The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police Commissioner

  • Group tackles Police Commissioner for indicting Army on Niger killings

    A Non-governmental organisation, National Peace Advocacy Group (NAPAG) has tackled Niger State Police Command for blaming the Nigerian Army for raiding armed bandits camp in Bosso Local Government Area of Niger State.

    The group said, the Army should rather be commended for the successful operation, where a lot of dangerous weapons were recovered from the criminals, despite losing about 12 soldiers in the operation.

    National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Alex Amos in a statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna yesterday said, due to the effort of the Nigerian Army, activities of armed bandits, cattle rustlers particularly in the north have been drastically reduced.

    NAPAG said, “The attention of National Peace Advocacy Group (NAPAG) was drawn to a newspaper and online report, which quoted the Niger State Police Commissioner, as faulting the recent operation of the Nigerian Army in Bosso LGA of Niger State, where the army recovered large cache of arms from criminal elements.

    “The Commissioner who appeared before the commission of inquiry probing the Bosso incident had said that, police reserves the right to carry internal security operations and as such, Army intervention was illegal. This statement is unbecoming of a senior police officer.

    “Though, we are not holding brief for the Nigerian Army, but as concerned citizens Nigerian citizens and a non-governmental organisation promoting peace and advocating for a secured Nigeria, we found it duty-bound to defend our army, the Nigerian Army.

    “The said report published in Vanguard Newspaper and few others quoted the Police Commissioner, Alhaji Zubairu Muazu as describing the Army Operation in Bosso as “invasion of Bosso by the Army”. Although, it is police duty to provide internal security, the Nigerian Army equally has the constitutional responsibility to protect the territorial integrity of our dear nation and assist in internal security operation….”

    Amos condemned the Police Commissioner’s for blaming the Nigerian Army for the large number of casualties, wondering if they were “innocent and armless.”

    He said the army, which lost about 12 able men should rather be commended for its intervention effort.

    He said “it is disheartening that the police commissioner could not state before the commission, the brutal killing of five police personnel by gunmen with the same crude weapons just few days after the Army seized large cache of ammunition including AK 47 riffle. This is a great disservice to Niger State and the country at large.”

  • Police nab fraudsters over botched $7,000 deal

    Police nab fraudsters over botched $7,000 deal

    The police in Lagos on Thursday paraded an aggrieved fraudster, Henry Ezechie with six others who allegedly specialise in internet fraud.

    The suspects were all arrested on Saturday at Ajah, after Ezechie who felt cornered in a $7,090 deal he had with Kenneth Eric alias Biggie, petitioned the police alleging that the others were kidnappers and fraudsters.

    It was gathered that detectives from the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence (SCIID) Panti-Yaba stormed Eric’s Ajah residence and arrested Stephen Onwunama, Jacob Chukwuka and two others.

    However, Onwunama and Chukwuka have both denied being criminals insisting that they were just Biggie’s friends and usually visited his home.

    Ezechie who admitted reporting to the police said he was angry that Biggie refused to give him his 80 percent share of the loot.

    “Biggie is the one owing me. We had a $7,090 deal and he refused to give me my 80 percent share of the money and so, I took the payment slip to the police to report. We do yahoo business (Internet fraud). It was my deal. He is the picker and so, his share is 20 percent.

    “Picker is the person who receives the money and sends to Nigeria. He has contacts in America who pick the money and send through money transfer. I have been doing this business for some years now to survive, but this was my major breakthrough and he refused to give me my money.  It is dating that we do. We use Match, Facebook and other sites,” he said.

    But Eric, who admitted he was into Internet fraud, denied being a kidnapper. He also denied defrauding Ezechie, claiming that the deal did not click.

    20160908_114110“Henry alleged me. He gave me a transaction of N300,000 which did not click and he went to the police to claim that I was a kidnapper and a fraudster. He left what we were doing and started talking rubbish. Whoever gave him that receipt he took to the police was just deceiving him. I do Facebook loto. We tell victims that if they pay $800 they will win $100,000. Most of our victims are white people because they are greedy,” he said.

