Suspected billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a Evans, on Friday asked a Lagos High Court in Igbosere to quash all the five charges filed against him by the Lagos State Government.
Evans told Justice Adedayo Akintoye that his trial was an abuse of court processes because similar charges had been filed against him by the state at the Ikeja Division of the court.
According to him, the law requires that all the cases must be consolidated and brought before one judge.
His trial before Justice Akintoye is the fourth and fifth in a series of murder, attempted murder and kidnap charges brought against him by the state since his arrest last June 10 in his Magodo, Lagos mansion.
But only two charges are before Justice Akintoye. Three multiple-count charges are before Justices Hakeem Oshodi and Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Ikeja High Court.
In the case before Justice Akintoye, Evans and three others are facing a fresh five-count charge of conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and attempted murder.
His co-defendants are: Joseph Emeka, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba.
In the second charge, Evans, Joseph Emeka, Linus Okpara and Victor Aduba are facing similar counts.
At the resumed hearing of the case yesterday, Evans’ counsel, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, argued that all the charges were “grossly defective, repetitive and an abuse of court processes”.
Ogungbeje said: “Apart from the counts being of same offence, same section of the law (Section 153 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) is being provided in these counts.
“I submit that the prosecution misfired by bringing different charges and instituting the same case in different courts.
“I urge Your Lordship to quash the charge because it is defective and an abuse of court process.”
But Director for Public Prosecutions (DPP), Ms Titilayo Shitta-Bey, opposed him.
She said: “The general rule is that every offence must be in a separate count.”
Shitta-Bey stated that the first defendant was charged with attempt to murder Chief James Udoji in count three, while in count four, he was charged with attempt to murder Mr Donald Nwonye.
“It will be against the provisions of the law to lump the two offences in one count,” she added.
Shitta-Bey further explained that other charges filed against the first defendant before other judges involved different defendants committing differnt offences against different victims at different locations and times.
She urged the court to dismiss the application.
Shitta-Bey also countered the application of the third defendant, Linus Okpara, in the second charge, which urged the court to quash the two-count charge preferred against him, on the ground that it disclosed no prima facie case.
She said the proof of evidence disclosed where the third defendant admitted collecting the sum of N2 million for the first defendant in relation to one of the victims, Uche Okorafor.
“I, therefore, urge the court to discountenance the third defendant’s argument,” the DPP said.
Justuce Akintoye adjourned till June 26 for ruling.
At its inception in 1973, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was designed as a tool for national unity. The idea was that, posting young Nigerian graduates to places outside their states of origin would get them better acquainted with the ways of life of their host communities, and thus help in reducing, if not eradicating some of the prejudices Nigerians have about each other. But, a situation where the NYSC boss had to announce that corps members would not be posted to troubled spots would appear to be a minus for the scheme that was started with such lofty idea.
But, is that necessarily so? Not exactly. As a matter of fact, the director-general of the NYSC, Brig-Gen. Suleiman Kazaure, struck the right cord when he announced, on Tuesday at the Orientation Camp in Sagamu, Ogun State, while addressing Batch ‘A’ corps members that the NYSC would ensure that no corps member is posted to areas having security challenges in the country. A release by the director, press and public relations of the NYSC, Adenike Adeyemi, said “no corps member would be posted to an area with security breach within the country. The corps members must uphold the ideals of patriotism as responsible citizens in the discharge of their duties in their different places of primary assignment.”
One should commend the NYSC boss for this initiative even though many parents had been using all manner of subterfuge to evade having their children posted to the troubled spots before now. So, Kazaure’s formal announcement must have been sweet music in the ears of parents whose children are serving or will still serve in the current service year. Many prospective or serving corps members too must have received the news with joy. Nothing less is expected from any man who has his own children and would therefore not want to put other people’s children in harm’s way.
It is not Kazaure’s fault that some parts of the country are having security challenges, just as it is not the corps members’ fault. At any rate, one has to be alive to serve one’s fatherland. One has to be alive to foster unity, too. You can’t do either in the grave. And, as they say,” life has no duplicate.” While the rest of us may see the corps members who had died in the course of the national service as mere statistics, which should not be so in the first place, not so their parents and relatives as well as other loved ones. They are the ones that know the value of what they had lost. Even if we pretend to be touched by describing their loss as a national tragedy, we are still speaking in abstract terms. He who wears the shoe knows where it pinches.
