The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Two injured in clash between Hausa labourers, Benin youths

    Two persons have been hospitalized following a clash between Hausa labourers and youths of Idunwin-Ehigie at Egba junction along the Benin-Auchi express road.

    The injured persons were identified as Osas, a Vulcanizer and Hameed.

    A mosque and the Nasrul Lahi L Fatih Society (NAFSAT) Education Centre in the area were vandalised.

    The Hausa boys involved in the attack were those looking for menial jobs and they used to gather at Egba junction.

    It was gathered that they were there on Tuesday when Osas and other youths asked them to leave to another place.

    The labourers who were armed with their working tools like cutlasses, shovels, diggers resisted them and in the melee, Osas was stabbed.

    Other youths peeved by the stabbing unleashed attack on the labourers which made motorists and shop owners scampered for safety.

    Read Also: Hairdresser stabs friend with broken bottle over cassava flakes

    The youths chased the Hausa labourers away.

    Chairman of NAFSAT Benin branch, Dr. Isiaka Mustapha, who led other members to ascertain the level of destruction said the perpetrators would be arrested.

    Odionwere (Village head) of the community, Pa. John Aghimien, said the daily increase of the Hausa labourers is causing problem in the community.

    Pa Aghimien said they were armed and took over the junction in search of jobs.

    Edo Police spokesman, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, who confirmed the incident said three persons have been arrested.

    He said peace has been restored to the community.

    Checks by our reporter showed that many shop owners were still afraid of opening their stores while the labourers were not seen around.

  • Insecurity: Police deepen strategy, launch new operation against bandits – IGP

    Mr Muhammed Adamu, Inspector General of Police, has said that the police had taken steps to deepen its strategy of combating crime and criminals across the country.

    He reiterated that the force would not relent in its efforts to redirect attention to renewed approach against criminal attacks by bandits on innocent Nigerians.

    Adamu said, the force will match step by step against every criminal act” we will close every attempt by swiftly taming criminals. Wherever they move to, they will find us tactically and combatant difficult to perpetrate their acts”, he vowed.

    Adamu who on Tuesday night addressed officers and men of the Sokoto command of the force, gave his words of assurance with passion and commitment to ensuring the use of strategic intelligence machinery to combat insecurity especially in parts of northwest also said the police was actively and battle ready to deplete crime rate in the country.

    ” We are strengthening our logistics capacity with adequate support for our personnel”, he said.

    He urged police operatives to be awake to their role in tackling security problems to ensure the safety of lives and property of citizens.

    To this end, the IGP disclosed that the force had demonstrated its commitment through the launch of its newly introduced “Operation Puff Addar”, adding ” we have commenced action in Abuja, Katsina and Zamfara. Our next place of launch is Sokoto”, he disclosed.

    According to Adamu who was in Gusau, the capital of Zamfara state earlier in the day before visiting Sokoto,” it is duty bound on all police to brace up to the task of doing what is best, taught and needed at curbing crime. Note that the public is watching kinly”, he stressed.

    Read Also: IGP visits Zamfara, charges Policemen to be offensive

    He noted that there were enormous challenges which informed his decision to tour formations and commands to get first-hand information in order to profer solutions in earnest.

    The IGP also assured of welfare of the police, explaining that the problems of underpayments and related challenges especially those associated with TSA, IPIS among others would be tackled speedily.

    ” Efforts are being made as we are working assiduously in synergy with the office of the Accountant General and CBN to ensure every personnel is captured as appropriate”, he stressed.

  • Police confirm killing of 21, rustling of 50 cows in Kajuru Attack

    MEMBERS of Banono and Akut villages in Kajuru Local Government Area, Kaduna State have fled the communities, for fear of further attacks following the Monday morning attacks.

    Twenty villagers were killed in early Monday morning attack by unknown gunmen, who stormed the village in military uniform.

    But, the police in Kaduna yesterday confirmed that 21 persons were killed in the attacks.

    The command, in a statement by its spokesman, DSP Yakubu Sabo, said efforts were on to apprehend the fleeing bandits, who also rustled about 50 cows.

    Sabo added that reinforcement of more police operatives have been drafted to the area for intensive combing and patrol with a view to forestall further breakdown of law and order and reprisal.

