The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Police accuse two guards of rape

    Police accuse two guards of rape

    THE police have accused two security guards of having forcible sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old girl.

    Solomon Ichoja, 23, residing on Olosa Street, Victoria Island and Geoffrey Arve, 20, a resident at 44, Kaka Street, Ayobo, Lagos, were arrested following a complaint by the girl’s family.

    The duo were employed as guards by a private security firm.

    They were arraigned yesterday before Mr. W. B Balogun of an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, on a three-count charge of conspiracy, sexual harassment and rape.

    Prosecuting Corporal Cyriacus Osuji said the defendants committed the offence on April 8, around 9pm on 7 Olosa Street, Victoria Island.

    He alleged that the defendants sexually harassed and unlawfully raped the girl.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Magistrate Balogun granted them N1 million bail, with two sureties each in the like sum. One of the sureties must have landed property in Lagos.

    He ordered the sureties to deposit N250,000 each in the court registrar’s account, and also show evidence of their relationship with the defendants.

    The case was adjourned to May 11.

     

     

     

  • Police confirm traffic warden’s, ex LASTMA official’s arrest for robbery

    Police confirm traffic warden’s, ex LASTMA official’s arrest for robbery

    The Lagos State Police Command yesterday confirmed the arrest of a Traffic Warden, Eweta Solomon, and a dismissed Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) official, Ayorinde Lateef, for alleged kidnapping and robbery.

    They were arrested at Old Ojo Road branch of Fidelity Bank after allegedly forcing their victim to withdraw N125,000 from his account.

    The duo and Sergeant Adebayo Asimiyu popularly known as Oluomo, now at large, had accosted a businessman around Malu road inwards Apapa, accusing him of driving against traffic.

    The command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the incident occurred last Wednesday.

    She said Lateef and Solomon have been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad  (SARS) in Ikeja.

    “The command will not treat this matter lightly because it is committed to ridding the force of bad eggs. We are on the trail of the fleeing Sergeant and we want to assure the public that they will be dealt with in accordance with the law,” said Badmos.

     

  • Igbo traders to police: we’re not safe in Bayelsa

    Igbo traders in Bayelsa State yesterday protested the murder of their colleagues by suspected gunmen.

    They were particularly angered by the alleged murder of a businessman, Agodo Martins at his Yenagoa home on Monday.

    The hoodlums were said to have broken into the home of the businssman, who owns a popular boutique, Omars Fashion Plaza, in the Ompadec area of the Yenagoa-Mbiama Road.

    It was gathered that the gunmen, who stormed Martins’ home on Punch Road, reportedly asked for money from their victim.

    The businessman reportedly told his assailants that there was no cash at home because shops in the capital city were shut down for about four days in honour of the late Governor  Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who was buried on Saturday.

    After ransacking his apartment, the hoodlums were said to have killed Martins in the presence of his new wife.

    The protesters, led by the President of Ohaneze Youth Council (OYC), Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa, recalled that Martins was killed a few days after gunmen killed another Igbo businessman, identified simply as Ugochukwu, popularly called Ugo Best.

    It was gathered that Ugochukwu was killed on the Azikoro road on his way home.

    A source, who spoke in confidence said: “He was close to his house in company of his wife when gunmen in commercial tricycle blocked his car. They dragged him out of the car and forced him into the tricycle.

    “His body was discovered the next day at the Azikoro cemetery with his hands and legs tied up. He was a successful businessman, who built a big house at the Azikoro village. We are scared”.

    The traders also related how another businessman was murdered at the Tombia area, adding that others were harassed and injured by arm-bearing youths.

    The traders assembled at the front of Omars boutique, forced shops to close down and marched with anger to the state command of the police.

    They were received by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Peter Ogunyawo, and other senior police officers.

    Presenting their grievances, Arthur-Ugwa said: “The Igbo are no longer safe in Bayelsa. We are being killed by gunmen. One was killed at Azikoro, the other one was killed at Tombia and today another one who just got married was killed in cold blood.

    “We are not happy and we have closed down our business to come and tell you at the headquarters that we are not safe. If you cannot guarantee our safety, we will relocate our business and families out of the state. We are pleading for your assistance”.

