The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Gunmen kill lecturer

    A lecturer in Fishery department of the University of Agricultural Makurdi ( UAM) Professor Robert Okai was shot and killed by unknown gunmen on Monday .
    Okai is the second lecturer killed in the University within one month by unknown persons .
    The first was Christie Angbulu , a lecturer in Bio- chemistry who was kidnapped in Kogi state while attending a workshop. She was killed and buried in a shallow grave .
    Elder sister of the deceased  Mrs Ann Joseph told newsmen that the late professor came out of his house about 3 am to see why the dogs were barking and was attacked by two gunmen.
    ” The gunmen shot him in the head leaving him  in his pool of blood and escaped ” said Mrs Ann.
    She said the Professor was rushed  to the Federal Medical Center but was rejected by doctors who demanded for police report .
    When contacted, the  state police commissioner Bashir Makama, who visited the scene of the incident said an investigations into the killings .

  • Police alert Kwarans on fleeing Boko Haram terrorists

    Kwara State police command has alerted residents of the state on the probability of the fleeing Boko Haram insurgents dislocated from the Sambisa forest, Borno state, infiltrating the state.
    The command also alerted the public “to watch out for person/persons finding asylum in different communities across the state”.

    In a statement the command spokesperson, Ajayi Okasanmi, advised the public to watch out for people posing as new converts into religious
    folds in order to attract sympathy of the unspecting communities.

    It warned that such strategy might be a calculated attempt “to create sleeper-cells in order to enable them to hibernate and restrategise for terrorist activities”.

    “Hence, landlords, tenants, religious and traditional community leaders are to report any of the above tendencies to the police.

    “Landlords, ward/district Heads and property agents are to report strange faces seeking accommodation and ensure that accommodation
    whether for rent or sales are not offered without the consent and proper documentation with security agencies.

    “Denial of insurgents to have any foot hold in the State must be ensured”, the command said

  • Police: kidnappers didn’t invade Akure

    The police in Ondo State yesterday dispelled the rumour that kidnappers and terrorists have invaded Akure, the state capital.

    According to them , the rumour was a mere figment of imagination of the mongers.

    It was rumoured at the weekend that terrorists from the North had arrived the state.

    Besides,it was speculated that a top state official had been kidnapped by unknown persons in Akure.

    This went viral on social media.

    Police spokesman Femi Joseph  said no case of abduction was reported to the police, adding that officers are battle ready for any eventuality.

    He said a team of senior police officers from the Force Headquarters, Abuja, were in the state at the weekend to  arrest some suspected criminals.

    The police spokesman said their presence did not mean that the state was volatile.

    He warned people against peddling falsehood and unfounded rumours.

  • Police plan crackdown on revenue collection violators

    Police plan crackdown on revenue collection violators

    •Emergency phone numbers released
    •State to introduce POS for revenue collection
    •Govt to employ first batch of 10,000 collectors

    The Edo State Government has released emergency phone lines to the public to report violators to the ban on the collection of revenue for immediate arrest.

    A statement yesterday by the Chief Press Secretary (Interim) to the Governor, Mr. John Mayaki, confirmed the development.

    The police special lines, the statement said, are: 08115808360, 08115808361, 08115808441,  08115808442.

    He said Police Commissioner Haliru Gwandu would enforce the implementation of the ban on collection of revenue by private individuals, following Governor Godwin Obaseki’s directive.

    Gwandu said: “I will send out 20 squads that will go round and ensure there is diligence and compliance of the ban.

    “You have heard the pronouncement and I am sure the people are happy. I can also assure you that the police will not rest on their oars.

    “Very soon, I will hold a meeting with my Divisional Police Officers (DPOs). I implore the people of Edo State to do the right thing and ensure that there is sanity. I will enforce the order to the letter.”

    Obaseki has perfected modality for the employment of the first set of 10,000 persons in fulfilment of his avowed electioneering promise to create 200,000 jobs.

    The governor, who spoke last Friday in Benin, the state capital, said his administration would introduce the Point of Service (POS) electronic platform for revenue collection via scratch cards for those who do not have ATM cards.

    Obaseki directed heads of local government administration to forward names of contractors initially collecting revenue to the Government House to jumpstart the job scheme.

    A government statement last Friday said the submission of the contractors’ names was part of the government’s avowed commitment to streamline tax  collection across the state.

    The statement said government’s decision followed Obaseki’s meeting with stakeholders at the Government House last Friday.

