The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Security agents

  • Security agents kill 11 suspected trans-border robbers at Seme

    Eleven persons including a wanted man, Tokiche, a.k.a. “TK’’, were killed at Seme border during gun battle with security agents.

    Lagos State Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni, who made this known on Friday in Ikeja, said the suspects were overpowered by the security agents, including policemen from Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.

    Owoseni said the 17-man robbery gang was led by TK to attack banks and Bureaux-de-Change at Seme border but the attempt was foiled by security operatives.

    According to him, TK had been on the police wanted list for various violent crimes, including armed robbery, kidnapping, murder, cultism and pipeline vandalism, among others.

    The commissioner said TK had over 200 men which he used to carry out crimes, stressing that he also had properties in different places, including Isawo, Ikorodu in Lagos State.

    “TK has his signature in various violent crimes in Ogun, Ondo, Edo and the Republic of Benin.

    “They also intercepted a vessel in Niger/Delta Area. He shifts his base from one place to another depending on the operation he wants to carry out.

    “On March 16, we got a report that TK and his gang were planning to attack banks and bureau-de-change at Seme border area.

    “They were said to have come in three boats at about 3 a.m. and immediately started shooting sporadically in commando style,’’ Owoseni said.

    “The Police, Customs, Immigration, the Joint Military Task Force and policemen from Republic of Benin who had earlier prepared for them foiled their operation.

    “The gang surrendered to the superior gun power of the security agencies and fled.

    “The security agents and members of the public pursued them and at the end of the day, 11 of them were killed, while six others escaped. We are on the trail of those at large.’’

    He said three boats, with one of them having the inscription: “Castina Marine’’, 22 pieces of dynamite, six AK-47 rifles, two general purpose machine guns and 33,678 life ammunition were recovered.

    Other recovered items, he added, were 22 empty magazines, eight life jackets, 350 litres jerry can of fuel, two 100 litres jerry cans of fuel, one military magazine, jackets and assorted pieces of charms.

    Owoseni said the bodies had been deposited at the mortuary.

    He said the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mr Solomon Arase, praised all the security agencies involved in the operation, including those of Republic of Benin, for their cooperation.

    He added that the IGP called for more of such partnership in future.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), however, reports that three bodies, including TK’s were paraded before reporters before being taken to the mortuary.

     

  • Importers, agents, others accuse security agents of extortion

    Importers, clearing agents and truck drivers have accused some of the security agents operating around the Lagos Port Complex and Tin-Can Island port of collecting   bribes from them.

    The operatives, it was gathered, extorted the importers, clearing agents and truck drivers because of the perennial gridlock in Apapa.

    At a special joint meeting with the senior officials of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) a few weeks ago, it was gathered that the leadership of the truck drivers accused the security agents of extorting them, urging NPA to finding a lasting solution to the problem.

    The truck drivers complained to the NPA of how the security agents forced them to pay as much as N3,500 to move their containers and other cargo laden trucks out of Apapa.

    The truck drivers, investigation revealed, had serious problem with some of the security agents last year, when they were asked to pay as much as N5000 on each fertiliser-laden containers.

    The drivers were only allowed to move out of the port after a swift intervention by the Lagos Port police command.

    NPA, it was gathered, has inaugurated a standing committee consisting all transport unions and independent fleet owners including the police to stem the activities of the security agents and reduce corruption.

    General Manager, Western Ports, Michael Ajayi confirmed the meeting where the truck drivers complained of massive extortion outside the ports..

    “A standing intervention committee meant to check the alleged cases of extortion on truck drivers by security operatives at the Port entrances in Lagos has been constituted by the Management of NPA.

    “The intervention committee which is under me is meant to address the fears of truckers union on the alleged cases of extortion along port access roads within the Lagos ports corridor.

    The members of the Committee are drawn from the NPA truckers unions, fleet operators, and security agencies. Truckers union represented on the committee include representatives of Truck Owners Unions, Association of Maritime Transport Owners (AMARTO), Joint Council of Seaport Truck Operators (JACOST), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) and Truck Drivers Unit of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN).

    “The composition of the committee became necessary following repeated complaints by truck drivers on extortion by security operatives at the Ports entrance.

