The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Police arrest Jesu Oyingbo’s son for ‘defilement, kidnapping’

    Police arrest Jesu Oyingbo’s son for ‘defilement, kidnapping’

    One of the sons of the late self-proclaimed messiah, Jesu Oyingbo, Adebola Odumosu, has been arrested by the police for allegedly defiling a teenager.

    Odumosu is being held at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti, Yaba, where he allegedly admitted to having sex his lover’s niece.

    Trouble started for Odumosu last week after he allegedly leaked the information of the crime he committed some years ago to a United Kingdom-based blogger.

    The information was to spite his estranged lover, Folashade Olatunji, a business rival to the woman he leaked the information to.

    A police source said Odumosu allegedly committed the offence at Alakuko, when the victim was 14-year-old.

    Aside defiling her, it was gathered that he procured at least two abortions for the teenager before his lover’s family knew he was having unlawful intercourse with the victim.

    It was gathered that both families resolved to sweep the crime under carpet to save the teenager from stigmatisation, an agreement Odumosu allegedly broke after his relationship with Folashade failed.

    He was said to have resorted to blackmailing Folashade and extorting her. It was gathered that the suspect allegedly held the victim’s 87-year-old grandmother hostage at a flat rented by Folashade in Lagos and threatened to keep her locked up unless certain amount of money was paid.

    The source said: “The suspect is in our custody. He admitted to have had sexual relations with the girl who was a teenager at the time. The matter was reported at Alakuko Police Station but both families resolved to settle it quietly for the sake of the girl.

    “At that time, he was in a relationship with Folashade. They met on Facebook and started dating. He was in India and Folashade in United Kingdom (UK). I think Folashade moved to India and they were planning to get married.

    “Along the line, things did not work out and Folashade returned to the UK. They were planning to have introduction when disagreements started and they went their separate ways.

    “What angered Folashade’s family was that the suspect went ahead to leak information about the rape to a UK-based online medium. The owner of the medium is a rival to Folashade and she ran the story. The whole thing they were covering up became public and that was how Folashade wrote a petition to the Police Command and the suspect tracked.

    “He admitted that he had sex on several occasions with the teenager and that it was not rape because they both agreed to it. He forgot that sex with teenager was a crime under the law. He also admitted that the teenager had abortions for him. He denied leaking the information to the online medium but we have evidence that he was the one who did it.”

    Police spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent (ASP) said the suspect would be charged to court.

  • Police arrest herders for ‘kidnap, murder of colleague’

    The police in Ogun State have arrested two herders for alleged kidnap and murder of another herder, Taye Amodu.

    Hassan Amodu and Abubakar Abdullah, the police said, allegedly kidnapped and murdered their victim on October 23, at Obada Oko, Abeokuta, where they allegedly rustled eight of his cattle.

    Upon receiving the information, it was learnt that the Commissioner, Ahmed Iliyasu, directed the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) to fish out the perpetrators.

    Spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi said the hideout of the suspects was uncovered about 5:30pm that day at Imeko.

    “Their hideout was in a forest and operatives stormed the place.  The suspects were arrested and a pump action gun loaded with four live cartridges and two cutlasses were recovered.

    “During interrogation, they confessed to have killed the victim because he strugged with them when they were taking him away. His body was buried in a shallow grave inside the forest. They equally confessed to have taken away eight of the victim’s cows.

    “The suspects will be arraigned after investigation.”

  • Two feared dead as police/Shia clash in Kano

    •Police deny killing sect members

    Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) yesterday said the police allegedly killed two of its members during their Arbaeen annual trek in Kano State.

    The Nation reports that  thousands of IMN members started the trek from Kofar Mazugal, about 10 am, said their afternoon prayers at Kofar Nasarawa, and stopped at Lado overhead bridge.

    A statement by the President, Media Forum of IMN, Ibrahim Musa, said: “It was when people were dispersing that mobile policemen arrived the scene and started firing teargas and eventually live bullets. A Muslim brother and sister were confirmed killed by the police and their bodies taken away by the police. Many people were reportedly injured.

    “When news spread that mobile police had laid siege to the Arbaeen trekkers, a London-based human rights group, IHRC, issued a statement, calling for restraint on the part of the police.

    “We are concerned at reports of this build-up, given past attacks on the movement by the police and armed forces. We demand that the police and authorities de-escalate the situation immediately.”

