Tag: Police

THE Sokoto State Police Command yesterday confirmed the arrest of 20 suspected bandits in Isa Local Government, following a joint security agencies’ operation under “Puff Adder”.

However, six motorcycles, 18 machetes, one locally-made gun, charms, assorted SIM cards and sundry items used for their operation were recovered from the bandits.

The suspects are between the ages of 17 and 50 years.

Commissioner of Police Mr. Ibrahim Kaoje said the new operation “Puff Adder” was strategically initiated by the Inspector General of Police to reduce or eradicate banditry.

According to Kaoje, “we are leaving no stone unturned in our responsive efforts at chasing bandits out of this territory.

Read also: Troops neutralize five bandits in Sokoto

“All security agencies within the command are ready to bring an end to the menace.”

Kaoje said the joint effort was fast paying off, stressing that the strategic operation has significantly secured the environment and Sokoto State as a whole.

“Zamfara has become so hot for them, that is why they decide to flee to Sokoto and we are up to our mission to eradicate them.”

The Police Commissioner urged the public to cooperate with the joint team by making useful information available to enable the  operation realise its objectives.

“I sincerely thank the Sokoto State Government for the logistics support to the joint operation team.”

THE Niger State Police Command has impounded over 200 motorcycles within the last one month.

Its Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Muhammad, in a statement, said the motorcycles were impounded upon the expiration of the ultimatum given to the public.

The command last month, in its bid to reduce crime, enforced the restriction of the operations of motorcycles at night.

The statement said most of the offenders were charged to court and were convicted accordingly.

The police spokesman said the enforcement of the law has greatly improved the security situation.

He, however, debunked a post tagged: “Security alert” making rounds in the  social media, which claimed that there was an influx of commercial motorcyclists/tricyclists suspected to be armed bandits dislodged from neighbouring states.

REad also: Police arrest 20 bandits in Sokoto

Abubakar stated that the command has inaugurated “Operation Puff Adder” and deployed special forces at  border towns to checkmate infiltration of armed bandits into Niger State.

He stressed that the post is not true and was meant to create mischief.

“In as much as the police command solicits for relevant information from the public, the police will not condone any act of circulating information capable of causing apprehension in the mind of Nigerlites and undermining the efforts of security agencies in crime fighting under the disguise of being a public-spirited individual. Anyone caught in this act will risk prosecution under the Cybercrime law,” the police chief said.

He assured the public that the police would keep mapping out strategies in facing the current security  challenges with a view of  stemming the tide of criminality.

The Chief Priest of Okhuaihe shrine, Osarodion Usuanlele, the Ohen N’ Ukoni Neyedo, was arrested and detained at the Edo Police headquarters in Benin City.

It was gathered that with the priest’s detention, an age long tradition which says the Ohen N’ UKoni does not enter Benin, the abode of the Oba, had been desecrated.

The tradition was started in the 15th century by Oba Ewuare the great.

The Okhuaihe shrine is located at Evbiekoi, in Uhunwode Local Government Area, and as part of coronation rites, the Chief Priest would have a symbolic wrestle with the Crown Prince. Both of them would go opposite ways, never to see each other again, once the Crown Prince becomes the Oba.

Trouble started last week when operatives of the anti-cultism unit stormed Evbuekoi community following on a petition by John Elvis (aka Atekha), an ex-official of the banned Community Development Association (CDA).

Secretary of Evbiekoi community Chief Paul Ajayi said the policemen shot sporadically and insisted on taking Chief Priest Usunalele to Benin City, despite pleas that the man does not enter Benin or he would die.

Chief Ajayi said a strange and mysterious downpour, accompanied by violent wind, thunder and lightning, were part of the signs of desecration.

According to him, the Oba got the signs of desecration and presence of Ohen N’ UKoni, and sent emissaries to the Police Commissioner, Danmallam Abubakar, after confirming that the Chief Priest was in Benin.

Three dogs were slaughtered and other sacrifices carried out near the police headquarters before the Ohen N’ Ukoni was released.

Palace sources said a list of items has been given to the police for cleansing sacrifice the land. The items include 14 native cows, tortoise, sheep, goats, cocks, among others. Police sources said the commissioner has ordered policemen involved in the arrest of Ohen N’ Ukoni to be detained.

