The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Ese: My son hasn’t committed any crime – Inuwa’s Father

    Ese: My son hasn’t committed any crime – Inuwa’s Father

    Alhaji Dahiru Bala (55), father of 25-years old Inuwa Dahiru Bala (otherwise known as Yunusa aka Yellow) who abducted 14-year old Ese Rita Oruru spoke from Tofa, his village in Kura Local Government Area of Kano state, Wednesday, insisting that his son committed no crime and should be set free.

    Alhaji Bala told reporters who traveled about 40 kilometres from Kano to Tofa village that Ese voluntarily followed his son out of love and affection.

    “The girl fell in love with my son and followed my son. Let them release my son because he has not committed any crime by following his heart,” he added.

    However, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman (50), Dagaci Tofa (Village Head of Tofa) faulted Inuwa’s action for keeping the girl after the instruction of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Muhammad 11, describing the action as unIslamic.

    Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman also gave a graphic account how the girl was converted to Islam and was taken to the Emir of Kano for endorsement, but added that the Emir refused to endorse the marriage because the girl (Ese) in question was a teenager and could not decide for herself without the consent of her parents.

    According to the Village Head of Tofa town: “What I know about the story is that there was a time that boy, Inuwa Dahiru Bala, a native of this village, came with the girl in question whom I learnt her name is Ese Oruru. They came here sometime last year; and Inuwa brought her to me.

    “When he told me what he wanted to do—that is, getting married to the girl; I told him I don’t have the power to join them as husband and wife. So, I decided to take them to the Hakimi (District Head) of Tofa.

    “The Hakimi took the issue to the Liman (Islamic scholar) of our village where the conversion of the girl from Christianity to Islam was performed. From there, we headed straight to the Emir’s Palace to intimate him on the development; but unfortunately, the Emir was not around at that time. We met the then Wambai Kano (Abbas Sanusi, now Galadiman Kano).

    “The Wambai Kano instructed us to take them to Sharia’ah Commission; so, at Sharia’ah Commission, the issue was further discussed—the parents of the girl were invited to Sharia’ah Commission. The parents wanted to take the girl back to Bayelsa, but they could not.

    “Then, the next day being a Friday, we went back to the Emir’s Palace and we were asked to come back on Monday (after the weekend). When we came back to the Emir’s Palace that Monday, we waited a long time for representatives from the Sharia’ah Commission, but they delayed us to the extent that the Emir, Sanusi Muhammad 11, got tired and left for other official engagements.

    “So, when the Emir left, the Police who came along with the parents of the girl had no choice than to leave for other official duties. However, the Emir delegated power to Wambai Kano who spoke on behalf of the Emirate Council and informed us that the girl being less than 16 years of age should be given out for marriage without the consent of her parents.

    “Having been informed on the position of the Emirate Council on the issue, Wambai Kano gave us a letter stating the position of the Emirate Council and instructed us to deliver it to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 1, including Inuwa and the girl.  We delivered the letter to the AIG and gave him a message that the Emir instructed that the girl should be repatriated to Bayelsa where her parents lives. So, after delivering the letter and the two children to the AIG, that was where I stopped playing any role, believing that the AIG will handle the matter as instructed by the Emir.

    “However, I must say that Tofa people are not happy with this development and we condemn the action of our son, Inuwa. Now, I must tell you that it was wrong for Inuwa to have brought the girl back to this village after the Emir of Kano has given his verdict that the girl be repatriated back to her people. It is not in our character to do this kind of thing.

    “So, I must declare that Inuwa’s character was unIslamic and totally unacceptable by the people of Tofa village who have high regard to our religion, constituted authorities and the revered throne of Sarkin Kano, Sanusi Muhammad 11. Inuwa has cheated the people of Tofa; he has smeared our name and the name of Kano state, even that of Nigeria.

