The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Police interrogate men over theft at state secretariat in jigawa

    Police interrogate men over theft at state secretariat in jigawa

    The Police Command in Jigawa said it was interrogating two men (names withheld) over report of incessant thefts at the Jigawa State Secretariat.

    The command’s Spokesman, DSP Abdu Jinjiri, confirmed this  in Dutse.

    Jinjiri said that the two men aged 30 each, were invited after the command received a report on the thefts at the secretariat.

    He, however, declined to comment on the nature of the thefts.

    “Yes, we have invited two men for interrogation after we received a report of rampant stealing at Jigawa state secretariat.

    “But I am not saying we are interrogating them on any particular case,” he said.

     That from late 2016 to date, there have been several reports of thefts of laptop and desk top computers, plasma TVs and motorcycles at the premises of the secretariat.

    It was also alleged that on Sept. 6, two computers were stolen from the State Ministry of Finance.

    NAN

  • Court orders police to produce Evans’ in-law

    Court orders police to produce Evans’ in-law

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday ordered the police to produce Mr. Okwuchukwu Obiechina, a brother-in-law of suspected kidnapper Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (alias Evans).

    Obiechina is praying the court to order his release from detention.

    He claimed to have been arrested due to his relationship with Evans.

    Evans and five others were arraigned before Justice Hakeem Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court.

    While Evans and two others pleaded guilty to the charges, the remaining defendants pleaded not guilty.

    The prosecution said the defendants between February 14 and April 12 at Obokun Street, Ilupeju, Lagos, armed with guns and other weapons, captured and detained Mr. Duru Donatus.

    Before he was charged, Evans filed a suit at the Federal High Court praying it to order his release or for the police to charge him.

    Obiechina, through his lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, said despite Evans being arraigned, the police kept him in detention since June 2.

    He and his wife, Nzube, Evans’ sister, sued the Commissioner of Police in Lagos, the Police and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Lagos.

    In a supporting affidavit deposed to by Obiechina’s relative, Okoliagu Abunike, the applicant said he was arrested by a team of policemen led by Phillip and Christian.

    The deponent said the officers bragged that no court would order Obiechina’s release.

    “Since June 26, the first applicant is still being detained at the cell of the respondents even beyond the constitutionally allowed time.

    “The applicant has not committed any offence known to law to warrant being arrested and detained by the operatives of the respondents.

    “The applicant has not committed any offence known to law that will warrant the infringement of his right to life, personal liberty, fair hearing, freedom of movement and dignity of human person,” Abunike said.

    Justice Idris directed  Ogungbeje to put the police on notice of his application.

    He ordered the police to produce Obiechina before him tomorrow (Thursday) and to justify his continued detention.

     

  • Police arrest five for ‘store-breaking, phone-snatching’

    Police arrest five for ‘store-breaking, phone-snatching’

    The police in Enugu State have arrested five suspects for allegedly involving in breaking into phone stores and snatching phones from victims in Enugu, spokesman Ebere Amaraizu said in a statement in Enugu yesterday.

    He said 17 phones and a laptop had been recovered from the suspects.

    Amaraizu said the suspects terrorised victims at Texaco and Liberty on Abakpa axis and New Haven axis of Enugu.

    He said the arrest of suspects at New Haven followed a tip-off.

    “It was gathered that the suspects had allegedly conspired and broken into a phone shop on Chime Avenue, New Haven axis of Enugu at midnight, stealing apple I-phones and laptops.

    “Following the report, operatives swung into action and through intelligence information, nabbed three suspects and recovered 17 of the stolen phones and a laptop.

    “Investigations led to the arrest of two other suspects on October 8, bringing the number of the suspects to five. A manhunt has been intensified for the fleeing ones,” Amaraizu said.

    He gave the names of the suspects as: Charles Chekwube, Kelechukwu Okpara, Eneh Ifeanyi, Anih Emeka and Okpara Chisom (female).

    According to him, the suspects are helping the police in their investigation.

    Amaraizu said the suspects attributed their actions to bad company and peer influence.

    “Charles Chekwube said his friends suggested that they should break into a phone shop and lay siege to their victims in Abakpa and its environs, to steal phones,” he added.

     

  • Illegal land sales: Father in detention as Edo Taskforce hunt for son  

    Illegal land sales: Father in detention as Edo Taskforce hunt for son  

    The Edo State Private Property Protection Taskforce has handed over Mr Johnbull  Agbonsomwan of Iguomon Community in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of the state,  to the Police over his son’s involvement in illegal sales of land.

    Mr. Agbonsomwan will be released when his son, Mr Owenaze Johnbull, who is currently on the run, is apprehended.

    According to the Vice Chairman of the Taskforce, Chief Osaro Idah, Mr. Agbonsomwan will be released when his son, Mr Johnbull Owenaze, who is currently on the run, is apprehended.

    Speaking to journalists at Government House in Benin City, Chief Idah said Agbonsonwan promised to bring his son Owenaze, to be investigated by the taskforce over his involvement in illegal land sales and alleged violent crimes with some youths in Iguomon Community.

