The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • We’re ready for today’s Akwa Ibom rerun –Police

    Ahead of today’s election rerun in Akwa Ibom State, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Murtala U Mani, has assured residents of the state of a peaceful and hitch-free election across the affected local government areas.

    Mani gave the assurance yesterday while interacting with journalists on the level of preparedness of the police concerning the rerun.

    The election rerun is to fill four vacant seats in the state House of Assembly as ordered by the courts.

    The police boss said the command has put together a strong and virile force, made up of police personnel, the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Civil Defence, to contain any electoral violence that might crop up before, during and after the election.

    He warned miscreants and election saboteurs to stay-off election venues, pointing out that his men are more than prepare to deal with anybody that would go contrary to the electoral laws.

    ‘’we have made adequate arrangement and preparation for this exercise to cover all the flashpoints and vulnerable areas in the state. Our aim is to ensure that everybody goes to the voting venue cast his vote without molestation or hindrance.

    ‘’We had a meeting with the INEC, the political parties and all the security stakeholders in the state, including the Civil Defence, the Navy, the Army and the Air Force, where the operational order for the exercise has been drawn, regarding our deployment and participation in the exercise.”

    He used the occasion to call on all indigenes of the state, especially those from the affected local government areas of Etinan, Ikot-Ekpene/ Obot Okara, Oron/Udung Uko and Ibesipko Asutan, to remain calm before during and after the election.

  • Police nabs notorious car snatchers in Edo 

    Police nabs notorious car snatchers in Edo 

    Five persons suspected to be notorious car snatchers within Benin City and environs have been arrested by men of the Edo State Police Command.

    The suspects, Alao Samson, Christopher Obanugo, Okwuchukwu Ntagu, Dickson Ogiemwonyi and a spray painter, Godwin Atanu were arrested on March 8, after they snatched five cars from different individuals.

    Police said a Lexus RX 300 was sold by the gang for N120, 000 and a new Lexus jeep for N500, 000.

    Two of the recently stolen cars, a Ford Focus and Toyota Matrix were sprayed to another colour.

    Samson, w‎ho hails from Osun State said he usually disguised as a mechanic and whenever he was called to fix a vehicle, he would made away with the cars after the owner submitted their car keys.

    Ogiemwonyi, a graduate of Political Science from the University of Benin, who bought the Lexus Jeep said he suspected that it was a stolen car which made him to take it to a spray painter to change the colour.

    Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Osifo Abiodun, who paraded the suspects, described the arrest as a major breakthrough owing to the incessant reports of car snatching in the state capital.

    “These are suspects who specialise in car snatching within Benin and neighbouring communities. On February 18, 2016, a Nissan car was snatched by three armed men at gunpoint from the owner. And since, we have been on the trail of these armed robbers. It paid off three days ago on a tip off that a vehicle was being vandalised at a hideout, at a specific location.

    “In his (Atanu’s) workshop one of the stolen vehicles was recovered. His personal vehicle was also recovered. We are investigating it to know how he came about even his personal vehicle.‎”

    On the claim of innocence by the spray painter and his wife, Abiodun said, “Suspects will always give flimsy excuses. They will always have one or two stories to tell. He has been a spray painter over the years and highly experienced. But before you spray a vehicle, you ask genuine questions about the particulars of the vehicles. The vehicles themselves were not dented. So, how come he is spraying them and changing their colours?”

  • Police arrest one over alleged reprisal killing in Rivers

    Police arrest one over alleged reprisal killing in Rivers

    Nineteen-year old Luke Okumebi has been arrested by the Police in Rivers state over the killing one Godstime Ifuroiyala at Buguma town in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of the state Wednesday.

    The spokesman of the state Police command, Ahmad Mohammad a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed this in a statement in Port Harcourt, the state capital Friday.

    Ifuroiyala aged 17 was reportedly murdered and corpse set on fire by the suspect.

    Community members believe that the act was in retaliation of the clubbing and burning of the corpse of a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ofinijete Amachree in Buguma, Monday evening.

    One Ndubisi Tochi was on Tuesday arrested and detained for Amahree’s murder.

    Mohammad in the statement said, “The police at Buguma on Wednesday March 9, 2016 at about 4:30 pm received a complaint to the effect that one Godstime Ifuroiyala ‘m’ 17 years old was at about 1 pm allegedly murdered at Tariah Compound, Buguma.

    “The police on receipt of the information raced to the scene of the incident but did not see the victim’s corpse, but there was sign of struggle and blood stains all around the scene.

    “Efforts to get information proved abortive as people around the scene declined to talk to the police until a patriotic citizen later volunteered information that led to the arrest of one Luke Okumebi ‘m’ 19 years old as one the suspects behind the alleged murder of the victim.

    “The suspect is presently being interrogated at the State Intelligence and Investigation Department of the Command. Efforts are heightened to arrest his accomplices with a view of bringing them to justice.

    “The Command craves for the continued cooperation of the media to confirm their stories to ascertain their facts and truthfulness before making them public,” he said.

