The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Phone theft

  • Five held for burglary, phone theft

    The police in Enugu State have arrested five suspects for allegedly breaking into phone stores and snatching phones from victims in Enugu, spokesman Ebere Amaraizu said in a statement in Enugu yesterday.

    He said 17 phones and a laptop were recovered from the suspects.

    Amaraizu said the suspects terrorised victims at Texaco and Liberty on Abakpa axis and New Haven axis of Enugu.

    He said their arrest at New Haven followed a tip-off.

    “It was gathered that the suspects had allegedly conspired and broken into a phone shop on Chime Avenue, New Haven axis of Enugu at midnight, stealing Apple I-phones and laptops.

    “Following the report, operatives swung into action and through intelligence information, nabbed three suspects and recovered 17 of the stolen phones and a laptop.

    “Investigations led to the arrest of two other suspects on October 8, bringing the number of the suspects to five. A manhunt has been intensified for the fleeing ones,” Amaraizu said.

    He gave the names of the suspects as: Charles Chekwube, Kelechukwu Okpara, Eneh Ifeanyi, Anih Emeka and Okpara Chisom (female).

    According to him, the suspects are helping the police in their investigation.

    Amaraizu said the suspects attributed their actions to bad company and peer influence.

    “Charles Chekwube said his friends suggested that they should break into a phone shop and lay siege to their victims in Abakpa and its environs, to steal phones,” he added.

     

  • Two killed over kidnapping, phone theft

    A mob yesterday burnt two persons to death in Mushin and Agbado Ijaiye for alleged child abduction and phone theft.

    The suspected kidnapper was killed at Cele in Agbado Ijaye; the suspected phone thief was lynched in Mushin. He allegedly stole a Samsung Galaxy phone valued at N45,000.

    In a video circulating on the internet, the late kidnapper, was heard confessing how he abducted children before selling them for N30,000 each.

    He said he kidnapped and sold four children for N120,000.

    The suspected theft was said to have been spoted when he removed the phone from an apartment on Olorunsogo Street, Mushin.

    Residents in the neighbourhood chased him to Olorunsogo junction, where he was beaten and set ablaze.

    Policemen from Area ‘D’ Mushin have arrested some people over the inccident.

    Police Public Relations Officer, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent (ASP), said the suspects had been taken to the homicide unit of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) at Panti, Yaba.

    Worried by the rising jungle justice, Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni said there was no justification for killing people who should be handed over to the police.

    He said: “We had a case of jungle justice on August 8, at Ajala Bus-Stop, Ijaiye-Ojokoro where two persons suspected to be kidnappers/ritualists were burnt, while some buildings were vandalised.

    “Another incident happened on August 10, at Ile-Zik Bus Stop, along Old Abeokuta Road, where a mob attempted to carry out jungle justice on some destitute, suspected to be ritualists /kidnappers.

    “Again, on August 11, a destitute who appeared to be mentally deranged was set ablaze by a mob on the allegation that he possessed a telephone.

    “It is necessary to mention that in the course of the disdainful acts, vital evidence is destroyed.

    “In addition, in the course of discharging its constitutional responsibilities and preventing the barbaric act, police officers were fatally wounded, while stones were hurled at them as well as police patrol vans. However, a number of arrests were made in this regard.

    “The foregoing has made it imperative that the general public be reminded of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended which states thus: “It shall be the duty of every citizen to respect the dignity of other citizens and the rights and legitimate interests of others and live in unity and harmony and in the spirit of common brotherhood.

    “No person shall be subjected to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment. There is no justification for jungle justice on suspected persons. It is barbaric and uncivilised.

    “It is a manifestation of the erosion of our moral values and a disregard to sanctity of human lives. It violates the rule of law and dents the image of the state.

    “Above all, it is a violation of the law, and all those arrested in connection with the aforementioned cases will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

    “The public is advised to report any suspicious happening in their areas and they are assured of the renewed commitment of the police and other security agencies to prompt response to such reports.

    “The public is also assured of renewed synergy amongst the institutions saddled with criminal justice administration towards ensuring quick dispensation of justice.

