The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Inspector-General of Police

  • Navy hands over six suspected pirates to police

    Navy hands over six suspected pirates to police

    Operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft Thursday handed over six suspected pirates to the police.

    They were handed over to the Inspector General of Police  (IGP) Special Investigation Panel from Abuja by the Commander NNS BEECROFT, Commordore Abraham Adaji.

    While four of the suspects- Paul Adeyemi, Samuel Timothy, Joshua Ayo and Collins Adebayo- were arrested in February after they hijacked an oil Vessel, MT MAXIMUS off the coast of Cote D’Ivoire, the navy nabbed Gani Mustapha and Tunde Abdulraman in the course of investigation.
    According to Adaji, Mustapha was arrested because he is the owner of a rogue vessel, DEJIKUN, which the suspects used to hijack MT MAXIMUS.

    He explained that Abdulraman who was the Captain of DEJIKUN was also arrested because investigations conducted by the navy indicated that DEJIKUN was used by the pirates to syphon petroleum products from the hijacked vessel.

    “We handed over to the police because we have concluded our investigations. The Naval headquarters has been in touch with the Inspector General of Police and because of the interest he has in the matter, he sent a special team from Abuja to come and take the suspects,” he said.

    The Nation reports that the suspects were arrested and the hijacked vessel rescued by Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) OKPABANA at about 390 nautical miles off Lagos coast.

    But before NN personnel got to the ship, two of its crew members were kidnapped and taken away some of the criminals.

    In the course of rescuing the vessel and the rest of the crew, one of the pirates, a Nigerian, was killed during a gun battle.

  • Zaria Clash: El-Zakzaky drags FG, Army, others to Court 

    Zaria Clash: El-Zakzaky drags FG, Army, others to Court 

    The leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as the Shi’ite sect, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky who is still under custody dragged the Nigerian Army, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and others to the Federal High Court, demanding for N3bn as general damages.

    Others dragged sued alongside the Army and its chief are Director General State Security Services (SSS), Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to court as 1st-5th respondents.

    In the suit with No FHC/ABJ/CS/247/16 the IMN leader through his counsels, Femi Falana SAN, Festus Okoye Esq, Maxwell Kyon Esq among others is seeking the enforcement of his fundamental rights to life, personal liberty, freedom of movement, dignity of the human person and right to private and family life.

    A copy of the suit made available to newsmen in Kaduna Wednesday at a press briefing read that, the applicant is also seeking an order of the court to compel the respondents jointly and severally to pay to their client the sum of three billion naira as general damages for the illegal violation of his fundamental rights to life, dignity of his person, fair hearing, privacy and private property.

    The applicant is seeking a declaration that the violent invasion of his private residence at No 1 Wali road, Gyallessu, Zaria in Kaduna State December 14, 2015 is a fragrant violation of his fundamental rights to privacy and private property as guaranteed‎ by the constitution.

    • A declaration that shooting of the applicant by armed soldiers who are members of the 1st respondent on Sunday, December 14, 2015 at his residence is illegal and unconstitutional.
    • A declaration that the cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment meted to the applicant by armed soldiers who are members of the 1st respondent is a fragrant vuolation of his foundamental right to dignity of human person as guarantted by the constitution.
    • A declaration that the extra judicial killing of ‎the appicants three children namely: Hameed Ibrahim (18), Ali Haidar Ibraheem (16), and Humaid Ibraheem (14) by armed soldiers who are agents of the 1st respondent at his residence in Gyallesu, the Hussainiya Baqiyyatulah and several other members of the IMN as on 14, 2015 is illegal and unconstitutional as it violates the foundamental right of the deceased to life.
    • A declaration that the arrest of the applicant without warrant i$gn his house at Zaria by armed soldiers who are agents of the 1st respondent on 14, December, 2015 is a fragrant violation of his fundamental rights to privacy and private property.
    • A declaration that the detention of the applicant at Kaduna and Abuja by the 2nd and 3rd respondents wihout access to mebers of his family and the IMN since December 14th 2015 till date is illegal and unconstitutional.
    • A declaration that the continued detention of the applicant from the 14th day of December 2015 till date without charging him to court of law is illegal and unconstitutional as it violate his fundamental right to fair hearing‎ as enshrined in the constitution.

    The counsels are also seeking an order of the court directing the immediate and unconditional release of the applicant from the custody of the second and third respondent.

    The counsel also sought an order of the court restraining the respondent from further arresting and or detaining and or harassing the applicant in any manner whatsoever and howsoever without lawful justification.

