The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Police arraign 26 students for arson in Oyo

    Police arraign 26 students for arson in Oyo

    Twenty six students of secondary schools in Oyo State, suspected to be involved in last week’s rampage which led to destruction of properties and burning of buildings in some schools across the state, were at the weekend brought before the Chief Magistrate Court two in Oyo town.

    They were arraigned in three separate charge sheets MOY/277/278/279 C 2016, signed by Officer-in-charge, Legal and Prosecution, Oyo State.

    Police Command, Superintendent { Barrister] Fawole Funke. The suspects in three batches were all males and aged between fourteen and twenty-five years old.

    The first batch of ten students were charged with destroying electronic gadgets valued at over one million naira, and conducting themselves in manners likely to breach peace.

  • Police rescue 10-year- old girl chained by father

    Police rescue 10-year- old girl chained by father

    Police operatives yesterday rescued 10-year old girl, Precious John, from a room where she was locked up by her father for three days in Ibadan, capital of Oyo State.

    It was learnt the girl was chained and locked up without food for the three days by her father whose whereabouts are unknown.

    It was not clear why the girl was chained as at press time.

    When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Adekunle Ajisebutu, confirmed the rescue was made possible by neighbours who alerted the police over the incident.

    Ajisebutu said police detectives stormed Ajeigbe area, Ring Road Ibadan to rescue the hapless girl on receiving a tip-off from neighbours.

    He said: “On arrival at the scene, it was discovered that three padlocks were used to lock the room.

    “The locks had to be broken by the police before the little girl could be rescued.

    “The girl was immediately taken to the station, properly fed and later taken to police clinic for medical attention.”

    He said the case was under investigation even as efforts are being intensified to apprehend the fleeing father.

     

  • Police, Navy partner to fight kidnapping on waterways

    The Police and Navy have cleared waterways in Lagos and Ogun states to rid them of kidnappers and other hoodlums.

    A statement by the Zone II Police Command’s spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi, a Superintendent (SP), said the clearing would pave the way for the patrol of communities  along the riverine areas by the police and Navy.

    This, Adejobi said, would curb the activities of militants who have been terrorising the people of Lagos and Ogun  states.

    He said the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), Zonal Intervention Squad and Zonal Anti-Kidnapping Team of the zone have been deployed to partake in the special operation.

    Adejobi urged the people of the affected areas to support the police and the military during the operation.

  • Impersonation: Police arraign fake female lawyer in Zaria

    Impersonation: Police arraign fake female lawyer in Zaria

    The police on Tuesday arraigned a female accused, Fatima Ibrahim, at a Chediya Magistrates’ Court in Zaria, Kaduna State, for impersonation.

    The Prosecutor, Sgt. Abubakar Ibrahim, said the police had on Oct. 17 received a petition bordering on impersonation from Augustine Agum, Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Zaria branch on behalf of the association.

    Ibrahim said that the accused had been parading herself as a lawyer having not been trained and qualified as one.

    He told the court that in the course of police investigation, the accused neither affirmed nor denied the allegation against her.

    The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 179 Penal Code.

    Fatima confessed committing the offence and said that circumstance made her do so.

    The accused immediately retracted her guilty plea shortly after the prosecutor applied for her summary trial under Section 157 of Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).

    The accused counsel, Abdurrasaq Ahmed, thereafter applied for her bail, arguing that the alleged offence was bailable.

    The Chief Magistrate, Auwal Musa, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in the like sum.

    Musa said that the sureties must present bank account statements, letter   from a traditional ruler, authentic residential address and telephone number.

    “It is not an easy case because it tempers with the reputation and credibility of members of the bar profession, therefore, we are all affected,” he said, and adjoined the case till Nov. 15 for hearing. 

  • Police hunt killers of Kogi’s Fulani chief

    The Kogi State police command has said its personnel were still on the hunt for the killers of the state leader of Fulani group, Maiyati Allah, Alhaji Ibrahim Abubarkar Jalido.

    Jalido, a former two-term Secretary of Maiyati Allah in Kogi, took office as chairman of the group last September following a heated election which took place at the state secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

    He was killed at his residence around 2am on Saturday by suspected assassins. His body was riddled with bullets and machete cuts.

    The incident occurred at Road 3 of Peace Community along the Ganaja-Ajaokuta road in Lokoja.

