The Nation Newspaper

Tag: State Commissioner of Police

  • Police arrest scores of suspected thugs in Akwa Ibom 

    The police in Akwa Ibom have arrested scores of suspected political thugs at various locations and hotels in Uyo metropolis.
    The suspects who are alleged to be thugs sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were picked up in Angelo Hotel, situated close to Ewet Housing Estate and other hotels in the city following a tip off.
    Spokesperson of the 2019 All Progressives Congress(APC) campaign council, Mr. Eseme Eyiboh and other stalwarts of the APC had alleged that the suspects are working for the PDP.
    The state publicity secretary of the PDP, Comrade Iniobong Ememobong said he was not aware of the arrest of any group of persons said to be working for the party.
    But the State Commissioner of police, Mr. Bashir Makama, who confirmed the arrest, the police was still investigating the matter to find out if the suspects were PDP or APC thugs.

    Read also: Man, 44, faces unlawful damage of property charge

    Makama said the police acted on intelligence report hence carried out raids on suspected black spots in Uyo and its environs to forestall any breakdown of law and order during the Presidential election on Saturday.
    The CP, who also silent on the number of suspects arrested in the sting operation, also said he was not aware of any vehicle caught with cache of money.

  • Three die as soldiers clash with Police in Aba

    Three persons were on Friday reported dead in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State as personnel of the Nigerian Army attached to the Ngwa High School Forward Operation Base (Charlie Coy) and personnel of Mobile Police Force (PMF 55) unit in Osisioma Local Government Area of the State.

    While a yet to be confirmed report has it that a police officer’s hand was severed in the shootout, another report has it that two mobile policemen and a soldier died in the melee.

    It could be recalled that in 2015, soldiers from Ngwa High School FOB and policemen of PMF 55 clashed at the same Osisioma junction, leaving a policeman who was hit by a bullet during crossfire that lasted for about thirty minutes dead.

    While efforts to reach both police and army hierarchy in the state until the time of this report failed to yield fruits as the State Commissioner of Police and the spokesman of the Command, Michael Ogbizi and Geoffrey Ogbonna were yet to reply to a text message our correspondent sent to their phones.

    Sources who claimed to have witnessed the incident feared that incident which caused pandemonium at the major exit and entrance route into the commercial nerve of the state also wounded many passersby.

    According to one Chinyere Ikem, the incident forced many shop owners to quickly close for business while many petty traders along the Expressway abandoned their wares to scamper for safety as lorry load of mobile and regular policemen arrived the scene that is already charged with gunshots.

    Ikem said that while some passengers going to different parts of the country that were yet to board vehicles to their locations were trapped in the shootout, others coming into the country, used alternative routes to avoid being caught in the web of the crisis.

    “It happened like what we used to watch in American movies. It happened in a flash and before you know what is happening, trucks of army and police vans were everywhere.

    Read Also:Court grants bail to seven Jewish worshippers in Abia

    Police and army were shooting themselves face-to-face. From what we later learnt, two policemen and a soldier died in the gun duel. It is better seeing that being told. I don’t know what is happening at this Osisioma junction. Don’t forget that some time ago, police and army clashed here and shoot at each other leaving one policemen dead.

    “I saw some people running with blood stain and I guess that they were hit be stray bullets. Police and army leadership in the state should call themselves to order. They are sister agencies and I don’t think that it is in their own interest to be fighting among themselves when they are supposed to be working hand in hand with each other especially as the state Governor is doing his best in tackling insecurity in the state,” Ikem stated.

    While normalcy has since returned to the area at the time our reporter visited the scene, shop owners were yet to open for business as people in clusters recount their experience of the incident.

    However in a swift reaction, Abia State Government in a press release through the commissioner of information in the state, Chief John Okiyi said that the state received with sadness “disturbing reports of an unfortunate confrontation between a group of soldiers and police officers at the Osisioma area of Aba earlier today (Friday June 15).”

    Okiyi who said that the state government was working with heads of security to bring the situation under control also assured that investigation was ongoing to know the cause of the incident and to fish out those behind the incident.

    “We are working with the heads of the concerned security agencies in the state to ensure that the situation, which has been brought under control, does not repeat itself or escalate within the state.

    “Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has also directed full investigation of the circumstances that led to the breach of public peace with a view to preventing future occurrence of such armed confrontation that endanger the lives of innocent citizens and security agents working in the state.

