The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Police arrest 487 kidnap suspects in four months

    Police arrest 487 kidnap suspects in four months

    The Police have arrested 487 kidnap suspects and rescued 350 victims in the last four months.

    Police Spokesman Don Awunah stated this yesterday in an interview in Abuja.

    He added: “It is appreciated that there is relative increase in kidnapping but we are on top of the job. Kidnapping is apparently gaining some currency nationwide. There used to be isolated cases around the Niger Delta, which started with hostage taking.

    “But because it looks lucrative, a lot of criminals are abandoning other forms of their criminal enterprise for kidnapping. However, we are 95 per cent of clearance rate. The ability of the police to apprehend and charge suspects to court, as well as rescue victims have improved.

    “From June till date, we have arrested 487 kidnap for ransom suspects nationwide and rescued about 350 persons. We are doing a lot in this respect. The Inspector general has reorganised the anti-kidnapping unit and increased the tactical platform to assist in solving issues of kidnapping.

    “We advise persons who are victims of kidnapping to trust the police. Take the police into confidence and exercise considerable caution in payment of ransom.

    “There must be community engagements. These kidnappers live in a community; they take their victims to forests owned by people.”

    “People should not look aside. We are all vulnerable. It is only by collaborative efforts that issues of kidnapping can be solved. The police have been dealing decisively with kidnapping but the gains cannot be huge if we don’t have the people’s support.

    Hampering on quest for visibility policing, Idris said the service has put modalities in place to ensure safety of lives and property as the yuletide draws closer.

    “Most of the tactical teams, commanders, CPs and zonal commands received specific instructions to emplacement crime reduction strategies so that Nigerians can sleep with their eyes closed. We appreciate that most times, there’s increase in crime during ember months because many people want to celebrate the end of the year in a special way. So, we do special operations too. We do operation plan to detail the things that need to be done,” he sai

     

  • Two held for settling debt with anal sex

    The police have arrested a 20-year-old man, Job Martins, for allegedly having anal sex with a 16-year-old boy (name withheld) as payment for a N22, 000 debt.

    The police accused the teenager of stealing Martins’ Zenith Bank Plc Automated Teller Machine ‎(ATM) card through which he withdrew N22,000 from the bank.

    Martins, a house keeper, allegedly promised to forgive the debt if the teen, a cleaner, would practice homosexuality with him.

    According to the police, the boy agreed, but only for ‘one last time.’

    The teenager, resident at Goshen Estate, Ikate, Lekki, Lagos and Martins, who lives in Aboki Estate, Lekki, were arraigned Thursday by the police before Mrs. O. A. Ogunbowale of an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

    They are standing trial on a two-count charge bordering on stealing and unlawful sexual intercourse.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Ajaga Agboko told the court that the defendants committed the alleged offences sometimes in August, at Aboki Estate.

    “The defendants were caught having sex through the anus and when asked why they did it, the boy said Martins, his boyfriend, cajoled him into it because of a N22, 000 debt.

    “He said he took Martins’ ATM card without his knowledge and withdrew N22, 000 from his account with which he bought a phone. When Martins found out, he promised to repay him from his salary but Martins promised to forget the money on the condition that the teenager agreed to have anal sex with him.

    “The boy said he agreed but only if that would be the last time they would have annual sex, as he did not like the act since he was not a girl,” Agboko said.

    The alleged offences, the prosecutor added, were punishable under Sections 285 and 136 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge but the court rejected their application for bail and advised them to apply to the High Court.

    Magistrate Ogunbowale ordered that the case file be transferred to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for advice and adjourned till November 11.

  • Police arrest robbery suspects, recover items

    Police arrest robbery suspects, recover items

    Operatives of the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone II, Onikan, have arrested 10 suspected robbers terrorising 15 Lagos and Ogun communities.

    The suspects – Lekan Akinola, Mutiu Oyekan, Akeem Sanusi, Olahusi Rasaq, Kazeem Oladipupo, Waheed Amusan and four others – were arrested on Tuesday after police tracked a mobile phone stolen from one of their victims at Arigbajo in Ogun months ago.

    It was gathered the unnamed victim reported the case and the Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS) was deployed to fish out the hoodlums.

    The Nation learnt the detectives, with the cooperation of police ICT experts, arrested Akinola, who led the team to his accomplices.

    The zonal police spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi said the suspects confessed to have robbed residents of Ibafo, Ifo, Ewekoro, Mowe, Adigbe in Abeokuta, Iju-Ota, Alakuko and Agege in Lagos.

    Adejobi said some of their victims were identified and their items recovered.

    He said: “Items recovered from them include refrigerators, laptops, plasma television sets, generators, wears, electrical appliances and their operational bus, a Mazda: Lagos BDG602XM.”

    “AIG Abdulmajid Ali directed that the suspects be charged to court, and that fleeing members of the gang be apprehended.”

