The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Police restrict night operation of Okada in Badagry

    The police in Badagry, Lagos State, have restricted commercial motorcyclists from operating between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. in all roads in the coastal town.

    The Divisional Police Officer of the Badagry Police Station, CSP. Olukemi Tijani, confirmed the restriction on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    Tijani said that many motorcycles had been seized and that suspects had been charged to court for motorcycle snatching.

    She said, however, that she was not authorised to give details of the number of suspects arrested or motorcycles seized, adding that the Lagos State Police Command, Public Relations Officer was in better position to do so.

    NAN learnt, however, that the ban was to stop the increasing spate of killings and snatching of motorcycles in the town.

    According to a source, the rate in which armed robbers are attacking okada riders at night, killing and snatching their motorcycles in the area is alarming.

    “As a result of this, the police in the city banned night riding. Any okada rider caught between this hour will have his motorcycle seized by the special task force set up by the new divisional police officer.

    “Police, customs, immigration or soldiers are not exempted from this ban.

    He said that Badagry residents had witnessed series of killings by gunmen in last month and that the ban of riding at night had reduced crime rate.

    Read Also: Police dismiss inspector for allegedly killing soccer fan  

    “The perpetrators of this crime used to hide at a corner in the night, stop okada riders, kill them and run away with their motorcycles,” he said.

    On March 4, gunmen shot two motorcyclists dead in Badagry and took away their motorcycles.

    The first killing occurred around 11 p.m., while the second killing happened around 6 a.m. the following day.

    One of the motorcyclists met his fate at Ibereko community, while the other was killed at Atanda Filling Station at Topo Road in Badagry.

    Many cases filed have been brought by the Police to the Badagry Magistrates’ Court, ranging from alleged robbing of motorcycles to stabbing cyclists and taking their motorcycles at gun point.

  • Photos: Nigerians take #ENDSARS protest to Police headquaters

     

  • Police dismiss inspector for allegedly killing soccer fan  

    Force slammed ‘for carelessness’

    The Lagos State Police Command has dismissed Inspector Ogunyemi Olalekan for allegedly killing a football fan, Kolade Johnson, on Sunday night.

    He was dismissed after the orderly room trial found him guilty of discreditable conduct, unlawful and unnecessary exercise of authority as well as unnecessary violence.

    A statement by spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said Sergeant Godwin Orji was cleared, as no evidence linked him to it.

    Elkana said: “The two police officers alleged to have been involved in the shooting of Kolade Johnson on March 31 were apprehended and subjected to internal disciplinary proceedings, known as Orderly Room Trial, by the command. The trial began on Monday and ended yesterday.  “They were tried on a three-count charge: (1) Discreditable Conduct (2) Unlawful and Unnecessary Exercise of Authority and (3) Damage to Clothing or Other Articles, contrary to Paragraph E (iii), Q (ii) and D (i) First Schedule, Police Act and Regulations, Cap 370 LFN 1990.

    “The trial started with the reading of charges and taking of plea. Five witnesses testified.

    “At the conclusion of the trial, the first defaulter, Inspector Ogunyemi, was found guilty of discreditable conduct by acting in a manner prejudicial to discipline and unbecoming of members of the Force by shooting and killing Johnson; unlawful and unnecessary exercise of authority by using unnecessary violence, by using AK 47 rifle on the deceased in total neglect to the provisions of Force Order 237 on the use of firearms.

    “The Adjudicating Officer, CSP Indyar Apev, awarded the punishment of dismissal from service and prosecution to the first defaulter. “There was no evidence linking the second defaulter, Sergeant Godwin Orji, to the shooting. He was, therefore, found not guilty, discharged and acquitted.

    “The first defaulter, Inspector Ogunyemi, is handed over to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti for prosecution in a conventional court.”

    A human rights organisation, Crime Victims Foundation of Nigeria (CRIVIFON), has condemned the alleged killing of a football fan, Kolade Johnson, by two officers of the Anti-Cultism Unit of the Lagos Police Command.

    The foundation, in a statement yesterday in Lagos, decried what it described as “careless use of rifles by the two policemen involved.”

    Command spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), had in a statement on Tuesday named the suspects as Inspector Ogunyemi Olalekan and Sergeant Godwin Orji.

    In the statement by its Executive Director, Mrs. Gloria Egbuji, the group said it was pained that the policemen allegedly involved in the killing were once beneficiaries of the police human rights training, facilitated by the foundation.

