The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Biafra’s Protest: We didn’t kill anybody, say police

    Biafra’s Protest: We didn’t kill anybody, say police

    • Confirm arrest of 65
    • Two more protesters dead, MASSOB counters

    The Police didn’t kill anybody during last Friday’s protest of Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its sister organisation, Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign States of Biafra (MASSOB) in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State Command said yesterday.
    Rivers Commissioner of Police, Francis Odesanya, said the command instead arrested 65 protesters for staging what he called unlawful protest, which he claimed amounts to treasonable offence.
    Odesanya said this in a statement by the Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations, Ahmed Magaji.
    The police chief said his men neither shot nor killed any of his protesters, saying they were only dispersed.
    The CP noted the protesters did not seek permission before embarking on the rally but insisted the police operatives applied minimum force in dispersing them.
    Odesanya said: “Suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra took laws into their hands yesterday, organised and staged an unlawful protest in the Port Harcourt metropolis, thereby disturbing the peace of the state, disrupting free flow of traffic.
    “About 65 of them were arrested at different points within the metropolis, being suspected members of Indigenous People of Biafra.
    “Our men used minimum force in containing the protesters. No casualty was recorded, no death recorded.”
    He further stressed that the command will ensure that the continued peace in the state is sustained.
    The agitators organised a solidarity rally in support of the victory and swearing-in of American President, Donald Trump in the major cities they claim to be their territories.
    The rally, which was relatively peaceful in parts of the metropolis, almost turned bloody at a point.
    The protesters were intercepted by police and military operatives at different parts of the city.
    Those from the neighbouring Umuahia and Aba in Abia state, who entered Rivers through the Obigbo, Oil mill axis of Port Harcourt headed towards the Diobu area where majority of their supporters in the state reside and engage in business.
    They were however stopped by the military at the Bori camp where gun shots were heard to disperse them.
    But the unrelenting agitators scampered for safety and reconvened, heading through another route.
    They were however intercepted again at the waterlines and St. Johns junctions all in Port Harcourt/Aba Express by heavily armed soldiers with trucks.
    The protest practically shut down Port Harcourt.
    Human and vehicular movements in the city were grounded, leading to unprecedented traffic lockdown.
    Some media reports said no fewer than 11 persons were killed in the showdown with the police.
    But MASSOB Director of Information, Rivers State Command, Anthony Anukem countered the police denial.
    He told our correspondent that two of the three protesters allegedly shot by security operatives died yesterday in an undisclosed hospital in Port-Harcourt.

  • Police raid PREMIUM TIMES, arrest publisher, reporter

    Police raid PREMIUM TIMES, arrest publisher, reporter

    The Nigeria police have reportedly  raided PREMIUM TIMES head office in Abuja, and arrested the newspaper’s publisher.

    The newspaper in a story on its website said the  publisher, Dapo Olorunyomi, was arrested alongside the paper’s judiciary correspondent, Evelyn Okakwu.

    “Plain-clothed officers conducted search at the office shortly after 5p.m. Thursday, and said they were acting on a complaint filed by the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.

    “The arrests came days after PREMIUM TIMES turned down the army’s demand to retract news stories about the Nigerian Army and its operations.”

    Reacting to the arrest, the paper’s Editor-in-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, condemned it stating that “they should stop deluding themselves that they can muzzle the press and intimidate PREMIUM TIMES.”

    “They should know that our loyalty lies with our readers and the Nigerian people who have a right to know.

    ” The paper will continue to discharge its responsibilities in line with global best practices, social responsibility and patriotism, even at great risk to our personal liberties,” Mojeed stated.

     

  • Suicide in police on the increase

    Suicide in police on the increase

    The police are worried over rising cases of suicide among their personnel across the country.

    The Assistant Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zone 5, Mr Abubakar, Mohammed, who lamented the development in an interactive session with policemen in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Thursday,  confirmed that statistics showed that more personnel took their lives recently.

    Mohammed, a former Director at the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) office in Lyon, France, said to stop the problem, senior police officers had been ordered to have close relationship with their subordinates.

    He said the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) asked them to close their ranks with their subordinates to know their problems and stop them from taking their lives.

    “The IGP has asked us to now go close to our officers as well as the rank and file to know what their problems are because the level of suicide within the police is getting higher. Police officers are killing themselves without us knowing what their problems are.