    However, while terminating today’s trek, a leading member of IMN, Dr. Sunusi Abdulqadir, called on members to go back home peacefully and return tomorrow to continue the march to Zaria.”

    But the police denied allegations that they killed two members of the movement.

    Spokesman Magaji Musa Majia said they had a meeting with IMN members and advised them against the procession.

    But to ensure security of life and property, security operatives were drafted to the scene, and in an attempt to disperse them, there was a confrontation.

  • Police arraign Jonathan’s nephew for shooting man at festival

    Police arraign Jonathan’s nephew for shooting man at festival

    The police in Bayelsa State have dragged Mr. Oguanisi Akpufu, a nephew to former President Goodluck Jonathan, to the Magistrate’s court at Kolo in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.

    Akpufu was arraigned for allegedly shooting and injuring a 42-year-old man, Mr. Yusuf Bala, during the Odumimom (masquerade) festival at Otuoke, Jonathan’s hometown, on October 28, 2017.

    The Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, Mr. Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the development, said the police filed criminal charges against Akpufu on November 3.

    Butswat, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) said the suspect would be charged to a High Court for another undisclosed offence.

    Butswat said: ”On October 28, 2017, at about 1500hrs, while celebrating the Odumimom festival at Otuoke, Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State, one Oguanisi Akpufu, male, 45 years old, accidentally shot one Yusuf Bala, male, 42, in the left leg.

    ”The victim (Bala) is undergoing medical treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa. The suspect has been arraigned in Magistrate’s Court, Kolo, on 3 November, 2017, and he will be subsequently charged to High Court for another offence.”

    The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Asuquo Amba, while confirming the incident on Wednesday during a parade of some criminals, said the suspect, who was arrested by policemen attached to Kolo Police Division, was moved to the Serious Crimes Unit of the state’s police command in Yenagoa, the state capital.

  • Suspected gunmen abduct Saw Miller in Ondo

    Suspected gunmen abduct Saw Miller in Ondo

    Four gunmen suspected to be herdsmen have reportedly abducted a middle-aged man,Oyewale Akinwande (aka Honourable Wale) at his sawmill factory site in Idoani, Ose local government area of Ondo State.

    Sources said the gunmen operating along Ipele /Idoani road were armed with machetes, guns and other dangerous weapons.

    They were said to be masked and entered the Saw Mill through the forest around 9.00 am on Friday.

    According to a community leader, Otunba Oladele Olapeju, Idoani town has been thrown into confusion over the development, appealing to security agents to ensure the victim  is ‎released.

    He said the victim was seized while switching on the generator,stressing that they shot into air to scare away workers and others around before dragging him out of the sawmill premises.

    Olapeju lamented that the Fulani herdsmen had taken over the farmland in the community,stressing that his over 30 hectares farm crops were destroyed through cattle grazing.

    He urged security agents to curb incessant invasion of the area by Fulani herdsmen  and ensure the safe release of the victim.

    It was learnt that the kidnappers demanded N5m as condition to release the captive.

    Confirming the incident, the State Police Spokesman, Femi Joseph called for calm,saying Police were on the trail of the abductors.
    ‎
    While assuring  the people of the state a hitch-free ‎yelutide season, Joseph said the perpetrators would be brought to book.

  • Police, NSCDC to prosecute violators of female genital law in Ekiti

    THE Police and Nigeria Security an Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ekiti State have signed a pact with two civil society organizations to arrest and prosecute violators of Child Rights Act and Female Genital Mutilation Prohibition Act.

    The Centre for Women’s Health and Information (CEWHIN) and the New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD), with the signing of the agreement, signed the agreement at the end of a two-day workshop in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    The workshop funded by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), trained security officers drawn from the 16 local government areas of the state on the adverse effects of the practice.

    In her presentation, CEWHIN’s Executive Director, Mrs. Adebanke Akinrinmisi, described security agencies as key in the fight against female genital mutilation.

    She said: “We are imploring them to use different networks they use to gather information in all the council areas to arrest and prosecute the cutters. The practice is high in the rural areas of Ekiti, and that was why we drew the police and NSCDC from the rural areas”, she said.

    NIGAWD’s Chief Executive Director, Miss Abimbola Aladejare lamented the non-implementation of the law saying about 20 million girls are carrying the pains of genital mutilation in Nigeria alone, representing 16 per cent of the population.

    “We are failing in our fight against FGM because we are not involving the security agencies, who have the power to arrest and prosecute offenders, this we are trying to correct,” Aladejare said.

