The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Policeman

  • My ordeal, by policeman whose wife, kids died in kerosene explosion

    My ordeal, by policeman whose wife, kids died in kerosene explosion

    A police officer with the Rivers State Anti Bomb Squad, Inspector Maxwell Samson Etuk, has petitioned police authority over perceived injustice done to him after his wife and children died in a kerosene explosion.

    Etuk said since the incident, which happened while he was at work at night, he has been sleeping in an abandoned vehicle at the police headquarters, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.

    In a three-page petition addressed to the Inspector-General of Police by his lawyer, Mr. Higher King, Maxwell is asking the police to show concern over his predicament.

    He said it was painful losing his wife and four children in the kerosene explosion at night while on duty and being abandoned by the police authorities.

    King told Niger Delta Report in Port Harcourt, the River State capital, that before his client petitioned the Inspector- General of Police. Several appeals were made to draw the attention of the police but all efforts proved abortive.

    The human rights lawyer said the authorities should to come to the aid of his client to cushion his anguish and suffering.

    He said: “We have petitioned the Inspector-General of Police. All we are expecting by this week is to receive reply which will determine our next line of action. As for justice, I know we will get justice over the matter.

    “Let me state clearly here that we are ready for any legal battle to ensure that justice is done and that will depend on the response to our petition.”

     

  • Policeman ‘kills’ electrician in Lagos

    AN unidentified policeman has allegedly killed a man, Bello Adamson, in Aka, Iba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State.

    Bello, a popular electrician in the area, was allegedly shot dead by a policeman attached to the South Bound Hotel.

    The incident occurred around 9pm on Sunday at the hotel located at No 5, Elias Lane.

    It was learnt that the late Adamson was sitting in front of a provision store located less than 10 metres from the hotel, when he was hit by the bullet.

    His body has been deposited at the Morgue at the General Hospital, Badagry.

    The policeman escaped.

    Youths and street urchins went on rampage after the shooting, vandalising the property of the hotel, which opened a month ago.

    Some of them were arrested and are being detained at the Okokomaiko Police Station.

    Residents are yet to come to terms with the fact that Adamson, who they popularly called Baba Fasilat, is dead.

    A resident, Mr. Adedayo Fatai, said: “Baba Fasilat was shot dead by apoliceman attached to the hotel. I was standing a few metres away him and when we heard the gun shot, everyone scampered for safety. When we returned to the scene, I saw him on the floor in a pool of blood.”

    Another resident, Buchi Okechukwu, said: “Around 8:30pm, some youths tried to gain entrance into the hotel, but the policemen at the gate told them the dance hall was filled to capacity.

    “The youths insisted on going in and an argument ensued. The policemen began to shoot into the air to scare the youths away, but one of their bullets hit Adamson, who was not involved in the argument.”

    The deceased’s son, Afeez, said: “He baded us goodbye when he came to check on me where I had gone for my Disc Jockey business. A few minutes later, I received a call from my sister that policemen attached to the hotel had shot my father in the neck.”

    All efforts to speak with police spokesperson Ngozi Braide failed.

     

  • Court remands policeman in prison custody

    An Abakaliki Magistrate’s Court at the weekend remanded a police officer, Bassey Otu, in prison custody for allegedly killing Timothy Nwanga with a rifle.

    The late Ndubuisi was allegedly shot during a crisis between tricycle operators and policemen in Abakaliki, the state capital.

    Otu was arraigned on a charge of killing Nwanga (22) on May 11 on 61, Gunning Road, Abakaliki, by shooting him with a rifle.

    The offence is punishable under Section 319(1) of the Criminal Code cap 33 Vol.1 laws of Ebonyi State.

    The prosecutor said: “That you, Bassy Otu, on May 11 at 61, Gunning Road, Abakaliki, did unlawfully kill Timothy Nwanga by shooting him with a rifle and committing an offence punishable under Section 319(1) of the Criminal Code cap 33 Vol.1 laws of Ebonyi State”.

    Magistrate Ifeanyi Solange said the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter and remanded Otu in Abakaliki prison.

    Sources said the suspect has been dismissed from service.