    The gunmen numbering about 10 may have used a detour to beat police operatives attached to C Division Lokoja, as they were said to have approached their victim’s house through an unfamiliar route, before gaining access into the resident.

    A resident who spoke under the condition of anonymity pointed accusing at Fulani herdsmen.

    A neighbour of the deceased said that he saw strange faces within the vicinity not knowing they had evil motive in that area.

    He said the deceased who is survived by two wives and children, was shot and cut with a machete as the assailants gained access to one of his wives’ room, having forced the door open.

    A doctor attached to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Lokoja, Sam Alhassan, who conducted autopsy on the deceased recounted what happened during the wee hours, since his house is close by to where the incident occurred.

    He said, “I was in my room which is just steps away to his house and I started hearing gunshots. Then, I rose up from my bed and I began to look through the window. I saw a group of bandits in two lines. At least I saw eight people, and they started shooting. The next thing that I saw was that a bullet hit the overhead tank and water started draining down. Later, me and my family went quiet for a while, then wife of the deceased came out and said ‘they have killed my husband.”

    “On saying that, my landlord, who is a security officer, went inside to go and ascertain this fact, that the man is actually dead. I went inside also, I saw Alhaji in a pool of blood, his body macheted”.

    It was however unclear whether or not the assailants made away with any money or property, as relatives kept mum, when prodded.

    The Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr William Aya, who confirmed the incident, said the command was investigating the dastardly act.

    The deceased was buried same day according to Islamic rites.

     

  • Police, family bicker over artisan’s death in Ogun River

    Police, family bicker over artisan’s death in Ogun River

    An artisan, identified as Gafar Ajibola, has drowned in Ogun River, following panic reaction to a police raid on Oniyanrin community in Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State.

    The incident occurred at the weekend when the 31-year-old Ajibola was washing his clothes at the river bank.

    The Nation gathered that a detachment of policemen in search of hoodlums hiding near the river shot sporadically.

    In ensuing confusion, the deceased was said to have jumped into the river in fear.

    His remains were retrieved about 17 hours later by local divers.

    Ajibola’s uncle, who pleaded for anonymity, called for thorough investigation and demanded justice for the deceased.

    He said: “This is an unfortunate situation. My nephew was not a criminal. He was at the river bank to wash his clothes. He jumped into the river out of fear.

    “We are demanding for justice in this case. We are going to take legal step against the police,” he said.

    But police spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi absolved the police of any wrong doing.

    He said the policemen were in the vicinity to perform their duties.

    According to him, some people were arrested and released after investigation,  wondering why the deceased jumped into the river when no one was chasing him.

    “The case is under investigation, the police were in the place to ensure safety of lives and property,” Abimbola said.

  • FCT: Police arrest suspected car snatcher

    FCT: Police arrest suspected car snatcher

    The Police Command in FCT said it had arrested a suspected car snatcher, Abubakar Umar of Jabi Daki Biu, Abuja.

    The command’s spokesman, ASP Anjuguri Manzah, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.

    Manzah said the suspect was arrested following a stop and search conducted by the operatives of the command at Dikwa, the boundary between the FCT and Niger.

    “The suspect was intercepted and arrested on Oct. 20 by the eagle-eyed police operatives while trying to escape with a blue coloured Mazda BRV 822 BS,” he said.

    He said the car was reported to have been snatched at gunpoint from its owner at Gosa, Lugbe.

    The spokesman said his cohort escaped on sighting the police operatives on duty.

    Manzah said that FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammad Mustafa, had ordered the transfer of the suspect and exhibit from Zuba Police Division to the Command Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (CIID).

    He said the commissioner said the transfer of the suspect would lead to the arrest of other members of the gang now at large.

    “The suspect in police custody has been cooperating with the Team of Police detectives in the ongoing investigation.

    “He will be charged to court on conclusion of investigation.

  • Artisan drowns in Ogun river following Police raid

    An artisan identified as Gafar Ajibola, has drown  in Ogun River when he plunged the water in panic reaction to a police raid on Oniyanrin community in Abeokuta South Local Government Area of the state.

    The unfortunate incident which happened in the early hours of Saturday, when the 31 years old Ajibola was at the river bank to wash his clothes.

    The Nation gathered that a detachment of policemen had stormed the area in search of hoodlums around near Ogun river and were shooting sporadically.

    In ensuing confusion, deceased was said to have jumped into the river in a fit  of fear and got drowned but his remains were retrieved about 17 hours later by local divers.