  • Police arrest 3,000 kidnappers nationwide – IGP

    Police arrest 3,000 kidnappers nationwide – IGP

    The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on Friday said the police had so far apprehended about 3,000 suspected kidnappers nationwide.

    The IGP made this known when he briefed State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said that already a task force had been inaugurated to scrutinise and streamline the suspects with a view to ensuring their speedy trial.

    “We are taking them to court on everyday basis.

    “Presently we have almost over 3000 suspects in the various police stations all over the country and we are taking them to court.

    “Recently, I set up a task force to sort of streamline or scrutinize these cases so that we have speedy trial of some of these suspects,’’ he said.

    The police boss said he had deployed special police unit to patrol the Abuja-Kaduna- Kano highway with a view to checking the menace of armed robbers and kidnappers along the road.

    He appreciated the efforts of the National Assembly for proposing death penalty for those found guilty of kidnapping in the country.

    The IGP expressed the hope that the nation would soon witness drastic fall in cases of kidnapping in view of the proposed death penalty.(NAN)

  • Police training school graduates 120

    Police training school graduates 120

    The Commandant, Police Training School (PTS), Ikeja, Kayode Egbetokun, has charged newly certified 120 Supernumerary Police Officers (Spy) to be good ambassadors of the institution, respect the laws or face arrest.

    Egbetokun, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) stated this at the graduation ceremony of the officers, who underwent six weeks of intensive drills designed and approved for the Supernumerary Police Officers by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), under Section 18(a) of the Police Act.

    Egbetokun reminded the trainees that their uniform was a symbol of authority, adding “the warrant card you are carrying confers powers, privileges and immunities of a police officer on you.

    “These powers, privileges and immunities are to be protected and must not be abused. The warrant card is not a licence to drive against traffic; it is a charge to protect the law. You are expected to reflect the discipline you have imbibed in this training both in and out of uniform.”

    Reiterating that Spy Police Officers were not to bear arms, the Commandant said the graduands were not given arms drill, musketry or weapon handling trainings.

    He said: “By law, the Spy Police Officers are recruited and trained for private organisations and public institutions who desire their services. They are by law, members of the Police Force but are not regular police officers.

    “The training curriculum is rich in content and adequate to equip the trainees with the knowledge and skills needed to function effectively as Supernumerary Police in their respective organisations.

    “A typical training day starts at 6am with physical exercise followed by unarmed combat or foot drill, after which trainees are moved to the classrooms for academic work before returning to the field. They usually have only 30 minutes break until 6pm when the training closes.

    “They were taken through courses in professional police, legal, liberal and field studies. At the end of the trainings, an examination, drill test was set followed by the commandant’s interview.

    “None of them was found wanting by the board of interviewers. They have been found worthy both in character and learning and have satisfied all requirements for appointment as Supernumerary Police Officers.”

    On the achievements of the school since he assumed duty in 2015, Egbetokun said his team has been to raise the bar of professionalism, adding that his leadership has zero tolerance for corruption.

    He said the school had organised refresher courses for at least 3,000 officers from Assistant Superintendent of Police to Constable ranks, who he said, had keyed into the Inspector-General of Police’ (IGP) “policing with integrity” vision.

    “We have improved on infrastructure. We have improved oj standard and quality of training. We are turning put top quality products. We have inspired confidence and we rely on our integrity.

    “The former Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Fatai Owoseni engaged us in giving policemen in the command a special training in ethics and professional conducts with the objective of effecting a change in their attitudes and giving them a positive orientation in line with the vision of the IGP, Ibrahim Idris.

    “We have handled this reorientation course with utmost commitment, passion and have recorded huge successes. Over 3,000 of them have been trained with emphasis on values of honesty and transparency, benevolence, expertise and effectiveness.

    “The positive feedback we are getting on those that have attended this reorientation courses has been encouraging.”

  • Five Policemen arrested for aiding murder suspect’s escape from custody

    Five Policemen arrested for aiding murder suspect’s escape from custody

    Five policemen in Ebonyi have been arrested and placed on Orderly room trials for allegedly aiding the escape of a murder suspect, one Ogonna Alioka aka “Pilot” and three other suspects of various offences from the Police Cell in the state command.
    Commissioner of Police, CP Titus Lamorde told journalists in Abakaliki that the Ogonna was one of the fifteenth suspects arrested for their role in the abduction and murder of one Mrs Chukwu Okorie.
    He said the victim  was kidnapped in her home on January 8, 2017 in her home at Egba Amanye community in Ivo LGA of Ebonyi state and was murdered and buried in a shallow grave at Lopkpanta
    forest in Abia state.

