The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Police arrest two over possession of arms in Yenagoa

    Police arrest two over possession of arms in Yenagoa

    The Police in Bayelsa on Sunday said it arrested two suspected robbers with firearms.

    DSP Asinim Butswat, Police Public Relations Officer in Bayelsa, made this known to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa.

    He said that a riffle and 197 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the suspects.

    Asinim said two other suspects escaped but assured that police would apprehend and make them to face the law.

    “On Saturday policemen on routine Stop and Search Operations along the Gloryland Drive, Yenagoa, flagged down a red Highlander jeep with REG No. SPR 386 AA.

    “AR riffle with five loaded magazines containing 197 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the vehicle.

    “The occupants of the vehicle, one James Ebi, 31 and Pinni Oyakemeagha, 34, were arrested, two other suspects escaped,” Butswat said.

  • Four FUTA students die in crash, others injured

    Four undergraduate students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) Ondo state on Saturday lost their lives in an auto crash along Ilesa-Akure express road.

    The accident which occured at Ibule village about one kilometre to FUTA North gate also left many students of the university injured.

    The Police Pubic Relations Officer (PPRO) for the state Police Command, Mr Femi Joseph who confirmed the accident attributed it to high speed.

    He said some students of the university travelling to Ibadan, Oyo state for a religious programme were involved in the ghastly motor accident.

    The PPRO said the accident which involved a Toyota hiace bus and a
    motorcycle was caused by over speeding on the part of the driver of the bus.

    He said the the deceased students have been deposited at the mogue,while those injured are receiving treatment at different hospitals in the state.

    The Public Relations Officer of the University, Olu Adegbenro said the students were on a private religious trip when the accident happened.

    He said the management of the university was already aware of the accident and already relating with the Police on the matter.

    He commiserated with the families of the deceased students and their colleagues.

  • Police attack protesting Labour leaders

    The Police in Ebonyi State Thursday attacked and beat up members of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) who staged a peaceful protest in the state against the increase in pump price by the federal government.

    The workers were intercepted near Pastoral Centre along the Abakaliki-Enugu Expressway as they were on the peaceful protest by a detachment of Police officers who proceeded to attack the workers.

    The Police, it was gathered, tear gassed the workers ceaselessly and beat up leaders of the union including the Chairman Comrade Ikechukwu Nwafor who was seen rolling on the ground as the Police officers kicked and beat him.

    He was later bundled into the waiting white Police Hillux van by four police officers and taken to the Police Headquarters in Abakaliki alongside about 15 other labour leaders.

    The Police claimed the workers did not obtain Police clearance to carry out the protest, an allegation debunked by Comrade Nwafor.

    The workers had gathered as early as 8am at their secretariat along the expressway and took off on the protest along the expressway.

    On getting to the Pastoral Centre, the workers met a detachment of Police Officers who unleashed an attack the workers tear gassing them ceaselessly.

    One of the Labour leaders, Comrade Greg Ishaya was seen at the police Station with minor injuries on his hands from the attack.

    Comrade Ikechukwu Nwafor was in pain as he sustained serious knee injuries and was limping. He relied on the support of other labour leaders to walk when our reporter met him at the station after the attack.

    The Police Commissioner in the State denied that the workers were attack adding that the police used minimal force to disperse the crowd adding that the protesters did not inform the Police before embarking on the protest.

    But Comrade Nwafor debunked the allegation adding that the command duly informed the police of the protest.

    He said, “We were on a peaceful demonstration against the increase in fuel pump price and electricity tariff when the police attacked us. We gave them a letter, I was calling the Commissioner and she didn’t pick my calls and we have evidence to that”

    “What we were doing is a peaceful demonstration and all of a sudden the police came and attacked us. The police when we saw them we thought they were coming to protect us. They tear gassed us. They lifted me up and hit me on the ground and gave me a thorough beating. Five of them later lifted me up and threw into their hillux van like a common criminal.”

