The Nation Newspaper

Tag: foiled

  • Two killed in foiled abduction in Aba

    Officers of the 144 Battalion in Ukwa West Local Government of Abia State have killed two suspected kidnappers in Aba, the state’s commercial nerve centre.

    The hoodlums were said to have attempted to abduct a Dubai-based Nigerian in the city.

    Their victim, whose name could not be ascertained last night, was reportedly abducted by a gang at Okpu Umuobo.

    He was reportedly taken to a village at Umuojima in Osisioma Local Government, a short distance from the city centre.

    It was gathered that while the kidnappers were on their way, soldiers got wind of their movement and ambushed them.

    On sighting the soldiers, the hoodlums were said to have opened fire.

    But the soldiers reportedly forced them to abandon the victim and a black Land Rover,  registered as (Lagos) FST 754 DC.

    The two gang members were reportedly killed during the shootout, while two others, said to be the kingpins, escaped.

    It was learnt the soldiers were trailing the hoodlums for possible arrest and prosecution.

    The hoodlums were said to be from Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

    They were said to rely on information provided by their members, who combed the city for likely targets.

  • Bid to kidnap baby in Abia foiled

    An attempt to snatch a two-week-old baby in a village in Abia State has been thwarted by police, The Nation learnt.

    Two armed men were said to have attacked a house in Amaede community in Isiala Ngwa Local Government Area of the state in a bid to kidnap a baby.

    They were stiffly resisted by the child’s parents, forcing the hoodlums to flee upon also sensing the presence of police in the area.

    The hoodlums fired some shots and inflicted a machete injury on the baby’s mother Glory Nweze before abandoning the operation.

    The suspects were said to be struggling for the baby with Mrs Nweze, leading to cut on her left hand.

    The hoodlums fled the scene as soon as they learnt that the police were in the neighbourhood. They left behind one locally-made double-barrel gun, one machete, two expended cartridges, a mask, two Itel handsets, a rubber slippers and two set of head torch.

    The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO Ezekiel Onyeke Udeviotu confirmed the incident.

    Udeviotu who said that the boy’s mother was responding to treatment in an undisclosed hospital added that one of the gang members identified as Azunna from Umuokoro village.

    He said that the house of the suspect was raided and two long locally made single-barrel guns, one live and two expended cartridges, one iron rod and a photograph portrait were found.

    The PPRO further appealed to members of the public to avail the police of useful information on the whereabouts of the suspects who were still at large at the time of this report.

     

  • Suicide attack foiled in Yobe

    The police in Yobe State foiled yesterday an attack on a Police station in Damaturu, police commissioner Sanusi Rufai has said.

    Rufai said the suspect, Abubakar Umar (19), drove a blue Chevrolet van into the sandbags in front of the station with the intention of blowing up the station.

    The police chief said: “In the early hours of yesterday, a suspected suicide bomber, Abubakar Umar, attempted to bomb the A Division Police Station, Damaturu.

    “He was driving a blue rickety Chevrolet pick-up van in a suspicious manner.

    “Vigilant policemen noticed his suspicious movement and fired some warning shots when the suicide bomber ran on the sandbags in front of the police station and he was arrested.

    “After serious interrogation, Umar confessed that he was a Boko Haram member and his mission to Damaturu was to bomb the police station.

    “The vehicle was carrying animal dung, apparently as a decoy to conceal the explosives.

    “We discovered five constructed gas cylinders with explosive improvised devices (EIDs), 20 litres of diesel, 10 litres of petrol, a fire extinguisher, 5 9.5 battery chargers and a wall clock in the car.”

    The Bomb Disposal Unit  condoned off the area and diffused all the bombs.

    The suspect is in the custody of the Joint Task Force (JTF).

    The incident was confirmed by the Defence Headquarters.

    A statement by the Director of Defence Information, Gen. Chris Olukolade, said:  “An attack by a suicide bomber operating in a van laden with IEDs was yesterday foiled in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.

    “The target of the attack was ‘A’ Division of Police Command situated by the main roundabout in the heart of the town.

    “The culprit was arrested by the police.

    “Six constructed turbine containers loaded with explosives as well as 20 litres of petrol and 11 bags of beans chaff were recovered from the scene.

    “The recovered materials are in the custody of the Joint Task Force Headquarters in Damaturu. The Bomb Disposal Unit has safely detonated the explosive.”

    Security agencies have been placed on red alert, ahead of the World Economic Forum in Abuja.

    A source said: “Apart from strengthening security apparatchik in Abuja for the WEF meeting, all police and security formations are to be on red alert.

    “These agencies are to deploy men in strategic and vulnerable points. We know the insurgents might want to divert attention of delegates by striking in any part of the country, especially in the Northeast.

    “The botched suicide mission in Yobe yesterday might have been part of their plot. This is why we are not limiting security beef up to Abuja, it is a nationwide exercise.”

    “The venue of the summit and adjoining places have been placed on 24-hour surveillance since Friday.

    “The entire area is also being frisked as I am talking to you. We will not take things for granted.”

  • Police: how we foiled bank robbery in Rivers

    The Force Headquarters, Abuja, said its men in the Rivers State command foiled what the police termed “an elaborate bank robbery”, planned by a gang against an unnamed commercial bank.

    The alleged robbery was foiled on Friday, Deputy Force spokesman Frank Mba said in a statement yesterday.

    According to the police, weapons recovered from a hideout of the gang were two General Purpose Machine Guns with 593 rounds of ammunition; eight AK- 47 rifles with 1635 rounds of ammunition and 57 magazines; rifles; dynamites; detonators; explosive devices with accessories.

    Mba added that three operational vehicles deployed by the gang for the planned operation were also recovered. He listed details of the vehicles as a Volvo S40 car, a Mercedes-Benz Saloon car and a Nissan Pathfinder Sports Utility Van (registration numbers withheld).

    The weapons, according to him, were recovered from the three vehicles at a mechanic village in Ihugbo, on the East-West Road, Ahoada, Rivers State.

    Although no arrests had been made, the Force said incriminating exhibits “linking the perpetrators to the weapons” were also recovered from the hideout, while efforts to track down the suspects were being intensified.

    “The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has praised the officers and men of the Rivers State Police Command for the impressive recovery.

    “He enjoined all police commands/formations to step up their game, particularly in the area of intelligence gathering towards providing adequate security for the citizenry.”

  • Bank robbery foiled

    THE police in Sapele, Sapele Local Government of Delta State, yesterday foiled a bank robbery, arresting some suspects.

    It was learnt that two of the suspects pretended to be motorcyclists and robbed their victim of N200,000.

    A source said the victim alerted the police and passers-by who went after the robbers.

    Two locally made guns and the N200,000 were recovered from the suspects.

    The Divisional Police Officer, Kenneth Akugbue, who led the operation, assured residents that his men would flush out robbers in the area.