The Nation Newspaper

Tag: SARS

  • Osun bomb blast: Police fail to produce “recovered diary”

    Osun bomb blast: Police fail to produce “recovered diary”

    The police in Osun State have failed to produce the red diary allegedly recovered in the wreckage of the Peugeot 505 car that exploded at the Ministry of Water Resources on June 14, 2007.

    At the trial of the suspect, Abayomi Adesanmi, on Monday, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Wale Afolabi, leading the prosecution, asked the Investigating Police Officer, Inspector Danlandi Audu, to produce the diary, which was mentioned in paragraphs 19 and 20 of the affidavit sworn to by Adesanmi, but Audu said it was nowhere to be found.

    The case is before Justice Adeyinka Aderibigbe of a State High Court, sitting in Osogbo.

    Audu said the police recovered the red diary under the driver’s seat of the wrecked car but he did not know its whereabout.

    He testified that the diary was never shown to Adesanmi, adding that the suspect was not with the police when the diary was recovered.

    Audu said: “I was with the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Osogbo, when the accused was brought to our office at Oke-Baale, Osogbo, with a sworn affidavit by Deputy Superintendent of Police Ayuba Adekunle (now late.)

    “I asked the accused to write a statement on the affidavit and he did. The suspect was arraigned in court. Based on the affidavit, some members of the defunct Action Congress (AC) were arrested and charged to court.

    “In the affidavit, the accused mentioned a red diary. The police found the diary under the driver’s seat of the wrecked vehicle.”

    Audu said the diary was given to the then Commissioner for Police, John Moronike, who transferred it to his successor, Mr. Olusegun Solomon (now retired AIG).

    He said he did not know what happened to the diary between Adekunle Ayuba, who was in charge of Legal Matters and Olusegun, adding that Adekunle was the prosecutor before he was transferred.

    Audu said: “I do not know what happened to the diary between the OC Legal and Solomon. I did not know where the diary is now.”

    The attorney-general told the court that the suspect never saw the diary and lamented its ‘disappearance.’

    The Chairman of the defunct AC, now Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti; AC Secretary Prince Gboyega Famodun and AC Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy Sunday Akere, now Commissioner for Information and Strategy; Elder Sunday Laoye and the Assistant Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Fayemiwo, were arrested, arraigned and remanded in prison over the bomb blast.

    Governor Rauf Aregbesola (then a governorship aspirant) was harassed based on the content of the diary.

    When cross-examined by the defence counsel, Chief Wilson Atirene, Audu said the suspect’s affidavit did not contain the names of the AC leaders.

    Other witnesses called by the prosecution are: Alhaji Fatai Adeleke, who was with the Ministry of Water Resources, and a Principal Registrar, Mr. Taiwo Jacob, who was the commissioner for Oath for the suspect’s affidavit.

    Adeleke claimed that he was looking through the window of his office when the Peugeot 505 exploded.

    The case was adjourned till March 21.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Three Osun police men die in auto crash

    Three Osun police men die in auto crash

    Three policemen serving in the Osun State Police Command died on Friday night in an auto crash along Osogbo-Iwo road.

    Investigation revealed that the policemen attached to the Swift Action Response Squad (SARS) were on patrol around 10.45pm along Iwo/Ibadan road when a car coming in the opposite direction crashed into their pick-up van.

    Two other colleagues of the deceased inside the patrol van sustained serious injury and were rushed to an undisclosed hospital by their colleagues, who were alerted by passers-by.

    It was gathered that the driver of the vehicle that hit the police patrol van marked Robot at the Niyi Ibikunle junction, Dada Estate, reportedly escaped.

    The Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, Mrs. Folashade Odoro, declined to speak on the issue.

     

  • Police advise vehicle, tricycle owners

    The Ogun State Police Command has warned the public, especially those who lost their vehicles/motorcycles to thieves or those who abandoned them to report at the Department of Investigation, Eleweran Abeokuta and Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Abeokuta, Ogun State for identification and claims.

    Vehicles/Motorcycles not claimed, according to the police within two weeks of this notice would be sold in public auctions.