     

  • Two policemen killed in Kogi police station attack

    Two policemen killed in Kogi police station attack

    Two police constables were reportedly killed early Thursday morning as gunmen numbering about 12 invaded the Osara police station in Adavi Local Government Area, Kogi State.

    Accounts have it that the yet-to-be identified hoodlums invaded the police station around 2am, shooting indiscriminately and throwing the sleepy community into confusion.

    According to the account, the hoodlums on gaining entry into the station went straight into the armoury where they carted away arms and ammunition.

    They reportedly broke open the cells and released the detainees in custody.

    The two policemen who tried to resist were said to have been gunned down while two others that were critically injured are said to be responding to treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja.

    The hoodlums, who reportedly operated for over two hours unchallenged, were said to have set ablaze a vehicle parked at the station during the attack.

    A sources living close to the police station said the attack may not be unconnected with the arrest of some hoodlums on Monday who allegedly confessed to be working for an unnamed former LG chairman from the area.

    When contacted, the Kogi Police Command Public Relations Officer, Willy Aya, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), confirmed the incident, but said no life was lost.

    He however said that two injured cops were responding to treatment at the hospital.

     

  • Police praise Crescent Varsity proprietor

    The Nigeria Police has lauded Crescent University Proprietor, Judge Bola Ajibola, for adding value to the lives of young people through the institution founded in 2005.

    The Police Public Relations Officer of Ogun State Command, DSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, gave this commendation when he delivered a paper entitled: Communication and National Security, to mark the Communication Week of the Mass Communication Students’ Association (MACOSA) of the university.

    Adejobi challenged higher institutions in Nigeria to contribute to the safety of the country by conducting research into issues of national security such as cultism and terrorism, with a view to proffering solutions to them.

    The police spokesman said there was a need to play down on media reportage of criminal activities, especially the Boko Haram.

    “Some of our reporters have been celebrating criminals at the detriment of Nigeria’s image. It is not all the time you report Boko Haram; each time you report them killing as much as possible, you are only encouraging them. I want to implore all our communicators, particularly the media, not to celebrate these terrorists,” he said.

    Adejobi described policing as the best job, saying, “Police is not a bad job, it is a very good job and it is the only job that can give you socio-political and economic power.”

    While hosting Adejobi, the Vice Chancellor, Prof Ibraheem Gbajabiamila, said Crescent University had been in the fore-front of building the future leaders worthy in character and learning.

  • Police: no news on kidnapped nuns

    Police: no news on kidnapped nuns

    The police in Ondo State yesterday said they do not have any information on the whereabouts of the two abducted nuns.

    The victims, whose identities were not revealed, were reportedly kidnapped at Kajola village in Odigbo Local Government Area on the Benin-Ijebu Ode Expressway last Sunday.

    Police spokesman Femi Joseph said the abductors have not contacted anyone to demand for ransom. He assured the families that they will soon be released.

    Joseph said: “We are on the trail of the kidnappers but for now all I can tell you is that we are investigating and very soon they would be released and the abductors arrested.”

    The Director of Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo, Rev. Leo Aregbesola, said the diocese’s Vicar-General has met with the Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Hilda Harrison, on the matter.

    According to him, “On Monday, I went to see the commissioner of police over the matter but what they (police) told us was that they were still working on the situation.”

    The cleric enjoined the church to pray for the victims’ safe release.

     

  • Police arrest fake lawyer in Ogun

    Police arrest fake lawyer in Ogun

    The police in Ogun State have arrested a 47-year-man, Ayodele Balogun, from Otta in Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area for allegedly practising as a lawyer for 10 years without training.

    Ayodele, who has been parading himself as a trained lawyer and practising at the Ota arm of the state judiciary, was arrested by detectives, following complainants that he had duped someone of N140000.

    Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said while the suspect was being interrogated, a notable lawyer in Ota alerted them to his “criminal antecedents and the need to interrogate him extensively”.

    He said: “As the police detectives carried out their interrogation, a revered lawyer in the area alerted the police to the suspect’s criminal antecedents and urged the police to widen the scope of their interrogation.

    “That was when the suspect, Ayodele Balogun, who has been practising at a popular chamber in Ota for a decade, told us he was a fake lawyer.

