The Nation Newspaper

Tag: robbers

  • Men docked over robbery of N2m Rolex watch with toy gun

    An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court on Friday remanded five unemployed men in Kirikiri Prisons for allegedly robbing a man of a Rolex wrist watch valued at N2 million with a toy gun.

    The accused are Ayodele Oluwafemi, 36; Imole Otegbeye, 22; Segun Sunday, 24; Rilwan Abdusalam, 22; and Ezekiel Ayodele, 22.

    The men, whose addresses were not provided, are facing a three-count charge bordering on robbery and unlawful possession of firearms.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mrs A. A. Adetunji, who gave the ruling, said the accused should be kept in Kirikiri Prisons pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    She directed that the case file should be duplicated and a copy sent to the DPP.

    The prosecution had earlier told the court that the accused committed the offences on May 3 at 10.00 p. m. along Oshodi Airport Road, Lagos.

    The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Matthew Akhaluode alleged the accused, with others still at large, armed themselves with a black toy gun and robbed the complainant, Mr Adamson Mustapha of his Rolex watch valued at N2 million in his car.

    “The complainant was on his way from the airport when the accused attacked him with a toy gun and robbed him of his N2 million Rolex watch.

    “The complainant alerted passersby and the accused were caught, realising that the gun was not real, ” he said.

    The offences contravened Sections 297(2), 299(1) and 330 (a), (d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    Reports have it that Section 297 (2) prescribes 21 years jail term for offenders.

    The magistrate adjourned the case until July 2 DPP’s advice.

  • Command nabs 43 suspected kidnappers, robbers

    Oyo State Police Command said yesterday that it had arrested 43 suspected criminals, including kidnappers, robbers and fake security agents terrorising residents.

    Among the suspects, who were paraded at a news briefing at the police headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan was a suspected kidnap kingpin, Duru Daniel, who was alleged to have masterminded high profile kidnaps, including that of Senator Iyabo Anisulowo, between 2015 and 2017.

    The suspected kidnapper, an ex-convict, was nabbed in 2016 and arraigned. He was, however, granted bail in January.

    Police Commissioner Abiodun Odude said barely four months after the 31-year-old suspected kidnapper was released from Agodi Prison, he formed a robbery gang, which operated on the Ibadan/Ijebu-Ode axis, terrorising, maiming and robbing motorists.

    Other members of Daniel’s gang, who were arrested by the police, included Umaru Mohammed, 23, also an ex-convict, who admitted to have served jail term in Lokoja Prison and Aminu Abubakar, 22, the gang’s armourer, a herdsman, who was said to have procured arms from a man simply identified as Sara, now at large, in Zamfara State.

    Some of the exhibits recovered from them included three AK 49 rifles, one English made pistol, 87 rounds of 7.63mm live ammunition and 16 expended 7.62 ammunition.

    A soldier, Azeez Olaide, 22, confessed to have carried out crimes ranging from kidnapping to robbery and defilement.

    He reportedly committed the offences with two members of his gang, Ibrahim Lawal, 22 and Kehinde Adeniji, 29.

    The police boss said Olaide, a Private, was responsible for robberies in parts of the state.

    “The modus operandi of the suspects, who were usually clad in military camouflage, was to go about kidnapping people, robbing them and defiling female victims.

    “The suspects, armed with guns, a jack knife and other weapons, abducted Rasak Michael and his girlfriend, Rashidat, in Oluyole, Ibadan on April 31 and took them to a hotel where they were kept till the day they were released.

    “While in captivity, the suspects defiled the female victim and recorded the sexual acts to blackmail her. The suspects also stole ATM cards, having forcefully obtained PIN numbers and withdrew a large sum from the victims’ accounts,” he said.

    Items recovered from the suspects were four pairs of military fatigue, a pair of military desert boot, a fake military ID card, a jack knife, seven ATM cards belonging to the victims, two phones, a Rolex wristwatch, one gold necklace, one WIFI and N135,000.

    Also arrested were members of a vigilance group, who confessed to have conspired with a robbery gang to rob residents of the community, who paid them for rendering security services.

    The seven suspects, Odude said, betrayed the trust reposed in them by the Osungbade Community by inviting robbers to attack residents.

