The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Osun lawmaker to sue police for unlawful arrest

    Osun lawmaker to sue police for unlawful arrest

    A member of the Osun State House of Assembly, Folarin Fafowora, has vowed to take a legal action against alleged “unlawful arrest” by the police a day before the August 9 governorship election.

    The lawmaker representing Ilesa West State Constituency disclosed this to reporters in Osogbo at the weekend.

    He said his lawyers would soon file the case in court to seek justice on the breach of his fundamental human rights.

    Narrating his ordeal, he said the police forced him, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Prince Wale Adedoyin, the Executive Secretary of Ilesa East, Lanre Baolgun, and about 50 others arrested to sit on the “dirty bare floor of Ayeso Police Station” like criminals.

    “The police said they were acting on the allegation by the members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  in Ilesa that we were doing accreditation for some people before the election day. But later, the police investigation proved otherwise,” he said.

    He lamented that he spent five days under very poor unhygienic condition for a crime he did not commit, blaming the police for acting as agents of the PDP governorship candidate in the election, Senator Iyiola Omisore.

  • Driver accuses police, agency of extortion over ‘Lagos licence’

    Driver accuses police, agency of extortion over ‘Lagos licence’

    An inter-state commercial bus driver has accused some policemen and officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) of collecting N10,500 from him for not having a “Lagos State driver’s licence.”

    He claimed the incident occurred about 7am last Saturday around Cappa bus stop on the Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway.

    The driver’s 18-seater white Toyota commercial bus was heading for Benin, the Edo State capital, when he was allegedly arrested with his passengers.

    To operate in Lagos, commercial vehicle drivers are required to go through the drivers’ institute to obtain the driver permit.

    The owner will take the permit along with any other documents for the national driver’s licence.

    The driver, who simply identified himself as Chris, was arrested by the LASTMA officials led by a policeman identified simply as Friday with Force Number, 246623 and taken to Ilupeju Bypass where he was allegedly extorted.

    He said: “They demanded my Lagos State driver’s licence and I told them I did not have. I even told them that I had never heard about the existence of such, but they insisted, saying that if they should impound my bus and take it to their station, I would pay N100,000 before it would be released.

    “While the argument was going on, the passengers in my bus were complaining, advising me to settle them so that our journey to Edo State would not be delayed. I still did not want to comply but when the pressure from my passengers became so much, I had to negotiate with them and we finally agreed on N10,500.

    “It was the policeman that collected the money from me. I do not know when Lagos State introduced their own driver’s licence and which law says if a driver does not have it, he won’t ply Lagos roads. Governor Babatunde Fashola must address this issue”.

    LASTMA spokesperson, Bola Ajao said the allegation would be investigated, adding: “In LASTMA, we don’t condone indiscipline. We will act on this allegation.”

  • Driver accuses police, agency of extortion over ‘Lagos licence’

    Driver accuses police, agency of extortion over ‘Lagos licence’

    •‘We’re probing his allegation’

    An inter-state commercial bus driver has accused some policemen and officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) of collecting N10,500 from him for not having a “Lagos State driver’s licence.”

    He claimed the incident occurred about 7am last Saturday around Cappa bus stop on the Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway.

    The driver’s 18-seater white Toyota commercial bus was heading for Benin, the Edo State capital, when he was allegedly arrested with his passengers.

    To operate in Lagos, commercial vehicle drivers are required to go through the drivers’ institute to obtain the driver permit.

    The owner will take the permit along with any other documents for the national driver’s licence.

    The driver, who simply identified himself as Chris, was arrested by the LASTMA officials led by a policeman identified simply as Friday with Force Number, 246623 and taken to Ilupeju Bypass where he was allegedly extorted.

    He said: “They demanded my Lagos State driver’s licence and I told them I did not have. I even told them that I had never heard about the existence of such, but they insisted, saying that if they should impound my bus and take it to their station, I would pay N100,000 before it would be released.

    “While the argument was going on, the passengers in my bus were complaining, advising me to settle them so that our journey to Edo State would not be delayed. I still did not want to comply but when the pressure from my passengers became so much, I had to negotiate with them and we finally agreed on N10,500.

    “It was the policeman that collected the money from me. I do not know when Lagos State introduced their own driver’s licence and which law says if a driver does not have it, he won’t ply Lagos roads. Governor Babatunde Fashola must address this issue”.

    LASTMA spokesperson, Bola Ajao said the allegation would be investigated, adding: “In LASTMA, we don’t condone indiscipline. We will act on this allegation.”

  • Rivers govt, police disagree on Amaechi’s council tours

    The Rivers State Government and the Police Command have disagreed on the tour of the wards in the 23 local governments embarked on by Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

    Police Commissioner Tunde Ogunsakin said the ban on political campaigns was still on until 90 days to the elections, in line with the Electoral Act.