    He added: “Owenaze and his cohorts have constituted themselves into a group that unleashes violence on landowners and an alternative government in Iguomon community in the name of youth association. They flout government directives and indulge in the sales of people’s land and extort and harass land developers.”

    The Taskforce Vice Chairman explained that “Owenaze has refused to honour several invitations by his team and the government will ensure that the activities of the disbanded Community Development Association under any guise is checked. We learnt that Owenaze and some youths beat up one Mr Benson Ekhator, a landowner in the community this morning, and Owenaze’s  father will remain in police custody until he is found.’’

    The victim, Benson Ekhator, said he was manhandled by some youths in the community, led by Johnbull Owenaze and his father.

  • Police nab man for ‘hacking teenager to death’

    Police nab man for ‘hacking teenager to death’

    Anambra State Police Command has arrested a man for allegedly hacking a 16-year- old boy to death and depositing his body in the mortuary.

    The victim, Chidera Ezeanya, at the weekend, was allegedly tied and hanged from a manual crane in Eziowelle, Idemili North Local Government of Anambra State, by the suspect, Ifeanyi Okpoko.

    Confirming the incident, the Ogidi Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr. Mark Ijarafu, said the suspect had been arrested, adding that investigation had begun.

    He expressed surprise that such actions could be carried out without being reported to the police.

    “The suspect even deposited the body at the mortuary without first reporting to the police. The mortuary attendants have a case to answer,” Ijarafu said.

    Youths were said to have threatened to set ablaze the house of Okpoko, suspected to have deposited the body at Iyi-Enu Mission Hospital mortuary, Ogidi.

    The Nation learnt yesterday that the deceased was playing with his mates when he was called by the suspect, thinking he wanted to send him on an errand.

    Our source said: “When it was dusk and the boy did not return, his parents became disturbed after they were told by his mates that he was called by Okpoko, probably for an errand, while they were playing.

    “The parents went to Okpoko’s home where they saw the boy dead, with his hands tied. He was hanged from a manual crane.

     

    “When the parents shouted, attracting sympathisers, Okpoko untied the body, put it in his car and headed for Iyi-Enu Mission Hospital mortuary where he deposited it.”

    The incident attracted people, mostly youths, who threatened to set ablaze the suspect’s house.

    The source said elders, who described the incident as an abomination, prevented the youth from carrying out their threat

    The suspect, who is cooling his feet at Ogidi Police Station, denied the allegation, describing the deceased as a thief.

    “He came to my house at 2a.m. to steal. As I woke up, he scaled the fence and ran to his house. I was not the person who killed him,” he said.

    Okpoko, however, admitted going to the deceased’s home, dragging him to his house where he tied him and hanged him from a manual crane.

    “I’m ready to take the police to my neighbours, who I felt might have killed him for coming to steal,” he said.

     

  • Police, task force arrest 50 ‘with 48 bags of drugs’

    Police, task force arrest 50 ‘with 48 bags of drugs’

    The Police and operatives of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit (Task Force) have arrested 50 suspected criminals with 48 bags of illicit drugs around Akala in  Mushin.

    The mid-night operation was led by Soji Akinbayo, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), the task force Chairman, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police (SP) and all Divisional Police Officers under Area ‘D’ command Mushin.

    All the suspects were charged on Friday before Magistrate Lateef Owolabi of the Lagos State Mobile Court on three-count charge of unlawful possession of weed suspected to be indian hemp, trading in indian hemp and conduct likely to cause breach of peace and disorderly manner.

    Lagos State Office of Public Defenders provided free legal services for the accused. Bashiru Abdulsalam appeared on their behalf.

    Prosecuting Counsel Oluremi Kuku said the suspects pleaded not guilty  before Magistrate Owolabi granted them bail.

    The case was adjourned till November 15.

    Egbeyemi, in a statement said  those arrested during the raid include 44 men and six women.

    According to him, substances suspected to be indian hemp with packs of other illicit drugs such as ‘Novalyn with Codeine Cough Syrub’ and ‘Tuxil-C cough and cold with Codeine’ were recovered during the raid.

    The Tak force said one of the suspects, Sunday Adesoye a.k.a ‘Malboro’ confessed that ‘Akala’ serves as a ‘Central Market’ for indian hemp and illicit drugs to all miscreants across the State.

    Malboro was quoted to have sold an average of N500,000 worth of Indian hemp with other illicit drugs daily to his customers from Obalende, Oshodi, Pen-cinema, Apapa, Lagos Island, Fadeyi amongst others.

    “A suspect, Mrs Basirat Jimoh a.k.a Iya Suzzy, who hails from Ibadan, Oyo State capital confessed to have been trading in indian hemp and other illicit drugs at Akala area for over 17 years. She however claimed to be only buying/selling india hemp and not into criminal activities,” task force said.

  • Police to investigate poly student’s suicide bid

    Nasarawa State Police Command is to investigate an attempt by a student of Nasarawa State Polytechnic to commit suicide, spokesman Idrisu Kennedy told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview in Lafia.

