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Tag: Police

  • Police shortlist 338,227 applicants

    Police shortlist 338,227 applicants

    The Police Service Commission (PSC) yesterday said it shortlisted 338,227 applicants of the 911,438 that applied for recruitment into the Police Force.

    The Chairman of the Commission, Mr Mike Okiro, at a news conference in Abuja, said screening of successful applicants would begin on Monday in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

    Okiro explained that 44,661 were shortlisted for cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) , 87,736 for cadet Inspector and 205,830 for Police Constables.

    He said “I would like to emphasise that the initial shortlisting of applicants was done electronically. Invitation letters were also sent to successful applicants through SMS and to their personal email addresses.”

    He, however, warned applicants against fake letters from criminal elements, stressing that “the invitation states the date for each person’s screening and venue of the screening.

    “Applicants will be grouped according to their local government areas and a date fixed for their screening.”

    The chairman said this was to avoid overcrowding the venue and also for meticulous exercise.

    He warned that no applicant would be admitted into any venue or appear on any date other than those allocated to him or her.

    Okiro added that after the screening, successful candidates would be invited to a zonal screening to be held in the 12 police zonal headquarters in the country.

    He said the national interview would be held in Abuja, where those who were successful at the zonal screening would be interviewed.

    He added that the Commission had been transparent since the filling and submission of forms started, saying “I want to re-emphasis that the Commission will be guided by the rules and will be fair, transparent and ensure that the process is merit-driven.

    “As a commission, we have collectively and individually swore to make this project a huge success. The Nigeria Police needs the best, especially now that the nation is engaged in several battles.”

    Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of training, Femi Adenaike said all training schools and colleges were rehabilitated.

    262,426 applicants applied for cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), 211,832 applied for Cadet Inspector and 437,144 for Police Constables. They are all seeking to be part of  the 10,000 policemen approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

     

  • Families cry out over ailing sons at police cell

    Families cry out over ailing sons at police cell

    The families of Alali God-dey Tamuno-Ene and Da Obufia Isokariari – being detained by officers of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Rivers State – have urged the Inspector General of Police (IG) to save their sons.

    The suspects, who hailed from Buguma in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, were arrested at Elekiohia and Eagle Island axis of Port Harcourt in connection with some robbery cases and they have spent more than a week in police cell.

    Mrs. Inye Braide, the mother of Da Obufia Isokariari, said her son “is dying and stooling blood in police cell and is innocent of any reason for which police have arrested him”.

    She alleged that the police subjected her son to serious torture to admit to the crime he did not commit, adding that she was going to die if police continue torturing her son.

    She noted that the last time she visited his son he was very weak and in a serious pain due to the level of beating and torture police subjected him to.

    Mr. Tamuno Tonye, the sister  to Alali God-dey Tamuno-Ene, said her family would not take it lightly with the Rivers State Police Command if anything happened to her brother in police cell.

    She said:  “Already my brother is vomiting blood due to the wound he sustained from police hard torture and beating.

    “He is innocent. We are calling on the general public and the Inspector General of Police to assist us order thorough investigation into the matter.

    Their lawyer, Mr. Innocent Naador of Igweonwu Chambers, threatened a legal action against Anti-Robbery Squad officers for unlawful arrest, detention and torture.

    He said his clients informed him and their relatives that they knew nothing about the robbery or any other crime for which the police arrested them.

    Naador said: “We have visited the police station and met with the Investigating Police Officer who assured us that our clients were held and detained. They are vomiting and stooling blood from an injuries sustained from torture and beating. We want the Police to charge them to court or have us to contend with.”

    The Rivers State Police Spokesman, Ahmad Mohammad, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed the arrests but disagreed with the suspects’ lawyer and relatives that they were subjected to serious torture.

    He said the families were being economical with the truth of the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the duo, adding that the issue of torture is seriously discouraged by the force. 9

  • Police to Lagosians: ignore rumour of militants attack

    Police to Lagosians: ignore rumour of militants attack

    Commissioner denies killings 

    Lagosians were yesterday told to ignore rumours of threats to security of lives and property.

