The Nation Newspaper

Tag: miscreants

  • Task force arrests 90 suspected cultists, miscreants

    The Lagos State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences said yesterday that it had arrested 26 suspected cultists, 64 miscreants and impounded 96 motorcycles in raids.

    A statement by the agency’s spokesman, Taofiq Adebayo, said the suspected Awawa cultists were apprehended at Agege and the miscreants at Oshodi during raids executed on Saturday night at Isale-Oja, Funmilayo, Ile-Pako Amoo, Orile by canal, Papa-Ashafa, Dopemu and Old Oko-Oba in Agege areas of the state during a raid codenamed ‘Operation Restore Sanity to Lagos.’

    He said the motorcycles were impounded at Igando for plying on restricted routes, adding that the agency also dislodged over 1,500 illegal traders obstructing traffic flow at Igando.

    Quoting his boss, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Adebayo said criminal activities of the cultists and miscreants were becoming a serious threat to residents, adding that it was an eyesore to see them rob, rape their victims and freely smoke Marijuana with underage boys and girls.

    Adebayo quoted the task force chairman as saying that weapons and substances suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered from the 64 miscreants, among who were three female teenagers.

    According to him, Egbeyemi said: “These hoodlums were those attacking/breaking motorists’ windscreen and disturbing the public by dispossessing them of their belongings such as phones, wallets and jewellery around Oshodi.

    “It is disheartening that most parents have abdicated their responsibilities towards their children, as youths are now found to be involved in crimes.

    “Most of the crimes committed across the state were perpetrated by youths, who lacked parental care. They join cults to avoid being intimidated by their peers.

    “”Operation Restore Sanity to Lagos’ will be a continuous exercise. It will be extended to other areas known to be inhabited by these undesirable elements across the state,”

    On the activities of illegal traders, he noted that it had led to the death of people, who were not quick to escape accidents.

    “Egbeyemi said in accordance with the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Laws, it was unlawful for anyone to hawk, buy or sell goods on railway tracks, road setbacks, walkways and drainage alignment across the state,” Adebayo stated.

  • Weapons found as miscreants are arrested at dump

    The police yesterday arrested 80 miscreants at the Olusosun dump in Ojota, Lagos.

    They recovered a toy gun, 27 knives, hammers and substances suspected to be Marijuana.

    The suspects were rounded up in an early raid of the site conducted by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Environmental Taskforce, counter-terrorism unit and Alausa Police Division.

    It was gathered that the state government directed the dislocation of squatters and shutdown of the dump recently engulfed by fire.

    Government’s directive, it was learnt, was based on findings that the inferno, which raged for about a week, was caused by activities of squatters.

    The Nation gathered that some scavengers and homeless persons erected makeshift structures at the dumping ground.

    The police said those arrested set fire on the site to prevent the dismantling of illegal structures.

    “Recovered from the shades built by the squatters were a toy gun, 23 pieces of fake US dollars, three cutlasses, 21 kitchen knives, six  butcher’s knives, nine hammers, five  reflective jackets, substances suspected to be cannabis, charms among others,” the police said.

     

  • Task force arrests wanted man, 75 miscreants

    The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit (Task Force) has arrested 76 miscreants around Oshodi and Iyana-Ipaja areas during an enforcement operations tagged ‘Eradication of Criminal Hideouts’.

    Amongst those arrested at Iyana-Ipaja during the operations is a ‘wanted criminal’ and a ring leader of a notorious cult group ‘Omije Boys,’ Mr Franklin Anyawun.

    Anyawun, 28, who lives at 11,  Oremeji Street, Iyana-Ipaja, was caught with bags of Indian hemp and allegedly confessed to be a ring leader of a notorious cult group ‘Omije Boys’ who robbed people at Iyana-Ipaja and its environs.

    Task force chairman Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police (SP) said Anyawun confessed to be selling illicit drugs to miscreants around Oshodi, Fadeyi, Idi-Oro at Mushin and Bariga.

