The Nation Newspaper

Tag: robbery

  • IGP’s team arrests two robbery suspects

    THE operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team IRT) have arrested two suspected car snatchers, Lanre Kayode,34, and Olanrewaju Aremo aka Deputy.

    The two suspects, according to police sources, had been terrorizing parts of Ekiti, Ondo, Lagos and Ogun states and robbing residents of their vehicles.

    The arrest of the suspects followed a petition to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris, who ordered the IRT’s operatives to fish out the armed robbery suspects shortly after they struck on July 14, 2017.

    Recovered from the suspects are one locally made pistol, two live cartridges, assorted charms and one Nokia phone.

    In his confession Lanre said, “I am married with three children. I am from Idoyi in Ondo state but I sell fake wine and do shoe maker(sic) work in Ado Ekiti. It was one late Simon that introduced me into production of fake wine.

    ‘’I was later arrested, charged to court and jailed. It was in prison that I met Aremo aka Deputy. I had another friend called Showlighter when I was in prison. It was this Showlighter that introduced me to deputy in prison. Showlighter diverted a truck which he later sold with some goods and he was arrested and jailed.’’

    Upon his release, Lanre relocated to Ilepo in Ado Ekiti, where he met and held meetings with Deputy, who also had just been released from prison.

    The duo later hatched plans to snatch cars in order to raise a sum of N1 million to start production of fake wine.

    In his confession Aremo said “I was a driver to a company that distributes beer. When some cartons of beer were diverted, I was arrested and sent to jail. With a screw driver, I can open and start any vehicle , because I used to smuggle vehicles from Togo to Nigeria and from Ghana to Nigeria before I was arrested.

    “I was arrested when I needed small money to get driving licence like N25,000. Lanre asked me to help him on how to get N1m to procure license for wine production and NAFDAC paper (sic). I remembered that one Segun told me that he needed a Lexus car or jeep and brought the idea to go and snatch vehicle. Unfortunately the police arrested us after our successful armed robbery operation.’’

     

  • Two remanded for ‘possession of weapons, robbery’

    A Modakeke Magistrates’ Court in Osun State has remanded two men in prison for alleged possession of firearms and robbery.

    The accused, Olabisi John, 21 and Hezekiah Kolawole, 24, are facing a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, unlawful possession of firearms and robbery.

    The Magistrate, Bose Awosan, did not take the plea of the accused on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction to hear the case.

    She ruled that the accused be remanded in prison pending receipt of legal advice from Office of Director of Public Prosecution.

    The prosecutor, Ona Glory, told the court that the accused committed the offences on August 16 at Asifa, Modakeke, in Ife North East Local Government.

    Glory said the duo, armed with guns and other weapons, robbed Ajibade Adebowale of his Bajaj Boxer motorcycle, registered as PKA 519 QF and valued at N27,500.

    The prosecutor told the court that the accused unlawfully had in their possession, locally-made barrel guns, which they could not give satisfactory account of.

    According to him, the offences contravened sections 1 (2) (a) (b), 3 (I) and 6 (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

    The case was adjourned till November 13 for receipt of legal advice.

  • Armed robbery suspects ‘found with rifle’

    The police have arrested three men for suspected armed robbery and political thuggery in Onipanu and Mushin.

    Habeed Afuwape (alias Mabbo), Hammed Sanni (Omolondon) and Ismaila Idris (Balance) were arrested last September 13 by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

    The suspects were paraded on Wednesday by the Acting Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal at the Command’s headquarters in Ikeja.

    He said: “Areas like Onipanu, Fadeyi and Mushin were mapped out as crime areas. Men of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Ikeja and IRT were drafted to these areas for surveillance and they discovered that the gang had a pump action riffle.

    “A member of the gang was tracked to Oluwakemi Street, Onipanu, where they were picked and the gun recovered. During investigation, the suspects confessed to the crime and gave the nicknames of their members at large as Kobi, SARS, Mababije, Shawonpa, Sobo, Spider, Abdul, Ilupeju, Tinny, Essy, 50Cent, and Magnet, among others.

    “Effort is on to apprehend the fleeing members, their sponsors and recover remaining arms ammunition.’’