     

     

  • Police arrest 10 robbery suspects

    Police arrest 10 robbery suspects

    The Police have arrested 10 persons for alleged armed robbery in Lagos and Ogun states.

    Lekan Akinola, Mutiu Oyekan, Akeem Sanusi, Olahusi Rasaq, Kazeem Oladipupo, Waheed Amusan and four others were arrested after police tracked a mobile phone they allegedly stole from a victim at Arigbajo in Ogun State several months ago.

    The police Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS), with the cooperation of Information Communication Technology (ICT) experts arrested Akinola, who then led the team to arrest others.

    Zonal spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the suspects have confessed to robbing residents of Ibafo, Ifo, Ewekoro, Mowe, Abeokuta, Iju Ota, Alakuko and Agege in Lagos.

    He said: “Items recovered from them include refrigerators, laptops, plasma television sets, generators, clothes, electrical appliances and their operational vehicle, a Mazda Bus marked Lagos BDG602XM.

    “Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Zone II Abdulmajid Ali has directed that the suspects be charged to court.”

  • Police arrest robbery suspects, recover items

    Operatives of the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone II, Onikan, have arrested 10 suspected robbers terrorising 15 Lagos and Ogun communities.

    The suspects – Lekan Akinola, Mutiu Oyekan, Akeem Sanusi, Olahusi Rasaq, Kazeem Oladipupo, Waheed Amusan and four others – were arrested on Tuesday after police tracked a mobile phone stolen from one of their victims at Arigbajo in Ogun months ago.

    It was gathered the unnamed victim reported the case and the Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS) was deployed to fish out the hoodlums.

    The Nation learnt the detectives, with the cooperation of police ICT experts, arrested Akinola, who led the team to his accomplices.

    The zonal police spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi said the suspects confessed to have robbed residents of Ibafo, Ifo, Ewekoro, Mowe, Adigbe in Abeokuta, Iju-Ota, Alakuko and Agege in Lagos.

    Adejobi said some of their victims were identified and their items recovered.

    He said: “Items recovered from them include refrigerators, laptops, plasma television sets, generators, wears, electrical appliances and their operational bus, a Mazda: Lagos BDG602XM.”

    “AIG Abdulmajid Ali directed that the suspects be charged to court, and that fleeing members of the gang be apprehended.”

  • Police arraign 10 men for rioting

    Police arraign 10 men for rioting

    The police on Tuesday arraigned 10 men in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for rioting, assaulting and damaging people’s property,

    The accused persons were; Umar Zakari, 18; Babagida Malami, 20; Babagida Sani, 22; Salisu Auta, 33; Aminu Nuhu, 32; Ezekiel Yahaya, 29;  Bala Yau, 30; Mohammed Bello, 45; Shefiu Halidu, 22; and Aji Rabiu, 29.

    The accused are being tried for breach of peace, conspiracy, rioting assembly, damage and assault.

    The Prosecutor, Sgt. Michael Unah, told the court that they committed the offences on Sept. 6 and Sept. 7 at Abattoir Animal Market, Agege.

    He said that they conspired to riot, disturb the peace and damaged property of the residents of the area.

    “The accused persons conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause fear by attacking the innocent residents of the area with dangerous weapons,” he said.

    Unah said that there was a disagreement between the two factions of the accused over demolition of some structures which resulted into a fight.

    “The two factions had an argument which degenerated into a fight, and they stormed the area with cutlasses, knives, sticks, iron rods and other dangerous weapons,” he said.

    The prosecutor also told the court that the accused damaged several vehicles and used the avenue to rob people of their belonging.

    Prosecution said the offences contravened sections 50, 166, 348 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, which on conviction attracts between three and seven years jail term for offenders.

    The accused persons pleaded innocence of the offences and were granted bail each in the sum of N50, 000 each with two sureties each in like sum.

    The Magistrate, Mrs O A. Gbajumo adjourned the case till Oct. 10 for mention.

  • Police declare factional cult leaders wanted in Oyo

    Police declare factional cult leaders wanted in Oyo

    •Carnivals banned

    POLICE in Oyo State have declared wanted two leaders of rival cult groups that unleashed bloody mayhem on the people of Ekotedo, Ibadan during the last Eid-El-Kabir carnival.

    The two cult leaders are Okungbemi and Ojowelili.

    The police command reminded the residents that the law prohibiting carnivals in the state was still in force, following the continued loss of lives and property during carnivals in the city.

    It said the three suspects arrested in connection with the bloody Ileya carnival at Ekotedo have been arraigned in court.

    Police Commissioner Samuel Adegbuyi had warned that it would deal ruthlessly with any individual or groups of persons found staging carnival in any part of the state.

    Speaking with The Nation yesterday on the effort of the police to apprehend the two cult leaders, police spokesperson Adekunle Ajisebutu said the suspects were still on the run.