    “After his arrest, Ogonna was helping the police to arrest the two other gang members but unfortunately, on the night of October 22, policemen of the state CIID on Cell/Counter duty negligently allowed the escape of kidnap suspect, Ogonna Alioka and three other suspects of various offences”, the commissioner said

    Mr Lamorde said all the policemen on Counter duty on the day the suspects were arrested, detained, defaulted and tried in an orderly room.

  • ‘Police seized my gun licence, labelled us armed robbers’

    ‘Police seized my gun licence, labelled us armed robbers’

    A 40-year-old farm manager, Odize Bawo, accused of being an armed robbery suspect yesterday said policemen from Anthony Division seized the licence for his rifle and labelled him an armed robber.

    Odize was arrested alongside Durosawo Alade, 45, and Adebosola Adedamola, 50, around 9pm on Sunday at Idiroko Bus Stop, Anthony.

    Odize said: “I am the Project Manager, Emmanuel Agric Business Nigeria Limited at Igbonla, Epe. My two colleagues are innocent about this firearm. They did not know it was inside my car because I just went to pick them up and was taking them to the farm for them to produce plastic identity cards for our workers.

    “This firearm is duly licenced in my name as the Product Manager. I came to this police command to sign for the licence. We are all aware of the kidnappings of farm owners and workers in Epe axis.

    “It was when they came to our farm and picked up our guard and some farmers. I was the target of that attack but fortunately, I was in Lagos when they came.

    “It was after that incident that the owner of the farm acquired the gun. The gun is duly registered and I had the licence with me that Sunday when the policemen stopped us.

    “They asked for my driver’s licence, documents and identity card. I showed them. They now told us to come down from the vehicle. I was the one who told them that I had a licenced firearm in the boot and showed them the licence.

    “But the licence was collected by Inspector Ogbeide of Anthony Village Police Station. I have not seen the licence since that day. I told them I went to pick up Durosawo and Adebosola who are printers and are supposed to do plastic identity cards for my workers.

    “We are into agriculture. We have 57 acres of land and we are into livestock farming. I came to this command to sign for it. It was about four weeks ago. We are not armed robbers. We know nothing about armed robbery.

    “Everyone in Nigeria knows the security situation in Epe about six or seven months ago. If not for the fact that I was called for a project at Epe, I might have been killed that day kidnappers attacked our farm.

    “Prior to the kidnap of Igbonla students, they came to our farm in Meru village. They took my workers and left them at the beach. We reported to the police and even soldiers came to the farm that day and they left.

    “Police should do their investigation and ask the Anthony Police Station officers to produce the licence they took from me. I do not have anything to hide and I am not a criminal.”

    Parading them, acting Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal said a pump action rifle and five live cartridges were recovered.

    Edgal said the command in the last seven days had arrested 37 cultists, 17 armed robbery and three kidnap suspects, adding that 13 arms, 22 live cartridges and one AK47 ammunition were recovered.

    He said: “Within the period under review, the command arrested 69 suspects and recovered a locally made shotgun, one double-barrelled gun, a Beretta pistol, a locally made gun, six pump action guns and three locally made pistols.

    “We also recovered two live cartridges, one expended AK47 ammunition, knives, three battle axes, charms and substances suspected to be cocaine and marijuana with estimated street value of over N3million.

    “Operatives of the command acting on information from the public arrested one Babatunde Azeez, a suspected cocaine dealer at 6, Palm Church Street, Lagos Island. Substances suspected to be cocaine were found in his custody and the suspect confessed to the crime. All suspected narcotics recovered have been sent to the Lagos DNA Forensic Laboratory centre for further investigation.”

    Continuing, Edgal said on October 27, seven suspected armed robbers were caught in the act and arrested around Charity Bus Stop on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and Mafoluku.

    He said the suspects, known as “catch on the air,” were arrested around 1:45am, adding that four commercial buses marked KJA555XN, EKY678XT, EST362XN, APP820XE and a Lexus RX Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) LSR861ER used as their operational vehicles were recovered.

    “On October 31, at about 1:30am, at Oshodi and Orile Iganmu, six suspected armed hoodlums were arrested with three pump action guns and three locally made guns. The command appeals to residents to be vigilant at all times.”