The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria Police Force

  • Monarch urges FG to adequately fund Police

    A first class traditional ruler in Nasarawa State, Mr Samson Gamu-Yare “Chun Mada”, has urged the Federal Government to adequately fund the Nigeria Police Force to effectively fight crime and other security challenges in the country.

    The monarch made the plea on Wednesday in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, when the State Police Commissioner, Abubakar Sadiq-Bello, paid a courtesy call to him at his palace.

    Gamu-Yare said the increasing crime rate in the country had put immense pressure on the Police and demanded that adequate attention be given the force in terms of funding to take care of logistics and welfare of officers.

    He lauded the recent initiative of the Federal Government to recruit 10,000 officers into the Police Force but, however, noted that more needed to be engaged in view of the country’s population.

    The monarch said that apart from fighting crime and criminality, the Police was constitutionally saddled with the responsibility of ensuring internal security of the country.

    Gamu-Yare said the rate of armed robbery, kidnapping, rape and other social vices were equally as damning as insurgency, adding that the Police should be well equipped and motivated to carry out their responsibility.

    He assured the State Police Commissioner that the traditional institution would all support his efforts to rid the state of crime.

    Gamu-Yare said already vigilante groups were being formed in the area to complement the efforts of the Police toward ensuring a crime-free society.

    The Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Sadiq-Bello told the monarch that he was in the palace to solicit the cooperation of the traditional ruler in line with the new concept of community policing under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

    Sadiq-Bello said effective policing required collective efforts, hence the need for all citizens to play their role.

    He expressed the resolve of the command to safeguard the lives and property of the citizens, especially as the Yuletide approaches.

  • Criminals will not escape Justice – IGP

    Criminals will not escape Justice – IGP

    The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has assured Nigerians that the Nigeria Police Force is ever ready and more determined to ensure that all those who engage in vicious crimes do not escape justice.

    A statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Don Awunah, said the IGP listed the crimes as: kidnappings, armed robbery and other criminal activities.

    Awunah said this stance was what made the operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) to swing into action to check such crimes.

    He said the team had on Oct. 12 launched a massive onslaught on the kidnappers of some residents of GRA Phase II, Port Harcourt main town, Borikiri General Area and YKC axis of woji in Rivers.

    “This feat yielded prompt outcome as the hoodlums were arrested as a result of due diligence and intelligence exhibited by members of the Police Force complimented by public spirited citizens eager to curb crimes in the society.

    “The suspects who were responsible for most kidnappings in Port Harcourt, were arrested at different locations in Rivers,’’ he said.

    Awunah said the suspects arrested during the operation were: Daniel Gabriel, the gang leader, Alaso Igodo, Akeodi Aselemi and Ayibinmoter Livinus, among others.

    He said items recovered from them were: One 1 AKA 47 Rifle with bridge NO. 0731, Four 4 AKA 47 Magazines with 42 live ammunitions, Four Face Masks and One Green Mazda saloon car used by the syndicate as operational vehicle.

    The Force Spokesman also recalled that some residents of an Estate in Isheri area of Lagos State were kidnapped on Sept. 27 and that the Intelligence Response Team swung into action and arrested four of the kidnappers.

    “The spirited effort of the team led to the arrest of the fifth gang member, Temmi Enormi, 31. The suspect was arrested in Lagos State on Oct. 7 and confessed to being a member of the Isheri Landlord kidnapping and was confirmed by other gang members earlier arrested.

    “The I-G wishes to restate the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force in ensuring that all forms of crimes, particularly kidnapping for ransom and other violent crimes are brought to a bearable and tolerable state throughout the country.

    “He urges Nigerians to always be law abiding and regard themselves as stakeholders in the fight against crime and criminality,’’ Awunah added.

  • Pensioners protest non-payment of Police pensions

    The Nigeria Union of Pensioners Wednesday protested the payment of three months pension arrears to pensioners of the Nigeria Police Force when their counterparts in other services were being paid between 24 and 42 months pension arrears.

    In a statement made available to The Nation in Abuja and signed by the National President,  Dr. Abel  Afolayan and General Secretary, Elder Actor Zal, the union describe the action as inhuman and appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and ensure the prompt payment of the entitlement of the Police pensioners.