    They are: Honda Prelude S/Car Registration No BB 211 APP, Nissan Sunny S/Car Reg No, SV 363 AAA; Volkswagen Paragon Bus Reg No XL 369 KTU; Toyota Camry S/Car Reg No VF 927 KJA; Volkswagen Golf S/Car Reg No AH 465 WWD; Opel Astra S/Car Reg No GC 805 LND; Honda Accord S/Car Reg No EL 721 EKY; M/Benz 230 SE S/Car Reg No CB 769 GGE; M/Benz 190E S/Car Reg No JZ 586 KJA; Toyota Corollar S/Car Reg No BQ 195 FST; DAF Truck Lorry Reg No XV 509 FST; Paragon bus Reg No XJ 971 MUS and Nissan Terano Jeep Reg No AE 256 TRE.

    Motorcycles are Two (2) Bajaj Unregistered; Jincheng Unregistered; Bajaj Reg No AKM 252 QA;

    Also in SARS Abeokuta are Toyota Starlet Reg No AH 197 GNN; Varagon Bus Reg No XV 105 KSF; Varagon Bus Reg No XS 371 KRD; Jetta Vento Reg No BE 305 AKD; Hyundai Sonata Car Reg No KRD 239 AE; Mitsubishi Lancer Reg No LND 573 AE; 406 S/Wagon Reg No AY 962 DKA; Honda Accord Reg No PM 46 KJA; Mazda 626 Reg No UP 434 KJA; Nissan Sunny Reg No XF 231 AAB; Nissan Sunny Reg No ABG 03 XA; Toyota Corolla Unregistered; Nissan Sunny Reg No FJ 939 KRD; Toyota Camry Reg No MR 453 AAA; Volkswagen Bus Reg No KTU 967 XC

    Others are Honda Motorcycles Reg No FST 190 QB; SKYGO Motorcycles Reg No QK 114 LSD; Scrap Motorcycles Reg No QB 961 LAR and Boxer Bajaj Motorcycles Reg No QS 11 KTU, a statement by Police Public Relations Officer DSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said.

     

  • Why I stole SAN’s vehicle, by suspect

    Why I stole SAN’s vehicle, by suspect

    A suspect, Wasack Lawal, who formerly dealt in hard drugs, has told operatives of the Lagos State Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), why he stole a Land Cruiser Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) belonging to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

    The 42-year-old suspect, who hails from Ajase in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, told The Nation: “What really led me into stealing cars of people or company I worked for was the insult I got from one woman who employed me as her private driver. She is hot tempered; she used to slap me as she would do to her slave or house-help. She slapped me so hard one day that I decided that the only way to take revenge on such heartless people is to steal their cars and use the money to play big boy in town. That was how I started stealing cars,” he said.

    What led him into the net of SARS, he said, is the Land Cruiser SUV belonging to the SAN who resides in Surulere, Lagos. “The lawyer employed me at a monthly salary of N35, 000. I worked with the man for only two days before I showed him the type of driver I am. I drove his vehicle to Mowe in Ogun State and parked it in the house of Mr Ayo, who earlier bought a Fore-Runner SUV from me. Some policemen came to arrest me at my Agbado house on January 2 this year. I made only N1.8 million in three years,” Lawal said.

    A police source revealed that Lawal was employed by the SAN on December 10, last year. “When he drove the lawyer to a function on Ozumba Mbadiwe Way, Victoria Island, he disappeared with the vehicle, leaving him and his wife stranded. He reported the matter at the Bar Beach Police Station the next day at about 12.30am and the suspect was arrested on January 2 at Agbado,” the source said.

    On his life in the past he said: “I was a wrist-watch seller but when I learnt driving, I started working at a national newspaper in Lagos as a driver on a very poor salary. I got another driving job with a company that produces juice on a monthly salary of N27, 000. It was one Suraju, a fellow driver that I employed me. I was not comfortable there, so I started planning how to steal one of their cars. I eventually got one and contacted a buyer who later asked me to bring the car’s key to a place in Ikeja. When I met them, they put drug into my drink and I slept off. As I was sleeping, they took the key and disappeared without giving me a kobo.