    The police assured residents of the nation’s commercial nerve centre that the fears of an attack on the city by militants, especially the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), were unfounded.

    The militants are behind the renewed attacks on pipelines and oil platforms in the Niger Delta – activities that have dipped Nigeria’s 2.2million barrels of crude per day production to about 900,000.

    Fears were rife that the group’s threat to extend its attacks to Lagos were to be carried out. But Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni said the city is safe.

    He described as a “mere rumour” the insinuation that the NDA was planning to bomb the Ikorodu  Police Station, the Atlas Cove, the Third Mainland Bridge and  other targets.

    A huge deployment of policemen in Ikorodu also reinforced the rumour that an attack was likely.

    But Owoseni, who assured residents of their safety, said security agencies have been on their toes to avert any such threat.

    He added that police officers were stationed at Ikorodu because there was an ongoing operation in the town to dislodge criminals.

    Owoseni said: “Just as you heard it as a rumour, so I also heard it as a rumour. It is a mere rumour and there is no truth in the rumour. It is just like the rumour we received that the Third Mainland Bridge will be no more on May 29.

    “Here we are, the Third Mainland Bridge is still standing. Reports we got about Ikorodu are cases of cultists and the police have arrested about 200 suspects. They are being screened. Security agents are on their toes there. There is overwhelming presence of policemen because there is a tactical operation going on there since last week.

    “Ikorodu has been sectioned into four tactical operations points, which are manned between 5am and 9pm.

    “In fact, the report at our disposal now is that some of the militants who used the waterways to commit heinous crimes, like kidnapping and armed robbery have been relocating.

    “There is no threat of bombing of a police station at Ikorodu. However, plain-clothe policemen, officials of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) are on ground and on top of the situation. People should be careful where they go,” he said.

    Owoseni debunked accusations of extrajudicial killings against the police, insisting that armed robbery and kidnapping suspects arrested since August have been charged to court.

    According to him, the command has in court 163 armed robbery cases involving 308 suspects. Two kidnap cases with six suspects have also been charged to court since August, last year.

    “We are saying this because of the impression being created. It is not true that we have been killing armed robbery and kidnapping suspects in our custody.

    “It is also not true that we have been covering up our personnel who are found wanting. I can tell you that between July 2015 and last April, 136 policemen have either been queried or charged in orderly room for misconduct.

    “Those bothering on criminality were immediately arraigned. We have been taking policemen through reorientation at the Police College. Over 850 personnel have already attended the courses and we are on the 13th batch,” Owoseni said.

     

  • Police allay fears of militants’ attack in Lagos

    Police allay fears of militants’ attack in Lagos

    THE police have dismissed the rumour of alleged plan by the Niger Delta Avengers to invade Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb.

    There was apprehension in the state yesterday over a report that the militants were planning to bomb the Ikorodu police station as well as Atlas Cove and other oil installations.

    It was gathered that the threat saw deployment of security agents, especially because the militants have earlier threatened to bomb the Third Mainland Bridge before May 29.

    But Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni, who assured residents of their safety, stated that security agencies have been on their toes to avert any such threat.

    He added that police officers were stationed at Ikorodu because there was an ongoing operation in the town to dislodge criminal elements.

    Owoseni said: “Just as you heard it as a rumour, so I also heard it as a rumour. It is a mere rumour and there is no truth in the rumour. It is just like the rumour we received that the Third Mainland Bridge will be no more on May 29.

    “Here we are, the Third Mainland Bridge is still standing. Report we got about Ikorodu are cases of cultists and the police have arrested about 200 suspects. They are being screened. Security agents are on their toes there. There is overwhelming presence of policemen because there is a tactical operation going on there since last week.

    “Ikorodu has been sectioned into four tactical operations points, which are manned between 5am and 9pm.

    “In fact, the report at our disposal now is that some of the militants who used the waterways to commit heinous crimes like kidnapping and armed robbery have been relocating.