    “My advice to the young ones is that whenever they want to get married from any part of the country, they should properly follow the channels, tradition, customs and norms of the people. The reunion of the girl with the parents is the best option in this issue and Tofa people align themselves with this decision, because since the Emir’s verdict on the issue, all that we have been fighting for is that the girl be returned back to her parents.”

    The Nation also gathered that Inuwa Dahiru Bala (25) who was born and brought up in Tofa village, traveled to Bayelsa state in search of job.

  • Ese absent as police reunites her with parents

    Ese absent as police reunites her with parents

    The police on Wednesday officially reunited the abducted Bayelsa girl, Ese Oruru, with her parents.
    Ese was however absent at the  event held at the police headquarters in Abuja and presided over by the Force Spokesperson, Bisi Kolawole
    Olabisi  read a prepared speech with titled: “Police Re-Unite Ese with Parents.”
    After the speech was read, the girl’s mother thanked the press, police and  Nigerians for their intervention.
    A source at the Force Headquarters explained that journalists  were not allowed  to witness  Ese’s reunion  with her mother, Rose Oruru, because  ” it is wrong for the girl to be captured by the media since  she is still a minor.”
  • Police redeploy Sagamu DPO

    Police redeploy Sagamu DPO

    •Constitute panel to probe him

    Ogun State Commissioner of Police Abdulmajid Ali has ordered the redeployment of the embattled Divisional Police Officer of Sagamu, Mr John Mark, to the Command Headquarters, Eleweran Abeokuta.

    Ali constituted a six-man committee led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Finance and Administration, Celestine Okoye, to investigate the allegations against the DPO and a member of the House of Assembly, Yinka Mafe.

    The committee is expected to carefully X-ray the allegations and counter allegations between the police and Mafe and forward its report within one week.

    In a statement by police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the redeployment followed the allegations (corruption and extortion) against the DPO by Mafe.

    According to Adejobi, neither the command nor the commissioner is insensitive to the allegations against the DPO and other counter allegations against certain individuals.

    “The commissioner therefore wishes to assure the public that the command will not tolerate any act of corruption or unprofessionalism or/and inappropriate behaviour that can damage the Force’s image and reputation.

    “The commissioner reiterates the command’s zero tolerance for cultism, vandalisation, hooliganism, kidnapping and other social vices inimical to adequate security of lives and property in Ogun State,” Adejobi said.

     

  • Police nab fake naval officer in Enugu

    Police nab fake naval officer in Enugu

    The Enugu Police Command on Tuesday nabbed a man who allegedly posed as a naval officer to swindle unsuspecting members of the public.

    The command’s spokesperson, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, said in a statement that the fake officer who gave his name as Sunday Oka was arrested on Feb. 26 dressed in a naval uniform.

    He said that the suspect hailed from Ezeagu in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi but resided at Mmakwum Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area in Anambra.

    Amaraizu alleged that Oka dressed in a naval T-shirt with a face cap and went to a police station in Enugu where he identified himself as a naval officer to solicit for the release of his associates in crime.

    He said that Oka came for the release of two suspects who were both from his place in Ebonyi but resident in Onitsha.

    The two suspects were nabbed earlier by the police for allegedly possessing fake currency notes.

    They were nabbed on Dec. 12, 2015 when they went to purchase some items in a shop on Nanka Street, New Haven in Enugu with fake currency.

    Amaraizu said that Oka had also gone to the house of one of the suspects and extorted N34, 000 from his wife under the guise that he would get her husband out of detention.

    The spokesperson said that the command recovered N45, 000 from the suspect.

    Oka, a panel beater and married with four children, blamed his action as devil’s handiwork.

  • Handing over of Ese Oruru postponed

    Handing over of Ese Oruru postponed

    After several hours of waiting, journalists were told around 7:18 that the handing over of Ese Oruru to her parents will be done tomorrow.

    Addressing newsmen, the Force Spokesperson, Olabisi Kolawale said: “The parents are just approaching Abaaji and we cannot keep waiting for them.

    “We will call you people tomorrow when we want to reunite the girl with her parents,” she added.