Another good thing from the NYSC is that this is not the only area where the it appears to have shown genuine concern for corps members’ safety and security. The organisation appears to have taken full advantage of information technology (IT) to ensure that corps members stay relatively secure, and in case they have any emergency. Kazaure said in an interview with a national daily that: “We provide them with a booklet on security tips as well as phone numbers that give them a direct access in their places of primary assignment to personnel of security agencies such as the police, the State Security Service and other agencies.
“Apart from these, the scheme has established Distress Call Centres domiciled in the NYSC Directorate headquarters which function 24 hours. We also have the relevant details of all corps members nationwide and their locations are uploaded to the database of the centre.
“If anyone of them puts in a distress call, the call will immediately reflect on the computer screen the details and location of that corps member.”
Nothing of the sort was available when we did our national service in the mid-1980s. Of course there could not have been anything like that then because the level of IT was relatively low. Today, the world is a global village and so many technological innovations have somewhat revolutionised the way we live. I do not know whether it was Kazaure that brought about this innovation or whether he inherited it; the important thing is that the scheme is trying to keep pace with technological developments and is indeed taking advantage of them.
But one should warn that having these technological devices is one thing, maximising their impact is another. Most of these gadgets, no matter how sophisticated would still be programmed by human beings. This is where the problem lies. There must be constant monitoring to ensure that human beings do not come in the way of the efficiency of these gadgets.
One other area one should expect the NYSC to look into is the allowance of the corps members. What they currently get cannot take them home and we should not send our youths to far-flung places only to lead them into temptation. Our VIPs whose children participate in the scheme know what they augment their children’s stipend with. They should therefore realise that ‘what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.’
As we prepare for next year’s General Elections, it is also necessary to remind the government thast if any of these children must be given electoral roles, he or she should be adequately protected. Politicians cannot keep their own children safe at home or abroad only to use other people’s children as cannon fodders.
Above all, corps members themselves must hearken to the admonitions of the NYSC authorities, especially concerning unnecessary travels and keeping late nights. It saddens one whenever any corps member dies as a result of these avoidable circumstances.
Take heart, Evans, such is life
Chukwudubem Onwuamadike, also known as Evans
Chukwudumeje Onwuamadike, popularly known as Evans, unarguably the most celebrated kidnap kingpin suspect (what a mouthful) of our times is sad, and angry. And, in fairness to him, he has every cause to be. How can a celebrated accused of his caliber be treated the way he said prison authorities have been treating him? Evans said for three consecutive days, he was not given food. They are not allowing him to have his bath even as they disallow him from changing his clothes. He is not even allowed to see visitors. Although the kidnap suspect did not say what kind of visitors, one can understand what he is probably talking about: after all man no be wood! We should sympathise with him because in his ‘heyday’, beautiful ladies would be tumbling over themselves to ensure Evans took their own sponge whenever he was having his bath at the stream.
An aggrieved Evans therefore seized a golden opportunity to air his grievances when he appeared before a high court in Igbosere, Lagos, on May 7 to answer the charges of kidnap, murder and attempted murder brought against him by the Lagos State government. He caused a mild drama at the court premises, as he initially refused to alight from the vehicle which conveyed him from the prison to court. But the judge, Adedayo Akintoye, was not one to fall for such antics. He ordered that Evans should be bundled. When he was eventually forced inside the court, Evans signalled the judge that he needed to speak. When the judge allowed him, Evans said: “I have an explanation to make. Since I have been in the maximum prison, they have been maltreating me; no visit, they don’t feed me well, I have an eye problem and I cannot see afar.”
And when the judge ordered prison authorities to take good care of him since he is still deemed innocent until he is convicted, if guilty, Evans broke down in tears. “What have I done to you people? They have been beating me; no good food; I have been locked up in one place since last year; why are they taking my case personal? Why do you people want to kill me,” he said.
In fairness to Evans, he should not be going through this kind of ordeal. Is it not the same prisons where we hear all manner of stories of how well our Very Important Prisoners (VIPs) are spoilt with everything they want, everything under the sun? Have we forgotten that the media carried stories of how one of the oga at the top in the former ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who had a brief stop-over in Kirikiri Prison over contract-splitting had everything at his beck and call? So, could it be that our prisons have changed? Or is it a case of Evans being stingy?
