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Tag: F-SARS

  • ‘How F-SARS shot my leg during arrest’

    An aluminium fabricator, Adetiba Sunday, yesterday narrated to a Presidential Panel sitting at the Ikeja High Court in Lagos how an officer attached to the Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad (F-SARS), Magbon, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Godwin Ogedengbe, allegedly shot him in the leg during his arrest.

    The panel, set up by Vice-President Yemi Osibajo when he was the acting president, was saddled with the responsibility of hearing and investigating complaints against F-SARS and making recommendations to the government how it could be reformed.

    The panel, which began hearing on Tuesday, has the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr Tony Ojukwu, as chairman.

    Narrating his ordeal yesterday, Sunday told the panel that he was at his work place when Ogedengbe and some of his team members came to arrest him.

    He alleged that the F-SARS team did not take him to hospital after shooting him, while his family did not know his whereabouts.

    Sunday said: “When I was arrested at Ogijo in Ogun State, Mr. Ogedengbe shot me in the leg and took me to Ogijo Police Station before I was transferred to Magbon in Abeokuta.

    “When I was brought to Ogijo Police Station, I met four other suspects there and Mr Ogedengbe asked them if they knew me. Only one of them said he knew me.

    “When I was asked if I knew them, I answered in the negative and Mr Ogedengbe slapped me, pushed me to the ground and started matching me.

    “After four or five days at Magbon, I was brought out of the cell to write my statement, but I refused because I don’t know my offence”.

    He said at that stage, Inspector Ogedengbe ordered him to stretch his second leg and threatened to shoot it if he didn’t write his statement.

    He said Ogedengbe later wrote the statement himself.

    “I was in detention for about a month before I was taken to court. I was charged to court with six or seven people for conspiracy and cultism, but I don’t know them before we were charged to court.

    “Before I was taken to court, my family had looked for me and when they could not find me, they concluded that I was dead. It was when the officers took me to my house for a search that my family knew I am still alive.

    “We attended the court proceedings for eight times before we were discharged for lack of diligent prosecution.”

    Sunday further told the panel that after he was discharged, Inspector Ogedengbe threatened to send him back to prison.

    Ogedengbe, however, denied the allegations.

    He said he had a good relationship with Sunday and could never shoot him.

    Ogedengbe said his team was sent to Ogijo, following clashes by land grabbers, during which one Rafiu was arrested.

    He said Rafiu made a statement about the members of his gang and the name of Sunday came up.

    “It was at the police station that one officer said Sunday was a notorious cultist that had weapons. We investigated and after investigation, we charged him to court for conspiracy and cultism.

    “I have a good relationship with Sunday. He is a notorious criminal, who might have sustained his injury from somewhere else. I cannot threaten someone that gives me information. Sunday is our informant. Me and my team members pay him for that,” Ogedengbe said.

  • ‘F-SARS will have human rights desks in 36 states’

    The Commissioner of Police in charge of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS), Mr Haliru Gwandu said on Wednesday that Human Rights Desk Officers have been mandated to receive complaints from the public on rights abuses by operatives of the special squad.

    Gwandu said that the police had set up human rights desks in all the 36 states and FCT, assuring that the complaints would be treated with despatch by the Force Headquarters.

    The CP made this known while sensitising officers and men of the Kaduna State Police Command to the new Standard Operational Guidelines and Procedures, and Code of Conduct for all FSARS personnel.

    He urged members of the public who have any complain in the past or present of the violation of their rights by any SARS personnel anywhere in the country to report via the designated channels for investigation.

    According to him, the new FSARS personnel would strictly adhere to the rule of law in all operations.

    “The F-SARS should not involve themselves in civil and commercial cases and they cannot go and be escorts for Very Important Persons (VIP’s),” he added.

    Gwandu further said F-SARS was now saddled with the responsibility of fighting Armed Robbery and kidnapping, adding that the aim was to have a consistent and coherent approach in the identification and management of armed robbery and kidnapping.

    He also gave assurance that the F-SARS will henceforth conform to democratic laws in providing services to all Nigerians irrespective of the their status and background.

