The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Commission promotes four DCs, 109 others

    Commission promotes four DCs, 109 others

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

    The Commission also dismissed six people and withheld the promotion of twelve 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 also approved the promotion of 17 Assistant Commissioners of Police to Deputy Commissioners and 78 Chief Superintendents of Police to Assistant Commissioners of Police.

    The Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Mike Okiro, also 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.

    According to the statement: “Two Chief Superintendents of Police were appointed Assistant Commissioners of Police on acting capacity, two Superintendents of Police to acting Chief Superintendents of Police, two Deputy Superintendents of Police to acting Superintendent of Police, six Assistant Superintendents of Police to acting Deputy Superintendents of Police and twelve Inspectors to acting Assistant Superintendents of Police.

    “The Commission also rejected the recommendation for special promotion of one DSP and one Inspector and returned the recommendation for the appointment of a Deputy Commissioner of Police to Commissioner of Police on acting capacity for proper presentation.

    The statement also stated that the commission also withheld the special promotion of nine other senior Police Officers for failure of the Police to provide convincing reasons for such promotions.

    On those dismissed: “Six senior officers were dismissed for various offences ranging from impersonation, forgery, insubordination, negligence and disobedience to lawful order.

    The commission explained that their dismissalswas part of the decisions taken by the Commission on 55 disciplinary cases brought before it.

    The commission also noted that the promoted CPs appeared before the Commission in Plenary and they were subjected to questions on the change agenda of the Nigeria Police Force.

  • Police arrest man with 620kg of Marijuana

    Police arrest man with 620kg of Marijuana

    Operatives attached to the Police Border Patrol in Ogun State Thursday arrested a 35-year-old man with 62 parcels of Marijuana.

    Olamilekan Taiwo was said to have compressed the parcels such that each weighing 10kg, which he was allegedly smuggling out of the country.

    He was said to have concealed the illegal drugs in bags of clothes to deceive security agents, but was apprehended when policemen insisted on searching his luggage.

    According to a source, the suspect was taken to the police station, where he confessed to have smuggled several kilograms using the same method.

    “He claimed to be running errand for the big boys. He also confessed that he has contacts within and outside the country. At first he claimed it was clothes he was selling that were in the bags but our men insisted on searching and it was discovered that over 90 percent of the contacts were Indian hemp.

    “It is no longer business as usual on our borders because the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has redeployed newly trained officers to assist other agencies.

    “These special officers were sent to United Kingdom (UK) and United States (U.S.) to learn how best to protect our borders from criminal activities. Criminals are warned to seek other alternatives as any attempt to take advantage of our borders would not be tolerated,” said the source.

  • Police botch attempt to defraud Otedola

    Police botch attempt to defraud Otedola

    Operatives of the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) in Lagos have arrested a man, Babatunde Oyedepo, for allegedly attempting to swindle a businessman, Femi Otedola.

    Oyedepo, 23, was alleged to have threatened the complainant and other high profile Nigerians through a website, naijagistlive.com, demanding huge sums of money.

    The suspect, who lives on  Sixth Avenue in Festac Town, Lagos was alleged to have posted a superimposed nude picture of a lawyer on his website, claiming that she had been sleeping with her boss and other clients.

    According to the police, the suspect demanded N3.5million from the lawyer to remove the picture from the site, but the victim could not raise the money.

    A source said: “The victim had allegedly told the suspect that she has no such money in her account and that the picture posted on the website had cost her, her job, marriage and social life. The lawyer is among the three different persons who petitioned the suspect.”

    Spokesman for SFU, Lawal Audu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) said the suspect had three different cases pending before the unit, adding that the first two involved fraud and threat to life.

    According to him, on October 19, one Dapo Balogun reported a case of extortion, black mail and threat to life against the suspect.

    “The complainant claimed that the suspect had posted on naijagistlife.com a story alleging that he had worked with former Petroleum Minister, Deziani Allison-Maduekwe and that throughout the period he had fraudulently acquired huge sum of money.

    “The complainant also claimed to have received a mail from the suspect, informing him that he should pay an undisclosed amount running into millions to enable him remove the provocative story from the site.

    “He alleged that since then he had been receiving threat messages from unknown callers demanding huge sum or risk being kidnapped.

    “The second complainant is Femi Otedola. He claimed that the suspect posted an annoying story on the same naijagistlife.com accusing him of sleeping with different girls in his office.”

    “The suspect has another fraud case pending at the Federal High court.”

    But Oyedepo denied being responsible for the actions, insisting that he was framed by the owners of the website which he only designed.

    The school dropout, who claimed to be a website designer, said that he was contacted through email to design the website.

    He said: “I design websites for people and after designing the site I will include my contacts in the website to attract other customers. I was arrested through my contact on naijagistlive.com.”

  • Minister to police: remove roadblocks

    To reduce traffic bottlenecks in Abuja metropolis, the police have been urged to remove the remaining road barricades around some of its formations in the Federal Capital City since the security situation has tremendously improved.

    The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, gave this charge in his office when the new Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 7, AIG Salisu Abdullahi Mohammed Fagge paid him a courtesy call as part of his familiarization tour of FCT Police Command.