    “The general public is therefore, strongly advised to desist from this unlawful and barbaric act. No effort will be spared in ensuring that lawful means are used to bring to justice, anyone who violates the law.”

     

    Lawmaker condemns jungle justice

    A member of Lagos State Lawmaker representing Ifako Ijaiye Constituency II, Rasheed Makinde has urged Lagosians to shun jungle justice.

    He told newsmen that jungle justice hinders proper investigation.

    Makinde said this during an on-spot assessment to Obadeyi bus stop where some alleged ritualists were burnt by mob.

    He said: “The tense environment we have today where everybody is living in fear is understandable couple with the fact that security personnel are very limited to the number of people living in Lagos State that is the challenge.

    “However Lagos State Government is already doing something about it, the Lagos Neighbourhood watch recently established is one way out and recruitment process is ongoing. The essence of the neighbourhood watch is majorly to gather intelligence for the other security personnel to work with for a well secured environment. We should avoid engaging in jungle justice.”

    He refuted the news making the rounds that a kidnappers’ den was discovered in his constituency.

  • Church thief jailed seven years for N70,000 phone theft

    An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos has sentenced Williams Eromosele to seven years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing a mobile phone.

    Magistrate O. Otitoju convicted Eromosele after accepting his plea of guilt to a one-count charge brought by the police and the facts of the case presented by prosecuting Inspector Okete Ejima.

    Ejima said Eromosele, 28, claimed to be a graduate of accountancy from Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, and a member of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Olive Tree Parish, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    He said the convict was a repeat offender and was arrested and jailed for six months last year for stealing money from an offering box at a church on Musa Yar, Adua street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    After serving his sentence, the convict was again arrested for stealing a Huawei G73 phone valued at N70,000 from Mrs Ihindinibu Omawunmi at the (Anglican) Church of the Resurrection at 1004 Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    According to him the convict committed the crime last December 11, during a service at the Church of Resurrection.

    He said while the church members were praying, the convict cleverly stole the complainant’s phone and escaped.

    “When the complainant observed that her phone was missing, she used another phone to call the number of her missing handset but the convict received the call and told the complainant she must pay him N10,000.00 before he would return the phone to her. The complainant reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the Bar Beach Division, Victoria Island, CSP Olusegun Ajamulaya, who advised the complainant to play along and pay the money as bait into the account the convict provided.”

     

  • Court remands man for phone theft

    An Egor Magistrates’ Court in Edo State yesterday remanded Mr. Eze Oba, 54, who pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of burglary and stealing.

    Chief Magistrate W. Aziegbemhin remanded the accused in prison and adjourned the case till November 28 for the presentation of facts.

    Prosecutor C. Nnamdi had told the court that the accused committed the offence on November 17 at 5, Emma Avenue, Benin City.

    He alleged that the accused broke into the home of Jennifer Bazuaye and stole a Samsung phone valued N60,000 and N20,000.

    Nnamdi said the offence contravened sections 411 (i) and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code.

  • Two remanded in prison for drowning colleague

    An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court has remanded two labourers in Lagos prison for touring and drowning their colleague for allegedly stealing phone.

    The accused – Ayuba Abu, 32, and Dogo Yakubu 30 – are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

    They were alleged to have murdered Mamudu Amidu, 34.

    The Magistrate, Miss B.O. Ope-Agbe, said the accused should be kept behind bars pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    The Prosecutor, Sgt. Jimah Iseghede had told the court that the accused committed the offences on July 8 at Plot 10, Prime Adesoji Ajose St., Ogudu GRA Phase 11, Lagos.

    Iseghede alleged Abu and Dogo had vowed to beat that Amidu (the deceased) for stealing a phone, but was pardoned after much plea from the deceased.

    “But a neighbour, now at large, who heard about the matter, insisted that Amidu must be punished for the offence.

    “The accused and the neighbour later tortured Amidu in a stagnant water, bathed and dipped him in the water … he lost consciousness and was later found dead,” Iseghede said.

    The offences, he noted, contravened Sections 221and 231 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 221 prescribes a death sentence for offenders.

    The magistrate has adjourned the case to Sept. 13.