    The statement reads: “the Nigeria Union of Pensioners wishes to express her profound gratitude to the federal government for the payment of 12 months arrears of 33% pension increase to the civilian pensioners in Nigeria.

    “Equally, we are very appreciative of payment of 30 months arrears of same to the entire para-military pensioners of our union comprising, Customs, Immigration and Prisons service.

    “We are not unmindful of the current economic situation of the country especially this season of economic recession; President Muhammadu Buhari has really shown his great love for pensioners.

    “However, we want to appeal to the Federal Government in the same vein to kindly ensure speedy payment of the 18 months balance of this arrears to the civilian pensioners.

    “Equally, we were surprise that as the civilian pensioners collected 24 months, para-military got the entire 42 months arrears and the Nigerian military pensioners got 42 months.

    “It is surprising that the Nigeria Police pensioners got only 3 months. How on earth can someone explain this grave injustice done to the police pensioners. This is highly inexplainable.

    “We appeal to Mr. President to please use his love for all and good offices to address this great injustice being done to the members of the Nigeria Police Pensioners who have used their youthful period to serve the nation.”

  • Nigeria Police amongst world best – Osinbajo

    Nigeria Police amongst world best – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday said that the Nigeria Police Force is among the best globally.

    He made the remark while laying the foundation for the construction of the Crime and Incident Data Base Centre at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

    According to him, the Nigerian Police personnel, from many instances worldwide, are better trained and equipped than their counterparts in other countries. But he promised that the government will continue to support it achieve more successes, nationally and globally.

    He said: “The Nigeria Police is one of the very best that we have anywhere in the world and I say so because I have worked with law enforcement agents for many years. I have served in the United Nations special operations in the justice sector like the UN Mission in Somalia for about a year and I saw Police Forces from everywhere across the world.

    “The Nigeria Police was there too and everybody admitted that they were possibly the most effective on ground there in Somalia. They were effective because they were better trained, better educated than every other Police Force that was there, besides, they were well equipped by the UN,” he added.

    The Vice President commended the establishment of a Crime and Incident Data Base Centre for the Police, adding that Nigeria was ready for smart policing.

    The Centre, he said, will go a long way in helping the Police address crime using technology.

    “The direction that we should be going is smart policing. Policing that is technology serving and based more on common sense and technology than just manually doing everything.

    “I think one of the most important things that this Crime Data Base Centre will do is to equip the Police, to be able to do the kind of investigation that is required to cope with crime today,” he said.

    He urged the Police to collaborate with other data processing agencies in the country in order to fully utilize the Centre.

    Speaking earlier, the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris said the data base centre will further equip the police in its quest to rid the country of criminals.

    According to him, the project is estimated to cost over N16 billion.

    “This project is costing about N16 billion but this is the first phase. The federal government has been supporting us to modernise the Police Force, to ensure that we move in tandem with modern strategies in policing. For us, it’s very important to move ahead of the criminals, who always want to be a step ahead of us, so that we will be able to arrest and prosecute them,” he stated.

  • Police kill motorist in Lagos

    Police kill motorist in Lagos

    A motorist was allegedly killed by a mobile escort police officer who fired a gun shot into the air in order to disperse vehicles in traffic at Doyin bus stop in Orile in Lagos.

    The death of the victim simply identified as Fatai, prompted his colleagues to stage a protest against the killer.

    According to one of the protesters, the ugly incident occurred on Sunday, throwing the wife and children of the deceased into mourning.

    “He was the bread winner of his family and he has been killed leaving behind, his wife and five children. Who will take care of them?” lamented the protester, who identified as his friend.

    Speaking about the incident, a trader who witnessed the incident, Ebere Madu, noted that he was attending to his customers when he suddenly heard a gunshot. “The whole place turned to disarray as people ran helter shelter, thinking it was arm robbers attack,” Madu recounted.

    However, the accused Police personnel reportedly abandoned the vehicle he was escorting and fled the scene immediately he realized that someone was badly hit by the shot he fired into the air.

    The Nation correspondent gathered that the occupants of the vehicle were handed over to the Police at Orile Division by some young men in the area.

    The corpse was promptly taken to the Orile Police Division.

  • Police Recruitment: Applicants to undergo polygraph test

    Police Recruitment: Applicants to undergo polygraph test

    The Nigeria Police Force said successful candidates in the ongoing recruitment into the Service would undergo compulsory polygraph test (lie detector test).