    The suspects included Wasiu Adejare aka DJ Keze, 27, who claimed to be the gang leader and was once arraigned for unlawful possession of firearms, Solomon Okeke, 22, Korede Afeez, 23, Aliu Abiodun, 19, Oladepo Nurudeen, 32, Tunde Popoola, 25 and Kazeem Ajao aka Sokoti, 50.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Police arrest 14 ‘robbers’, ‘kidnappers’ 

    Operatives of the Inspector-General of Police (IG) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) have arrested 14 suspected robbers and kidnappers.

    A police source said they attacked motorists and others on the Kaduna-Kano highway.

    The suspects, including three siblings – Sunday Jatau, 35, Solomon Jatau, 40 and Ayuba Jatau 32 – were nabbed yesterday.

    The Nation learnt the suspects were responsible for the death of a senior lecturer at Nasarawa State University, Dr. Ibrahim Mailafia.

    He was killed on November 3 on the highway on his way to Kano to see his family after getting a PhD in Artificial intelligence from the United Kingdom (UK).

    Others arrested were Ishaku Luka, 42, alias Dogo; Bature Adamu, 38; Bello Abdullahi, 32; Mamuda Mohammed, 27; Ibrahim Daniel, 27; Emmanuel Garba, 27; Usman Mohammed, 35; Ibrahim Baba, 49; Bello Aliyu, 36; Surajo Mohammed, 35 and Hassan Ibrahim, 55.

    The source said two AK47 rifles, a pistol, and a phone belonging to Dr. Mailafia, were recovered from the suspects.

    He said Sunday Jatau confessed to be the gang leader,  and that he killed the lecturer.

    “The suspects confessed to robberies, kidnappings and killings on the highways of Kaduna, Kano and Niger states. Two AK47 rifles loaded with ammunition, a baretta pistol and stolen vehicles, phones, including the iPhone of the late Dr. Mailafia, were recovered from them. Efforts to arrest more suspects and recover weapons are on.”

  • Robbers kill security guard at Awka filling station

    Some robbers yesterday killed a security guard at a filling station in Awka, the Anambra State capital, during an operation.

    The hoodlums were said to have stolen a huge sum of money from the filling station around the temporary site of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) junction.

    The robbers reportedly stormed the filling station in a hummer bus at 2 a.m.

    Police spokesman Haruna Mohammed, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the command had recovered the vehicle the hoodlums used for the operation.

    He said the police were on the trail of the suspects, adding that investigations had begun into the incident.

    The owner of the filling station, who identified himself simply as Uche, said the suspects stole an unspecified amount of money and other valuables.

    The Nation gathered that the suspects tied one of the security guards before firing the other.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The robbers gunned down the guard after struggling with him in a bid to enter the filling station.”

  • Two killed as robbers attack bank in Ekiti

    •Monarch: it was a war-like situation

    Suspected robbers  yesterday attacked an old generation bank in Ilawe-Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti Southwest Local Government of Ekiti State.

    In the operation, which lasted over one hour, the gunmen killed a policeman, Bayo, and a bank worker, whose name could not be ascertained last night.

    Another bank worker was reportedly shot in the arm.

    The robbery occurred barely a month after another old generation bank was attacked in Ifaki-Ekiti, where a police inspector was killed.

    An eyewitness told The Nation that the hoodlums stormed the bank located close to the Alawe’s palace, about 2:45 pm, and operated for over an hour.

    They reportedly blasted the bank’s security door with dynamite.

    The eyewitness said the dynamite blew up a blue Toyota Camry car.

    The robbers reportedly stole an unspecified amount of money.

    The source said: “They just came suddenly and started shooting. Shop owners scampered for safety, because the shooting was deafening.

    “After blasting the security door, they went into the banking hall and seized workers and customers. They stole an undisclosed amount of money.

    “They escaped via Ilawe-Igbara Odo-Ogotun Road.”

    Confirming the incident in a phone chat with The Nation, the Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, expressed shock at the incident.

    He said the robbers turned his domain to a warfront by firing dynamite and grenade, which caused panic and paralysed activities.

    Oba Alabi said: “It was a terrible experience; my palace is very close to the bank. It was terrifying, it was like a warfront. They detonated grenades during the attack.