  • Abuja: Ese Oruru arrives Police headquarters

    Abuja: Ese Oruru arrives Police headquarters

    • To be handed over to her parents

    The late arrival of Ese Oruru’s parents to the Police headquarters in Abuja is delaying the handing over of the girl to them.

    The parents were said to have left Yenagoa around 6am to Abuja where she will be handed over to them.

    Ese was said to have arrived the Force Headquarters around 12:55 pm on Tuesday.

    Journalists who seemed impatient with the delay were relocated from the 7th floor to the Peace Keeping Hall in the 5th floor where the IGP, Solomon Arase is expected to brief newsmen.

    Speaking on the reason for the delay, the Force Spokesperson, Olabisi Kolawale said: “The handing over is delayed because the girl’s parents are still on their way. Their bus took off around 6am from Yenagoa and we are still waiting for them to arrive.”

  • Police parade ‘ritualist’ with human head

    Police parade ‘ritualist’ with human head

    The Police in Oyo State yesterday paraded a suspected ritualist, Kamoru Oladele, for alleged possession of a human head.

    Briefing reporters at the state police headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan on its activities last month, the Commissioner, Leye Oyebade, said members of a syndicate, who specialise in selling human parts, were arrested by the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad.

    “The arrest was made possible after the squad received credible intelligence on their clandestine activities.

    “After two weeks investigation, their leader, Kamoru Oladele, was arrested during a negotiation to sell fresh human head for N30,000.

    “When his house was searched, one smoked human skull was recovered.

    “During interrogation, it was revealed that the gang had slangs for different human parts.

    “Such slangs were known only to the initiates. For instance, human head is called Agbon (Coconut),” he said

    According to him, the gang had its killer squad, which helped to hunt for victims, who are killed and dismembered for sale.

    Oladele said their trade was carried out in their human abattoirs at Amuloko, Ibadan and Kuta village, Osun State.

     

  • Breaking news: Abducted girl Ese released, in police custody

    Breaking news: Abducted girl Ese released, in police custody

    Ese Oruru, the 14-year-old girl abducted by one Yinusa, aka Yellow from Bayelsa to Kano has been reportedly released and is now in custody of the Inspector General of Police.

    Tosan Blessing, a lecturer in Bayero University, Kano in a facebook post confirmed her release.

    ” I can confirm that Ese Oruru the girl abducted in a kamikaze pattern from Bayelsa State by a randy Yinusa is in the custody of the Inspector General of Police. I saw her at the Central Police Station about 30 mins ago where she was being prepared for medical procedure and ancillary services. I spoke with her for about 16 minutes, She looks opinionated and seriously brehwared. but well oriented and wanting to leave Kano.

    “She had said it was all the works of the Devil. She said she was converted to Islam and giving the name Aisha. I told her she is now being reconverted and her name of Ese is restored. She cant speak Ijo but smarts Urhobo . I gave her some cold drinks and Zebadinne fresh yoghurt to cool the ehware tract and went back to my academic Duties. My names are Tosan Blessing Merhiakpome Harriman and that’s the way I see it.”

    More details soon

  • UNIPORT 4: Police absolve victims of alleged theft

    The four students of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) who were killed by a mob in Aluu, Rivers State, over alleged theft, have been absolved of their alleged crime by the state Police command.

    The four undergraduates of the university were killed by a mob on October 5, 2013, at Umuokiri community for allegedly stealing a Laptop and mobile handsets.

    The victims are Ugonna Obuzor, Geology (18); Lloyd Toku Mike, Civil Engineering (19); Chiadika Biringa, Theatre Art (20) and Tekena Elkannah, Mechanical Engineering (20).

    The Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Raphael Ezechi, who led the investigation into the alleged torture and gruesome killing of the victims, in his evidence-in-chief, yesterday, told the trial Justice Letam Nyordee that the victims were not thieves and did not steal anything from anybody.