    “The suspect and others, who might be indicted in the course of police investigation, will be charged to court and his (their) details will be sent to the Nigerian Bar Association for necessary action.” Adejobi said.

  • Police parade suspected killer of UUTH doctor, others

    The Akwa Ibom State Police Command yesterday paraded some suspected murderers .

    Among them was Henry Silas, who allegedly killed the Head of Department of Pathology at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), Dr. Ivy Umanah.

    At a media briefing at the police headquarters in Uyo, the state capital, Police Commissioner Murtala Mani said Silas (28), a native of Ikot Akpanwa village in Ika Local Government Area, allegedly used a vehicle iron (car shaft) to hit Dr. Umanah on her head, causing her instant death.

    The police chief said the late pathologist gave the suspect a tilling job to do in her apartment.

    He said Dr. Festus Abasiubong introduced Silas to the UUTH doctor after completing a designing work at Dr. Abasiubong’s home at Ikot Ntuen village on Abak Road in 2015.

    Mani said: “Silas confessed to the crime – that he killed Dr. Umanah with an object, a car shaft, which he picked by the side of her vehicle, which was parked in the compound of the deceased’s house.

    “The suspect said he was not sent by anyone to kill the deceased, that the killing was as a result of the disagreement he had with her over the payment of N100,000 for the work he did in her house: tilling and Plaster of Paris (P.O.P) work.

    “He also stated that Dr. Abasiubong did not send him for the killing, though it was Dr. Abasiubong who introduced him to the deceased to work for her.”

    The police chief said a team of officers from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), led by Julian Igbudu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), arrested the suspect in Aba, Abia State.

    Items belonging to the deceased, which the police allegedly recovered from Silas’ home, include: two car keys, three First Bank and GT Bank ATM cards.

    Mani said: “When the house and premises of Silas was searched, the plasma television of the deceased was recovered in his room at 124 Aka Road, Uyo. The cell phone of the deceased has not yet been recovered though he claimed that he lost it inside a tricycle he entered.”

    The police commissioner also said another suspect, Glory Bassey (28), killed her 75-year-old father, Bassey Udo, for allegedly being a wizard.

    He said the suspect, who is from Itu Local Government Area, broke into her father’s home and hit him to death.

    Another suspect, Uwem Akpanebe (17), allegedly killed Mrs. Josephine George with a machete.

    Mani said Akpanebe, who is from Essien Udim Local Government Area, is a nephew to the deceased.

    The police chief said Akpanebe allegedly killed the woman because he felt Mrs Akpanebe wanted to use him for money ritual.

    The suspects spoke separately with our correspondent, confessing to the killings.

    Silas said: “I was pleading with the deceased to pay me. But she started complaining about the work, that she did not like the design. The deceased gave me a slap and banged the door on me.

    “I got angry and I picked a rod kept outside the compound. I waited for her to come out. When she came out and saw that I was holding a big rod, she became afraid and ran to the parlour.

    “I chased her and, in the process, she fell down. I hit her hard on the head with the rod.”

    Bassey said: “I had two husbands and five children and all died mysteriously. My brother went mad before he died and my mother had seven strange sicknesses before she died. My father had strange powers and had killed all the children before their birth.

    “Five of my children died in my stomach at the point of their birth and were evacuated through surgical operations. I confronted my father about my predicament but he started flogging me while raining abuses on me. I then retaliated by whipping him back only to be told after a day that he had died.”

    Akpanebe said: “I was arrested because I killed my mother’s sister. I was told that she wanted to use me for money ritual. I used a machete to kill her.”

     

     

  • Police parade suspected killer of UUTH doctor, others

    Police parade suspected killer of UUTH doctor, others

    The Akwa Ibom State Police Command yesterday paraded some suspected murderers .

    Among them was Henry Silas, who allegedly killed the Head of Department of Pathology at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), Dr. Ivy Umanah.

