The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Intelligence Response Team

  • REVEALED: HOW ALEX BADEH’S KILLERS PLOTTED HIS DEATH

    Detectives from the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) have revealed that the killers of the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Vice-Marshal Alex Badeh, used a Dane gun.

    Air Vice-Marshal Badeh was killed on December 18 last year by hoodlums who attacked his convoy on the Keffi- Kaduna Expressway while he was returning from his farm on the border between Nasarawa State and the Federal Capital Territory. The revelation is coming on the heels of the arrest of four additional suspects believed to have taken active roles in the murder, including an informant identified simply as Maube.

    The IRT source further disclosed that the arrest of the four additional suspects brought the number of suspects arrested in connection with the killing to five. It recalled that IRT operatives had on December 23, 2018, through a tip-off, arrested one Rabo Shuiabu Rabo, who allegedly fired the shot that killed the ex-CDS, and he confessed during interrogation that another suspect known as Ciroma invited him and his brother, Yayaha, for the operation. Shuaibu was said to have stated further that Ciroma, who provided three of the guns they used for the operation, including the Dane gun he used in killing the ex-CDS, did not tell him that their target was a former CDS. Shuiabu confessed that Ciroma told him that their target was coming to Panda area of Nassarawa State with a huge amount of money which he intended to use in buying a farmland in the area.

    The IRT source further revealed that after Badeh was killed and one of his friends, Joseph, was kidnapped, operatives of the IRT, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari, swung into action and arrested Shuiabu through information provided by some Fulani businessmen within the state, and Shuiabu’s confessions aided the IRT operatives in apprehending, Ciroma and three other suspects, namely Maube, Yayaha and Abdulahi. The source also disclosed that after the four other suspects were arrested, it was discovered that Maube, who was the middleman between the late Badeh and the owner of the farmland which he wanted to buy, contracted Ciroma and the other four suspects to attack Badeh’s convoy on the fateful day.

    He was said to have been the one who brought two of the Ak-47 rifles that were used for the operation while Ciroma sourced the three other rifles, including the Dane gun that was used for the operation. The source added that when Badeh’s corpse was examined, pellets from the Dane gun’s bullet were extracted from his body. Narrating how he organised the robbery operation that led to the killing of the late ex-CDS, Ciroma said: “There was a day I went to meet a man called Maube, who lives in Kare, close to Panda area of Nasarawa State. He told me that there was a rich man who had a farm in his area and he would need some boys to rob the man. “I contacted one Shuiabu who I met in Gitata Market and told him about the plan and he got interested and brought in his brother, Yahaya. “I took their numbers, and three days later, Maube called me and said that the rich man was in his farm on that day, saying that I should call my boys. I called Shuiabu and told him that the man was on ground and Shuiabu brought two persons: Yahaya and Baso.

    “They met me at Gitata and Maube called me and said that the rich man had left the farm and was driving through Panda Road. Maube took a motorcycle and followed the rich man behind while I and six others, namely Alhaji Lamido, Galma, Rabo, Shuiabu, Yahaya and Baso, waited for the man at Zomgo area of the state, close to Buratai’s farm. “Then Abdulahi, who was carrying Alhaji Maube on his bike, brought two guns to us and pointed the vehicle to us, and we came outside and waylaid it. “We had four Ak-47 rifles in that operation. I brought two Ak-47 rifles and a single-barrel Dane gun. I got one of the Ak-47 rifles from a friend known as Rontumi and another from Rugumi.

    The Dane gun belongs to me, and we entered the road and blocked the man’s convoy. I don’t know who among us fired the shot that killed him because three persons fired. “I went to the man’s car, opened it and found money in it. I gave the money to Ibrahim Abdulahi and asked him to give the money to Maube. It was the next day that we knew that the person we killed was a four-star general. I don’t know the amount that was in that bag because it was with Maube.” Recalling how he was arrested, 35-year-old Ciroma, who said he has two wives and eight children, said: “I am a taxi driver and I ply the Kaduna-Keffi Expressway. “Around 5 pm on 24 December, 2018, I was at Panda Market, waiting for passengers when a bus blocked me and policemen came out of it. I was dragged into the bus and I saw Shuiabu in it. “I was swiftly handcuffed and taken to the Keffi Area Command in Nasarawa State. There they asked me if I was part of the gang that blocked the road and killed Alex Badeh, and I said no. But  when I was brought to Abuja, I had no option but to confess.” On his part, Ibrahim Abudulahi, 26, a native of Kare area of Nassarawa State, said he did not know that Alhaji Maube was planning a robbery operation when he called him to take him to Gitata in December 2018. He said: “I am a farmer and I also ride commercial motorcycle because I needed extra money to fend for my family.

