The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Police

  • Police officer killed, couple injured in Ogun road accident

    A Superintendent of Police, Mr Folahan Ogunkoya died on Saturday died  while an un-identified couple were critically injured when a car being driven by Ogunkoya collided with the couples’ jeep on Siun stretch of the Abeokuta – Sagamu road.

    The Police officer until his death in auto – crash, was the head of the Anti-Robbery Squad unit of the Nigeria Police Force(NPF), Ogun State Command.

    It was learnt that  he was travelling from Abeokuta to Ijebu-Ode for a social function, lost control  and veered off into another lane before running  into  an on coming  Toyota Prado Jeep few meters to DayWaterman College along Abeokuta – Sagamu road.

    Public Relations Office (PRO) of the Ogun state Traffic Compliance Agency (TRACE), Mr Tunde Akinbiyi, who confirmed the accident, said the deceased was driving in his ash coloured Honda car marked (LAGOS) MZ 717 AAA when he lost control of the wheel and crashed into another vehicle.

    Witness said while  the deceased’s car split  into into three pieces with his remains thrown out of the wreckage while the  Prado Toyota jeep carrying the couple caught fire following accident impact.

    According to Akinbiyi, the couple have been taken to the State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta for treatment while the remains of the deceased police boss was also taken to same  Hospital.

  • Police and motor registration

    Police and motor registration

    This is an unnecessary digression; let them concentrate on their basic responsibility

    The decision by the Nigeria Police to introduce biometric central motor registration system, at a cost of N3,500.00, per vehicle, is yet another opportunity to unlawfully tax the already overburdened Nigerians. Moreover, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), another agency of the Federal Government is already engaged in issuance of new ‘secured’ number plates and biometric drivers’ license at enormous cost to the applicants. Also, vehicle owners pay to register their vehicles with state agencies; pay insurance, road worthiness and now an amorphous central motor registration with the police.

    Probably because the FRSC got away with its questionable taxation of Nigerians, on the easy sell that it will help solve the security challenges facing the country and even act against car theft; the police are also selling a similar story in order to unilaterally create an enhanced revenue base, directly under its care. According to Frank Mba, the Force Public Relations Officer, the new registration process, “is against the backdrop of contemporary security challenges bordering on terrorism, high incidence of car theft, kidnapping and other crimes”.

    If truly Nigerians will soon again be forced to queue before the police for another biometrics after the on-going excruciating pains to get the new drivers license and number plate from the FRSC, ordinarily an arm of the police; then it must be said for the umpteenth time that decisions like this make us wonder whether there is any rigour in the decision-making process of government and its establishments. Except of course, there is no coordination among the federal agencies or that the Federal Government derives pleasure from the harrowing poverty it is spreading in the name of governance in the past decade plus.

    In case the police authorities have grown weary, and are seeking for action, then let us remind them that their primary responsibility is to protect lives and properties; and if they will be honest, they have performed below par in this area. So, our advice to the police is to concentrate on their responsibility, and if they need the data of vehicle owners, they should get that from the vehicle registration authorities, or the FRSC; instead of surreptitiously creating a new bureaucracy for their corrupt officials to enrich themselves at our common expense.

    Indeed, the police should get busy on how to fine-tune their capacity to prevent and fight crime in some other ways, than seeking ways to cream off Nigerians. The police should, as a matter of utmost urgency, concentrate on the glaring inadequate manpower and the procurement of modern equipment for crime detection. On manpower, the police need a substantial increase in their number, as the current figure of about 500,000 serving a huge population of 160 million across Nigeria’s expansive land mass is grossly inadequate. There is also the need for the police to properly train their personnel, as most of our policemen lack civility and capacity to investigate basic crimes.

    Also, the police need capacity in forensic analysis, and that involves serious manpower training and procurement of laboratory equipment. Under the nose of the police there are long lists of unresolved crimes, and most of those crimes have nothing to do with the data of vehicle owners. Indeed, it is common for criminals to use cars snatched from their rightful owners to commit crimes. Even the high rate of kidnapping has little to do with cars, and if the police are overwhelmed by kidnappers, it will be fraudulent to blame the lack of biometric data of vehicle owners as the cause.