    It regretted that they allegedly threw away the knowledge they acquired during the training.

    “No Nigerian or even a foreigner in our midst should be deprived of his or her life in such an uncivilised manner as displayed by the Anti-Cultism Team involved in the dastardly act”, it alleged.

    The foundation expressed dismay about the alleged attitude of some policemen at a time the Federal Government was paying attention to the restructuring of the Police for efficient performance and especially with respect to human rights violation.

    Egbuji said: “As facilitators of the police human rights training, which began in 2006 at the Lagos Police Command, CRIVIFON will want every policeman, who undergoes the training, to bring the knowledge acquired to bear on his job.

    “They should not see the training merely as an opportunity to acquire certificate, but also the knowledge needed to improve their service delivery.

    “They should see the training as opportunity to reform their character traits, with respect to how they used to perceive people’s fundamental human rights before undergoing the human rights training.”

    She said the foundation was encouraged by the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari and the police management in their reactions to the unwarranted killing of the soccer fan, stressed the administration’s efforts to overhaul the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other such units, particularly through regular training of personnel, to avoid violation of people’s fundamental rights.

     

     

  • Police arrest ‘notorious’ suspected kidnapper in Ondo

    Police in conjunction with Meyatti Allah and community vigilante have arrested one of the notorious kidnappers terrorising travelers along Akunu-Ikakumo-Auga road in Akoko area of Ondo state.

    Sources said a man yet-to-be identified was travelling in his Mercedes benz car with registration Edo Ben 203 PW when he was kidnapped.

    His vehicle was reportedly abandoned between Auga and Akunu with the owner marched into the bush.

    It was learnt that a synergy between Edo and Ondo states Policemen coupled with Meyatti Allah group that pursued the kidnappers and exchanged gun shots with them, making it possible for the victim to escape from captivity around Ibillo, a community in Edo state.

    One of the suspected kidnappers who sustained gunshots was arrested where he went for medical attention.

    Police quickly recovered pistols, AK rifles and cutlasses from their hide out.

    Also, a 40-year cattle dealer, Fatai Amuda was kidnapped between Akunu and Ikakumo by suspected gunmen believed to be herdsmen.

    Read Also: Sokoto police arrest Nigerien gun fabricator, Alhassan

    The Akala of Ikaram, Oba Andrew Momodu where the boy hail from confirmed it while reporting the case to Ikare-Akoko Area Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police(ACP) Rauf Razak who assured him that police will comb the bush and deal ruthlessly with the criminals.

    Police Spokesman, Femi Joseph, while parading the deputy leader of the gang, Ismall Waku said it was the combined team of Meyatti Allah and Police that swooped on the hoodlums in their hide-out.

    According to him, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Ikare-Akoko on suspecting a car parked on the roadside alerted the leader of Meyatti Allah in the area, which led to the arrest of the suspect.

    Joseph said after much fire power, the gangsters fled to different directions after which Wakil was arrested with wounds sustained from gunshots.

    He said his other accomplices would be fished out soon to face the wrath of the law.

  • Sokoto police arrest Nigerien gun fabricator, Alhassan

    The Sokoto state police command on Thursday confirmed the arrest of a gun fabricator, Ibrahim Alhassan.

    Alhassan who was arrested in Runbukawa village in neighbouring Niger republic was found in possession of two locally made Revolver Pistol with 18 rounds of live ammunition.

    In a release issued to press, the command’sr PPRO, DSP Muhammad Sadiq said a team of police patrol attached to Sabon Birni division in Sabon Birni local government on Tuesday arrested Alhassan in possession of two locally made Revolver Pistol with 18 improvised live ammunition.

    According to the police image in the release” Alhassan confessed to have sold two of the revolver pistol at Mailalle village of Sabon Birni LGA, Sokoto state at the rate of N10,000 each and confessed that he is the manufacturer of the said Revolver Pistols.”

    In a related development, the police on Wednesday recovered one Toyota Hilux of Mr. Tabia Muller, Head of Technical section Glo office, Sokoto, who was robbed at gunpoint.

    ” Muller was trapped by three armed men at his residence located at Bafarawa estate in the state metropolitan, which as a result was robbed of his official vehicle.

    ” Upon receive of the information a team of policemen went on a hill of the hoodlums and as a result of hot chase they had no option than to abandon the vehicle and run”, explained the police.