    Ogunyawo said crimes exist everywhere and were not targeted at the Igbo.

    He said death is one debt everybody must pay and that nobody knows how it will be paid.

    He said the command was doing everything possible to check the crime wave in the state and asked the traders to furnish the police with information to enable them become effective.

    “We can’t be effective if you don’t partner with us. Once you have feelings of any crime, let us know. You don’t need to run to anywhere because crimes exist everywhere”, he said.

  • Police Sergeant, others ‘rob’ businessman of N620,000

    A Police Sergeant identified as Oluomo has fled after his gang allegedly robbed a Lagos businessman of N620,000.

    But, his gang members, Corporal Ewenta, a traffic officer at the Trade Fair Police Station and Ayorinde, described as a dismissed Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) official, were arrested by operatives of the Area E Command in Festac Town.

    It was learnt that the trio had accosted the businessman around Malu Road inward Apapa and blocked his Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) with their motorcycle.

    They were said to have accused the man of flouting traffic laws and ordered him out of his vehicle.

    But the man, it was learnt insisted that he did not take ‘one-way’. The suspects refused to let him go and kept driving him round Apapa in his car, demanding that he pay a N125,000 fine.

    The man was said to have told the police that the suspects took the N500,000 cash they saw in his car. They also reportedly insisted on collecting a N125,000 bribe from him or they will take him to their station where he would pay N250,000 fine.

    It was gathered that the man begged for mercy as he thought they were kidnappers because they were making calls that they were bringing him.

    “They drove the man round for three hours insisting he must pay them N125,000  after collecting N500,000 from his car. They told him to go to the bank and withdraw money. They even drove him to Fidelity Bank on Old Ojo Road. One of the suspects entered the bank with the man while another one stood outside the bank.

    “Oluomo, according to the man, drove off with his car. So, at a point the man had access to his phone, he secretly called his friend and informed him that he has been kidnapped but the suspects collected it back from him. But they foolishly dropped it again and the man secretly sent text message to the friend, telling him he was at Fidelity Bank, Maza Maza.

    “It was his friend who called the Area E Commander and also the DPO (Divisional Police Officer) of Satellite Police station who trailed the victim and his attackers.

    “The man withdrew N120, 000 and the dismissed LASTMA official who followed him into the bank collected it. But the man later summoned courage and held the suspect firmly outside the banking hall, shouting ‘thieves’ ‘thieves’.

    “A crowd soon gathered and started beating the two suspects until the police came and took them to the station,” said a police source.

    Police spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent, did not reply to a text message sent to her phone at the time of filing this report.

  • Assault: Police arrest fleeing danfo driver

    Assault: Police arrest fleeing danfo driver

    The police have caught the danfo driver, who along with two others, allegedly rough handled a passenger, Miss Kafayat Rabiu, at Abule Egba, Lagos, and fled about 12 days ago.

    The Nation learnt that Sadiq Olowolagba was handed over to the police on Saturday by the bus owner.

    Lagos police spokesperson Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP), told The Nation yesterday that the bus was tracked down on Friday and the owner produced Olowolagba on Saturday.

    “I told you every machine was set in motion for his arrest. Sadiq Olowolagba will be charged to court tomorrow (today) for assault,” she said.

    To facilitate Olowolagba’s arrest, the police sent his bus’ number plate to their men on traffic duty at Alakuko on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) officials.

    Last Tuesday, Miss Rabiu took her quest for justice to the Governor’s office in Alausa, Ikeja.

    Yesterday, an elated Miss Rabiu said the police had called to tell her of the driver’s arrest.

    She said: “I received a call from the police this morning (yesterday) that the driver has been arrested. They want me to come to the station, but I am outside Lagos. I hope to return to Lagos and go to the station.”

    Coordinator of Al-Muminaat Social Advocacy Project Mrs Sherifah Yusuf-Ajibade, who led Miss Rabiu to the governor’s office said: “The swift intervention of the Lagos State Government into has once again demonstrated the resolve of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to protect all citizens irrespective of their creed, region and social status from all forms of crimes and maltreatment

    “As a Muslim women human rights advocacy organisation, it gladdens our hearts that the assault case of a sister in hijab can get the attention of the governor. Indeed, this singular swift intervention of the government gives much hope to the ordinary man on the street that their rights can no longer be infringed upon with impunity.”