  • Policeman, three others killed in cult clash

    A police inspector, identified as Mathew, has been killed by suspected cultists in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

    Police spokesman John Umoh said the matter was being investigated. No one, he said, has been arrested.

    It was learnt that Mathew left his room at Zion Street, 8 Miles, to ease himself when he ran into some suspected cultists, who were passing by.

    According to a source, he pointed his torchlight at them and they queried why he should do so.

    He said: “They asked the man why he should point his torchlight at them.

    “He did not quarrel with them. After that he just went back into his room to sleep.

    “After about 10 minutes, they mobilised themselves and came back and attacked him in his house. They hacked him to death.

    “We have no idea which group it was, but we know they were cultists.”

    The deceased’s neighbours said they had been living in fear as groups of boys, who they believed to be cultists, terrorise them.

    In Rivers State, three suspected cultists have been confirmed dead in Omuawa community, Ikwerre Local Government Area, after a clash between Degban and Dewell cult groups.

    The clash, which took place yesterday evening, also led to the arrest of five suspected cultists by the State Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS).

    An eyewitness, Jonah Nnnana, said: “The fight started by 6:30pm between Degban and Dewell.

    “Members of Degban cult said they were avenging the death of their members. In fact it was a bloody evening.”

  • Outrage as policeman shoots bus driver

    DATELINE was Thursday April 2, 2013. A mob was in a hot chase for a thief who allegedly stole tires in Ile-Epo bus stop along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. In the middle of the pandemonium, a police inspector joined the mob but took a wrong approach toward apprehending the thief. In a fit of fury, he squeezed the trigger but the bullets allegedly missed the target and instead sent an innocent commuter bus driver, Ibrahim Fagbohun, to his early grave. He was shot while his fingers were still on the steering.

    The 29-year-old driver was rushed to the nearby Orile-Agege General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead by doctors while the policeman is currently detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, Lagos.

    Recounting the incident, Ademola Alao, a colleague of the deceased bus driver, said:” The errant policeman, attached to Elere Police Station, Agege, was passing by with some colleagues in a patrol vehicle when he saw some people chasing a man accused of stealing tires. He then shot indiscriminately but his shots missed the thief and instead hit Ibrahim on the forehead.”

    It was gathered that the detained police inspector was on patrol with other policemen when they sighted some drivers who were trying to apprehend a man for allegedly stealing two tyres.

    Describing the incident as unfortunate, a colleague, Rahmon Okanlawon, said: “The killing of Ibrahim was rather sad. We were trying to apprehend the man who stole our tyres when a police patrol team came. The Inspector jumped down and started shooting indiscriminately into the air. The bullet hit one of our members, Ibrahim Fagbohun, on the forehead and he died immediately. When we rushed him to the hospital, he was confirmed dead. He is the breadwinner of his family and his wife was only three months ago delivered of a baby girl.

    “I was also arrested by the policemen from Elere and taken to the station where I was detained for several hours despite the fact that it was an officer from that station that killed our colleague.”

    A relative of the deceased, who spoke in confidence, explained that the late bus driver was on the first trip of the day when his life was gruesomely terminated.

    “He was just on the first trip of the day when he met his untimely death in the hands of the policeman. He had two kids, Rasheed, 4, and Nimota, three months old. There is need to prevent situations whereby innocent persons are killed by policemen who ordinarily should protect citizens. The police officer who killed him was irrational in the use of fire arms and should be penalised for his indiscretion.”

    Commenting on the murder, Lagos Police Command Spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the arrest of the Inspector, adding that he had been detained at the SCID for interrogation.

    “We have arrested the Inspector and he has been detained at the SCID. We are interrogating him and if he is found guilty, he will be prosecuted,”

  • Gunmen injure policeman in Borno church attack

    FIVE gunmen, suspected to be Boko Haram sect members, yesterday injured a policeman when they attacked the Ekliziyar Yan’uwa a Nigeriya (EYN), aka Church of Brethern, in Bulumkutu Ward of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

    The gunmen allegedly arrived on the church premises in a tricycle, popularly called Keke NAPEP, at 11.02am when the sermon was ongoing.

    They reportedly opened fire on the Joint Task Force (JTF) troops guiding the church. The troops repelled the attack.

    An eyewitness, who spoke in confidence, said the gunmen arrived on the church premises on a tricycle and started shooting.

