The Nation Newspaper

Tag: police net

  • 5 ‘Shila Boys’ in Police net

    5 ‘Shila Boys’ in Police net

    Operatives of the Adamawa State Police Command have arrested five young men who have been allegedly troubling residents of the metropolitan local government areas of Yola South and North.

    The Command, which identifies the men to be part of notorious youngstars called ‘Shila Boys’ in local parlance, said in a statement that they had been on the Police wanted list.

    In the statement yesterday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Nguroje, the Command said the suspects were arrested during routine operations at criminal hideouts and black spots in Yola South LGA.

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    The command named the blackspots as Yola Town Market, Wuro Hausa, and Damare.

    “Those arrested were on the wanted list of the Command for Shilla gangsterism. They are under investigation to ensure that the law takes its course,” the statement said.

    The Command, urging the public to help the fight against Shila Boys by reporting suspicious movements, said: “If you see something, say something, and the Police will do something.”

  • Mother, daughter in police net over baby’s theft

    •’Suspects sold baby for N250,000′

    A 42-year-old woman and her daughter have been arrested for allegedly stealing a four-year old baby, Mesoma Ikoko, in Onitsha, Anambra State.

    The suspects, Ngozi Ede and Kosiso Ede, 17, were alleged to have stolen the baby from the custody of her mother.

    The Nation gathered that the suspects had allegedly sold the baby for N250,000 to another woman before they were apprehended.

    Confirming the incident, police spokesman Mohammed Haruna said the suspects and the buyer were arrested following discreet investigation.

    He said the N250,000 had been recovered from the suspects as exhibit.

    Haruna said: “On February 13, at about 5:20pm, detectives attached to Awada Division arrested Ngozi Ede, female, aged 42, and her daughter, Kosiso Ede, female, aged 17, of 4, Ukaegbu junction, Awada.

    “The suspects conspired and stole Mesoma Ikoko, aged four, from the custody of her mother, Nneka Ikoko, female, of Mammy Market, Army Barracks, Onitsha on February 10.

    “Preliminary investigation further led to the arrest of Ifeoma Okeke, female, aged 45, who collected the child from the suspects and handed her over to one Ifeoma.”

    Read also: Man charged with phone theft

    In a related case, two persons, Nwakaeze Chukwuebuka, 29, and John Udechukwu, 28, were arrested for alleged threat to kidnap a 58-year-old woman in Ihialla.

    The suspects were alleged to have demanded N2million ransom.

    Haruna confirmed the incident, saying the case is being investigated.

    He said: “On February 8, at about 9pm, following intelligence report, detectives attached to the command’s Special Anti-robbery Squad arrested some suspects.

    “The suspects on February 4 threatened to kidnap Mrs. Anatestial Orji, female, aged 58, of Umueze ihiala, through a strange phone call or pay N2million ransom.”

    Haruna said the suspects had confessed.

    He listed the exhibits recovered from them to include the phone used in carrying out the crime.

     

  • Fraudulent UTME centre owners in police net

    Two men and owners of a computer-based test centre, Vision Computer Academy, located on 1, Ganiyu Adeboyejo Close, Eputu London, Eputu Bus Stop, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos, Mr. Bamigbade Ajibola and Amoo Moshood were arrested last Saturday in Lagos for illegally registrating candidates for the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    They were arrested by Policemen from Adeniji Adele Police Station, Lagos Island, after a tip-off that they were using Lagos Island Primary School, Sura, for the illegal registration exercise.

    Mr. Sunday Aladegbaye, Coordinator of the the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Lagos Office of), said the CBT centre, though legally accredited, moved its router and computers to an illegal location to register candidates and extort money from them.

    Aladegbaye warned other CBT owners that JAMB was determined to identify bad eggs negating its efforts at standardising the conduct of examination and admission processes in Nigeria.