    “If you have family problems or in the office, it is very important to talk to your senior officer who will try to help you. I do not know why it is increasing. Whether it is because of family problems. But if you have any issues bothering you, talk to your immediate senior officers who will approach a more senior one to resolve it,” he said.

    He also spoke on the principle of confidentiality and warned against divulging sources of operational information to build confidence between the force and the public.

    He said: “The police need to relate more with members of the public and develop confidence in their minds without being compromised. Many civilians are afraid that if they give police information, we will divulge the source of the information.

    “When that is done, the confidence of the informant disappears and this will be detrimental to our crime fighting strategy. When you harass members of the public , you lose confidence. When you torture suspects, it creates problems between you and civil society in terms of human rights abuse”.

    Mohammed appealed to his men not to trample on the human rights of suspects including some rights reserved for the accused persons.

    “An intelligent police officer can deal with a suspect in a prescribed, acceptable manner rather than using coercive methods. In essence, you change your attitudes. The way you portray yourself will determine whether the person you are getting information from will help you.”

  • Turkish school: Arrested kidnappers behind monarch, landlords’ abductions

    Two suspected masterminds of the kidnapping of pupils and staff members of the Nigerian Turkish International Colleges on have allegedly confessed to being behind the recent abductions of the monarch of Iba in Lagos and some landlords in Isheri, Lagos.

    The police said ringleaders Philip Kakadu, alias General Kakadu, and Romeo Council, alias Raw, were apprehended on Monday in Warri, Delta State, by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abba Kyari.

    A police source said Kakadu, 29, from Egbema and his gang member, Raw, 40, from Bomadi Local Government in Delta State, were arrested in the state capital Warri.

    Other suspects were also said to be undergoing screening in connection with the abduction.

    The police said General Kakadu introduced bank robbery and kidnappings to pipeline vandals and that they were behind many kidnappings and bank robberies in Lagos, Ogun and the South South states

    “General Kakadu has confessed he was responsible for the Lekki, Ikorodu, Festac and Agbara bank robbery in Lagos. He has also confessed he was responsible for the kidnapping of Oniba of Iba, Isheri landlords and many others in Ogun State.

    “He also mentioned the names of five of his boys who participated in the Turkish International School kidnap. He has 25 AK 47 rifles. With their arrest, we believe their boys holding the victims in the creeks would surrender,” the source said.

    Gunmen stormed the school on Friday night and abducted 10 students and staff. They include a Turkish Mathematics teacher identified as Miss Deria; the House mistress, Miss Rashida Ibrahim and the cook identified as Miss Shekura.

    Others were female students, Rebecca Agu in Senior Secondary School (SSS) 2 Nwosu Teslie in Junior Secondary School (JSS) 1, Zainab Olatubosun in JSS 2, Rodia Amina and Aderitan Alnad, both scholarship students of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB and two unnamed persons.

    It was learnt on Monday that the kidnappers had reduced their demand of N1.2 billion ransom to N750 million.

    Relatives of the Nigerian victims were requested to pay N50 million each, while N200 million was demanded as ransom for that of the Turkish Mathematics teacher, Miss Deria.

  • NOUN writes DSS, Police over plot to disrupt convocation

    NOUN writes DSS, Police over plot to disrupt convocation

    The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) yesterday raised the alarm on an alleged plot to disrupt its sixth Convocation on Saturday.

    The university made the disclosure in a letter to the Department of State Security Service (DSS) and the  Police FCT Command.

    The letter, which was signed by the Registrar/Secretary to Council, Felix I. Edoka implicated some members of its alumni association.

    The letter said: “The 6th Convocation Ceremony of the National Open University of Nigeria is scheduled to hold on Friday, 20th and Saturday, 21st January, 2017.

    “However, the Management of the University at its emergency meeting held on Tuesday, 17th January, 2017 noted with grave concern the information that two (2) contending groups/factions, laying different claims to the leadership of the National Open University of Nigeria Alumni Association (NOUAA) are threatening to cause a severe breakdown of law and order at the said convocation, in the event that the Management of the University decides to recognize either of the two (2) groups/factions for purposes of the convocation ceremony.”

