The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lagos State Police Command

  • Woman ‘fakes’ own kidnap, collects N2.5m from diaspora husband 

    Woman ‘fakes’ own kidnap, collects N2.5m from diaspora husband 

    …Lagos Police arrest five other suspects 

    The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a housewife, Mrs. Misturah Bada, and six others in two separate cases of fake and stage-managed kidnappings aimed at extorting money from family members.

    Mrs Bada, 26, was arrested by operatives of the command’s Special Squad alongside her alleged accomplice, Adedamola Daniel, 30.

    Police said the woman allegedly extorted N2.5m from her husband, a Nigerian resident in South Africa. 

    The husband, according to the police, raised the alarm on November 24, after receiving information that his wife had been kidnapped and a ransom of ₦10 million demanded.

    The amount was later reduced to ₦3 million but he eventually paid ₦2.5 million. However, the alleged kidnappers failed to release her prompting the husband to file a complaint with the police. 

    “Following investigations, Mrs. Bada was located, reunited with her family and invited for debriefing. She claimed she was kidnapped by six armed men who dispossessed her of her iPhone 12 Pro Max. “However, inconsistencies in her account led to further investigation.

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    On December 3, operatives arrested Daniel in Ede, Osun State. A SIM card linked to the WhatsApp account used for ransom negotiations was recovered from him. 

    “He confessed that Mrs. Bada requested his SIM card to open the account and provided the OTP used to operate it.

    Confronted with the evidence, Mrs. Bada admitted to staging the kidnapping to extort money from her husband. 

    Her phone, earlier claimed to be with the kidnappers, was recovered from one Yusuf Sodiq, 34, who said he bought it from her for ₦380,000,” the police said. 

    Relatedly, detectives of the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad arrested five suspects over a viral video showing a schoolboy allegedly kidnapped. 

    Police said the incident, initially reported as a missing person case on November 26, was staged by the boy, Victor Aligwo, 15, with four friends.

    Investigations revealed that the suspects used a room belonging to one of them to record a distress video of Aligwo pleading for help, with the aim of extorting money from his mother, who had recently received ₦4 million. 

    A ransom of ₦1.7 million was paid and shared among the suspects before police traced the transaction through a POS terminal and arrested them.

    The suspects were identified as Kosiko Patrick, 17; Victor Aligwo, 15; David Odudu, 19; Anyabike Kingsley, 20; and Umeh Victor, 19.

    The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, warned against false reporting, criminal deception and acts that divert security resources. 

    He assured residents that the command was committed to protecting lives and property, urging the public to report suspicious activities through the police emergency lines.

    All suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations, the police assured. 

  • Man stabs wife to death over ‘adultery’ in Lagos

    Man stabs wife to death over ‘adultery’ in Lagos

    The Lagos State Police Command has arrested Peter Dike, for allegedly stabbing his wife to death with a kitchen knife over suspicions of infidelity. 

    The incident occurred in Morogbo, Badagry. The couple, married for nearly a decade, reportedly had an argument before the attack. 

    According to the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, a Chief Superintendent of Police, operatives of the Morogbo Police Division responded to the scene after receiving reports of the attack. 

    “Preliminary investigations suggest that Dike and his wife had a disagreement on the day of the incident. During the argument, Dike accused his wife of infidelity, and in a fit of rage, he allegedly grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed her in the abdomen,” Hundeyin stated. 

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    Detectives on patrol in the Oke-Ira Ilogbo Remi were alerted to the scene, where they found Dike clutching his wife’s lifeless body, soaked in blood, while crying for help. 

    The deceased’s body was transferred to the Badagry General Hospital mortuary for an autopsy. 

    Dike allegedly confessed to the crime. The Lagos State Police Command has since announced that the case will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, for further investigation. 

    The police assured the public that justice would be served as investigations continue. Meanwhile, residents of Morogbo have expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, calling for increased awareness and intervention in cases of domestic violence to prevent further incidents. 

