The Nation Newspaper

Tag: DSP

  • Three robbery suspects caught trying to sell loot

    Three robbery suspects caught trying to sell loot

    Three armed robbery suspects who allegedly snatched cars on Opere Street, Coker Aguda in Surulere, Lagos on December 14 have been arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Lagos State Police Command.

    They were caught while attempting to hand the cars over to receivers on Market Street, Oyingbo, Lagos Mainland.

    The suspects are: Jamiu Agboola (20), Toibu Oyeyinka (24) and Lanre Otunola (18). They were paraded yesterday with the items at the command’s Ikeja, Lagos headquarters.

    Items recovered from them include two locally-made pistols, four live cartridges, one Honda Acura MDC Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), 2013 model, marked AKD 09 AA and one silver-coloured Toyota Highlander SUV, marked AGL 327 CD.

    The command’s spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ngozi Braide said the suspects’ arrest followed information received on December 15 by the Officer in Charge of the SARS, Superintendent of Police (SP) Abba Kyari that two stolen cars were parked by armed robbers on the Market Street.

    She said Kyari led a team of SARS Decoy Personnel to the area, saw the vehicles and laid 23-hour ambush before arresting the suspects when they came to pick the cars about 5am on December 16.

    The suspects made confessions. Jamiu said: “I am a professional driver. I did not carry gun; Otunola and Oyeyinka did. My role is to carry them to operations and back. I started robbery work less than three months ago. I am from Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. I joined armed robbery gang to get money to start my own vulcanising workshop.”

    Oyeyinka, a native of Ibadan, Oyo State, said: “I am a bus conductor. When poverty wanted to play with my life, I joined armed robbery gang. I vowed not to shoot my victims but rather to intimidate them with gun to get what I want from them.

    “The victim wanted to come out of his house, but we rushed him in with gun. Indian hemp helped my operations. I have participated in car snatching thrice. The first one, we got 37 phone sets after a house-to-house operation. The second operation failed and we managed to escape alive when we heard of SARS operatives at the scene.”

    Ilorin, Kwara State-born Otunola said: “My work is wood cutting after bringing logs from forest. I became an armed robber when my dear mother took ill and I had no money to treat her. I have participated in armed robberies thrice. It was this last operation that put me into trouble. A buyer called me to look for somebody to get him good cars. He said one buyer called Ibadan needed two Camry cars, while one Baale also needed one. I contacted Jamiu, our gang leader, and we went to look for cars. I blame government for making me to take to armed robbery because it did not create jobs or good environment that could generate self-employment.”

  • Protest as water tanker kills pupil in Lagos

    A water tanker yesterday crushed a pupil to death, sparking a protest in Ajah on the outskirts of Lagos.

    The pupil and five of his mates were on their way to school when the tanker ran into them as they attempted to cross the road.

    Three were injured and rushed to the hospital.

    Angry residents barricaded the highway after the accident chanting war songs.

    They demanded that pedestrian bridge be built for commuter safety.

    It was gathered that a protesters was shot by a policeman.

    Police spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said:

    “Today, November 18, at about 0800hrs, Ajah Police Division received a distress call that there was a fatal motor accident. The Divisional Police Officer in company of the Divisional Traffic Officer raced to the scene.

    “On getting there, they discovered that it was an accident involving one Blue Mercedes Benz Water Tanker(truck) with registration number. XZ87JJJ and a black Toyota Prado Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) with registration number CB690AKD. Preliminary enquiry showed that while the Prado SUV gave way to the pupils to cross the road, the water tanker ran into the kids, killing one of them, while two others were injured and are currently receiving treatment at the hospital. “Based on the foregoing, residents, youths and indigenes got infuriated and barricaded the Lekki/Ajah expressway. They attributed their grievance to incessant accidents and lack of pedestrian bridge, which they had been asking for. The situation was later brought under control as the Area Commander intervened and appealed to them not to take the law into their hands which they obliged to and left the road at about 1330hrs. Meanwhile the area is calm and quiet now”.

    The Lagos State Government yesterday assured parents that its public schools are safe.

    The assurance came on the heels of concerns by parents over the fate of some pupils who fainted after inhaling noxious substances three weeks ago.

    The General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Mr. Babatunde Shabi, said though all the 22 affected pupils had been discharged from hospital, investigation is still ongoing to unravel the source of the gaseous substance.

    He said though nothing incriminating had been established against the photographic laboratory involved the incident, it will remain shut until investigation is completed.

    Shabi said he would be meeting with the photo laboratory operators to establish the types of chemicals used to process photographs and to see if the alleged photo laboratory is hiding anything from investigators.

  • Ex-prison staff nabbed for car snatching

    Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested an ex-Nigerian prison staff, Sunday Nwaogbaga, 30, over his alleged involvement in the snatching of an 18 -seater Toyota bus from the owner early this month in Lagos.

    The Command’s spokesman, DSP Sylvester Igbo, said the police made the arrest in conjunction with the Chairman of Ebonyi Youth Assembly, Comrade Chinedu Ogah and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, in Ikwo Local government area of the state, Elder John Nti.

    The police spokesman noted that the suspect had confessed to the crime after the bus was recovered at Ochudo Park in Abakaliki.

    He said, “On interrogation, the suspect confessed that he snatched the bus in Lagos State from one Ifeanyi on June 1. Investigation revealed that he was a staff of the Nigeria Prison Service, Enugu State Command. He joined the service in 2002 and was dismissed in 2006.

    Igbo also revealed that the men of the 32 Police Mobile Force, attached to the Area Command Afikpo also arrested one Okechukwu Emmanuel, a native of Amanike Awka, Anambra State, with a locally made pistol while on a stop and search duty along Abomege-Afikpo road

    “The arrest of the suspect led to the arrest of one Eluu Echem, the manufacturer of the said pistol and Egwu Ukoh the linkman.

    “During his arrest these items were recovered from him; one locally made long gun with some cartridges including some expanded ones. He is from Amelu Ugwu-Egu in Afikpo North LGA and has made useful statement and will soon be charged to court.”