The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Jonathan’s burgled home: Police detains personnel on guard duty

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Abuja house has been looted and the police have arrested some of their men posted on personal guard duty there after preliminary probe.

    Sources close to the former President said he confirmed ownership of the Gwarinpa house situated at No. 89, Fourth Avenue in the Gwarimpa District of Abuja.

    Although the former president does not stay in the house, he keeps some of his personal effects there.

    Officials close to the former president declined to release the details of items stolen, but rather refered our correspondent to the police who are investigating the matter.

    But online newspaper Premium Times gave the list of items stolen in the house as including:

    • Niger Delta traditional attires in about 20 Ghana-must-go sacks.
    • Suits, each one with “President Jonathan” inscribed in the inner side, in five big Ghana-must-go sacks.
    • About 10 big Ghana-must-go sacks of women attires made from lace materials sewn in Niger Delta style.
    • More than 10 bundles of Ankara materials, known as Atamfa.
    • About 10 sets of babban riga.
    • One big Ghana-must-go sack containing clothes with PDP logo neatly sewn on each one.
    • About 20 Niger Delta bowler hats.
    • 36 Plasma television sets
    • About 25 refrigerators.
    • Five sets of furniture; and
    • Two sets of sitting room chairs.

    Although the Police declined to give the figure of those detained, it said the detention of the personnel would help to ascertain the true position of things.

    A statement by FCT police spokesman Anjuguri Manzah, a DSP, said: “The FCT Police Command wishes to inform the general public that it has commenced full-fledge investigation into the case of theft in the Gwarinpa residence of former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

    “Preliminary police investigation on the matter has revealed that some items were found to be missing in the house.

    “Meanwhile, the policemen who are supposed to be on guard duty at the house have been detained for questioning. Investigation to find out what actually happened is in progress”.

    The command assured the public that the results the investigation would be made public.

     

  • Police bust car snatching gang

    Police bust car snatching gang

    Two suspected members of a car snatching syndicate have been arrested by operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    Ahmed Olamilekan and Abiodun Ogunkanni were said to have snatched two vehicles from their owners.

    They operate on motorcycles on Oworonsoki Expressway, where they trail their victims to their homes and dispossess them of their vehicles.

    They snatched a Toyota Camry marked MUS795CD and a Lexus Jeep with registration number LSR269EM, from their owners at gunpoint.

    Officer-in-Charge of SARS in Ikeja Mohammed Ahmed, a Chief Superintendent (CSP) led a decoy team to arrest the two suspects at Ojuelegba.

    The command’s spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) said the Toyota Camry was snatched while the owner was negotiating a bend to drive into his house. Famous-Cole gave the car’s chassis number as 4TIBG22KXYU69371 and the grey Lexus, JI6GF10U0Y0058148.

    He said: “We advise members of the public to be weary of any strange faces lurking around their gates when driving into their house at night. The strange faces might be members of an armed robbery gang assigned to monitor your movement. Someone will just emerge from nowhere with a gun to your head. You won’t be able to do anything in such situation.

    “For the attack on the man who was driving into his house at Oworonsoki, the suspects waited for him to enter his compound before they struck.”

    The police, he said, recovered two cartridges and a locally made pistol from the suspects. The police are on the trail of other members of the gang.

  • Police parade 32 for kidnapping on Abuja-Kaduna highway

    Police parade 32 for kidnapping on Abuja-Kaduna highway

    THE Police yesterday paraded 32 suspected kidnappers for their involvement in abduction of motorists and travellers on Abuja-Kaduna highway.

    Force Spokesman CSP Jimoh Moshood attributed the arrest to the inauguration of “Operation Absolute Sanity” by the Inspector General of Police  (IGP) Ibrahim Idris.

    The IG last week launched the operation to end the spate of kidnapping on the highway.

    The police said they have not recorded a single case of kidnapping or armed robbery since the launch of the operation.

    The suspects are: Mohammed  Musa, Musa Hassan, Mamuda Ado, Shuabu Musa, Sani Abubakar, Shehu Alhaji Ado, Abubakar Bello, Mohammed Garba, Usman Bello, Kabiru Ahmadu, Usman Fulani Gambo, Abubakar Abdullahi, Yahaya Usman, Suleiman Lawwan and Awal Madaki.

    Others are: Yakubu Musa, Aliyu Yahaya, Aminu Shuaibu, Alhaji Umaru Mohammed, Sani Fulani, Ahmadu Rufai, Shuaibu Musa, Ibrahim Illo, Alhaji Umaru Auta, Bello Tukur, Mohammed Gambo, Mohamadu Adamu Sikiru, Mohammed Tukur Ibrahim, Saidu Mohammed, Abubakar Abdullai, Dan-Absabe Isah and Auwalu Abdullahi.

    Items recovered from them include four AK47 rifles, six locally made pump action guns and two magazines.