    “Periodic training programme, medical and psychological screening in collaboration with some Civil Society Organizations, local and international NGOs, and other Human Rights Organizations on core police duties, observant of human rights and handling care and custody of suspects have been directed by the Inspector General of police for all Federal SARS personnel nationwide with immediate effect.

    “A new Standard Operational Guidelines and Procedures and code of conduct for all FSARS personnel to ensure that the operations of FSARS is in strict adherence to the rule of law and constitutionally guaranteed rights of citizens has been unveiled and being enforced in totality.

    “Henceforth, FSARS personnel are not to be seen on stop and search duties except on distress call to respond to armed robbery and kidnapping offences only.

    “And they must appear in their police uniform with full identification pending the launch of new FSARS uniform with identity name tag by the Inspector General of Police for all FSARS personnel throughout the country,” he added. (NAN)

  • Members of robbery gang from Onitsha shot dead in Ogun

    Two members of a robbery gang believed to have arrived from Onitsha, Anambra State, for planned series of attacks in Ogun State have been shot dead in Ijebu-Ode area of the State by Operatives of the Federal Special Anti – Robbery Squad(F – SARS).

    The suspects were spotted at the Ijebu – Ode Government Reservation Area(GRA) by the F – SARS, following an intelligence passed to the Ogun State Police Command that the gang from Onitsha had entered Ijebu-Ode with a mission to terrorize residents and visitors.

    It was learnt that when the gang sighted the F- SARS Operatives, the robbers in bid to escape, engaged the Operatives in a gun battle and in the process, two of them were shot dead while two others escaped with bullet wounds.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed this in a release, stated that the suspects were shot dead on Monday in a gun duel encounter and listed an Ak47 riffle marked 804403, two pump action guns with defaced breach numbers, fifty seven rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, thirty two rounds of live cartridges, some assorted charms and unregistered Toyota Previa bus as items recovered from the gang.

    Abimbola added that the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, has given directive to the Operatives to hunt down the fleeing members of the gang while hospitals and traditional healers have also been advised to notify the Police if anybody with gunshot injury is brought to them.

  • F-SARS seeks cooperation from media to fight crime

    F-SARS seeks cooperation from media to fight crime

    The Commander of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad ( F-SARS )in Cross River, Mr Victor Usang, has appealed for cooperation from journalists in the state in fighting crime.

    Usang made the appeal on Friday in Calabar when he paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists ( NUJ ), Mr Victor Udu, at the council secretariat.

    The F-SARS commander said he was in the NUJ secretariat in the belief that security was the responsibility of everybody, nothing that community policing was the best way of fighting crime.

    “Since my assumption of office in the state, I have visited many organisations but I think NUJ is the most important partner in our efforts in fighting crime in Cross River.

    “I belief that security is the responsibility of everybody rather than few. I therefore appeal to journalists in the state to work with us in our effort to reduce crimes,’’ he said.

    According to him, there is increase in crime across the state and this calls for synergy among sister organisations and between the police and strategic professional groups like the NUJ.

    “Incidentally, Cross River is right now faced with rising crime wave such as kidnapping, cultism and armed robbery.

    “It is our duty to reduce the crime rate to the barest minimum. We need the cooperation of all, particularly the media,’’ he said.

    Read Also: Fake F-SARS commander, officer arrested in Rivers

    Responding, the NUJ chairman said that F-SARS owed it a duty to protect lives and property as well as ensure peace in the state.

    Udu called on the commander to work within the confines of the law while discharging his duties in the state.

    “Cross River needs peace and it is your duty to provide them with this peace.

    “So, I encourage you to do that2 and assure you that journalists in the state will work with you when necessary, to achieve the desired result,” he said.

    NAN

  • Four robbers impersonating F-SARS killed in Rivers

    Four robbers terrorising Rivers State residents and impersonating operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) have been shot dead.

    The criminals, who were armed with AK-47 rifles and other weapons, died in a gun duel with F-SARS operatives, after robbing Mr. Wey Nwinanadun in his home at Ogbogoro, Port Harcourt in Obio/Akpor Local Government last Saturday about 6a.m.

