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Tag: Police

  • Why we drove against traffic, by father of pupil killed by police officer

    Why we drove against traffic, by father of pupil killed by police officer

    • Report of investigation out soon, says CP

    Mr. Odunayo Alade, father of Kehinde, the teenager killed by a police officer’s stray bullet, says one of his sons was running late for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) on the day Kehinde was killed.

    He added that the route he was driving on when his son was shot serves as a short-cut to the main lane.

    Kehinde was killed on Tuesday in Gbagi, Ibadan after a police officer shot at his father’s car.

    The Oyo Police Command had said Alade tried to evade arrest after he was caught driving against traffic.

    In a video, Alade was seen manoeuvring his car in an attempt to resist being stopped by a joint team of police officers and officials of the Oyo State Traffic Management Authority (OYTMA).

    A police corporal then fired bullets to immobilise the vehicle. However, Kehinde, who was seated in the back seat of the car with his twin brother, was hit in the abdomen.

    Explaining what transpired in an interview with News Central TV, Alade said he was not violating the one-way traffic rule because the route he plied was a stone’s throw from his intended lane.

    “I was taking the children to school yesterday morning and at the entrance of my junction, there is maybe a stone’s throw, not up to one or two poles, to where we just followed and then branch to normal,” Alade said.

    “To my surprise, I saw OYTMA. They came and blocked me, even hit my vehicle and I had to reverse to bypass them.

    “I don’t know. I won’t say one-way because the place is a very short distance. To them, they said I followed one-way and I let them know that this is the road all the neighbourhood uses. It’s a very short distance to the main junction.”

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    Asked why he did not stop when he was cornered by the security officials, Alade said he did not want his son to be late for the WASSCE test.

    Meanwhile, the state Police Command yesterday said a report of its investigation into the death of Kehinde would be out soon.

    Addressing a news conference in Ibadan, the state Commissioner of Police (CP), Johnson Adenola, said an interim report on the matter was ready, but the statement of Kehinde’s father had not been obtained to conclude the investigation.

    The CP said it was important to get the statement of the deceased‘s father for an investigation.

    “It is a monumental and regrettable loss and we feel for the family. We will give the father an opportunity for him to provide his defence.

    “He is the only factor delaying the completion of the investigation.

    “We have also gotten the statement of an eyewitness who was inside the car with him (father) and I assured that justice will be done on the matter,” he said.

    Adenola said  the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had directed that a thorough investigation should be conducted “and I assure that nothing would be left undone to ensure justice’’.

  • Police arrest suspects for counterfeit currency, illegal arms in Niger

    Police arrest suspects for counterfeit currency, illegal arms in Niger

    Niger State Police Command has disclosed a string of arrests involving counterfeit currency, illegal weapons, and motorcycle theft, following a series of swift operations in Minna and its environs.

    In a statement by the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, police operatives attached to Bosso Division arrested a 27-year-old man identified as Nda Baba Mohammed, at the Hajj Camp in Tudun-Fulani, Minna, for being in possession of suspected counterfeit West African CFA currency. 

    Mohammed was arrested based on a tip-off about a syndicate targeting Hajj pilgrims with fake money. The suspect was found with 40,000 CFA francs believed to be fake.

    During interrogation, the suspect confessed to stealing the currency from the home of one Mohammed in Kwara State, where he had gone to work as a farmhand. 

    The statement stated that the suspect is currently in custody while investigations are ongoing to trace the source of the fake currency. 

    Read Also: ‘Police station can’t function with N45,000 quarterly running cost’

    In a related development, another suspect was arrested during a routine stop-and-search operation by the Operation Flush patrol team at Imrat Junction, Bosso when the tricycle he entered was searched on its way from Kure Market to Maikunkele. 

    The search revealed a locally made pistol loaded with a 7.62mm round, a charm jacket, a knife, other charms, and N141,000 in cash in the possession of one Shehu Adamu of Gusasse village.

    The suspect, who was wearing four layers of clothing to hide the charm jacket, claimed the items were for protection and vigilante work, adding that he had inherited the pistol from his late father. He also stated that the cash was meant for farming. 

  • Ibadan killing: Deceased father’s testimonies delaying release of comprehensive reports – Police

    Ibadan killing: Deceased father’s testimonies delaying release of comprehensive reports – Police

    The Oyo State Police Command has said it cannot complete a comprehensive report on the killing of 14-year-old WAEC candidate Kehinde Alade without the testimony of his father, Odunayo Alade.

    Kehinde was fatally shot last Tuesday by a stray bullet allegedly fired by a police corporal at the Gbagi-Alakia area in Egbeda Local Government Area of Ibadan.