    At a media briefing at the police headquarters in Uyo, the state capital, Police Commissioner Murtala Mani said Silas (28), a native of Ikot Akpanwa village in Ika Local Government Area, allegedly used a vehicle iron (car shaft) to hit Dr. Umanah on her head, causing her instant death.

    The police chief said the late pathologist gave the suspect a tilling job to do in her apartment.

    He said Dr. Festus Abasiubong introduced Silas to the UUTH doctor after completing a designing work at Dr. Abasiubong’s home at Ikot Ntuen village on Abak Road in 2015.

    Mani said: “Silas confessed to the crime – that he killed Dr. Umanah with an object, a car shaft, which he picked by the side of her vehicle, which was parked in the compound of the deceased’s house.

    “The suspect said he was not sent by anyone to kill the deceased, that the killing was as a result of the disagreement he had with her over the payment of N100,000 for the work he did in her house: tilling and Plaster of Paris (P.O.P) work.

    “He also stated that Dr. Abasiubong did not send him for the killing, though it was Dr. Abasiubong who introduced him to the deceased to work for her.”

    The police chief said a team of officers from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), led by Julian Igbudu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), arrested the suspect in Aba, Abia State.

    Items belonging to the deceased, which the police allegedly recovered from Silas’ home, include: two car keys, three First Bank and GT Bank ATM cards.

    Mani said: “When the house and premises of Silas was searched, the plasma television of the deceased was recovered in his room at 124 Aka Road, Uyo. The cell phone of the deceased has not yet been recovered though he claimed that he lost it inside a tricycle he entered.”

    The police commissioner also said another suspect, Glory Bassey (28), killed her 75-year-old father, Bassey Udo, for allegedly being a wizard.

    He said the suspect, who is from Itu Local Government Area, broke into her father’s home and hit him to death.

    Another suspect, Uwem Akpanebe (17), allegedly killed Mrs. Josephine George with a machete.

    Mani said Akpanebe, who is from Essien Udim Local Government Area, is a nephew to the deceased.

    The police chief said Akpanebe allegedly killed the woman because he felt Mrs Akpanebe wanted to use him for money ritual.

    The suspects spoke separately with our correspondent, confessing to the killings.

    Silas said: “I was pleading with the deceased to pay me. But she started complaining about the work, that she did not like the design. The deceased gave me a slap and banged the door on me.

    “I got angry and I picked a rod kept outside the compound. I waited for her to come out. When she came out and saw that I was holding a big rod, she became afraid and ran to the parlour.

    “I chased her and, in the process, she fell down. I hit her hard on the head with the rod.”

    Bassey said: “I had two husbands and five children and all died mysteriously. My brother went mad before he died and my mother had seven strange sicknesses before she died. My father had strange powers and had killed all the children before their birth.

    “Five of my children died in my stomach at the point of their birth and were evacuated through surgical operations. I confronted my father about my predicament but he started flogging me while raining abuses on me. I then retaliated by whipping him back only to be told after a day that he had died.”

    Akpanebe said: “I was arrested because I killed my mother’s sister. I was told that she wanted to use me for money ritual. I used a machete to kill her.”

  • No information on kidnapped Rev. sisters – Police

    The Ondo State Police Command says it is yet to have any information about the whereabouts of the two abducted Reverend Sisters.
    The victims,  Apo Perpetual and Roseline Familade were kidnapped at Benin-Ijebu Ode Expressway at Kajola village in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state on last Sunday with their driver, Zwugwa Zibai.
    The police however said it had commenced efforts to rescue the sisters.
    The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Femi Joseph, who spoke with The Nation said their abductors have not contacted anyone to demand for ransom but assured their families members that they will soon be released.
    He noted that the command had been on the trail of the hoodlums but no one had been arrested in connection to the the incident.
    ” We are still on the trail of the kidnappers, but for now all I can tell you is that we are investigating and very soon they would be released and the abductors would be arrested, ” he explained .
    The Director of Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo, Rev. Father Leo Aregbesola said the Vicar-General of the diocese had met with the state Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Hilda Harrison over the matter.
    The cleric enjoined the entire church to pray to God for the safe release of the kidnap victims .