    NAN reports Chinedu Iromuanya, a National Diploma 2 student in Public Administration department, attempted to commit suicide by drinking an insecticide.

    A nurse at Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia, where Iromuanya was taken to, told NAN he was discharged.

    Kennedy said the polytechnic management was yet to report the matter.

    “I am just hearing this. I don’t think the authority of the institution has reported the case to the police.

    “I will confirm from our officers in charge of the area where the incident occurred, to unravel the reason for the attempted suicide.”

    He advised students and workers to report any suspicious person, movement or activity to law enforcement agencies.

    The spokesman advised students to be law-abiding and desist from resorting to suicide, no matter the circumstance.

     

  • Police rescue abducted woman in Cross River

    Police rescue abducted woman in Cross River

    Policemen in Cross Rivers have rescued one Comfort Udoenwang, who was abducted by gunmen in October 2.

    The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa, who disclosed this in Calabar, said the victim was released in the early hours of Saturday.

    Inuwa said the victim was kidnapped from her Jesus Avenue residence in Calabar south and taken to Akpap-Okoyong village in Odukpani local government area of the state.

    The police commissioner said the rescue operation was carried out by the newly formed Anti-Kidnapping/Cultism Unit of the command.

    “In the early hours of today (Saturday) my men swooped on the kidnappers’ hideout identified to be that of a syndicate that specialises in kidnapping, robbery and assassination as well as that of a group that kidnapped Mrs Udoenwang.

    “On sighting the police, the hoodlums opened fire on our detectives and as a result of the exchange of fire, one of the suspects, Isaac Sabastine, was shot dead.

    “His corpse has been deposited in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital mortuary.

    “We recovered one locally made pistol and a live cartridge, an axe, a Nigerian army camouflage uniform, one face mask and one black axe confraternity banner.

    “We also arrested one of the suspects, Elle David, while their kingpin, Ayi Etok, narrowly escaped with gunshot wounds.

    “A Toyota Highlander jeep with registration number ANA 420 CK belonging to the victim was also recovered.

    “Investigation is ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects,’’ he said.

    NAN

     

  • Charly Boy slams N500m lawsuit against police over alleged attack

    Charly Boy slams N500m lawsuit against police over alleged attack

    Veteran musician and Convener of #OurMumuDonDo movement Charles Oputa (aka Charly Boy or Area Fada) has slammed a N500 million lawsuit against the police at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

    He alleged that his rights to dignity of the human person, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association were violated over the attack on the #Resume or Resign protesters on August 8.

    In an originating motion dated October 4 and filed on the same day, counsel to Charly Boy, Mr. Inibehe Effiong, who is a Lagos-based legal practitioner and human rights activist, filed the suit at the FCT High Court yesterday against the Commissioner of Police and FCT Police Command.

    Effiong, who spoke during a news briefing on the court’s premises, said the police invaded the venue of peaceful sit-out and attacked them using police dogs teargas and water cannon.

    “The attack by the policemen was so severe that my client collapsed in the process and was rushed to the hospital

    “Charly Boy was attacked because of claims that their protest over the President’s absence, which had exceeded 90 days on the second day of their daily sit-out, had gone international and brought serious embarrassment to the country,” Effiong said.

    However, in the suit, Effiong is asking the court to determine whether the use of teargas canisters, water cannon and wild police dogs by the agents and officers of the respondent to attack, harass and disperse the applicant during a peaceful demonstration at the Unity Fountain in Maitama, Abuja on Tuesday, August 8, was not unjustifiable, illegal, unconstitutional and a breach of the applicant’s fundamental rights to the dignity of the human person, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.

    He argued that the alleged attack was contrary to Sections 34, 39 and 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Articles 5, 9, 10 and 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap. A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    He urged the court to determine that having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case and the evidence before this court, whether the applicant is entitled to public apology, compensation, damages and other reliefs sought from the respondent.

    A date is yet to be fixed for the hearing of the suit.

  • Charly-Boy demands N500m damages from police for alleged rights violation

    Charly-Boy demands N500m damages from police for alleged rights violation

    Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly-Boy or Area-Fada, on Wednesday filed a suit at the FCT High Court, Maitama, against the Commissioner of Police in FCT for alleged violation of his rights.

    Oputa is demanding the enforcement of  his fundamental rights pursuant to Sections 34, 39, and 40 and 46 (1) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

    He is asking the court to declare that the use of teargas, canisters, water cannon and wild police dogs to harass and disperse his group was contrary to the provisions of the constitution.

    Oputa through his counsel, Mr Inibehe Effiong, is also seeking the order of the court compelling the respondent (Nigeria Police Force) to pay him N100 million as general damages.

    He is also asking for an order directing, the respondent to pay him N 400 million as exemplary damages.

    Oputa said that he and his group, known as Our Mumu Don Do Movement, staged a peaceful demonstration on Aug. 8 at Unity Fountain, Maitama Abuja, when they were attacked by the police.

    The group had demanded that President Muhammadu Buhari return from his medical leave in London to resume work or resign.

    The suit has yet to be assigned. (NAN)