    The police statement reads: “On 08/04/19 at about 0930HRS, we received a distress call that a group of armed men in large number on motor bikes entered Banono and Anguwan Aku – both are remote neighbouring villages in Kufana district of Kajuru LGA.

    “The attackers started shooting sporadically attacking the villagers and in the process, shot and killed 21 persons,  injured three others and torched 10 houses.

    “The bandits also rustled about 50 cows. Combine teams of  PMF personnel, conventional police, Army and the local vigilance group were promptly mobilised to the area, repelled the attack and evacuated both the dead and the injured to hospital.

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    “While efforts are on to apprehend the fleeing criminals, reinforcement of more police operatives have been drafted to the area for intensive combing and patrol with a view to forestall further breakdown of law and order/reprisal and arrest of the perpetrators.”

    It added: “The Commissioner of Police Ahmad Abdurrahman is saddened by this attack and has reiterated the command’s commitment to apprehend the culprits. He sincerely condoled with the affected families on the irreparable losses.”

    The command appeals to members of the public to continue to assist the police with useful information that could help in addressing the security challenges and for the possible arrest of the criminals.

    However, a source from the village, Auta Bulus, told The Nation that they had fled Banono village since after the attack.

    He, however, said 27 bodies were counted after the attacks on Monday.

    But, stakeholders in the Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area, where people, including two policemen were also killed at the weekend, have asked the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, to extend the ban on mining to the council.

    The acting IGP, while addressing reporters in Abuja at the weekend, announced the ban on mining activities in Zamfara State, to checkmate armed banditry and kidnapping on the rise in the state.

  • Police confirm killing of 21, rustling of 50 cows in Kajuru

    The Kaduna State Police Command on Monday confirmed the Killing of 21 persons and rustling of 50 cows in an attack by gunmen in Banono and Anguwan Aku villages in Kajuru Local Government Area in Kaduna State.

    The Command Public Relations officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, gave the confirmation in a statement issued in Kaduna.
    Sabo said the said incident happened on April 8, at about 0930Hours.

    “We received a distress call that a group of armed men in large number on motor bikes entered Banono and Anguwan Aku both are remote neighbouring villages in Kufana district of Kajuru LGA.

    “The attackers started shooting sporadically attacking the villagers and in the process shot and killed twenty one persons, injured three others and destroyed ten 10 houses.

    ” The bandits also rustled about fifty 50 cows,” he said.

    Sabo disclosed that a combined teams of Police Mobile Force personnel, conventional Police, Army and the local Vigilante were promptly mobilised to the area.

    He said they repelled the attack and evacuated both the dead and the injured to hospital.

    Read Also: Police identify those behind Rivers cult killings

    According to him, while efforts are on to apprend the fleeing criminals, reinforcement of more Police Operatives have been drafted to the area for intensive combing and patrol with a view to forestall further breakdown of law and order/reprisal and arrest the perpetrators.

    Sabo said that the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmad Abdurrahman is saddened by this attack and has reiterated the Command’s commitment to apprehend the culprits.

    “He sincerely condoled the affected families on the irreparable losses.

    “The Command appeals to members of the public to continue to assist the Police with useful information that could help in addressing these challenges and for the possible arrest of these criminals.” Sabo said.

  • Police identify those behind Rivers cult killings

    The police in Rivers on Tuesday said that cultists and thugs that had lost patronage from politicians were behind the upsurge in killings in the state.

    DSP Nnamdi Omoni, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt.

    Omoni said the police were aware of the upsurge in crime in the state, stressing that the command had put in place adequate measures to tackle this.

    He stated that the killings were not strange to the police as politicians who had armed the cultists and thugs had now turned their backs on them.

    “The issue is these boys have lost patronage from their paymasters, so they want money via crime by asking for royalty and all manner of payments from residents of the community.

    “We cannot allow that to fester, we will arrest them and bring them to justice.

    “This has really put the boys into some kind of confusion, and we are capitalising on that.

    “We have penetrated into their ranks, and I can assure you that in no time, they will be rounded-up, arrested and brought to justice.