    Addressing reporters after the meeting, the Chairman of Edo State Internal Revenue Service, Chief Oseni Elamah, said the contractors were those previously selected to collect revenue on behalf of the local governments.

    Elemah said the contractors were also required to supply the names of their workers, phone numbers and passport photographs.

    He said: “This is with a view to capturing their details in our employment database.

    “In addition to this, the managing directors of those engaged as consultants or contractors have also been directed to supply the names of those people who were involved, the workers they used, their numbers and their photographs so that we can consider them for employment under the first 10,000 youths’ employment programme the government is working on.

    “They will undergo training before eventual recruitment will be made.”

    The chairman noted that: “under this, we are also working towards eliminating cash as a means of revenue collection”.

  • Police chief’s wife decries killing of officers 

    The wife of the Rivers State police commissioner, Mrs Juliet Odesanya, has decried increasing number of widows among wives of policemen serving in the state.

    She attributed the development to the incessant killing of officers and men.

    Mrs Odesanya spoke at the weekend at an event organised by the state’s branch of Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) to celebrate Christmas and New Year for wives and children of slain officers of the command.

    She condemned the killing of policemen and called for caution.

    Mrs Odesanya noted that the development had continued to increase the number of widows and children without fathers.

    The police chief’s wife urged the public, groups and organisations to partner POWA to help the affected families.

    She said POWA had concluded plans to put police officers’ wives on skills acquisition programmes to enable them become self-reliant.

    POWA distributed foodstuffs and other items to the widows and their children.

    Mrs Odesanya said: “This donation is line with the vision of our association and that of the wife of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and, above all, for the love we have for ourselves.

    “For our widows, we can’t brush them aside. We need to continually stay with them financially and otherwise.

    “In this command, a huge number are widowed on daily and weekly bases. I don’t need to share the statistics. It is not a wonderful thing to say. Unfortunately, it is the situation we find ourselves.

    “We have identified major issues plaguing the members of our association, especially women and children. We have mapped out many programmes to support widows and women of this organisation. We want to provide skills acquisition programmes to empower our women.

    “We are calling on well-meaning agencies and individuals to partner with us in this project because we need to begin this programme at our skills centre. We will buy computers and other equipment for those who are literate.”

    “We want that in 2017 that our women become self sufficient and stop depending our meagre resources of our husbands.”

  • Rivers rerun: Six policemen arrested for professional misconduct

    At least six policemen have been arrested for professional misconduct during the December 10, 2016 parliamentary rerun elections in Rivers.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that those arrested are – Ex-Insp. Eyong Victor, Ex-Sgt. Peter Ekpo, Ex-Sgt. Ogun I. Goodluck, Ex-Sgt. Orji Nwoke, Sgt. Okpe Ezekiel and Ex-Sgt. Tanko Akor.

    The Force spokesman, Don Awunah, disclosed this while presenting the suspects to journalists in Abuja on Friday.

    “In the course of discreet investigations into the above misconduct, the following personnel were found to have in total disrespect to orders and directives, compromised, engaged in unprofessional acts,” he said.

    He said the suspects who were subjected to internal disciplinary measures were found guilty and dismissed from the force.

    Awunah added that the suspects would be prosecuted under the Electoral Act to serve as a deterrent to other police personnel.

    He explained that the suspects took laws into their hands and opened fire on the crowd.

    “They joined in storming the Port Harcourt City Council secretariat and prevented the movement of election results in Emouha polling unit to the appropriate collation centre,” he said.

    The force spokesman said the suspects in convoy of the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, on the election day misused firearms contrary to Force Order 237.

    He said the suspects violated the warnings and instructions from the police high command that officers on duty should desist from escorting their principals (public officers and politicians) on election days.

     

     