    The officer involved is currently in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Iyaganku.

    At a joint press conference held with the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Dotun Oyelade, and the Chairman of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Agency (OYTMA), Major Adekoya Adesagba (rtd), the Commissioner of Police, Johnson Adenola, revealed that an interim report on the incident has been prepared.

    However, he stressed that a full, detailed report will only be finalised after the father of the deceased provides his account of the events.

    During the briefing, a minute of silence was observed in honour of the slain teenager, whose death has sparked widespread outrage and demands for justice.

    He said, “The Inspector General of Police has directed that the Command should be thorough in its investigation, hence the need to obtain the testimonies of the father of the deceased.

    “The Police officer and one of the passengers inside the car when the incident happened have assisted the investigative team with useful information.

    “The Police officer has been arrested. He is in custody now. After the conclusion of the investigation, the next step will be taken.

    “We are keeping the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, abreast of the development daily.

    “The tragic incident would have been avoided had it been the father of the deceased who complied with the traffic rules.

    “Alade, based on the information made available to us, is a serial offender. He was arrested for breaking traffic rules some weeks back.

    “I am assuring the public that the Police will do a thorough investigation by ensuring that culprits are brought to book.”

    In his remark, the State Commissioner of Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, assured the public that the matter would not be swept under the carpet.

    “What Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration stands for is justice. On this matter, we will ensure that Justice is served.

    “The state government also encouraged the Police to regularly train and engage its officers on gun handling and civil public relations with a promise to placate the grieving family, loved ones and siblings of the deceased while frowning against disinformation and distortion of facts.”

    Also speaking, the chairman of OYRTMA, Major Adesagba, decried the alarming rise in traffic offences and constant harassment and assaults on its officers.

    Read Also: ‘Police station can’t function with N45,000 quarterly running cost’

    He said the development necessitated the agency’s request for security backup for its operations.

    He disclosed that eight cases of assault on his officials have been recorded this year.

    According to him, “Our officers have suffered various degrees of injuries which include broken arms and legs. This informed the decision to have a joint patrol operation with the police to secure the lives of our men while on duty.”

    While describing the incident as unfortunate, he hinted that the father of the deceased on the 15th of this month parked in a no-parking zone and paid a fine to the Oyo State government, and he further appealed to the residents of the state to abide by the traffic laws.

    “The state government also encouraged the Police to regularly train and engage its officers on gun handling and civil public relations with a promise to placate the grieving family, loved ones and siblings of the deceased while frowning against disinformation and distortion of facts.”

  • Ilesa prison break: NCoS yet to brief us – Osun Police

    Ilesa prison break: NCoS yet to brief us – Osun Police

    The Police Command in Osun is yet to receive any official communication on the escape of seven inmates from the the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Ilesa, Osun.

    The Police Spokesperson for the command, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the police state command had not been officially briefed or informed of the incident by the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).

    “We heard also about the escape, but there is no official report made to the police by the NCoS.

    “Our Intel revealed to us that actually, there was an escape.

    “The cause of the escape is what we don’t know because our men have gone there.

    “From the intelligience report we got, there is nothing we can lay hands on that made the inmates escape.

    “The NCoS should inform us about what actually happened,” he said

    Ojelabi said: “the police is out to protect lives and property and any criminal we see, we will apprehend”.

    NAN reports that the NCoS declared seven inmates missing as a result of rain that damaged the security perimeter of the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Ilesa in the early hours of Tuesday.

    The heavy rainfall around 2:00 a.m. caused a breach in the facility’s structure, allowing the inmates to escape.

    Read Also: Osun police confirm six dead in APC-PDP clash over LGA control 

    Confirming the development, the Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, in a statement signed by Umar Abubakar, Deputy Controller of Corrections, Public Relations Officer, on Tuesday, ordered an immediate investigation into the incident and assured the public that efforts were underway to return the escapees to custody.

    “The service is working closely with sister security agencies as well as community leaders to recapture the escapees and bring them back to custody,” the NCoS said in the statement.

    “However, the Service solicits the cooperation and support of the public in providing information that may lead to the recapture of the fleeing inmates.”

    Authorities have since launched a manhunt to recapture the fugitives. 

    (NAN) 

  • Dispatch rider nabbed for stealing N34.4m medical equipment

    Dispatch rider nabbed for stealing N34.4m medical equipment

    Operatives of the Zone 2 Police Command have arrested a dispatch rider, identified as Matthew Owochotie Adoche, for allegedly absconding with medical equipment worth N34.4 million.