    Also arrested, Olumide Sanni, 19, is said to be specialised in snatching bags and phones around Railway-lines at Oshodi.

    Egbeyemi, who confirmed that the enforcement operations would be continuous, said the Commissioner of Police had directed that those arrested be charged to court for prosecutions.

  • Task force arrests eight miscreants in Idi-oro

    Task force arrests eight miscreants in Idi-oro

    Lagos State Envitonmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) operatives yesterday arrested eight miscreants for attacking its operational vehicle around Idi-oro, Mushin, Lagos.
    Its Chairman, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said in a statement that, the miscreants and hoodlums attacked the agency’s enforcement team and vandalised its operational vehicle.
    He said the miscreants usually attacked the agency’s enforcement team with dangerous weapons, such as broken-bottles, cutlasses, stones and iron-rod whenever it tried to enforce the Lagos State Road Traffic Law of 2012 around Akala and Idi-oro.
    Egbeyemi said Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni had directed that the miscreants be charged to court.
    The miscreants’ activities, he said, had become worrisome, adding that no government would allow innocent citizens to be terrorised.
    Those arrested include Ahmed Gafar, 31, Onuoha Cajetehan, 35, Lateef Hamsat, 40, Femi Adebayo, 34, Bello Olasukanmi, Yusuf Kazim, 2, Olalekan Alleluyah, 24 and Obina Emgba, 39.

  • Task force arrests fake journalist, 67 miscreants

    A man has been arrested by Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) operatives for allegedly posing as a journalist with Television Continental (TVC).

    The task force Chairman, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police (SP), in a statement, said  Soji Gboye, 36 from Ilaje in Ondo State, was arrested during an enforcement operations around Maryland and environs.

    Sixty-seven miscreants were also arrested and traders unauthorised places were dislodged.

    Egbeyemi said Gboye was arrested while obstructing the task force operatives from performing their duty.

    Gboye, he said, could not “properly identify” himself on interrogation.

    According to him, on being contacted, TVC management said the suspect was not its worker.

    He said the Commissioner of Police has directed that Gboye be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, Lagos Mainland, and others charged to court.

  • Task force arrests 67 miscreants

    The operatives of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) have arrested 67 miscreants and impounded 75 motorcycles.

    A statement from its Public Relations Officer (PRO), Taofiq Adebayo quoted the Chairman of the agency, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police (SP) as saying that it is battle ready to put an end to all environmental nuisances across the state.

    Egbeyemi said the impounded 75 motorcyclists were plying restricted routes around Oshodi.

    The 67 arrested miscreants, he said, were pick pockets and hoodlums caught smoking Indian helm along rail-way line under Oshodi bridge.

    He enjoined traders to stop selling or displaying wares on road, walkways and setbacks.

    Egbeyemi warned traders along Oshodi to Cappa to immediately move their wares off the road.

    He said the agency with the operatives of Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) is ready to commence general enforcement of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Laws within Oshodi and its environs from today.

  • One dies as miscreants fight in Lagos

    One dies as miscreants fight in Lagos

    An unidentified man was Wednesday stabbed to death in Lagos Island after some miscreants engaged in a free-for-all.

    The incident occurred at Orolanya Street at about 2:30pm.

    It was gathered that the street boys who were battling for supremacy, had blocked the entire street, brandishing bottles and cutlasses.

    The Nation gathered that it took the intervention of policemen from Adeniji Adele division to disperse the miscreants.

    Confirming the incident, the state command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police (SP) said the street boys fled upon sighting police patrol van.

    She said: “The hoodlums took to their heels on sighting the patrol teams while the corpse of one of the hoodlums who was stabbed to death during the fight was removed and taken to the mortuary. Effort is on to arrest the culprits.”

  • Miscreants rob The Nation man

    Miscreants rob The Nation man

    A graphic artist with The Nation was on Sunday night robbed by hoodlums at Oshodi bus stop in Lagos.

    Olalekan Ayeni was on his way home when the miscreants pounced on him.