    The Minister said that other members of the security community in the FCT have since taken measures to remove or to reduce their road barricades and therefore the police should do the needful to further improve vehicular movement.

    Bello urged the police and other security agencies in the Territory to take the knotty issue of traffic indiscipline more seriously; stressing that Abuja must remain the pacesetter in the country since it is the only city that is a product of law in Nigeria.

    He also urged the police high command to direct the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) to as a matter of priority stop the activities of commercial motorcyclists and scavengers in their areas of jurisdictions; in addition to restricting the movement of Keke Napep to the estates.

    The Minister said that this responsibility should not be left to the Task Force alone, as it is equally the primary responsibility of the Police to fight crime in whatever form.

    “One of my greatest concerns in running the city and the Territory is traffic indiscipline by motorists, the use of motorcycles (okada) within the city and the use of the tricycle popularly called Keke Napep in unapproved areas,” the Minister emphasised.

    He said, “My appeal to you is to direct all your DPOs, since every area is under somebody. Direct them that motorcycles and keke Napep are not allowed within so and so areas of Abuja. We also have these scavengers. They are not allowed by our laws.”

    Bello also directed the security agents to closely monitor activities in uncompleted buildings to ensure that only the security guard employed by the owner is staying in such places.

    While asking the police to encourage community policing in the Territory, the Minister noted that monitoring of uncompleted buildings would go a long way to assist in always nipping in the bud any criminal activity at its embryo stage.

    Malam Bello thus, called for deployment of more Police personnel into the Federal Capital Territory to ensure that Abuja, which is the window in which the world sees Nigeria, is better policed.

    His words: “More people move into the Federal Capital Territory on a daily basis and some hardly go back, therefore we need more police personnel to man the city”.

    He promised to continue to support all the security agencies in the Federal Capital Territory to perform their statutory duties as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “I want to use this medium to thank the Police Force most sincerely for the support that we have always enjoyed. There is no doubt that policing in the FCT is something that is very important by virtue of Abuja being the seat of government of the federation and where we host the President and the diplomatic community”, he added.

    Speaking earlier, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 7, AIG Salisu Abdullahi Mohammed Fagge said that he was deployed to the zone last month and from the briefs he has been receiving the FCT Police Command has been doing very well.

    He assured that the Police would be proactive in their approach to the policing of the citizenry and appreciated the support the FCT police command has been receiving from the FCT Administration.

    The Nigeria Police Force zone 7 comprises the Federal Capital Territory, Niger and Kaduna states.

  • Robbery suspect arrested, gun recovered

    Robbery suspect arrested, gun recovered

    The police in Lagos Monday arrested a suspected armed robber, Babatunde Abass, 23.

    Abass was apprehended at Aina Bus Stop in Ifako Ijaiye, while trying to snatch a motorcycle marked JA213QA from its owner.

    He was said to have been armed with a locally made pistol and was with other suspects who fled the scene when the victim, Hasiru Aliyu, 24, raised alarm.

    The victim’s voice was said to have attracted a patrol team along Bakare Street to the spot, leading to the arrest of the suspect.

    Confirming the arrest, the command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police  (SP) said the incident occurred around 6:25am, adding that efforts were on to apprehend the others.

  • Businessman docked for allegedly beating two policewomen

    Businessman docked for allegedly beating two policewomen

    The Police on Monday arraigned a 41-year-old businessman, Olawunmi Oladele, at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly fighting and beating two policewomen.

    Oladele, residing at Fagba area of Lagos, is being tried for breach of peace and assault.

    The Prosecutor, Insp. George Nwosu, told the court that the accused committed the offences on Oct. 12 at Iju in Agege, near Lagos.

    He alleged that the accused and one other person now at large, unlawfully assaulted two policewomen Insp. Patricia Okhide and Sgt. Funmilayo Adeamo, fighting and beating them while they were performing their lawful duties.

    Nwosu told court that the accused allegedly obstructed the complainants from arresting one Mrs Kemi Saka now at large.

    “The complainants were controlling traffic when they arrested Saka for blocking the road with her car and prevented other road users to have right of way.

    “They ordered Saka to follow them to the station but the accused who was only a passerby, stopped and interrupted, telling Saka not to obey their instructions.

    “In the process, Saka escaped with her car and the accused was arrested but he resisted arrest and was beating and fighting the police women in order to avoid arrest.”

    Nwosu said the offences contravened Sections 166 and 172 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The section 172 prescribes four-year jail term for offenders if found guilty.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

    The Magistrate, Mr A.A. Adesanya, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Adesanya adjourned the case till Dec. 7 for mention.

  • Motor park clash: Police arrest two suspects in Minna

    Motor park clash: Police arrest two suspects in Minna

    The Police in Niger state  have arrested two suspects in connection with a misunderstanding between two transport unions at the Abdulsalam Abubakar Motor Park, Minna.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the squabble, which Occurred on Oct.22, resulted to the death of one person.

    The fight happened between members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and their counterparts of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria.

    The Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, ASP Bala Elkaina, confirmed the arrest in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Minna.

    Bala said investigation into the fracas had commenced, and that the command would ensure diligent prosecution of the culprits. 