    Onwunama who denied being a fraudster said he only came to visit his friend and he was arrested.

    He claimed that he was a government worker in Delta State,  adding that he laid somewhere in the room when the police came and searched everywhere.

    “They found nothing on me. They searched my phones and laptop and they didn’t see anything that has to do with fraud in it. I was just visiting my friend and I have spent two weeks in his place.  I was to go back to Asaba on Sunday before I was arrested on Saturday. I don’t know how it is an offence to be a friend to a fraudster,” he claimed.

    Chukwuka also denied being a fraudster,  insisting that he only went to Kenneth’s place after he heard the police were there.

    “I was at my house when I heard that the police were at Kenneth’s place to arrest him that he was a kidnapper and a fraudster.  So, I went there with my younger brother to explain that I know him. That he was not a kidnapper. That’s how I was also arrested. I did not do anything wrong. I have never been a criminal in my life,” he said.

    Parading the suspects, Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni said they will be charged to court at the completion of investigation.

  • Attention, Lagos police commissioner

    SIR: This is to bring to the notice of the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Fatai Owoseni, and the Lagos State government the unprofessional behaviour of some policemen presumably from the Shogunle police station stationed at the Ladipo Bus Stop area of the Agege Motor Road.

    Hiding under enforcement of traffic light rules, the policemen from the station always lie in wait around the bus stop for motorists whom they often wrongly accuse of jumping traffic light. The problem is that the traffic light malfunctions. It has no amber light to guide motorists to prepare to stop, nor does it have a digital counter by which motorists can guide themselves to stop at the traffic light.

    It is, therefore, possible to get to the traffic light exactly the moment green turns to red, and a motorist will be perfectly justified to drive across. After all, it is unrealistic for a motorist to be anticipating, without a digital counter or amber light, when to stop except the red light is already on. Consequently, there is hardly a day policemen from the station do not arrest and extort motorists because of this traffic light malfunction. The other problem is that once intercepted, the policemen interrogate the motorist right in the middle of the road in total and reckless disregard for the safety of the intercepted motorist and his passengers.

    This is an appeal to the Lagos State Government to repair the Ladipo traffic light and get it functioning properly, and for Mr Owoseni to caution his men against open and unprofessional behaviour and misconduct. Lagos needs to enforce road traffic rules in order to engender safe motoring, and it needs fine policemen to do it; but it is only those who knowingly flout traffic rules that should be intercepted. Even then such interception must neither endanger lives nor promote police misconduct.

     

    • Shegun Adebowale

    Oshodi, Lagos

  • Police arrest fake lawyer after 10 years of practice

    Police arrest fake lawyer after 10 years of practice

    The Police in Ogun State have arrested 47 year old man, Mr Ayodele Balogun from Otta in Ado Odo Otta Local Government Area of the state for practicing as a lawyer in the last 10 years without training.

    Ayodele who has been parading himself as a trained lawyer and practicing at the Otta arm of the state Judiciary, was arrested by Detectives attached to the Otta  Division of the Ogun Police Command following complainant that he had duped somebody of N140,000: 00k (One Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira only).

    The Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said while the suspect was being interrogated, a notable legal practitioner in Otta also alerted them of his criminal antecedents and the need to interrogate him extensively.

    Adejobi added that the Police Commissioner, Abdulmajid Ali, who expressed disappointment in the suspect’s alleged involvement in nefarious activities, has vowed to make Ogun State hot for criminals and unscrupulous elements.

    “While the police detectives were on with their interrogation, one of the revered legal practitioners  in the area alerted the police of the suspect’s criminal antecedents and urged the police to widen the scope of their interrogation, hence the confession of Ayodele Balogun, who has been practicing at a popular chamber in otta for a decade, to be a fake legal practitioner.

    “The suspect and others,who might be indicted in the course of police investigation,be charged to court without delay and his (their) details be sent to the Nigerian Bar Association and other concerned groups/bodies for necessary action,” Adejobi said.