    “Alhaji (Maube) called me on a Tuesday in December 2018 and asked me to take him to Panda area of Nasarawa State. “When we got to his shop, he asked me to stop and I did. He went into his shop and brought a bag. I didn’t know what was in the bag. He only told me to take the bag to Gitata and hand it over to Ciroma. “I went there and stopped at Buritai’s farm where Ciroma and Shuiabu and Alhaji came to meet me and collected the bag from me, after which they asked me to wait nearby, but I went to the back of Buritai’s farm and waited. “A few minutes later, I heard rounds  of gunshots and Ciroma called me to come for the bag I gave him, and he also handed me another bag containing money and told me to give the bag to Alhaji Maube.” Shuiabu, 25, a native of Bade area of Kaduna State, said he was not aware that it was the bullets from his gun was that killed the Badeh, adding that he was not the only person that shot at the deceased  general’s convoy. He said: “What happened was that before last year’s Christmas, I went to the market and I met Ciroma, and he told me that there was a big man who had a farm in Panda and was coming to buy another farm within the area.

    Badeh Killer Suspect

    “He said he would want us to rob the man when he brought the money for payment. It was on a Friday and Ciroma told me that the man was coming on a Tuesday to pay for the land. “On that Tuesday, I went to my own farm and told my friend Yahaya about it. We called Ciroma to know if the job was still on, and Chiroma asked us to come. I also called one of my friends known as Baso and we went through the back of Gitata and got to Bruitaia’s farm. “When we met Ciroma, he gave me a Dane gun but I saw five guns with him. He gave the rest to the other people with us. “When the operation started, my friend, Yahaya, was on my right with a stick and I was in the front. But Ciroma and the other guys were ahead of us. When the vehicle that was carrying the man and the money came, the people in front started shooting. “At that point, I cannot tell who killed the man. And when we got to the vehicle, Ciroma brought out a bag from it. He gave me N25,000 and said he would call me when the money was ripe for sharing. I didn’t know that the man was killed by the bullet from the gun I used for the operation.”

  • Confessions of suspected robbers who allegedly pose as cult members to rob victims

    ‘We used guns, charms for protection against rival cult groups’

    The operatives of the Inspector General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) have smashed an allegedly notorious gang of armed robbers who were alleged to have terrorised Ayingba community in Dekani Local Government Area of Kogi State while pretending to be cult members.

    According to an IRT source, five pistols, 15 rounds of 9mm live ammunition and charms were recovered from the suspects.

    The suspects are Kazeem Mudi, Nasiru Yusuf, Riwa Aminu and Oki Yakubu.

    It further disclosed  that  efforts to bust the gang  yielded dividend when the operatives of the IRT raided  the home of the gang leader, Oki Yakubu, following an intelligence report on the gang’s activities.

    The suspects confessed that they were members of the Vikings Confraternity, popularly known as Arobaga, and that they had been engaged in protracted battle of supremacy with members of a rival cult group, Black Axe Confraternity, over the control of Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State.

    The gang leader, Oki Yakubu, revealed  that the guns, ammunition and charms, which were found in his house when the IRT operatives raided his home, were those he and his group had been using to wage wars against their rivals.

    Another police source, who pleaded for anonymity, because he was not permitted to speak officially on the matter, disclosed that the suspects had carried out several armed robbery attacks and killings around Ayingba and other communities within Dekina.

    The source also revealed that  the intelligence report, which led to their arrest, emanated from the office of the Inspector General of Police and was  passed on to the IRT, headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari,to get the expected result.

    The source further explained that a crack team of operatives were deployed in Ayingba community to track down the suspects and they discovered, on arriving the community, that the suspects were highly dangerous as they always moved around the community and its environs with guns, robbing and intimidating people who crossed their path with impunity.