    The eyewitness added that he believed the targets were the JTF security personnel attached to the church.

    It was learnt that the quick response by the JTF operatives forced the gunmen to flee the scene. No arrest was made as at time of sending this report last night.

    The eyewitness said he could not get the details of the attack to know if any member of the sect was injured.

    But the eyewitness confirmed that a policeman was shot in the leg, adding that he noticed this when the policeman was being rushed to the hospital for treatment.

    JTF spokesman, Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa confirmed the incident.

    He said some suspected Boko Haram members attacked the JTF location at the EYN Church in Bulumkutu Ward of Maiduguri, but were repelled.

    The JTF spokesman added that the policeman was injured in the leg, was treated and immediately discharged from the hospital.

  • Policeman, terror suspect killed in Kano JTF, Boko Haram gun duel

    A police officer and a suspected terrorist were reportedly killed yesterday during a raid by the Joint Task Force (JTF) at a suspected hideout of Boko Haram gunmen in Kano.

    The JTF operatives, it was learnt, raided Gwamaj, Yandabai and Yankaba early yesterday.

    Suspected Boko Haram insurgents had killed three policemen in Yankaba.

    JTF sources said the incident informed yesterday’s raid in the area.

    The slain police officer was attached to the JTF.

    Sporadic gunshots were heard in Yankaba for most parts of yesterday.

    JTF spokesman Capt Iwedichi Iweha said one suspected terrorist was killed while another was arrested.

    He was, however, silent on the slain police officer.

    Police authorities confirmed the death of a policeman in the JTF but did not disclose his name.

  • Gunmen kill policeman in Jos

    Gunmen on Monday shot dead a police corporal, Munir Jibril, at Ganawuri village, near Jos, in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

    The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Chris Olakpe, who confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos on Tuesday, said Jibril was killed while on patrol along with his colleagues.

    “The incident happened around 2pm on Monday when the patrol vehicle was attacked by the gunmen,’’ he said.

    The police officer said the corpse of the slain policeman had been deposited at the Plateau Specialist Hospital for autopsy.

    “There are no arrests as yet, but we are already combing the area in search of the culprits,’’ he told NAN.

    Olapke described the incident as “very sad and unfortunate’’, but assured members of the public that the command would not be deterred in its effort to restore peace in Plateau.

     

  • Unknown gunmen kill policeman

    •Telecoms masts burnt in Yobe

    Unknown gunmen yesterday invaded the Divisional Police Station in Barack, Yobe State, killing one policeman.

    Barack is the headquarters of Gulani Local Government.

    Eyewitnesses said the gunmen stormed the police formation about 1am and lunched an attack on the station, which lasted over two hours.

    They reportedly razed the station to the ground and driven away three cars.

    Police Commissioner Sanusi Rufai confirmed the attack. He said the gunmen were repelled by his men despite burning the station, adding that they killed the police corporal at his home at 5am after the station was attacked, by slitting his throat.

    Rufai said the hoodlums destroyed MTN and Glo masts and stole three vehicles, including a Hilux van, which belongs to the local government.

    He said no suspect has been arrested.

    No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack.

  • Policeman, two others killed as robbers raid Kano cattle market

    Dare-devil armed robbers, yesterday invaded the popular Friday cattle market in Wudil, community of Kano State, killing a police officer and two vigilance group members.

    According to an eyewitness account, the armed robbers, numbering about 15 invaded the cattle market, immediately after the Jumat prayers.

    On arrival, they shot sporadically into the air to scare away the traders.

    In the process, the armed gang succeeded in gunning down one police officer and two members of a vigilance group, as well as injuring two other police officers and one vigilance group member.

    It was gathered that every Friday, security operatives were deployed to the market to provide security for buyers and sellers in the ever busy market, which is about 50 kilometres away from Kano, the state capital.

    An eyewitness account told our reporter that as soon as the gunmen arrived at the market, they immediately opened fire on the policemen and vigilance group members on duty.

    When contacted, the Commissioner of Police, Idris Ibrahim, confirmed the incident but disclosed that the robbers did not succeed in their operation, as his men repelled the raid, pointing out that his men are already on the trail of the fleeing robbers.