    “There is no threat of bombing of police station at Ikorodu. However, plain-clothe policemen, officials of the Directorate of State Service (DSS) are on ground and on top of the situation. People should be careful where they go,” he said.

    Owoseni debunked claims of extrajudicial killings against the police, insisting that armed robbery and kidnapping suspects arrested since August have been charged to court.

    According to him, the command has arraigned 163 armed robbery cases involving 308 suspects. Two kidnap cases with six suspects have also been charged to court since August last year.

    “We are saying this because of the impression being created. It is not true that we have been killing armed robbery and kidnapping suspects in our custody.

    “It is also not true that we have been covering up our personnel who are found wanting. I can tell you that between July 2015 and last April, 136 policemen have either been queried or charged in orderly room for misconduct.

    “Those bothering on criminality were immediately arraigned. We have been taking policemen through reorientation at the police college. Over 850 personnel have already attended the courses and we are on the 13th badge,” he said.

  • Anambra Mayhem: IPOB, Military, Police clash over Biafra       

    Anambra Mayhem: IPOB, Military, Police clash over Biafra       

    The celebration of Biafran Day in memory of Late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu turned sour Monday in Anambra, as the military, police, members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) clashed, killing over 30 persons and injuring many.

    It was equally gathered Monday that over 50 members of the Biafran group were arrested by the military and taking to their 302 cantonment in Onitsha.

    Following the mayhem, the commercial city of Onitsha especially Nkpor axis, was locked down with the security operatives taking over the roads.

    Commercial activities were paralyzed as a result, with vehicular movements stopped with burn fires all over the roads.

    Speaking with reporters Monday on the development, the public relations officer (PRO) of (IPOB), Emma Powerful, alleged that security operatives had killed over 30 members of the group, over 50 others arrested and taken to an unknown destination.

    Also, he alleged that many others were seriously injured in the mayhem, adding that the security operatives started arresting their members since 1.30 am when they began their peaceful demonstration.

    According to him, “they were moving around in their hilux vehicle with a native doctor, when we are celebrating Biafra without any form of weapon, does it mean that we have no right for our fundamental rights,” Emma asked.

    When the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), in the state Ali Okechukwu was contacted yesterday at about11.55am, he said there was no room to discuss causality figures, adding that they were still busy trying to clear the roads for easy movement.

    However, an eye witness who spoke with The Nation Monday and a (MASSOB) member said about 32 persons were killed by the navy and military personnel.

    The casualties according to him were taken to one of the hospitals at Nkpor but they were rejected, while those killed were driven to the army barracks.

    For MASSOB and Campaign for Democracy (CD), the action of the security personnel was unfortunate knowing fully well that the group was a harmless one celebrating the declaration of Biafra on May 30th, 1967 in memory of late Ojukwu.

    The leader of MASSOB, Comrade Uchenna Madu, told reporters that federal government should look into the mayhem with a view to arresting the situation, adding that his group was not involved.

    However, he warned that if Ndigbo were pushed to the wall by security personnel that they would have no other option than to take to arms, which according to him would make Nigeria be in flames.

    Madu, further said that the federal government was negotiating with Boko-haram and Niger Delta militants while the security continued to fight the people without arms and they were keeping quite.

    He said he ordered his men to mark Ojukwu’s day by staying indoors and not march on the streets, adding that those in the streets were not (MASSOB) members rather (IPOB).

    Speaking with The Nation the (Ogirishi Ndigbo) spiritual leader, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, described the situation as unfortunate.

    He said when he was contacted by the group about the peaceful protest; he advised them to use his Rojenny stadium instead of the streets, adding that they told him that they had secured a place at Nkpor already to mark the Biafran day.

    However, he condemned the alleged killing of Ndigbo, adding that nobody had the right to kill people if it actually happened, but emphatically, said he was not aware of the killings.

    Furthermore, he said if there should be a form of protest, that the people should get permit from the security men, adding that he had earlier advised to maintain peace in such situation.

