The Nation Newspaper

Tag: suspects

  • Police parade 70 suspects

    Edo State Police Command has paraded 70 suspected criminals arrested between July 20 and August 10.

    They were arrested for cultism, robbery, murder, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.

    Items recovered from them included seven locally cut-to-size guns, one double barrel, six vehicles, charms and phones.

    Police Commissioner Haliru Gwandu said the feat was achieved through intelligence.

    He said no robbery was recorded on highways because of the deployment of armoured personnel carriers.

  • RRS recovers AK 47 from fleeing suspects

    RRS recovers AK 47 from fleeing suspects

    Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives have recovered an AK 47 rifle dropped by three fleeing young men in Apapa.

    The operatives also arrested a 23-year-old man Ayobami Adedeji for alleged bag snatching.

    The operatives, who were on routine patrol of Apapa sighted the men around 11p.m last Friday carrying a bag.

    On sighting the officers, they dropped the bag containing the riffle and fled.

    The rifle has been deposited at the RRS Headquarters.

    Adedeji, who operates on an okada was chased by the operatives on routine patrol of Kola Bus Stop, in Alagbado, Lagos, after snatching a hand bag around 10pm.

    He with his accomplice, who he referred to as Aboki, snatched the hand bag of Kudirat Oyebade at Kola Bus Stop.

    The operatives, who were close to the scene of the incident, chased the motorcyclist and arrested him.

    Adedeji was quoted by RRS as saying: “I was a bus conductor. I went to Kotangora market to meet Aboki on how to raise money for ourselves.

    “We have been together for a long time. At around 2p.m on Monday, we perfected the plan to operate together on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway but our focus were Adura and Council bus stops around Alagbado. Our priorities were handbags and purses.”

    “We had snatched two bags and my colleague was keeping the money before our last botched operation. This was our first time.

    “Unfortunately for me, I didn’t know RRS operatives were monitoring us. I snatched the bag and they chased us into the streets. My colleague escaped and I was arrested.

    “I dropped out in SS1 after losing my mother. My father was just a ceremonial father. He never cared about me since the death of my mother. He never assisted me but I had to fend for myself after the death of my mother.”

    Adedeji has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti.

  • Breaking: Police rescue kidnapped Imo Priest, arrest three suspects

    Breaking: Police rescue kidnapped Imo Priest, arrest three suspects

    The Police in Imo State have arrested three suspects involved on the kidnap of a Catholic Priest, Father Charles Nwachukwu around 8pm on Friday.
    Ogadinma Ajonuwma, Chinedu Odoemenam, Uzoma Mejuru, all natives of Agbaja in Nwangele Local Government Area (LGA) were arrested Sunday night by the command’s anti-kidnapping squad.
    It was gathered that the police also rescued the Priest at Agbaja Forest in Nwangele unhurt and recovered his golden Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) marked WER334NJ.
    Father Nwachukwu was kidnapped at Amauzari in Isiala Mbano LGA, on his way from Owerri Airport, where he dropped off a guest. From there, he was moved to Nwangele forest.
    The policemen also busted a shrine where human head, 80 rounds of AK47 rifle ammunition and three magazines were recovered.
    Police Commissioner (CP) Chris Ezike confirmed the arrest, adding that victim has identified the suspects.
    He also confirmed the recoveries from the shrine, adding investigation was ongoing.

  • Rivers police arrests 80 suspects in May

    Rivers police arrests 80 suspects in May

    The Rivers  Police Command arrested 80 suspects across the state in May. Commissioner of Police Ahmed Zaki disclosed this when he paraded the suspects to media men in Port Harcourt, the state capital, yesterday.

    Some of the suspects were women who are being held for child trafficking and other fraudulent acts.

    A breakdown showed that 31 of the suspects are being held for armed robbery, 16 for cultism, 13 are being investigated for kidnapping, amongst others.

    The CP also said 1,275 life cartridges and 386 ammunitions were recorded in the period under review, just as a total of 31 assorted guns, 8vehickes, television sets, laptops, phones among others were recovered from the suspects.

    He expressed confidence on the ability f the latest measures mapped out by the command to curb crimes and criminality in the state and appealed to the people of the state for more supports and cooperation by divulging useful information of the criminals to the Police.

    He said: “It is obvious that the rate of crime in the state and ita environs have reduced very drastically. This to a reasonable extent because of the new measures introduced by the command.

    “The measures include, increased aggressive patrol, raiding if criminal hide outs and black spots, intelligence-led policing, community policing partnership with the members if the public and the sectorization of the command with top ranking Police officers in the command heading each of the sectors. I also head one of the sectors.”