    Items recovered from them included a brown Toyota Avalon XLS saloon car registered as Lagos BP 151 EPE, suspected to have been stolen, plasma TV set, laptops, phones, AK-47 rifle, among others.

    The Nation learnt that the robbers had attacked Ada-George and Iwofe areas of Port Harcourt.

    A victim, Nwinanadun, while inspecting the recovered items, hailed F-SARS operatives for their bravery, courage and determination to rid Rivers of criminals.

    F-SARS Commander Akin Fakorede said yesterday that the operatives would reduce crime.

     

  • BREAKING: Amaechi, Wike’s fight get messier

    BREAKING: Amaechi, Wike’s fight get messier

    The fight between the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has got messier, with the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) supported with purpose-built office complex in Port Harcourt, when Amaechi was governor, suddenly given quit notice by officials of Wike’s local government council.

    The quit notice came from Obio/Akpor Local Government Council of Rivers state, where Wike, a former Minister of State for Education, hails from, through the council’s Legal Adviser, Victor Owhonda Wokem.

    Wike, who is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and most leaders of the PDP decided to declare war against the Commander of F-SARS in Rivers state, Akin Fakorede, a lawyer, for allegedly refusing to support the plans of the PDP during the December 10 last year’s legislative rerun.

    Fakorede, who hails from Ekiti State, in a telephone interview, however, declared that the security outfit would never vacate the facility given to it by Amaechi’s govt on August 23, 2012, asking officials of the local government council to desist from making false claims.

    While also speaking on the telephone on Friday, the Caretaker Chairman of Obio/Akpor local government council, Goodnews Ozioma Amadi, a member of PDP, who was recently appointed by Wike for three months, with the possibility of being reappointed for another three months, if she performs optimally, in her reaction, said: “It is a legal matter. It is being handled by the council’s Legal Adviser.”

    The Rivers state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), through its Publicity Secretary, Chief Chris Finebone, in Port Harcourt, said: “Of course, this is one of the clearest evidence of the war of attrition being waged by Wike and his government against the F-SARS in Rivers State. It is a development foretold by discerning minds.”

    Rivers APC also claimed that Wike was fighting F-SARS in the state and Fakorede, because of 2019 elections and the governor’s vice-presidential ambition in 2019, with the state’s commander of F-SARS having earlier allegedly refused to be bribed to support the massive rigging of the December 10 last year’s legislative rerun in Rivers.

    The quit notice from Obio/Akpor local government council, located in Rumuodomaya, Port Harcourt, and the reply of F-SARS, both on their colourful letterheads, were obtained on Friday in Port Harcourt.

    The quit notice was dated October 18, 2017, signed by the local government council’s legal adviser, was addressed to the commander of F-SARS, Sir Celestine Omehia Road, Rukpokwu, Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor LGA, Rivers State, and titled: “Notice to Vacate and Deliver up Possession of the Property/Premises You Occupy Inside the Obio/Akpor International Market, Rukpokwu Town, Obio/Akpor LGA, Rivers State.”

    Wokem (LG legal adviser) said: “I am directed by the Local Government Council to give you one month notice to vacate and deliver up possession of the premises/property of the Obio/Akpor International Market, which you presently occupy, as a licensee thereof, on or before 30th day of November 2017.

    “This directive is borne out of the council’s need to carry out major renovation works at the international market and to put the said property, which you occupy, into full use and purpose for which it was originally acquired and built.

    “Take further notice that in the event you fail, refuse or neglect to abide by this notice, the council shall have no option, but to use all available legal means to eject you therefrom and demand consequential damages. Please, be guided accordingly.”

    Copies of the Obio/Akpor local government’s quit notice were sent to Wike; the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris; and the Rivers Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed.

    The quit notice, which was received by F-SARS, Rivers state on October 19, 2017, was stamped and signed by one of the officials of the security outfit, without the name indicated.

    F-SARS, Rivers state, in its reply, dated October 19, 2017, and signed by its commander (Fakorede), a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), accused the officials of Obio/Akpor local government council of being economical with the truth.