    The Nation gathered from one of the eye witnesses at Nkpor that the anger of the military was that one of its men was killed during the shootout.

    The national publicity secretary of campaign for democracy (CD) Dede-Uzor-Dede, told reporters Monday that the federal government should arrest those involved in the killings of the harmless youths with a view to bringing them to justice.

    This, according to him was in line with chapter 4; section 33 to 41 which centered on fundamental human rights and in line with the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

    “There are freedom of association, movement among others, people’s rights of protest peacefully should be allowed, the sanctity of people’s rights is sacrosanct and total in its ramifications,” he said.

    CD therefore warned that the era of killing Ndigbo youth must stop by the security operatives.

  • Police arrest 17 MASSOB members in Owerri

    Police arrest 17 MASSOB members in Owerri

    The police in Owerri on Monday arrested some 17 members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) for holding a road show in commemoration of 49th anniversary of Biafra.

    The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Andrew Enwerem, who confirmed the arrests, said those arrested would be prosecuted.

    The MASSOB members began the march at Waterside Primary School, Owerri, from where they moved to Rotibi Street to Oguamana Street before linking Douglas Road.

    At Douglas Road the marchers met heavily armed security men, who threw teargas at them at Ama JK end of the street and arrested some.

    Mr Okechukwu Nwogu, a leader of MASSOB, said it was regrettable that the police arrested members of the group who were on a peaceful march to commemorate the 49th anniversary of Biafra and 17th anniversary of MASSOB.

    “What Nigeria government is doing to us is very unfair; MASSOB is a non-violent group moving without arms in remembrance of our history.

    `Nwogu called on Igbo leaders to come out and speak for Igbo people being unjustly treated by security forces.

    Earlier Chief Canice Anojuru, the spokesman for MASSOB in Owerri zone, said the group decided to hold the road show to awaken the consciousness of the people of the defunct Biafra.

    Anojuru said the road show was to draw the attention of international community to the plight of Biafra people.

    He added that the group had achieved a lot despite obvious challenges.

    On the recent invasion of Nimbo community in Enugu state by suspected Fulani herdsmen, the group advised the people of south-east to be more vigilant to forestall future attacks in the area.

    “As a group, we frown at the rate at which human beings were killed and maimed, farmlands destroyed, women raped, and buildings razed by these Fulani herdsmen.

    “We are calling on all people of Southeast area to be more vigilant and extra careful over this recent development,’’ Anojuru said.

    The group advised people of the area to be careful in engaging people whose identity were not clear to them as security men, gardeners and house-keepers.

     

  • Suspected wife-killer may be ‘mentally unstable’, say police

    Suspected wife-killer may be ‘mentally unstable’, say police

    Forty-nine-year old Jafaru Sogei, who allegedly killed Rose, his wife of 26 years, last Friday, may be “mentally unstable”, the police said yesterday.

    Acting spokesman of Lagos Command Chukwuma Ozoani, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said there was possibility that the suspect is mentally unstable because he can barely speak for now.

    Ozoani said: “We are carrying out various tests on him. There is the possibility that he might be mentally unstable. He might have psychiatric problem. He is in police hospital; we are checking his mental health. It is an all inclusive thing. He cannot stand on his own nor speak what we understand.

    “He only looks and murmurs and so we are going the extra mile to look at the issues and observe him.”

    Sogei was said to have ingested a poisonous chemical after allegedly slashing his wife’s throat and was found vomiting in the bathroom at about 4am.

    It was gathered that he attempted to set the body ablaze before his son, Richard, saw him and raised the alarm.

    Richard found his mother’s body when he went into the room to tell her that his father may be sick.

    Neighbours quickly held Sogei, who was subsequently arrested by policemen from Akinpelu division and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) at Panti, Yaba, Lagos Mainland.

    The police rushed him to the hospital when his condition became critical.

    The police initially thought the suspect was on drugs, but later discovered that he might have ingested poison as his health was deteriorating.