    Dike is expected to face murder charges, which could result in life imprisonment if convicted.

  • EndSARS anniversary: Police disperse protesters with tear gas at Lekki Toll Gate

    EndSARS anniversary: Police disperse protesters with tear gas at Lekki Toll Gate

    The Lagos State Police Command, Officers on Sunday, October 20, fired tear gas to disperse protesters who gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate to mark the fourth anniversary of the #EndSARS protest.

    The protesters, who converged at around 8:30 am, carried banners and placards, demanding the full implementation of the recommendations made by judicial panels of inquiry established after the 2020 protests.

    The panels which was set up across various states to investigate police brutality and review the demands of the protesters.

    The protester who converged at the toll gate was seen fleeing as tear gas was fired, with some reports of shots being fired by the police.

    One of the protesters, identified as Iyanu, said he was injured while trying to escape.

    “They have started firing tear gas at us. I fell into the gutter; I was hit on the head,” he said.

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    Another protester, Kachi Igwe, confirmed that he was hit but sustained only minor injuries. “I’m not really injured, just a few scratches on my body. Some people have also been arrested,” he added.

    The #EndSARS protests, which erupted in October 2020, saw the thousands of young Nigerians taking to the streets to protest against police brutality, particularly targeting the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    The protests culminated in a violent crackdown at the Lekki Toll Gate, where reports indicated that several demonstrators were killed or injured after the military intervened.

    Despite the passage of nearly four years, protest leaders expressed disappointment that many of the recommendations made by the judicial panels remain unimplemented.

     The panels were tasked with addressing the key issues raised during the protests, including police reform and compensation for victims of brutality.

    When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that the police intervened to prevent disruption of traffic at the toll gate.

    “They were told to disperse, but they were adamant. We had to use minimal force to disperse them,” he explained, denying any major confrontation with the protesters.

  • Police warn vehicle owners 

    The Lagos State Police Command has warned owners of abandoned vehicles parked at Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, to come with their original documents or lose them after 14 days.

    They are: Toyota Avalon marked AU 108 KTU, Toyota Corolla APP 834 BR, Nissan Xterra Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) GF 73 EKY, Volkswagen bus JJJ 632 XD, Honda Accord AV 279 KWL, Mazda 323 KSF 583 DG, Mazda bus FKJ 430 XF, Honda Accord JJJ 973 BX, Toyota Camry LSD 992 FK, Volkswagen golf LND 809 CF, Toyota Corolla EKY 738 CM, Honda Accord HL 953 EKY, Toyota Highlander KTU 893 FK, Toyota Corolla car FST 968 FE, Toyota Corolla MEK 660 AA, Toyota Corolla car LSR 74 FL, Lexus RX 330 EKY 246 FF, Volkswagen vanagon bus LND 463 XU, Mazda bus XQ 888 BDG, Lexus GX 470 KTU 981 DG, Volkswagen bus XM 604 AKD, Honda Accord FKJ 945 BJ, Toyota land cruiser CF 809 LSD, Honda Accord GZ 838 APP, Mitsubishi Outlander AAA 989 AY, Lexus RX 350 EKY 529 EP, Daewoo car KJA 103 EW, Toyota Camry APP 446 EJ, Toyota Corolla LSD 39 EF,  Toyota Highlander APP 996 ES, Honda Accord JJJ 835 EP, Nissan primera car APP 912 CK, Toyota sienna ABC 04 AL, Toyota Corolla SMK 850 FF, Toyota Camry AAA 405 FL, Toyota sienna EKY 434 CA, Toyota sienna LSR 246 EL, Honda CR-V MUS 169CD, Nissan Quest BDG 339 CA, Ford Truck XM 402 EPE, Honda accord DL 241 PPP.

    Honda Accord, Toyota sienna, Volvo s40, Toyota 4runner SUV, Lexus RX 300, Peugeot 306, Honda Prelude, all unregistered.