    This is contained in statement issued by the Force Spokesman, Deputy Commissioner of Police, (DCP) Don Awunah, in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Awunah said the test would be in addition to the general background check, biometrics, medical, physical examination, aptitude, oral and psychological tests.

    He said that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, who gave the directive, expressed satisfaction with the recruitment so far.

    Idris said that no candidate would be admitted for training at the Police Academy and colleges without undergoing these prescribed tests.

    Awuanh said that the test was aimed at ensuring that candidates recruited into the police were not of questionable character.

    He said the Police Academy and other training Colleges across the country would be equipped to conduct the necessary tests.

    The spokesman said the Police Force was determined to ensure that the exercise conformed with the acceptable standards.

     

     

  • FUNAAB: Police arraign 50 persons over violent protest

    FUNAAB: Police arraign 50 persons over violent protest

     

    Fifty students of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) were arraigned on Friday at a  magistrate court  sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, for arson and destruction of properties.

    The peaceful campus of the institution and the adjoining communities had slipped into chaos last Thursday when a peaceful protest by the students turned violent.

    At least five persons – two students and three police officers, were said to have been injured when a detachment of policemen drafted to contain the highly incensed students, clashed with them.

    For over five hours, the students took to the Alabata road and Abeokuta – Ibadan road and helped by people suspected to be street urchins and miscreants, they set ablaze nine vehicles, vandalized scores of others in their trail.

    The church where FUNAAB Vice – Chancellor, Prof Olusola Oyewole is the founder and General Overseer, and located few metres away from the Headquarters of the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Police Force(NPF), was not spared of the students’ wrath.

    The church’s window panes, doors and properties were vandalized. Worshippers’ and visitors’ vehicles packed at the premises of the church were also damaged.

    On Friday, the Police arraigned 50 persons in connection with the chaos and destruction. While 43 of the accused persons were charged in suit number, MA/429c/2016, the other seven were charged in a separate case with charge number, MA/430c/2016.

    But the offences for which they were all arraigned however remained the same.

    The Students who were ferried to the court in many Police vehicles were charged with arson, taking part in an unlawful assembly, riot and malicious damage of properties including a Toyota Camry Saloon Car belonging to one Assistant Superintendent of Police,  Ariyo Adejuwon.

    They were also accused of “willfully and unlawfully set fire to Osiele Police Station, property of Nigeria Police Force” and “willfully and unlawfully destroyed or damaged louvers property of Divine Height Bible Church Kotopo, Abeokuta.”

    The Police prosecutors, Sunday Eigbejiale and Emmanuel Kayode informed the court that the offences were committed at Camp Area of Abeokuta in the Abeokuta Magistrate District.

    They also told the court that the offences are punishable under section 516(a), 443(a), 70, 71 and 451 of Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006.

    The accused persons however pleaded not guilty to the offences.

    Bunmi Adelabu, one of the counsel, applied for their bail before Magistrate Sofowora Oriyomi, arguing that the accused persons are presumed innocent until otherwise proven by the court.

    The prosecutors opposed the bail applications.

    Delivering her ruling on the application, Magistrate Sofowora admitted the accused persons to bail with N100, 000 each with two sureties in the like sum.

    One of the sureties, according to the Court, must be a guardian or parent of the accused person, resident in Abeokuta, depose to affidavit of means while each of them must be a regular tax payers with evidence of tax payment in the last one year.

    Magistrate Sofowora also ruled that two passport-size photograph each of the sureties and the accused person be attached to the bail bond while the addresses of the sureties should be verified by the court ordeal.

    The case was however adjourned till September 29.

  • PSC to begin second phase of police recruitment

    PSC to begin second phase of police recruitment

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has disclosed that it will soon begin the second phase of the recruitment of 10,000 personnel into the Nigeria Police Force.

    The Commission has also warned prospective candidates not to pay for the recruitment exercise.

    The commission explained that the warning is imperative following information that fraudsters opened facebook account with the name of the Chairman of the Commission, Mike Okiro to defraud people.

    This is contained in a statement by the Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani.

    According to the statement: “The Commission recently concluded the State screening and would in no distant time begin the second phase of the process leading to the recruitment.