    “Assuring that the Committee would verify all such allegations, he warned that the committee is determined to refer any erring security agent or agency involved in such illegal act to the appropriate government agencies for necessary action.

    “The unions told us how extortion erodes their profit.  We have therefore, decided that no terminal would be allowed to create gridlock within the ports. Where ever we notice building up traffic, we will direct the task for to intervene.

    “Billions of naira were lost to extortion based on what the unions told us and that is why we have taken a pro-active measures to ensure that all vehicles coming to the ports are registered and captured in our data base

    “The Managing Director, Mallam Habib Abdullahi has directed that this must be done to make the ports competitive and attractive for business to increase revenue for the government,” Ajayi said.

    He said the safety department of NPA is in charge of the registration and that the MD would flag off the enforcement of the registration order on first day of March.

    One of the truck drivers, Mr Sunday Daramola said that importers, clearing agents and truck drivers lost over N10billion last year to extortion by the security agents operating outside the ports.

  • How we deceive security agents, by suspected vandals

    How we deceive security agents, by suspected vandals

    Some suspected pipeline vandals yesterday spoke of the tricks they employ to beat law enforcement agents.

    “We forge Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) waybills, major oil marketers’ invoices and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG) stickers to deceive security agents,” they said when they were paraded before reporters at the Force Headquarters Anex, Obalende, Lagos.

    They were arrested by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Taskforce on pipeline vandalism.

    Among the four paraded suspects are Ganiyu Oresanya, 38,  Mutiu Bello also known as Omo Oja, and one Damilare, who had fake copies of Oando, Conoil  and MRS’ invoices, and forged NNPC waybills with them.

    They were said to have been arrested at Ikorodu following intelligence report on their operations in Sagamu and Ikorodu.

    The suspects were said to have been caught on their way to Ondo State to sell products they siphoned from NNPC pipelines at Sagamu and Ikorodu.

    Oresanya said he was in charge of forging the documents, adding: “We make sure that we do the background work of covering our loading with fake NNPC documents and fake invoice from oil marketing companies so that we would not be caught.

    “I have been in the business for a long time. I am a printer and I print these documents myself. I did not know we would be caught because we are very careful in our jobs by backing the stolen products with all necessary documents.

    “I supply all the fake documents while Bello produces the tanker that comes to carry the product from the pipeline. Damilare is the one who loads the products. He is our boss,” he said.

    Bello, who claimed he was contracted to trans-load the petrol into another truck, said he did not know the products were stolen.

    He claimed that one Temidayo invited him, adding that he was offered N70, 000 for the job.

    “This is my first time and I was promised N70,000. It was one Temidayo who called me for the job. They didn’t tell me that it was stolen oil.

    “They said I was going to trans-load products from jerry cans at that area. They told me they are into Black Market but when I got there, I saw plenty jerrycans,” he claimed.

    Addressing reporters, the task force’s Sector Commander, Solomon Ubani, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said: “We have made breakthrough in the past few days. We have rejiged our intelligence for some time now and it is yielding results.

    “These hoodlums have continued to break our pipelines and sabotage the efforts of the Federal Government.

    “We reliably gathered that some vandals are planning to break pipeline at Sagamu, so we increased our intelligence and arrested one Mutiu Bello aka Omo Oja who helped us in arresting other members of the oil pipeline breakers cartel.”

    He warned pipeline vandals to desist from the act or face police wrath.

     

  • How rulers, security agents can tackle insecurity in Northeast, by Ogunsakin

    How rulers, security agents can tackle insecurity in Northeast, by Ogunsakin

    The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (IGP) in charge of Zone 12, Tunde Ogunsakin, has said improved collaboration between security agencies and traditional institutions can help in tackling security challenges in the Northeast.

    Ogunsakin spoke during a visit to the palace of the Emir of Fika, Muhammadu Ibin Abali Muhammadu Idrissa. The visit was part of his familiarisation tour of the Zone 12 Command of the Nigeria Police, comprising Bauchi, Borno and Yobe states.

    The AIG, who recently resumed in Zone 12, said there was a strong need to foster closer ties between the joint security agencies and the traditional institution in the Northeast.

    The AIG said the collaboration would engender a more people-oriented security effort.

