The Nation Newspaper

Tag: robbery

  • Court remands woman in prison for alleged robbery

    An Ikeja Magistrate Court has ordered  a  25-year -old woman, Taye Omiata, to be remanded in Kirikiri Prison.

    Magistrate Abimbola Oshodi-Makanju ordered that Omiata, a suspected armed robber, should remain in prison custody pending, legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

    Police arraigned charged Omiata in court for allegedly being in possession of a gun.

    The defendant, who resides at Lusada, in Ogun State, is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful possession of firearms and armed robbery.

    The police prosecutor, Inspector Samson Ekikere, told the court that the defendant unlawfully had in her possession one locally-made double barrel short gun, with five live cartridges without a licence duly issued to her by the Inspector-General of Police.

    Ekikire alleged that the defendant and others at large, while armed with gun, attempted to rob. He said the defendant and others at large, committed the offence on August 22, at 8:30pm, in Iju, Lagos.

    According to the prosecutor, the offence is contrary to Section 5 (b) and punishable under Section 1 (2) (a), 1 (2) (a)(b) of the Robbery and Firearms (special provision) Act, Cap 398, Vol XXii, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2003.

    When the charge was read to the defendant, she pleaded not guilty.

    The magistrate ordered that she should be remanded in prison.

    Magistrate Oshodi-Makanju, adjourned the case to October 2.

     

     

  • Two men docked over alleged snatching of iPad

    Two men — Sunday Ifeanyi and Tosin Rasaq — on Tuesday appeared before an Apapa Senior Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly snatching an iPad worth N70,000 from a woman.

    Ifeanyi, 22, and Rasaq, 23, whose addresses are unknown, are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and unlawful possession of weeds suspected to be hemp.

    The prosecutor, ASP Austine Onwuemene, said the accused committed the offences at Church Bus Stop, Kuje in Amuwo area of Lagos on Aug. 14.

    He said the accused dispossessed the complainant, Mrs Precious Muotoh, of her iPad and N725.00 cash.

    “Muotoh raised an alarm which attracted passers-by, who helped to apprehend two of the accused and handed them over to the police,’’ Onwuemene told the court.

    According to him, a driver’s licence belonging to one Olabisi Olabode was also found on him during a search.

    The offences, he added, contravened Sections 166 (d), 285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The Senior Magistrate, Mr M. K. Fadeyi, granted the duo bail in the sum of N20, 000 each and one surety each in like sum.

    In addition, he said the sureties, who should be civil servants, should show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused may be sentenced to a maximum of three years imprisonment each if found guilty.

    Further hearing has been fixed for Sept. 20. (NAN)

  • Police foil robbery in Abeokuta

    The police yesterday foiled a robbery in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    Suspected robbers stormed the town in an unmarked Ford bus and a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).

    They came in through the Adigbe/Obada-Oko route from the Lagos/Abeokuta expressway and drove towards Okelewo, the commercial hub.

    Following a tip off, mobile policemen attached to the Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) stationed at Ibara went after them and a gun battle ensued.

    Commercial motorcyclists joined the police in the chase.

    Residents ran to safety to avoid being caught up in the cross fire.

    The police shot the tyres of the Ford bus and it halted in Agbeloba. One of its occupants was arrested. The other occupant escaped with those in the SUV.

    Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi hailed the policemen that carried out the operation.

    He attributed their success to the availability of equipment, which were donated by the Governor Ibikunle Amosun administration.

    Stressing that the command would make Ogun unsafe for criminals, Adejobi said: “This is just the tip of the iceberg. We got information that the vehicle was moving suspiciously in Abeokuta and mobile policemen attached to the APC at Ibara gave them a hot chase. We got one of the suspected armed robbers, while one of them fled.

    “The gun battle ensued in a school environment. Our men were conscious that stray bullets could hit innocent persons. Their target was to demobilise the vehicle and they did so successfully. One of the suspects fled and another one was arrested. He is in police custody.

    “We do not have details of the vehicle that escaped, but have informed neighbouring commands to be on the look out. The raid we began recently is not giving criminals a conducive environment to operate. The command will continue to spread its tentacles and deploy all its resources in checkmating crime.”

    Adejobi said a team of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), headed by Ahmed Tijani, killed four robbery suspects this week at Odan-Abuja in Igbesa, Ado–Odo/Ota Local Government Area.

    He said the suspects were part of the robbers that killed members of a vigilance group at Onihale.

  • Police arrest robbery suspects in Ogun

    Three robbery suspects were yesterday arrested by the police in Ifo, Ogun State.

    They were said to be part of the 11 suspects arrested on Saturday in another part of the state.

    The gang is said to be responsible for various robberies in Ogun and Oyo states.

    Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said shot guns, ammunition and other items were recovered from them.