    The Rivers government, through the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said yesterday in Port Harcourt that it was out of place for Ogunsakin to warn Amaechi against campaigning during his tours.

    Mrs. Semenitari noted that government was worried about the tone of the statement and concerned about its implication.

    The Rivers government said: “For the purposes of clarification and emphasis, the administration of Governor Chibuike Amaechi considers participation a key element of democratic rule and good governance. As a result, it embarked on stewardship accountability fora and stock taking since the governor assumed office in October 2007.

    “Town Hall meetings, meet the people tours and engagement with professional groups are neither novel nor strange with the Amaechi administration. The alleged comments of the Rivers Police Commissioner appear curious, especially coming on the heels of the overtly politically- purported endorsement of the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, for governor, by members of the Rumuepirikom community and the political visit of the wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan, to local governments in Rivers State.

    “While the purpose of these political gatherings of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is campaign for 2015, CP Ogunsakin appears unable to see or hear any evil. The Rivers State Government is conscious of this, but wishes to reassure CP Ogunsakin that it is not a brigand nor an irresponsible government.

    “Governor Amaechi has stated that the purpose of his ward tours is to find out the impact of his projects on the people at the grassroots and what gaps still exist to enable him cross all the T’s and dot all the I’s, as his administration finishes its last lap. We can state unequivocally that we will not disregard the rules of engagement and that when we are set for campaign, it will be clear not just to the Rivers State Police Command, but also to the entire world.”

  • Oyo Police parade suspects with cartridges

    The Oyo State Joint Security Patrol, code named ‘Operation Burst’ has paraded two suspects with 10 packs of live cartridges.They deal in buying and selling of ammunition.

    The suspects are Mohammed Alayo and Idowu Fasasi.

    Parading the suspects on Monday at Operation Burst office in Agodi, Ibadan, the deputy commandant of the outfit, DSP Elijah Bawa said the patrol team in Kishi town during on surveillance on the August accosted a pegeout   504 wagon with registration number JJJ 206 XK.

    “The driver was intercepted  and search was conducted, then a sack containing 247 cartridges was discovered and on interrogation, he the consignment is for one Mohammed Alayo. Alayo too was arrested at Sango-Ota, “Bawa said.

    The key suspect, Mohammed Alayo (32yrs), who confessed to the crime, noted that he was influenced by one Abass  to join the shady business.

    He said: “Abass stays in Saki and I sent money to him  to send 10 packs of the cartridges to Sango-Ota where I was working as a surveyor. I bought each packs for N3,400 and this is my first time in the business. I did not intend to rob or sell to armed robbers. I wanted to sell them to vigilante people”

    Idowu Fasasi (28) who was transporting the cartridges from Saki, said he did not know the content of the sack that was handed over to him at the park by Abass.

    Operation Burst also paraded two suspects who specialised in stealing motorcycles in Saki.

    The suspects as Tajudeen Olajumoke and Tajudeen Jimoh.

  • Police hunt man over lover’s murder

    The police in Delta State said yesterday that they were trailing a middle-aged man for allegedly killing his 25-year-old lover, Augustina Edika.

    The suspect, identified as Tomson, allegedly killed his girlfriend on Sunday at Obiaruku in Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State.

    Police spokesperson Celestina Kalu, who confirmed the incident, said the suspect stabbed the lady with a knife in the heart before hitting her head with a pestle.

    The suspect reportedly locked the deceased inside the one room apartment and ran away.

    Sources said the lovers quarrelled the previous night and the issue was settled before they went to bed.

    They said about 5am the next day there was a noise from the lovers’ apartment which aroused neighbours.

    The Nation learnt that before they could force the door open, the lady died and she was found in a pool of blood.

    Kalu said the matter was reported at the Obiaruku Police Station, adding that the parents of the deceased have been contacted, while efforts have been intensified to arrest the suspect.

  • Police arraign three for ‘stealing’ N6.69m

    Three men have been arraigned at a Lagos State magistrate court, Ikeja for stealing and for obtaining N6,697,000 under false pretext.

    They are Ibrahim Suleiman 30, Habeeb Quadri, 42 and Rauf Adebayo 44.

    They were arraigned before the court presided by magistrate Mrs. E.A. Fabanwo.

    The Police prosecutor, Inspector A. Samson, alleged that the defendants, about 10.45am on May 14, this year  at Ogba, Lagos conspired to obtain money under pretext, thereby committed an offence and punishable under Section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

    According  to Inspector Samson, the defendants obtained the amount from Temilola Akintayo to import fabrics, thereby committing an offence punishable under section 312(1a)(3) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

    The defendant were also alleged to have stolen N6,697,000 belonging to Temilola Akintayo, thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 285(1)of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Magistrate Fabanwo granted them bail for N500,000 each and two sureties in like sum

  • Police arrest suspect

    Police arrest suspect

    The police in Delta State have smashed a car robbery syndicate, which specialises in refurbishing stolen cars. They also arrested a suspect.