    Addressing newsmen on behalf of the Counsels, Festus Okoye stressed that, “The continued detention of the Islamic leader from 14th day of December, 2015 till date without charging him to court before a properly constituted court of law is illegal and unconstitutional as it violates his fundamental human rights to fair hearing as enshrined in section 36 (5) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A10) laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004.

    “That the arrest of the leader of the movement on 14th day of December, 2015 and his detention till date without access to his medical doctor is unconstitutional as it violates his fundamental rights to personal liberty and health as enshrined in section 35 of the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, (as amended) and articles 6 and 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A10) Laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

    He expressed dismay with the extra judicial killing of the leader’s three children and hundreds of other members of the movement by the armed soldiers, adding that the arrest of El-Zakzaky without warrant in his home at No. 1 Wali road, Gyallesu, Zaria by armed soldiers was a flagrant violation of his fundamental rights to privacy and private property guaranteed by section 35 (1) (4) (6) of the constitution of Nigeria.

    Speaking on the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Kaduna State government, he said, the leader of the Islamic movement of Nigeria expressed his reservations about the movement putting his appearance before the commission of inquiry particularly considering the composition of the commission and the fact that the Nigerian Army is a federal institution that is not subject to the control of the Kaduna State government and its agencies.

    “During our conference with the leader of the Islamic movement of Nigeria, we notified him of the fact that the Kaduna State government has set up a judicial commission of inquiry to look into the remote and immediate causes of the Army/Shiite clash and also of the fact that scores of members of the movement lost their lives during the clash while over 200 of them are in prison custody on allegations of attempted murder of the Chief of Army Staff.

    “He instructed us to challenge the composition of the commission and its impartiality in court and also instructed that we file an application to enforce his fundamental rights which we agreed has been and are still being infringed upon by his continued detention without trial and without his having been informed of the basis upon which he was being detained.

    “On the 12th day of April 2016, we filed 2 originating motions before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on behalf of the leader of the Islamic Movement and his wife, Zeenat. Joined in the said originating summons are the Nigerian Army, the Chief of Army Staff, the department of State Services, the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General of the Federation seeking identical reliefs for both applicants,” he observed.

     

     

  • Police sanctions 20 officers for misconduct

    Police sanctions 20 officers for misconduct

    The Nigeria Police Force said it has sanctioned 20 officers of various ranks across the country for misconduct, following complaints from members of the public through its Complaint Response Unit (CRU) between November 2015 and March.

    The Officer in Charge of the CRU, CSP Abayomi Shogunle, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

    “In the report we released in the first 100 days and up till now, about 20 officers with different ranks have been sanctioned across the country,’’ he said.

    Shogunle said the officers have gone through the various disciplinary procedures in the force.

    He said that between from January to March 31 the CRU received and processed 1,054 complaints from across the 36 states including the FCT.

    Shogunle said that Lagos state top the complaint chart with 239 complaints representing 22.68 per cent; FCT 190 complaints, representing 18.03 per cent; Rivers with 100 complaints or 9.49 per cent.

    He noted that the unit received only one compliant each from Ekiti, Sokoto and Yobe states, representing 0.09 per cent.

    He said that out of the number of complaints received, 899 cases were resolved and after investigation, 96 cases were discovered to be false while 59 cases were pending.

    Shogunle said that during the period under review, 21 distress calls were received by the unit.

    He said that there was a consistent decline in the number of complaints from Ebonyi, Benue, Oyo, FCT, Zamfara, Ogun, Bayelsa, Niger, Ondo and Yobe sates.

    Shogunle attributed the decline to the sanction against erring police officers that had deterred others from committing same crime.

    He said that the unit would make recommendations to the Inspector-General of Police on how to address the rising cases of complaints in some states.

    “We are still studying the reports and in the coming days we are going to make appropriate recommendations to the Inspector-General of Police on how the situation can best be addressed,’’ he said.

    He said that one of the challenges of the unit had been the inability of the unit to create more awareness among the grass roots.

    Shogunle said that basically the unit had partnered with the media to help in disseminating activities of the unit at the rural areas.

    He said that using the various police formations to create awareness would be counterproductive.

    The officer in charge said that with time most Nigerians would be aware of the existence and importance of the unit.

    He said that the establishment of the unit had minimised complaints against the police and also changed the ways members of the public interact with the police.

    “I can conveniently say that the CRU has significantly changed the way members of the public and police interact with each other,’’ he said.

    He advised members of the public to always obey the police officer and report any misconduct through the platforms provided by the unit.