     

  • Ozubulu: Three high-profile suspects in police net

    Ozubulu: Three high-profile suspects in police net

    •They are wealthy but have no identifiable means of livelihood’
    •Catholic Church has forgiven brains behind attack, says Bishop
    •Osinbajo sends high-powered delegation to horror scene

    The Police now have in their custody three suspects linked to last Sunday’s massacre at St Philip’s Catholic Church, Ozubulu, Anambra State.

    The suspects are said to be very wealthy but with no identifiable means of income.

    Police spokesman, Moshood Jimoh, who confirmed the arrest however declined to reveal the identities of the suspects.

    He spoke as the Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Dr. Hilary Okeke said the Church has forgiven the brains behind the attack.

    Okeke, receiving  a presidential  delegation during a sympathy visit in Nnewi, however said the forgiveness does not in any way preclude government from fishing out the perpetrators and bringing them to book.

    Jimoh also said the Police will not dignify any suspect with the term high profile, pointing out that anyone who violates the law of the land is liable to be arrested and charged accordingly.

    “The arrested suspects have no identifiable means of income and they completely have no explanation as to their means of livelihood,” Jimoh told The Nation in Abuja.

    “No doubt, when people do things relating to the offence of drug-running, they do not have a recognized means of livelihood.

    “I would not want to say that they are ‘big men’ because anybody can claim to be big but once you commit crime, even if people in the society say you are a big man, it is the duty of the police to hold you and take you before the law. The process is not a respecter of anyone’s social standing.

    “They are leading us further in our investigation into the crime. What happened was a vicious and condemnable act in a place of worship. It is criminal and reprehensible to go and attack worshippers and kill people, no matter what issue prompted any feud.

    “All the perpetrators of such crimes would definitely be arrested and prosecuted. I want to assure Nigerians that whether they are in Nigeria or any other country, the Nigeria police and Interpol will get them anywhere they are.

    “We will get anybody who had a hand in committing this offence; anyone who participated in any way and anyone who gives custody to the perpetrator or hides him has flouted the law. Such a person would be culpable.

    “The process of the law would be firmly followed without compromise towards ensuring that we bring the criminals behind the Ozubulu incident to justice.”

    And welcoming the Presidential team led by Labour and Employment Minister Chris Ngige in Nnewi yesterday, Bishop Okeke hailed the federal government for responding promptly to the Ozubulu incident.

    He said that the federal government had by the gesture, shown that it had the interest of all sections of the country at heart in spite of differences in religion, creed and political affiliations.

    He said that the incident claimed the lives of 13 people, while 26 others sustained various degrees of injury.

    The bishop said that the church had set up a trust fund to assist the victims, adding that government was free to add its own contribution.

    Ngige, a former governor of the state said that the delegation was in the state to condole with the people and government of Anambra.

    He said that President Muhammadu Buhari was much concerned about the incident and that the government would bring the perpetrators to book.

    He pledged that government “will do everything to track the perpetrators,” and pledged its commitment to the safety of Nigerians every where they reside.

    Others on the entourage were Health Minister Prof Isaac Adewole; Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of State for Education Anthony Anwukah; and Minister of State for Environment Ibrahim Jibrin.

    The delegation visited St Philips Catholic, the scene of the incident, in Ozubulu.

    They were scheduled to deliver to Governor Willier Obiano a letter of condolence from Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

    Osinbajo, in the letter, commiserated with the families and friends of the victims, as well as the Ozubulu community for the loss and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

    He condemned in very strong terms the atrocious and dastardly act which he said has brought sorrow to many innocent families.

    “Such barbaric act constitutes an affront to our common humanity and it challenges, but will not overwhelm our collective resolve to rid our communities of all forms of violent crimes and criminality,” he said.

    Osinbajo said President Buhari’s administration remains committed to deploying all available resources towards ensuring adequate security of lives and property in Anambra State and across the entire country.

    He also informed that he had instructed law enforcement agencies to bring perpetrators of the heinous crime to justice without any delay.