    He hailed the emir for the guidance and support he demonstrated.

    Ogunsakin also expressed the readiness of men and officers of the police in the zone to tackle terrorism, communal clashes and other vices.

    The emir  thanked Ogunsakin for the visit and hailed him for writing him when he resumed.

    Idrissa, who is the chancellor of University of Ilorin, also expressed his readiness to partner security agencies to stamp out insurgency.

     

  • Security agents fight over result sheet

    Security agents fight over result sheet

    There was confusion yesterday at Ijero-Ekiti in Ekiti State, as security agents fought at the Ijero Local Government Collation Centre.

    It was learnt that shortly after the result was declared, security operatives demanded Form EC8C, which contained the result of the presidential poll in the council.

    Security operatives drawn from the Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service and others were involved in the scuffle.

    As the brawl degenerated, DSS officers took away the Electoral Officer, simply identified as Mrs. Ogundipe, to an unknown destination.

    The Collation Officer, Francis Adebayo, later ran to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, without the collation sheet.

    Adebayo, who said he escaped being shot, said the original result was in Mrs. Ogundipe’s possession.

    But the Collation officer’s claim was refuted by the Returning Officer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who gave his as Gen. Ayeni (rtd) and his counterpart in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ojo Atibioke.

    They said there was no commotion in Ijero, adding that the argument was between security agencies and election officials.

    Parties, however, accepted the duplicate copy brought by Adebayo, which  reflected the results as endorsed by their agents.

  • Reps to security agents: don’t take sides in Rivers politics

    Reps to security agents: don’t take sides in Rivers politics

    •Violence major threat to democracy, says Peterside

    A delegation of the House of Representatives on a visit to All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, yesterday, urged security agencies not to take sides in the political contest in the state.

    They also urged politicians to play politics by the rules and campaign on issues.

    The delegation, led by Pally Iriase (Edo State), condemned last Tuesday’s violence in Okrika, the headquarters of Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, during Peterside’s campaign, where gunmen killed a police corporal, Ifeanyi Okorie, 33, and injured about 50 people including Channels television reporter Charles Eruka. 

    Peterside described the situation in the state as horrible and terrible, which he said should be unacceptable to well-meaning people. He described it as a major threat to democracy and the electoral process.

    The Rivers APC’s governorship candidate, also a member of the House of Representatives, received the visitors along with his running mate, Okorie Honourable Asita, a lawyer and also a member of the House of Representatives; a member of the Board of Trustees of the APC, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja; the Director-General of Peterside’s Greater Together Campaign Organisation, Chief Victor Giadom; the leader of the APC in Obio/Akpor Local Government, Chief Tony Okocha; and Dr. Dawari George, a member of the House of Representatives from Rivers state, among other eminent personalities.

    The leader of delegation said: “We have come to commiserate with our colleague. We have come to also, by extension, commiserate with the people of Rivers State. We have come to commiserate with the Nigeria Police Force, because apart from the many wounded persons, during the ugly incident in Okrika, a policeman lost his life. We have been watching the events that have culminated in the loss of lives, but now a serving police officer was cut down at the prime of his age. As these events were developing, we had been quietly watching, but seriously disturbed that no serious action had been taken by the law enforcement agencies, to nip the ugly trend in the bud. Had that been done, we will not be here today to be paying condolence on the death of the policeman.

    “It is so painful and we will take it a little further eventually, but this is the first step, to signpost our abhorence for this dastardliness in our body polity. We do not need to waste human lives over political contest. We all are asking to be given the mandate to serve. We are applicants for servanthood. Where is the room for killing and maiming people, if you are genuinely asking to be given the opportunity to serve people?

    “We came in order to let the world know that the House of Representatives, as presently constituted, is totally unhappy with the violent trend that is now unfolding in the political arena. We feel particularly saddened because we know you (Peterside) as a fine gentleman. We have been together for many years. We know your antecedents. We know your Christian inclination. You are a born again Christian and you will not want to be associated with anything devilish. Our hearts bleed, when we know that it is somebody of your standing, who is being prevented from campaigning in your environment and people went to the extent of taking lives.