    Ezechi said no item whatsoever was recovered from the victims by those that killed them and nobody made a report to the Police, the chiefs or community leaders that his property was lost or that any of the victims stole something from them.

    Ezechi maintained that the boys were innocent and that the alleged stealing charges hung around them was a guise to kill them.

    Twelve persons, including the paramount ruler of the community, Alhaji Hassan Welewa and an ex-police sergeant, Lucky Orji, are being prosecuted for the murder.

    Orders are Lawal Segun, Ikechukwu Louis Amadi (aka Kapoon), David Chinasa Ogbada,  Abiodun Yusuf,  Joshua Ekpe,  Abang Cyril,  John Ayuwu, Okoghiroh Endurance, Ozioma Abajuo and Chigozie Evans Samuel.

    Four of the accused persons, including the paramount ruler, were charged for negligence and admitted to bail. However, the remaining suspects, including the ex-police officer, are remanded in prison custody.

    According to Ezechi, “…fingerprints of all the suspects were taken for forensic examination, their mobile phones were retrieved from them and their phone numbers taken to service providers.

    “When the victims were being tortured and killed, nobody came out to say he/she lost any of item or accused the victims of stealing their items.

    “They hung the stealing charge on them to find reason to kill them.” He told the Judge.

    Earlier, the court had admitted 14 photographs shot at the scene of crime as identification (IDs), instead of exhibits.

    The court said the documents ought to have been admitted through the photographer that took them or the leader of the police team that were at the scene of crime at the time of their murder, and not the team that led the investigations.

    The witness earlier told the court that the leader of the team and the photographer could not be reached, as they have been transferred and promoted.

    Efforts to tender the photographs in evidence/ as exhibits by the state Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), who is the leader of the prosecution, Ibikiri Otoribio, was objected by the first accused, Segun Lawal, on the grounds that the photographs, having been taken with digital camera must have been printed out by a computer device, and that the prosecution did not meet the conditions as provided in section 84(4) of Evidence Act to allow for the admissibility of the said computer documents.

    His position was supported by the rest of the defence counsels, who urged the court to reject the documents and mark it rejected, so it will not see the light of the day again.

    However, Justice Nyordee, in his ruling, over-ruled the objection of the first accused, describing it as misleading.

    According to the judge, although the witness said the photographs were taken with a digital camera, he did not say that it was printed with a computer, holding that there are various other ways digital camera pictures could be printed without the use of a computer.

    He admitted the photographs as ID because of their relevance to the case, since the main authors of the documents were not available to tender them.

    The matter was later adjourned to March 10 for continuation.

  • Police officer wounded in Ebonyi rival gangs clash

    Police officer wounded in Ebonyi rival gangs clash

    A police officer is lying critically ill at an undisclosed hospital in Ebonyi State following a machete cut inflicted on him during a clash.

    The incident it was gathered happened at Amasiri Community in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi state.

    Mr. Ikiri Okugo, The Nation further learnt has been arrested by the Police for the attack on the officer.

    Police spokesman, George Okafor, confirmed the incident yesterday in Abakaliki.

    According to him, the Police area command office in Afikpo received a distress call of a clash between some groups in the area.

    He noted that the area commander instructed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the area to investigate the matter as the police discovered that the group members had escaped.

    The team visited the traditional ruler of the area who took them to the home of the main suspect and knocked at door while announcing its presence.

    “Okugo who is the father of the kingpin opened the door and hit the officer who knocked with a matchete and wounded him with deep cuts in the process.”

    He noted that other officers swooped on him and took him to the station.

    He said the incident followed a clash by two rival groups at a bar belonging to one Mrs Estther.

    “They destroyed the Esther’s properties and escaped by the time the officers arrived.

    The spokesman denied any death in the incident.

    “We cannot establish any case of cult related clash and death because we did not see any corpse”, he added.

    He noted that the matter was being expected at the police headquarters in Abakaliki for investigation as the wounded officer is responding to treatment at the Mater Misericaordea hospital Afikpo.