    Instead of chasing shadows and causing Nigerians more financial distress, the police should ask for modern equipment and trained manpower to face squarely their statutory responsibilities.

  • Lagos, police parley on crime prevention

    Lagos, police parley on crime prevention

    The Lagos State Government in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force and community leaders in the state have held fruitful talks on how to prevent crime in the state. The event took place at the National Arts Theatre with the theme: Addressing Nigeria’s Security Challenge through Community Policing. The Police Community Relations Committees (PCRCs) were not left out in the discussion. Speakers urged residents to report any threat to lives and properties in the neighbourhood to the Nigerian Police, adding that any act of criminality can be easily controlled if useful information is given. According to Governor Babatunde Fashola, community policing is more than crime fighting in which the community members merely provide “certain crime information”, then the police move to buy this information, explaining further that it is this perception that has limited the scope of community policing. He said: “Provision of crime information is less than 30 per cent of what community policing sets out to address. Community policing has proven to be an effective instrument of bringing the police and the people closer together, building partnership, trust, cooperation and problem-solving capabilities, thereby addressing issues within the crime and social decay continuum.” Speaking further the governor represented by Special adviser on Security, Major Tunde Harold, urged that “PCRC as well as stakeholders and community should assist the Government in creating awareness and sensitizing members of the public on the various strategies that are accepted by Government in ensuring safety of lives and properties in the state,” he said.

    According to the Commissioner of Police Lagos State Command, Mr. Manko Umar “99 per cent of criminal activities that have been cracked are as a result of information given by members of the public,” noting that crime prevention would be very difficult if security agencies were left to grope in the dark looking for criminals. He charged the committee to work more closely with the police to reduce crime to the barest minimum and also encouraged the committee to grow their membership base but warned against all comers affairs, insisting that the members must be of impeccable character and proven integrity.

    Umar also stressed the need for membership identification cards even as he cautioned against misuse while advising them to be patriotic and diligent in service to the nation as well as eschewing erratic behaviours. According to Umar represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Femi Oyeleye, most of the people don’t have the telephone numbers of the DPOs in their areas. “It is good to have this as it will enable them to be able to call anytime they see suspicious persons. They should have the telephone numbers of the police officers in the areas. Calls promptly put across to the police could save us all a lot of agony,” he said.

    Earlier, the chairman of PCRC, Lagos Chapter, Oba Momodu Asafa who gave account of service in support of the NPF, said: “We have been able to assist in the areas of intelligence gathering, providing infrastructural development and logistics needed in the police division and improvement on the community and public support for officers of the Nigeria Police resulting in the safety of lives and properties in the state. “PCRC will not relent in the efforts towards achieving its goals and objectives so as to justify its existence.”

    said Oba Asafa to conclude his speech. According to the Chairman organizing committee for Bashiru Balogun “the goal of the seminar was to sensitize our members on community policing as to work in harmony with the Nigeria Police.” He added that the “set goals were attainable as a result of cooperation of all members of PCRC in the whole community of Lagos State.”

  • The making of new tourist centres in Anambra

    ANAMBRA State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Joe-Martins Uzodike has announced the revitalisation plans for tourism and recreational sites in the state.

    He disclosed this while hosting the Aghalieaku Entertainment Limited boss, Aghalieaku Benjamin Arinze and his team to present a certificate of recognition from Governor Peter Obi administration as a contributions to the growth and development of culture and tourism in the state.

    Aghalieaku festival is a yearly cultural and music panorama hosted every December at the open field of moribund Foundry and Machine Tools Production Factory (FOMTOP) at Ozubulu. The first edition was held last December and 15 states, with Lagos, Edo, Delta and Benue states in attendance.

    Uzodike disclosed that, Oye-Agu Abagana has been designated a tourism site and would be called Abagana sector drawing strength on its popularity during he Nigerian-Biafran civil war.

