The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lagos State Task Force

  • Task Force arrests notorious criminal in Lagos

    Operatives of the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences has nabbed a notorious criminal for robbery and pick-pocketing in Lagos.

    CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, Chairman of the Task Force, in a statement, said that the suspect was nabbed on Saturday at ‘Costain Bridge’ in Surulere by the ‘Enforcement and Monitoring’ patrol team of the Agency.

    Egbeyemi said that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect was a ring leader of a four-man criminal gang that  specialised in picking pockets and robbing the public of their valuables such as phones, wallets and jewelleries, using a commercial bus.

    “The suspect and three others, who are presently at large, were nabbed after they jumped down from a commercial bus on top of Costain Bridge immediately they suspected that a patrol team of the Agency was chasing them right from Ojuelegba.

    “There has been series of complaints by commuters on activities of these criminals using commercial bus to rob victims of their valuables and that was what prompted officers of the Agency to embark on regular patrol of every nooks and crannies of the state,” he said.

    The chairman said that operatives of the agency and other security agencies across the state would not relent in curbing criminal activities being perpetrated by miscreants and hoodlums across the state.

    Egbeyemi said that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police,  CP Zubairu Muazu, had directed that the suspect be charged to court for prosecution.

    “The suspect confessed during interrogation that he started as a bus conductor 15 years ago before becoming a notorious pick-pocket.

    “He confessed further that he and his criminal gang had operated at different parts of the State which included Oshodi to Mile 2, Obalende, Pen-cinema, Agege, Ojota and Ikorodu Road and that any passenger who refused to cooperate with them were beaten and thrown out of their commercial bus on top speed.

    “We have been in this robbery and pick-pocketing business for long as we dispossessed our passengers of their valuables such as wallets, jewelleries including phones which we sold as fairly used to the public.

    “The suspect also claimed they were making N80,000 to N100,000 everyday after selling their stolen phones and other valuables,” he added.

    He urged members of the public to always report any illegal and criminal activities around them to relevant law enforcement agencies.(NAN)

  • Protesters want Ambode to probe Ilaje killings

    Hundreds of residents of Ilaje community in Makoko, Lagos on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest to the state House of Assembly over recent killings in the area.

    The protesters urged Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode and Lagos Assembly to probe the alleged killing of four persons in the community on May 10 by men of Lagos State Task Force.

    Addressing the leadership of the House, Mr Alex Omotehinse, spokesman for the protesters, said that the alleged murder of innocent persons by the police required government’s investigation to prevent break down of law and order.

    “Our protest is all about unlawful invasion, killing and maiming of our people by the policemen under the leadership of Jide Bakare, the Chairman, Lagos State Task Force on Land Grabbing.

    “We are not fighting on our land, Bakare led a team of policemen to Ori Oke and Ilaje Community, and invaded the communities, killing four people, while several others were injured.

    “The injured are in the hospitals with gun injuries. The Commissioner of Police said he was not aware of the operation, describing it as illegal.

    “The Lagos Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohinmi, had said that the command set up a committee and that the people involved had been arrested.

    “But surprisingly, those involved are still moving around freely and nothing has been done to them.

    “That’s why we call on the governor and the House of Assembly to set up an independent panel of enquiry so that those who are culpable would be brought to book.

    “As a matter of urgency, this matter must be addressed, we want the police to parade the culprits and stop aiding and abetting them,” he said.

    According to him, if the government failed to act, the Ilaje nation will rise to defend themselves, saying that they were peace-loving people.

    Omotehinse, General Secretary, Ilaje National Alliance Movement, said that the people wanted the arrest and prosecution of those who carried out the attack on the community.

    Omotehinshe, who said that the people had lost confidence in the police to carry out impartial investigation into the case, alleged that the police command was shielding the culprits.

    Also speaking, Mr Adeola Ilori, a human rights lawyer, said that he was pained that the state government had not paid a visit to the family of the victims.

    Ilori said that such attacks on defenceless citizens was not only a threat to the people, but also their future.

    Addressing the protesters, the Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, who commended the protesters for peaceful conduct, said that the House would look into the matter.

    Obasa, who was represented by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Sanai Agunbiade, said: “I want to assure you that this case will be presented to the Speaker.

    “All the issues you have raised are issues of importance and we will look into the matter. All I am telling you is that justice will be done on this matter.”

     

    NAN

  • Lagos begins cleanup of illegal motor parks

    Lagos begins cleanup of illegal motor parks

    Operatives of the Lagos State Task Force says it will commence the cleanup of illegal parks on Monday and begin full operations against all motorists engaging in illegal commercial activities under the Ojuelegba and Ikeja Bridges.

    The task force chairman, SP Olayinka Egbeyemi, said that full enforcement of the operations would commence after the expiration of a 48-hour quit notice served on the affected people by the agency.