  • Teenage ‘cultists’ arrested for theft

    Teenage ‘cultists’ arrested for theft

    Operatives of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad (RRS) on Sunday nabbed a 13-year-old suspected member of the notorious Awawa cult group for robbery.
    The teenager, Opeyemi Johnson, a Junior Secondary School (JSS) student, was arrested around Fagba in Agege on Sunday morning after he, alongside 20 others dispossessed road users of their belongings.
    It was learnt that the suspect and his gang members were returning from a street carnival before they started terrorising passerbys, snatching their bags, phones and other valuables.
    While the other gang members fled, RRS men on patrol caught Opeyemi who later led the police to arrest another suspect, Mohammed Korede, 19.
    Confessing to the crime, the teenager said their leader, a certain ‘Ijaomode’ ordered them to rob anyone they saw on the road from the carnival.
    “I followed my cult members to carnival at Power Line, Agbado Crossing. On our way home, our Capol, nicknamed ‘Ijaomode’ instructed us to start robbing anybody we meet on our way.
    “We robbed not less than 10 people before we got to Fagba Junction. At this point, we saw a young girl, (Naisha Akiomon) and immediately surrounded and collected all her belongings including phones and jewelry. She later went to bring RRS men who chased us and arrested me while my colleagues managed to escape,” he said.
    The suspect who claimed he was raised by his mother and never knew his father disclosed that he was only told that his dad was a Congolese, adding that he once travelled to Congo alone to see his father but was told he had travelled.
    Asked how he joined the cult, Opeyemi said he was forced into the group by one brother Ola last year.
    “I was initiated into the group about a year ago. It was one brother whom I only know as Ola that introduced and forced me to join the group.
    “It was on a Sunday evening at Abattoir, Agege. Ola took me to one dark room and ordered me to kneel down. In that room, I met six other members already waiting for my arrival.
    “The cult leader, ‘Ijaomode’ blindfolded me with black clothe and all the six members descended on me. They gave me a thorough beating.
    “After a while, they stopped. They gave me alligator pepper to chew and also an alcoholic drink to gulp it down. One of them stood up and he drew tattoo on my forehead and below my eyes as sign of being a bonafide member of the group. “Since that time, I have been going out with them for operations. I stopped going back home. I used to sleep in a shanty plank room at Abattoir.
    “Initially, I did not know it would turn out to be this. Immediately I saw their way of life, I wanted to quit but they threatened to kill me if I dared,” said Opeyemi.
    But his mother who seemed disappointed at the teenager’s behaviour said she has always tried to give him and his siblings her best.
    She explained that she enrolled him into a private school at Sango Ota just to ensure he did not go astray, wondering how he ended up at Abbatoir.
    “He is my third child. Though I had remarried but that doesn’t stop me from playing my motherly roles on him. His two older siblings are in higher institutions.
    “I have tried enough to ensure that he doesn’t go astray. I enrolled him in a private school at Sango. I wonder how he got to Abbatoir, Agege. I gave him and his siblings all my best,” she said.
    Reliving her ordeal, Akiomon said that she was on her way to Lagos Island around 4am when about 15 armed boys surrounded her and collected her N58,000, three ATM cards, Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC), phones, among others.
    “I had to run to the other side of the road to shout for help. Fortunately, I saw RRS operatives patrolling and I explained everything to them.
    “They followed me to the crime scene but immediately the thieves saw us coming, they started running. The Police chased them and arrested one of them,” she stated.
    When contacted, the state command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police (SP) confirmed the arrest, adding that the two suspects have been transferred to Gender Department of the police command for necessary actions.

  • 110 killed, 350 injured in India’s temple fire

    Police said 110 died and more than 350 others injured in a massive fire outbreak during a fireworks display at a temple in the southern Indian state of Kerala early Sunday morning, a senior police official said.

