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Tag: Police

  • Police detain Catholic priest, five others over alleged MASSOB membership

    Police detain Catholic priest, five others over alleged MASSOB membership

    A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Samuel Aniebonem and five others have been detained by anti kidnapping section of the l police at Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State over alleged membership of Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).

    Three persons were during the week arrested during raiding of the group’s office along Awkuzu/ Otuocha road, Ifitedunu, Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state.

    The Nation gathered that the cleric, an in-law to one of the arrested members of BIM-MASSOB, had gone to State Criminal Investigation Department, Awkuzu to find out what led to the arrest of the 87- year old in-law, Sylvester Dinyelu, and possibly effect his release.

    “On getting to the station he was also arrested and detained on suspicion that he might be a member of the non-violence and non-exodus movement.

    “His driver, Mr. Udebunu Anachuna, who drove the  Fr. Aniebonem to the station was equally arrested alongside Mr. Christian Ifeji, Johnson Anagor and Mr. Kanayo Madu.

    “A similar development occurred in  Onitsha when Mr. Mathew Ani was also arrested on Tuesday, on allegation of belonging to the Indigenous people of Biafra, IPOB, which he had earlier denied. 

    “Mathew said he was not a member of IPOB but that he belonged to Uwazuruike’s BIM-MASSOB,” a source narrated.

    Confirming the report  to newsmen in a Onitsha, MASSOB Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha said Mathew is being detained at the Area Command’s cell in Onitsha.

    Read Also: We don’t need assistance on MohBad but investigation, Portable tells police

    “We have just engaged the services of our lawyer to ensure the early release of the men including that of an 87 year old man,” the statement reads.

    Reacting, Spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, (DSP), said, “Our operatives working on reliable information, raided their office along Oyeagu Ifitedunu road on 25/09/2023 and a lot of incriminating items and unpatriotic materials that show disloyalty to the Federal Republic of Nigeria  were found.

    “Meanwhile the case is still under investigation as I talk to you.”

  • Police detain Catholic priest, five others over alleged membership of MASSOB

    Police detain Catholic priest, five others over alleged membership of MASSOB

    The Police in Anambra have arrested and detained a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Samuel Aniebonem, and five others for allegedly belonging to the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).

    MASSOB disclosed this in a press statement in Awka on Friday signed by its Director of Information, Chris Mocha.

    The statement indicated that Aniebonem and five others were arrested on Wednesday, September 27, by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Nigeria Police at Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area (LGA), Anambra.

    Mocha said that three persons had earlier been arrested when the police raided the group’s office along Awkuzu/Otuocha road, Ifitedunu, Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state, on Monday, 25 September.

    The statement noted that Aniebonem, who works at St Patrick’s Cathedral Church, Awka, hails from Ifitedunu town, and got involved when he visited the State Criminal Investigation Department, Awkuzu, on account of his in-law.

    Mocha said that the priest had gone for Chief Sylvester Dinyelu, his 87-year-old in-law who was arrested by the police to seek the reason behind his arrest and possibly secure his release considering his age.

    He said instead of briefing the priest on reasons for Dinyelu’s arrest, the police arrested the Reverend Father on the suspicion that he too might be a member of the movement.

    Mr. Udebunu Anachuna, driver of the priest who drove him to the station, was equally arrested alongside Mr. Christian Ifeji, Johnson Anagor and Mr. Kanayo Madu on the same allegation.

    Mocha said that a similar development occurred in Onitsha when one Mr. Mathew Ani was also arrested on Tuesday, September 26, on allegation of belonging to the Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB).

    Read Also: Atiku on fishing expedition, Tinubu tells US court

    He said that the random arrests by police need to be checked as their actions are against the principles of the right of free association and movement of the citizens as contained in the Nigerian constitutions as amended.

    “We have just engaged the services of our lawyer to ensure the early release of the men, including the 87-year-old man,” Mocha said.

    The Command Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in Anambra, Mr. Tochukwu Ikenga (DSP), confirmed the arrest and detention when contacted.

    “Our operatives working on reliable information, raided their office along Oyeagu Ifitedunu road on Monday September 25.

    He said that a lot of incriminating items and unpatriotic materials showing the movement’s disloyalty to the Federal government were found there. “Temporarily, the case is still under investigation as I talk to you,” he further disclosed.

  • Aftermath of The Nation report: Police set to reopen probe of murder suspects freed by court

    Aftermath of The Nation report: Police set to reopen probe of murder suspects freed by court

    Weeks after The Nation published an exclusive story on how the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) of Lagos State Ministry of Justice misled a Yaba Magistrate’s Court to free suspected killers of a mobile police personnel, Sergeant Edison Fulman, and 13 workers of a private real estate firm in Etegbin, a coastal community in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, the police are set to reinvestigate the suspects.