    Also at Epe Division: The vehicles are; one unregistered Scrapped Camry SS model; one Scrapped BMW with registered plate number GY 672KJA and one unregistered Nissa Altima.

  • Clergyman arrested for allegedly infecting minors with HIV in Lagos

    The Lagos State police command says it has arrested a clergyman, Rev. Ezuma Chizemdere of ‘Jesus Intervention Household Ministry’ Ejigbo Lagos for allegedly defiling and infecting some minors with HIV virus.

    According to a statement on Friday by the command’s spokesman, DSP Bala Elkana, the clergy had been at large for about three months before his arrest on March 21.

    Elkana said that On Jan. 21, a case of defilement of a minor (name withheld) by penetration was reported by a good Samaritan at Ejigbo Police Station.

    He said that investigation revealed that the suspect had lured about 15 young boys into his residence, where he allegedly sexually molested them.

    “Investigation carried out revealed that one Rev. Prince Ezuma Chizemdere, Founder of ‘Jesus Intervention Household Ministry’ was part of the syndicate defiling teenagers in the community.

    “He has been at large for about three months. On 21st March, 2019, at about 1am, police laid siege of the Reverend’s residence based on the strength of information gathered that he often sneaks into the house through the back entrance.

    “Having discovered that police had cordoned his house, the Reverend hid himself in the ceiling for two hours. He was however arrested.

    “Investigation has it that Rev. Ezuma brought in about 15 boys into his apartment where he forcefully penetrated them all through the anus.

    Read also: Girl ‘raped to death’ in Enugu

    “Some members of the neighborhood revealed that the reverend usually wash six bedsheets daily whenever he brings in little children, suspected to be his sex partners.

    “On further interrogation, the “Reverend” revealed that he was HIV positive and has been receiving treatment for over three years,” Elkana said.

    The police image maker said one Ikem Shedrack, 16, was part of the victims and was infected by the reverend around October 2018.

    Elkana further said that the suspect knew he was HIV positive but wawas deliberately infecting the innocent teenagers.

    “He further confessed that he pays the boys N2000 each, anytime he has carnal knowledge of them. The suspect will be charged to court.,” he said.

    The spokesman said the Command’s Gender Unit also succeeded in arresting one Ajayi Akintunde, 29, a teacher with Fazir Omar Senior High School, Iwaya, Yaba for having oral sex with a female SS2 student for marks.

    He said the defilement started when the girl was in SS1 and had lasted for about two years now.

    He said that Investigation was still ongoing in the matter. (NAN)

  • Command nabs nurses for allegedly selling baby 

    Lagos State Police Command has nabbed two nurses working at Trinity Clinic, Meiran, Lagos, for allegedly selling a woman’s baby and deceiving her that she had a stillbirth.

    It was gathered that the nurses, Mrs. Marbel Onochel and Dorcas Omitogun, allegedly sold the baby for N350,000 to Mrs. Helen Okoh, a resident of Ajah in Lagos.

    The police have also arrested her.

    The suspects were alleged to have told the baby’s parents that it died and they buried the stillborn to save the family the trauma.

    Besides allegedly engaging in child theft and trafficking, it was learnt that Onochel, a Delta State indigene, also ran an illegal traditional hospital at Meiran.

    Trouble, however, reportedly started after the woman’s family insisted that they wanted to see the body, but the suspects could provide it.

    The Nation gathered that when the family insisted on seeing the body, the nurses claimed that the baby’s head was bad, prompting the family to report at the police station.

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    It was learnt that the suspects were arrested and during investigation, they confessed to have sold the baby to Mrs. Okoh.

    It was gathered that Onochel kept N250,000 from the sale and gave Omitogun N100,000.

    During interrogation, the woman who bought the baby said she was desperate for a child because she was unable to conceive, as she had fibroid.

    Confirming their arrest, police spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), told The Nation that the baby had been recovered from the buyer.

    He said: “We have recovered the baby, arrested the woman who bought the baby and the two nurses who conspired and sold the baby. The suspects will be charged to court.”