    Read Also: NAF, Police, DSS plan joint action against bandits, kidnappers in Northwest

    Meanwhile, efforts were being intensified to apprehend the hoodlums for possible arrest and subsequent prosecution.

    In the same vein, the police enjoined members of the public to always volunteer useful information that could assist to apprehend suspected criminals in the state.

    The police further assured that the command under the leadership of CP Ibrahim Kaoje will continue to ensure coordinated search and surveillance aimed at protecting lives and properties as well as rid Sokoto state of criminals and reduce crime.

     

     

  • Man impersonates Adeboye, Olukoya, T.B. Joshua to defraud Nigerians

    The police in Lagos on Wednesday arraigned a 27-year-old businessman, Yusuf Atanda, charged with impersonating Pastor Enoch Adeboye and two other church general overseers to defraud members of the public.

    According to the police, Atanda created fake facebook accounts of Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor D.K. Olukoya of Mountain Of Fire and Miracle Ministry, and Pastor T.B. Joshua of the Synagogue Church of All Nations to dupe people.

    The defendant, who resides at Okokomaiko, Lagos, is being tried for cyber crime before Magistrate M.O Tanimola in Ikeja.

    Atanda, however, denied committing the offence, and was admitted to bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Tanimola said that the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    The Prosecutor, Insp. Aondohemba Koti, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offence in October 2018 at Okokomaiko.

    Read Also: Adeboye’s secretary, Pastor Olorunnimbe dies at 60

    He added that the defendant used the names of the three general overseers on the internet without their consents.

    “Atanda created a fake facebook account of Pastor E.A Adeboye of Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor D.K Olukoya of Mountain Of Fire and Miracle Ministry and Pastor T.B Joshua of Synagogue Church of All Nations.

    “He posed as the pastors and sent electronic messages to the public to deposit either N1, 000 or N2, 000 into a bank account to get N3, 000 or N5, 000, respectively, in four days.

    “If they pay and it is four days, he will block the persons’ numbers so they would not be able to reach him anymore.

    “Upon receipt of a written petition from one of the complainant’s legal counsel, the police swung into action, and the defendant was tracked and arrested.

    “The amount of money the defendant got from over 100 members of the public was yet to be ascertained,” the prosecutor said.

    The alleged offence violates Section 20 (1) of Cybercrime (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, Law of Federation, 2015.

    The case was adjourned until April 17 for mention.

  • Air force, police, DSS plan joint action against bandits, kidnappers in Northwest

    The Air Force, police and the Department of State Security (DSS) are to work together to dislodge bandits and kidnappers from their hideouts in the Northwest.

    According to the NAF spokesman , Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, the inter-agency collaboration followed the visit of the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed A. Adamu and the Director General of DSS, Yusuf Bichi to the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, at NAF headquarters in Abuja yesterday.

    Air Commodore Daramola explained in a statement that besides sharing intelligence on ways to dislodge bandits and kidnappers from their hideouts, the NAF would also make available air assets in support of the other agencies to secure the affected states.

    The statement reads: “As part of inter-agency cooperation to address security challenges in the country,  especially the issue of kidnapping and armed banditry along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway and Kaduna-Birnin Gwari axis, the NAF has reiterated its commitment to support the police, DSS and other security agencies with real time geospatial and imagery intelligence while making available its air assets for the conduct of tactical air support missions and increasing the frequency of air reconnaissance in the affected areas.

    “The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, disclosed this today, while playing host to the Acting IGP and the DSS Director General, at NAF Headquarters, Abuja.

    “The IGP and DG DSS on arrival at HQ NAF immediately went into a closed door meeting with the CAS before undertaking a guided tour of facilities at the newly established, state-of- the-art Geospatial Intelligence Data Centre (GIDC) and Strategic Air Operations Centre (SAOC).

    “The GIDC, which is equipped with high-tech computer hardware and software, was established to enhance the acquisition, analysis,  interpretation and exploitation of imagery and geospatial information to provide actionable intelligence for the Armed Forces and other security   agencies, while the equally well-equipped SAOC is expected to greatly enhance the coordination of air operations in support of internal security operations across the country.

    “While inspecting the facilities, the Acting IGP expressed delight and satisfaction with the cutting-edge technologies and sophisticated computer software at the centres.”