    The suspects were paraded at Police Divisional Headquarters in Katari, Kaduna State.

    Moshood said: “The IGP, concerned about  the issue of kidnapping on Abuja-Kaduna highway, deployed a special team to rout out kidnappers that have been  terrorising the highway.

    “We have made significant progress in ensuring that Abuja-Kaduna highway is safe for passengers, travellers and other road users, including communities that live along the highway because they are not spared too.

    “Despite the kidnap of travellers, the kidnappers still go into villages to kidnap and terrorise unsuspecting members of the public.”

    Moshood said the  suspects have made confessional statement admitting to the various criminal roles they played in committing the crime.

    “The suspects have confessed to various roles they played and that they belong to about four kidnapping gangs. Some are in charge of kidnapping, some others are responsible for negotiation and collection of ransom from families of the victims,” he said.

    Idris hailed members of the communities for providing vital information that led to the arrest of some of the kidnappers.

    The IG, who assured residents of Jere,  Katari and Rijanah and others that the operation would be sustained, added that it would be replicated on other highways across the country.

    “We will continue to build on this success to ensure that the last kidnapper is routed out of the highway.”

    The District Head of Bishini Community, Giwa Gambo, who hailed the deployment of the operation, urged the police to sustain it.

    He said: “We urge you people to come and help us. We are helpless because these people are armed and we cannot confront them. Our prayers is being answered because the government and police have listened to us and deployed people to rid our area of kidnappers.

    “Before the deployment, we find it difficult to go to farm because if we go, it is either we are attacked, captured for ransom, killed or they rape our wives. We thank God for this deployment.”

  • Herbalist in police net ‘over fatal concoction’

    Enugu Police Command has arrested a herbalist, Adekunle Oseni, who allegedly prepared a concoction for the detection and arrest of thieves, which allegedly killed a 30-year-old woman.

    Spokesman Ebere Amaraizu, in a statement at the weekend in Enugu, said the incident occurred at Ugbodogwu, Trans Ekulu in the Enugu metropolis, on July 28.

    He said the woman, Ukoro Onyinye, a resident of Ugbodogwu Trans Ekulu, took the concoction, which was prepared with a goat heart, to enable her detect and arrest thieves, who had persistently broken into her shop.

    “Investigation showed she took herbal concoctions prepared by Oseni.

    “From our findings, the deceased met the suspect through a neighbour, Alesinloye Nuru, after she (the deceased) complained of constant raids on her shop.

    “On July 2, the deceased contacted the suspect who, after listening to her complaint, prepared a concoction, which would enable her detect and arrest the thieves.

    “In the early hours of July 28, she (the deceased) started vomiting and was taken to Colliery Hospital, Enugu where she was confirmed dead,” the statement said.

    Amaraizu said the body had been deposited at the hospital mortuary for autopsy, while the suspect was helping the police in their investigation.

  • 20 kidnappers killed during rescue of abducted Lagos students – Police

    20 kidnappers killed during rescue of abducted Lagos students – Police

    Twenty kidnappers were killed, while eight policemen and four civilian volunteers sustained injuries in the rescue of the abducted Lagos School boys on Friday.

    Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni disclosed this while briefing the media on the rescue of the students of Igbonla Model College, Epe.

    He, however, disclosed that one civilian volunteer unfortunately died in the process of rescuing the students.

    The Commissioner  also said that a suspect, who attempted to capitalize on the situation to swindle the parents of the students by asking that they should bring ransom to Abeokuta, was arrested and is currently in police custody.

    He praised the South West Governors for demonstrating clear commitment to combat crime in the region, saying that the communiqué issued in Abeokuta with respect to creation of Joint Security Task Force for the region, is already yielding positive result.

    The State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode hailed the successful rescue of the six kidnapped students and assured that the government would utilise the academic break to reinforce security in all schools in the State, especially in the suburb and riverine areas to prevent a re-occurrence.

    The Governor, who spoke through the State’s Deputy Governor, Dr. Mrs. Oluranti Adebule said he remained totally committed to ensuring the security of all residents especially students and would spare nothing to ensure that schools remain safe from all forms of crime and criminality.

    He said: “The issue of security is a social contract that we have signed with the people of Lagos and we would ensure that we do not disappoint. As far as our schools are concerned, we are going back to the drawing board to secure our schools before the next academic session”.

    Governor Ambode, who commended the collaborative efforts by security agencies from Lagos and Ondo States, specially thanked the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo for his interventions towards ensuring the safe rescue of the students.

    Presenting the rescued students to the media, he said they would be debriefed and taken through comprehensive medical tests so as to ensure that they recover from the trauma they might have passed through while in the custody of their abductors.

    Also speaking, Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu commended Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and Governor Ambode for working tirelessly on the matter, saying that the duo demonstrated uncommon interest in the whole process leading to the safe return of the students.