    Seargeant Fulman and 16 other policemen were drafted from the Zone 2 Police headquarters to Etegbin to maintain law and order following a court judgment on a disputed landed property.

    The workers, Ganiyu Ogunbakinde; Olamide; Omoakin; Jamiu Adegoke; Azeez; Oloye; Akeem; Taiwo; Dayo, Wasiu, Olamide Akinromola; Jamiu Adegoke, and Emmanuel, were said to have been abducted by hoodlums following a court judgment that validated one Adeoku as the owner of some hectares of land in Etegbin community. The victims were allegedly marched to a remote location in the riverine town where they were allegedly killed while their bodies were dumped in the Lagoon around the community.

    The story – ‘How DPP report misled court to set murder suspects free’, published on August 19, 2023, exposed how the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice issued a piece of legal advice wherein the suspects, Sabitu Anafiu; Sarafadeen Saka; Festus Onifade; Moses Adeola; Sakiru Lamidi; Moshood Ayepe, Lateef Oluwaseyi; Omoowo Rafiu; Omoowo Gafar; Onyeka Ibekwe and Jimoh Seliu, who were charged to court for murder, were exonerated and asked to be freed by the magistrate’s court.

    In the exclusive story published after about 10-month-long investigation, an MTN phone number (08034587089) was cited by the DPP’s legal advice as belonging to one ‘Major’ which it described as the real culprits that should be arrested and prosecuted by the police. However, an investigation using statements written by the suspect(s) at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, Lagos, a report of police investigation, and undercover findings by our correspondent proved that the phone number actually belongs to the leading suspect.

    Read Also: IPOB bans Independence Day anniversary in Southeast

    The report also exposed the identity of one Mohammed with  9mobile  telephone number 09084543031 who was also mentioned as another prominent suspect as Seriki Mohmed. The story also mentioned the inability of the police to revisit the matter.

    It was learnt that an outraged property mogul, Chief Moruf Owonla, who was inspired by the report had lodged complaints to the police authorities, asking for a revisit of the case.

    A petition written by Owonla, who lost about 13 employees of his real estate firm was approved by the Office of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, for re-investigation.

    The petition read in part: “The ring leader SABITU ANAFIU  aka MAJOR with the phone number 03034537039 was indeed arrested with his statement taken but was dropped via manipulation and scheming in power play to play safe in fraudulent judicial practices and in line with the Page 7, paragraph 4 of the legal advice which stated that the Nigeria Police should carry out a discreet Investigation to unravel the identities of the said “Major and Mohammed and their culpability in the attack in Etegbin Community on the 14 February 2022 which led to the death of Sgt. Edison Fulman and Eleven (11) Members of my Site workers in cold blood.

    “These assailants were indeed known to us all and I am ready to provide the police with the necessary assistance and support to get to the root of this evil so that the death of the innocents will not be in vain and or swept under the carpet so that the culprits will be made to face the full wrath of the law in order to serve as a veritable deterrent to others.”

  • Police arraign mother, son over stealing in Ondo

    Police arraign mother, son over stealing in Ondo

    A 48-year-old woman, Toyun Adejayan, and her teenage son, Adekunle Adejayan have been arraigned before the Akure Family Magistrate Court, for allegedly stealing and receiving the sum of N200,000.

    They were arraigned on two counts of stealing and receiving stolen property.

    Police prosecutor, Martins Olowofeso informed the court that the suspects committed the offences on September 14, at Itaja Road, Idanre in Ondo state.

    Read Also: Police bust kidnap syndicate

    Olowofeso stated that Adekunle stole the money from one Mary Olarenwaju and gave it to his mother.

    He alleged that the mother knew the money was stolen.

    The prosecutor said the police recovered N70,000 from the mother.

    Both defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Presiding Magistrate, F.A Aduroja, ordered the remand of Adekunle to the Ondo State Juvenile home, Akure, while his mother should be returned to the police station for further investigation.

    The case was adjourned to October 10, 2023, for mention.

  • Police bust kidnap syndicate

    Police bust kidnap syndicate

    In a significant victory against crime, Yobe State Police Command has  dismantled a notorious kidnap  syndicate operating across Potiskum, Fune and Nangere local governments.