  • Injured Taskforce policeman dies from injuries

    A police operative attached to Lagos State Taskforce on EnvironmentSgt, Damilola Adeoye, who was injured by miscreants while on duty at Mike 12, is dead.

    Spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, DSP Bala Elkana, said in a statement that the injured policeman died in hospital in Lagos on Thursday.

    Also, a teenage SS1 student, Adijat Shakiru, has also died as a result of a stray bullet in Adama community, Ikorodu.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sgt. Adeoye was attacked on Wednesday by some hoodlums while operatives of the Taskforce were on ‘Save our Soul mission to Mile-12 area.

    The Taskforce Chairman, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, said those arrested claimed they were given cutlasses and broken bottles by their group leader at ‘Akani-modo’ to attack the operatives.

    The police spokesman said the seven suspects arrested over the attack would, in addition to initial charges against them, be charged for murder.

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    Elkana said investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the teenager revealed that one Sgt. Mudi Emmanuel, who was part of the surveillance patrol team on operation at that community was responsible for the shooting.

    According to him, the officer was found wanting for professional misconduct, stressing that the policeman was undergoing orderly room trial at the Command’s Provost Marshall Unit.

    ”His actions fell short of the rules of engagement for the use of firearms and professional standard for police officers. He will be charged to court for murder.

    ”The command is determined to continually uphold the rule of law and protect the fundamental rights of the people,” Elkana said. (NAN)

  • Police foil plot to kidnap oil merchant by employees

    The Lagos State Police Command says it has arrested two suspected kidnappers while planning to kidnap their boss, one Solomon Otungo, an oil and gas merchant.

    The Commissioner of Police in Lagos , CP Zubairu Muazu confirmed the arrest to newsmen on Thursday at the command’s headquarters.

    He said that the suspects were arrested based on intelligence report.

    “It is based on credible intelligence report received that some newly employed staff of one Solomon Otungo, an oil and gas merchant of Bucknor area of Ejigbo, Lagos, were holding nocturnal meeting on how they would kidnap and keep their employer incommunicado until a ransom of N60 million was paid that they were arrested.

    “The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ejigbo Police Station, CSP Okuwobi Olabisi, swiftly mobilized police detectives and stormed the venue of the meeting where two of the employees were promptly rounded up and brought to the station.

    “The confessional statements of the suspects, led to the arrest of one other suspect at Isolo area of Lagos State.

    “The suspects in unison, have confessed to the crime. They added that had their plan pulled through, they would have demanded a N60 million ransom from the business man.

    “Suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigation,” he said.

    In a similar development, on Tuesday, Feb. 19, about 1a.m, the Divisional Police Officer, Sabo Division, said he received a distress call that some hoodlums were burgling a store at No.11 Oweh Street, Jibowu.

    According to the CP, the officer led a team of policemen to confront the hoodlums.

    “On getting close to the scene, they sighted a mercury villager Space Wagon, with Reg. No. PG 393 AAA parked in front of the store.

    “However, the hoodlums, on seeing the approaching police team, sped off, driving against traffic in their desperation to evade arrest.

    “They were, however, given a hot chase by the police operatives.

    “As a result, the occupants of the bus started firing at the team. The policemen fired back at them and in the process, the bus stopped abruptly, falling into a ditch.

    “Some of the robbers escaped with bullet wounds but one of them who sustained bullet injury on the right leg was found with three big sacks containing different sizes of shoes, bags, clothes and other items.

    “He was arrested and taken to the station. During interrogation, he gave his name as Paul Ozurumba of No.6 Igbobi Sabe Street,Jibowu, Yaba.

    “A search warrant was executed in his house and the following items, ranging from refrigerators, pharmaceutical drugs, bale of underwear, televisions and other property suspected to have been stolen were recovered from him.

  • Police foil plot to kidnap oil merchant by employees

    The Lagos State Police Command says it has arrested two suspected kidnappers while planning to kidnap their boss, one Solomon Otungo, an oil and gas merchant.