Chief Ajayi told reporters that a special doctor is assigned to treat the Chief Priest at home instead of taking him to Benin for medical attention.

He called on the police to tighten security around the Chief Priest as other groups were still threatening to cause mayhem.

Police spokesman Chidi Nwabuzor insisted on waiting for the Commissioner of Police to address a news conference before making comments.

The police Explosives Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Department has warned explosives and radioactive material stakeholders to adhere to the guidelines for the movement and security of such items, or lose their licences.

This warning came on the heels of concerns over how Boko Haram terrorists and other criminals have access to large quantities of grenades, mines and other Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs) used in attacking banks, religious centres and public facilities.

There have been allegations that these criminals usually bought the materials through the back door from those licensed to operate such businesses.

Fielding questions from reporters after a meeting with the stakeholders in Lagos, the Commissioner of Police in charge of EOD, Shehu Maikudi, said there was need for effort to control the movement, use of nuclear, biochemical and radioactive materials, to prevent their getting into wrong hands.

He said importers of explosive and radioactive materials must follow standard procedures by obtaining permit/licence from regulatory bodies and the Inspector-General of Police (IG) as part of control measures.

Maikudi said those who failed to ensure adherence to the guidelines would have their licences withdrawn, in addition to other sanctions.

Addressing the stakeholders, the police chief said: “The Nigeria Police EOD Command will not fold its arms and watch continued misuse and misapplication of explosives. Inasmuch as it has been conceptualised that commercial explosives are indispensable, and as such circulation and or importation of such explosives cannot be terminated; we are monitoring by putting measures in place to ensure control over illegal use and proliferation of the items.

“Rapid progress is not obvious when you keep recycling the same process in crime fighting, but requires constant re-strategising of innovations, methodology, surveillance and regular sensitisation of the public as a means to enlighten the minds of the explosive operators, essentially the retailers, to see the necessity of educating their end users, especially the illiterate ones, on the standard operating procedures and provisions of the statutory Explosive Acts 1964 and Regulations of 1967 Nuclear/Radiological Security.

“The prevailing menace of terrorism and the need to proffer a solution necessitates the involvement and collaboration of stakeholders. This is why we want you stakeholders to get involved in the task of wiping out terrorism from Nigeria’s landscape. On our part, we are working round the clock to adopt a more preventive approach to illegal misuse and misapplication of explosives and its allied materials from getting to wrong hands.”

Highlighting some of the measures adopted, he said the EOD had engaged in massive public and corporate sensitisation campaigns on preventive strategies; creation of additional EOD bases in troubled areas and state commands where threats by insurgents were dangerously alarming, as well as the country’s borders and ports.

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“We ensure that explosive magazines, which fail to measure up to required standards, are closed down, as part of control measures. We have increased surveillance in states where there are mining activities.

“EOD of the Nigeria Police has established Chemical Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Section (CBRN), as a control measure to checkmate unauthorised use, storage, transportation and importation of Radioactive/Nuclear  Biological and Chemical agents by miscreants in the society.

“The EOD Command is energising and collaborating with regulatory bodies such as the Ministry of Mines, Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) and other relevant MDAs to ensure that terrorists do not have access to these materials to perpetrate crime.

“We appeal to stakeholders to cooperate with us in our pursuit at ensuring a safer Nigeria that is free from the threat of terrorists’ activities, criminal gangs and from others who are involved in illegal use of explosives and radioactive materials for personal gains.

“We require from you useful information that can facilitate effective performance of our duties through proactive control of such activities in the nation. It is pertinent for us to protect the integrity of our beloved country,” he said.

Maikudi, who also held the CP’s second quarterly conference with all EOD senior officers and commanders, hailed his men for a successful outing during the general election.

He said: “Now that elections are over, we will consolidate on the achievements we have made so far by monitoring, identifying and preventing post-election violence in our domain. It is our duty also to deter use of explosives and other dangerous materials by hardening the target. We should continue to deploy human and technical resources at our disposal to stop the criminal use and misapplication of explosives and allied accessories.”