  • Police quiz ACP over N2.7m bribe cash

    Police quiz ACP over N2.7m bribe cash

    There will be no cover-up in the case of the Assistant Commissioner of Police arrested with N2.7 million bribe cash, the Police said yesterday.

    The Head, Compliant Response Unit (CRU), Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP)

    Abayomi Shogunle, said the police had taken all necessary actions provided in the Police Act and Regulations on the case.

    He said: “I don’t see anybody covering up this particular case because the necessary actions needed to be taken, the normal disciplinary procedure as provided under the Police Act and Regulations are being followed.”

    Shogunle said the indicted officer had been issued a query and a criminal investigation had been conducted by the X-squad.

    The officer, he added, had responded to the query and had faced the Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC), which had made its recommendations to Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris.

    He explained that the  I-G had been forwarded his recommendation to the Police Service Commission ( PSC) for ratification.

    “The processes needed have been done and all we are just waiting for is the recommendations of the PSC,” he said.

    He said it was when the Commission informed the I-G on the matter that the CRU would in turn inform the public on the matter.

    Shogunle said that I-G had directed the unit to ensure that it discharged its responsibilities without impunity in line with its motto.

    “One of the things the I-G has tasked the CRU, which is no to impunity, is that the unit should ensure that it upholds that motto,” he added.

    The report on the bribery scandal is in the third quarter report of the CRU The report said the recovery of the bribe cash followed a complaint made to the CRU through a telephone call.

    On alleged preferential treatment for senior officers, Shogunle said the unit had taken up all cases against all police officers irrespective of their ranks.

    “Probably, we get more complaints against the junior ranks because they interact more with members of the public.

    “They are the ones that are always out on the streets. So it is possible you will get more complaints against them than the senior officers.”

    Shogunle assured that all complaints irrespective of the ranks of the persons would be treated based on merit, adding that the rule of law would always prevail.

    The CRU head said that the inclusion of the X-squad unit of the police was yielding result.

    “One of the breakthroughs we have had as contained in the CRU third quarter report was actually done by the x-squad.

    “This is the kind of things the public should expect with the inclusion of the squad by the I-G in the fight against corruption,” he said.

    He said there was cordial working relationship between the Nigeria Police Force through the CRU and human rights groups in the country.

    “As a matter of fact, we have a committee made up of these organisations to review policing operations nationwide.

    “We hear from them issues of policing and also give them feedback on their cases that were handled by the CRU,” he said.

  • Why abductors succeed, by Police boss

    Why abductors succeed, by Police boss

    Kogi State Commissioner of Police Abdullahi Chafe has called for a value reorientation among Nigerians to reduce the allure for what they consider the ‘good life’.

    This, according to him, could bring kidnapping in the state to its minimum.

    Chafe made the call in Lokoja at the weekend when he received members of the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kogi council, in his office.

    He urged parents and other opinion moulders to be steadfast, noting that many kidnap cases were done with the connivance of the families of victims to extort money.

    “Most of the kidnapping we have are local; local in the sense that it is majorly conspiracy from insiders. They equally resorted to picking up elderly people whose children are doing well outside the state to get money from them,” he said.

    He explained that kidnapping and robbery have reduced by 70 per cent as a result of efficient collaboration between the government and the police, saying large cache of arms has been recovered from hoodlums.

  • Police nab suspected killers of corps member

    The police in Kaduna State have arrested two persons suspected of killing a youth Corp member, Lawal Auwal Kontagora, 26.

    Kontagora was murdered in Kaduna last Monday when he and a friend visite a female friend, Murdja.

    While inside his Peugeot 407, the hoodlums approached the car and asked them to alight.

    When they alighted, they were asked to kneel and the assailants demanded for their mobile phones. But Lawal had left his in the car and while trying to open the car door to retrieve the phone, he was shot in his right leg.

    Additional information showed that the hoodlums shook his head with a sickle and his brain gushed out.

    Murdja, however, called for help. Sensing that people may come to Kontagora’s rescue, the hoodlums shot sporadically into the air to scare people away before running away.

    According to Kontagora’s sibling, Yusuf Ma’aji Kontagora, they received the information around 10pm and rushed to the scene. Kontagora was rushed to Garkuwa Hospital on Sultan road where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

    State NYSC Coordinator Muhammed Momoh described his death as a huge shock and a big loss to Nigeria.

    He said: “NYSC has confirmed the death of a corps member who was allegedly attacked by hoodlums at Malali. It is unfortunate that at a time the country is developing potential young Nigerians like Lawal, some people are bent on frustrating the effort.

    “NYSC condoles with the family while urging the police and security agents to fish out the perpetrators. It is a condemnable act and the culprits must be brought to book.”

    Police spokesperson Aliyu Usman, who confirmed the arrest, said the suspects are being investigated to ascertain their level of participation in the crime.

    It was gathered that one of the suspects, Jamiliu, also known as Baba Lado, is a bus driver who lives at Kwaru, Malali Badarawa District in Kaduna North.

    The deceased was said to have just returned to Nigeria four months ago for the compulsory one year service after graduating from a university in Malaysia.