    “Successful applicants from the state screening will soon be invited for the next level of the process”, it added.

    On warning against payment of money to fraudsters, the Commission said: “Fraudsters have opened a fake Facebook account with the name of the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro.

    “They are already demanding for money from applicants of the on-going police recruitment by the Police Service Commission.

    Okiro while emphasizng that the process will be transparent, advised unsuspecting applicants to beware of the fraudsters and restrict themselves from being desperate for recruitment into the Force.

    He also noted that the Commission will resist any pressure to undermine or compromise the integrity of the process and the outcome.

    He also assured Nigerians that the fraudsters would soon be rounded up as the police is already after them and will soon apprehend the culprits.

    According to Okiro: “Anybody paying for any assistance to be recruited will definitely be disappointed. Security operatives are on the alert to arrest those giving and the others that are receiving.

    “If they ask you to bring money, whether the fraudsters, our Staff or Police men, report to us and we will arrest and prosecute the person or persons.”

  • ‎Heavy security presence at Deaconess Olawale’s service of songs

    ‎Heavy security presence at Deaconess Olawale’s service of songs

    There was heavy security presence on Friday at the service of songs of Late Deaconess Eunice Olawale.

    The entry points leading to the church, Redeemed Christian Church of God, New Life Assembly, Kubwa where the service took place witnessed great presence of security personnel.

    Men of Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp and Federal Road Safety Corp manned the major entry points leading to the church thereby preventing vehicles and motorbikes from moving.

    The husband, children and siblings of the deceased were dressed in white and appeared depressed throughout the service that lasted for close to three hours.

    The second bible reading was read by the first born of the deceased, Jessica Olawale. She read from the book of Revelations 20: 7 – 15.

    The siblings of the deceased also rendered special song titled: “My dreams will come”.

    The over 3000 capacity church was filled with family members, church members, men of God from different denomination,  friends and Christians from different churches who were present to pay their respect to the deceased.

    Deaconess Eunice Olawale was killed in the early hours of Saturday morning, 9th July while she was preaching (morning cry) in Gbazango West Community area of Kubwa, Abuja.

    Her corpse was found with her bible, megaphone and her telephone.

    The Deaconess who was born on July 23rd 1974 would have clocked 42 years on Saturday, 23rd July, 2016.

    Describing the deceased as a warrior, the officiating pastor, Pastor Caf Obasa from FCT Province II noted that the service was not to mourn but to celebrate a life of  a warrior who has gone to be with the Lord.

    The pastor who read from the books of;1 Corinthians 15: 14 – 17 and John 14: 1 – 3, Hebrews 9: 27 titled his message: “The Uncertainty of Life”.

    The pastor mentioned the things that are certain in life to include: “death, hell, heaven and judgement.

    Pastor Obasa said: Death is not the end of the believer but a passage into eternal glory. We are going to see our sister again during resurrection. She suffered pain but she is enjoying now”.

    He said the congregation should be envious of the deceased because she is already with the Lord.

  • I didn’t go away with 24 vehicles – Arase

    I didn’t go away with 24 vehicles – Arase

     

     

    ‎Retired Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase has described as false, the report accusing him of stealing 24 police vehicles when he left office.

    Arase who reacted through a statement from London, where he is for his son’s graduation said every information needed by his successor on vehicles bought by the police is contained in the handover notes.

    The statement reads in part: “I suspect there must be a disconnect somewhere because every information needed by my successor are provided in my hand-over notes.”
    He also denied the allegation that the Ag. IGP, Ibrahim Idris sent him a letter concerning the car.

    According to him: “I am also not aware that any letter was written to me because if there was any dropped in my house, someone would have alerted me.

    “It’s unfortunate that this matter is being made a media issue because my successor has my telephone number and could have called me for any clarification or even sent me a text message rather than addressing the media on an issue well documented in my hand-over notes”.

    He further explained that all vehicles bought by the police under him were distributed to the state commands and other appropriate units of the Nigeria Police Force.

    Arase however promised to address the issues when he arrives Nigeria.

    The Acting Inspector General of Police, (IGP), Ibrahim Idris had on Sunday said that Arase went away with 24 police vehicles after his retirement.

    Idris also claimed that he wrote Arase to return the cars, which included two official bullet-proof BMW 7 series cars.