    “While we are currently working with law enforcement agencies to review the immediate and remote cause of the incidence, members of the public are advised to go about their normal duties as the situation around the area has been pacified.

    “Those responsible for this breach of public peace will certainly be unraveled and punished according the law,” Okiyi added.

  • Herdsmen attack woman, daughter in Edo

    Herdsmen attack woman, daughter in Edo

    Fulani herdsmen have attacked a woman and her daughter at Ofumwengbe village in Ovia South West local government area for daring to report them to the police.

    The woman, Mrs. Patricia Toweh aged 52 and her daughter, Hannah, aged 18 were inflicted injuries with machete.

    Hannah had a deep cut in her forehead and right hand while her mother had her left ear severed and a deep cut of her forehead.

    Narrating her ordeal to newsmen, Mrs. Patricia said they were attacked because she reported the herdsmen to the police after they destroyed her two hectares of cassava farm.

    Patricia said the herdsmen pointed a gun point at her threatening to shoot her dead but she grabbed the gun and they used machete on her.

    She stated that her daughter who rushed to rescue her was also attacked.

    The victim recalled that in January this year, she complained to the leader of the Fulani herdsmen in Ofunwengbe community Alhaji Jubrin that her farm has been destroyed by herdsmen.

    This, she said, led to the arrest of some of the herdsmen at the Police Divisional station in Okada town but one of the suspects, Alhaji Yellow, was later released.

    According to her, “The policemen at the divisional station had visited the farm to witness the destruction and later conducted an identification parade of three elderly men which yielded no result.”

    State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Babatunde Kokumo who confirmed the incident said that the command has commenced investigation into the matter.

    He assured that justice would be done quickly in the case.

    “The woman was brought before me today. We are looking into a way to ensure justice is done speedily.”

  • Woman loses husband, son same day

    Woman loses husband, son same day

    A 60-year old woman who gave her name as Helen Odiazor has cried out for justice over the killing of her son, Melody, the same night her husband died.

     

    Already, State Commissioner of Police, Babatunde Kokumo, has waded into the matter by inviting the Divisional Police Officer of Saint Saviour Police Station and the vigilante group that killed Melody.

     

    Late Melody, a tipper driver apprentice, was said to have been shot by some local vigilante at Tipper Garage along Saint Saviour road at about 9pm when he was returning home after being informed about his father’s death.

     

    He was said to have been shot alongside two other boys and their bodies were displayed at the St Saviour Police Station.

     

    His mother, Helen, who was in tears said it was painful for her to lose her husband and her son the same day.

     

    Helen said her husband died in a hospital on November 8th while she was informed about her son’s death at about 4am the following day.

     

    She stated that her son was on his way home on hearing the death of his father when he was shot by Vigilante Men in St Saviour.

     

    The widow insisted that her son was not an armed robber.

     

    Sister of the deceased, Rachel, said policemen told the family that their brother was not dead but being treated for gunshot injuries.

     

    She said the police refused to disclose the hospital or take the family to the hospital.

     

    “They said they were three of them that were shot that night. Police said one died instantly, my brother was seriously injured while one is in custody.”

     

    However, CP Kokumo said he has invited all parties to a meeting this evening for proper briefing.

     

    He said the impression given to the police was that vigilante group had an encounter with armed robbers but that another information has emerged about the killing.

  • Landlord, children stab tenant to death in Imo 

    Landlord, children stab tenant to death in Imo 

    There was tension Thursday in Onumonu Street in Owerri Municipal Council Area of Imo State, when a Landlord, Paul Oparaugo, his wife and children, stabbed his tenant, Udochukwu Iwuoha to death.

    The victim, who was said to be the only male child of his parents, was stabbed severally by the furious Landlord and members of his family until he gave up the ghost.

    They fled immediately after committing the dastardly act to escape the wrath of the mob that had gathered.

    According to an eye witness account, the victim who lived in the ground floor of the one-storey building came back from work around 7pm on Wednesday and met a dead fowl on his entrance door and he went to ask his Landlord who operates a poultry farm close to the victim’s window.

    But the source continued that “the Landlord came out with a machete and cut the boy on the shoulder before his wife and children rushed out and started stabbing the boy with kitchen knives. It was his shout that attracted neighbors but before they could come to rescue the boy he had lost a lot of blood and he died on the way to hospital “.

