State.

    The police explained that the suspects were arrested by the IGP’s Monitoring Unit based in Port Harcourt after an investigation.

    The suspects include Chibiko James Amuzuo Okwuono, Amadi Nathaniel, Ezims Aleru and Junior Aleru, from whom exhibits like one AK 47 rifle, 124 live ammunition and four AK 47 magazines were recovered.

    Briefing journalists on Friday in Abuja about their operation, Force Spokesman, Don Awunah, said: “Four suspects were arrested in connection with the case.  The leader of the gang, Chibiko James, is a 22-year-old native of Umuchie in Omuna Local Governmnet Area of Rivers State.

    “He is a self-confessed member of the Iceland Cult group, Kelga Marinner and a notorious kidnapper.

    “He also confessed to having led his gang of armed men to murder the deceased. The AK 47 rifle with which he killed the deceased was recovered.

    “Also, contrary to public suspicion that he was hired to assassinate the deceased, the suspect, according to his statement, revealed that the murder was a result of botched kidnap attempt,” Awunah stated.

    He also said that other members of the gang confessed to committing the crime.

    The suspects, in what appeared to be a blame game, blamed each other for the crime.

    The gang leader, James, explained that Ezims Aleru and his wife were responsible for the operation.

    According to him, “this man (Ezims) led us into all these things. He and his wife are responsible for this operation.”

    Asked if they committed the crime, another member of the gang, Nathaniel Amadi, 21, said: “We did it, but it was not intentional.

    “I joined the gang because my father was killed, our house was burnt and my mother is sick in the hospital. We did not know that the man we kidnapped was a lawyer.

    “The man died because he was struggling and dragging the gun with us. He died in the process of dragging the gun. While we were struggling, he mistakenly shot himself in the leg and died. We didn’t intend to kill him.”

    Asked if they were hired to do the job, he simply said: “We were not sent. We didn’t even know who he was.

    “We saw his car approaching on the road and we decided to stop him and try our luck. “We actually wanted to kidnap him for ransom, but he ended up dead.

    On why he joined the gang, Amadi said: “It is because I am jobless. How am I expected to survive in this harsh economy?

    “Since they burnt my house, nobody takes care of my mother and I am the only child she gave birth to, and she is presently suffering from stroke.

    “It was frustration that led me into this.”

    Also speaking about his involvement, Ezims Aleru, 48 said: “I was in the cell on the day the victim was killed.

    “When I was released from the cell, Chibiko came to my house around 11 pm with a gun and he said that I should help him keep it because he wanted to travel and would come back the following day.

    “That was how I got involved in this whole thing, and same goes for my son.

    “The only mistake I made was collecting the gun from Chubiko.

    “If I had known, I would have asked him what he used the gun for and why he asked me to hide it. But that is the only mistake I made.”