    Reliving his ordeal, Ayeni said: “Around 11pm on Sunday, as I was waiting to board a bus at Oshodi, going to Toll Gate, some men, numbering about six, rushed at me. It was raining so there were not many buses and I had been standing there for quite some time. As I boarded the bus, which had just arrived, they started running after me and shouting Ara won ni! (He is one of them)’. Then they started to pull me back from the bus.”

    Ayeni said he was confused by their statement, adding that with one leg still inside the bus, he protested his innocence. Others about to board the bus merely watched as Ayeni struggled with the assailants.

    “One of them held me by the belt while the others tried to pull me completely off the bus. They were well-organised because as they were attacking me, another man was being subjected to a similar fate,” he said.

    “As they clawed at me, they also tried to dispossess me of my bag but I refused to let go of it. I then used the torchlight I was holding to hit one of them on the forehead and he let go of me, so I was able to escape.”

    Ayeni said he did not know he had been dispossessed of his valuables until he was inside the bus with the other victim.

    He lost N28,000 worth of items including his handset and wristwatch; the other victim lost his wallet and money.

    Ayeni recalled that he was robbed in the same area last November.

  • ‘Miscreants behind varsity unrest’

    ‘Miscreants behind varsity unrest’

    The Student Union Government of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) in Ondo State yesterday said miscreants were behind last weekend protest, which led to the closure of the institution.

    Students went on the rampage to protest poor condition of facilities at the University Medical Centre, where a student who was hit by a motorcycle died.

    The SUG President, Comrade Oduyemi Adegbola, who addressed reporters at the press centre in Akure, the state capital, accused some people, who he called miscreants as the brain behind the crisis.

    Adegbola said the miscreants were the ones who misinformed the students about the motorcycles’ incident.

    His words: “We are here to state our side of the story concerning the protest over the death of Ojo Afolabi.

    “The deceased, after the accident at Iwaro Oka Junction, was rushed to the General Hospital, Iwaro Oka, and later transferred to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo on the bill of the university management, but he unfortunately died due to the fatality of the crash.

    “The protest began on Saturday after the news of his death went round the campus and fuelled by miscreants who misinformed the students that the deceased died at the university health center.

    “We condemn this violence that occasioned the protest in its entirety and call on the management and security agents to bring to book all those found culpable.

    “We also commiserate with the family of the deceased and pray God to give them the fortitude to bear the loss.”

     

  • Hoodlums bath task force official with acid

    A paramilitary official attached to the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Task Force), Mr. Akude Silas was bathed with acid by hoodlums who were in a moving Volkswagen commercial bus along Oshodi-Oke,  Lagos

    Silas who was immediately rushed to the Lagos State Emergency Centre, Toll-Gate before been transferred to General Hospital, Ikeja was on enforcement operations duty to ensure free flow of traffic and preventing street trading around Oshodi area.

    The Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force, SP. Olubukola Abe disclosed this at the emergency ward of General Hospital, Ikeja while visiting with Heads of Operations and other management staff of Task Force to see the official.

    Abe disclosed further that while Silas is currently receiving treatment at the emergency ward another Police Sergeant Robert Ajayi was also seriously injured by some Hausa/Nigeriens along Ojo area of the State.

    The Chairman said Sgt. Ajayi was among the security team that supported a government ministry during the removal of shanties constructed on an open field at Ojo Junior and Senior Secondary School, Ojo, Lagos

    He said his men and Task Force vehicles were subject of attacks in recent times at different locations across the State.

    Abe confirmed that Sgt. Ajayi and others were attacked and two task force vehicles were seriously damaged by the Hausas who thought they were on Okada raid along their area.

    The Chairman who strongly appealed to members of the public to always reach government security agents on any emergency situations through the Lagos State Emergency toll-free hot lines (112 & 767) however reaffirmed the commitment of his officers, the police and paramilitary in enforcing the Lagos State Environmental Laws and the Lagos State Traffic Laws of 2012 across the State.

    Meanwhile, more than 57 miscreants were arrested by task force enforcement operations Sunday morning also at Oko Mala at Oshodi.