    According to him the essence if the approach was to ensure effective patrol and monitoring of the state aimed at preventing crimes and arresting criminals.

    He reiterated the commitment of the command under his watch to raid the state of crime and appealed to the public to increase the tempo of leaking information to the Police, fir a more peaceful and developed state.

  • Police parade 19 suspects over Zaki Biam massacre

    Police parade 19 suspects over Zaki Biam massacre

    •Declare gang leader wanted

    The police yesterday paraded 19 suspects in connection with the massacre at Zaki Biam and another community in Benue State that left 67  people dead.

    Gunmen stormed  Zaki Biam on Thursday, murdered 17 persons, after killing about 50 others at different communities and destroying properties worth millions.

    The suspects, including two women,  Mbadon Mbati and Tame Buumbu, were paraded at the Force Headquarters in Abuja by police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintendent of Police  (CSP).

    Others are Tordue Kaaor, Hiikenter Orbunde, Vincent Asemave, David Terhembe, Dalhatu Abdullahi, Lortember Orkuma, Manasseh Ikyar, Nengene Ikyar, Joshua Ioraonya, Joseph John, Akowakwahve, Terwase Sabastine, Sunday Utza, Umsughaondo Gbaga, Swem Utiu, Terwase John and Godwin Iorhundu.

    According to Moshood, their arrest was sequel to a special tactical force and investigation team deployed to Benue State by the Inspector General of Police ( IGP) Ibrahim Idris.

    Moshood said the police recovered a G3, three AK47 and three FN rifles, as well as a LMG, one SMG, a Double-Barrel, four Single-Barrels, a Mark 4 rifle and nine locally made Revolver pistols.

    Also recovered from Akwaza’s hideout inside a forest were 36 high grenades, two short gun local magasines, 141 AK47 magasines, 20 FN magasines, 18 6x G3, three Mark 4 magasines, one spear ammunition, 536 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 466 rounds of 7.62mm, 464 rounds of Special and 29 rounds of 9mm ball.

    Others include 119 rounds of 5.56mm 118, a round of 12.7mm, 633 cartridges for Double-Barrel guns, 12 teargas cannisters and 50 rounds of air-rifle ammunition, two bottles of perfume, a knife, plier, SMG magasine, six Beretta magasine.

    He said: “Preliminary investigation and the operations embarked upon by the joint police team revealed that one Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana, a leader of a vicious and notorious serial killer syndicate was responsible for the senseless killings of 17 innocent persons at Zaki Biam and for killing in cold blood of about 50 people in other locations in Benue State.

    “He is also responsible for so many kidnappings, armed robberies and cult clashes leading to loss of lives and properties in other parts of Benue State.

    “Further investigation revealed that he is also responsible for killing of Mr. Deneen Igbana, the Special Adviser on Security to the Executive Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom.

    “Consequently, the Inspector General of Police ordered the special police teams already on ground in Benue State to immediately embark on manhunt for Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana and his gang members and bring them to justice.

    “This joint operations comprising the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Military and the Department of State Service for the arrest of Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana and his vicious criminal gang is currently ongoing in Benue State.

    “In the dogged pursuit of the operations 19 suspects were arrested for conspiracy and other various criminal roles they played in the killings of innocent persons and other violent crimes carried out by Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana in Benue State.

    “They are currently in police custody. During interrogation, they admitted to be cohorts of the wanted suspect, Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana, and facilitated the commission of some of the offences linked to him at different times in Benue and other neighbouring states. They will be charged to court on completion of investigation accordingly.”

    Continuing, Moshood said the police have declared Akwaza wanted for the crimes and several others, adding that a warrant for his arrest has been obtained from the court.

    “He is dark in complexion, tall, stout in built and has no tribal mark on his face. Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana is a dangerous suspect and an indigene of Gbise in Katsina-Ala LGA of Benue State. He speaks Tiv, Idoma and Pigin English fluently.

    “If seen, please report to the nearest police station or call 08033040358, 08035925554, 08036363531, 08033129778 or SMS 08057000003.

    “A handsome reward awaits any person(s) with information that leads to his arrest. The Benue State Government has placed¦ 10 million reward for anyone with useful information that can lead to his arrest.”

  • Police nab five suspects in Anambra

    Kidnapped victim rescued

    The police in Anambra State have arrested five persons for alleged kidnap and rescued a victim at Okpoko, near Onitsha, the Grand Commander, Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Sunday Okpe, has said.