    Read Also: Police tear-gas INEC Ad-hoc staff protesting nonpayment of election allowances

    “ They will be overtaken and made to account for their evil,” he said.

    Omoni stated that normalcy had already been restored in Mgbuodia community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state after the killing that took place there.

    “When we got the information, we mobilised our men to the community, men of the Nigerian Navy were also there, so we were able to put the situation under control.

    “We restored normalcy, and even those that left, we spoke with them, and asked them to return,” he added.

    He said 10 persons were arrested in the wake of the development, adding that they were currently helping the police.

  • Police tear-gas INEC Ad-hoc staff protesting nonpayment of election allowances

    Police in Enugu on Tuesday used tear gas on some INEC ad-hoc staff at the just concluded general elections who protested the non-payment of their allowances in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who was at the scene, reports that the tear gas affected passersby, school children and motorists who ran helter-skelter for their lives.

    NAN reports that the protesters comprising corps members, students and workers besieged the INEC headquarters in the state and blocked entrance and exit to the building.

    Mr Tony Ani, a 42-year-old man, who served as an Assistant Presiding Officer (APO 3) lamented the nonpayment of allowances for both the Presidential and Governorship elections including the inhumane treatment meted out to them.

    “You can imagine me at this my age coming here for the past three weeks over this issue of nonpayment.

    “I worked at Akama Primary School, Ezeagu Local Government during the Presidential and Primary elections and we were told to fill attendance and payment details.

    “Ever since we have not received payment and they will always tell us to write our names and account number just to pacify us, but as soon as we leave, they will trash it,” he said.

    A Corps member, Miss Chioma Emmanuel, who worked at Igbo-etiti, said she had not been paid any of the allowances including training allowance since the elections ended in the state.

    She noted that the idea of the protest was formed when a WhatsApp page was created for those yet to receive allowance.

    In the same vein, a student of Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT) who claimed anonymity for fear of being disciplined by the school authority, berated INEC for treating the issue of allowance with levity.

    “The painful thing was that after failing to adequately make provision for accommodation, they still refused to pay us.

    “This money is what I hope to buy study materials and augment for my upkeep,” he said.

    Reacting, the INEC REC in Enugu State, Dr. Emeka Ononamadu described the protesters as `impostors’ sponsored to pressurize INEC into paying those that did not work.

    Read Also: UTME: Police warn students against malpractice

    Ononamadu, who refused to address the protesters, told journalists that those protesting were in the third category of payment.

    “One thing you need to know is that there are three sets of people we are dealing with now.

    “There are the corps members, those posted but did not work and those who were not posted but made the list because their names were subverted with that of others.

    “Those protesting are those students who are not corps members and who were not posted by INEC but bribed their way through and ended up working as Presiding Officers and APO 1.

    “Most of the protesters are in the third category of people and if you see any corps member among them, then it is either the fault of their Local Government Inspectors or head of mobilization because they are the ones we are

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  • UTME: Police warn students against malpractice

    The Ogun Police Command on Tuesday warned students sitting for the forthcoming Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to desist from any form of malpractice and avoid getting into trouble.

    DSP Bimbola Oyeyemi, the Ogun Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Ota, Ogun.

    NAN reports that no fewer than 1.8 million Candidates will be sitting for the UTME Examinations organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), starting across the country on April 11.

    Oyeyemi reminded the students that examination malpractice is an offence and that anyone caught violating the law would be arrested.

    Read Also: Police nab man with ‘human parts‘

    “The police has the power under the laws to prosecute anybody caught in any form of malpractice during the JAMB examination,” he said.

    The PPRO said that the police would be in various centres in the state to monitor and ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order.

  • We’ll ensure safe return of abducted fire service boss, others -LASG

    Lagos State Government has urged Lagosians not to despair over the abduction of the Director of the State Fire Service, Mr Rasaki Musibau, assuring that all hands are on deck to ensure that he returns safely with other victims.

    Musibau and six others were abducted by unknown gunmen on Saturday night at about 8pm on Iwoye Bridge, along Itoikin-Epe Road.

    Briefing newsmen on Tuesday after the State Security Council Meeting chaired by the Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Zubairu Muazu again confirmed Musibau’s abduction with others, but assured that security agencies were working round the clock to rescue them safely.