    “In fact, the fire started around 3 am local time during the fireworks display at a ground next to the Puttingal temple in the state’s Kollam district, packed with 15,000 people attending a festival.

    “While 110 people were killed, those injured have been admitted to various hospitals in Kollam and other nearby districts, where makeshifts air-conditioned camps have been set up,” a senior police official said

    The official said, on condition of anonymity that the death toll may go up as the condition of some are said to be critical.

    Indian military choppers have been pressed into service to ferry the injured to the hospitals and the state government has cancelled the leaves of all doctors and demanding them to report to duty.

    According to officials, a spark had actually ignited a stack of fireworks, triggering the fire.

    “It was a spark from the crackers being burst that fell into the stack of crackers kept on ground, leading to the fire,” another official said.

    Local TV channels showed footage of white smoke billowing from the temple and also reported that successive explosions from stack of crackers caused some parts of the temple roof to cave in.

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his remark said the inferno was “heart-rending and shocking.”

    Modi headed to Kerala to meet the injured in a special Indian Air Force flight, along with a team of 15 specialist doctors from the national capital.
    “Fire at temple in Kollam is heart-rending and shocking beyond words.

    “My thoughts are with families of the deceased and prayers with the injured,” Modi said while also announcing a compensation of two lakh rupees (4,000 U.S. dollars) for the families of each of the deceased.

    State Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said the temple had defied orders and carried out the “competitive fireworks”, which are a tradition during the ongoing seven-day festival ahead of the New Year of native Keralites.

    “A case has been registered against the temple authorities and soon they will be arrested. A judicial probe has been ordered into the fire,” the police official said.

  • Police arrest two suspected armed robbers, rescue kidnap victim in Cross River

    Police arrest two suspected armed robbers, rescue kidnap victim in Cross River

    The Cross River State police command, on Friday, paraded two suspected armed robbers in Calabar, along with a stolen car recovered from them.

    The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Henry Fadairo, said the suspects were arrested by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) from the command.

    Fadairo said that the suspects, Frank Obi-Bisong and Francis Akomaye, were arrested on February 6, at Obudu Local Government Area of the state.

    He said they were arrested after robbing one Mary Adie of her Lexus ash-colour SUV, valued at N4million and her ATM, which the suspects used in withdrawing the sum of N31, 000.

    “Frank Obi-Bisong and Francis Akomaye robbed one Mary Adie at Obudu and dispossessed her of her Lexus ash-colour jeep, with registration number, BWR 745 WN and her ATM card, which they used in withdrawing the sum of N31,000.

    “The jeep and other valuables belonging to Mary Adie were recovered by men of the police. The suspects confessed to the crime and would be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded,’’ he said.

    In a related development, the Commissioner of Police said that men of the SARS, in the early hours of Friday March 8, also rescued one Bartholomew Effiong at Bacoco community in the Calabar Municipality.

    He said that Effiong was kidnapped on March 7, 2016, by heavily-armed gunmen, while his Camry car was also snatched.

    “On the 7th of April, our men received a distress call that one Bartholomew Effiong has been kidnapped.

    “The SARS team quickly proceeded to Bacoco community, surveyed the area, and pinned them down for a while. The next day, being 8th of April, the suspects were sighted by our men and heavy shooting occurred.

    “Our men over-powered them and they escaped into a nearby bush with gunshots wounds. The victim and the vehicle were recovered, while investigation is on top gear to arrest the fleeing robbers/kidnapping.’’

  • Police parade 27 suspected kidnappers in Kogi

    Police parade 27 suspected kidnappers in Kogi

    The Kogi State Police Command yesterday paraded 27 suspected kidnappers believed to have terrorised the state in the last three months.

    While parading the suspects before newsmen at the State Police Command, the state Commissioner of Police (CP), Yakubu Usman, said they were arrested across the state with dangerous weapons.

    On March 2 this year, came information, he said, that Fulani individuals suspected to be armed robbers and kidnappers were sighted in a hotel in Idah, adding that his men swung into action and arrested them.

    During interrogation, he added, the suspects confessed to haven kidnapped one Isah Ibrahim, with others, and the sum of “two million five hundred thousand” was paid as ransom.