    He told reporters in Onitsha the suspects were nabbed on April 2, following a tip-off.

    “On April 2, men of the FSARS stormed suspected kidnappers’ hideout and rescued a victim.

    “Five persons, who are members of a kidnap syndicate, were arrested. They are helping us in our investigation.”

    Okpe said the hoodlums used the hideout, a “no-go” area at Okpoko, as a detention camp for abducted victims.

    A pro-Biafra group, Biafra Independent Movement (BIM), has demanded release of the suspects, claiming they are not kidnappers but security guards.

    Mr. Emmanuel Omenka, the group’s zonal leader, who criticised the action, said the alleged hideout was the operational office of BIM in the area.

    “We do not know where they took our members to. They seized two of our motorcycles, ransacked our office and invited soldiers to help them kill us,’’ he alleged.

  • Ile-Ife crisis: Falana, OPC flay Police over parade of suspects

    Ile-Ife crisis: Falana, OPC flay Police over parade of suspects

    Activist-lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) (Reformed) have berated the Police over the recent parade of the detained members of the Peace Corps of Nigeria and the 20 persons arrested in connection with the crisis in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

    They described the parade of the suspects as illegal and a violation of their fundamental human rights.

    Falana asked the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN) to order the arrest and prosecution of law enforcement personnel who engaged in the media parade of the suspects.

    The OPC Reformed chided the governors in the Southwest for keeping silent over what it termed selective parade of the Yoruba.

    Falana said the detained members of the Peace Corps and the Ile Ife 20 who have been paraded by the Police Authorities are at liberty to sue the Federal Government for aggravated and exemplary damages.

    He recalled that when the police on February 26 conducted a media trial and parade of the detained 49 members of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, he condemned their action and pointed out the fact that “the parade of criminal suspects by the Police in the country is illegal and unconstitutional.”

    The lawyer also recalled that shortly after the incident, there was a violent clash between the Yoruba and Hausa communities in Ile Ife, Osun State during which 20 suspects arrested by the police were paraded before the media in Abuja last week, noting that since the suspects are of Yoruba extraction the Afenifere has condemned the selective arrest by the police.

    He noted that though the courts have repeatedly cautioned the law enforcement agencies to desist from parading criminal suspects before the media, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris has justified the illegal practice.

    Falana, however, described the IGP’s defence as that “which smacks of official impunity and insensitivity. Notwithstanding that such media parade is prejudicial to the fundamental right of criminal suspects to fair hearing, the ruling class has not stopped it because it is part of the humiliation of lowly placed citizens. Hence, while it is not unusual to parade poor criminal suspects who are accused of stealing handsets whose value is less than N10,000 it is infra dignitate to parade rich and powerful criminal suspects who loot the treasury to the tune of several billions of Naira”.

    The OPC Reformed, in a statement  by its President, Dare Adesope said the group will stage a massive protest through out the entire Southwest states and it’s going to commence on same day, same time and for same hours, if the Southwest governors fail to do something about the incident urgently.

    “After waiting for this long without any governor in the Southwest saying anything, we found it very compelling to tell our governors in the western part of this country that we  are saying enough of this nefarious acts across the country by the Hausa/Fulanis.

    “We of OPC ( Reformed) voted for PMB inspite of threats, oppression and intimidation from some angles. We voted him so as to bring about a positive change to the whole country and not to run a government that will favour a particular tribe at the expense of other tribes in the country.

    “In as much as we appreciate what he is doing in the area of corruption, he should be fair to all other tribes as well.

    The group challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to make his stand known concerning Ile Ife crisis where Yoruba were arrested to favour the Hausa/Fulani and taken to Abuja.

    It raised four issues for which it requested the Federal Government to provide answer :

    “Since the Fulani Herdsmen have been encroaching people’s land killing, rapping and destroying their farms, how many have been arrested and taken to Abuja? Who identified the Yoruba people that were arrested as suspects during the crisis?

    “Is it fair to arrest only the Yorubas in a crisis that affected the Yoruba and the Hausa/Fulanis on our soil?. Is it constitutionally right to arrest them in Ife,Osun State and take them to Abuja?”

    They asked the Federal Government to instruct the Police to transfer the suspects back to Osun State.

  • Boko Haram, others: DSS arrests suspects in Ekiti, Bauchi

    Boko Haram, others: DSS arrests suspects in Ekiti, Bauchi

    THE Department of State Services (DSS) has dismantled Boko Haram’s aggressive fundraising operations to finance its plans through kidnapping, armed robbery and gun-running.