    The source added that a member of the gang, Kazeem Mudi, was apprehended first at Ayingba Market Square, after he successfully robbed some traders in broad daylight of their cash and mobile phones at gunpoint.

    He said:  “He was arrested by IRT while he attempted to escape from the market square.  The sound from the shot he fired while robbing his victim was what attracted the IRT to that market and they apprehended him on his motorcycle and recovered the pistol he used for the operation.

    When he was interrogated, he confessed that his gang members were in Oki’s community waiting for him to bring home his loot from the robbery and that his gang leader had more guns in his house.

    He was taken to the home of his gang leader, who ran into the ceiling when he sighted the police.  He was chased out and arrested. He led the police to arrest two other members of the gang and they confessed that they were the ones who robbed an Igbo businessman in his shop recently using one of the guns recovered from the gang leader’s house.

    On the claim by the suspects that they were cult members  and not armed robbers,  the source said: ” I am not worried that the suspects were claiming not to be armed robbers but cult members.  It  is normal for criminals to lie even when they were caught in the act. They do this  to reduce the magnitude of their crime once they are caught with credible evidence so as to gain some sympathy.”

    In his confession, the 21-year-old Kazeem Mubi denied robbing traders at Ayingba Market  but stated how he joined the Arobaga Confraternity. He said he was at the market to attack members of the Black Axe Confraternity, when he was arrested.  ” I joined the Arobaga Confraternity in 2017 and one of my friends, Rabiu, who is now dead, made me to join the group. I didn’t know that the Arobagas had an on-going war with members of the Black Axe Confraternity.

    “I was attacked by members of the Black Axe Confraternity the moment news got into the town that I  was a member of a rival cult group. My friend, Rabiu, was killed and my house was burnt to the ground. I managed to escape. I went to our leader, Oki, and demanded for a gun I could use to revenge the killing of my friend and burning down of my house, when I learned that some members of the Black Axe Confranternity were at Ayingba Market Square.

    “I went there with the gun that Oki gave me and I shot at one of them when I sighted him. It was when I attempted to escape that  the police showed up and  arrested me. I took them to Oki’s house where he was arrested and four other pistols were recovered”.

    While narrating how he and three  other members of his gang robbed an Igbo businessman, who does business at Igiolo Community in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, another suspect, Nasiru Yusuf,  said:  ” I am a member of the Arobaga Confraternity and I joined the group three years ago. I led three of my friends to rob  a grocery shop belonging to an Igbo man in Ayingba and it was my gang leader, Oki, that gave me the gun for the operation.

    We took N100,000 from the man and I got N20, 000 as my share. I ran away to Abuja when policemen  came looking for me.

    They didn’t succeed in arresting me then. It was when I came back  to Ayingba and  visited Oki that the police picked me up.”

    The gang leader, Oki, said he joined the Arobaga Confraternity due to the oppression he suffered from  members of Black Axe Confraternity.  “They usually oppressed my friends and me. Then we decided to   join Arobaga. Since then, we have been fighting. I owned four of the pistols that were recovered from me and I bought them for my protection. The charms that were recovered from my house belonged to my late grandfather. I didn”t use them for armed robbery. The Black Axe guys fighting us are so deadly. They have killed more than eight of my friends in the last two years. So we need these guns for our protection.”

  • Two held for ‘robbery’

    The police have arrested two persons, said to be notorious for attacking bank customers around Ikeja and Isolo.

    Olatunde Adetunji, 31, and Bashirat Akinmushire, 54, alias Area Mama, described as members of the Eiye cult, were nabbed by the Inspector-General of Police (IG) Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

    Luck was said to have run out against them when a woman allegedly robbed by Adetunji at Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos, sometime ago, identified him.

    The Nation learnt that the woman, whose phone and money were snatched by the suspects, saw Adetunji at Toyin Street, Ikeja, attempting to dispossess another victim of her belongings.

    The woman’s shout attracted the IRT operatives, who arrested Adetunji.

    He confessed that Akinmushire is a member of the gang and its armourer.

    Adetunji was said to have led detectives to a market in Jakande Estate, Isolo, where Akinmushire was arrested.

    No guns were found with her. Akinmushire said she had given them to Junior, alias Jungle, said to be a senior member of the gang.