    “He was rushed to the hospital and has been there since then. There is a possibility he is mentally unstable. Our psychiatric doctors are checking him. He is not in a good state at all. He took poison. He is not well so we are treating him at the police hospital.

    “You cannot investigate someone who is at the point of death. But once he recovers, we would begin investigation into the case,” said a source.

    It was gathered that Abiodun Odude, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in charge of the SCIID spent several hours in the hospital on Saturday and yesterday.

    Before the incident, it was learnt that Sogei had been warning his wife to stop collecting gifts from her relatives for the family’s upkeep.

    The suspect, who is said to be jobless, had reportedly assaulted his wife and mother of his five children on some occasions for alleged infidelity.

    According to Richard, who spoke with reporters last Friday, the suspect started acting strangely after allegedly killing his wife.

    He said: “My three siblings, our aunt and I slept in the living room, while dad and mum were inside. Around 4am, dad called me from the bathroom. I went to meet him but he did not say anything. I went outside to urinate and when I came back, I checked the bathroom and saw him lying down, vomiting some black substance and excreting on his body. I think he poisoned himself. I told my aunt to wake mum up to attend to him. But she didn’t wake up. I shone a flashlight on her and saw blood on the bed with a wide cut in her neck. I fainted when we discovered she was dead.

    “We later asked dad how it happened, he said somebody entered and did it whereas the compound gate is always locked in the night.

    “It was mum that took care of us. She was the one sponsoring my elder brother, Collins, who just gained admission into a university in Abia State. I don’t know our fate now.

    “The landlord of our former house on Michael Street sent us out because dad always quarrelled with mum. We were also sent away from Banjoko Street for the same reason.”

  • Police arrest man for raping 18-year-old girl

    An 18-year-old girl has been hospitalised after she was allegedly sexually abused by a man.

    The incident, it was gathered, took place at Ishiagu in Nkalagu community in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

    The victim was reportedly abused at gun point by her assailant.

    It was gathered that the girl was sleeping in her mother’s shop when the suspect broke into it and forcefully slept with her.

    Police spokesman George Okafor, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), confirmed the incident and the suspect’s arrest.

    He said: “On May 22, at 8.50 hours (8 a.m), a lady from Abia State and resident at Ishielu, in company of her brother, reported how she was raped by the suspect, who also allegedly made away with her N3,500 in the shop.”

    The spokesman said the police had visited the scene of the crime and arrested the suspect.

    He said the suspect would soon be charged to court.

    Okafor said the victim was receiving treatment at a hospital.

  • Another man kills wife in Lagos

    Another man kills wife in Lagos

    Less than one month after Lekan Shonde reportedly killed his wife in Egbeda area of Lagos State, another man, Friday, allegedly murdered his wife at their no 8 Araromi area of the state.

    According to the sister in-in-law who simply identified herself as Vero, the suspect, James Kafaru Esougie, slashed his wife, Roseline’s throat while she was asleep.

    Unlike Lekan who ran away after he reportedly committed the crime, Vero said James didn’t run away but started manifesting strange characters when they became aware of the incident.

    Vero said: “We were sleeping when my sister’s husband came out to wake the first son to go and urinate. This was about 4am.  When the boy went in to wake the mother, he saw that she was not responding.  He shook her vigorously and got no response and quickly ran to call me. When I got there, I also shook her with the aim of waking her but got no response. Touching her legs, I observed that it was very cold. I shuddered and quickly removed that cloth on her face.

    ‘It was then that I saw that the husband had used a knife to slash her neck. He cut the vein that holds the neck and the head. She was in a pool of her own blood. Goose pimples overwhelmed me and the children. They were traumatized as they saw the lifeless body of the mother drenched with blood.

    “When we were doing all these, the husband sat on the floor vomiting black things and defecating right there. Thereafter, I raised the alarm and neighbours came to apprehend him.  The police was later invited to whisk him away.”

