The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Police rescue 9-year-old boy chained by cleric father for one month

    Police rescue 9-year-old boy chained by cleric father for one month

    What could have made a father chain his nine-year-old son like a dog for a whole month, in a church! And the father is a cleric?

    These are some of the questions now being asked following the police rescue of a badly emaciated Korede Taiwo from Key of Joy Celestial Church of Christ, Ajibawo, Atan Ota in Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State at the weekend.

    Korede’s father who is said to be the pastor in charge of the church is on the run, the police said yesterday.

    The State Police Command said it had launched a manhunt for the suspect.

    His wife and Korede’s step mother is, however, in police custody facing interrogation.

    The Onipanu Division of the police was said to have been tipped off by neighbours of the Taiwos.

    The police immediately swung into action although by then the suspect had fled.

    Spokesman for the police in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident, saying the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Abdulmajid Ali, had ordered the arrest of the fleeing pastor and immediate medical attention for the kid.

    “The police operatives, who got a tip-off from a neighbour in the community, swung into action and moved to the said church where the victimised young Korede was chained and rescued him,” Adejobi said.

    Adejobi said Kehinde claimed that Korede’s father’s cruel act was prompted by Korede’s embarrassing stealing instinct.

    He added: “Korede has been treated by the police and discharged. He is now receiving every necessary attention from the police personnel in the Onipanu Division.

    “The young boy will soon be handed over to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in Ogun State for necessary action.”

    Ali said any parents or individuals who maltreated children or young ones in the state would not be spared.

  • YABATECH donates patrol van to Panti Police Station

    Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) has donated a brand new four-seater patrol van to the Nigeria Police.
    Handing over the vehicle at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, the YABATECH Rector, Dr. Margaret Ladipo, said the gesture was to further boost security on campus and support the police in securing the college.

    “YABATECH is located in a very hot spot but for your support and camaraderie, it would have been pretty difficult securing this campus in view of its situational circumstances. We thank the Nigerian police for the support in time past. Our appreciation goes to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and the Inspector General of Police for the assistance in time past.

    “This is a federal institution and people come in and go out of the College en-masse on daily basis, yet the College is surrounded by hordes of gangsters from every angle. We thank God for the peace we daily have, and we thank the Nigeria Police too for the support they extend to us, trusting that with prayer and your continued support, the campus will be free at all times from anti-social vices,” she said.

    Receiving the fully air-conditioned vehicle fitted with siren and police head lamp, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, SCID, Panti, Mr. Abiodun Ogidan thanked the college on behalf of the IGP, and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni for the gesture.

    “We are happy and challenged. This is a peculiar gift because this is the first Corporate Social Responsibility gift the new IGP is receiving. We will let him know that YABATECH has done this for us.

    “We assure the YABATECH Management that this good gesture will be reciprocated by ensuring that crime is reduced to the barest minimum and to continue to make YABATECH an institution where everybody can sleep with the two eyes closed in spite of its peculiar circumstance.”
    The vehicle was the second in six months from the college to the police. The first Toyota Hilux four-seater jeep went to Sabo Police Station.

  • Police rescue Ogun lawmaker’s wife from kidnappers

    The Police last night  rescued Mrs. Felicia Oyenuga, the abducted wife of a member of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Olufowobi Oyenuga.

    Mrs. Oyenuga was rescued  around 6pm at the Ijebu stretch of the Sagamu  – Benin expressway after  about eight hours.

    She was kidnapped by gunmen at Odoladalepo in Ijebu Ife.

    Three persons were arrested in connection with the abduction.

    It was gathered that the driver of the kidnap gang, Ahmed Folorunso, who drove the vehicle used for the abduction, was arrested on Ondo Road in Ijebu Ode, following a chase by a combined team of vigilance group and a police patrol team.

    But other members of the gang were arrested and the woman rescued unhurt by policemen.

    They are Joseph Idoma and Ifediran Tunde.

    Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the woman was freed from her abductors without any ransom paid.

    “The woman kidnapped in ijebu Ife  has been rescued by the police. She was rescued on Ijebu Ode-Benin  expressway this evening around 6pm.

    “The kidnappers were arrested.  They are Joseph Idoma, Ifediran Tunde and Hameed Folorunsho.

    “The AIG Zone 2, Abdulmajid Ali, has directed that the matter be investigated and suspects charged to court,” Adejobi stated.