    The acting IGP was quoted as saying: “I felt that as a security agency, we need to synergise with other security outfits. We don’t have the air capability but the NAF has them. With this, we can have a joint operation to deal with this security issue.”

    Idris hailed the CAS for making NAF air assets available for the operation and also availing the NPF and DSS of the capabilities of the GIDC and SAOC.

  • Police parade 15 suspected cultists, robbers, kidnappers

    The police have arrested 15 suspected cultists, kidnappers and robbers during a raid to curtail crimes in Bayelsa State.

    The command recovered arms and ammunition.

    Police Commissioner Sholla David attributed the crimes to the proliferation of small arms.

    David, in his first news briefing yesterday since assuming office, restated the police commitment to tackling crimes.

    He named the suspects and their ages as Precious John, 19, Abubakar lliyasu, 26, Victor Meremunya, 30, Issac Ogan, 22, Gielaemi Ben, 19, Pereowei Ibiagbe, 23, Tibolayefa Louis, 23, Gift Samuel, 22, Michael Doubra Ogolo, Pinaye John 19, and Pete Edwin, 23.

    He said they were nabbed for robbery, adding that Precious Egbo, 17, Ozekizibe Wisdom, 19, Lucky Okay, 19, Tony Christopher, Goodluck Evans, 18, and Chinedeu Franklin, 19, were arrested for cultism.

    David said a study of crime pattern indicated that most of the illegal activities were induced by cultism.

    He said youths were often misguided to believe that cultism was a means of having a sense of belonging in the society.

    The CP said: “Proliferation of small arms has posed a challenge to law enforcement officers in combating crimes. Youths have easy access to locally made pistols, especially in Yenagoa metropolis.

    “To confront this menace, the command, through collaboration with community leaders and intensive surveillance, has smashed robbery gangs.

    “As a proactive measure, the command has repositioned and rejigged its security architecture to confront these crimes through focused and intelligence driven raids at flash spots, rigorous stop and search operations on motorists and tricycles and through functional community policing programmes.”

    He said the command needed residents’ support to challenge the criminals.

    David advised the public to key into the community policing approach of the Inspector-General of Police to end the menace.

    Said he: “The need for participation by the residents in active policing cannot be overemphasised. I must, however, hail Bayelsans for the partnership and support they have accorded me within these few weeks.

    “I reaffirm the command’s commitment to fighting crime.”

     

  • Police assures corps members of safety in Cross River

    The Cross River State Commissioner of Police, Austine Agbonlahor, has assured members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in the state that their safety is his priority.

    The Police Commissioner made the promise, when he paid an unscheduled visit to the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Obubra local government area, where the 2019 Batch ‘A’Corps Members numbering over 2000 presently undergoing their orientation.

    Abgonlahor assured that the NYSC would get his support whenever he is needed, as the scheme has remained a reliable tool in fostering national unity and integration in the country.

    Read also: Ayade, others receive certificates of return in Cross River

    He stated that the State Police Command under his leadership will continue to interface with the NYSC, and that the visit was to shows the level of importance the Police has attached to the members of the scheme.

    The NYSC State Coordinator, Mr. Adegoke Adewale, expressed delight at the Commissioner’s kind gesture towards the NYSC, and promised to strengthen the existing relationship between both institutions.

    END

  • Three killed as Tiv, Jukun crisis escalates

    The chairman of Ukum Local Government council in Benue state, Hon Ibellongo Tyokyaa on Tuesday confirmed that three persons were killed following a bloody communal clash between Tiv and Jukun Youths.

    According to Tyokyaa communal crisis broke out on Monday between Tiv and Jukun youths in the border town of Taraba and Benue states

    An eye witness, Paul Tyona told newsmen that what started like a minor disagreement snowballed into a bloody civil strife which resulted into killings and setting ablaze of houses from both tribes.

    Tyona said as at Tuesday, Jukun youths allegedly stormed a settlement called Atsenga and razed down over 2000 houses including 3000 tubers of Yams and personal belongings.

    Read Also: Family of slain Kolade Johnson demands justice

    It would be recalled that there has been tension in the border towns of Wukari Local Government area in Taraba state and Ukum Local Government area in Benue state.

    The Nation gathered that chairmen of both councils have been trying strenuously to find a common ground to nib the bloody communal crisis in the bud.

    When contacted, spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command said she is yet to receive report on killings.