    Meanwhile, two other men, Kayode Olanrewaju and Aremu Olanrewaju, were arrested for allegedly robbing a woman, Oluremi Jimoh, of her Lexus Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) marked ADK332EV, N1.55million, phones and laptop.

    The police said the woman was attacked at Oke Ila in Ado-Ekiti on July 14, around 2:30am, adding that the suspects were tracked and arrested in Lagos through one of the woman’s phones they stole.

  • Court remands five for ‘robbery, murder’

    Chief Magistrates’ Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has ordered the remand in prison custody of five men for alleged involvement in robbery, murder and cultism.

    The suspects are Bestman Neki, 30, Mene Kpegii, 21, Goodluck Dominic, 20, Barika Abue, 20 and Kissi Sordun, 36.

    They were alleged to have armed themselves with AK-47 rifles and robbed Kaali Mini of N600,000.

    The incident reportedly occurred at Okwale in Khana Local Government on November 18, 2016.

    The suspects were alleged to have shot dead Barkumdom Mene, 17, Barile Barinor, 16, Bere Mene, 17 and Mene Kpugi, 17 about midnight on that day.

    The gang on May 8, 2016 allegedly stormed the home of Mr. Akeena Nke-ee at Okwale around 5a.m., set ablaze his house and killed Temple Mene.

    The accused were also charged with participating in the activities of a cult identified as Iceland.

    They were preferred with a 10-count charge on robbery, murder and cultism.

    The charge was not read to them, so they did not take a plea.

    Their counsel,  A.B. Ako, however, made oral application for their bail, relying on counts nine and 10,  which according to him, are bailable.

    Police prosecutor Inspector Wilson Isaiah had told the court that the suspects committed the offence contrary to sections 6(b) and 1(2) (a)(b) of the Robbery and Firearms (special provisions) Act Cap R.ll Laws of the Federation 2004, sections 516,319(1) and 443 of the Criminal Code Act Cap C 38 Laws of the Federation 2004 and Section 10(1) of the Secret Cult and Similar Activities (prohibition) Laws No.6 of Rivers State 2004.

    The Magistrate, Sokari Andrew Jaja, declined jurisdiction in the charge and ordered that the suspects be remanded in prison custody.

    He said the prosecutor should photocopy and hand over the original copy of the case file to the registrar for transmission to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.

    Andrew-Jaja remarked that the offence they were charged with in counts three to eight carried capital punishment by death.

    He urged the defence lawyer to seek their bail at the High Court and adjourned the matter till November 16 for report of DPP advice and hearing.

  • Uber drivers held for ‘robbery’

    The police have arrested two Uber drivers, Fosta Rufus, 30, and Franklin Jogbodo who allegedly robbed their female clients at gunpoint.

    They were paraded on Monday by Acting Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal.

    According to Edgal, the suspects usually pick passengers at Lekki, Ajah and Victoria Island at night, and dispossess them of phones, money and valuables.

    He said the suspects also follow victims to Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) to withdraw cash.

    The commissioner said a KIA Rio, registered as BDG376 EP, used in the crime and Samsung Galaxy 7 Edge Plus and IPhone 6 plus, which they collected from Nancy Nzuegbo and Eze Chinonso, were recovered from them.

    Edgal said: “On one occasion, the suspects collected N86,000 from their victim, using her Access Bank ATM. They have confessed to the crime.”

    Jogbodo denied robbing anyone, insisting that it was Rufus, who gave him the items recovered from him to keep.

    “I helped Fosta to register as an Uber driver. He was the one who collected the phones that were found on us from some ladies,” he said.

  • Dismissed policeman, 13 others arrested for ‘robbery, kidnapping’

    Anambra State Police Command has arrested 14 persons, including a dismissed policeman, for alleged robbery and kidnapping.

    Also arrested were members of a child-stealing syndicate, following intelligence report.

    A five-year-old boy was rescued by the police.

    Parading the suspects yesterday at the police headquarters in Amawbia, near Awka, Police Commissioner Garba Baba Umar said the suspects would be arraigned after investigation.

    Items recovered from them were Range Rover Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), Hilux SUV, one AK-47 rifle, 20 rounds of live ammunition, one pump action gun with five cartridges and one locally- made pistol.