    The operation resulted in the arrest of the syndicate’s kingpin, Barum Alh Makau, a 40-year-old resident of Ashawa, via Kyari village, and his associate, Rufai Alh Labe, a 27-year-old, who hails from Dadin Kowa Horon in Gombe State.

    Read Also: Police parade 92 kidnap, robbery, cult suspects, others in Enugu

    A statement by the Yobe State Police spokesman DSP Dungus Abdulkarim said: “The operation was carried out just one day after the abduction of a 40-year-old woman and her 25-year-old son at Gelel village in Fune Local Government.”

  • Police advisory

    Police advisory

    The Lagos State police Command has advised the public especially those who lost their vehicles to theft or abandoned around the city to  to report at Dolphin Estate, Shagamu Road and   Oworonshoki Divisions  for identification and claim within two weeks,

    Read Also: BREAKING: Sam Larry now in custody – Lagos police

    The  Oworonshoki Division vehicles are two accidented  Toyota Corolla car  with registered numbers : MUS 577 GU and  JJJ 115 GS ; Hyundai  car 75 Epe; unregistered Volkswagen bus ;  Fiesta Ford  FG 525 C 47 ;  Two Volkswagen buses , FST 605 XL and  GGE 454 XS and Honda car , Epe  640 DD.

  • Police wives mobilise 100,000 women

    Police wives mobilise 100,000 women

    Police Officers Wives Association (POWA) has said it will be mobilising 100,000 women to boost the agricultural workforce to strengthen value chains.

     This, it said, would mitigate risks of disorder due to food shortage.

     President of POWA, Mrs Elizabeth Egbetokun, who spoke yesterday in Abuja during a press briefing, said the project is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s vision for food security, which he has declared as a State of Emergency.

     Egbetokun said she is committed to enhancing security through non-kinetic approaches being a national advocate of the Young Women in Agriculture (YWA), under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), initiative named Strategic Intervention Programme – ALPHA (SIP-ALPHA) to address the shortcomings in food supplies in the country.

     She said: “As the wife of the Inspector General of Police, I am committed to enhancing security through non-kinetic approaches.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Sam Larry now in custody – Lagos police

     “Addressing food scarcity directly contributes to United Nations Goal 2 zero hunger.

     “As president of POWA, I am mobilising 100,000 women to boost agricultural workforce, strengthening the agricultural value chain to mitigate risks of disorder due to food shortage”.

     Chairman of House Committee on Diaspora, Tanko Adamu, said the committee would synergise with POWA to attain food security and combat insecurity.

    Adamu said one of the principal mandates of the committee is to initiate policies to harness the potential of Nigerians in diaspora to support economic development.

     Also, President of UNESCO REF, Abdulsalami Ladigbolu, stressed need to address food security issues in the country.

     He however called on relevant stakeholders to join forces with POWA in achieving self-sufficiency.

  • Police raid referees’ HQ as part of Barcelona investigation

    Police raid referees’ HQ as part of Barcelona investigation

    Spanish police raided the offices of the referees’ committee as part of an investigation into Barcelona’s alleged corrupt payments to an official.

    Barcelona face charges of corruption over payments made to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, a former vice-president of the committee, in return for favourable refereeing decisions.

    Uefa is also investigating the matter.

    Barcelona deny any wrongdoing and no arrests were made during the search in Madrid.

    The Spanish Civil Guard searched the Spanish Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) headquarters on Thursday.

    BBC Sport has been told that the judge presiding over the case demanded documentation from the CTA. This was not sent, which prompted the raid.

    The initial criminal investigation was brought by the Barcelona public prosecutor’s office in March, with European football’s governing body Uefa launching its own investigation shortly after.

    It is alleged that Barcelona paid 8.4m euros (£7.4m) to Negreira and his Dasnil 95 company.

    The payments were initially investigated as part of a tax probe into the company run by Negreira.

    Read Also: Barcelona keep tab of rejuvenated Ndidi

    Barcelona made payments to the company totalling a reported 1.4m euros (£1.2m) between 2016 and 2018, and paid Negreira about 7m euros (£6.2m) between 2001 and 2018, the year he left his role with the referees’ committee.

    Barcelona acknowledged they had paid Dasnil 95, which it described as “an external technical consultant”, to compile video reports on referees “with the aim of complementing the information required by the coaching staff”.

    They said paying for reports was “a habitual practice among professional clubs”.

    In February 18 of the 19 other La Liga clubs issued a statement expressing “deep concern”.

    In July Uefa provisionally cleared Barcelona to play in this season’s Champions League while its investigation is ongoing.