    The Commissioner of Police in Lagos, CP Zubairu Muazu confirmed the arrest to newsmen on Thursday at the command’s headquarters.

    He said that the suspects were arrested based on intelligence report.

    “It is based on credible intelligence report received that some newly employed staff of one Solomon Otungo, an oil and gas merchant of Bucknor area of Ejigbo, Lagos, were holding nocturnal meeting on how they would kidnap and keep their employer incommunicado until a ransom of N60 million was paid that they were arrested.

    “The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ejigbo Police Station, CSP Okuwobi Olabisi, swiftly mobilized police detectives and stormed the venue of the meeting where two of the employees were promptly rounded up and brought to the station.

    “The confessional statements of the suspects, led to the arrest of one other suspect at Isolo area of Lagos State.

    “The suspects in unison, have confessed to the crime. They added that had their plan pulled through, they would have demanded a N60 million ransom from the business man.

    “Suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigation,” he said.

    In a similar development, on Tuesday, Feb. 19, about 1a.m, the Divisional Police Officer, Sabo Division, said he received a distress call that some hoodlums were burgling a store at No.11 Oweh Street, Jibowu.
    According to the CP, the officer led a team of policemen to confront the hoodlums.

    “On getting close to the scene, they sighted a mercury villager Space Wagon, with Reg. No. PG 393 AAA parked in front of the store.

    “However, the hoodlums, on seeing the approaching police team, sped off, driving against traffic in their desperation to evade arrest.

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    “They were, however, given a hot chase by the police operatives.

    “As a result, the occupants of the bus started firing at the team. The policemen fired back at them and in the process, the bus stopped abruptly, falling into a ditch.

    “Some of the robbers escaped with bullet wounds but one of them who sustained bullet injury on the right leg was found with three big sacks containing different sizes of shoes, bags, clothes and other items.

    “He was arrested and taken to the station. During interrogation, he gave his name as Paul Ozurumba of No.6 Igbobi Sabe Street, Jibowu, Yaba.

    “A search warrant was executed in his house and the following items, ranging from refrigerators, pharmaceutical drugs, bale of underwear, televisions and other property suspected to have been stolen were recovered from him.

    “Meanwhile, two other members of his gang, namely, Stanley Sungalome and Michael Agbunwor, have been arrested and they confessed to have committed the crime,” Muazu said. (NAN)

  • Police arrest Uber driver ‘s alleged killers, recovers car

    Operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command have arrested two suspected robbers who allegedly killed an Uber driver and stole his car.

    The Lagos Police spokesman, CSP Chike Oti, said that the suspects were arrested in Aboki Estate, Lekki, Lagos.

    According to a statement by Oti, the suspects were arrested while removing the parts of the stolen Hyundai Elantra car with Reg. No. EPE 676 EC for sale to a scrap metal dealer.

    He said the arrest was carried out following a directive from the new Lagos police boss, CP Zubairu Mu’azu, that the RRS Commander, ACP Olatunji Disu, should fish out the culprits.

    Oti said investigations by the police revealed that an ex–convict and bus conductor, in company of three others now at large, had conspired to hijack an Uber car and sell it off.

    ”On the said day, the quartet at around 11 p.m. waved down the deceased, Sunday Obasi, in Lekki. They told him they were going to Ikate and he charged them N1,000.

    ”Before getting to their destination, the suspects told the driver that they wanted to ease themselves. It was at this point they descended on the driver.

    ”They killed him and pushed him off the car into the road before driving the car to Beach Road, Lekki, where they hid it for two days while looking for buyer and swapped the number plate of the car with a Volkswagen Passat car (FKJ 708 CA) close by,” he said.

    Oti stated that investigations were continuing on the case, stressing that the command would leave no stone unturned towards ensuring that the fleeing suspect are made to face justice.

    The recovered vandalised Uber car was currently parked at the RRS headquarters, Alausa, while the late driver’s corpse was deposited at a public mortuary. (NAN)