    “We are using this opportunity to send this message across to every nook and cranny of Nigeria that we should play this game (politics) by the rules. We should campaign based on issues. We should ask people to vote for us, based on what we will want to do, whom we are and there should be no room any further for violence.

    “We are also using this opportunity to call on the security agencies to be up and doing, to be independent and not to take sides in this political contest. Our constitution does not allow them to take sides with any political party whatsoever. That imbues them with the independence and the authority to deal with whoever is attempting to perpetrate violence. From what has happened in Rivers State, it is now obvious that when you fail to do the right thing, you may even be the worst for it.”

    Peterside lauded the lawmakers for finding time to be with Rivers people, in spite their busy schedules, since most of them are busy with campaign programmes.

    The Rivers APC’s governorship candidate also expressed displeasure on yesterday’s kidnap of Freddy Ndigbara in his Kaani-Ogoni hometown in Khana LGA of Rivers state, while on ward campaign.

    Peterside said: “Two days ago, a member of the APC was shot in Ogu (headquarters of Ogu/Bolo LGA of Rivers State), a sister community to Okrika. About 8 p.m., he was in his house, two young men just stepped into his house, shot him dead and left, and nothing happened. We have always had military station in Bolo, but about three days ago, the military station was momentarily withdrawn and within that short period they were withdrawn, our people in Bolo were attacked severely. After the attack, the military station was restored.

    “We signed a peace accord in January, facilitated by the American government. US Ambassador was physically present. Shortly after signing the peace accord, APC’s secretariats in Okrika and Andoni, my federal constituency, were bombed. We went further to sign another accord, facilitated by the Inspector-General of Police (Suleiman Abba). He was represented by the AIG, Zone 6, Calabar, Tunde Ogunsakin. After the signing of the second peace accord, APC’s rally venue in Okrika was bombed on January 24, 2015. On a single day, eleven members of APC were killed in Omoku, among other attacks and killings across the 23 LGAs of Rivers State. We have always reported to the police. To our chagrin, till date, not one person has been arrested to our knowledge.

    “We are glad to hear that after the last incident in Okrika, which drew national attention, that the IGP has enpanelled the AIG, Zone 6, to lead investigations to issues of political violence in Rivers State. Like the House of Representatives condemned the development in Rivers State, all men of goodwill must rise up and condemn the emerging trend of political violence in Rivers State. It does no one any good. It is a potential danger to all people and to all Nigerians, but most importantly, to our fledging democracy. Our democracy is still at its fragile stage. It also affects the integrity of the electoral process. In the face of intimidation and harassment, people cannot come out and freely cast their votes. Even when we conduct elections, they will not reflect the will of the people. If results of the elections do not reflect the will of the people, that will be an invitation to anarchy, chaos and crisis. That is not what we are bargaining for. I do not think we are ready for that.”

  • 360,000 security agents for polls

    360,000 security agents for polls

    Security agencies have unveiled plan to deploy over 360,000 operatives in the conduct of next month’s general election.

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, said about 300,000 of his men have been trained for the elections in partnership with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and development partners.

    Also, Commandant General (CG), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Prof. Ade Abolurin said 60,000 of his officers would secure lives and property during the elections.

    Abolurin added that NSCDC has completed plans to import 25 sniffer dogs from the United States (U.S.) to detect explosives during the electoral period.

    The security chiefs spoke at the end of a two-day conference titled: “Nigeria 2015 Elections and Beyond: Roles of State and Non-State Actors in Mitigating Violence in Elections”.

    The event was organised by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD) and Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), at the weekend in Abuja.

  • Panic as security agents, armoured carriers storm Osun

    Panic as security agents, armoured carriers storm Osun

    •APC condemns  ‘terror campaign’

    There was panic  yesterday in Osogbo as Department of State Security (DSS) officers and armoured personnel carriers stormed the Osun State capital in a show of force.

    The hooded operatives,  clad in black vests and trousers, shot sporadically into the air while being driven around the state capital in white Toyata Hilux vans.

    Many residents, who were scared by the presence of the security agents, ran in confusion to avoid accidental discharge of bullets.

    The usual clean air was violated by the smell of smoke from the men’s guns as they drove through the town, passing Gbongan Road, Olaiya Junction, Alekuwodo and Oke-fia, where the Government House is located.

