Tag: Nigerian Newspapers

A 41-year-old car dealer, Frank Abayomi, has appeared at an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for alleged theft of a Hyundai car worth N3million.

The police charged Abayomi, who lives at 10, Magodo Estate in Lagos, with conspiracy and theft.

He, however, pleaded not guilty.

Prosecuting Inspector Donjour Perezi said the defendant committed the offences with others at large on July 19, at 11am, at Mile 12, Lagos.

He alleged that the defendant stole the car with number plate SMK 511 DW, property of Miss Ngozi Njokuoma.

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Perezi said Ngozi travelled to her home town and left the car in her sister’s care, Miss Sandra Njokuoma.

“Sandra contracted the defendant to drive her to Mile 12 market to buy foodstuffs.

“They had agreed to meet at First Bank after her shopping, but she ended up waiting for hours, in vain.

“After 24 hours, she reported the case at the Ogudu Police Station, believing something bad must have happened to him, but he was later arrested,’’ he said.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened sections 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Magistrate Mrs. Bukola Mogaji admitted the defendant to N200, 000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

She ordered that the sureties must be employed, with evidence of two years tax payments to the Lagos State Government.

The case was adjourned till September 6.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has detained its officer, who allegedly killed a 100 level student of Niger Delta University (NDU), Ammassoma, in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The officer allegedly shot dead the Petrochemical Engineering student identified as Obinna, who was said to have been taken to a hospital in the community, but died shortly after.

NSCDC Commandant-General (CG) Abdullahi Muhammadu said the incident could have been avoided if the officer was careful.

He added: “I assure the family that the erring officer will not go unpunished. He will be sanctioned in accordance with the law, to act as a deterrent to others.”

A statement in Abuja yesterday by NSCDC spokesman Emmanuel Okeh said: “Following the death of a 100 level student of Niger Delta University (NDU), Ammassoma, in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu, has commiserated with the bereaved family.

”Lamenting the incident, the visibly disturbed NSCDC boss described the situation as unfortunate and regrettable, saying it was an accident that could have been avoided had the personnel been a bit more careful with his rifle. He described the untimely death of the young man as a huge loss to the family and prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed.

Read Also: NSCDC operative kills 100-level varsity student in Bayelsa

“Gana stressed that the Corps placed so much premium on human life as an inviolable entity, hence, his administration from inception has maintained zero tolerance for accidental discharge from personnel of the service, which explains why so much energy and resources are channelled towards training and retraining of his officers and men, but most importantly arms bearing personnel because of the sensitive nature of their job.

“Berating his personnel involved in this accidental discharge, he appreciated the bereaved family for their show of understanding and assured them of support in reducing their burden and ensuring that the deceased is given a deserving and befitting burial. For the erring officer; the CG hinted that he is in detention and being investigated to unravel the circumstances that led to the costly mistake.”

The NSCDC boss warned officers and men of the Corps to show more responsible and patriotic attitude towards their professional calling and desist from such behaviours that will drag the good name of the organisation in the mud, stressing that the Corps is noted for humility and integrity in service delivery, hence, stiffer penalty will be handed down to anyone found culpable in such avoidable and life threatening mistake.

“The suspect was on an official escort duty at Ammassoma in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State when the unfortunate incident occurred. He was neither drunk nor found in a drinking bar as insinuated in some quarters. May the Almighty God grant the bereaved family and the entire Niger Delta University community the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

The police in Lagos have arraigned a landlord and his employee at an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court for allegedly threatening a tenant.

The landlord, Olatunji Shakioye, 37, lives at Bariga. His employee, Halimat Olabiyi, 20, lives at Shomolu.

The duo are facing a two-count charge of breach of the peace and threat to life.

Prosecuting Inspector Donjour Perezi said the defendants committed the offences on July 7 at Olorunkemi Street, Bariga.

He alleged that the defendants conspired and conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by threatening, Shakioye’s tenant, Miss Adesuwa Matuwo.

“Olabiyi – an employee to Shakioye –  had a misunderstanding with the complainant (Matuwo) and took a picture of her (using a phone)  without her consent.

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“As a result, the complainant reported the incident at a police station, and when Olabiyi was questioned by the police, she admitted to have snapped her without her consent.

“The pictures were extracted from the defendant’s phone and while the case was still being investigated, the other defendant, Shakioye, out of anger that the complainant didn’t seek his consent before arresting his worker, threatened her.

“He said if the complainant didn’t vacate his premises, he would deal with her.’’

Perezi said the offences contravened sections 56(1) (a) and 168(1) (d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendants pleaded not guilty.

Magistrate Mrs. Bukola Mogaji admitted them to N50, 000 bail each, with two sureties each in the like sum.

The case was adjourned till September 6.

Three persons have been jailed for stealing a Toyota Highlander Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), valued at N3.5million.

Those convicted are Igho Ita and two of his boys, Wellington Osagie and Pascal Bossou.

They were sentenced to 32 months imprisonment each by an Oredo Magistrates’ Court in Edo State presided over by Mrs. Ivie Akere.

The convicts were arraigned on two-count charges bordering on stealing.

They pleaded not guilty.

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Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Patrick Agbonifo called two witnesses, but the convicts did not call any witness.

Agbonifo told the court that the owner of the vehicle, John Paul Orjika, took his car to a car wash owned by Igho on August 11, 2018 and left his keys with them.

He said the owner returned later and was told by the car wash operators that another person came and took the car away.

Mrs. Akere found the three guilty of both charges and sentenced them accordingly.

She, however, gave them an option of N160,000 fine on both charges.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the hierarchy of the Army, Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to speak out on the abduction of its Okene Local Government Chairman, Musa Adelabu, by gunmen reportedly clad in military camouflage.

The party expressed grave concerned about the whereabouts of Adelabu, who was abducted in his home last Saturday, with his abductors allegedly telling his family that they were acting on “orders from above”.

In a statement yesterday in Abuja by PDP spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said it was unacceptable that the security agencies had kept mum over the abduction, even as his party and family had continued to demand his release.

The statement alleged: “This situation has heightened apprehension of high-level partisan conspiracy to use some compromised security operatives against the opposition in Kogi State, in a desperate bid to foist the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the failed Governor Yahaya Bello on the people of Kogi State.

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“Already, there is an ominous tension in Kogi State following intelligence reports filtering into the public domain that our local government chairman is being tortured by his captors in a secret facility where his life is now in great danger.

“Such provocative situation is capable of sparking off serious crisis in Kogi State, which location as gateway and convergence state means a lot of dire consequences for our nation, in the event of any disturbance in the area.

“It is, therefore, unacceptable that the security high command is not forthcoming with concrete statement or decisive action to secure his release despite calls by our party and the people of Kogi State.

“The PDP, therefore, calls on President Muhammadu Buhari, as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces to address his parade and ensure the release of our Kogi PDP leader.”

A Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Delta State allegedly kidnapped last weekend, has regained freedom.

The victim, simply identified as Mr. Okoro, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), headed the Galilee Police Station, Ute-Ogbeje community, in Ika North East Local Government.

The Nation learnt that the victim was freed after a ransom of N3million was paid.

The police officer was kidnapped between Onicha-Ugbo and Issele-Uku along the Benin-Onitsha Expressway by gunmen, who shot sporadically before taking him to an unknown destination.

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It was gathered that the victim was freed on Sunday after the ransom was dropped at a location.

But Police Commissioner Mr. Adeyinka Adeleke denied the incident and subsequent payment of ransom.

He said it was the DPO’s friend that was abducted.

Adeleke said the police would not encourage the payment of ransom.