The Nation Newspaper

Tag: robbers

  • ‘Why I don’t buy phones from robbers, kidnappers’

    A 42-year-old suspected receiver of stolen phones, Usman Garuba, has said he does not buy phones and other items from robbers or kidnappers because he can be arrested.

    Usman, who was nabbed on July 27, said he usually bought phones from pick pockets in Nigeria and took them to Benin Republic where the phones could not be tracked by security agents.

    He said stolen phones are easily sold in Benin Republic for a huge amount, rather than in Nigeria.

    Three pick pockets paraded with Usman are Ezekiel Ayorinde, 21; Omorogbe Samuel, 22 and James Okechukwu, 23.

    The trio confessed they sold the phones they stole to Usman at prices, ranging from N5,000 to N10,000.

    Okechukwu, from Anambra State, said they were arrested after one of them, Omorogbe, was nabbed for alleged kidnapping and robbery.

    He said they were at the police station to tell the police that Omorogbe was a pick pocket like them and not a kidnapper or robber.

    Okechukwu said: “We operate at Third Junction. My friend was arrested and police said they traced his phone to a kidnap gang. We came to tell the police that he was not a kidnapper, but a pick pocket like us. That was how the police nabbed us.

  • Robbers kill policeman in Nasarawa

    A policeman attached to Nasarawa State Command has been killed by suspected robbers on the Akwanga/Wamba road, it was learnt yesterday.

    The spokesman, Samaila Usman, who confirmed this to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday, said: “The police patrol along the axis on July 15 ran into a road block mounted by the suspected criminals and a gun battle ensued.

    “One of our officers was injured and later died in the hospital. A member of the gang was also killed while others escaped with bullet injuries and are being trailed by the police.”

    Usman added an AK-47 rifle and several rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the scene.

    He appealed to the public to report anyone found with bullet wounds to the security agencies for prompt action.

  • Breaking: Robbers kill, set four policemen ablaze in Edo

    Four Policemen attached to the Sabogidda-Ora Police Division have been killed and their corpse set ablaze by suspected armed robbers.

    The incident, according to witnesses, occurred at about 8:30pm on Saturday at the Oke New-Avbiosi Road junction along Uzebba-Ifon Expressway in Owan West local government area.

    Residents in the area watched helplessly as the corpses of the policemen burnt beyond recognition inside the police van they were in.

    It was learnt that the corpses have been taken to a nearby mortuary.

    State Police Commissioner, Babatunde Kokumo, said he would talk on the incident later in the day.

    Details later….

  • Police parade 34 suspected kidnappers, robbers in Imo

    The Imo State Police Command yesterday paraded 34 suspects for alleged kidnapping, murder, armed robbery, fraud, rape, conspiracy and theft.

    The suspects included members of a notorious gang that specialised in kidnapping, raping and killing girls after collecting ransom from victims’ families.

    The suspected leader of the gang, David Ndubuisi (24), from Umuneke village in Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area, confessed that the gang had abducted and murdered three girls of 20 to 28 years after raping them.

    Ndubuisi said he was arrested after his gang kidnapped Miss Cynthia Dike (28), who he said his gang members raped, killed and dumped in the forest.

    Also paraded was a five-man kidnap syndicate that abducted and murdered a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Mr. Amos Akano, of Nkwerre Local Government Area, after collecting N5 million ransom from the victim’s family.

    Parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters, Police Commissioner Dasuki Galandanchi said the community policing strategy adopted by the command was yielding results.

    The police chief noted that while 10 suspects were arrested for alleged robbery, 14 others were held for kidnapping and two for fraud.

    The command also rescued 11 kidnap victims, while items recovered from the suspects included four stolen vehicles, four locally-made guns and one pump action.

    Citing some achievements the command recorded within the period, Galandanchi said: “Through intelligence gathering, David Ndubuisi, 24, of Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State; Chinonso Akabisi, 26, of Isiala Mbano Local Government Area and Christian Chukwuka, 24, of Oguta Local Government Area, were arrested for involvement in the kidnapping of Cynthia Dike, of Ngor Okpala Local Government Area, on June 15.”

    The police chief said the suspects allegedly kidnapped the victim as she was returning from Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, and took her to their den in the forest, where they allegedly rape her for days before killing and dumping her naked body in the bush.

    He said: “One motorcycle, two knives, one purse, hand bags and handsets belonging to their victims were recovered from the suspects.”