     

  • Police launch manhunt for rapist

    Police launch manhunt for rapist

    The police in Ebonyi State have launched a manhunt for Sunday Obaji for allegedly raping Mgbada Chioma.

    The incident it was gathered happened at Effium in Ohaukwu Local Government Area.

    Police Spokesman George Okafor confirmed the incident. He said the suspect barged into the victim’s room and raped her at gun point.

    He appealed that the community should assist in apprehending the suspect and reiterated the command’s resolve to fight violence against women to a standstill.

    “On March 7, Mgbada Chioma from Effium community in Ohaukwu council reported to the police that at about 2am, Sunday Obaji entered her bedroom, pointed a gun at her and threatened to kill her if she raised an alarm.

    “Obaji tore her clothees and had unlawful carnal knowledge of her and after that, escaped.

    “She reported the matter to the police and the scene has been visited. The matter is under investigation. The suspect is on the run and we are trying to trace him; he cannot run for long.”

  • Man impersonating police officer paraded for rape in Calabar 

    Man impersonating police officer paraded for rape in Calabar 

    The Cross River Police Command Thursday paraded a man impersonating a police officer, Idongesit Effiong, 29, for allegedly raping a 23 year old girl.

    Effiong was arrested by men of the police command on the 17 of January 2016 at Ekorinim area of Calabar Municipality, according to the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr John Eluu.

    Eluu, said that the victim was raped by Effiong and his two friends who are now at large on the 17th of January at an uncompleted building in Ekorinim.

    “On the 17 of January 2016, One Esther Etete, came to the command with a case of an alleged rape.

    “She complained that she was raped by three men at Ekorinim area of Calabar Municipality.

    “Immediately after taking down her statement, men of the police swung into action and we able to arrest one Idongesit Effiong while two of his friends ran away on sighting us.

    “Effiong was arrested with fake police uniform. Further investigation shows that he has been using this fake police uniform to commit heinous crimes in the area’’, he said.

    According to the PPRO, the police were on the search for the other two suspects.

    Also, the police also paraded one Emmanuel Eyo, 23, and Monachi Igbo, 18, for unlawful possession of fire arms.

    The PPRO said that the suspects were using the arms to terrorise resident at Ekpo Abasi area of Calabar South.

    He further said that the suspect would be charged to court as soon as investigations were completed.

     

  • Ebonyi: Police launch manhunt for rapist

    Ebonyi: Police launch manhunt for rapist

    Detectives of Ebonyi State Police command have launched a manhunt for one Sunday Obaji for allegedly raping one Mgbada Chioma .

    The incident it was reliably gathered happened at Effium community in Ohaukwu local government area.

    Police Spokesman ASP George Okafor confirmed the incident to our reporter.

    He said the suspect barged into the victim’s room and raped her at gun point.

    While noting that the community should assist in apprehending the suspect the spokesman reiterated the resolve of the command to fight the scourge of violence against women to standstill.

    He said: “On the 7th of March, 2016, one Mgbada Chioma from Effium community, Ohaukwu local government reported to the police that at about 2:am in the morning, one SundayObaji entered her bed room, pointed gun at her and threatened to kill her if she raised alarm”.

    “On the process, with the threat of the gun, Sunday Obaji tore her dresses and had unlawful carnal knowledge of her and after that, he escaped”.

    “The girl reported the matter to the police and the scene has been visited. The matter is under investigation”. The suspect is on the run; we are trying to trace him to wherever we can. He cannot run for long”.

    “The community should assist in producing him because they known him very well. How can a lady be sleeping at night, a man will move in and raped her on gunpoint and ran away”.

    “We are talking about violence against women and this is one of such violence. Wherever this man is, we must fish him out. He must be punished and we are calling on this community to do something immediately and produce this suspect”.

    “He is a native of the community; even if he escaped from the community, they have to fish him out.”

     

  • Police arrest five for ‘stealing’ bank’s N114.8m

    Police arrest five for ‘stealing’ bank’s N114.8m

    The Police Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (CIID) Alagbon, Lagos has arrested five men for allegedly stealing N114.8 million‎ belonging to Skye Bank Plc, Lagos.

    Odewale Moroof, 29, Sylvester Ozoike, 36, Dickson Ologwu, 23, Akinsanya Olayiwola, 35, and Adejumo Saheed, 37, were arraigned Wednesday before Miss M. O. Awogboro of a Lagos State Magistrates’ Court in Igbosere.

    The defendants, of no fixed addresses were not given, are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Henry Obiazi told the court that the defendants and others who are still at large committed the alleged offences sometime ‎in the month of November 2014, at Skye Bank Plc Headquarters, in Victoria Island.

    He said that the defendants stole the sum of N114, 806,000 property of ‎ Skye Bank Plc.

    They are suspected of having transferred the N114, 806,000 into 61 different accounts.

    According to Obiazi, the offences are punishable under Sections 409, 285 (5) (a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

    The defendants denied the charges.

    Magistrate Awogboro granted them bail in the sum of N100million each, with two sureties each in the like sum.