    Confirming the incident, the State Commissioner of Police,  Mr Chris Ezike,  said the suspect and his family are on the run.

    He however assured that they will soon be arrested and prosecuted.

  • Edo: 118 suspects arrested in one month- Police

    Edo: 118 suspects arrested in one month- Police

    Edo State Police Command on Wednesday said it arrested a total of 118 suspects for offenses ranging from armed robbery, murder, cultism, human trafficking and kidnapping between 10 of August to 13 September 2017.

    It said the suspects were arrested in various parts of the state.

    State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Haliru Gwandu, who stated this at a press briefing, said 27 fire arms, 61 live cattrages, 16 kidnappers and four vehicles were recovered from the suspects.

    Gwandu said 44 of the suspects have been charged to court.

    He attributed successes recorded by his Command to information volunteered by members of the public.

    The Edo Police Command said the police would do all in its power to make the state conducive for business activities to thrive.

    The police boss however cautioned criminal elements in the state to repent or relocate as the Command is bent on making the state very uncomfortable for them.

    He said other suspects would be charged to court upon the completion of investigations.

  • NUJ announces reward for information on killers of NTA reporter

    NUJ announces reward for information on killers of NTA reporter

    The Edo State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists has announced financial reward for anybody that could provide useful information that would lead to the arrest of the killers of a reporter with the Nigeria Television Authority, Mr. Lawrence Okojie.

    Late Okojie was killed on July 8 by suspected cultists while he was returning from work at about9pm.

    His corpse was found deposited at the morgue by the police who said it was cult related killing.

    Edo State Chairman of NUJ, Mr. Roland Osakue, announced the financial reward at the lying-in-state of the remains of Okojie at the premises of NUJ secretariat.

    Mr. Osakue called on security agencies to ensure adequate protection of lives especially journalists in the state.

    He challenged the police to unravel the killers of Okojie whom he described as a dedicated and hardworking journalist.

    The remains of late Okojie was later taken to his hometown, Olihin Uzea in Esan North East local government for internment.

    When contacted for comments, State Commissioner of Police, Haliru Gwandu, said the killer of late Okojie has been arrested and currently cooling his heels in prison.

    Gwandu said he received commendation for bursting the crime.

    He said increased police patrol prevented cultists in the state from carrying out deadly attacks on July 7 and August 8.

    Those two dates, according to him, were days to celebrate founder’s day for some cult groups.

    He said, “We arrested many of them in their regalia. Those into cultism did not have the chance to kill themselves. We were able to foil their operations and arrested many of them.”

  • Abia police parade suspects

    Abia police parade suspects

    Abia State police command has paraded a crop of suspected hoodlums for allegedly committing various criminal offences in Aba, the state’s commercial heartbeat, and other parts of the state.

    The hoodlums, The Nation learnt, were reportedly responsible for heinous crimes including kidnapping, armed robbery and car theft, among others, in different parts of the state.

    The State Commissioner of Police Adeleye Oyebade in a briefing at Umuahia, the state capital, lauded his men for rising to the challenge of insecurity in Aba, Umuahia and other parts of the state.

    Oyebade said some of the suspects were arrested while carrying out the act, others before or after the act, but all nabbed using a well-planned information gathering method.

    He lauded the synergy between the police and other security agencies in the state, stressing that the era when criminal came and operated in the state freely and undetected is gone. He said it is the desire of the police and sister agencies in the state to stop crime before it happens.

    The police said some of the suspects undergoing interrogation would be arraigned in court as soon as investigations into their matter were concluded.

    Oyebade said, “On 23/07/2017 at about 0010hrs, information was received that there was a corpse later identified simply as Prince ‘m’ of Ngwa and works in a bakery at Garki (Catlle Market) Lokpanta reasonably suspected to have been stabbed to death by his fellow cult members. Sequel to the information, the Divisional Crime Officer Isuochi raced to the scene with a team of detectives, removed the corpse to the mortuary and commenced investigation into the incident. The trio of Samuel Chukwuemeka, Abdulazeez Mukaila and Obisike Ekezie all males and members of ‘Red Barger’ confraternity were arrested. The suspects have confessed to the crime, search was conducted in their houses during which the following items were recovered: three red caps, four bangles, two daggers, one Samsung TV with its remote control, one Sony Speaker, one DSTV Decoder and a pair of canvas. The dagger used in the act has been identified in the two recovered. Effort is intensified toward the arrest of other fleeing members of the cult group.