     

  • Police arrest Inspector for alleged extra-judicial killing

    Police arrest Inspector for alleged extra-judicial killing

    The Edo Commissioner of Police, Mr Haliru Gwandu, said the command would recommend a serving Inspector being investigated for extra-judicial killing for `discharge’ from service if found guilty.

    Gwandu, who stated this at a news a conference on Wednesday in Benin, said “there is no sacred cow in the force.”

    He also disclosed that the command had in the last one week arrested 27 suspected criminals in different hideouts in the state.

    He said police detectives arrested the suspects with various dangerous arms and ammunition.

    The commissioner said those arrested included six suspected armed robbers, five suspected kidnappers, 13 suspected cultists and three cyber crime suspects.

    He listed some of the arms and ammunition recovered from them to include cut-to-size guns, cartridges, pistols, locally made short guns, double barreled gun and pump action gun.

    He restated the command’s preparedness to combat crime in the state and stressed that Edo was no longer a safe haven for criminals.

    Gwandu enjoined all residents of the state to be law abiding and cooperate with the Police by volunteering useful information that would assist the command in taming criminal elements.

    He said all the suspects would be arraigned in court as soon as investigations into the cases were concluded.

    The commissioner further disclosed that the command had arrested no fewer than 40 persons for flouting the state government’s directive on the ban on collection of illegal taxes and revenue.

  • 3 feared dead in fresh Southern Kaduna violence

    Three people have been reported killed and several others injured in a fresh unrest at Samaru-Kataf, in Zango Kataf Local Government Area Kaduna State.

    The Emir of Jema’a (Kafanchan), Alhaji Muhammad Isa Muhammad II was also attacked by hoodlums same Tuesday night at Samaru-Kataf, destroying three cars in his convoy.

    The Nation gathered that violence erupted at about 8pm on Tuesday night at Samarun Kataf, few hours after the state security council had relaxed curfew on the area to 11 hours.

    An eye witness account had it that the attack occurred around 9:30 p.m. at a beer parlour close to Samarun Kataf market.

    According to the eyewitness who identified himself as Musa Israel, “We heard several gunshots from the direction of a beer parlour close to the market. We at first ran away from the area, but we later realised that, three people were killed and their corpses were taken to General Hospital.

    “Many other people were injured while running for their dear lives,” Israel said.

    The Kaduna Police Command PRO, Aliyu Usman confirmed the incident but could not confirm the casualty.

    Meanwhile, the government had restored a 24-hour curfew on the local government shortly after the violence.

    A statement by the state government said, “The restoration of the curfew follows renewed security threats in Samaru-Kataf where the market was attacked by hoodlums. Security forces have taken steps to restore calm and vigorously enforce the curfew”.

    On the attack on Emir of Jema’a, The Nation gathered that the attackers destroyed three vehicles including the pilot car while the Emir was returning to Kafanchan from the weekly security council meeting at the Government House in Kaduna.

    The Ciroma of Jema’a Emirate, Alhaji Kabiru Tanko, who escaped by the whiskers told newsmen in Kafanchan that they were attacked around 8:00pm at Samaru Kataf after attending a meeting with the governor.

    According to the Chief, “when we reached Samaru Kataf, some armed youths surrounded us with all kind of weapons and started attacking our convoy. We immediately turned back to Kachia for our safety,” he said.

    The Ciroma commended Governor El-Rufai’s administration and the federal government for deploying security personnel in Southern Kaduna.

    He tasked the government to fully investigate the Southern Kaduna crises holistically, adding that the people behind the crises should be punished without fear or favour.

  • Police: Varsity student kills colleague

    Police: Varsity student kills colleague

    The police in Osun State have said a 300-Level Civil Engineering student of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Kazeem Ige, was allegedly stabbed to death by a 400-Level Physics Electronic student, Adekunle.
    This was contained in a statement by the spokesman, Folashade Odoro, in Osogbo.
    Odoro said Ige (24) was allegedly killed during a fight in the hostel on Monday night.
    She said the case was reported at Oja-Oba Police Division by another student, Seyi Bamigbayan (28) at 9 pm on Monday night.
    The spokesman said Ige was confirmed dead at a nearby hospital.
    She said his body has been deposited at Asubiaro Hospital, Osogbo for autopsy.