    “I was in the palace during the robbery; the attack happened less than an hour after a bullion van brought cash to the bank.

    “We have been in touch with the governor and the police command.”

    Effort to get the police reaction was not successful last night.

  • Two feared dead as robbers attack bank in Ekiti

    …MONARCH: IT WAS A WARLIKE SITUATION

     

    Suspected armed robbers on Tuesday attacked an old generation bank in Ilawe-Ekiti, headquarters of Ekiti Southwest Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

    In the operation that lasted over one hour, the robbers killed a policeman, whose name was given as Bayo and a bank worker whose name could not be ascertained at press time.

    Another bank worker was also reportedly shot by the bandits in the arm.

    The Ilawe robbery attack happened barely a month after another old generation bank was attacked in Ifaki-Ekiti in which a police inspector was killed.

    An eyewitness told The Nation that the robbers stormed the bank which is located close to the Alawe’s Palace at about 2.45 pm and operated unhindered for over an hour.

    They reportedly blasted the bank’s security door with dynamite before gaining entrance.

    The eyewitness disclosed that the dynamite also blew up a blue colour Toyota Camry car parked within the vicinity of the bank.

    The robbers reportedly stole an unspecified amount of money.

    Confirming the incident in a telephone chat with The Nation, the Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, expressed shock at the incident.

    Read Also: Robbers kill four policemen, six others in Kwara

    He said the robbers turned his domain to a war front by firing dynamite and grenade which caused panic and paralyzed business, traffic and other social activities.

    Oba Alabi said: “It was a terrible experience, my palace is very close to the bank. It was terrifying, it was like a war front. They kept detonating grenades during the attack.

    “I was in the palace during the robbery, the attack happened less than a hour after a bullion van delivered cash to the bank.

    “We have been in touch with the governor and the state police command.”

    Effort to get the police reaction to the bank robbery was not successful at the time of filing this report.

     

  • Police arrest 85 suspected cultists, robbers, drug traffickers

    Bayelsa State Police Command said yesterday that it had arrested 85 suspected cultists, robbers and drug peddlers.

    It decried activities of cultists and criminals.

    Police Commissioner Don Awunah said the Anti-Cultism Unit effected the arrest in a renewed onslaught on criminals.

    He said some of the suspects had been arraigned, while others were being investigated.

    Awunah said the police dislodged 15 robbery gangs, 15 drug peddlers and recovered 49 firearms.

    He said the passage of Secret Cults/Societies and Similar Activities Prohibition (Amendment) Law, 2018, by the government empowered the police to tackle cultists and cult-related violence.

    The police boss said since the introduction of ‘Operation Safer Bayelsa’, the command had confronted robbers, kidnappers, cultists and drug dealers.

    He said the police mopped up arms and weapons from unauthorised people.

    “Proliferation of arms and weapons has fuelled insecurity. It is against this background that theInspector-General Ibrahim Idris directed his commissioners to mop up arms and ammunition.

    “In Bayelsa, despite the intervention of Amnesty programme, arms and ammunition are in circulation.

    “In compliance with the IGP directive, the command has seized 49 firearms from criminals.

    “It has smashed 15 robbery gangs, arrested suspects, recovered arms and ammunition and stolen items. These resulted in reduction in crimes,” Awunah added.

    On drug abuse, he said the police, through intelligence and with the cooperation of the public, dislodged 15 drug peddlers.

    “The dislodgement led to the disruption of their supply chain. Twelve firearms, narcotics and weeds suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered from the traffickers,” the commissioner said.

    He passed a vote of confidence in Idris for his policy, direction, logistic support and adoption of democratic policing.

    Awunah said the IGP deserved praise for his support and motivation, which led the command to record achievements.

    He said: “The inspector-general of Police has remained an ardent believer in principles and core values of community policing. A paradigm shift from reactionary, traditional policing. He is a driver of the change mantra in police and a crusader of police reforms.

    “Idris is a resource person in international policing style and culture of excellence, an epitome of ethical leadership and true believer in the Nigerian project.”

  • Photographer loses cash, items worth millions to robbers

    One of the photographers of the 2015 Akinwumi Ambode Campaign Organisation, Niyi Adeniran, has relived how he was robbed of N200,000 cash and items worth millions of Naira, at his 18, Adeleke Street, Magboro, last April 14.