    Ibadan North West Local Government Caretaker Chairman Wasiu Olatunbosun and Baale of Ekotedo Chief Taiye Ayorinde, in whose domain the bloody mayhem took place, condemned the act.

    They called on the police to ensure strict enforcement and compliance with the existing laws to avert violence and anarchy.

  • Ogun Police arrest suspect with human skulls

    Ogun Police arrest suspect with human skulls

    The police in Ogun state have arrested a cemetery worker found with two human skulls.

    Oluwatoyosi Akorede, an attendant at Ayepe Cemetery, was arrested on Sunday night at Isale Oko area of Shagamu by a patrol team led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Shagamu, Moses Aduroja, a Superintendent (SP).

    It was gathered that the suspect might have gotten the skulls by exhuming bodies of dead people.

    The Nation learnt that he confessed the items were needed to perform a ritual.

    Contacted, the spokesman for the command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) said Akorede was being interrogated to unravel the reasons for his action.

    “The Commissioner of Police (CP) Ahmed Iliyasu has directed that the suspect be transferred to the command headquarters, Eleweran in Abeokuta for further investigation.”

  • NASS management seals Jibrin’s office

    NASS management seals Jibrin’s office

    The House of Representatives on Thursday sealed the office of the suspended former Chairman of Appropriations Committee, Rep. Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC-Kano).

    The Sergeant-at-Arms team and police supervised the sealing of the office, Room 1.05 located at the new building wing of the complex.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some  legislative staff working with Jibrin evacuated some of their personal belongings and documents before the office was closed

    The ejection exercise was sequel to the resolution passed by the House during Wednesday plenary session on the recommendations of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, chaired by Rep. Nicholas Ossai (PDP-Delta).

    In adopting the report and recommendations of the Committee, the House resolved to suspend Jibrin for 180 legislative days.

    The sanction also barred Jibrin from holding any position in the House during the period till the end of the 8th Assembly.

    Briefing newsmen shortly after, the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas (APC-Adamawa) said that the House had not received any court papers regarding the suspension.

    Namdas said: “while the suspended lawmaker has a right to go to court, there is a clear separation of powers between the three arms of government’’.

    “The House is empowered by the constitution to have its own rules.

    “Jibrin breached the collective privileges of members with his blanket statements that the House is corrupt in its public hearings, investigations and oversight functions.

    “The House has rules and if anyone errs, there are certain sanctions which are applied. What we have done is within our rules.

    “There is no petition from Jibrin against any member before the Ethics Committee and we cannot investigate based on newspaper publications.

    “He made allegations which he could not substantiate.’’

     

  • Police deploy sniffer dogs, surveillance aircraft

    Police deploy sniffer dogs, surveillance aircraft

    No fewer than seven sniffer dogs have been deployed in Edo State from Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja for today’s election.

    The sniffer dogs from the K-9 units were brought from both states to augment the ones in Edo for enhanced security.

    The police also deployed surveillance helicopters, gunboats manned by armed Mobile Policemen and operatives of the Marine unit across the waterways and crime – proned locations.

    The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of Operations, Habila Joshak, said at least five policemen would man each of the 2,627 polling units to prevent invasion by militants, aliens.

    Joshak disclosed this on Tuesday evening at the Edo State Police Command headquarters in Benin City.

    He said that 2,000 soldiers were deployed to man the outer corridors of the state especially the highways, adding that restriction of movement would take effect from 1am.

    According to the DIG, security agencies were prepared to meet force with force, warning anyone who has no legitimate business with the election to stare clear.

    He allayed fears that students writing the General Certificate Examination (GCE) may miss Wednesday’s papers, disclosing that their examinations would hold as scheduled.

    He said: “There has been enhanced security deployment across board. We have zeroed on each of the polling booth and deployed at least five security personnel per unit.

    “In terms of preparation and observation through the aeriel patrol of Ekpoma, Irua and Auchi, I observed that deployments have been done and there are intervention forces in each of the local government areas.

    “In each local government, we have at least 10 patrol vans for reinforcement. For the waterways, we have had effective five gunboats and the soldiers brought in four making nine. I know that in Agenebode, we have gunboats.

    The personnel are to ensure that those making use of the waters are intercepted and identified. Their reasons for movement must be known. Those that are fishing, identified.

    “Those of them that cannot give good explanation and identity would be brought for further interrogation. You can be sure there is adequate security. We have said that we have outer codoning. It is done by the military.

    “They are contributing about 2,000 soldiers and they are going to man the outer codoning. From 1am on Wednesday, there would be restriction of movement, particularly on the highways. People must identify themselves and subject themselves to some search because the issue of invasion by armed uniformed men that want to come and truncate the election has kept recurring.

    “We are not going to trample on people’s rights. But we would definitely restrain and ensure that those allowed to move, do so. The security deployment is not heavy and so, citizens are excited that their security is guaranteed. It is not an invasion and we won’t have any negative effect.”