    Muazu, who briefed journalists alongside heads of other security formations in the State, expressed optimism of positive result soon but declined to give further details on the ongoing operation to rescue the victims.

    “I confirm that there was an incident of kidnapping involving the State Director of Fire Service and all the security agencies in the State are working towards the safe release of the victims. For now, this is all I need to reveal about the kidnap but we are working to ensure their safe return,” the CP said.

    On the fears being expressed over likely return of the spate of kidnapping in the State, Muazu said all security agencies were working seriously to put a stop to it, adding that there was nothing to worry about.

    “This present case does not mean that the spate of kidnapping has returned to Lagos. You know when there used to be kidnapping in Lagos and the situation now. I see this as a very unfortunate incident and I assure Lagosians that all the security agencies are putting their heads together to ensure we put a stop to this menace,” he said.

    Read Also: Police kill three bandits in fresh Kaduna village attack

    Muazu said the Council also extensively reviewed the security situation in the State since the last meeting was held, just as he said that the government, in partnership with all security agencies, was firming up arrangement to ensure smooth and peaceful transition of government to the incoming administration of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Dr Obafemi Hamzat.

    “Let me first say that we reviewed the security situation in Lagos State since the last Security Council Meeting till date and we have critically discussed the security issues arising in Lagos State.

    “We also extensively discussed the security issues pertaining to the handing over with the view to ensure peaceful and smooth transition of government in Lagos State,” Muazu said.

  • Breaking: Seven JTF members dead in clash with bandits

    No fewer than seven parsons were feared dead during a clash involving Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) and some bandits in Tsamiyar Jino village in kankara local government area of Katsina state

    Confirming the incident, spokesman of the Katsina State Police Command, Superintendent Gambo Isa, told newsmen on Tuesday that 35 persons didn’t die as erroneously stated in many social media posts.

    He further disclosed the Civilian JTF popularly known as Yansakai (volunteers) went into the forest to fight the bandits against the warnings of Police not to do so.

    Read Also: Updated: Fire razes Katsina varsity

    He said the bandits overpowered them because of possession of superior weapons and vast knowledge of the terrain better than the JTF.

    The police chief assured that the newly deployed IGP special squad against banditry and kidnapping in the state will soon catch up with the bandits and smoke them out.

  • Breaking: Police dismiss nine officers for misconducts

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved with immediate effect the dismissal of nine senior Police Officers for gross misconduct.

    The Commission said it also approved the reduction in rank of six officers for different cases of misconduct.

    According to a statement in Abuja on Tuesday by the Commission’s Spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, the decisions were part of the outcome of its 5th plenary meeting which held in Abuja on 26th and 27th of March, 2019 and presided over by its Chairman, Musiliu Smith.

    Ani said the Commission also approved the punishment of severe reprimand for ten officers while one officer, CP. Austin Agbonlahor was exonerated.

    The Commission said one of the dismissed officers, SP Adamu Damji Abare will also be prosecuted while SP Abdul Yahaya Ahmed and another SP who also had his promotion from SP to CSP withdrawn before his dismissal.

    Read Also: Police nab man with ‘human parts‘

    The Commission said it has requested the IGP to provide it with information on the punishment awarded to other officers mentioned in the Police Investigation Reports involving SP. Abare with regards to irregularities in the conduct of the 2011 recruitment exercise.

    Others officers dismissed are; DSP Osondu Christian, DSP Samson Ahmidu and DSP Pius Timiala who will be prosecuted and whose promotion from DSP to SP was withdrawn. Four Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASPs) were also dismissed for various wrongdoings. They are; Agatha Usman, Esther Yahaya, Idris Shehu and Usman Hassan Dass.

    Those whose ranks were reduced are; Oluwatoyin Adesope and Mansir Bako were reduced in rank from SP to DSP while Gbenle Mathew; Tijani Saifullahi; Sadiq Idris and Alice Abbah were reduced from the rank of DSP to ASP.

    Ani said the commission’s decisions have been conveyed to the Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP Mohammed Adamu for implementation in a letter signed by the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Commission, Nnamdi Maurice Mbaeri.