The Lagos State Police Command has warned owners of abandoned vehicles parked at Ishashi Division Lagos and Railway Command, Ebute-Metta to come with their original documents or lose them after 14 days. The vehicles are:
Pontiac car marked EPE 62 AU, Volkswagen BUS REG FKJ 344 XN.
Railway Police Command: Mitsubishi Lancer with registered number XP 435 EPE.
The Police Command in Kogi has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the spokesman of the SDP Muri-Sam Campaign Council, Farouk Adejoh-Audu, to retract claims he made against the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Bethrand Onuoha.
The ultimatum was contained in a statement issued on Thursday in Lokoja by SP Williams Ovye-Aya, the command Public Relations Officer.
He said that the allegations made against the command and the CP were very weighty, frivolous and disturbing.
The command claimed that Adejoh-Audu in a statement on Wednesday, accused the CP of using policemen and thugs to barricade the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Lokoja.
The police also claimed that Adejoh-Audu said the target of the CP was to use ambush and attack lawyers and forensic experts of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), as well as INEC officers inspecting documents and materials used for the Nov. 11 governorship election.
It further accused the SDP media officer of saying that Onuoha was not only privy to the attack, but also plan to use plain cloth personnel in five unmarked Toyota Sienna Buses to trail the SDP team and INEC personnel and shoot at the convoy as they depart for Abuja.
Ovye-Aya said that the allegations were not only reckless but a direct affront on the integrity and authority of the Nigerian Police Force.
“The Command is hereby giving Farouk Adejoh-Audu 24 hours to substantiate his allegations against the State Police Command and the CP or we might have no option than to invoke our operational processes to hold him to account for his reckless and unsubstantiated claims.
“The Police Command doesn’t belong to any political party. Our responsibility is to protect lives and property, a mandate we have protected without fear or favour,” he added.
He said that calm has been restored at the INEC office with the support of other security agencies, and warned ”the SDP and other political parties to desist from disturbing the peace of the state.”
”Anyone that tries to obstruct operations at the INEC Office will face the full wrath of the law,” the command spokesman said.
Ovye-Aya said the command would conduct unbiased investigations into the allegations “to ensure that a final knell is placed on attempts by politicians to drag the Police Force into partisan disagreements”.
(NAN)
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has approved the posting of Police Public Relations Officers (PPROs) to various State Commands and Formation to strengthen community engagement and communication.
The newly posted officers are tasked with fostering positive relationships between the Police Force and the communities they serve.
A statement on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said: “The newly posted officers and their respective portfolios include SP Ayuba Tunni Umma to PPRO Zone 2, Lagos; SP Hauwa Idris Adamu to PPRO Nigeria Police Cooperative; DSP Ejire Adetoun Adeyemi to PPRO Kwara State; ASP Unah Paul Echefunachi to PPRO Ebonyi; ASP Rufa’i Ahmed to PPRO Sokoto; and ASP Musa Mohammed to PPRO Bayelsa.
“Similarly, ASP Abuka Pius has been posted as a Staff Officer to the Public Complaint Bureau of the Force Public Relations Department, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
“The Inspector General of Police emphasises the importance of community collaboration in policing, urging the newly posted officers to work closely with the communities they serve.
“The IGP charges them to entrench the policing ideals and community-oriented initiatives being implemented by the respective heads of their Commands and Formations. The Nigeria Police Force extends its congratulations to the newly appointed PPROs and wishes them success in their new roles”.
Gombe State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hayatu Usman yesterday warned residents in the state against collaborating with abductors and kidnappers in the communities.
Addressing journalists in Gombe, Usman said though the state has enjoyed relative peace more than any other state in the North East, but the recent cases of kidnapping and abduction has become worrisome.
According to him, investigation by the police pointed to a number of members of the community who collaborate with criminals to carry out their dastardly act.
He said such incidents of community collaborators are jeopardizing the community policing effort of the Inspector General of police aimed at reducing crime rates within communities.