     

  • Kogi assembly defy NASS, convene sitting

    Kogi assembly defy NASS, convene sitting

    The Kogi State House of Assembly may be heading for a clash with the National Assembly, as seven members loyal to factional speaker, Umar Imam, convened sitting on Tuesday, against the directive of both the upper and lower national chambers.

    The Senate last week endorsed the order of the House of Representatives, which ordered the closure of the Kogi assembly as well as taking over its function, following the protracted leadership crisis rocking the state assembly.

    The Senate also ordered the Inspector General of Police to enforce its order on the closure of the assembly complex.

    Factional speaker, Imam, however took his seat at exactly 12noon, and quickly commenced proceedings.

    He however noted that the house has not formed a quorum and asked that members present allow for others to take their seats before proceeding.

    Having waited for a brief moment, without the desires quorum, he adjourned sitting to Thursday, March 24.

    He said: “Gentlemen, we have waited for our members who have been travelling around Abuja to come, and therefore adjourn till 24th of March.”

     

  • Coomassie, ACF Chairman want President, Governors stripped of immunity 

    Coomassie, ACF Chairman want President, Governors stripped of immunity 

    Former Inspector General of Police and Chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmadu Coomassie is canvassing a drastic reform of the political process and the judicial system.

    Top of the political reform Coomassie wants is the removal of public office holders’ immunity, which, according to him, will help in sanitizing the electoral process and reduce abuse of office.

    He spoke at the International Conference on ‘Deepening Democracy through Elections in Nigeria: An Assessment’ organised by the Department of Political Science and International Studies of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

    The ACF Chairman who chaired the conference said the political reform has become imperative to safeguard the nation’s democracy.

    Citing the 2015 elections, the former IGP said:”From one source alone, a staggering $2.1billion earmarked for procurement of arms to fight insurgency in the North-east was diverted to secure the electoral victory of the PDP.

    “Indicators suggest that most government agencies and departments were forced to cough out funds to aid in the electoral victory of the PDP, making it the most expensive election in the nation’s history.

    “Now that we have a new government in place, which campaigned for and won because it promised change and is therefore amenable for the reform of the whole political processes. We must avail ourselves with the opportunity to make far-reaching reforms that will safeguard this democracy.”

    On the immunity clause, the former IGP said, “it is time to expunge this immunity clause in the constitution or amend it to give the President and Governors only immunity from civil litigations. This is one of the many steps that will help sanitise not only the electoral process, but reduce the abuse of office that have become the hallmark of elected public office holders in Nigeria.

    “As chief law officers, they are expected to be above board. From 1999 to date, this has not been the case. The democratic process has been characterised by impunity, disregard for service delivery and high levels of corruption.

    “Similarly, the Buhari administration should as soon as possible initiate a major reform of the judicial processes in Nigeria. Nigeria inherited the judicial system from the British at independence and since then, it has undergone minimal reforms.

    “Matters before our law courts suffer long and unnecessary delays. Prosecutors of criminal offenders suffer great frustrations at the court, especially when serious cases before our eminent jurists get thrown out on simple technicalities.

    “Strict penalties should be introduced for all electoral offences. After more than 50 years as an independent nation, and after several tries at the democratic governance, Nigeria must once and for all get her acts together. After 17 years of uninterrupted civil rule, Nigeria’s democracy can no longer be described as an experiment We must strive to consolidate this gain by not only making sure that our electoral processes are fool proof, but that attempt to tamper with them will meet the full wrath of the law,” Coomassie posited

    The ACF Chairman also called for abolition of the State Independent Electoral Commissions saying local government elections should be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which should computerise all electoral processes to allow for absolute credibility.

    Earlier his address, ABU Vice Chancellor, Professor Ibrahim Garba said it was time for the academia to rise up and shape public discuss through conferences like this.

    According to him, the academia, especially political scientists have a duty to examine and analyse the fierce struggles leading to primitive accumulation of wealth and have resulted in contemporary class conflicts, ethnic violence as well as the present phase of insurgency which is threatening national security.

  • Reps to IGP: Find three School girls abducted in Lagos

    Reps to IGP: Find three School girls abducted in Lagos

    The House of Representatives Wednesday urged the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase to intensify efforts to ensure that the three girls abducted from Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School in Ikorodu, Lagos State are released.

    The House also urged the Police and other agencies to step up strict surveillance in Ikorodu and all schools in the state to avoid similar occurrence.

    The Green Chamber also resolved to send a powerful 10- member delegation to Lagos on the issue.

    The resolution of the House was sequel to a motion on matters of urgent public importance sponsored by a member Babjimi Benson with the title: “Urgent Need to Seek the Release of Abducted Female students of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School in Ikorodu.”