    Ajibola’s uncle who who did not want his  name being mentioned in print, called for thorough investigation into incident even as he demanded justice for the deceased.

    The Uncle added  the late Ajibola was at the river bank to wash clothes and met his death because Police’s sporadic shooting.

    He said: “this is an unfortunate situation. My brother was not a criminal. He was at the river bank to wash his clothes. He jumped into the river out of fear following serious shooting by the police. We launched a search after his body until we found it on Saturday night.

    “We are demanding for justice in this case. We are going to take legal step against the police on this matter,” he said.

    But  the Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the incident, absolved the police of any wrong doing, saying that the policemen were in the vicinity to perform legitimate duty.

    Oyeyemi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said the Police were  at the area to burst the hideout of criminal ring there.

    According to him,  some people were arrested and released after investigation,  wondering why the deceased jumped into the river when no one was chasing him.

    “The CP has directed that a powerful investigation be launched to unravel the culpability or otherwise of its men. The men were just on routine operational duty of providing residents adequate security.

    “The case is under investigation, the police are in the place to ensure safety of life and property,” Abimbola said.

  • Anger in Bayelsa over police killing of 4yr-old

    Anger in Bayelsa over police killing of 4yr-old

    Anger and protest have continued to trail the killing of a four-year-old boy, Godgift Odoki, by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Bayelsa State Police Command.

    Godgift was shot dead on October 22 alongside one Anayo during a crossfire between the police and a gang of cultists at Ekeki area of Yenagoa.

    One other person was reportedly shot in the buttocks by the police during the shootout. However, the hoodlums were said to have escaped unhurt.

    The youths of Epie-Atissa Kingdom in Yenagoa Local Government Area protested the killing and asked the police to fish out the killer squad.

    The youths demanded justice for the kid and lamented rising extra-judicial killing by the police in the state.

    The President of Oguan Youth Congress (OYC), Mr. Ken Godswill, said the two police sergeants who were indicted in the shooting of the little boy and other victims should be prosecuted and punished accordingly.

    He said: “We are demanding justice. All we are saying is that justice should be done. SARS should be brought to book”.

    The state House of Assembly said it was upset at the killing of Odoki and other persons who lost their lives in the incident.

    Speaking through the Chief Whip, Tonye Isenah and the House Committee Chairman on Security, Mr. Bernard Kenebai, the legislature said it was also aware of some illegal police operations in the state, especially arrest-for-bail.

    It said victims of such arrest were compelled to spend money to free themselves.

    The House promised to address the incident adequately and “take the matter up with the police”, describing the killing of the little boy as a serious matter.

    Also, the state Government in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information. Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, called on the Commissioner of Police to mandate his men to apply professionalism in their operations.

    Obuebite described the killing as senseless‎, barbaric and too frequent and recalled the recent killing of a 17-year-old Kokorifa who was buried last week.

    He said the way and manner defenseless citizens were caught in the crossfire by police operatives showed the need for them to be professional in their job.

    He said there was also an urgent need to investigate the development.

    “The police boss should ensure a similar does not repeat itself. We thank those who took part in the peaceful protest for conducting themselves in a very orderly manner and for not disrupting the peace of the state despite the vexed issue.

    ” we commiserating with the bereaved family and urged them to take solace in the fact the God knows all and assured them of the government’s sincere commitment to ensure they get justice”, he said.

  • Police commission promotes four DCs, 109 others

    Police commission promotes four DCs, 109 others

    THE Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the promotion of four Deputy Commissioners of Police to their next rank and 109 other officers.

    It dismissed six people and withheld the promotion of 12 others.

    According to a statement in Abuja by the commission’s spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, the decision was reached at the end of the 17th Plenary Meeting.

    The newly promoted officers are: “Posi E Ajunwa; Akinsanmi Francis Ayo; Kenneth Ebrimson and Akpoebi Agberebi Egbuson.

    The commission approved the promotion of 17 Assistant Commissioners of Police to Deputy Commissioners and 78 Chief Superintendents of Police to Assistant Commissioners of Police.

    Its chairman, Dr. Mike Okiro, endorsed the promotions of one Superintendent of Police to Chief Superintendent of Police; 12 Deputy Superintendents of Police to Superintendent of Police and one Assistant Superintendent of Police to Deputy Superintendent of Police.