    “I got another job at Ilupeju where I drove a white-man. After working for two days, I drove away his Nissan Path Finder SUV to Agbado. A buyer, Rasheed, bought it for N2 million, but did not pay immediately. He later gave me a Honda Baby Boy car worth N500, 000, pledging to pay the rest later, but the total cash I collected from him was N1.5 million.”

  • Suspected highway robber held

    Suspected highway robber held

    Eight days ago, as a free man, he led his gang on a mission. His dreaded five-man armed robbery gang attacked passengers in a Lagos-bound luxury bus belonging to GC Okoli Transport Company on its way from Sagamu in Ogun State.

    Today, he is in the net of the Lagos State Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which caught him while others fled.

    The suspect, Mmaduabuchi Ibe (37), a sculptor, was paraded yesterday by the Lagos State Police Command’s spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP), who said he was arrested in one of the vehicles snatched by his gang at Sagamu.

    Braide said the suspect was wearing a fake bullet proof vest when he was caught. She said the operatives were still on the trail of the fleeing suspects, noting that Ibe would be charged to court after investigations.

    Ibe said poverty and frustration led him into robbery, explaining: “I met members of my gang, Monday, IK, Sunday and Miracle, at Oyingbo where we slept under the bridge in a nearby smoking joint. After narrating to them my problems and frustrations and how I left Ghana for Senegal to look for job, how things became worse and how I returned to Nigeria. They told me they had a job and asked me to drive them. It was Sunday and IK that wore the bullet-proof vest made of polythene.”

    Ibe revealed that the gang attacked two commercial buses at Sagamu on the New Year Eve, but said they did not get anything from the first bus because the whole passengers ran into the bush. In the second bus, he said they “captured” seven passengers and dispossessed them of money and phone sets. However, he said not get a kobo because the loot was yet to be shared when he was arrested.

    He urged Commissioner of Police Umar Manko to forgive him because they only operated with wooden guns that were mere toys. He said he would help the police to arrest his accomplices and other criminals in Oyingbo if released and allowed to join the police.

    Officer-in-Charge of SARS, Abba Kyari, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the suspect was correct that their bullet-proof vests and guns were made in Nigeria, but said it is incredible that they could intimidate passengers with polythene-made bullet-proof vests and toy guns.

    Ngozi Braide

     

  • Why we didn’t shoot at Akinola’s kidnappers, by police

    Why we didn’t shoot at Akinola’s kidnappers, by police

    The police in Ogun State explained yesterday why they did not shoot back at the abductors of the former Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Dr. Jasper Akinola; his daughter and driver.

    Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the police did not respond to the gunmen’s fire because they did not want to harm the victims.

    He said they did not know whether or not the victims were in the gunmen’s vehicle.

    The victims were kidnapped last Tuesday opposite the Peter Akinola Centre for Youth Industrial Training at Kilometer 10, near Obada-Oko on the Abeokuta-Lagos expressway around 3pm, but were rescued by the police seven hours later.

    Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), told The Nation that passers-by alerted the police a few minutes after the victims were kidnapped.

    Adejobi said: “Passers-by alerted us about five minutes after the crime. The callers said Baba had been kidnapped. Infact, I was the first to be contacted. The information spread and everybody, including the Commissioner of Police, moved to ensure that Baba was rescued alive.

    “I knew the suspects’ target would be the border, so I notified those at the borders – the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS); Federal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau (FIIB), the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in Idiroko and Imeko and the Area Commander in Ilaro.

    “A man gave us details of the suspects’ vehicle. Fortunately for the police, when the gunmen got to a point, they started firing and that proved to us that they were the kidnappers. We were mindful of the fact that Baba might be in the vehicle and, should the police fire, it could turn out to be fatal.

    “Their informants, who they planted on bikes along the way, had notified them that the police were everywhere, so the gunmen abandoned Baba between one police point and another. They abandoned the driver and Baba’s daughter at another location.

    “We knew they were moving towards the border and believe they may not have crossed to the Republic of Benin with their vehicle because of the tight security. We are still looking for the vehicle. One of our teams discovered Baba and picked him up. Another team discovered Baba’s daughter and the driver and brought them to Abeokuta.”

