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Tag: illegal possession of firearms

  • Police arrest popular musician Small Doctor

    The police in Lagos have arrested popular musician Adekunle Temitope aka Small Doctor and three of his band members for alleged illegal possession of firearms.

    They were nabbed around Oshodi after threatening to shoot traffic policemen, Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal said yesterday.

    The commissioner, said to have paraded the suspects before few reporters who were at the command headquarters, frowned at the artiste’s conduct.

    He said he had a pending case at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti, Yaba, Lagos.

    Edgal alleged that the musician opened fire at his show in Agege, which left four persons injured.

    Read also: Lagos police give gun owners ultimatum to verify, re-validate licences

    He said: “You would have thought the incident would have made him to be wiser, but surprisingly today (yesterday), I got a situation report from traffic monitors on Oshodi Expressway alleging that four gunmen in green unregistered Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) threatened to shoot them.

    “He brought out a gun and threatened to shoot the policemen. Fortunately, the DPO and other policemen at Shogunle intercepted the suspects and arrested them.

    •Small Doctor (second left) and members of his band … yesterday

    “When they were brought here, it was discovered that one of them was the same Adekunle Temitope aka Small Doctor with three others. They were arrested with a functional rifle, a cartridge and personal items.

    “I am concerned, as one will expect that a popular musician like him will be a role model, but his character is nothing to emulate.”

    The police boss urged celebrities to stop involving in activities that do not portray them well.

  • Six docked in Ekiti for cultism, illegal arms possession

    Six persons on Wednesday appeared before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrate’s Court for alleged cultist and illegal possession of firearms.

    The accused persons are Adefemi Tosin, (25) M, Yusuf Ayobami, (31) M, Mohammed Ibrahim, (29) M, Adejumo Ola, (29) M, Monday Queen, (29) F and Asaolu Damilola (31) M.

    Read Also:OAU suspends six students for alleged cultism

    The defendants, whose addresses were unknown, are facing a two-count charge of membership of Eye Confraternity secret cult and being in possession of firearm.

    The prosecutor, Insp Johnson Okunade, told the Court that the defendants committed the offence on August 5 in Ado-Ekiti.

    He said the defendants had confessed that they were members of Eiye Confraternity secret cult.

    Okunade said that unlawful firearms were found in the possession of the defendants.

    The offences contravened Section 4 (i) of the Secret Cult Code and Section 3 (i) of the Robbery and Firearms Act, 2012.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, while their counsel, Mr Chris Omokhafe, urged the Court to grant them bail, promising that they would not jump bail.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mr Adesoji Adegboye, granted the defendants N200,000 bail with two sureties each in like sum.

    Adegboye ruled that one of the sureties must be a civil servant.

    He adjourned the case until September 19 for mention.

  • Suswam arraigned on third charge, gets 500m bail

    Former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam was arraigned on Friday before the Federal High Court, Abuja on a three-count charge of money laundering and illegal possession of firearms.

    Suswam is, in the charge filed by the Federal Government on June 26 this year, accused illegally concealing weapons in his Mercedes Benz 550 4Matic car with Registration No: BWR 135 AH at parked at Dunes Investment and Properties Ltd, No. 44 Aguiyi lronsi Way, Maitama, Abuja,

    He is also accused of “converting 25 designer wrist watches worth several millions of naira being properties you derived directly from corruption and concealed in your Mercedes Benz 550 4Matic with Registration No BWR 135 AH.”

    Read Also:Benue PDP demands release of former Governor Suswam

    The ex-Governor was also accused of being in possession of “one(l) Gloek Pistol with Serial Number KML 275, one (1) Mini rifle with Serial Number 54976 and One(l) AK 47 with Serial Number 5622620063, which weapons were concealed in your Mercedes Benz 550 4Matic car with Registration No: BWR 135 AH.”

    Suswam pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him on Friday before Justice Babatunde Quadri.

    The latest charge brings to three the number of criminal charges now pending against Suswam before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    The ex-Governor is accused of diverting proceeds of the sale of Benue State’s investment in some companies. The case is pending before Justice Ahmed Mohammed.