  • Police arrest suspect linked to killing of Rivers DPO Angbashim

    Police arrest suspect linked to killing of Rivers DPO Angbashim

    Police operatives in Rivers State have arrested one of the suspects linked to the killing of Mr. Bako Angbashim.

    Angbashim, Superintendent of Police, was killed on September 8, when he led a team to raid criminal hideouts in the Odemude community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of the state.

    A dreaded cult group, led by Okpara ambushed the police team and opened fire. Angbashim was captured by the gang members who decapitated his body and filmed their action.

    Since the incident, the State Police Command, under Commissioner of Police, Emeka Nwonyi, has been on the hunt for the miscreants.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the arrest of one of the suspects in a statement yesterday.

    She said the suspect was about to be lynched by the youths before police operatives came to the rescue.

    The statement reads: “The Rivers State Police operatives on Monday, 25/09/2023 at about 19:43hrs acting on actionable information received that in Edoaha Community in Ahoada East, one of the suspects who brutally killed SP Bako Angbashim was about to be lynched to death by an angry mob.

    Read Also: DSS arrests two women with 1,000 rounds of ammunition

    “Subsequently, a team of policemen swung into action to rescue the suspect who was about to be burnt with a tyre on his neck. He was rescued and brought to the station where he made a useful statement.

    “He was later transferred to SCID for discreet investigation with a view to apprehend the fleeing kingpin, his gang members, and to recover their operational weapons.”

    The suspect, whose name has not been disclosed, has been identified to be part of the gang who brutally murdered DPO Angbashim.

    His killing attracted nationwide condemnation with the police high command, the Federal and the Rivers State Government ordering an investigation and immediate arrest of the suspects.

    Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara also placed a bounty of one hundred million naira on the kingpin, Gift David Okpara Okpolowu and his criminal gang.

    Days after the suspects were declared wanted, a video they purposefully filmed surfaced on the internet, showing them celebrating and hailing themselves as victors.

    The video, however, exposed and revealed the identities of more members of the group, including the arrested suspect.

  • Police parade 92 kidnap, robbery, cult suspects, others in Enugu

    Police parade 92 kidnap, robbery, cult suspects, others in Enugu

    The Enugu State Police Command has paraded no fewer than 92 suspected criminals arrested between August 16 and September 25.

    Also, 12 kidnapped or abducted victims were rescued from various parts of the state within the period under review.

    The suspects were arrested for cultism, robbery, murder, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.

    Items recovered from them included four AK 47 rifles, 66 other firearms of different calibres, 333 live ammunition of different calibres, 25 vehicles and several other incriminating items such as charms and phones.

    Addressing his maiden news conference since his assumption of office as the 28th commissioner of police in Enugu, the CP, Kanayo Uzuegbu, disclosed that the suspects included Kelechi Okwara aged 27, of Ohafia, Abia State, who had last Saturday, September 23, conspired with his brother, who works as a security man in a house in Trans-Ekulu Enugu to kidnap his brother’s master’s mother in-law, his nanny and a baby.

    Kelechi and his brother, who is now at large, had taken the victims to an unknown destination, on 23/09/2023 at about 8pm and demanded and obtained a ransom of N3 million from the said master and used the proceed to buy a red coloured Toyota Corolla car, which was recovered upon his arrest last Sunday 24/09/2023 at about 6.30pm at Nokpa/Ezimma Nike boundary point, by Police Operatives in Abakpa and Trans-Ekulu Police Divisions, with assistance from Neighbourhood Watch Group.

    Read Also: Remain calm while we await autopsy result of MohBad – Police

    “Also earlier recovered is a Toyota Camry car the suspects had carted away upon the kidnapping of the victims. Further discreet investigation is ongoing”, the CP said.

    Uzuegbu, who said the task of effectively policing the society is daily becoming daunting, however said he had since his assumption of duty, ensured that the right policing strategies are devised to tackle existing and emerging security challenges in the State.

    “These strategies are subsumed in my grassroots-driven, proactive, people-oriented and problem-solving policing thrust, which is in line with the policing Vision and Mission of the Acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM.

    “In view of this, I have met and interacted with critical security stakeholders, including local government chairmen, traditional rulers, heads of other security agencies and many others, on the best ways to collectively tackle security challenges in the State. These engagements I must tell you have started paying off, as we are making remarkable progress in tackling violent crimes of kidnapping, armed robbery and the criminal activities of subversive criminals.

    “It is a known fact that it is humanly impossible to totally eliminate crimes in human society. However, I want to assure the good people of Enugu State and visitors that we remain committed to ensuring that maximum security and tranquility are maintained in the State”.