    Akeredolu said he never believed the kidnappers could be hibernating in Ondo creeks until he was told about a month ago during the National Economic Council (NEC) Meeting in Abuja by Osinbajo, and later Governor Ambode, while he immediately deployed his deputy, Mr Alfred Agboola who is from the riverine areas in Ondo, to take up the matter.

    He said Agboola immediately swung into action and worked with the Delta State Deputy Governor, as well as security agencies to ensure safe return of the students.

    While acknowledging the role of Governor Ambode, Akeredolu said: “I must commend Governor Ambode for his commitment to the rescue of the students. At the meeting of Western Nigeria Governors’ forum held in Abeokuta on Monday, we discussed the issue of the students and Governor Ambode mentioned the issue of joint security patrol in our riverine areas.

    “He (Governor Ambode) was very committed to it and he expressed readiness to support with the needed resources. Throughout the days the students were in captivity, the Lagos State Governor never kept his eyes off the ball and he kept working on it until today that we have the students back,” Akeredolu said.

  • BREAKING: Police rescue Igbonla school pupils

    BREAKING: Police rescue Igbonla school pupils

    Operatives of The Nigeria Police have on Friday rescued School students who were kidnapped  Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe, Lagos State.

    The boys were released at Aboto Creek in Ilaje LGA, Ondo State at about 3:30pm.

    They will soon be reunited with their families.

    Recall that the operatives of the Inspector General of Police’ (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), on May 31st arrested three suspected members of the gang that kidnapped the six pupils.

    It was gathered that IRT operatives led by Abba Kyari, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) arrested the three suspects who left the creek and went to Edo State to visit a gang member who was injured during gun battle with security forces.

    Similarly, the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode had told pupils at a parade to mark this year’s Children’s Day at the Agege Stadium in May, that the government would do all within its power to get the children out of the kidnappers’ den unhurt.

  • Man arraigned for killing daughter in Enugu

    Man arraigned for killing daughter in Enugu

    A 60 year old man identified as one Romanus Ugwuodo of Ogor village in Ikem Isi-Uzo local Government Area of Enugu state has appeared before an Enugu magistrate Court for allegedly killing his daughter.

    He was arraigned on a four count charge of conspiracy, murder, land and criminal.

    No plea was taken. The case was adjourned to August 31 this year pending the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution on the case file.

    According to a bulletin released by the Enugu police command spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu, a superintendent of police, the accused  had allegedly “on 23rd day of April, 2017 directed  for an unlawful trial by ordeal through Akolo Juju Shrine in Ogor village Ikem Isi Uzo and also the alleged possession of various charms together with the use of the Akolo Juju  which is reported to possess the power of causing natural phenomenon and disease and which in all, resulted in the death of his daughter identified as one Ebere Ugwuodo and that of his son identified as one Uchenna Ugwuodo said to have been killed through same means in January, 2016.”

    “The state criminal intelligence and Investigations Department of Enugu state command of the Nigeria Police Force”, states the bulletin, “had through the directives of the commissioner of police Danmallam Mohammed swung into action based on the petition received on the account of the alleged nefarious/criminal activities of the suspect who has allegedly and variously murdered his children using dangerous charms and Juju in 2016 and 2017 respectively and allegedly celebrating their death.”

    The bulletin further states: “It was further gathered that his nefarious activities came to the limelight after the death of his daughter Ebere  in which her burial became a problem as the irate mob besieged the suspects house where various charms and juju were removed leading to their unleashing of mayhem on the suspect and also burning down his house and were about sending him to his grave before police operatives from Isi uzo Division arrived the scene to save the situation and following this, the incident was brought to the state criminal intelligence and investigation Department on the directives of the state commissioner of police and after a discreet investigations suspect was arraigned formally in a law court.”

  • Kidnapping: Police deploy 600 special forces in Abuja-Kaduna highway

    Kidnapping: Police deploy 600 special forces in Abuja-Kaduna highway

    •We lost 18 men trying to expose kidnappers, say locals
    •Five paraded for abduction of Kogi governor’s mother

    The Police High Command has deployed 600 special forces and 90 high calibre patrol vehicles to curb increasing cases of kidnapping on Abuja-Kaduna highway, it was learnt yesterday.

    Army and the Police have also constituted a joint operation to arrest crimes on the same road.

    Senate Leader Senator Ahmed Lawan told his colleagues yesterday that the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idriss, briefed the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Police Affairs about the latest efforts to arrest kidnapping on the road.

    But, the Force spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood, named the deployment as Operation Absolute Sanity.

    Moshood, while parading five suspected kidnappers yesterday in Abuja, said: “The Joint Police Team are under  specific and definite mandate to root out the kidnap for ransom gangs and armed robbery gangs that have being terrorising the Abuja-Kaduna highway in the recent times.