    He said: ‘’Oye-Agu Abagana would be designated a Tourist centre known as Abagana sector. We want to build a house to immortalise where Ata of Igala took off to other parts of the country. We would build a monument where the first Igbo man took off, all in Enugu Aguleri.

    ‘’There is a place at Enugu-Otu where we have the Trinity tree, three gigantic trees having one roof and we would upgrade the Ogbunike cave and the Igbo-Ukwu Museum. Our waterfalls at Owerre Ezukala and Ufuma and so many others we have around in the state.

    ‘’We are re-recreating our tourism and recreation centers. We are going to register all the hotels in Anambra and classify them to forestal robbery and kidnapping.

    On Aghalieaku festival, Uzodike said the Governor appreciated the efforts of Aghalieaku Benjamin Arinze’s efforts in galvanising various groups and communities in competition that costs in millions of naira philanthropy as a means of showcasing our true cultural heritage and tradition.

    ‘’We discussed it in the Exco and the Governor mandated that you be recognised and that it would now be an annual festival hence I am mandated to present to you this certificate from the Anambra State Government as an encouragement for you to do more.

    ‘’We would give you all the necessary support and encouragement to make the festival become an international event like that of Calabar and so many other festivals. We will equally continue to do our own annual cultural and masquerade festival but this year will have some new innovations like soup cooking competition among others. Agulu Lake Resort is being developed’’.

    Founder of Aghalieaku festival, Mr Arinze expressed shock that he could be called for recognition by Governor Obi’s government unsolicited and described that as a real motivation and encouragement to invest more resources into the festival.

    Aghalieaku said: ‘’I am overwhelmed by this surprise gesture from my Governor, Mr Peter Obi and the efforts of the Information, Culture and Tourism Commissioner, Uzodike.  I equally thank Governor Obi for giving approval for our first outing because had it been he stopped it, we would not be able to prove that something of this nature could be done in our clime. “

    He informed that various nationals, including Caribbean Island expressed profound interest in becoming part of the carnival like festival and assured that in the next two years he would attract foreign participation at the Aghalieaku festival. He prayed that this year’s festival would be greater than that of last year.

    He, however, requested for more space, noting that this was a problem last year, adding that the Aghalieaku team hope that government would provide them with space. He said he is committed to uplifting and enhancing Igbo culture and tradition through Aghalieaku festival.

    A Choreographer of Aghalieaku festival, Edochie Obiajulu said last year was unique and fruitful with promises, adding that soonest the festival would be competing with Calabar carnival and Argungu festival, among others.

    ‘’There is a future in this festival. It has come to stay especially with this government recognition. This festival would be greater than Calabar because I was part of Calabar festival as a consultant and I know what is involved and what we are doing here,’’he said.

    Obiajulu confirmed that 25 states featured in the last festival and more have indicated interest to participate in this year’s festival. He urged more individuals and corporate organisations to sponsore events on Igbo culture and tradition as well as sporting tourist centres in the state such as founder of Aghalieaku festival, Arinze Aghalieaku.

     

  • Police withdraw Saraki’s security guards, details

    Police withdraw Saraki’s security guards, details

    •Baraje too, may lose board chairmanship

    FEDERAL Government’s crackdown on the brains behind the Baraje faction of the PDP got underway yesterday with the police withdrawing their men attached to the immediate past governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki, as guards and escorts.

    The withdrawal came barely 48 hours to his appearance before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for another round of interrogation on the collapse of Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria(SGBN) founded by his late father, Dr. Olusola Saraki.

    The security details are seven, including two at his residence in Abuja; three in his home in Ilorin; and the other two who are always at his call and beckon.

    All the details were withdrawn yesterday allegedly on ‘orders from above’ and without any notice to the former governor.

    There were strong indications that the withdrawal followed alleged security reports indicting Saraki as the arrowhead of the factionalization of the PDP.

    Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, chairman of the faction to which Saraki belongs is an ally of the former governor.

    It was also learnt that security reports indicated that Saraki is one of the strong pillars behind Governor Rotimi Amaechi, which led to the governor’s re-election in May as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).

    Although President Goodluck Jonathan had private audience with Saraki on the NGF crisis recently, it was learnt that the former governor stood his ground that Amaechi is the authentic NGF chairman.