    “On 27/07/2017 at about 1100hrs, responding to a distress call on the presence of strange faces in Nkwoudara Ovungwu, Isiala Ngwa South LGA, patrol team attached to Omoba Division in raced to the scene and with the collaborative efforts of the Vigilante men in the Community, arrested the following four suspects: Chisom Chimezie 19yrs, Ogbonna Onyeka 22yrs, Kingsley Onyemuru 20yrs and Chinonso Madugba 18yrs all males of Osisioma LGA. Search on them resulted in the recovery of the following items: One locally made pistol with two live cartridges, two jack knives, four ATM cards, Wallet containing sum of N9,090.00 and six ID cards. One Uchenna Ikpendu ‘m’ of Ibeku- Ngwa in Osisioma LGA has identified the suspects as hoodlums that snatched from him on gun-point, his brand new Qlink 150 Motorcycle on 23/07/2017 at about 1730hrs in Umuehim Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South. Discreet investigation is in progress.

    “On 27/07/2017 at about 0500hrs, the operatives attached to the Command’s Dragon Squad Aba acting on a tip off, arrested the duo of Samuel Akoma and Kenneth Ananaba both males in an Hotel room at Aba where the hoodlums lodged after collecting ransom to release their hostage. Two vehicles, including that of the released hostage were recovered.

    “On 24/07/2017 at about 2205hrs along Milverton Area Aba, patrol team attached to Central Police Station Aba while on routine patrol, intercepted one Obasi Chibuike ‘m’ putting on Police bullet proof jacket and extorting motorists. On sighting the patrol team, suspect fled the scene but was over-powered by the team. The following items were recovered from him during search: three live cartridges, one bullet proof, one jack knife and an International Passport. The suspect has however, confessed to being a member of four man robbery gang terrorizing Aba and its environs. Effort is put in place toward arresting the other members of his gang as well as recovering their weapons.

    “On 22/07/2017 at about 1305hrs, PMF 55 men on nipping point duty at Owerrinta acting on a tip off, intercepted a 14 seating Mitsubishi L300 bus with reg. no.SB 639 WER painted white and green and arrested the duo of Chinemere Amamba aged 39yrs and Nnamdi Monday both males of Nmelele Isiala Ngwa South. The suspects abducted one Ijeoma Okereke ‘f’ of Imo State University Owerri at about 1200hrs along Emekuku junction, Douglas road Owerri.

    “On 27/07/2017 at about 0645hrs, acting on a tip off, detectives attached to Abiriba Division arrested the duo of Ifendi Eke and Nwokocha Ndukwe both males of Abiriba who are behind series of house burglary and stealing in the Community. The suspects confessed to the allegation and led the investigation to the arrest of one Arua Uta Agbai ‘m’ of Abiriba that aids them in disposing their loots. Items so far recovered are bags, Electronics, empty carton of plasma TV carted away from the house of a Cameroun based business man, Hon. Agbara Ashiegbu. Investigation is in progress toward recovering more stolen items.

    “On 25/07/2017 at about 0015hrs, a distress call was received from one AzubuikeEjikeme ‘m’ of No. 24 Okigwe Road Aba that his residence was under siege by hoodlums. In response to the call, team of patrol men attached to Central Police Station Aba raced to the scene and laid ambush against the hoodlums during which one Frank Egure ‘m’ of no fixed address was arrested at about 0050hrs with Generating sets and motor tyres. On interrogation, the suspect confessed to have burgled an apartment in the complainant’s residence from where, he carted the recovered items. Similarly, another patrol team attached to the same Division had on 20/07/2017 at about 0015hrs arrested the duo of Joseph Patrick and Chinedu Elewechi both males of no fixed address in their area of responsibility following a distress call received from one Amarachi Patrick ‘f’ of No. 142 Jubilee road Aba on 19/07/2017. Items recovered from the suspects are: One Elemax SH 2900 DX Generator, two Century Stabilizers, one Plasma TV, one truck and assorted drinks. Suspects will be charged to Court as soon as investigation is concluded.

