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Tag: FSARS

  • FSARS: Wike, other campaigners are crime beneficiaries, says Peterside 

    FSARS: Wike, other campaigners are crime beneficiaries, says Peterside 

    Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) chief Dakuku Peterside yesterday said those behind the #EndFSARS campaign were beneficiaries of crime.

    Peterside took a swipe at Rivers State Governor Nyelsom Wike, alleging that he was wasting the state’s resources on the social campaign against the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) because the unit refused his machinations.

    The NIMASA boss spoke on the sideline at a two-day conference of the G7++ Friends of Gulf of Guinea (GoG) Group held in Lagos.

    According to him, Nigerians should support the FSARS, not condemn it, given the strides the unit has recorded in combating violent crimes despite limited resources.

    He advised that the unit should be reformed, just like the police and other agencies of government, to enable it perform optimally.

    Peterside said: “The campaign against the FSARS is being championed by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and probably the People’s Democratic Party. They have been shouting that SARS be scrapped.

    “We all know that without the police in a society, we cannot maintain law and order. In order to enforce its mandate, which is the enforcement of law and order, the police create units and the SARS was created as a response to violent crimes such as armed robbery and kidnapping.

    “Unfortunately, these vices are worst in Rivers State. Consistently for the past 18 months, Rivers State has occupied number one position in high profile crimes. There have been recent cases of assassination and armed robbery.

    “The SARS in Rivers State has been very potent in tackling such crimes. But because the government seeks to control the unit and it has refused and insisted that it was an institution of the Federal Government, working for the general good of the people, they are not happy.

    “But if we keep quiet as a people, this issue would assume a life of its own and we would have a society that is brutish and one where there’s a wind of crime.

    “I think we should put things in proper perspective. That Nigerians support the police. We support the FSARS. We support that the police be reformed to perform optimally like other institutions of government.

    “Rather than condemn them, we should advocate that government should give them the tools to do their work.

    “The government of Rivers State has isolated the FSARS for attack because they are used to working in unholy alliance with some of these institutions. This particular unit has refused to compromise and so, they have initiated a campaign of calumny against them. But the ordinary people of Rivers State appreciate the sacrifices of FSARS.

    “They have helped to control high violent crimes in Rivers State. For the state to spend all her resoruces to campaign against a unit of an agency, something must be wrong.”

    Peterside debunked that ship owners called for his sack, describing it as deliberate mischief.

    According to the NIMASA boss, over 80 per cent of the ministerial recommendation for restructuring had been implemented

    On maritime security, Peterside said there was a reduction in crimes, adding that the international community saw in Nigeria the will to tackle these challenges. That is why the conference was hosted in the country, he added.

    Peterside said with a little support,  Nigeria would surmount maritime crime in the GoG. The agency plans to train 280 sea fearers in Egypt and United Kingdom between this month and January 2018, adding that over 2500 persons have been sent to various institutions. About 1400 of them had graduated, Peterside said.

     

  • Driver ‘absconds with N25m Chivita goods, trucks’

    Driver ‘absconds with N25m Chivita goods, trucks’

    The Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad, (FSARS), Adeniji-Adele, Lagos, has charged a driver, Garuba Lawal, with the theft of Chivita products and a truck, all valued at N25,000,000.

    Garuba, 36, of Olorunsogo Area in Kwara State, was arraigned before Mrs Abimbola Komolafe of an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

    According to Prosecuting Sergeant Friday Mameh, Garuba, an employee of a haulage firm, was asked to convey a truck laden with Chivita juices and beverages from Lagos to Benin, Edo State.

    The defendant left Lagos on May 4, 2016 but allegedly diverted and sold the goods and truck.

    Read: Driver docked for impregnating step-daughter

    The haulage firm allegedly tracked the truck on its tracking device to Kwara State. It reported the incident to FSARS which allegedly traced the defendant to his home town.

    Mameh said the goods were worth N12million while the Renault truck with Registration Number DKA 354XG was valued at N13, 000,000.

    The offences, Mameh added, contravened sections 287(5)(a)(b)&(c) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    Garuba pleaded not guilty.

    Magistrate Komolafe granted him N5million bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    The case continues on November 13.

    Read Also: ‘Obey traffic rules’

  • Police parade robbery gang

    Police parade robbery gang

    The Federal special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Adeniji- Adele in Lagos paraded yesterday an armed robbery gang.

    Among them is Odeyemi Itunnu, who was described as an Ekiti politician.

    The police linked the gang to the snatching of exotic vehicles in many parts of the country.

    Itunnu (a.k.a Gomina) who the police said is an executive member of Efon-Alaaye Local Government Area of Ekiti State, is also alleged to be a political thug.