  • Police smash seven-man gang

    Police smash seven-man gang

    The Lagos State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) has smashed a seven-man armed robbery gang that specialised in robbing traders on major highways and diverting trailer loads of goods.

    Their favourite loot include: Forever Living Products, especially Aloe Vera and other drugs, motor tyres and milk.

    According to police sources, the gang diverted goods in transit between Lagos and Onitsha.

    A source said some of the goods were recovered and handed over to their owners after the suspects’ arrest last Saturday.

    Seven suspects were arrested, while their sponsor and receiver of their loot, simply known as Obinna, who is wanted for over 10 cases involving robbery and diversion of goods, is still at large.

    The first suspect and leader of the gang, Jude Madu (29), who hails from Umunze in Anambra State, said it was one of them, a soldier, who supplied AK47 rifle and pistols to the gang.

    Madu added: “When we blocked the truck loaded with chemicals, the soldier went straight to the driver and slapped him for hitting our car. He asked the driver and the conductor to alight, threatening that he would take them to Army Barracks and ordered Abuchi to drive the truck. We drove the truck to Iddo Park on Lagos Mainland and handed it over to Obinna’s man who later took it to Onitsha where Obinna received it. Obinna paid N2 million, but did not pay a kobo for the drugs. I collected N200, 000.”

    Romanus Nweke (30), a native of Mmaku Village in Ogu Local Government Area of Enugu State, who deals in scraps in Obasanjo area in Otta, Ogun State, said: “It was the soldier that gave me an army uniform and polo bearing Lance Corporal rank to follow them to hijack truck. I got N150, 000. My role was to intimidate the driver with my gun.”

    Edwin Ndinemeni (27), from Ugwuta in Imo State, was a tile fixer and marble dealer before he joined the gang. He said: “My role is to act as commander and order Abuchi to take the truck to off-loading point at Iddo Park. I got N350, 000 from the chemical job, while I got nothing from the drug truck because Obinna had not paid.

    Abuchi Afunaya (26), a driver, who hails from Ifite Village in Orlu in Imo State, said he got N150, 000.

    The fifth suspect, Chibuzor Umebi (24) from Otolo Village, Nnewi, Anambra State, said: “I am a businessman. I dealt in electronics before I lost my goods to armed robbers. That was what led me into armed robbery after. My role is to join the soldier to hold the conductor and the driver for easy take-over and diversion of the truck. A victim once cursed me during one of the operations.”

    Orlu, Imo State-born Osita Nnaji (27), who described himself as a professional driver, denied partaking in the drugs deal, stating: “What I did with them was motor tyres’ and milk work. I did tyre work with one Sunny and Chidiebere. The tyre job was successful and I got N250, 000. And from the milk job, I got N300, 000. I decided to do my job with Chidiebere and Sunny because Madu’s gang used to cheat me. They used to tell stories if you are not there whenever they get money – we call it dividend.”

    The command’s spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ngozi Braide confirmed their arrest. She said the command was ready for a crime-free Christmas in Lagos and praised the public for its cooperation.

  • Three robbery suspects caught trying to sell loot

    Three robbery suspects caught trying to sell loot

    Three armed robbery suspects who allegedly snatched cars on Opere Street, Coker Aguda in Surulere, Lagos on December 14 have been arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Lagos State Police Command.

    They were caught while attempting to hand the cars over to receivers on Market Street, Oyingbo, Lagos Mainland.

    The suspects are: Jamiu Agboola (20), Toibu Oyeyinka (24) and Lanre Otunola (18). They were paraded yesterday with the items at the command’s Ikeja, Lagos headquarters.

    Items recovered from them include two locally-made pistols, four live cartridges, one Honda Acura MDC Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), 2013 model, marked AKD 09 AA and one silver-coloured Toyota Highlander SUV, marked AGL 327 CD.

    The command’s spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ngozi Braide said the suspects’ arrest followed information received on December 15 by the Officer in Charge of the SARS, Superintendent of Police (SP) Abba Kyari that two stolen cars were parked by armed robbers on the Market Street.