    Galandanchi added that the suspects would soon be arraigned in court.

  • Robbers rape NYSC member in Bayelsa

    An unidentified woman member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has reportedly been raped by a gang of robbers in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

    It was gathered that the hoodlums, who were engaged in house-to-house robbery at Yenizue Gene, a suburb of Yenagoa, attacked the corps member’s apartment on Sunday morning.

    The three robbers were said to have stormed the area at 3 a.m and fired several gunshots into the air to scare away a vigilance group, whose members only carried sticks and cutlasses.

    They reportedly robbed the victim of her mobile phones, cash and other valuables and later raped her.

    A resident, who spoke in confidence, said they took turns on the victim, despite her pleas for mercy.

    “She has, however, been taken to the hospital for treatment,” the source said.

    Sources said the police were alerted but they could not perform optimally due to the blackout in Yenagoa.

    The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), since last November, has thrown the state, including the capital town, into darkness.

    The development led to upsurge in criminal activities, especially cult-related killings and robberies.

    A vigilante, identified simply as Tonye, said policemen who arrived the scene were afraid they could run into an ambush the hoodlums laid.

    Police spokesman Asinim Butswat, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said three robbers were involved in the crime.

    He said the traumatised NYSC member reported the matter to the police station, including how the hoodlums took turns on her.

    Butswat added that the victim made useful statement on the identities of the robbers.

    He said the police immediately launched a manhunt against them.

  • Armed robbers rape corps member in Bayelsa

    An unidentified female member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has been raped by a gang of armed robbers in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

    It was gathered that the hoodlums, who were engaged in house-to-house robbery at Yenizue Gene, a suburb of Yenagoa, attacked the corps member’s apartment located in the area on Sunday morning.

    The armed robbers numbering about three stormed the area at about 3am and fired several gunshots into the air to scare away a vigilance group, whose members were only carrying sticks and cutlasses.

    They were said to have robbed the victim of his mobile phones, cash and other valuables and later raped her.

    A resident, who spoke under condition of anonymity, said they took turns on the victim despite her pleas for mercy.

    “She has, however, been taken to the hospital for treatment”, the source said.

    Read Also:Court sentences 35-year-old to two years jail term for rape

    Sources said the police were alerted but that they could only do little following the blackout in Yenagoa.

    The Port-Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) has since November last year thrown the entire state including Yenagoa into darkness.

    The development has led to upsurge in criminal activities especially cult-related killings and armed robberies.

    A local vigilance member, Tonye, said the security men, who arrived the robbery scene, were afraid they could run into an ambush laid by the hoodlums.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident and said three armed robbers were involved in the crime.

    He said the traumatised corps member reported the matter to the police station including the way the hoodlums took turns on her.

    Butswat noted that the victim also made useful statement on the identities of the armed robbers adding that the police immediately launched a manhunt on them.

  • Robbers kill musician in Edo

    A three-man robbery gang has killed a Benin-based musician, identified as Mr. Elvis Oni.

    Wife of the late musician, popularly called Papa, who was on the scene of the shooting, was reportedly stabbed.

    It was gathered that the hoodlums stormed the home of the musician at 17 New Lagos Road in the Edo State capital, around 7:25 p.m on Tuesday and robbed the occupants.

    Eyewitnesses said the robbers wore hoods and first robbed Mrs. Oni of the proceeds of her business.

    The late Oni was said to be discussing with some of his band members when the gang entered the building and shot him at close range.

    The deceased musician ran out and was not seen again until Wednesday morning when his body was found inside a pit.

    Policemen attached to the New Benin Divisional Station were seen on the scene yesterday at 9:35 a.m to take the body to the Central Hospital in Benin.

    Police spokesman Chidi Nwabuzor, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), denied claim of rising cases of robbery in the ancient city.

    Nwabuzor said the killing was not a case of robbery but rival cult attack.

    He added: “Around 7 p.m yesterday (Tuesday), three armed men came into the premises of Elvis Oni at 17 New Lagos Road and shot him. The man escaped through the backward and the wife and children raised he alarm.

    “His body was later found at the moat this morning (yesterday). The police at the New Benin area are still investigating the matter to actually bring the culprits to book.

    “For now, no arrest has been made.”

  • Robbers steal over N4m cash in Aba warehouse

    Four armed men have reportedly attacked a warehouse on Azikiwe Road in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State, and allegedly stole over N4 million.