    A source said: “Area Mama misled policemen when she was asked to take us to Junior’s home. She took the team to a wrong location and also tried to escape, but fell into a ditch and injured herself.

    “The team took the woman to hospital.”

    But the woman said in her statement that she was forced to keep the guns, adding that as a member, she swore to an oath of secrecy.

    She said: “When I joined the group, I took an oath of secrecy. I never knew they would make me the armourer. I tried to protest keeping the gun, but they threatened to kill me.

    “Because of the oath, I could not tell anyone that I was keeping guns for the group. They came for it whenever they had an operation.

    “I did not know what they used to do with the guns. After each operation, they gave me N5,000. A few months ago, Jungle collected the guns. He is yet to return them to me.

    “I took the police to his home, but we did not find him.”

    Adetunji admitted that they usually paid Akinmushire N5,000 each time they used the guns, saying he joined them after they acquired arms.

    He said: “I am a member of Eiye confraternity. I joined when I was in the university. I dropped out of school, returned home and joined members of my cult in Jakande Estate.

    “I discovered that they had already procured an AK47 rifle and a revolver pistol. They told me that they bought the guns from a soldier and they usually kept the guns in Area Mama‘s shop, who is also a member of our cult.

    “She normally hid the guns at the back of her shop where she sells pepper and tomatoes. She would cover the bag containing the guns with baskets and sacks. We used the guns to fight our rivals in other cults.”

  • BREAKING: Police rescue Igbonla school pupils

    BREAKING: Police rescue Igbonla school pupils

    Operatives of The Nigeria Police have on Friday rescued School students who were kidnapped  Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe, Lagos State.

    The boys were released at Aboto Creek in Ilaje LGA, Ondo State at about 3:30pm.

    They will soon be reunited with their families.

    Recall that the operatives of the Inspector General of Police’ (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), on May 31st arrested three suspected members of the gang that kidnapped the six pupils.

    It was gathered that IRT operatives led by Abba Kyari, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) arrested the three suspects who left the creek and went to Edo State to visit a gang member who was injured during gun battle with security forces.

    Similarly, the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode had told pupils at a parade to mark this year’s Children’s Day at the Agege Stadium in May, that the government would do all within its power to get the children out of the kidnappers’ den unhurt.

  • Police arrest alleged killers of Dangote’s strategist

    Police arrest alleged killers of Dangote’s strategist

    Operatives of the Inspector General of Police’ (IGP) Intelligence Response Team have arrested suspected kidnappers who allegedly murdered a senior strategist with Dangote Industries Limited, Istifanus Gurama.

    Abubakar Gide,24 Babuga Adamu, 25 and Abdulahi Saliu, 22, were arrested at Ijebu Igbo forest, Epe forest in Lagos and Ipo forest in Kwara state, respectively, were they absconded to.

    The operatives led by Abba Kyari, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) also recovered three AK47 rifles and 167 live ammunition which the suspects buried inside the forest.

    It was gathered that the kidnappers were the ones who led the police where the deceased was dumped and also disclosed their armoury.

    Gurama was taken hostage about three weeks ago at Ijebu Igbo in Ogun State, after he went to secure the release of four expatriates and a Nigerian working with the industry.

    It was gathered that the deceased, who usually negotiated with the kidnappers and took ransom to them for the release of their workers, was detained by the gunmen, who said they were actually after him.

    It was learnt that the firm raised money for his release which the kidnappers collected after which they killed and dumped him in a pit at Ijebu Igbo.

    His death, it was gathered, might not be unconnected to an alleged uncovering of the identities of the kidnappers said to be Fulani men.

    It was learnt that the kidnappers accused Gurama of knowing too much and also giving them away. Another source said he could have been killed because the kidnappers wanted more money.

    Confirming the arrest, police spokesman, Don Awunah, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) said the suspects were being interrogated.

    He urged Nigerians to exercise caution in negotiating with and delivering ransom to kidnappers, adding that the police should always be carried along.

    Awunah said: “It was when the IGP Ibrahim Idris learnt of the incident that he directed the IRT to fish out the kidnappers. One of them was arrested at Ijebu Igbo forest, the other one at Epe forest in Lagos and the third one at Ipo forest in Kwara State. The crime was committed at Ijebu Igbo in Ogun State. The suspects are being interrogated and would be prosecuted at the conclusion of investigation.”