    It was gathered that no fewer than 4,000 DSS operatives have been deployed in the state ahead of the August 9 election.

    The men, who came from Abuja and other parts of the country, arrived in Osogbo on Tuesday night through Akure, Ondo State.

    Some armoured personnel carriers also drove round the town.

    But the APC has raised the alarm that the campaign by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to terrorise the citizens with security operatives had started.

    The party enjoined the citizens not to be afraid of high security presence, especially where gunshots from security convoys were heard.

    The party’s spokesperson, Kunle Oyatomi, said “no citizen should be scared or run away when they see and hear gunshots from security men because they have committed no crime.”

    The party enjoined the people to go about their lawful businesses.

    It said: “A country in which the security operatives are the ones doing what we are experiencing in Osun calls for the gravest concern.

    “Instead of Boko Haram, our own security officers who should be protecting us have now chosen to frighten us. So, if the terrorists come, who will protect the citizenry?

    “Osun will not bow to terror from either Boko Haram or security forces. We are only sad that evidence of the Banana Republic is slowly, but evidently crippling in. But if this is how the PDP intends to win in Osun election, God help Nigeria.”

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Mr. Bola Ilori, noted that the PDP was behind the deployment of DSS operatives.

    He said: “The deployment of security operatives to the state is normal if they are here to protect us. But any arrest of any member of the APC will be against the interest of democracy.”

    He added that the development was an abuse of office by the ruling PDP-led Federal Government, urging the people to remain calm in spite of victimisation.

  • Ex-AGF urges security agents to tackle insurgency

    A former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister for Justice, Chief Mike Kaase Aondoakaa, has urged security agents to tackle the lingering security challenges across the land.

    Aondoakaa advised security agents to see themselves as partners in progress instead of engaging in rivalry.

    He noted that any face-off among security agents would prevent them from providing tight security for the people and their property.

    The former AGF spoke at a stakeholders’ forum, with the theme: The Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Activities of Anti-Vandals in Benue State. It was organised by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in collaboration with the Benue State Government.

    Aondoakaa said: “It is the responsibility of all security agencies in the country to form a common front by sharing information and intelligent gathering among themselves and developing strategies together in combating the deadly insurgence that is threatening the core existence of our nation.”

    He hailed President Goodluck Jonathan for his holistic approach to restore law and order in the country.

    The former minister advised security agents to avoid rivalry so that the war on criminality would be won for the economy to improve.

    Aondoakaa said the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Commandant of the NSCDC should share intelligence information so that their officers and men can replicate same to effectively fight crimes.

    The former AGF spoke on the topic: The Role of the NSCDC and Other Security Agencies in Maintaining Law and Order in Nigeria.

    He said the people’s role in security matters is to give useful information to security agencies.

    The stakeholders’ meeting was attended by all security agencies in Benue State.

  • Security agents search for kidnapped French family

    Security agents search for kidnapped French family

    Security agents were in a “massive manhunt” Friday for the kidnapped members of the family after Paris said the abductors had likely separated the victims into two groups.

    “As long as there are rumours of their cross-border movements, then security agencies must be intensely searching for them,” police spokesman Frank Mba told AFP, adding that there was a “massive manhunt.”

    He, however, could not provide few other details on the operation to free the family, which includes two parents, four children aged 5 to 12 and an uncle, including who may be the suspects behind the abductions on Tuesday.

    The family was abducted while visiting a national park in Cameroon by six armed suspected Islamists on three motorbikes.

    On Thursday, French President Francois Hollande said the family members were probably being held in two groups.

    Cameroon authorities said the victims were then taken over the border into Nigeria’s northeast, a restive region where insurgents from Islamist extremist group Boko Haram and criminal gangs have long operated.

    While French officials have named Boko Haram as the likely culprits, a splinter faction of the group known as Ansaru, which has risen in prominence in recent weeks, appears to have focused on targeting foreign hostages.

    Ansaru claimed the December kidnapping of a French national in northern Nigeria and the abduction of seven foreigners from a construction site in Bauchi State at the weekend.

    In statements, Ansaru has protested against France’s efforts against Islamist rebels in Mali.