  • Kaduna: Police nab 15 kidnap suspects

    Kaduna: Police nab 15 kidnap suspects

    • Rescue two victims

    Against the backdrop of incessant high profile kidnap cases in Kaduna State, the Kaduna State Police Command has nabbed 15 suspects, including those terrorising Kaduna-Abuja Express Way where three Pastors were recently kidnapped and an Army Colonel killed.

    The Police however rescued two kidnap victims, one Engr Mansur Musa and Elijah Afolabi from deadly kidnappers.

    The Police Commissioner, Umar Shehu while addressing Journalists shortly after parading the suspects said the gang included those who kidnapped Engr. Mansur Ahmed along Abuja/ Kaduna express way.

    According to the Commissioner, some of the suspects were in possession of foreign currencies and valuables suspected to have been snatched from their victims.

    Some of the suspects paraded before  newsmen confessed to be members of kidnapping gangs operating along Kaduna-Abuja express way.

    One of them told newsmen that he was among members of the gang that kidnapped a Pastor in Jere, Kaduna state.

    The Commissioner said the police were still investigating involvement of the suspects in alleged kidnapping of late Army Colonel Ismail Inusa, killed last week along the same road.

    According to him, “In two to three days all necessary information as regards to the suspects will be revealed as investigation is ongoing.”

    According to him, another suspects were arrested by the Anti-Crime Patrol team in Kabala West for threatening some prominent personalities from their village and demanding for Ransom.

    The Commissioner further reasured members of the public of police readiness to make Kaduna safe and habitable.

    He urged residents to assist the police with useful information to track down criminals in the state.

    The Nation recall that, three HEKAN Pastors were recently abducted at the site of their church permanent site along Kaduna-Abuja express way. While, Nigerian Army Colonel, Samaila Inusa was equally kidnapped at Kamazo area of Kaduna metropolis and killed along Kaduna-Abuja Road.

  • Kidnappings: Police commissioner resumes in Ekiti

    Kidnappings: Police commissioner resumes in Ekiti

    •Doctors withdraw emergency services from govt hospitals

    A Commissioner of Police, Etop John James, has resumed in Ekiti State with a pledge to restore peace, law and order.

    Addressing some interest groups sympathetic to Governor Ayo Fayose at the Trade Fair Complex yesterday, James said he would use community policing to tackle kidnapping and other crimes in the state.

    The interest groups included the House of Assembly members-elect, drivers’ unions, market women and commercial motorcyclists.

    The police chief said his brief was to meet various interest groups and stakeholders, promising to operate an open door policy.

    He revealed that he has the mandate of the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to make the state safe for law-abiding residents and restore public confidence in the Force.

    He said: “Any group that is legitimate is free to talk to me. I will use all information I have now and I will listen to others. I am here to ensure peace.

    “I was given only one mandate; it is to go and do police job. My duty is to ensure peace.

    “Let everybody go about their businesses and the only way we can do it is by remaining peaceful.

    “Part of my brief is to meet the various interest groups and every group is free to talk to me.

    “I love the way you conducted yourselves and left your requests for me to work with.

    “I cannot stop being an officer of community policing, we must always follow the rule of law. I will take what you have told me seriously as I will always listen to others.”

    A lawmaker-elect, Kola Oluwawole, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said the people are tired of political instability and crimes being witnessed in the state.

    He said: “I want to plead with you that we want peace urgently in Ekiti. We want the peace we were enjoying to continue, all sorts of provocation, harsh press statements should stop, enough of kidnapping, robbery.

    “We want the estranged lawmakers to come back home and join hands to move the state forward.”

    Members of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) have suspended emergency services in all government hospitals in the state.

    The doctors said the move was to protest the kidnap of their colleagues and continued threats from kidnappers.

    In separate letters to Fayose and the IG dated May 18 after an emergency meeting of the association on May 16, the NMA bemoaned the increasing rate of kidnapping in the state, especially its members lamenting that the measures taken by the government and security operatives had not yielded the desired result.

    The association said it was ordering its members to suspend services “since the safety of our members offering those services cannot be guaranteed again”.

    A protest letter by the Chairman, Dr. John Akinbote and Secretary Dr. Akinyele Akinwale, reads: “The emergency services aimed at saving lives of citizens in the course of our protest is hereby suspended since the safety of our members offering those services cannot be guaranteed.