  • Borno: Police deny beggars’ arrest

    Borno: Police deny beggars’ arrest

     The Borno State police command on Thursday  dismissed media reports not  that street beggars are being arrested in Maiduguri metropolis.
    The State Police Public Relation Officer Dsp Victor Isuku in a statement issued to journalists in Maiduguri said the claims are “far from truth as day and night”.
    Mr. Isuku however acknowledges that the police command in the state is worried of the activities of beggars at check points, and some heavy traffic locations in Maiduguri.
    According to Mr. Isuku, the Commissioner of Police in the state Damaian Chukwu has deployed police presence at such locations but noted that no arrest has been made nor and violent crack-down on the beggars.
    The statement said: “The attention of Borno state police command has been drawn to a media report making the rounds that the command has commence the arrest of street beggars in Maiduguri.
     “This report is as far from the truth as night and day. For the avoidance of doubt and to set the record in proper perspective, states thus;
    “The commissioner of police Cp Damian Chukwu, in his wisdom and foresight, observed that the activities of street beggars especially at Damboa traffic light junction is not only constituting public nuisance, but was also a security risk considering the caliber of motorists that ply that route.
     “He therefore directed the Divisional police officer in charge of the area to take proactive measures to curb the activities of these beggars, as well as to deter any troublemaker or security risk.
    “The presence of policemen in that area is therefore not unconnected with that directive, as well as to control the traffic situation which usually extend from Bolori roundabout to Damboa road junction. To this end, no beggar has been arrested nor will any be arrested,” Dsp Isuku said.
    Our correspondent observed that beggars and hawkers have become a common sight at most check points and traffic locations in Maiduguri. A trend that has become worrisome to motorists and passengers due to the renewed suicide attacks in Maiduguri.
  • Police commences shooting exercise in Adamawa

    Police commences shooting exercise in Adamawa

    The police command in Adamawa has announced a plan to embark on two-day shooting exercise to boost the capacity of its officers and men.

    A statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Othman Abubakar on  Thursday in Yola, urged the public not to panic over the exercise.

    Abubakar noted that the shooting exercise would take place at a military shooting range at Malkohi in Yola South Local Government Area.

    “The police command in Adamawa wishes to inform the public that it will embark on shooting exercise at Malkohi Military Shooting Range on Jan. 7 and Jan. 8, 2017.

    “By this announcement, members of the public are advised not to panic, but to go about their normal business.”

  • Panic in Ebonyi over suspected IED in stream

     
    There was panic in Okposi community in Ohaozara local governnment area of Ebonyi state following the discovery of an object suspected to be an improvised explosive device (IED) in the community.
     
    However, the Police command moved in and evacuated the object for analysis and  assured the public of their safety.
     
    Police spokesman, DSP Jude Madu confirmed the incident to our correspondent in Abakaliki.
     
    According to him, one Okoro Chikaodi discovered the object when he went on a fishing expedition to the a stream in the town and raised the alarm.
     
    The spokesman said the command anti- bomb squad moved in and evacuated the suspected bomb to its lab in Abakaliki for analysis.
     
    “Yes an object suspected to be bomb was discovered by one  Okoro Chikaodiri fromOkposi in Ohaozara local government when he went to the stream.
     
    “He said that while he was in the stream looking for crabs, he saw an object suspected to be bomb on the side of Onu ezeukwu uzor  stream in Okposi, Ohaozara local government area.
     
    “He quickly reported to the DPO Ohaozara who visited the scene and took photographs. He then invited our bomb squad who went and evacuated that object for analysis.
     
    “The object has been removed and taken to workshop here at the command headquarters Abakaliki for analysis. The  result of the analysis is being awaited.
     
    “The public should go about their lawful business because the case has been taken care of,”, the spokesman stated.
  • Robbers kill bank customer in Bayelsa, steal N120,000

    Robbers kill bank customer in Bayelsa, steal N120,000

    A bank customer identified as Raymond Agada has been shot dead by armed robbers around the Swali market area, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
    It was gathered that the robbers also stole N120,000 from the victim before killing him.
    Agada was said to be on his way to deposit the money in an undisclosed commercial bank in Yenagoa when the hoodlums rounded him up and attacked him.
    A source, who spoke in confidence, said the victim’s sister, a known trader in the market instructed him to pay the money into the account number of her creditors.
    “The late Agada has been running similar errands for his sister. He does it on daily basis. His sister receives goods on credit from her customers and after selling them, she pays the money into the account of her customers, most times through her brother.
    “It is like persons who attacked him had monitored the transactional process for sometimes. It is a pity”.
    It was learnt that the victim was attacked at about 11 am, by a four-man gang shortly after he left the market.
    He was reportedly shot in the neck by his assailants.
    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the incident said the deceased was 20-year-old adding that Agada was killed on Tuesday.
    He said the police quickly moved to the scene and rushed to the victim to the hospital where he later died.
    He, however, said that the police identified the culprits and were making efforts to arrest them.
    He said: “On 3rd January 2017, at about 1100hrs, four armed men with a pistol, attacked one Raymond Agada ‘m’ 20 years, of Swali Community, dispossessed him of the sum of #120,000, he was going to deposit in the bank and shot him.
    “Policemen were quickly dispatched to the scene and the victim was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.
    “The culprits have been identified and efforts have been intensified to arrest them”.