  • Acting IG accuses Arase of taking away 24 police vehicles

    Acting IG accuses Arase of taking away 24 police vehicles

    •‘It’s not true, acting IG being vindictive’

    Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has asked his predecessor Solomon Arase to return the excess number of police vehicles he took away on departure from office.

    He accused the former IG of taking away 24 vehicles including top of the range armoured BMW cars.

    Idris has written to Arase to return at least 20 vehicles, saying he should not have more than four cars as part of his severance package.

    He added that some of the retired Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs), took away as many as eight vehicles.

    The acting IG has also launched a probe into irregular promotion in the police and the management of police investments.

    Speaking at the Force Headquarters in Abuja yesterday, Idris said: “A week before I was announced (appointed), if you looked through my office window, you could see so many cars. But the cars all disappeared when I came in. What I did was to assign a directive to the Special Investigative Unit (SFU) to investigate all vehicles’ purchases and donations to the police in the last three years as well as their positions.

    “When I took over, there were no vehicles. I discovered that the last IG went away with 24 vehicles including two BMWs. The DIGs some took seven, others eight. And they left me with an old vehicle. Even the one I followed the President with – the last time I went for an engagement – the President asked what I was doing with that kind of vehicle. The headlight has changed colour, which means it was parked for long under the rain.

    “But the new ones that were bought, including an Armoured BMW 7 series, he took them away. So, I wrote to him and reminded him that when a policeman retires as IG, DIG, AIG or CP, he is entitled to some vehicles. And so, he should take his entitlement and return the extra. I believe four vehicles are enough for an average person. What does one need 24 vehicles for?”

    Efforts to reach Arase failed last night but a source close to him said he could not have taken 24 vehicles. According to the source, the acting IG is only being vindictive having been queried by Arase for a wrong doing as an AIG.

    Idris further explained yesterday that he had concluded plans to investigate the irregularities in promotion saying due diligence will be done.

    Narrating his encounter with policemen during a visit to Maiduguri, Idris who said he could feel the pains of those who felt marginalised as a result of the irregular promotion, recalled that he spent five years as Commissioner of Police, while some of his juniors were promoted above him.

    “Before I travelled to Maiduguri, last week to be precise, I got a petition from the House of Representatives on Police promotion. Many police officers are not happy with the irregular promotion.

    “I said it in my inaugural speech that the police will be run as a democratic institution that is responsible, accountable and representative. That is the police that Nigerian people need.

    “Because we are supposed to be responsive for the yearnings of the people to be realized, the issue of promotion can dampen spirits. I know how it feels. I was CP for five years while some of my colleagues who became CP were made AIGs within two years. So, I know how it feels.

    “We have discussed it before I travelled. The new management will investigate the recent promotions. We will constitute a panel to see if the promotions were done in line with the Police Service Commission (PSC) rules.

    “This is a Constitutional issue. There is a policy and we need to find out if these promotions were done in accordance with laid down principles.”

    On allegations of contract inflation and corruption against the previous administration, Idris said audits into police investments are ongoing, adding that he would probe his predecessor if there was evidence of corruption against him.

    According to him, the findings of the ongoing audits of police investments and subsidiaries would also determine whether Arase’s regime will be probed.

    “This is because every policeman from the IG to the Constable contributes to these investments. These are people’s properties. So I will make those units transparent and accountable. I have to know if this money is utilised with some measure of morality and accountability. So, we will know what action to take based on the audit report.

    “On corruption, if there are complains, we will investigate. I have heard a lot of rumours but as a policeman, we work based on evidence. We will investigate when there is evidence, we will take action.”

    Idris also vowed to investigate allegations of extortion of policemen who stay in the barracks in the guise of accommodation fee. He insisted that living in any police barrack is free.

    Asked of his plans to contain armed violence across the country, Idris said his team was focusing on intelligence-based policing by strengthening community and neighbourhood alertness.

    He explained that his drive to ensure security, propelled the massive redeployment of policemen across the country, adding that most of those serving at their previous postings might have been compromised.

    “Very much is expected from us especially from the Rank and File. They believe in me because I have been training policemen for five years. They believe I will be able to change things and so I cannot disappoint them.

    “Their welfare is my priority. I believe each policeman should own an accommodation. It is good for the conventional policemen to mix up with the civilian populace. Only the special forces should stay in the barracks,” he said.

    The IGP restated his commitment to strengthen the Police Mobile Force, insisting that they will be withdrawn from VIPs to be the strike force that they are.

    He denied being responsible for the mass retirement of DIGS and AIGs, noting that it was not the first time such would take place after the appointment of a new IG.