    The Nation learnt that the gunmen, who operated in a commercial tricycle, pretended to make enquiry at the textile warehouse.

    Warehouses in Aba have been under attack by gunmen who disguised as passengers of commercial tricycles to beat security checks.

    Sources said the gunmen stole the cash belonging to the owner of the warehouse and some of his customers.

    The hoodlums were said to have carried out their act without attracting the attention of neighbours and passers-by to the extent that everyone else was surprised when customers and the warehouse owner were narrating their ordeal.

    The robbers were said to have stopped another commercial tricycle operator after attacking the warehouse.

    “The man is selling clothes in bales. People were surprised when they were narrating the incident. The shop owner could not say exactly how much was stolen from him, but from what we gathered, the gunmen made away with over N4 million cash,” the source said.

    A resident urged warehouse owners to install Close Circuit Television (CCTV) in their shops, saying it would assist the police and other security agencies to either identify or track down the hoodlums, as was the case in Offa (Kwara State) robbery.

    Also, a resident of Boudex Lane, off 28 Umuola Road in Aba, is battling for survival in an undisclosed hospital.

    He was reportedly shot by a robber who invaded his apartment with his group.

    The victim, who operates a provision store, was said to have been taken unawares by the robbers, who were on a tricycle.

    It was gathered that as the man attempted to stop the armed men from taking the money, one of them shot the man in the head, leaving him in the pool of his blood.

    The neighbours and a police patrol team were reportedly attracted to the scene by the sound of the gun and screaming of the victim.

    The hoodlums were said to have abandoned their tricycle in front of a popular secondary school on Aba-Ikot Ekpene highway before dashing into a nearby bush.

    Police spokesman DSP Geoffery Ogbonna, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), could not be reached last night for comments.

  • Victim exposes suspected robbers after operation

    Two suspected robbers, identified simply as Jude and Tunde have been arrested by the police in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, after they were exposed by a woman, who was their victim.

    The incident happened in Agbede area of the community penultimate Friday around 2 am.

    The suspects who were said to have been terrorising the community lately, mentioned each other’s name during the robbery operation.

    It was learnt that the woman told the vigilante and police about the incident following which were apprehended at their residence in the community.

    It was learnt that a team of policemen from Owutu Police Station led the victims their hideout in the community on Tuesday to arrest their accomplices.

    A source told The Nation that the notorious suspected robbers had stolen no fewer than 30 flat screen television sets since they started operating in the community.

    ‘’The suspects had stolen over 30 flat screen television sets from the home of their victims. They would scale into the home of their victims at night and robbed them of their valuables, especially television sets.

    ‘’ We had thought that they had been released secretly until they were led to the community by men of Owutu Police Station last Tuesday.

    ‘’ We don’t want the matter to be swept under the carpet or the suspects released at all. We want their accomplices to be apprehended too, in order to serve as deterrent to others.’’

    The spokesman of Lagos State Police Command, Mr Chike Oti was not available for comment at press time.

  • ‘Robbers’ steal N9m council salary  

    The Chairman of Gwandu Local Government of Kebbi State, Alhaji Shehu Bagudu, has said suspected robbers have stolen over N9 million meant for April salary in the departments of Health and Agriculture.

    He told reporters in Gwandu yesterday the incident occurred on May 24.

    “The incident happened when the cashier, Alhaji Bashir Gwandu, collected the money from the bank and went to his home.

    “As he was about to open the gate and unknown to him, the robbers had been trailing him from the bank.

    “As he was opening the gate to enter his house, the hoodlums attacked him, snatched his car with money inside and drove away.

    “The car was later discovered in Tambuwal Local Government of Sokoto State,” Bagudu said.

    He dispelled the rumour that he was shielding the cashier, who is his son in-law

    The chairman said he could not stop the police from doing their investigation.

    “I have not slept since the incident occurred.

    “The cashier is my son in-law; he is known to be trustworthy.

    “We have written to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs on the incident, but we are awaiting their response.

    “The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is on top of the situation,” he said.

    Bagudu added that the council had held meetings with the affected workers.

    “The cashier’s family is planning to pay part of the stolen money before his arraignment on June 4.”

    Police spokesman Mustapha Suleiman, who confirmed the incident, said the cashier had been undergoing investigation at the CID since the incident.