    According to the lawmaker, the girls were abducted on Monday, February 29 by heavily armed gunmen at about 8pm after they scaled the fence of the school.

    “More than 24 hours after the sad incident, the Nigeria Police Force and other concerned agencies of government have not been able to reunite the abducted girls with their parents,” he said.

    According to the lawmaker, “the incidence of insecurity in Ikorodu Federal Constituency is becoming worrisome as the security agencies of government are finding it difficult to protect lives and properties.”

    A member, Ekpoattai Ime while contributing noted that it is sad for a mother not to know where her child is adding that it is against God and humanity.

    She said: “I urge this Honourable House and the IGP to intensify efforts to recover the girls. Girls are now kidnapped everyday in Nigeria, even women, this is sad.”

    Another member, Aisha Dukku in her contribution, said it is important that the House visits the school and the parents.

    Sequel to the adoption of the motion, the House raised an ad-hoc committee of 10 members from the Standing Committee Police Affairs, Public Safety and Intelligence and Education.

    The mandate of the committee is to visit Lagos State to investigate the abduction of the three school girls; visit the State Commissioner of Police, the school, parents of the girls and the Lagos State Governor and report back to the House as soon as possible.

    In a related development, the Bayelsa State caucus in the House of Representatives while confirming the release of the 14 year old Ese Orusu that was abducted from Bayelsa Wednesday said the full weight of the law must be applied on all those involved in the abduction.

    The lawmakers that included Diri Duoye, Sodaguno Festus-Omoni and Fred Agbedi expressed their determination to work with other lawmakers and stakeholders in the review and domestication of the Child Rights Act.

    Meanwhile, Solomon Ahwinawhi (PDP, Delta), who represents Ughelli North, Ughelli South/Udu Federal Constituency of Delta state, where the parents of the abducted girl hails from defended the Emir Kano, Lamido Sanusi, saying the monarch’s role in the incidence should not be condemned.

  • Police promotes 37,000 officers, dismisses 51

    Police promotes 37,000 officers, dismisses 51

    The Nigeria Police Force has announced the promotion of over 36,000 officers of the Force to various ranks.
    The IGP explained that the promotion became necessary after he identified stagnation on a rank as an indices that engenders corruption in the Police.
    Also, the police boss disclosed that between May and November, 2015, the anti-corruption enforcement architecture emplaced by him has led to the dismissal of 51 personnel for proven corrupt practices while 56 have been awarded various punishments.
    The IGP also stated that the Police should not be blamed for the electoral violence that was witnessed in some areas in Bayelsa during the governorship election.
    The IGP made this known on Wednesday in Abuja at the last strategic meeting in 2015 with senior officers of the Force.
    Speaking on the promotion, the IGP said: “Stagnation on a rank was identified as one of the frustrating indices that engenders corruption in the Nigeria Police and on account of this, since my appointment, I have with the consistent understanding and support of the Police Service Commission, initiated the promotion of over 35,000 rank and files who have been stagnated on their ranks for varying years across all Commands.
    Giving the breakdown, the Police chief said: “456 Police Constable will be promoted to the rank of Corporal, 28,530 Corporal will be promoted to the rank of Sergeant, and 6,443 Sergeants will be promoted to the rank of Inspector.
    “This figure includes personnel who have consistently risked their lives and courageously confronted insurgents in the Northeast. Most of them have been considered for special promotion and in addition, over 5,184 Traffic Wardens that have remained demotivated and agitated for years due to rank stagnation have also been promoted while 995 senior officers have been promoted from the rank of Assistant Superinettendent of Police (ASP) to Deputy Inspector General (DIG).
    He also noted that officers in the northeast were given over 1400 slot in the promotional exercise.
    “We also gave some slot to our colleagues in the Northeast. We could not pull them out from the theatre of war, they were not on ground but we are promoting about 1400, so if you add it up, it’s about 37,000 of them and we want to promote all of them. Once their Commissioners are going back, they will go with it and it is going to be with effect from the 1st of January, 2016.
    On the recruitment of 10,000 officers as instructed by President Muhammadu Buhari earlier this year, Arase said: “For the recruitment of the 10,000 more officers, the template has already been drawn out between our training department, the Police Service Commission, Federal Character Commission. All the necessary bodies that are supposed to sit together to bring out a template have done that already and we are now thinking of putting it into the next fiscal year budget because it has to be budgeted for.
    He further said: “You don’t send people on training without paying their salaries, their lecturers also must be paid and you must sew uniforms for them and as well repair some schools where they will undergo training”.
    Speaking on the electoral violence witnessed during the Bayelsa election, the IGP said: “Is it police officers that engaged in political violence? No, it is not us. We are a panacea to political violence. Why is it that we were able to conduct the same election in Kogi with the same template and were highly applauded.
    “We did it the same thing in Bayelsa, it is just that there should be some sort of morality and integrity in politics. You don’t hold the police officers responsible for political violence  because we are the antidotes to those incidence. The violence does not have anything to do with police, we did what we were supposed to do, we dominated the scene.
    “To me, I have already issued commendation letters to those officers who participated in the election because there was nothing they were suppose to do that they didn’t do. If the politicians and INEC wants to postpone it and make it inconclusive, whenever they are ready, I will still deploy my men.”
  • ‘Fake’ Ondo PDP lawmakers may be arraigned soon