    One of the sureties must be a blood relation and have landed property.

    The case was adjourned till March 23, for mention.

     

     

  • ‘Fake’ Tinubu trustee, Reverend docked for alleged forgery

    The police have accused a man allegedly claiming to be a trustee in the Estate of Iyalode Madam Efunroye Tinubu of Lagos, of forgery.

    Tajudeen Olalekan Ademoye Tinubu, 55, was arraigned Wednesday on Charge No. C/14/2016, alongside Mrs. Omotayo Oyindamola, 54, and Emmanuel Olatoye Shodipe, 85, said to be a reverend, before Mr. B. A. Sonuga of a Lagos State Magistrates’ Court in Igbosere.

    They are standing trial on a four-count charge of conspiracy, forgery, malicious prosecution and giving information to the police which caused two innocent persons to be prosecuted.

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Henry Obiazi told the court that sometime in August 2014, at Mushin, the defendants conspired and forged a Power of Attorney “with intent that it may in anyway be used or acted upon as genuine to the prejudice of another.”

    He added: “On August 11, 2014 at Zonal Police Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, the defendants did conspire to cause one Mr. Akindele Afolabi and Alhaji Adio Kazeem to be charged with offences knowing that both persons were innocent of the alleged offences.

    “In the same month in the Mushin area, Tinubu, with intent to defraud people, falsely represented you to be a trustee in the Estate of Madam Iyalode Tinubu.”

    The offences, the prosecutor said, contravened Sections 94, 363(3)(m), 378(1) and 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

    The defendants denied the charges.

    Magistrate Sonuga granted Tinubu and Oyindamola bail in the sum of N200,000.00 with one surety each in the like sum while Shodipe was released on self recognizance on account of his age.

    The case was adjourned till April 23, for mention.

  • I have stolen over 100 phones, suspect confesses

    Twenty-Eight year old suspect, Babatunde Ibrahim, who was arrested by the operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command, has confessed stealing over hundred mobile phones within the metropolis.
    The suspect who was nabbed over the weekend  by the Policemen along Abeokuta-Expressway, Ikeja axis, said that stealing has become his act since childhood.
    He made this confessional statement at the RRS’ headquarters at Alausa, mentioning Sanni Azeez, 27, and Hakeem Kamoru,40, as receivers of the stolen items.
    According to him, ” The act of stealing has become part and parcel of me. I am a specialist in burgling unsuspecting members of public’s houses without their knowledge. I used to gain entrance into any house by cutting the door and window net with a razor blade. I derive pleasure in taking what’s  not belong to me.”
    “Apart from house burgling, I also operate during a traffic jam most especially most prone areas to traffic congestion such as Ikorodu road, Lagos-Abeokuta, Apapa-Oshodi Expressways and so on. The last operation I went was at Ilupeju where luck ran out of me on getting to Ikeja along,” he added.
    During an interrogation, he explained that  he entered  the building through the balcony door which was left opened before proceeding to the victim’s room to steal three handsets, two Nokia and one blackberry phones with other valuables.
    The  suspect revealed that the receivers of all his stolen phones were his friends living in Akala Street in Mushin local government.
    He  had successfully stolen the mobile phones and other valuables at ilupeju area before the Policemen suspected his movements along Ikeja upon seeing them during routine patrol on the highway.
    “We noticed his suspicious movement upon sighting us. He wanted to drop his cross bag at one corner but when he found out that we have seen him, he bolted. But we made a hot chase and later caught up with him before Ile-Zik. We interrogated him why he took  to his heels immediately he saw us, he could not provide satisfactory answers.  Then we conducted a thorough check on his bag where we recovered the stolen items,” the Police said.
    The police said that his confessional statement enabled them to apprehend his receivers of all the stolen handsets in Mushin.
    Confirming the arrest , the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Superintendent of Police, SP Dolapo Badmus, said the suspect will face the wrath of the law for the offence committed.
    The three suspects have been further transferred to Ilupeju Divisional Police station following a request from the station’s Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to continue the investigation.

  • Kidnappers abduct Magistrate, two others in Edo

    Kidnappers abduct Magistrate, two others in Edo

    Kidnappers operating along Benin-Auchi express road on Wednesday abducted a serving Senior Magistrate simply identified as Hassana.

    The police orderly of Hassana whose name was given as Marcus was shot and currently receiving treatment.

    Family sources said Hassana was going to Ehor, headquarters of Uhunmwode Local Government when she and two others were abducted.

    The source said the kidnappers randomly picked motorists along the road and whisked them away.

    It was learnt that after Hassana orderly was shot, he driver managed to drive the vehicle into an earth road which led to a village where he thought they would be safe.

    But the kidnappers struck again and took the Magistrate away.

    As at press time, no contact has been made to her family.

    A police source the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, has already directed the Commissioner of Police in the state, Chris Ezike to ensure the immediate release of the abducted persons and arrest of the abductors.

    Spokesman for the police, DSP Abiodun Osifo, confirmed the abduction and said policemen were already combing the bush with a view to releasing the victims.