    “Your Excellency should speed up quick intervention of the Inspector General of Police since we gathered your commendable petition had already been sent to his office.

    “We shall resume full clinical duties only after we are able to ascertain palpable and visible security measures to protect people of Ekiti State and the unconditional release of those kidnapped.”

  • Police arrest Orekoya kids kidnapper

    Police arrest Orekoya kids kidnapper

    Funmilayo Adeyemi, the house-help who kidnapped three children from the Orekoya family in Lagos state has been arrested.

    Her arrest was confirmed on Thursday by the Lagos state Police Commissioner,  Mr Kayode Aderanti while speaking on Sunrise Daily.

    “We swung into action, transferred it (the case) to the headquarters and assigned it to our Special Investigation Bureau (SIB) and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    “Along the way, we tried to do everything possible because of the safety of these kids; so paramount to us.

    “So we did everything possible to narrow down the space to Shasha area and found the children abandoned in the building and we went there and evacuated them to safety.

    “But the beautiful thing is that the maid, Mary Adeyemi , was arrested yesterday night,” he said.

    The three kidnapped children of the Orekoya family, aged 4, 6, and 11 years old were kidnapped by the new house maid – Adeyemi , who was hired through an online platform in Lagos State.

  • Rivers PDP defends police commissioner

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rivers State chapter, has exonerated Commissioner of Police Mbu Joseph Mbu, from the rising insecurity in the state.

    Rivers PDP Chairman, Chief Felix Obuah, through his Special Adviser on Media, Jerry Needam, yesterday alleged that insecurity in the state was the creation of Governor Rotimi Amaechi to discredit the efforts of the police and other security operatives, to ensure Mbu’s redeployment.

    Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, through Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, declared that the state started experiencing insecurity, especially kidnapping and armed robbery.

    The Rivers governor also stated that the Federal Government decided to impose Mbu on Rivers people, despite his protest and resolutions of the National Assembly that the commissioner of police should be redeployed with immediate effect, for taking sides in the political crisis.

    Rivers PDP, however, said: “Governor Amaechi’s claim (on insecurity) contradicts his continued assurances to prospective foreign investors of prevailing peace and conducive atmosphere for investment. We wonder if he could be referring to another state, other than Rivers.

    “The governor’s double speak is unfortunate. The feigned insecurity of lives and property in Rivers state is lacking both in terms and principle.

    “If there is any society that is completely free of crimes and undesirable elements, there will be no need for security operatives. Even among the kitchen cabinet of Governor Amaechi, there could be those whose dispositions pose apparent danger to order and security.

    “We challenge the trumpeters of rising wave of crimes in Rivers state to point to any other state in Nigeria, where the police are more active and whose efforts at combating crimes have paid off, than the current team under CP Mbu of Rivers command.”

    The ruling party also urged the critics of the Rivers commissioner of police to look for other reasons to concoct, other than the allegation of inefficiency.

    The PDP leadership added that the police in Rivers state under Mbu had performed well, except in the area of involvement in partisan politics, as his detractors would want him to do.

  • Court restrains Rivers Police Commissioner

    A Port Harcourt High Court has granted  an interim order restraining the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu from arresting the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Otelemaba Amakri and the Chief of Staff ( COS) of government house , Tony Okocha.

    Justice Adolphus Enebeli gave the order following a motion exparte brought by the Speaker and the Chief of Staff. The Speaker had raised an alarm over alleged plan to assassinate Governor Rotimi Amaechi while the Chief of Staff alleged of plans to burn down government properties in the state.

    Enebeli ordered the Commissioner of Police to stay further investigation of the allegations by the Speaker and COS pending the determination of the application before the court.

    Counsel to the Chief of Staff, Vincent Uchendu told the court that the invitation by the Police Commissioner is an attempt to further violate the fundamental human rights of the two applicants.

    The Speaker’s counsel Emenike Ebete expressed  doubt on the ability of the police to be fair in the investigation of the case which was adjourned till June 3, this year.