  • Police get new 18 AIGs, 37 CPs

    Police get new 18 AIGs, 37 CPs

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the promotion and posting of 18 Commissioners of Police (CPs) to Assistant Inspectors General (AIGs).

    It also approved their postings with four other current AIGs.

    Twelve out of the 22 AIGs are to man the 12 Police Zonal Commands while the remaining 10 will head Police special formations such as operations, training, police academy, Info-tech, investment, maritime and others.

    The Commission also approved the appointment of 37 Commissioners of Police and promotion of nine Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs).

    The Commission stated that 16 out of the 37 CPs will retain their Commands.

    These were contained in a statement in Abuja yesterday by Head of Press and Public Relations Unit of the Commission, IkechukwuAni.

    Chairman of the Commission, Mike Okiro, noted that their promotions and postings were in line with the Commission’s resolve to reposition the Nigeria Police Force for better performance.

    He cautioned them to hold their positions with the fear of God and fairness to all parties.

     

  • Police dislodge kidnap gangs in Kogi, rescue victims

    Police dislodge kidnap gangs in Kogi, rescue victims

    The Nigeria Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) has smashed ‘notorious’ kidnap gangs that have terrorised Kogi State and its environs.

    The operation also led to the rescue of four kidnapped victims at different locations in Kogi State, the police stated.

    The arrested suspects are: “Ojonimi Negedu, 32, Awodi Ezekiel, 26, and Michael Sule, 21.

    This is contained in a statement in Abuja yesterday by the Force Spokesperson, Don Awunah.

    According to the statement: “In a special intelligence-led operation conducted by the operatives of the Intelligence Response Team of the IGP’s Monitoring Unit at different black spots in Kogi State, three members of a notorious kidnap gang that has for a while operated in major cities in Kogi and neighbouring states were trailed to and arrested at their hideouts in the outskirt of Egume and Anyingba towns in Kogi State.

    “The leader of the gang, who gave his name as Ibrahim Nasarawa, led operatives of Intelligence Response Team to their den where Edward Abutu Amedu was held hostage. On sighting the operatives, the armed guards who were stationed by the gang to keep watch over their victims, opened fire on the police, and the operatives responded and overpowered them in a tactical operation that saw three members of the kidnap gang suffer fatal injuries while their victim was rescued unhurt.”

    The police, however, noted that two of their men sustained gunshot injuries and are currently responding to treatment in the hospital while other members of the gang escaped with bullet wounds. The police added that they arrested another kidnap gang that abducted one Mrs Mayo Ohemi, Nichodemus Kadiri and Miss Victoria Abdul from Acharu Egume area of Kogi State.

    The suspects have also been arrested and their confession led to the rescue of the victims from the kidnappers’ camp from where a ransom of N20 million was issued. The rescued victims, who sustained various degrees of injuries in the hands of their abductors, are now receiving treatment in the hospital.

    The Force noted that the recent operation by the police is designed by the IG to stem the tide of kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery and other criminal activities, adding that it would be sustained until all criminal elements are flushed out of the State.

    The police boss advised all criminal elements operating in any part of the country to turn a new leaf and heed counsel or ignore the warning and end up in the arms of the law.

    He, however, assured members of the general public of his determination to provide community-oriented service that would ensure active community partnership in crime prevention and control.

  • Panic as land grabbers clash in Festac

    Panic as land grabbers clash in Festac

    There was pandemonium at Festac Town in Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, on Friday morning after some hoodlums engaged in gun duel.

    The hoodlums, suspected to be land grabbers were said to have clashed around Fifth Avenue, allegedly shooting sporadically.

    It was gathered that the sound of sporadic gunshots frightened residents who assumed that bank robbers have stormed Festac Town again.

    Rumour soon spread across the state that armed robbers had besieged the Fourth avenue branches of Diamond and First City Monument Banks (FCMB).

    Although the broadcast message claimed an innocent citizen was killed by stray bullet, security sources dismissed the story.

    “There was no bank robbery in Festac. Nothing of such happened.  The only thing that happened was that some land grabbers engaged in gun duel around Fifth Avenue. They were fighting among themselves and policemen were deployed to the area and calm restored,” said a policeman.

    A vigilante in the area said some policemen from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and the Festac Police Division were deployed when the rumour of bank robbery went viral, adding that when they got to the banks, businesses were going on smoothly.