    Adejobi said: “Barely a day after the arrest of 11 suspected armed robbers in Abeokuta, the command arrested three confessed armed robbers, who operate in Ogun and Oyo states, at Obada Oko and Papalanto in Ifo Local Government Area on Sunday at about 0500hrs.

    “Abiola Akanni, Eniola Fajobi and Peter Hammed are members of a robbery syndicate that was burst in Ifo recently, whose case is under prosecution at Magistrate Court 2 in Otta, with nine suspects arraigned before the magistrate.

    “The suspects were arrested as a follow-up to ongoing investigation into the robberies carried out by the syndicate.

    “The investigation is being carried out by a special team of policemen, led by the Divisional Police Officer in Ifo Division, Gbenga Megbope, a chief superintendent.

    “The suspects have confessed to the crimes. Items recovered from them include one locally-made double barrel gun, one locally-made single barrel gun, 20 live cartridges, 10 hand sets, jewellery and three new unregistered Bajaj motorcycles, in addition to the five guns earlier recovered from the nine gang members arrested earlier.

    “Police Commissioner Ikemefuna Okoye has put all officers and men in the command on their toes to make the state hot for criminals.”

     

  • Two robbery suspects arrested in Enugu

    •Fake MOPOL official held

    The police in Enugu State have arrested two robbery suspects. The police said they had been on the wanted list “for their nefarious activities, ranging from robberies to cult operations within Ogui and its environs.

    They were arrested within Ogui axis, following a tip-off.

    Police spokesman Ebere Amaraizu said the suspects gave their names as Igata Chinedu and Okonkwo Patrick of 57, Onyiuke Ogui New layout, Enugu.

    Recovered from the suspects include one revolver pistol with ammunitions, one automatic Pump action Rifle with five cartridges and a Toyota Camry car.

    Amaraizu said investigations into the incident have commenced in full scale.

    A man, Chinenye Nnagbogu (26), who has been allegedly impersonating a military police officer, was arrested yesterday by officers from Onitsha Military Cantonment in Anambra State.

    Parading the suspect, Lt.-Col. John Majebi, second-in-command in 302 Artillery Regiment, Onitsha, said he was arrested by two officers near the cantonment gate.

    Majebi said he was caught while extorting commercial motorcycle riders plying the Onitsha-Enugu Road.

    “This is one of those that give the army a bad name in Onitsha.

    “Since he was carrying out his act close to the cantonment gate it would be difficult to suspect that he is not an army personnel.

    “We had been on his trail for over three months now, since we received complaints from the public.

    “And we reliably gathered that he had even gone to introduce himself to the Onitsha Police Area Command officers as an army officer,” he said.

    Nnagbogu said: “Sir, I was not extorting but I was telling the okada riders to pay up their daily dues and I said I am an army officer to get their compliance,’’ Nnagbogu said.

  • Two killed in Bauchi bank robbery

    Police Inspector and one other person were killed yesterday in a foiled bank robbery in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State, The Nation learnt.

    A source in Bauchi told our reporter that 15 gunmen attacked the bank at Alkaleri.

    The hoodlums reportedly started shooting on arriving at the bank. It was learnt that the security operatives on duty fired back.

    But the gunmen were said to have successfully entered the banking hall, though they could not break the vault before security men chased them away.

    “So, the robbers did not steal a kobo from the bank,” the source said.

    It was also learnt that “during the exchange of gunfire, a Police Inspectorwas killed. Also, one of the robbers was killed”.

    The source added: “A robber was captured alive and he led security men to their hideout. Five AK 47 rifles, eight magazines, two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), a forged police identity card and two telephone handsets, were recovered.”

    It was also learnt that the captured “suspected robber has been assisting security operatives with investigation into the robbery”.

    Police spokesman, Hassan Auyo, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said: “Police

    Commissioner Mohammed Ladan will brief the media on the incident later.”

    Also, at a checkpoint in Darazo Local Government Area, soldiers killed two passengers in a Vectra commercial car.

     

  • Four robbery suspects escape from police custody

    Four suspects implicated in the Agbor bank robbery have escaped from police custody in Asaba, Delta State capital.

    It was gathered that the suspects, who were detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

    A key Anti-Robbery Section official is said to have been removed from office. It is not known whether his removal is connected with the robbers’ escape. The suspects were part of a 10-man gang implicated in the robbery on June 21.

    The police arrested four of them, following a tip-off.

    It was learnt that three junior officers took the four suspects to Agbor, ostensibly, to search their hide-out after making an entry at the CID’s booking office of the CID.

    A source said: “The officers returned to the headquarters without the suspects with the flimsy excuse that the suspects escaped after overpowering them.” It was learnt that the investigating officers had been penciled down for in-house trial of the police tagged: Orderly Room.

    Police spokesman Lucky Uyabeme neither confirmed nor denied the allegations.