“I want to assure our law-abiding citizens that the command under my watch will work assiduously and continue to make Gombe state maintain its record as the most peaceful in the country. It is also pertinent to emphasize here that the safety and security of lives and property in the state will not be possible without the cooperation of the members of the public in respective of their status. I want to solicit the support and understanding of the media in the resolve of the Police Command to make Gombe State safer for all and sundry,” he said.
He said the command under his watch shall take drastic measures on fighting crimes and it’s perpetrators.
Usman added that all the efforts and energies of the command under him shall be geared towards the prevention of crimes and the successful apprehension of offenders that would test police resolve.
“Consequently, the Command shall overhaul its crime prevention machineries with community policing as the pillars of this strategy. The command has already set the ball rolling and took proactive measures to stem the rising crimes in the state through round the clock patrol, constant raids on identified criminal hideouts and black-spots, Surveillance, foot and vehicular patrols, regular stop and search, intelligence gathering, and above all stakeholder’s engagements to address crimes in their localities,” he said.
He called on all officers to brace up for the task ahead.
“My advice to all criminal gangs especially in the metro is to choose the path of peace and embrace the state government’s skill acquisition programs so that they can be useful to the society and contribute their quota towards the development of the state,” he said.
A notorious robber in Kwanar Diso, Gwale Local Government Area of Kano State, Hantar Daba, has surrendered to the police.
Hantar is currently in custody of the Kano State Police Command undergoing profiling, Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Gumel, said.
Police spokesperson, Abdullahi Kiyawa told reporters that ‘Hantar Daba of Kwanar Disu, Nasiru Abdullahi aka Chile Maidoki of Layin Polewire Kurna and Abba Burakita of Dorayi Karama Quarters, Kano are the influential youths identified for promoting thuggery (Fadan Yan Daba). The police had earlier placed a N500,000 bounty on each person for failing to respond to its invitation within the time frame.
Kiyawa added: “The last hangout at Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium on October 17, ultimately changed their minds. And the last one, Hantar Daba, has now surrendered himself, with his mother and topmost former rival now bosom friend, Abba Burakita of Dorayi, leading him to the Police Command.
Abba Burakita and Chile Maidoki had since reported and surrendered themselves to the command, especially Burakita who later brought his followers, 40 in all, October 26.
“More of those identified are denouncing and accepting to change for good.”
The repentant thug said he was sorry for his past ugly life and is now ready to participate in the promotion of peace and sustainable development of the state.
He admitted he controls more than 100 followers, and promised to broker peace with them and bring them to totally change from the long time supremacy fight.
Inspector General of Police (IG) Kayode Egbetokun has condemned last week’s attack on the Adamawa State Police command. He said such should never happen again.
The Adamawa State headquarters was last Wednesday attacked by some soldiers following a conflict with some policemen. A Police Inspector, Jacob Daniel, died in the fracas.
Egbetokun, while on a one-day working visit to the command, described the attack as ‘most unfortunate’. He however assured the people that justice would be done.
He said: “Inspector Jacob Daniel was the officer on duty at the Quarter Guard of this headquarters last Wednesday when he was murdered during an invasion by some recalcitrant soldiers. The attack was unwarranted. The attackers came like bandits and carried out the act in a manner resembling the activities of Boko Haram terrorists.
“I urge you all not to be demoralised, especially by the death of Inspector Jacob. I assure you that the report has been escalated to the highest authority. I am sure there will be justice at the end of it.”
IG Egbetokun also appealed to all police operatives on joint security operations with other security agents to remain committed to such joint operations.
“What happened has happened, and I am sure the military is also not happy about it. We remain partners for the good of our country. Let your morale remain high,” he added.
The Railway Police Command, Abeokuta, Ogun State, has advised the public, especially those who lost their motorcycles to theft or abandoned around the city to report at Lafenwa Railway Police Station for identification and claim.
The motorcycles are unregistered Bajaj; Suzuki and Jincheng.
No fewer than four persons were reportedly killed in a gun battle between gunmen and security operatives in the Aguluzigbo community in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra state.
The Nation gathered that the gun duel, which occurred early morning of Tuesday, November 28, raged till the arrival of reinforcement of combined operatives who repelled the attack.