    The dismissed policeman, Kenneth Chikwe, according to Umar, was nabbed with bullet injuries in Awka after stealing two vehicles registered as Lagos: MUS 644 BB and Lagos: LND 685 EW.

    He said his arrest led to the arrest of his accomplice, Uzohu livingstone, at Owerri and recovery of the two vehicles.

    The vehicles belong to two brothers, Paul Onyili and Nnamdi Onyili.

    Three other suspects said to be members of a child-stealing syndicate were arrested, namely Oluchuwkwu Nnajide, 19, Chukwuebuka Ugwu, 19, and Kosisochukwu Nwacho, 18, who stole a boy at Nnobi; while they were nabbed at Nnokwa, all in Idemili South Local Government.

    Other members of a seven-man gang of kidnappers, namely Bright Ozor, 22, Thom Lawrence, 27 and Shaka Gabriel, 27, were arrested.

     

  • Police parade 14 for ‘kidnapping, robbery’

    The police yesterday paraded 14 suspects, who allegedly specialise in robbing and kidnapping travellers on Abuja-Kaduna Highway.

    Spokesman Jimoh Moshood said the suspects, who belong to two gangs, were arrested in their hideouts by officers of the Intelligence Response Team and Anti-Kidnapping Unit.

    He said the arrest and parade were part of Operation Absolute Sanity, intended to make the highway safe.

    Moshood said since the operation began a few months ago, over 80 suspected kidnappers and others had been nabbed.

    The suspects, paraded at Jere Police Station, Kaduna State, are: Umar Mohammed Babuga, 27, Umaru Kiri, 26, AbdullahiTambaya, 25, Abdulkarim Musa,27, Isah Musa 30 and Sani Musa 27.

    Others are: Nura Usman, 37, Bashiru Yusuf, 25, Abdulrahman Abdul, 20, Abdullahi Bali, 40, Abdulrahman Hassan Nagoma, Usman Babuga, 25 and Yeti Muhammad 32.

    Items recovered from them include two AK 47 rifles, 16 locally-made guns, locally-made AK 47 rifles with ammunition, cutlasses, sticks and charms.

    The spokesman said other suspects would soon be arrested, adding that those already nabbed will be prosecuted.

  • Wike: SARS behind Rivers kidnapping, robbery

    Wike: SARS behind Rivers kidnapping, robbery

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday alleged that most of the kidnapping  and robbery in the state are perpetrated by operatives  of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    The governor said the Rivers State Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS)  has been indicted by an official police signal.

    Addressing reporters at the Government House, Wike claimed that the SARS commander was planted in the state to sabotage  the security architecture and create an atmosphere  of fear.

    The governor said the criminal activities of SARS operatives were uncovered by the Inspector General of Police X Squad, Abuja, deployed in the state, adding that the squad foiled the attempted kidnap of Mr Azumana Ifeanyi on Monday at the GRA, Port Harcourt.

    The official police signal provided by the governor, with the title: “Police Wireless Message ” and Reference DT0: 121030/09/2017 —INGENPOL-X-FHQ ABUJA TO-INGENPOL SEC ABUJA, noted that the squad received a distress call on the kidnap of Ifeanyi  and  swung into action.

    According to the signal, they met three SARS operatives robbing and a gun duel ensued. The operatives allegedly took Ifeanyi to a Fidelity Bank ATM where they compelled him to withdraw N500,000 as ransom.

    The governor said one of the SARS operatives was killed, while Inspector Justice Nyeche, who led the IGP team, was injured.

    Wike said: “Most of the kidnapping and armed robbery taking place in this state are done by men of SARS.  They use exhibit vehicles to operate. As the chief security officer of the state, you complain, but they choose to play politics with crime.

    “They fight crime in some state, but they refuse to fight crime in Rivers State. We are done with the elections, but they are using SARS to create insecurity in the state.

    “As I speak with you, they will deny. But the SARS  operative, who was killed, was among those who raided the Rivers East Senatorial District Collation Centre. This man can be identified in the video as one of those who invaded the collation centre with Fakorede.

    “I have never seen a country where they politicise crime. It is obvious that they want to give the impression that Rivers State is unsafe.  They want to instil fear preparatory to declaring during the elections that they is so much killing.