    The withdrawal of Saraki’s security aides is believed to be part of the crackdown on the ‘dissidents’ in the party.

    An aide of Saraki, who spoke in confidence last night, said: “The seven policemen attached to my boss have been withdrawn. As I am talking, he has no one protecting him other than God. The policemen were withdrawn abruptly and simultaneously in Abuja and Ilorin on Saturday. No reason was given by any Police command or the Inspector-General of Police. When necessary, we will issue official statement. But it is obvious that there is a plot to expose Oga to danger.”

    A source in EFCC said last night that : “We are expecting Saraki for a follow-up quizzing because former top management staff of SGBN, including the ex-MD of the bank, Robert Mbonu. As a key player in the bank, he needs to fill in more gaps in our ongoing investigation. He has more questions to answer.”

    It was further gathered that the National Chairman of the New PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje’s security guards in his Abuja and Ilorin homes have been withdrawn.

    He may also be dropped as Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

    Another source added: “It is certainly a tit-for-tat policy; there is no way Baraje can remain in a government he has lost confidence in. I think he should have resigned the NRC job by now.”

     

  • Man arraigned for alleged theft

    The Police on Tuesday arraigned Linus Auyah, 32, of Mashafa, Mpapa, Abuja, in a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court for stealing Christmas nursery plants.

    The police prosecutor, Cpl. Emmanuel Adikwu, told the court that Ahmed Isa of Agwamada Kwata Suleja, Niger State, reported the matter at Maitama Police Station.

    Adikwu said the Christmas nursery plant was kept at a spot along IBB Boulevard , Maitama, Abuja.

    He said during investigations, eight pieces of the said plant were recovered from the accused.

    Auyah, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

    His defence counsel, Mr Goodwill Chukwudi, prayed the court to grant his client bail on liberal term.

    Chukwudi said his client would not jump bail and would provide reasonable sureties that would take him on bail.

    He added that Section 36 of the Nigeria Constitution declares an accused innocent until proven otherwise, and urged the court to exercise its discretion in favour of his client.

    The magistrate, Mrs Chinyere Nwecheonwu, granted the accused bail in the sum of N20, 000 with a surety in like sum.

    Nwecheonwu said the surety must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and submit a passport-sized photograph to the court’s registrar.

    She adjourned the case to Sept. 9 for hearing.

  • 19 injured as police, marshals clash in Gombe

    Gombe, Sept. 3, 2013 (NAN) Nineteen Traffic Marshals, working for the Gombe State government on Tuesday sustained various degrees of injuries in clashes with a group of policemen in Gombe.

    Mr Babaji Dunama, General Manager of the Gombe State Agency for Social Services and Other Related Matters, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Gombe, the state capital.

    He said that the clashes followed a disagreement between the police and the marshals at the Cross Roundabout in Gombe town.

    The marshals are youths, employed by the State Government to perform sundry duties such as assisting in controlling traffic and enforcing environmental sanitation laws.

    Dunama alleged that the marshals were attacked by the police while performing their duties.

    The general manager said that when he tried to ask the police to stop harassing the marshals, the policemen threatened him.

    He said that shortly after he left the place, the problem degenerated with the policemen beating marshals on duty.

    Dunama said that after the incident at the roundabout, eight vehicles filled with police men went to his office at the Ministry of Youth and Poverty Alleviation and ransacked it while every marshal they saw there was beaten.

    He alleged that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Gombe Command, Mr Baba Yola, led the policemen to commit the act.

    The general manager said that the DPO had been having problems with marshals, adding that his incessant harassment of the marshals was a threat to peace in the state.

    He said that the 19 wounded marshals were arrested and taken to the police station.

    Dunama, however, said that after he reported the matter to the Commissioner of Police, Mr Kudu Nma, the marshals were released on bail.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Gombe State Police Command, Mr Fwaje Atajiri, said that two policemen from the Gombe Police Division were sent to invite some persons suspected of committing assault.

    According to the PPRO, when the policemen tried to invite one of the suspects, he refused and an argument ensued between the suspect and the policemen.