    The F-SARS’ response had copies sent to Rivers Police Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Port Harcourt and the Officer in Charge (O/C) Legal, State CID, Port Harcourt.

    F-SARS said: “I refer to your letter dated October 18, 2017 on the above subject matter and wish to respectfully inform your good office that the Rivers State F-SARS is not in possession or occupation of any premises/property of Obio/Akpor Local Government.

    “For the purpose of clarity and the avoidance of doubt, the F-SARS is presently occupying a purpose-built police facility, constructed for the police and officially handed over to the F-SARS, Rivers State on August 23, 2012 by the Rivers State Government, under Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, then Governor of Rivers State.

    “You are kindly requested to advise your client to desist from making false claims. Please be advised.”

    Fakorede, in yesterday’s telephone interview, also stated that F-SARS purpose-built facility had standard police station, cells, offices and residential quarters for officers and men, among other facilities to enhance the smooth operations of the special security outfit, while declaring that there was no way F-SARS could quit the facility it had been occupying for over five years.

    Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications, Emma Okah, at a news conference in Government House, Port Harcourt, accused Fakorede of taking sides with the leaders of the APC, while calling for his transfer out of the state.

    Okah drew the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari, other Nigerians and the international community to the alleged atrocities committed in Rivers by F-SARS, under the command of Fakorede and the alleged deliberate refusal of the IGP, as well as the Police Service Commission (PSC) to reprimand or transfer the commander of F-SARS in the state.

    Information commissioner said: “Rivers State government is not after the person of Mr Akin Fakorede, but the odious methods he employs in doing his job and the consequences.”

    APC in Rivers, however, accused Wike and his allies of lying outright, in their declaration of war against the hardworking, focused and professional commander of F-SARS in the state.

    The main opposition APC in Rivers said: “The accusation by the Rivers State government is complete nonsense. If the police and particularly former Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, were the armed wing of the PDP to tackle the former Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, years back, it does not by any means follow that APC today needs such an aberration or unholy alliance. We are a party of change.

    “APC has no special relationship with SARS or any security agency in the colour being painted by Wike and the PDP in Rivers State. We are happy that the Rivers State government and PDP in Rivers State have come out to unveil the real reasons they are battling SARS and its Commander, Akin Fakorede. They have spelt it out that it is all about 2019.

    “APC as a political party sensed it all along. We will not be surprised if the police high command already knows why PDP and Wike are whining, huffing and puffing about SARS and Akin Fakorede. Now, it is crystal clear who is politicising security in Rivers State and why the best efforts of the security agencies appear not to be achieving the desired results.”

    It will be recalled that Amaechi, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), had been at loggerheads with Wike, his former Chief of Staff (2007-2011), who was the Director-General of Amaechi Re-election Campaign Organisation in 2011, before the then Rivers governor (Amaechi) recommended him (Wike) to the then President Goodluck Jonathan for ministerial appointment in 2011, over who would be Rivers governor in 2015.

    Amaechi, an indigene of Ubima in Ikwerre LGA, stated that to ensure equity, justice and fairness in the multi-ethnic state, it would not be proper for another Ikwerre person/Uplander to succeed him in 2015, while opting for a riverine successor, but Wike, also an Ikwerre from Rumueprikom in Obio/Akpor LGA of the state maintained that emphasis should be placed on competence and capability to win elections, not zoning.

    Amaechi stuck to zoning between the upland and riverine parts of the state, leading to the emergence of Dr. Dakuku Peterside, from coastal Opobo, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro LGA of the state as the standard bearer of the APC, but he was rigged out, while he got favourable judgment at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, with Wike emerging victorious at the Supreme Court.

  • Arrested notorious armed robber says Rivers lawmaker is gang member

    Arrested notorious armed robber says Rivers lawmaker is gang member

    The arrested notorious kidnapper, armed robber and murderer, Justice Oti, aka High Tension, has revealed that a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Mana, who represents Ahoada East constituency one, is a member of his gang.