    Asked if the couple used to quarrel before the murder, Vero said:  “They used to quarrel a lot. The husband was always beating her. We severally told her to leave the house for him but she declined, preferring to endure for the sake of her children.  It was her resolve to endure that eventually caused her, her life. She gave birth to five children for him. They are both from Auchi, in Edo State. My sister was a petty trader but the husband doesn’t have any known job. As far as I know, he is jobless. It was my sister that was responsible for providing for the needs of the family. ”

    The rest of  deceased’s  siblings were in pensive mood obviously trying to fathom the fate that befell  their sister as Vero tearfully relived the account of how the sister was gruesomely murdered in  the building that houses several shops where clothing and other house hold items are sold.

    Seething anger glaringly stood on the face Philip, the deceased’s younger brother when The Nation sought his comment on the incident. He paced up and down in the apartment looking downcast.

    “My late sister’s husband married her when she was in the secondary school. He was initially working as a trailer driver before he lost his job. He has been jobless since then.  We have been asking her to park out all along but she refused. It is unfortunate that she ended up being sacrificed by the man she gave her all.”

    Shop owners in the building sat sorrowfully in groups at the entrance of the house bemoaning the fate that befell the deceased. Some of them who spoke with our correspondent said they saw the deceased when she returned from her business place around 8pm on Thursday. They said the husband became unusually aggressive earlier in the week as he quarreled with everybody that stood on his way.

    “The man was very aggressive all through Wednesday and good part of Thursday. He was smoking and feverishly puffing the smoke of the cigarette into the air. He kept   throwing away every chair and table that he saw on the way and also quarrelling with everybody that saw.  We never knew that he was preparing the ground for the dastardly act he wanted to carry out.

    “The wife sells frozen food at Ijora. We were outside when she returned from her business place Thursday.  She was looking very tired and sick. When we asked her what the matter was, she said she wasn’t feeling healthy. When we told her to take some days off and rest, she said it would not be possible immediately because she needed to hustle to get money to pay her children’s school fees. She said she would take time to rest after paying the school fees.  She had earlier paid the rent. Unfortunately, the rest will end up becoming an eternal one,” one of the traders said.

    Another trader said: “The deceased was a gentle person. She was always going out early and coming back late in the night. We are all aware that she was the breadwinner of the family because the husband was always idle. I have serious concern about the future of the children. Before they were taking away by the deceased’s family, they were seriously hungry.  They had to go and borrow matches to lit the stove to make something for them to eat.”

     

  • Police charge bank, staff with fraud, forgery

    Police charge bank, staff with fraud, forgery

    The police have filed a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery and fraud against two female employees of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tammy Adoki and Augustina Ezenwenkwe.

    Also named in the charge before Justice Mohammed Idris are an oil company, Maters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, UBA, Uche Ogah, Deji Somoye, Felix Eribo, Onu Ogbonnaya, and Sheidu Olayinka.

    The bank was accused of negligence and failing to apply its internal control procedures in the opening of an account in the name of one Mut-Hass Petroleum, which the police alleged was fraudulent.

    The police said the bank allowed the account to be opened sometime in 2011 at one of its regional offices in Lagos in breach of the provisions of the Bank and other Financial Institutions Act 2004.

    According to the police, the bank was liable to being punished under Section 7(3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other related Offences Act 2006.

    Its officials, Adoki (36) and Ezenwenkwe (39), said to be at large, were accused of “facilitating, contributing or otherwise being involved in the failure of your bank to exercise due diligence.”

    The alleged offence, the police said, is punishable under Section 7(3)(b) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other related Offences Act 2006.

    The defendants and some other persons still at large were accused of forging the signatures of one Mrs. Bridget Adeosun and Hassan Olatunji, with the intent that same might be acted upon as if they were genuine.

    They were also accused of forging a document titled, “Ordinary Resolution of Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited,” which the police claimed was contrary to Section 465 of Criminal Code, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 467 of the same law.

    They were said to have committed the alleged offence in Ikeja GRA, Lagos sometime in August 2011.

    Prosecuting counsel Mr. Henry Obiazi yesterday said his men were still making efforts to bring the suspects to court.

    Justice Idris adjourned till June 2 for arraignment.