    He said it was later discovered that the suspect was a marshal but that he was not in uniform.

    Atajiri said that the clash could not have occurred if the police had known that the suspect was a marshal.

    The spokesman said that the marshal should have followed the policemen to the station to explain and identify himself since he was not in uniform.

    The PPRO denied allegations that policemen in eight vehicles went and beat many marshals in the Ministry of Youth and Poverty Alleviation.

    Atajiri said the police was a disciplined organisation and that investigation would be conducted and anyone found to have gone beyond the call of his duties would not be spared. (NAN)

  • Police arrest 12 suspected cult members

    Twelve suspected cult members were arrested yesterday following a pre- dawn raid carried out on the group’s den in Ogijo, a border community with Ikorodu in Lagos State.

    The Nation learnt that the suspects, taking advantage of the proximity of Ogijo to Ikorodu, had been terrorising residents and business operators, robbing them of cash and other valuables.

    A team of police detectives, led by the Divisional Police Officer, Ogijo Division, Mr. Toyin Afolaogun, swooped on the suspected cult members between 12:15am and 4:30am following to complaints from the public and intelligence report from the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) of the Ogun State Police Command.

    Items recovered included guns, live cartridges, Indian hemp and charms.

  • Police declare Amaechi’s ADC a deserter

    Police declare Amaechi’s ADC a deserter

    •Govt: action a mischief

    The Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Debeware Semeikumo, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), was yesterday declared a deserter by Rivers police.

    Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu also removed Semeikumo as the ADC to the governor.

    The Rivers State Government described the police’s action as “another mischief”.

    Commissioner for Imformation Semenitari said Rivers police was aware that Semeikumo sustained injuries and had been away for further medical treatment.

    Mbu spoke in Port Harcourt through the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP, Administration), Augustine Sanomi.

    The Rivers police commissioner said the ADC was declared a deserter, following his alleged failure to honour all lawful directives to see him and the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, since July 10.

    Mbu said: “The decision to declare Semeikumo a deserter followed Section 398 (1) of the Police Act and the Regulation Cap 359 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990.

    “The whereabouts of Semeikumo remain unknown to the police. IGP Abubakar has approved his declaration as a deserter.”

    It will be recalled that the Leader of the Rivers Assembly, Chidi Lloyd, was on July 17 declared wanted by Mbu for attempted murder, conspiracy and wilful damage, over the July 9 fracas.

    The IGP invited Lloyd, the ADC to Amaechi and the Chief Security Officer (CSO), Tony Iwelu. The ADC and CSO are yet to honour the invitation.

     

  • Police partner lawyers on crime prevention

    The Inspector-General of Police

    Mohammed Abubakar is

    seeking partnership with lawyers in the battle against crime.

    In a goodwill message at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Calabar, Cross River State, the police chief said he found the bar and the bench as allies with a penchant for law, order, justice, peace and development in the country.

    He was represented by a Deputy Inspector-General of Police Marvel Akpoyibo.

    According to him, despite the nation’s enormous human and natural resources, the task of nation building has been Herculean.

    He said: “The fears of minorities, the threats of security and the questions of equity, equality and justice have become endemic in our national discourse.

    “We have recorded some successes, such as keeping the country together in the face of these challenges.

    “Nation-building is, therefore, the outcome of deliberate statecraft on the part of every Nigerian.”

    He added: “We in the Nigeria Police Force acknowledge that the requirement of law enforcement which is the hallmark of our constitutional responsibility derives from and assumes meaning in law-making, law interpretation and adjudication.

    “The police, the bar and the bench are, therefore, so inextricably inter-dependent that the more we collaborate at strategic and tactical levels, the better it would be in the Temple of Justice, the criminal justice administration system and national security. “The Bar could partner with us and leverage the force in areas of information and intelligence development, public enlightenment against crime, training in prosecution, human rights rules and international best practices, gender-based violence and discrimination, institutional litigation and corporate responsibility.

    “The Nigeria Police Force is your police force, your friend and your indispensable ally in the administration of law and justice.”