     “Authorities  deliberately trying to destroy a state and you  want the people to be happy. I will no longer write. Now is the time  to take my case to the public, for the world to know what is happening.”

    The governor said his administration has invested more than any other in security logistics, yet the police work against  the state.

  • Wike: SARS behind Rivers kidnapping, robbery

    Wike: SARS behind Rivers kidnapping, robbery

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday alleged that most of the kidnapping  and robbery in the state are perpetrated by operatives  of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    The governor said the Rivers State Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS)  has been indicted by an official police signal.

    Addressing reporters at the Government House, Wike claimed that the SARS commander was planted in the state to sabotage  the security architecture and create an atmosphere  of fear.

    The governor said the criminal activities of SARS operatives were uncovered by the Inspector General of Police X Squad, Abuja, deployed in the state, adding that the squad foiled the attempted kidnap of Mr Azumana Ifeanyi on Monday at the GRA, Port Harcourt.

    The official police signal provided by the governor, with the title: “Police Wireless Message ” and Reference DT0: 121030/09/2017 —INGENPOL-X-FHQ ABUJA TO-INGENPOL SEC ABUJA, noted that the squad received a distress call on the kidnap of Ifeanyi  and  swung into action.

    According to the signal, they met three SARS operatives robbing and a gun duel ensued. The operatives allegedly took Ifeanyi to a Fidelity Bank ATM where they compelled him to withdraw N500,000 as ransom.

    The governor said one of the SARS operatives was killed, while Inspector Justice Nyeche, who led the IGP team, was injured.

    Wike said: “Most of the kidnapping and armed robbery taking place in this state are done by men of SARS.  They use exhibit vehicles to operate. As the chief security officer of the state, you complain, but they choose to play politics with crime.

    “They fight crime in some state, but they refuse to fight crime in Rivers State. We are done with the elections, but they are using SARS to create insecurity in the state.

    “As I speak with you, they will deny. But the SARS  operative, who was killed, was among those who raided the Rivers East Senatorial District Collation Centre. This man can be identified in the video as one of those who invaded the collation centre with Fakorede.

    “I have never seen a country where they politicise crime. It is obvious that they want to give the impression that Rivers State is unsafe.  They want to instil fear preparatory to declaring during the elections that they is so much killing.

    “Authorities  deliberately trying to destroy a state and you  want the people to be happy. I will no longer write. Now is the time  to take my case to the public, for the world to know what is happening.”

    The governor said his administration has invested more than any other in security logistics, yet the police work against  the state.

  • Two night guards paraded for ‘robbery, rape’

    Two night guards, Adeniyi Busayo and Tunde Fadunmila, have been arrested by the police in Ekiti State for alleged robbery and rape in Ado-Ekiti.

    The duo, who were paraded yesterday, were accused of robbing in police uniform while working as night guards at Enu Odi, Odo Ado, Ado-Ekiti.

    They were paraded with three suspected members of their gang:  Ojo Owoeye, Taiwo Agbetuyi and Friday Lasisi.

    The suspects were arrested while robbing a filling station, Faglo Petrolchemical Ltd and homes of Pastor Timothy Olalekan and Chief Oladokun Oke, about 10 pm. on August 28.

    Recovered from them are three dane guns, three cutlasses, charms and big stones, which they allegedly used to break doors.

    Police spokesman Alberto Adeyemi said the suspects robbed their victims of belongings and money, valued at N428,000.

    He said: “At Faglo Petrol Station, they broke into the mall after holding security guards hostage and stole cash.

    “Men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad arrested them through intelligence gathering and information from the public.

    “We have concluded investigations by calling the victims, who identified the suspects. We shall arraign them tomorrow (today).”

    One of the victims, Chief Oke, the Onibedo of Ado Ekiti, said Agbetuyi fired the shot that hit him.

    “I identified them because they wined and dined in my house during Udiroko festival in Ado-Ekiti on August 26.”

    Agbetuyi, 22, confessed to the crime. He admitted receiving N35,000.

    The suspect said he committed the crime “because of youthful exuberance.”

    He said: “I was given N35,000, but I did not fire the bullet that hit Chief Oke. I don’t know precisely how much we made because Fadunmilasold the items and gave me my share.”