    He is, in the second charge, accused of diverting funds meant for SURE P projects in the state. The case was pending before Justice Gabriel Kolawole before the judge’s recent elevation to the Court of Appeal. The case is expected to be reassigned to a new judge.

    After his arraignment on Friday, prosecution lawyer, Abubakar Kayode Alilu sought a date for the commencement of trial. He urged the court order that the defendant be remanded in prison.

    Suswam’s lawyer, Paul Erokoro (SAN) informed the court about his client’s pending bail application.

    Erokoro moved the application, which Justice Quadri granted. The judge admitted Suswam to bail at N500 million and one surety at the same amount.

    The Judge said the surety, who must be a residence of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), should swear to an affidavit of means, following which the surety’s residential address is to be verified by officials of the court.

    The judge adjourned to October 24 this year for the commencement of trial.

  • Police parades 50 suspected criminals in Edo

    Police parades 50 suspected criminals in Edo

    Edo State Police Command Thursday paraded 50 persons arrested for various crimes ranging from murder, kidnapping, armed robbery and illegal possession of firearms.

    The suspects were among those arrested between April and July in Edo State.

    State Commissioner of Police, Haliru Gwandu, who paraded the suspects, said it was information provided by members of the public that led to the breakthrough.

    Gwandu stated that many other suspects arrested within the period under review have been charged to court.

    He said large quantity of firearms including 132 live cartridges,126 rifles,two double barrel guns, 11 vehicles were recovered within the period under review.

    Among the suspects paraded was a 19-year old confessed killer teenager, Uyimwen Lawrence.

    Lawrence said he has killed two persons who are members of rival cult group and left others injured.

  • Policemen sold guns to me, says suspect

    Policemen sold guns to me, says suspect

    A 52-year-old United States of America (USA) based Nigerian man arrested for illegal possession of firearms Friday said some policemen sold the guns to him.

    Ailabojie Aikpaojie was paraded at the police command Headquarters in Ikeja after he was found with three pump action rifles.

    According to the police, he was arrested by the Area D Commander, Mushin, on Tuesday for illegally possessing a Beretta pistol.

    The police said he was arrested around 3pm on June 22, at block 52, plot 19m, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

    They said: “He was arrested with a Parabellium Baretta pistol with nine 9mm live ammunition. He could not give a satisfactory account of where he got them from. Another search in his house led to the recovery of three long single barrel pump action guns with 250 cartridges. The suspect would soon be charged to court for unlawful possession of firearms.”

    According to the suspect, he bought the pistol in the US and brought it to Nigeria in error while shipping some personal effects.

    Aikpaojie said the three pump action rifles were sold to him by policemen attached to the command headquarters, adding that he also bought ammunition from the command’s armourer.

    He said: “I don’t know why the police are parading me like a common criminal. I applied to the force for three rifles. The officers who facilitated the purchase of the riffles called the seller and he came to meet us at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja.

    “He sold each one for N150, 000. The police asked me to apply for police permit for the rifles which I did. They gave me the permit and I went away with the three rifles.

    “I bought the rifles because we had crisis in my village and as a businessman, I found it necessary to arm myself. I am into haulage. Whenever I am in the country and travel to the village, I often go with some policemen.

    “I bought the pistol found on me in the US. I am an American citizen; I mistakenly shipped the pistol found on me on the day I was arrested along with some personal effects.

    “I came into Nigeria nine days ago. I found the pistol tucked under a sofa in my house in Lagos and I was on my way to the station to find out from the police what to do with it. If I can keep it or not.

    “What happened was that I stopped over somewhere at Mushin to buy plantain and I did not know that the Area Commander was standing behind me and was asking me to stop. As I made to reverse my car, some policemen pounced on me.

    “It was then they found the pistol strapped to my trouser. They asked me all manner of questions and I told them how I got it. They took me to my house where the found the other three guns, I have valid license for the three rifles. The Area Commander had taken the license from me.”