Anyway, whatever it is, Evans deserves better treatment in Kirikiri. Although I would want to admonish him that Nigeria is not the best of places to be suspected on the wrong side of the law. Life at that end is better in the United Kingdom or the United States of America. Or, in some other civilised places. Those are the places where one can get red carpet reception in prison. His wife or girl-friend can even be visiting to satisfy him with ‘tibi’ right there in the prison. Such democracy ends at the entrance of our prisons in Nigeria. Once you are in, you are on your own. Except of course you are ready to play ball, or you know somebody who knows somebody that is close to somebody at the top, the very top! If Evans is not having anyone to help him in these high places, it is because they dread him. In his days ‘in government and in power’ in the kidnap world (that is if he was the one terrorising the rich then), if any of those big people heard his name, they would run for cover.
The rich who could have saved him know how much they were shocked and awed whenever they heard he was in town.
Even if it is seven years since a fowl died, which fox would say it wants to go there to feed its eyes?
Uchenna Okagwu, a witness in the ongoing trial of Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike a.k.a. Evans, told an Ikeja high court yesterday that he paid €233,000 (Euros) in order to secure the release of his boss, Donatus Duru, from his captivity.
Okagwu who is the second prosecution witness, narrated to the court how the money was paid.
The Manager of Maydon Pharmaceutical Company, owned by Duru, told Justice Hakeem Oshodi that he sent by courier, the ransom price of €233,000 to a location somewhere in Okota, Lagos.
He said the money was delivered to those holding his master hostage there. Okagwu was led in evidence by the Director, Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), Titilayo Shitta-Bey.
He stated: “Following the news of the kidnap of my boss on February 14, 2017, we waited to hear what his kidnappers would say, so that we may rescue him.”
He added that being the manager of Idumota branch of his master’s company, he worked to raise money for his ransom.
He explained that based on the kidnappers’ instruction, he took the sum of €233,000 counted at the residence of the victim’s brother, Anselm, in Anthony village, to the designated point where the culprits picked up the ransom.
Okagwu said that Anslem who had earlier been communicating with some people on the phone, handed his phone to him and told him that the kidnappers would call him while in transit, and tell him where to deliver the money.
“Anselm gave me his phone saying that it is with his phone that I will be receiving calls directing me…As I moved out around 8pm that night, I started to receive calls.
“I just heard the voice saying I should not make any mistake and that I will be shot if I did,” he said.
“ I was asked if I know the way towards Mile 2 and I said yes. I moved out of the compound towards Mile 2.
“On the way, I received another call and I asked if I should follow ‘Oshodi Isale or Oshodi Oke and they said I should follow Oshodi Oke. I was driving slowly so I entered the service lane so I won’t cause traffic.
“I was asked to enter the expressway when I got to Ijesha so they will not collect the money from me.
“I was asked if I know the eatery at Apo junction and I said yes and was told to park there. I waited for about 15-20 minutes and was directed to move to Apo junction at FESTAC inside. I was asked to put on the inner light of the vehicle and drive slowly.
“They directed me towards Okota; from there, I was told to enter a street immediately after the canal where okada riders (commercial motorcyclists) usually stay to carry passengers.
“I was again asked to drive down the street and was asked to describe everything I saw and should tell them when I see a blinking light on an electric pole.
“I was told to turn back at that point and left from where I entered. Getting there, I was told to turn back again towards where I came from to the end of the street and told to turn back again.
“At a point, I was asked to park, get down from the vehicle with the ransom money and walk back.
“As I walked to the back of my vehicle, like three steps away, I was asked to drop the ransom and I did and was told to move immediately after dropping the money.
“When I looked around, I only saw a vehicle parked at the beginning of the street with full lights on, the vehicle looked like an SUV.”
During cross-examination, defence counsel to the first, second, third and fourth defendants, Olukoya Ogungbeje, asked if he saw anybody when he dropped the ransom or gave it to anybody directly, the witness said he did not see anybody nor gave the ransom to anybody directly.
Uchenna Okagwu, a prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike a.k.a. Evans, told the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on Friday that he paid €233,000 to secure the release of his boss, Donutus Duru, from the kidnappers.
Okagwu, who is the second prosecution witness, told the court how the money was paid.
The manager, a manager with Maydon Pharmaceutical Company, told Justice Hakeem Oshodi that he took the €233,000 to a location in Okota area of Lagos.
He said the money was delivered to those holding his master hostage.