    ‘Fake’ Ondo PDP lawmakers may be arraigned soon

    •Assembly Speaker, Clerk in trouble

    TWO Ondo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers – Abayomi Akinruntan and Malachi Coker representing Ilaje 1 and 11 State Constituencies – may be arraigned in court soon for alleged assumption of office without Certificate of Returns from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The arraignment followed the conclusion of their interrogation by the police.

    Sources said the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Princess Jumoke Akindele, and the Clerk, Bode Adeyelu, may also not be spared.

    The  two lawmakers, who were allegedly sworn in illegally on June 1, had earlier being invited to the Force Headquarters for interrogation over the matter.

    It was learnt that investigation was concluded last Thursday by the police from the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Abuja.

    The probe, sources said, was delayed till last week to enable the clerk make his statement, which he eventually did last Wednesday.

    It was learnt that the investigation, which started on July 8, took the FCID operatives to Akure, the Ondo State capital, on two occasions.

    It also involved the questioning of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Segun Agbaje, and the two Returning officers for Ilaje I and II in the April 11 House of Assembly election, which was adjudged inconclusive by the INEC.

    INEC had declared that the election was marred with widespread irregularities.

    Sources added that the inability to arraign the four persons involved in the matter last week was because the Assistant Inspector General(AIG), who was in charge of criminal investigation at the FCIB, Mr. A. Adeniji, has been promoted to Deputy Inspector General(DIG) and moved to the Force Headquarters.

    It was learnt that the officer deployed to replace him was “yet to be fully briefed” as at yesterday.

    The police started their probe after the Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC), through its lawyer, Charles Titiloye, petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) that the Speaker and the clerk allegedly conspired to fraudulently swearin Akinruntan and Coker without the Certificates of Return from the INEC.

    The two lawmakers escaped arrest when detectives from the Force Headquarters stormed Akure to pick them few weeks ago.

    They eventually made themselves available for interrogation.

  • Police get eight new DIGs

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) announced yesterday the promotion of eight Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs).

    Four of the officers were promoted from Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG). They are: Dan’Azumi Job Doma, Mamman Ibrahim Tsafe, David O. Omojola, Solomon E. Arase, Christopher K. Katso and Salihu Argungu Hashidu.

    Two others, Hilary Opara and Sotonye Wakama, were promoted to DIG from Commissioner of Police.

  • IG redeploys 11 CPs

    IG redeploys 11 CPs

    Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar on Tuesday ordered the redeployment of eleven (11) Commissioners of Police (CPs) to Commands and Formations.

    His order followed the recent elevation of some senior officers to the rank of Commissioners of Police and the retirement of some Commissioners of Police in State Commands and Police Formations.

    The redeployed CPs and their commands are CP Agboola Oshodi-Glover, CP Kwara State; CP Abubakar Adamu formerly the DC in charge State CID at Kaduna State Command is now CP Enugu; CP Tonye Ebitibituwa moves from Force headquarters to CP Bayelsa; CP Umaru Shehu formerly DC operations at FCT Command is now CP Nasarawa State.

    Acting CP Hurdi Mohammed is now CP Katsina State. CP Sylvester Umeh is redeployed from Force headquarters to CP Port Authority Police, Eastern Port; CP Kudu Nma is new CP Gombe State; CP Saidu Madawaki is CP Border Patrol; CP Usman Isa Baba is CP Cooperative; CP Abdulmajid Ali is CP in charge Explosive Ordinance Department while CP Usman Yakubu is CP Welfare.

    He directed the CPs to be mindful of the fundamental rights of the citizenry and ensure that complaints are promptly attended to avoid the miscarriage of justice. He further directed all effected officers to ensure that handing and taking – over exercises are completed as when due.