    Oti, an indigene of Odisama in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers state, who was born on March 7, 1993, admitted being a member of Icelander cult group and he had killed no fewer than fifteen members of a rival Greenlander cult group in the area.

    The notorious kidnapper (Oti) exclusively told our reporter yesterday in Port Harcourt that his decision to kill people was because members of Greenlander cult group also killed over 15 Icelander cult group members.

    Oti, who embraced the amnesty offer of the Nyesom Wike’s administration, revealed that he did not completely surrender his arms and ammunition, stating that the Greenlander members never submitted their guns, but only deceived members of the amnesty committee by surrendering sticks.

    The kidnapper, who was arrested in Bauchi State, pointed out that the persons he killed were as a result of revenge of previous killings by the rival cult gang, but he was silent on the roles played by the Rivers lawmaker in the gang.

    Oti disclosed that when his deputy in the gang, Lucky, aka Iron, was killed by the rival cult group and his head was cut and taken away, with the Greenlander members threatening to also kill him, he decided to escape to Bauchi, after hiding his AK-47 rifle and ammunition in his village.

    Armed Robber
    Armed Robber

    Rivers police command decided to formally write to the Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, of Andoni constituency, to release Mana, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for interview by the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS), headed by Mr, Akin Fakorede.

    The police letter that was obtained through a source close to the Rivers Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed, was dated October 9, 2017, with the command indicating that it was investigating cases of kidnapping and murder in Ahoada East LGA of the state involving Oti and members of his gang.

    The police’s letter also indicated that inviting the lawmaker was to facilitate the command’s investigation, with the speaker asked to release Mana for an interview with the commander of F-SARS on October 12 this year at 12 noon.

    The Rivers lawmaker was contacted by our reporter for his reaction through his mobile line from 6:44 p.m., but the line kept ringing out, while a text message that was later sent to the same line had not been replied as at press time.

    The Rivers police commissioner had earlier declared that his command had zero tolerance for crimes and criminality.

    Also paraded yesterday by the police was Blessed Francis, a 20-year-old, 200 Level Geology student of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), who was arrested in Port Harcourt for burglary and armed robbery, barely three months after another UNIPORT undergraduate, Ifeanyi Dike, was arrested for ritual killing and he is still standing trial..

    A gang of three gun-running youths, comprising two ND-2 students of the Rivers state government-owned Port Harcourt Polytechnic: Frank Nwaaknma, 22, from Ibaa, Emohua LGA of Rivers state and Ujie Francis, from Obudu in Cross Rivers state, were also arrested.

    The third member of the three-member gang, Chigozie Junior Koro, 32, from Ogbakiri in Emohua LGA of Rivers, stated that he and Nwaaknma only wanted to assist Francis (Ujie) to sell for N100,000, a pistol he claimed to have picked during communal clash in his Cross River village, with promise of giving them N10,000, before they were apprehended by the police.

    The 27-year-old Daniel Okpougo, an indigene of Edoha in Ahoada East LGA, who was arrested with ammunition, disclosed that High Tension (Oti) killed his uncle and he decided to travel to Patani in Delta state to buy the bullets to avenge the death before he was arrested on the East-West Road.

    Others arrested for various criminal activities included Loveday Opi, an indigene of Egbema in Ogba/Egbeme/Ndoni LGA and Sunday Didia, who hails from Egbeda in Emohua LGA, both of Rivers state, as well as Kingsley Ofomata from Imo state, John Elvis, an indigene of Auchi in Edo state and Chimankpa Ukomwa, from Orlu in Imo state.

    An excited Mr. Syriacus Amuchie, who was working offshore with an unnamed company, but lost his Toyota forerunner Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) to a gang of four armed robbers, while the vehicle was later recovered, admonished members of the public to continue to support the police, especially the F-SARS.

    Amuchie revealed that the SUV was snatched at gunpoint around 7:55 p.m. on July 6 this year, at the gate of his house in Rumuigbo, Port Harcourt, while waiting for the gate to be opened, with the car later recovered in Ada-George area of Port Harcourt, declaring that F-SARS operatives should be commended, not vilified.