He was led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ms. Titilayo Shitta-Bey.
He said: “Following the news of my boss kidnap on February 14, 2017, we waited to hear what his abductors would say so that we would be able to rescue him.
“Being the manager of the Idumota branch of the company, we worked hard to raise money for my boss rescue from the kidnappers’ den.
“After about two months, I was called by Mr. Anslem Duru, his brother that we have to go and rescue him with the money gathered.
“I was called to come and deliver the money to the kidnappers.”
“Based on instruction, we took the sum of €233,000 counted at the residence of his brother in Anthony Village to the designated point where the kidnappers will pick up the ransom.”
MANY strong men are only as strong as they look. Some of them are cowards, who will take to their heels at the shout of eh! But they put up a tough mien when they are armed. With guns in their hands, they are as dangerous as a rattlesnake. They will not think twice before snuffing life out of anyone who confronts them. Take the gun away from them and they become jellies.
A gun in itself is frightening enough; that cold metal sends a chill down the spine by merely looking at it, not to talk of when it is pointed at one. It becomes a wicked combination when a guy with bloodshot eyes is wielding the cold metal. Before he says freeze, you are already frozen and at the same time pleading for your life. Some of them listen to such plea and spare their victims; others do not. They kill and steal from their victims.
Strong men are strong only when they have the upper hand. When the table turns, they are like any other man, who will give way to the other on the street. Whether as an armed robber, a kidnapper, a militant or an insurgent, strong men have something in common and that is to scare the daylight out of their victims before dealing with them.
Who is the man that will see a gun pointed at him and will not do as ordered him? As the late Zik said only a mad person will argue with a man with a gun. With a gun, a hoodlum can do and undo. You are at his mercy. He barks orders at you and you comply for the fear of your life. Snatch the gun away from him and he becomes another Anini (remember him? The robber, who shook Benin to its foundation between 1985 and 1986, but urinated on himself when he was caught). We have seen other hoodlums turn sissy when the law caught up with them. They will never cease to amaze us with their acts of cowardice when they are before the law.
Suspected kidnap kingpin Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike aka Evans is not a stranger to us all. We have heard about his escapades. Long before he was captured last year, he had written himself into the book of infamy as a dreaded person in the world of kidnapping. He was said to have gone after the affluent. His victims were the rich and mighty from whom he collected dollars, euros and pounds. He did not deal in chicken feeds. He went for the big bucks and it is either you pay up or you were killed. He employed fear as a tactic to unlock the wallets of the rich. His victims were kept in captivity until they paid to the last kobo. How they got the money never bothered him. All he was after was the money.
Evans made money through this illicit trade and he lived big. He had wine, women, money and all the other luxury of life. You could not access his home except he allowed you in. To get him, the police employed some tactics in order to beat his state of the art security at the gate. For Evans, the end of the road came last June, after years of being hunted by the police. A man, who collected ransom in foreign currencies, must surely know how to cover his tracks. He did that quite well.
His luck ran out after the kidnapping of a pharmaceutical chief, who was kept in a bungalow in Igando. The businessman escaped and that opened the way for the busting of Evans’ gang. Evans kept his victims incommunicado, without food and water. His victims were only fed to enable them pay the ransom. He was ruthless in dealing with his victims through his foot soldiers. He had no pity for them. If they paid, they lived, if they did not, they were killed. That was his philosophy. He shunned those who begged for food, water and life. His stock reply to their request, we were told, was : ‘’go and pay up”.
His love for money and the good life made him feel larger than life. Now in police net, he is crying like a baby whose lollypop was taken by an elder. In court on Monday, Evans wept! Why did he cry? He claimed that he was being maltreated in prison. But, how did he treat his own victims? If we may ask. Clad in shorts and a green T – shirt , said to be torn on the right shoulder, Evans told the court after being allowed to speak : “I have an explanation to make. Since I have been in maximum prison, they have been maltreating me; no visit; they don’t feed me well; I have eye problems and I cannot see far”. In tears, he added : “What have I done to you people, they have been beating me? No good food. I have been locked up in one place since August 30. Why are they taken my case personal? Let me face my trial alive. Why do you people want to kill me?”
Many will say serves him right. Evans is reaping what he sowed. He who sows the wind will reap the whirlwind, so we are told. This is a lesson to other Evans still out there. Mend your ways now before it is too late.
What a primary!