    Adeniran, a Digital Photography Executive with Chain Reactions Nigeria, said the robbers went away with valuables including a Canon camera 1000D, 2 Canon 70D, Canon 5D Mark3, 70-300mm Canon lens, 25-300mm Canon lens, Canon lens 18-135mm, a hard drive containing all his archive storage of 2TB Seagate, 1TB of Seagate and 2TB of Transcend hard drives.

    He listed other items stolen to include an iPad, Windows phone, Infinix, one mini HP laptop, a normal size HP laptop and N200,000 meant for his children’s school fees.

    Adeniran’s wife, Funmilayo, said the family left home around 7am on April 14 but returned home to see the house scattered and all valuables gone.

    “We all left home around 7am that day; my husband and I left home for work, our children were dropped off in school. It was when I got back home later that day that I discovered the burglary; I saw that everywhere had been ransacked; I was scared, so I rushed out of the house with my children to inform neighbours of what I noticed. They followed me back to our house and I called my husband to inform him about the incident.

    “He was also shocked but told me to call the Estate Security which I did. They came to see what had happened and my husband later reported the case at Ibafo Police Station when he got back from work. I have never experienced something like this in my life; this incident has affected my husband; he is worried about how to care for his family now that all the tools of his trade have been stolen.”

    Adeniran, who is yet to get over the incident, said he is grateful to God that the robbers did not injure anybody.

    “I cannot imagine what would have happened if anyone was at home when the incident happened. I thank God that nobody was hurt, but it is still a bitter experience for some unknown persons to enter my house and steal all my valuables. It is painful and I pray God’s mercy and protection will always be over my family.”

     

  • LNSC arrests 14 traffic ‘robbers’

    Officials of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) at the weekend arrested 14 suspected traffic robbers at Marina, Lagos Island.

    The suspects were apprehended during an operation code-named Jedi-Jedi initiated to rid the axis of miscreants, who waylaid motorists at night.

    According to the agency’s chairman, Israel Ajao, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), they had received complaints that motorists were usually robbed in the axis at night especially by the State House in Marina.

    He said LNSC officials went undercover and pretended as motorists, whose vehicle broke down.

    “Over 100 officers were deployed in decoy raid. Some were inside vehicles, which seemed to have broken down. As soon as the urchins saw the broken down vehicles, they went after it in a bid to rob its occupants.

    “Fourteen of them were pursued and arrested. Some weapons recovered. They have been handed over to the Taskforce for further action. Some of our officers sustained minor injuries. This operation was successful because of the quality of intelligence received from the public.

    “People should have confidence in giving us information and we would rout out all criminals from all the nooks and crannies of Lagos State.”

  • Ammunition recovered as police arrest 25 suspected cultists, robbers

    The Enugu State Police Command has arrested 25 suspected cultists and armed robbers as they gathered for their initiation into membership of a cult group in the state.

    The police also recovered a locally made, single barrel pistol, a locally made cut to size single barrel gun, four live cartridges and six expended cartridges from the suspects.

    The Command’s spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu, a Superintendent (SP) in a statement in Enugu, said the suspects were arrested on Monday around 1a.m. in a thick bush at the outskirts of Enugu.

    Amaraizu said the feat was achieved by the command’s Anti-Cultism Unit through intelligence information.

    According to him, the operatives of the Anti-Cultism Unit of the command through intelligence information have raided Obeagu-Amechi Awkunanaw bush.

    “It was reported that 25 youths from various universities, polytechnics and some secondary schools in the South-East gathered for their initiation activities into membership of Black Axe Ayes confraternity.

    “During the well-coordinated raid, which took place inside the bush behind centenary city Awkunanaw, these suspects were apprehended.

    “They comprised students of some notable universities, polytechnics, and secondary schools in the South-East as well as some artisans and workers from various companies in Enugu State,’’ he said.

    Amaraizu said the suspects have being helping police operatives in their investigations as it relates to cult activities and other vices.

    The police spokesman expressed the command’s readiness and resolves not to rest on its oars in its campaign and onslaught against cultism and other vices among youths in the state for a safe and secured environment.