    The other suspects are:Omoniyi Ajewole, Oluseye Jacob, Oluwadamiliare Rasaki, Ajisafe Olawale, Ogunniyi Sunday, Tolani Babatunde, Abubakar Umar and Ayodeji Olumudi.

    The Nation learnt that the suspects were arrested following a complaint by a victim, who was robbed of two vehicles and other valuables on June 27, last year, at his Ile-Ife, Osun State home.

    The Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, an Assistant Commissioner (ACP), who paraded the suspects, said they were arrested following  discreet, sustained and painstaking investigation. He said  17 exotic cars and other exhibits  were recovered.

    Mba said the gun recovered by operatives was given to one of the suspects by Itunnu but the suspected robber preferred to be addressed as a political thug.

    It was gathered that the arrest of Ajewole, 28, from Ilesa in Osun State, led to the smashing of other members of the gang.

    Itunnu confessed that he provided Ajewole with a locally-made gun, which the police have recovered, to protect him during  elections.

    He said: “Omoniyi (Ajewole) is my political thug. I brought him to my place and gave him a gun to secure me. Actually, I have never participated in any robbery operation, but he used to escort me with the gun.”

    Ajewole, the first to be  caught by the police, confessed  that he had been working as a political thug.

    He said: “He gave me the gun to use in protecting him during any campaign against violence. But I had not yet used the gun before I was arrested in September, 2013. I am not a robber.

    “I prefer to be called a political thug. I was the only one the honourable gave a gun actually, and he was also paying me salaries.”

    It was learnt that after their arrest, the FSARS recovered 17 of the cars stolen in various parts of the country, most of which were Toyota and Honda models. Three assorted guns were also recovered from them.

    Mba said the suspects would soon be arraigned in court.

    He said: “This is a case that started on June 27, 2013 when a Nigerian was robbed of two vehicles and other valuables after which he reported it to the police.

    “This arrest is one of the achievements of the FSARS. It led to the arrest of nine suspects who were clearly linked with not just the armed robbery reported, but a series of such in several parts of the country.”

     

  • Residents panic as gunmen invade community

    Residents panic as gunmen invade community

    Residents of Shanle in Ikorodu on the outskirts of Lagos are living in fear as unknown gunmen have been terrorising the community since February 17.

    The gunmen were said to have stormed the community from Jajo a neighbouring town, demolishing buildings under construction and threatening to kill whoever dared them.

    Sources alleged that the gunmen are working for some land grabbers who are bent on taking over people’s land forcefully.

    The secretary of the Ogunbashe/Odunekan royal family, Balogun Sonubi, 85, who said the land belongs to his family, said: “On February 16, I came home and found a paper from the Area ‘N’ Police Command that I was wanted at the station. I went there and I was told that I was under arrest over alleged possession of gun and cocaine. The police told me that people from Jajo alleged that I was threatening their lives. I was shocked and embarrassed. I denied it, but I was detained and later granted bail.

    “The next day, I was at home when some boys with machetes and other dangerous weapons stormed my house. They told me that they were from a man, Lamina a.k.a Sir K, who is claiming ownership of Shanle. The hoodlums were led by one traditional ruler from Jajo. I was shocked because this land belongs to our great grandparents and we have been living here for over 500 years now. Jajo community shares boundary with us, but there has never been any problem until last week when some people came to claim our land. For a week now, we have been living in fear as they kept shooting anyhow.”

    Sonubi said he reported the matter at the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) at Adeniji Adele, Lagos. He expressed hope that the police would arrest the trouble makers.

    A resident, who pleaded for anonymity, said he was considering relocating because of the threats, adding: “I have been living in this community since 2003. Everywhere was peaceful until some gunmen started terrorising us. On February 22, some armed men on motorcycles stormed my house and stopped the renovation going on there. They flogged the work men, claiming to be the new owners of the town.”

    The traditional ruler, Mr Salau Bakare, said over 50 invaders stormed his house on February 17, threatening to kill him.

    “The armed men stole my Toyota Camry car. They have been going around collecting money from people building houses, terrorising others. They set construction sites ablaze. They claimed to own Shanle. But the traditional ruler of Jajo told me the elders of Jajo did not send the armed men. We implore the government and the police authorities to come to our rescue to stop this reckless behaviour of these senseless men.”

    Lamina said: “I have not been around in the last one month. I did not send gunmen to take over any community. I am innocent of all the allegations.”

    Commissioner of Police Umar Manko said officers from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, would be deployed  in the community to restore order. “I will direct SARS policemen to go there and arrest any trouble maker,” Manko said.