THE Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary was a disaster foretold. Before the shadow election, analysts warned that the exercise would end in chaos if nothing was done to manage the crowd of contenders. To avoid disenfranchising any of the aspirants, the race was thrown open. Thirty-three contestants were fighting for one ticket and none was ready to step down for the other. The beauty of democracy is to allow a thousand thoughts contend; so the 33 were allowed to slug it out. But some of the aspirants and their supporters had their plans. They came to disrupt the exercise because they knew they cannot win. Election, whether at the party or national level, should be seen as a game and the contestants, sportsmen. Last Saturday, these spoilers virtually turned the congress venue to a battleground as they snatched ballot boxes and papers.
It was a show of shame not befitting of the ruling APC. The party should show example with the way it conducts its affairs. It must show that it encourages internal democracy because that is the only way it can promote national democracy as the ruling party. What happened last Saturday in Ado Ekiti should not repeat itself at the rescheduled primary coming up tomorrow. Otherwise, the party will turn itself to the laughing stock of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which conducted a hitch free primary on Tuesday.
Suspected billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a Evans, on Monday broke down in tears at a Lagos High Court in Igbosere, saying he had not been well fed in detention at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison.
He said: “What have I done to you people, they have been beating me? No good food. I have been locked up in one place since August 30. Why are they taking my case personal?”
“Let me face my trial alive, why do you people want to kill me?”
Earlier there was even more drama when Evans refused to disembark from the prison van, otherwise known as ‘Black Maria’ until Justice Adedayo Akintoye ordered that he be forcibly brought in.
The Lagos State Government yesterday assured that no effort would be spared in ensuring logical conclusion of the cases filed in court against kidnap kingpin Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike popularly known as Evans.
Evans, who was arrested last year at his Magodo, Lagos mansion, is being prosecuted by the State Government alongside others for masterminding and executing series of high profile kidnappings and murder in the state.
Speaking at the yearly ministerial news conference at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Adeniji Kazeem, restated the government’s commitment to ensure the logical conclusion of all pending court cases and serve justice to the people.
The commissioner said: “On the Evans’ matter, the cases filed against him are ongoing in court. The issue is that the lawyer representing him is trying to play some games to delay the matter but in all his games, we have been defeating him in court.
“We have filed different cases. Some are for kidnapping and some are on murder and his lawyer is fighting all the cases but what I can assure the people is that we are committed to ensure the matter is concluded and defeat him at the end of the day.”
On other high profile cases, Kazeem said the Synagogue Church case on the collapsed building which killed people was progressing well, adding that a ‘no case’ submission filed by the accused persons instead of defending the case was recently dismissed by the court, while the General Overseer of the Christian Praying Assembly, Rev. Chukwuemeka Ezeugo (a.k.a Reverend King), who is presently on death roll imposed by the court would have his fate determined in due course.
Reeling out activities of the agencies under hi ministry in the last one year, the Attorney-General said the government received and treated a total number of 11,451 cases through the Special Task Force Against Land Grabbers, Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) and the Special Offences (Mobile) Court in the last one year.
He said the government also received 316 inquiries through the recently unveiled first state-owned DNA and Forensic Centre with 71 active cases currently ongoing bordering on homicide, rape, toxicology, child trafficking, and serology, among others.
According to Kazeem, the Anti-Land Grabbers Task Force designed by the present administration to fight the menace of forceful take-over of properties received 1,300 petitions out of which 855 were concluded and 530 currently at various stages of resolution.
“In the period under review, over 35 arrests of suspected notorious land grabbers were effected while 26 criminal prosecution cases against suspected land grabbers are presently ongoing,” the attorney-general said.
Besides, he said in a bid to enhance due diligence in property transaction, the state introduced the Real Estate Electronic Litigation Database designed for the provision of access to information primarily on properties which are subject of litigation, adding that since its launch, the portal has recorded over 1,000,000 hits and over 10,000 consistent users from Nigeria, United States (U.S.), United Kingdom (UK) and South Africa, among others.
He recalled that since its inception, the DSVRT had galvanised strategic action and responded appropriately to formal and informal reporting of incidents of rape, defilement, domestic violence, child abuse, neglect and maltreatment in the State through the active support of the Governor and other partners.