    In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, the DSS said it was questioning two suspects, Ibrahim Sule and Bello Shehu, who were arrested on March 13, at Nasarawa town in Kaduna State for alleged involvement in the kidnap of two Germans – Dr. Peter Breuning and Johannes Brehinger – at Pahkogo village in Kaduna State on February 22.

    According to the DSS, about 32 suspected members of Boko Haram, kidnapping and other criminal gangs were arrested in operations conducted in Ekiti, Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Kogi states between February and March.

    The statement said: “Determined to sustain the prevailing peace and stamp out all cases of kidnapping in various states where it is taking root, the Service staged vigorous operations, which recorded successes.

    “The duo of Ibrahim Sule and Bello Shehu were arrested on March 13, 2017 at Nasarawa town, Nasarawa Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State for their suspected involvement in the kidnap of two German nationals – Dr. Peter Breuning and Johannes Brehinger – on February 22, 2017 at Pahkogo, Kagarko LGA, Kaduna State.

    “On March 20, 2017, a suspected Boko Haram kingpin, Adenoyi Abdulsalam, was arrested in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State by a Joint Military/DSS operation team and an Ak-47 rifle was recovered from the suspect, who is presently undergoing investigation; Abdulsalam was in the final stages of kidnapping some high level targets in Ekiti, not only to raise funds but to terrorise communities in the State.

    “Prior to this arrest, several other Boko Haram suspects had been apprehended in various parts of Northern Nigeria, especially in  Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Kogi.

    “Typical cases of arrest include that of 29-year-old Boko Haram member, Usman Ladan Rawa (a.k.a Mr. X) on March 17, 2017 at Lafia, Nasarawa State. He was discovered to have rented accommodation at Lafia for Abdullahi Isa, known for his notorious terrorist actions and his plan was to establish an effective base to conduct terrorism, kidnapping and robbery operations in Abuja, Minna, and other adjoining states.

    “On March 15, 2017, Nasiru Sani (a.k.a Osama) was arrested at Ahmadu Bello Way, Bauchi. He is a Boko Haram top commander, and discovered to have escaped from Bauchi Central Prison in October 2010 and hid in Maiduguri, Borno State.

    “Similarly, on the same March 13, 2017, at Jeka-da-Fari Market, Gombe State, Adamu Jibrin was arrested. He operated under the pseudo name of Dantata Sule and served as a middleman for Boko Haram members and their commanders, especially the one simply identified as Kanumbu.”

    According to the DSS, Adamu Jibrin along with Abdulazeez Umaru, who was arrested in Ngalda Town in Fika LGA, Yobe State on March 1 and Nuhu Usman, alias Okadigbo, who was arrested in Nagazi area in Adavi LGA, Kogi State on March 2, have allegedly confessed membership of the Boko Haram sect.

    On February 2, 2017, one Suleiman Yahaya, who had been on the wanted list of security agencies was arrested during a raid in Potiskum LGA, Yobe State, for his role in several terrorist attacks in Borno and Yobe states.

  • Victim help Aba Police arrest armed robbers

    Victim help Aba Police arrest armed robbers

    Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Osisioma Ngwa Division Aba, have arrested a suspected robber, Onuoha Agbai, for allegedly conspiring with others now at large to rob Uche Kalu and Uzoechie Nweke.

    After robbing the victims, Agbai and his gang shot each of them on the leg without knowing that the victims recognised him and later reported to the Police.

    It was gathered that the suspect who lives at Onyembi Street, Aba, is a notorious criminal who had been on the wanted list of the State Police Command.

  • Police recover foreign currencies, stolen vehicle in Aba

    Police recover foreign currencies, stolen vehicle in Aba

    Policemen from the Abayi Division and the Police Mobile Force 55, Aba, have arrested a suspect, Obinna Echerem following the recovery of a Toyota Corolla vehicle with registration number plate, Bayelsa, BYSJ-07-A and cash in assorted foreign currencies, suspected to have been stolen.

    Police sources told journalists that Echerem was arrested at Tonimas Junction on the Aba –Port Harcourt expressway when he could not explain how he came about the Toyota Corolla car and the assorted foreign currencies in his possession.

    Commissioner of Police, Mr Leye Oyebade, who confirmed the arrest, stated that the suspect failed to give a satisfactory account of items but offered two Thousand Thailand Baht currencies to bribe the Police team.

    Oyebade, who added the suspect would be arraigned as soon as investigations are concluded, listed the foreign currencies recovered from Echerem to include; Ghanaian Cedi, US Dollars, French Franc, Thailand Baht and United Arab Emirates Dirham.

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