     

  • Police arrest 12 robbery suspects

    The Lagos State Police Command said yesterday that it had arrested 12 suspected armed robbers in various parts of the state in the last 10 days. It also said it recovered several arms, ammunition and three stolen vehicles.

    The command’s spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), who spoke in Ikeja, said the suspects were arrested during various robbery operations between July 6 and July 16. Some of their accomplices escaped with bullet wounds.

    Braide said their cases were being investigated at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba.

    She said a team of policemen attached to the Dopemu Division arrested a suspected armed robber with multiple injuries all over his body on July 6, adding that the suspect was in possession of a fabricated metal in form of a pistol.

    Braide said another team of policemen attached to the Onikan Division, posted to the Military Hospital, arrested one suspected armed robber with one locally-made shot gun, two cartridges and an axe on the same day. Another patrol team attached to Elemoro Division arrested two suspects for allegedly robbing a passerby at Ajebo Close, Lakowe, Ibeju-Lekki.

    Braide said other members of the gang fled on sighting the police, abandoning two Toyota Camry Saloon cars marked LSD912AT and LSR389AP.

    She said on July 8, policemen attached to Makinde Division recovered one locally made single-barrel pistol, with one live cartridge inside a commercial Volkswagen Golf Saloon car marked XN17APP. The vehicle was abandoned at Oshodi Motor Park. Nobody was arrested in connection with the case.

    On the same day, Braide said, policemen attached to the Ijede Division arrested four suspected cult members, who allegedly stabbed Mr Adeleke Dada of Oyambo Security Company with a broken bottle. She said two locally made pistols, three axes and a Honda car marked LSR417BB were recovered from the suspects.

    Two suspects were arrested by policemen attached to Dolphin Estate Division, who were responding to a distress call from 119A, Etiosa Way, Dolphin Estate.

    Braide said that the suspects had earlier robbed Seata Ukpemo on July 16, adding that one double-edged dagger, two locally made pistols and 10 live cartridges were recovered from them. She said two suspects were also arrested by policemen attached to Igando Division on July 16.

  • Police recover N30m vehicles from robbery suspects in Oyo

    The police in Oyo State yesterday paraded 12 suspects for armed robbery, receipt and the sale of stolen goods.

    The robbery suspects are Olabode Seun (27), Oyeyipo Ayomide (26), Olanrewaju Ayomide (23), Olatide Oladapo (37), Abiodun Ojulari (32) and Afolabi Akeem (30).

    Those who allegedly received and sold the loot are Isaac Nwose (42), Segun Adeyale (39), William Asu Atta (47), Patrick Ogah (35), David Umar (39) and Babatunde Oretuyi, who claims to be a lawyer.

    Commissioner of Police Muhammed Indabawa told reporters at the Police Command Headquarters in Ibadan, the state capital, that 13 vehicles worth N30 million, three guns, 15 handsets and eight laptops were recovered from the suspects.

    The cars include a Toyota Highlander Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) marked LND 758 AG, belonging to a retired Rear Admiral; Honda Accord marked LND 130 AT; Honda Accord EOD marked EPE 986 BD; Toyota Corolla marked LN 690 EKY; Honda Accord marked Osun FDY 119 AA; Toyota Corolla marked Lagos LSD 120 BF; Honda Accord marked AP 835 ZAR; Toyota Camry marked Kwara AA495 SHA and Toyota Camry marked FST 226 BH.

    Others are unregistered Range Rover; Honda Crosstour; Toyota Highlander SUV and Toyota Camry.

    Indabawa said on May 27, a retired Rear Admiral reported that five armed men stormed his Ogbomoso home and dispossessed him of five handsets, one laptop, N18,000 and a Toyota Highlander SUV valued at N500,000.

    He said a Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Olusola Aremu, investigated the complaint and arrested the suspects.

    Indabawa said the robbery suspects have confessed to many “bloody robbery operations” in the state.

    He said their confessions led to the arrest of the suspects, who allegedly received and sold the stolen items.

    The commissioner urged residents to be cautious of where they park their cars and to report suspicious movements to the police.

  • Robbery suspects paraded

    The Abia State Vigilance Group (ASVG) has arrested a four-man robbery gang terrorising residents of Aba and its environs.

    The suspects are Kingsley Alozie (26), Ifeanyi Elebeke (24), Ikenna Ikechukwu (22) and Offia Ugorji (24).

    The Commander-General of ASVG, Idika Martins, said the gang operated between Ariaria/Agalaba road and Osisioma near Aba.

    “Every night, people call us, complaining about robbers dispossessing them of their valuables.

    “The group gathers at Chinedu’s place, an Indian hemp bar, at Umuocham road, Aba, from where they take off.

    “Since their arrest, Agalaba and Osisioma areas have been jubilating.

    “There has been peace in those areas. People now sleep with their eyes closed.”