“The ministry has noted an increase in report of domestic abuse against men. To date, the DSVRT has received a total number of 131 cases in this regard. Overall, a total number of 1,771 cases were reported during the period under review. The team also provided free medical services and psycho-social therapy for over 700 survivors of domestic/sexual violence, conducted capacity building trainings with 220 police officers across the state, and successfully secured the conviction of seven perpetrators,” he said.
The Police Service Commission has approved the promotion of Abba Kyari, Yusuf Kolo and 56 others for the roles they played in the arrest of Chukwudumuje Onuoamadike, aka Evans and his gang.
Their promotion is part of the special promotion exercise conducted by the commission.
The commission last year suspended special promotion exercise after an outcry by Senator Isah Misau and others.
A statement in Abuja yesterday by spokesman Ikechukwu Ani said the promotion and acting appointments were based on the superlative performance of the officers in the arrest of the deadly gang, who terrorised Nigerians.
He said the commission took the decision yesterday at its 27th plenary meeting presided over by the Chairman, Mike Okiro.
A source at the commission confirmed to The Nation that Abba Kyari and Yusuf Kolo, who were part of officers who have led operations that resulted in arrests of kidnappers and other criminals, were among those promoted.
The officers were promoted from the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police to Deputy Commissioners of Police.
The statement reads: “The Police Service Commission has approved special promotion of 45 police officers and acting appointments for another 13 officers who played major roles in the arrest of Chukwudumuje Onuoamadike, aka Evans, a notorious kidnapper and 21 members of his gang.
“The officers are of the Intelligence Response Team, (IRT), Special Tactical Squad (STS) and Technical Intelligence Unit under the direct supervision and coordination of the IGP Monitoring Unit at the Force Headquarters Abuja.
“The promotion and acting appointments were also necessitated by the need to match rank with schedules of duty either being performed or to be performed by the officers and for their acts of gallantry and courage exhibited in the course of duty.”
Dr. Okiro said the new ranks would motivate the officers for improved performance.
The Police Service Commission has approved the promotion of Abba Kyari, Yusuf Kolo and 56 others for the roles they played in the arrest of Chukwudumuje Onuoamadike, aka Evans and his gang.
Their promotion is part of the special promotion exercise conducted by the Commission.
The Commission had last year suspended special promotion exercise after the outcry by Senator Isah Misau and others.
A statement in Abuja Thursday by the Spokesman of the Commission, Ikechukwu Ani stated the promotion and acting appointments were based on the superlative performance of the officers in the arrest of the deadly gang who terrorized Nigerians.
Ani explained that the Commission took the decision on Thursday at its 27th Plenary meeting which was presided over by the Chairman of the Commission, Mike Okiro.
A source at the Commission confirmed to The Nation that Abba Kyari and Yusuf Kolo who were part of officers who have led operations that led to several arrest of kidnapper and other criminals were amongst those promoted.
The two officers have been promoted from the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police to Deputy Commissioners of Police.
The statement reads: “The Police Service Commission has approved special promotion of 45 police officers and acting appointments for another 13 officers who played major roles in the arrest of Chukwudumuje Onuoamadike, aka Evans, a notorious kidnapper and 21 members of his gang.
“The officers are of the Intelligence Response Team, (IRT), Special Tactical Squad (STS) and Technical Intelligence Unit under the direct supervision and coordination of the IGP Monitoring Unit at the Force Headquarters Abuja.
“The promotion and acting appointments were also necessitated by the need to match rank with schedules of duty either being performed or to be performed by the officers and for their acts of gallantry and courage exhibited in the course of duty.”
Dr. Okiro said the new ranks would greatly motivate the Officers for improved performance.
The statement continues : “45 officers promoted included DCP Habu A. Sani, the Head of the IGP Monitoring Unit, who however, has been directed to appear before the Commission tomorrow, Friday, April 20th 2018 for an interactive session in line with the Commission’s policy for officers transiting to the rank of Commissioner.
“Others are two Assistant Commissioners of Police to Deputy Commissioners, one Chief Superintendent of Police to Assistant Commissioner of Police, one Superintendent of Police to Chief Superintendent, sixteen Assistant Superintendents of Police to Deputy Superintendent and twenty four Inspectors to Assistant Superintendents. One Assistant Superintendent was appointed acting Deputy Superintendent while twelve Inspectors were also appointed acting Assistant Superintendents.”
The Commission’s Spokesman said the acting appointments were approved for officers who were not due for promotion.