    “On 21/07/2017 at about 2105hrs, a distress call was received from one Ezinne Okorie ‘f’ of No. 132 Terryvin road Aba that while she was making call from her Tecno Y2 GSM phone valued #500,000.00, a group of four armed men accosted her, pointed guns at her and robbed her of the phone. In a swift response, patrol team attached to Central Police Station Aba raced to the scene where the duo of Ugochukwu Ugwumba 22yrs and Goodnews Uwem 18yrs both males were arrested with a machete while others fled with their guns. The suspects confessed to the crime and are leading the investigation toward arresting their cohorts cum recovering the phone.

     

  • Herdsmen menace: Police, hunters to comb forest in Edo

    Herdsmen menace: Police, hunters to comb forest in Edo

    Edo State Police Command in collaboration with vigilantes and local hunters have concluded plans to commence tactical surveillance of forest suspected to be hideouts of notorious herdsmen and other criminals in the state.

    The exercise, according to the state Commissioner of Police, Haliru Gwandu, was aimed at smoking out all manner of criminals from the urban and rural communities in the state to enable farmers go to farms.

    The Police Commissioner urged them to provide information on forest and bushes suspected to be haven for notorious fulani herdsmen and other criminal elements in their domains.

    He warned local vigilante groups in the state against recruiting criminals or ex-cultists as part of their team.

    Gwandu who spoke at a stakeholders meeting with traditional rulers, hunters and vigilante groups said his command would not tolerate any vigilante group caught working with those he termed misguided elements.

    He said the criminals would hide under vigilante to commit crimes in the state.

    Gwandu told the traditional rulers that plans were on the way to flush out criminal herdsmen from various forest in the state.

    The state police boss assured the gathering that any corrupt police officers found culpable would dismissed from the force.

    “Edo police command under my watch would not tolerate corruption coming from any angle. I didn’t ask anybody to extort money from one  and you don’t  have to be corrupt while doing your job.

    “Government is showing serious concern about the activities of herdsmen in the state through joint forces combing the forest to flush out criminal elements in herdsmen.”

    Leaders of hunters, vigilant groups and representatives of traditional rulers expressed their readiness to sustain the partnership as security in their various communities is paramount.

    Amongst those who spoke at the gathering are the representative of Otaru of Auchi Alhaji Usman Abuda, Chief Raymond Okpai and Chief Sunday Omonua of Ekpoma Kingdom.

     

  • Police nabs suspected killer of Egbeta Chief Imam

    Police nabs suspected killer of Egbeta Chief Imam

    Men of the Edo State Police Command have arrested suspected killer of the Chief Imam of Egbeta Mosque in Ovia North East local government area, Mallam Saka Afolabi.

    Afolabi was killed on March 4th in the presence of his three children by three gunmen while on his way to his farm.

    The name of the arrested suspected killer was given as Ajetena Adebayo Moruf

    Parading the suspect yesterday, State Commissioner of Police, Haliru Gwandu, said the police traversed five states before the suspect was arrested.

    Gwandu said two other suspects were still at large.

    He urged other assassins in the state to repent as the police would do anything to nab them.

    According to him, “The principal suspect in the killing of Chief Imam of Egbeta Mosque has been arrested. The three of them killed the imam. Others are on the run. The sons of the deceased witnessed the killing. It is very unfortunate.

    “After the incident, the suspect went into hiding. We went to more than five states before we nabbed him. We were able to track him to Shagamu in Ogun State.”

    Son of the deceased, Afolabi Wahid, said his late father and some farmers had been having dispute with the suspect since 2014.

    Wahid claimed that he saw the suspect and two others with guns on a motor-cycle while he was going to farm but he didn’t know they were on a mission to kill his father.

    He said his three brothers who were with their father at the time of the killing ran away.

    The suspect however denied being involved in the killing of the Chief Imam.

    Ajetena urged the police to check his call logs to determine where he was on the day of the killing.

    His words, “It is a set up. I am going to be vindicated because there is God. I was not in Shagamu on that day. The deceased was one of my farmers. The issues we are having are in Court. It is an issue that the late Ooni has intervene in the matter. I have about 300 farmers and 20 individuals are causing crisis.

    “I stay in Shagamu and not in the camp. I have been in Shagamu since on the 28th of February. I was not in Egbeta at all. There are people that can testify that I was in Shagamu. I received calls throughout day. The police can check with the network providers. The first call I received was at 6:11 am. The police can verify where I made calls from.”