    Unknown gunmen had on Aug. 6 invaded the church during morning Mass and opened fire on worshippers.

     

  • Two in police net for raping 14-year-old

    Two in police net for raping 14-year-old

    Two night guards have been arrested by the police in Ogun State for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl.

    Rafiu Animashaun (48) and Emmanuel Bako (23) reportedly committed the offence last Friday at Iloye, Sango in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area.

    Though the suspects begged their victim, she reported the matter to her mother.

    The victim’s mother contacted community leaders, who handed the guards over to detectives at the Sango-Ota Divisional Police Headquarters.

    Reliving her ordeal, the victim said: “I was returning from where my grandmother sent me when I was accosted by the guards, who started questioning me.

    “They demanded N2,000 from me and threatened to take me to the police station.

    “Despite the threat, I told them I would rather be taken to the police station but unknown to me they had their game plan.

    “Animashaun removed my scarf and wondered why I said I could not afford N2,000.

    “Sensing that they were up to something, I ran and they pursued me. But I could not go far because I fell and they caught up with me.

    “There and then, they beat me before taking me into the community town hall, where they forced themselves on me.”

    The Divisional Police Officer, Yinka Egbeyemi, declined comments. He said: “You know too well that I can’t comment on any issue. Get across to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Abeokuta. He is the mouthpiece of the police in Ogun State.”

     

  • Electoral official in police net, says CP

    Anambra State Commissioner of Police Bala Nasarawa, yesterday confirmed the arrest of an electoral official involved in Saturday’s governorship election.

    Nasarawa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka that the Police were interrogating the official but declined to mention the presumed offence.

    The commissioner was reacting to inquisitions about the statement credited to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chair, Prof. Attahiru Jega, that the official who bungled the elections in Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area, had been handed over to the police.

    “Yes, I can confirm to you that we arrested one official, but I don’t know if that is the one you are talking about. Yes, we arrested one official,’’ he said.

    The election could not take place in 65 polling units in Obosi, following the late arrival of INEC officials and the materials for the exercise.

    It was reported that prospective voters waited till 4 p.m. when the officials arrived, eight hours behind schedule, prompting the elders of the area to call for the rescheduling of the election.

    INEC rescheduled the election in the area for Sunday, prompting at least two parties – APC and PDP – to call for a boycott.

  • N.45m theft: Three bank officials in police net in Ado-Ekiti

    Three workers of a new generation bank in Ado-Ekiti have been arrested by the police for alleged theft of N450,000 from a couple.

    The couple, Dr. Tunde Akindele and Mrs. Josephine Akindele, in a telephone interview with reporters said they came from Ife in Osun State on a visit to their relations at Ijelu farmstead in Ado-Ekiti.

    They said they went to the bank to withdraw the said amount but ended losing it in a way they considered strange.

    Mrs. Akindele said: “When I said I needed a withdrawal form, a lady at the counter told me to use the Automated Teller Machine (ATM). When I attempted it, it was rejected twice. The machine would just not do it.

    “Then the lady I spoke with across the counter contacted another worker in the bank who she referred to as the computer operator. While the computer operator was working on the computer system, she made a telephone call.

    “I was eventually paid the money across the counter by the same cashier and left the bank, keeping the money in a safe in the car.

    “We left the bank’s premises and headed for Ijelu but observed that a green Honda was following us right from the bank but we did not think it could be robbers planning their game on us.”

    She said at Ijelu where they had gone to see their father-in-law, they did not spend 10 minutes. When they came out, only their car had been vandalised and the money was stolen.

    “Our mobile handsets, my handbag and some cash were all lying on the car seat but none of these were touched by the thieves. That sparked our curiosity,” Akindele said.

    A private prosecutor, Niran Owoseni, said the case was transferred to the State Investigation Bureau (SIB) .

    Owoseni said he had sought the Attorney-General’s fiat to prosecute the matter.

    But, police spokesperson Mr. Olu Victor Babayemi said he was not aware of the development.