    According to a statement by the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Police Ayuba Umma, the suspect was contracted by a medical doctor, Ajefolakemi John, to deliver the equipment from various locations in Lagos to a client in Zamfara State.

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    However, Adoche reportedly vanished with the items after picking them up on April 15, this year, and went incommunicado, switching off his mobile phones.

    Alarmed by the development, Ajefolakemi, who resides in Iloromu Quarters, Ile-Ife, Osun State, filed a petition with the police.

  • How to enhance police performance, by lawmaker

    How to enhance police performance, by lawmaker

    House of Representatives member Wale Ahmed has said that improved training and better equipment would enhance police performance.

    He spoke at plenary presided by Speaker Tajudeen Abass where a bill for police performance enhancement was passed for a Second Reading.

    It is titled: ‘A Bill to Increase the duration of the Trust Fund for continued training, Provision of Security Equipment, and Related Facilities, Enhance the Skills of the Personnel of the Nigeria Police and for Related Matters.’

    It was sponsored by Ahmed, who represents Agege Constituency, Lagos State.

    The lawmaker said it is imperative to extend the duration of the fund so that funding for training can be better supplemented, adding that through training, the police acquire more knowledge and learn new skills.

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    Ahmed, who spoke on phone with our correspondent, also emphasised the importance of modern security equipment to combat crime and maintain security.

    He said policemen cannot fight crime with obsolete equipment with maximum success.

    Ahmed hailed the police for striving to improve security, despite the constraints, saying that they deserve more incentives to aid better performance.

    The lawmaker said if the fund duration is extended, some constraints hindering effective policing would be removed and there would be efficiency in the maintenance of law and order.

    He described policing a collective responsibility, urging Nigerians to always assist them in intelligence gathering.

  • Police arrest 22-year-old man for posing as woman to blackmail men

    Police arrest 22-year-old man for posing as woman to blackmail men

    Detectives from the Area F Command of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a 22-year-old suspected blackmailer, Malik Opeyemi, for allegedly impersonating a woman online to lure and extort men through nude video calls.

    The suspect was apprehended on May 16, 2025, following a complaint filed by one of his victims at the Area Command.

    According to the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, officers launched an investigation and traced Opeyemi to Oyo State, where he was arrested and subsequently transferred to Lagos for further questioning.

    “Investigations revealed that the suspect had extorted over ₦4 million from more than 30 victims since January 2025,” Hundeyin said.

    Further findings showed that Opeyemi charged his victims a so-called “subscription” fee of ₦25,000 in exchange for access to nude and intimate content.

    Read Also: Police kill notorious armed robbery suspect, arrest seven others in Abuja

    Two Android phones—an Itel and a Samsung—were recovered during the arrest. A forensic examination of the devices uncovered several explicit images of various victims.

    “The suspect has since been charged in court,” Hundeyin added.

    Meanwhile, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, reaffirmed the Command’s dedication to tackling cybercrime.

    He said, “The Command remains fully committed to fighting cybercrime and protecting residents from digital exploitation. We urge the public to stay alert and report any suspicious online activities.”

  • Delta police arrest three interstate kidnappers, recover arms

    Delta police arrest three interstate kidnappers, recover arms

    The Delta State Police Command has arrested a notorious interstate kidnap syndicate.

    The suspects identified as Idirisu Yakubu, 21 from Kwara state; Bello Amodu, 40 of Tangaza LGA, Sokoto state and Umar Mohammed Beto, 38 of Tsamiya village, Bagudu LGA, Kebbi State, were nabbed at separate locations in River state.

    A statement released by the Spokesman of Delta Police Command, SP Bright Edafe, said the syndicate operated in Delta, Rivers and Enugu state, respectively.

    Two of the suspects, Bello and Mohammed, who is the “gang leader and coordinator” were separately arrested Friday 16 and Saturday, 17 May at Elelenwo area of Port Harcourt. 

    The third suspect, Umar, is said to head the Enugu axis of the Southeastern region, but was resident of the Oil Mill Area, Port Harcourt.

    Read Also: Police kill notorious armed robbery suspect, arrest seven others in Abuja

    They led the operatives to a “bush along Ughelli – Ozoro Road where one AK-47 Rifle loaded with 23 rounds of live ammunition and a pump action with seven rounds of live cartridges were recovered.”

    In a related development, Delta police operatives arrested a kidnapping/armed robbery suspect, identified as Benjamin Benemor, 53 at his residence in Warri South Local Government Area.

    “One English beretta pistol with magazine, one English double barrel pump action gun, one English single barrel gun, one locally-made single barrel gun, one locally-made short double barrel gun, one battle axe, and 15 live cartridges,” were recovered from the suspect.

