The Nation Newspaper

Tag: robbing

  • Six remanded in prison for ‘robbing’ Vanguard publisher

    Six remanded in prison for ‘robbing’ Vanguard publisher

    SIX persons were yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly robbing Vanguard Publisher, Mr Sam Amuka-Pemu in his Anthony Village home three months ago. They allegedly went away with cash and valuables valued at N2,875,000.

    The suspects, who were brought before Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi, are Koyis Usman, 22, Umaru Oseni, 46, Abdurasaq Hassan, 43, Musa Atim Abubakar, 31, Gambno Umar, 31 and Abdulramon Kashil, 25 have been remanded in prison custody.

    They were arraigned on a four-count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery and grievous bodily harm.

    The police in the charge sheet stated that the defendants on June 5 around 2.30am at Anthony Village, Lagos conspired with others now at large, “to commit felony to wit armed robbery and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 297 and punishable under section 295 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011”.

    The defendants were further alleged to have on the same date, time and place “caused damage to a window burglary asbestos, two doors, property of Samson Oruru Amuka, publisher of Vanguard newspaper and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 337 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011″.

    Prosecuting Inspector Simeon Imohwa prayed the court for an order remanding them in prison custody.

    Magistrate Osunsanmi asked what was found in the possession of the defendants as at time of arrest and the prosecutor listed them to include one iron cutter, one military camouflage uniform, one salon car marked LSD 337 and one hammer.

    The plea of the defendants was not taken by the court, neither were they represented by any lawyer.

    Osunsanmi granted the request of the prosecutor and ordered them remanded in Kirikiri Prison custody.

  • Policeman, three others arrested for ‘robbing’ 20-foot container

    Four persons, including a police Sergeant, Victor Omorokai, have been arrested for allegedly hijacking a 20-foot container in Sagamu, Ogun State, last weekend.

    The suspects were nabbed at Okokomaiko in Lagos by a joint team of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Safer Highways operatives and men from the Okokomaiko Police Division.

    It was learnt that four policemen attached to the Strike Team of SARS, Ikeja, on Saturday night blocked a trailer laden with auto spare parts, with their Lexus Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV).

    The team led by Inspector Durojaiye Taiwo was said to have pretended to be on duty and flagged the vehicle down.

    When the driver stopped, they allegedly pointed a gun at him and his conductor; tied them up and bundled them into their SUV’s trunk.

    It was gathered that some of the suspects dumped the driver and his conductor in the bush and sped off to join their accomplices who were driving the trailer towards Agege.

    The suspects were said to have stopped at abbatoir in Agege, where they contacted a prospective buyer who came and inspected the goods but did not have the N30 million they asked for.

    The victims were said to have out of the bush and reported the incident at the nearest police station.

    A police source said the trailer’s owner, on being contacted, told the police that the vehicle has a tracking device.

    The vehicle was tracked to abbatoir and the Lagos Police command was contacted.

    “The police then started monitoring their location as they were moving and tracked them to Agege. Three police units made up of the SARS, Safer Highways and the Okokomaiko Police Division were deployed.

    “The teams blocked the various entry and exit points. The suspects contacted another buyer and were moving towards Okokomaiko when the police stopped the container.

    “At first, they pretended they were policemen who arrested the truck but when they saw that they were in trouble they started shooting. While three of them managed to escape, Sergeant Omorokai was arrested. Three civilians have also been arrested in connection with the crime,” said a police source.

    The Nation gathered that Inspector Taiwo and the other two officers, who shot sporadically when they were intercepted, escaped because they were inside the Lexus SUV; Omorokai was in the trailer.

    After their escape, the suspects were said to have returned their guns, which they collected from exhibits retrieved from armed robbers.

    “The guns they used were exhibit guns. They returned them that very night, when no one knew what has happened. They would not have been able to return them if they were signed from the armoury because they would have been asked why they were returning their guns in the night.

    “It is not the first time they are doing it. Inspector Taiwo has been named in several operations like that and the mallam that they were going to meet at Okokomaiko claimed that the Inspector took his N30 million.

    “Those inside the Lexus were able to escape because they were firing. But the Sergeant was arrested because he was the one inside the trailer. The Commissioner of Police (CP) is very angry over this issue and he has given us one week to look for the fleeing suspects.

    “They are disgracing the police. It is a very shameful thing,” said another source.

    Confirming the arrest, the state command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos said: “They (suspects) were trailed to Okokomaiko where they were arrested. The case is still under discreet investigation.”

  • Man nabbed for ‘robbing’ pastor

    Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives on Saturday arrested a 25-year-old man, Paul Bassey, for allegedly robbing a pastor.

    Bassey was arrested around 6am near Victoria Garden City (VGC) on the Lekki-Epe expressway.

    He was said to have held Pastor David Oriaki, who gave him a ride, hostage in the cleric’s car.

    It was gathered that on entering the car, Bassey allegedly pointed a gun at the pastor, telling him the routes to take.

    But Oriaki told The Nation that on sighting the RRS after the toll gate, he marched the brake, diverted his vehicle and shouted for help.

    “It was around 6am on Saturday. The young man entered my car around VGC round about and the next thing; he pointed a gun at me. He asked me to drive towards a particular direction.

    “But by that time I have put my car on the E-tag at the toll gate. I was hoping I will see those policemen that are usually not far from there. The barricade was not opening and so, he told me to reverse my car. As I was about to reverse, the barricade opened and he told me to drive straight.

    “I was just praying and trying to buy time. I was driving fast too and he told me to make a U-turn but I told him I cannot just be turning like that especially on the speed I was driving.

    “At this point, he has searched me, collected my phone and money and was still pointing his gun at me.

    “Eventually along the road, I sighted some RRS operatives from a distance. I just slammed my brakes and diverted towards them. I hurriedly ran out of the car and screamed for help.

    “He did not see them initially. When I ran out, he wanted to pursue me. Then, he saw them and escaped but they immediately chased him.

    “Two RRS vehicles pursued him. One of them was marked 187, I do not know the number on the other one. He crossed the road and they chased him and caught him.

    “I am really impressed by the actions of the officers. They were very responsive and saved me from the criminal,” he said.

    The Nation gathered that the suspect is being held at the Special Anti-Robbery Sqaud (SARS) Headquarters in Ikeja.

  • Man in prison for ‘robbing’ couple on Xmas Day

    An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos yesterday remanded Riliwan Olanrewaju in prison custody for allegedly robbing a couple on Christmas Day.

    Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi ordered the remand of the accused pending advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    Olanrewaju, 25, faces a three-count charge on robbery and unlawful possession.

    Prosecuting police Inspector Simon Imhonwa told the court that the accused committed the offence on December 25, just before midnight.

    Imhonwa said the accused waylaid Mr Adeboye Adesanya and his wife, Omolara, and robbed them at gun point.

    “The accused obtained their valuables, including watches, jewellery and phones, valued at N67,000,” he said.

    Imhonwa said the accused was apprehended following a tip-off and was found with a piece of metal shaped like a pistol, wrapped in black Sellotape.

    He said that the accused threatened the couple with the ‘fake gun’ and caused them terror.

    Osunsanmi requested for the DPP’s advice following an indication in the charge that Olanrewaju attacked his victims with a fake gun.

    “His file should be duplicated and forwarded to DPP for legal advice; he is to be remanded in prison custody pending that outcome,” Osunsanmi said.

    The judge adjourned the case till March 17.