  • Police recruitment

    •States, not local govts should be basis for hiring of 10,000 officers

    One of the most significant decisions taken by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration since assumption of office is the ongoing process of recruiting 10, 000 new officers and men into the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). The crime rate across the country has over the last decade reached alarming proportions. Large swathes of the polity are under the suffocating grip of armed robbers, kidnappers, communal gangs, murderous Fulani herdsmen, assassins, pipeline vandals, cultists and sundry other criminal elements.

    The surge in crime is partly a function of the glaring incapacity of the NPF to effectively undertake its professional mandate of maintaining internal security and safeguarding lives and property. Apart from such factors as poor funding, inadequate equipment and logistics as well as low morale, the organisational efficacy of the police is hobbled by shortage of manpower.

    As at t December 31, 2015, the NPF had a total staff strength of 305,000 police men and women, including 1,331 cadets in training as well as specialist branches and civilian support staff to serve a population of approximately 160 million people. This comes to 205 policemen per 100, 000 persons. The global average for policemen per 100, 000 persons is 340 while the United Nations recommends a minimum of 220 policemen per 100, 000 people. Although still insufficient, the current exercise is a commendable step towards attaining the desired optimum police staff strength.

    When the exercise commenced, the Police Service Commission (PSC) received 911, 438 applications of which 338, 227 were shortlisted. A breakdown of the shortlisted candidates shows that 44,661 were for the position of Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), 87,830 for Cadet Inspector cadre and 205, 830 Police Constables. At the end of the day, however, vacancies only exist for 500 Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police, 500 Cadet Inspectors, 1,500 Specialist Officers and 7, 500 Constables.

    So far, the process has, from all indications, been efficient, orderly and transparent. It has not been characterised by the kind of chaos, opaqueness and incompetence witnessed in the recent past during the tragic recruitment exercise into the National Immigration Service (NIS). The challenge for the Police Service Commission, however, is to ensure that it finishes the exercise as successfully as it started and with its integrity untainted. This is particularly because of fears expressed in some quarters that it intends to apply the constitutionally required Federal Character principle in public recruitment in a way that may be incompatible with the objectives of fairness and justice.

    The bone of contention appears to be whether the states or local governments should be the basis for allocating the 10,000 vacancies to be filled in order to ensure equity and balance among the component parts of the federation. If the local governments constitute the units for allocating spaces, the outcome may be quite arbitrary and unjustly skewed. In that case, for instance, states like Kano, Katsina, Akwa Ibom, Borno, Imo, Jigawa and Osun, with comparatively higher number of local government councils will enjoy undue advantage.

    On the other hand, areas like the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bayelsa, Gombe, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Lagos and Ogun, among others, with lower number of local governments will be unjustifiably short-changed. The problem is that the distribution of local governments across states cannot be rationalised in terms of population, economic viability or any other scientific criterion.

    The extant local governments currently listed in the 1999 constitution are products of the military era when their creation was mostly characterised by favouritism, nepotism, sectional sentiments and other forms of impunity. The cause of justice, equity, balance and the overall public interest will best be served if the federating states are utilised to allocate the 10,000 slots to be filled.

  • Delta: Police kill suspected kidnapper in shootout

    Delta: Police kill suspected kidnapper in shootout

    The Delta State Police Command said it shot dead a suspected kidnapper in gun duel with a four armed gang.

    Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Celestina Kalu who confirmed the incident Wednesday in Asaba said the hoodlums invaded the house of its victim Joseph Otemewo of Ogini Road Oghara, and kidnapped his wife and took her away to unknown destination in her Lexus SUV with registration number GRA 911 KH.

    According to her, “the police with the assistance of local vigilante went on their trail as the abductors called for ransom. In the process of exchange of fire between the hoodlums and policemen, one God’stime (surname unknown) was shot and arrested in their hideout at Ologbo bush while two others escaped.”

    Continuing, “The woman was rescued unhurt. However, the suspect died on the way to the hospital. Items recovered from the suspect included one locally made pistol with one cartridge and handset robbed from the victim.

    “Meanwhile, investigation has been intensified to track down the fleeing hoodlums who were said to have driven the stolen vehicle towards Benin in Edo State.”

    Similarly, Kalu said a seven-year old girl identified as Gift James who is a daughter of a police officer attached to the command has been rescued unhurt from her kidnappers.

    The victim was rescued within hours of her kidnap at Onicha-Olona in Aniocha North Local Government Area of the state when she was going on an errand.

    The kidnappers operating in a black Nissan Terra SUV with registration number DDT 012 02 were given a hot chase by operatives of Dragon patrol team on patrol along Benin/Asaba expressway.