    “All these illegal motorists engaging in commercial activities around Ojuelegba and Ikeja by Ipodo Market, Awolowo Way have been served a ‘Quit Notice’ on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017 to vacate under the bridges immediately.

    “Activities of these illegal motor parks are contributing to the traffic gridlock across the state.

    “No responsible and responsive government will tolerate criminal activities being carried out by hoodlums and miscreants around these illegal parks,” Egbeyemi said in a statement signed by Mr Adebayo Taofeek, Head, Public Affairs Unit.

    Egbeyemi said that the operation was to clean up the dark spots, advising motorists engaging in these illegal commercial activities to comply with the directive immediately by removing their buses.

    He warned that anybody caught obstructing the operations would be severely dealt with in accordance with the law.

  • Court awards N36.5m damages to pharmacy over illegal closure

    Court awards N36.5m damages to pharmacy over illegal closure

    The Federal High Court in Lagos has awarded N36.53 million to a pharmaceutical firm, Edichart Investments Limited, over the alleged closure and looting of its office.

    Other plaintiffs in the suit are Mr Samuel Edih and Mr Alezander Ani Eton.

    They sued the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria and the Lagos State Task Force on Counterfeit Processed Food.

    The plaintiffs claimed that their pharmacy on 45, Olarunlogbon Street, Antony Village, Lagos, was unlawfully sealed and raided.

    Justice Okon Abang held that the defendants’ reason for failing to register the plaintiffs’ pharmacy was not tenable.

    The judge agreed with the plaintiffs that the defendants acted outside their powers by sealing, raiding and carting away their’ drugs

    The court awarded N35.53million to the plaintiffs against the defendants as special damages and N1million as general damages.

    The plaintiffs sued in 2010 following the raiding and closure of the shop.

    The plaintiffs said the defendants raided the pharmacy on May 20, 2010 and carted away drugs.

    The shop was said to have been shut from May 20 to August 10, 2010 and from December 9, 2010 to August 4, 2011.

  • Lagos taskforce arrests fake Army lieutenant

    Lagos taskforce arrests fake Army lieutenant

    The Lagos State Task Force has arrested a fake military man, Mr. Oluwayelu Adewole Rahmon claiming to be a 2nd Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army.

    According to the Public Relations Officer of the taskforce, Adebayo Taofiq, sequel to the arrest, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni directed  Task Force Chairman SP. Olayinka Egbeyemi to immediately charge the fake soldier to court for impersonation.

    “Owoseni said the Lagos State Police Command and other security operatives across the State would continue to arrest miscreants and criminals at their different hide-outs until they have a change of mind of becoming good citizens.

    Adebayo said the suspect Mr. Oluwayelu Adeboye  (27 years) of No. 4 Union Street, Dopemu, Agege claimed to be 2nd Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army in order to secure the release of an impounded commercial vehicle by the operatives of the Lagos State Task Force.

    “The suspect who according to investigations was rusticated from the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro (2014) for same offence of impersonation claimed that he had at many instances deceived different security formations across the country.

    “Further investigation equally revealed that the suspect was an habitual impersonator who had once also impersonated the son of a General in the Nigerian Army during an interview where he wanted to secure admission into Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).

    “He disclosed that he has variously at different times and places  impersonated  as both officer of Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Police in order to secure the release of anyone arrested at different Police stations across Lagos”, the PRO said.

    Adewole, Adebayo said, equally impersonates through telephone conversations for release of impounded vehicles from different law enforcers and that if he had succeeded he would have charged the  owner of the impounded vehicle for a fee of  N15,000 or more.

    “The suspect narrated that he was on his way to Ogba in Ikeja to collect his original Year 2010 West African Examination School Certificate results with examination No 20108040DC when he saw operatives of the Agency impounding someone’s vehicle for traffic obstructions and that he felt it was another good business for him as usual, that was why he quickly intervened.

    He claimed he is among those shortlisted for the new recruitment into the Nigerian Police Force.

    The impounded commercial vehicle belong to one Mr Muritala Feyisola Ayowunmi, an Officer of the Nigerian  Navy of Military Clearing Office, Wharf at Apapa who lives at BT 88, Flat 10A, Gowon Estate, Egbeda, Lagos.

    “The suspect confirmed further that he followed the owner of the impounded commercial vehicle to Lagos State Task Force Headquarters  at Ikeja where he was interrogated by the Chairman SP Olayinka Egbeyemi and later got arrested with his fake documents”.

    The PRO said the suspect said it was the devil work, “he however pleaded promising to repent and be a good citizen if the government could have mercy and release him.

    “The owner of the impounded commercial vehicle Ayowunmi denied knowing the suspect, claiming that he just came to him and introduced himself as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Nigerian Army and ‘I gave him a full compliments as a Senior Officer only to later find out after interrogation at Lagos Task Force Headquarters that he was an impersonator,”  Adebayo said.