    “The operations is to complement and augment the on-going Joint Police and Military operations on ground before now.”

    To achieve success of the operations, DIG in charge of Operations Joshak Habilla has been mandated to supervise the operation as overall commander.

    The Deputy Commissioner of Police In-Charge of the Police Mobile Force would be the grand commander of the operations.

    The team is expected to stop other violent crimes such as armed robbery, car snatching on the expressway.

    Moshood added: “Police helicopters will embark on aerial surveillance and guided missions to assist the personnel on the ground in covering difficult terrains.

    “The IG urges members of the public, most especially commuters, travellers, road users and people in the towns and villages on Abuja-Kaduna Highway not to panic on the mass deployment of police personnel, but to assist and cooperate with the police personnel in the discharge of their responsibilities.”

    But, the people of Rijana community on the Kaduna-Abuja highway yesterday told Minister of Interior Lt-Gen Abdulrahman Danbazzau (rtd) why kidnappings persisted on the highway.

    They said intelligence information divulged to security agents were not treated with secrecy and often led to killings of the informants.

    The community, however, said synergy with security personnel in the area could no longer be guaranteed, as 18 members of the area, who attempted to expose the activities of the deadly kidnappers, were killed.

    The minister declared kidnappers operating on the highway as terrorists that must be crushed by all means.

    The former Army chief, who was in Rijana on what he called fact-finding mission, called for synergy between the locals and the security operatives deployed to the area by the Federal Government.

    The police authorities yesterday paraded five suspected kidnappers for their involvement in the kidnap of mother of Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello.

    The governor’s mother, Hajia Hawawu Bello, was kidnapped in 2014 by a former councillor, Iliyasu Suleiman and his gang members.

    Other suspects paraded were: Danjuma Ibrahim, Iliyasu Obadaki, Alhaji Nasiru, Hafiz Yakubu and Mohammed Jamiu, who was killed during a gun duel with Special Anti-Robbery Squad  (SARS) operatives.

    Items recovered from them include two AK 47 rifles, 20 live cartridges, Army uniforms, two plastic guns, three sharp knives, one axe and assorted charms.

    Moshood said the suspects were also responsible for other kidnappings and robberies in Abuja, Niger and Kogi states.

  • Kidnapping: Police deploy 600 Special Forces to Abuja-Kaduna road

    Kidnapping: Police deploy 600 Special Forces to Abuja-Kaduna road

    The Police high command has deployed 600 Special Forces and 90 high caliber patrol vehicles to curb increasing cases of kidnapping along the Abuja-Kaduna express way.

    Apart from the special forces and patrol vehicles, the Nigerian Army and the police have constituted a joint operation to halt kidnapping on the road.

    The Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, told his colleagues on Tuesday that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, briefed the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Police Affairs about the latest efforts to arrest kidnapping on the road.

    Lawan, who came under Order 43 (Personal Explanation), told the Senate that a joint meeting of the Senate and House of Representatives Police Affairs Committee was held on Monday in his conference Room on how to deal with the incessant kidnapping along Abuja-Kaduna road.

    He noted that the “mass kidnapping” and kidnapping of individuals have become a matter of grave concern to the two chambers.

    The Senate leader said the meeting requested for explanation from the IGP on the issue.

    He said Idris told the committee that there was already a joint operation of the police and the army to deal with the situation.

    Lawan said they accepted the police explanation.

    Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, said the primary responsibility of government remains the security and welfare of the people.

    He said efforts would be made to improve the funding of the police for effective performance.

    Ekweremadu, however, asked the police to double its effort and tackle kidnapping and other related crimes in the country.

  • Police parade six suspected criminals in Jigawa

    •Three vehicles recovered 

    The police in Jigawa State yesterday paraded six persons for suspected robbery, car and motorcycle theft.

    Commissioner of Police Rasheed Akintunde said three cars were recovered from them.

    According to Akintunde, about 04.08hours, on July 20, a distress call was received by the patrol team in Gumel council, that two cars, belonging to Muhammed Baru and Isah Sa’idu Jajeri, had been stolen.

    “The patrol team in Garki council intercepted two men in one of the vehicles. When they were questioned, the suspects identified themselves as Mohammed Abdulkadir (27), of Yakasai quarters in Kano State, and Usman Ahmed (28), of Gumel town in Jigawa State. They abandoned the other vehicle.

    “The three vehicles and master keys were recovered from them and investigation is on.”

    Akintunde added that the patrol team in Dutse metropolis arrested two men – Idris Hassan and Sadiq Sani of Gwale council in Kano State, trying to drive off on a motorcycle.

    “When they were questioned, the men confessed to have stolen the motorcycle,” he said.

    Other suspects paraded were Usmar Hardo Muhammed, for alleged robbery. He was arrested at Makarantar Fulani settlement in Garki council.

    The police boss said the suspects would be charged to court soon.