    Said CP Usman: “The suspects also stated that in the month of December last year, they kidnapped one Mallam Isah Yusuf and the sum of five hundred thousand was collected, and they killed the victim, because the victim can identify one of his captives. As a result of the arrest of the suspect, his gang members went and killed the victim’s father named Mohammed Yusuf at Idah”.

    Also paraded was one Maha Musa who allegedly kidnapped Mr. Lily Yunpin, a Chinese national.

    According to the CP, the suspect was arrested and, during interrogation, he confessed to various armed robberies, kidnapping and attack on the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) base at Ejule.

    The suspect added that he and six others kidnapped the victim last month and a ransom of N3 million was collected while N100,000 was handed to him as his share.

    Mohammed Isah and Iliyasu Abubakar were arrested for allegedly kidnapping an unnamed seven-year old boy in Aloma ib Ofu Local Government Area of the state.

    On March 20, according to the CP, one Sule Adamu Usman of the Aloma Fulani camp reported that on that same day at about 4:00 p.m., one of his wives called him that his son named Halilu Usman (seven) was kidnapped by unknown gunmen on the way to a stream. He said that the kidnappers called on the telephone demanding a ransom of N1million, but that during payment, one Mohammed Isah was arrested by operatives attached to SARS and, during interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime which led to the arrest of two others.

    The CP further disclosed that some suspects were killed during a shootout with his men, warning that kidnapping and armed robbery would soon end as his men are ready to check the activities of criminals in the state.

    On cultism in Lokoja, the state capital, in the past few months, the CP said those involved in cult-related activities which led to the killing of two young men have been arrested and charged to court.

    He assured people of the state of adequate security, just as he appealed that whoever had information on criminals should report the same at the nearest police station.

  • FCT Election: Police vow to arrest, prosecute electoral violators

    FCT Election: Police vow to arrest, prosecute electoral violators

    The Commissioner of Police on election duty for Federal Capital Territory, Foluso Adebanjo has said the police would deal with anyone planning to violate the electoral process.

    He also noted that anyone caught in the act of thuggery as well as their sponsors would be prosecuted.

    Adebanjo made this known in Abuja while briefing the media on Police preparation for Saturday’s council election across the territory.

    According to him: “May I state at this point that the Police is fully prepared and committed to the successful and peaceful conduct of this Election.

    “I want to also assure members of the public that the Police will remain neutral and provide all with a conducive atmosphere to exercise their voting rights.

    “However, the Police will not hesitate to apply the appropriate sections of the law in dealing with any individual or group of persons arrested trying to foment trouble or sabotage the electioneering process.”

    The CP, who stepped into the shoes of the substantial FCT Police boss, Wilson Inalegwu for the Area Council election said the command deployed Police personnel to respective polling units and voting points by name for the purpose of accountability.

    He said: “It is pertinent to state at this juncture that Police personnel for this election duty have been properly briefed on their roles as stipulated in the electoral act. They will be professional, non-partisan, civil but firm in their approach and relation to the public.”

    Adebanjo said aside the aforementioned, the Police have been working closely with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to provide water tight escort for the safe movement of both sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials to the respective destinations.

    Continuing, he said: “Adequate security arrangements have been made for the protection of INEC staff and all ad-hoc staff being used for the conduct of the election. Also, security at all INEC offices across FCT has been beefed up.”

    The CP said in order to properly monitor the election, the Joint Operations Centre, JOC, domicile in the FCT Police Command Headquarters, and has since commenced operation.

    He said the centre is manned by personnel drawn from all the security agencies and they will be working with the sole goal of receiving real time situation reports and monitoring the conduct of the elections.

    Adebanjo insisted that the restriction of vehicular movement still remains 7am to 4pm and enjoined FCT residents to feel free to come out and exercise their constitutional mandate as the Police in collaboration with other security agencies would be on ground to provide security for the seamless conduct of the election.

    He urged residents to be vigilant and cooperate with the Police and other security agencies by reporting suspicious movements and activities through the FCT Police Command Helplines; 08061581938, 07057337653, 08032003913, 08028940883.