  • Police parade suspected robbers, burglars in Abia

    Police parade suspected robbers, burglars in Abia

    The Abia State Police Command has debunked the news that suspected ritualists in Aba have resorted to getting their victims through advertisement for jobs.
    Addressing reporters in Umuahia, the state capital, Police Commissioner Leye Oyebade said the news was not only false but that such incident had never happened in the state.
    The police chief said Abia was among the safest states for investment.
    There was a report in the social media that suspected ritualists in Aba advertised for jobs and that when applicants went for the interviews, they never came back.
    Oyebade said after a thorough investigation by the command, it was discovered that such incident never happened in Aba or any other part of the state.
    The police chief said the state was not only safe but peaceful.
    Oyebode spoke in Umuahia as the command paraded suspected robbers.
    The police chief said men of the Anti-Kidnapping Section arrested Chimaobi Kalu, 29, from Ovim in Isuikwato Local Government, with two others on the run, for allegedly robbing Tobi Ojekayode of New Haven Estate at Olokoro.
    He said Kalu, with three others, robbed their victim of N50,000 at gun point and attempted to rape his wife before he was apprehended.
    According to him, the police recovered an iron shaped like a gun from the suspect.
    Oyebade said his men at the Aba Police Station arrested Daniel Ariyo, 19, and Prince Kalu, 20, on Eziukwu Road in Aba.
    He said: “The duo specialise in robbing innocent members of the public of their valuables within the area and its environs.
    “Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) at Owerrinta, who were acting on a tip-off, arrested Nwafor Henry, Chinedu Christopher and Onyemaechi Emmanuel, being members of a four-man robbery gang that has been terrorising residents of Umuojima Village in Osisioma area of Aba.
    “Items recovered from them include two locally-made pistols and four live cartridges.
    “In a related development, the SARS had an encounter with kidnappers, who attempted to pick a ransom of N500,000 from Sebastian Azubuogu. During an exchange of gunshots, one of them was shot and he later died in the hospital.”
    The police also paraded a suspected robber, Emeka Ikonne.
    He was said to have conspired with others, who are on the run, and robbed Ngozi Eze John of Obohia Road in Aba of her phone at gun point.
    Oyebade said: “The phone was recovered and the suspect will soon appear in court.”
    The police paraded four suspected burglars who burgled the home of Henry Nkobi of Ehere Road at Ogbor Hill in Aba.
    The victim was said to have travelled to his village for Christmas and New Year celebrations when the suspects allegedly burgled his home.
    Oyebade gave the names of the suspected burglars as: Okenwa Ogbonna, Obioma Goodluck, Victor Abarue and Valentine Oko.

  • Police confirm murder of septuagenarian in Delta

    Police confirm murder of septuagenarian in Delta

    The Delta Police Command on Tuesday has confirmed the murder of Pa Sandys Uvwhoh in Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.

    The Command’s spokesman, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, confirmed this to newsmen in Warri.

    Aniamaka added that the Enerhen police division was already on the trail of the suspects.

    “We have received a report of the death of Pa Sandys Uvwhoh.

    “He was allegedly murdered at about 5: 00 a.m. on Tuesday by suspected assassins in masks who attacked his 1 Akugbe Street home in Enerhen, near Warri.

    “The DPO, Enerhen Division is already leading a team on the matter before the Command gives a detailed report,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the news of the death of Uvwhoh, has thrown both the Urhobos and the Itsekiris into mourning.

    Uvwhow was said to have been an opinion leader and a former Chairman of the Ugborodo Community Trust in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta.

    The septuagenarian was said to have been strangled to death at his residence.

    Sources said the assassins locked up other members of the family in a separate room, before carrying out the dastardly act.

    “They came early in the morning, some young men, pretending to be family members from Ugborodo, numbering about ten.

    “They locked his children and wife up in a room, went to Papa’s room and killed him silently, without any gunshot or injury on his body,” he said.

    Mr Edward Ekpoko, Secretary, Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILoT), described the incident as “very saddening.

    “Uvwhoh was fearless, always fighting for what he believed in, even if he had to stand alone.

    “He is going to be missed not just by Ugborodo, but by both the Itsekiris and the Urhobo nation,” he said.

    Austin Oborogbeyi, Chairman, Ugborodo Export Processing Zone Interface Committee, in which Uvwhoh was a member, said he cannot make any comment for now.

    “The family is in great distress at the moment, ” he added.