    She said Kyari led a team of SARS Decoy Personnel to the area, saw the vehicles and laid 23-hour ambush before arresting the suspects when they came to pick the cars about 5am on December 16.

    The suspects made confessions. Jamiu said: “I am a professional driver. I did not carry gun; Otunola and Oyeyinka did. My role is to carry them to operations and back. I started robbery work less than three months ago. I am from Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. I joined armed robbery gang to get money to start my own vulcanising workshop.”

    Oyeyinka, a native of Ibadan, Oyo State, said: “I am a bus conductor. When poverty wanted to play with my life, I joined armed robbery gang. I vowed not to shoot my victims but rather to intimidate them with gun to get what I want from them.

    “The victim wanted to come out of his house, but we rushed him in with gun. Indian hemp helped my operations. I have participated in car snatching thrice. The first one, we got 37 phone sets after a house-to-house operation. The second operation failed and we managed to escape alive when we heard of SARS operatives at the scene.”

    Ilorin, Kwara State-born Otunola said: “My work is wood cutting after bringing logs from forest. I became an armed robber when my dear mother took ill and I had no money to treat her. I have participated in armed robberies thrice. It was this last operation that put me into trouble. A buyer called me to look for somebody to get him good cars. He said one buyer called Ibadan needed two Camry cars, while one Baale also needed one. I contacted Jamiu, our gang leader, and we went to look for cars. I blame government for making me to take to armed robbery because it did not create jobs or good environment that could generate self-employment.”

  • NURTW crisis: Ondo drivers’ wives protest over detention of husbands

    The crisis rocking the Ondo State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) deepened on Saturday following a protest by wives of some branch chairmen of the Union over the continued detention of their husbands at the State Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) in Akure, the state capital.

    It was learnt that the union leaders have been arrested since Monday, with the police allegedly demanding a whooping sum of N20million for their bail.

    The Nation gathered that the suspects were apprehended by security agents from Lagos State following a petition allegedly written by one Kehinde Sunday a.k.a Confidence.

    In the petition, Sunday was said to have accused the chairmen of planning to cause mayhem in the state due to the ongoing crisis in the Union.

    But the wives of the drivers have defended their husbands, while alleging that they were being intimidated by the acting state chairman of the union, Apostle Omobomi Ajisafe.

    A family member of one of the detainees, Mr. Akinwumi Funsho, further alleged that some members of the state executive of the union are allegedly the brains behind the arrest.

    He said, “We were shocked when some officers who claimed to be from the Anti-robbery Squad invaded the chairmen’s residences over a fictitious petition that was not shown to the family members or the detainees.

    “We are not sure where the officers came from. Though we have attempted to see the Commissioner of Police on this issue, but all has proved abortive.”

     

     

    We contacted the Officer in Charge of SARS, but he said he can’t do anything until those officers who arrested them return to the state.”

    The Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, Mr. Wole Ogodo, when contacted the matter was not under his jurisdiction. He, however, confirmed that the officers who made the arrest are from Lagos State.

    Speaking on his alleged involvement in the arrest of the drivers, Ajisafe denied the allegation, saying he was at the SARS office in order to secure the release of the detainees.

  • IG: heads’ll roll in SARS OU

    The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has said any officer involved in the November 26 attack on the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) headquarters in Abuja would be punished.

    Abubakar spoke in Abuja yesterday during his official visit to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command.

    He said investigations into the attack were still in progress.

    “We are not resting. We are still investigating and once we conclude, we will take the necessary actions but I can tell you, heads will roll in SARS,” the IG said.

    Abubakar said the police would treat security seriously.

    On his visit, the IG said he wanted to assess the preparedness of the command to ensure safety of lives and property in the territory.

    He assured them of the Federal Government’s commitment to address problems associated with police pensions.

    Abubakar said the welfare of the police would be regularly reviewed to enable them to focus on the duties of securing the society.

    The IG, however, warned that the police authorities would punish erring officers and men.

    He said the new police force would not encourage corruption, noting that anyone found wanting would be dismissed.