    The operatives who had received information about the kidnap chased the hoodlums towards Issele-Azagba where the kidnappers diverted to a feeder road, abandoned their vehicle/victim and escaped.

    Kalu said the abandoned vehicle was recovered, while the victim has been re-united with her parents, adding that efforts to track down the fleeing hoodlums have been intensified.

  • Police recover N60m stolen bank money in Rivers

    Police recover N60m stolen bank money in Rivers

    The Police in Rivers State have recovered N60,250,000 cash belonging to a bank in Port Harcourt.

    Deputy Commissioner of Police (Administration) Uche Anozia broke the news at a briefing in Port Harcourt, Monday night.

    Anozia, who is the acting police chief, following the elevation of the last Commissioner of Police (CP), Foluso Adebanjo to Deputy Inspector-General of Police(DIG), and his redeployment, said the recovery followed a report by a Port Harcourt Supermarket guard who saw in its premises a vehicle containing the cash.

    He said two banks Zenith and Stanbic IBTC, contracted a bullion van company in Port Harcourt to convey their monies from their branches in Aba, Abia State. While the service to Zenith was successfully completed and the amount belonging to them delivered in the company of soldiers, that of Stanbic Bank was not.

    The soldiers disembarked from the bullion van at Zenith Bank, leaving the portion meant for Stanbic with the driver, who absconded with both the cash and the vehicle, which was missing for three days.

    On Monday, the N60,250,000 contained in five sacks (marked) and secured with Stanbic IBTC bank seal were recovered by the police in a Ford Explorer vehicle which glasses were veiled with black waterproof bags and parked at the premises of a Supermarket at the GRA, Port Harcourt.

    The presence of the suspicious vehicle in the supermarket car park was reported by the security guard.

    The police said both the driver of the Ford, that of the bullion van and the security man who reported the presence of the Ford in his business premises are on the run. The police said nobody was being questioned in connection with the crime, but efforts are being made to arrest the fleeing driver and the complainant.

    Anozia said: “On July 8,(last Friday), we received a report, by one Stanley Ndubuisi of Bankers Warehouse, at number 36 Forces Avenue, Old GRA, Port Harcourt. The company engages in bullion van hire services, which are mostly rented by banks to convey their cash to and fro.

    “Last Friday, a bullion van was rented from the company by Zenith Bank and Stanbic IBTC bank in Port Harcourt to convey their cash from their branches in Aba, Abia State to Port Harcourt for the two banks.

    “The van was manned by a driver who drove the vehicle to Aba. On his way back to Port Harcourt with the cash, the driver was, according to the complainant, accompanied by soldiers. When the vehicle arrived in Port Harcourt, it went straight to deliver the amount belonging to Zenith Bank at Zenith Bank.

    “The complainant said that after the van had delivered that of Zenith bank, the soldiers went back to their duty posts, leaving the money for Stanbic bank with the driver alone. Consequently, the driver absconded with the vehicle and the money. Investigations commenced at that point.

    “Then on Monday July 11, useful intelligence was received by me in my office that a certain Ford Explorer vehicle was found parked at the premises of a supermarket located at Number 2, Elelenwo Street, GRA Phase 2, and that the vehicle had certain sacks contained in it, but that what actually elicited the suspicion of the security officer of this Supermarket, who reported the presence of the Ford Vehicle in their premises, is that the windows screen of the said Ford Explorer were veiled with black waterproof bags and the vehicle is also owned by the bullion van renting company.

    “The complainant  told me that when he peeped closer inside the vehicle through some tiny spaces apparently missed by the black veil, he discovered that this vehicle contained some sacks resembling bank sacks, stuffed with something he could not identify but suspected to be cash. He reported to me.

    “When the vehicle was opened, it was discovered that the sacks belong to Stanbic IBTC bank, because it had their seal.”

    The sacks were opened in the presence of members of the public, who had converged on the scene. There was a video recording of the vehicle and the sacks were brought down and opened one after the other, the police chief said. There were between five and six sacks.

    “The content of the sacks is the evidence you have seen on the ground here (pointing at the cash poured out on the ground), and the total amount recovered, according to the information and according to what we have here is, N60.250m,” …said.

    Stanbic/IBTC Bank in a response by Rita Akao, said: “Yes we can confirm a bullion van transporting money ?by the Bankers Warehouse on our behalf recently went missing.

    “We have received report that the van and funds have been found.

    “We believe the Banker’s warehouse is working with  the police who are investigating the incident”