  • Police kill notorious armed robbery suspect, arrest seven others in Abuja

    Police kill notorious armed robbery suspect, arrest seven others in Abuja

    Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have killed a notorious armed robbery suspect, Abdulmininu Bello a.k.a. Babanle, who was accused of leading his gang members to commit multiple armed robbery and vehicle theft operations in Abuja and its environs.

    Confirming the incident, FCT Police Public Relations Officer SP Josephine Adeh said operatives of the Command, in a coordinated joint tactical operation led by the Scorpion Squad, successfully dismantled the gang. 

    Adeh further said the gang had been on the Command’s watchlist, following incidents of armed robbery and vehicle theft traced to their network.

    She said; “Upon receiving credible intelligence that the syndicate was planning to rob an unsuspecting victim around Maitama area on May 19, 2025, police operatives swiftly mobilised and intercepted them on the 15th of May 2025.

    “On sighting the officers, the gang members opened fire. In the ensuing gun duel, one of the suspects, Abdulmininu Bello a.k.a. Babanle, was neutralised”.

    Read Also: Man executed in India for killing police officer

    Other members of the gang arrested at the scene include an ex-convict identified as Ibrahim Muhammad, 22 years, from Kebbi State; Abubakar Abdullahi, 22 years from Plateau State; Sarajo Yusuf, 20 years, from Plateau State; Isiaka Adamu, ex-convict from Bauchi State; Abdullahi Isah, 18 years, escaped detainee from Bauchi State; Sanusi Ali, a 51-year-old resident of Kano State and Abubakar Sani from Plateau State.

    Exhibits recovered from the scene include a 2004 Toyota Camry LE, one red boxer motorcycle, two locally made pistols with ten rounds of live 9mm ammunition, four AK47 rifles and magazines, eleven (11) rounds of live 7.62 ammunition and one locally made shotgun.

    Adeh further confirmed that leader of the gang, one Solomon Bawa a.k.a. Pastor Mogu, and one other suspect fled with gunshot injuries.

    Meanwhile, the FCT Command has called on public, who may have come across anyone with suspicious injuries to report same to the Police for prompt investigations.

    Police said all suspects were currently in custody and will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations. 

  • Man executed in India for killing police officer

    Man executed in India for killing police officer

    An Indiana man convicted on Tuesday in the fatal shooting of a police officer in 2000 has been executed by lethal injection in the state’s second execution in 15 years.

    Benjamin Ritchie, 45, had been on Indiana’s death row since 2002, when he was convicted of killing Beech Grove Police Officer Bill Toney during a chase on foot.

    Ritchie was executed at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, according to Indiana Department of Correction officials.

    IDOC said in a statement that the process started shortly after midnight and Ritchie was pronounced dead at 12:46 a.m.

    Ritchie’s last meal was from the Olive Garden and he expressed love, support and peace for his friends and family, according to the statement.

    Under state law, he was allowed five witnesses at his execution, which included his attorney Steve Schutte, who told reporters he had a limited view of the process.

    “I couldn’t see his face. He was lying flat by that time,” Schutte said. “He sat up, twitched, laid back down.”

    The process was carried out hours after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take the case, exhausting all of Ritchie’s legal options to fight the death sentence.

    Dozens of people, both anti-death penalty advocates and supporters of Toney, stood outside the prison until early Tuesday.

    Indiana resumed executions in December after a year’s long hiatus due to a scarcity of lethal injection drugs nationwide.

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    Prison officials provided photos of the execution chamber before Joseph Corcoran’s execution, showing a space that looks like an operating room with a gurney, fluorescent lighting and an adjacent viewing room.

    They’ve since offered few other details.

    Among the 27 states with death penalty laws, Indiana is one of two that bars media witnesses.

    The other, Wyoming, has conducted one execution in the last half-century.

    The Associated Press and other media organisations filed a federal lawsuit in Indiana seeking media access, but a federal judge denied a preliminary injunction last week that would have allowed journalists to witness Ritchie’s execution and future ones.

    The judge found that barring the news media doesn’t violate the First Amendment nor does it single out the news media for unequal treatment.

    The execution in Indiana is among 12 scheduled in eight states this year.

    Ritchie’s execution and two others in Texas and Tennessee will be carried out this week.

    Ritchie was 20 when he and others stole a van in Beech Grove, near Indianapolis.

    He then fired at Toney during a foot chase, killing him.

    At the time Ritchie was on probation from a 1998 burglary conviction.

    Toney, 31, had worked at the Beech Grove Police Department for two years.

    The married father of two was the first officer of the small department to be killed by gunfire in the line of duty.

    (AP/NAN)