    Spokesperson DSP Tina Kalu, who confirmed the incident, said the police acting, on a tip-off, stormed a painter’s workshop belonging to Akposere Philip at Abraka in Ethiope East Local Government and recovered a Honda Accord Wagon with number plate BEN 994 RF.

    She said preliminary investigations showed that the vehicle was snatched at gunpoint from its owner at Ikpoba Hill in Edo State.

    Kalu said two other vehicles being refurbished were recovered from the workshop.

    Also, the police arrested a notorious armed robber on the wanted list.

    The suspect was identified as Tochukwu Bright.

    According to her, the suspect two months ago shot a female victim, Chinelo Okonkwo and robbed her of her Honda saloon car with registration number NSR 273AG.

    Items recovered from him included one bag and a German made revolver pistol with nine rounds of 9mm live ammunition.

    Operatives of the Delta Police Command have arrested three suspects allegedly involved in the sale of stolen vehicles.

    Kalu said the suspects, Ikechukwu Okafor and John Okibe were arrested at the River Niger Bridge Head while attempting to drive a Toyota Camry into Onitsha.

    She said upon interrogation, the duo confessed that they snatched the vehicle from its owner in Abuja and were on their way to Ihiala in Anambra State to deliver the car to a receiver.

    Kalu said the third suspect, Christopher Okolie, was arrested after detectives moved with the suspects to Ihiala and arrested the alleged receiver.

  • Kwara APC accuses PDP of using police to seal office

    Kwara APC accuses PDP of using police to seal office

    The Kwara State All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the opposition ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of using security agents to seal its office at Oke-Ero Local Government Area.

    But the command said its action was to prevent anarchy, as the two parties were laying claim to the property.

    APC accused a worker of the Itesiwaju Cooperative Society and a card-carrying member of the PDP of being behind the “illegal lock-out, having boasted that he would eject the APC from the building.”

    In a statement by council Chairman and APC’s Secretary Chief Joseph Adeniyi and Alhaji Azeez Amuda said the development portends grave danger for democracy.

    The statement reads: “The APC, which has been the legal occupant of the property since the breakage of the PDP in November last year, renewed its tenancy in May.

    “The party has held over 30 meetings since without any molestation until the PDP claimed the building in June. The settlement brokered by the owner and the Oke-Ero divisional police officer was resolved in our favour.

    “As a law-abiding party, we are worried by this act of persecution and lawlessness.

    Police spokesperson Ajayi Okasanmi said the police sealed the complex to prevent anarchy.

    He said the “Police Commissioner, Ambrose Aisabor, has ordered the contending parties to settle out of court.

    ‘’When the court has pronounced the rightful tenant, we’ll  reopen the building. The office wasn’t sealed in bad faith.”

  • Sagay to IGP: Police should be neutral

    Sagay to IGP: Police should be neutral

    Constitutional lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) has advised new Inspector- General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba to maintaining neutrality in the conduct of the August 9, 2014 governorship election in Osun state and the  2015 general elections.

    Sagay also asked  the new Inspector- General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba to put the interest of Nigeria forward in the discharge of his duties.

    Prof. Sagay who gave the advice during a chat with the media during the weekend in Lagos also admonished him to see himself as the IGP of Nigeria and not that of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (IGP) or the Presidency if he desires to have  his feet in the sand of time and in gold in the history of police administration in Nigeria.

    While congratulating Abba on his appointment, Sagay also condemned in strongest terms the recent abuse of security personnel by the Presidency also advised the new IGP to be devise strategies on how to maximize the police in ending insurgency in Nigeria, as well as.

    “I don’t the know the new IGP, Suleiman Abba in person. I don’t know what sort of person he is, what his records his. But what I expect from the Inspector- General of Police is that he is the IGP of Nigeria, not IGP of PDP or the Presidency.So, he must not be loyal to the PDP or Presidency, but loyal to the people of Nigeria”.

    “ He should be objective and neutral. He should be honourable. If he is told to do a partisan thing, he should refuse and resign honourably or be dismissed rather than compromise his integrity in his duty to Nigeria. The government now is misusing security all over the place to terrorise anbd intimidate people. He should refuse to be used in that manner. He should refuse to be part of what is happening in Osun state”.

    “He should refuse to be part of PDP agenda for 2015 election and he should neutral and totally independent and do his job objectively. That way, he will deserve to be IGP of Nigeria and not IGP of a political party or the presidency” he said