Although the casualty figure was yet to be ascertained, a trending video showed that no fewer than four security operatives lost their lives in the fire exchange.
The video also showed the corpses of some of the murdered security operatives, including one who was unconscious after sustaining bullet wounds.
When contacted, the state police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga confirmed the incident but said he had yet to confirm the casualty figure.
He however promised to provide full details of the incident later.
He said: “I’m aware of the incident, but yet to confirm the casualty figure. Police operatives resisted the attack and are on the ground to restore calm and normalcy to the area.”
Mr Hayatu Usman, the Gombe State Commissioner of Police (CP) says bail is free, cautioning police officers in the state against receiving money for bail from suspects.
Usman who assumed office as the 22nd CP in the state, stated this at a news conference in Gombe on Tuesday.
He said it was an offence to give or receive money for bail.
Usman said that the command had put in place measures to ensure that no money was received from any suspects for bail in police stations across the state.
‘’The police have zero tolerance for corruption and that it is in that regard that many officers have either been dismissed or have had their ranks reduced as punishment for engaging in corrupt practices.
“Bail is definitely free; it is an offence for somebody to give or receive money to secure bail as both the giver and receiver are guilty of the offence.
“If you are asked to pay before bailing anyone please don’t pay and don’t keep quiet; report such officers and we will make example of the concerned officer.
“I have made it clear to my officers that corruption has no place in the police.
“I have warned my DPOs and HoDs in that regard and anyone caught will not be spared,” he said.
Usman also cautioned policemen against uncivil acts when dealing with members of the public, adding that the command would ensure that rights of the people were not violated.
“I urge all personnel of the command to eschew corruption and act of indiscipline; the command under my watch will deal with any member of the force caught in accordance with laid down procedures,” he said.
Usman said that he plans to strengthen community-based policing to ensure crimes’ prevention.
He stated he also plans to overhaul crime prevention machineries, strengthen intelligence gathering and take proactive measures to stem the rising crimes in the state.
Usman advised criminals in the state to jettison their criminal acts and embrace the State Government’s skill acquisition programme so that they could become useful to the society.
He commended the state government and residents for their supports, appealing for more support from all stakeholders toward ensuring a safe state where residents were free to carry out their lawful businesses.
(NAN)
The National Cybercrime Center of the Nigeria Police (NPF-NCCC) has cleared Patricia Technologies of alleged diversion of depositors’ funds running into N607 million.
The Force also said it has recorded a breakthrough in the reported cyber-crime by arresting Wilfred Bonse and three other suspects, who they said have cases to answer in connection with the case.
Following a reported breach of its crypto-currency trading platform, Patricia in 2022, the firm petitioned the Inspector General of Police over the alleged theft.
The incident resulted in loss of funds belonging to depositors, which also led to the suspension of the platform by Patricia Technologies to curtail further compromise of depositors’ funds.
According to the Nigeria Police PRO, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), during a briefing in Abuja at the weekend, investigation revealed a far-reaching criminal conspiracy involving the unauthorised modification of computer systems, network data and the unlawful diversion of funds totaling over N607 million belonging to the petitioner.
The police image maker said: “Wilfred Bonse, the key player in the complex cybercrime, arrested with three of his co-conspirators, is a prominent politician and former gubernatorial aspirant in Cross River State in the 2023 general elections.
“He was found to have masterminded the alleged theft by conspiring with others, through the conversion of crypto-currency wallets and diversion of the said sum from Patricia Technologies’ Flutterwave account to his bank account.
In his reaction, Hanu Fejiro, CEO of Patricia Technologies, said the conclusion of the Police investigation and eventual arrest of one of the perpetrators is a huge respite to the firm, as well as all its stakeholders.
“This is a big relief. We have finally been vindicated as not a few disbelieved us that our platform was hacked in the first place.
“But thanks to the diligence of the Nigerian Police and the unwavering commitment of my colleagues, we are delighted that our customers now have more reason to continue to trust us. The dark days are over.
“With this development, Nigerians can now see that we have always been a truthful, fair, and responsible organization with the best interest of our customers at heart, ” he said.