On why the ban on the special promotion was lifted, Ani said: “The special promotion was suspended because we wanted to be properly guided.
“We gave a guideline for special promotion to be effected to the IG and the ones we are treating now are the ones that followed the guidelines.
“We gave the IG the guidelines for him to give us proof of what those people have done to deserve the promotion,” he said.
The Lagos State Government on Wednesday assured that no effort would be spared in ensuring the logical conclusion of the cases filed in court against kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike popularly known as Evans.
Evans, who was arrested at his mansion in Magodo area of Lagos last year, is being prosecuted by the State Government in court alongside others for masterminding and executing series of high profile kidnappings and murder in the State.
The State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, who said this at the ongoing Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa as part of activities marking the third year anniversary of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration, said the State Government was committed to ensure the logical conclusion of all pending cases in court and serve justice to the people.
“On the Evans’ matter, the cases filed against him are ongoing in court. The issue is that the lawyer representing him is trying to play some games to delay the matter but in all his games, we have been defeating him in court.
“We have filed different cases. Some are for kidnapping and some bordered on murder and his lawyer is fighting all the cases but what I can assure the people is that we are committed to ensure the matter is concluded and defeat him at the end of the day,” Kazeem said.
While reeling out activities of the agencies under the Ministry in the last one year, the Attorney General said the State Government received and treated a total number of 11,451 cases through the Special Task Force Against Land Grabbers, Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) and the Special Offences (Mobile) Court in the last one year.
He said the government also received 316 inquiries through the recently unveiled first state-owned DNA and Forensic Centre with 71 active cases currently ongoing bordering on homicide, rape, toxicology, child trafficking, serology, among others.
According to Kazeem, the Anti-Land Grabbers Task Force designed by the present administration to fight the menace of forceful take-over of properties received 1300 petitions out of which 855 were concluded and 530 currently at various stages of resolution.
“In the period under review, over 35 arrests of suspected notorious land grabbers were effected while 26 criminal prosecution cases against suspected land grabbers are presently ongoing,” the Attorney General said.
Besides, the Attorney General said in a bid to enhance due diligence in property transaction, the State Government introduced the Real Estate Electronic Litigation Database designed for the provision of access to information primarily on properties which are subject of litigation, adding that since its launch, the portal has recorded over 1,000,000 hits and over 10,000 consistent users from Nigeria, United States, United Kingdom, South Africa and others.
He recalled that since its inception, the DSVRT had galvanized strategic action and responded appropriately to formal and informal reporting of incidents of rape, defilement, domestic violence, child abuse, neglect and maltreatment in the State through the active support of the Governor and other partners.
“The Ministry has noted an increase in report of domestic abuse against men. To date, the DSVRT has received a total number of 131 cases in this regard. Overall, a total number of 1771 cases were reported during the period under review. The team also provided free medical services and psycho-social therapy for over 700 survivors of domestic/sexual violence, conducted capacity building trainings with 220 police officers across the State, and successfully secured the conviction of seven perpetrators,” he said.
He added that through the Citizens’ Mediation Centre (CMC), the State Government received a total number of 47,292 new cases free of charge out of which 25,191 were resolved with others at various stages of resolution.
“The total value of settlement of debt related matters achieved by the Centre during the period under review from May 2017 to April 2018 as settlement between parties was N1,352,745,391,” the Atoorney General said, among other achievements by the State Government in the justice sector.
Speaking on Hotel and Restaurant Consumption (Fiscalization) Regulations 2018, Kazeem clarified that it was neither a new law nor an additional tax, but a regulation aimed at ensuring that government gets due revenue.
“It is a regulation and not a new law. It was made pursuant to an existing law that was already in operation. What this regulation essentially seeks to do is to allow the government to put certain equipment in the restaurant and hospitality organizations to properly monitor the revenue that is coming so we can know what exactly is due to the State Government.
“It is not an additional tax; it is just to enhance transparency in collection of taxes that are due to the State. So, I want to clarify that carefully,” Kazeem said.
On other high profile cases, he said it was gratifying to report that the cases were progressing in court, saying the Synagogue Church case for instance on the collapsed building which killed people was progressing well, adding that a no case submission filed by the accused persons instead of defending the case was recently dismissed by the Court, while the General Overseer of the Christian Praying Assembly, Rev. Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, a.k.a Reverend King who is presently on death roll imposed by the court would have his fate determined in due course.
