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  • Malabu: don’t use us as excuse not to give account, Abacha family tells Adoke

    The family of the former military head of state, Gen. Sani Abachi Monday hit back at the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, over his claims that the Abachas went to court because they have sympathizer in government.

    The former first family stated that they were not the one in court over OPL 245 but the legal entity MALABU OIL and GAS LTD.

    The Abachas in a statement urged the former Attorney General of the Federation not to use the name of their family as an excuse for his inability to give account of his stewardship.

    A statement issued by Mohammed Sani Abacha, the family said it won’t have respond to the “baseless allegation” but for the falsehood.

    The said allegation was contained in his book “Burden of Service – Reminiscences of Nigeria’s Former Attorney General”.

    The Abacha family accused the former Chief Law Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of embarking on cheap falsehood.

    In blaming the Abacha family, Adoke alleged that; “the Abacha family decided to go to court and make claims on the OPL 245 otherwise known as Malabu because the Abacha family has sympathizers in the Muhammadu Buhari Government.”

    Responding to the allegation, Mohammed stated, “The Abacha family is not in court over OPL 245 but the legal entity MALABU OIL and GAS LTD is in Court over OPL 245 as distinct and separate from the Abacha family. How cheaper can it get for a former Chief Law officer to think and say that for Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd to seek justice through the constitutional, legal and Judicial process requires the Abacha family having influence or sympathizers in Muhammadu Buhari’s Government and a conducive political environment.”

    “This is not only unfortunate, but a manifest reflection of the kind of justice system over which Mohammed Adoke SAN presided as the Minister of Justice, influence peddling and sympathizers for Justice to reign. The Abachas are citizens of Nigeria and have rights like any other Nigerians but no influence or sympathizers in Buhari’s Government as a requirement for them to seek justice in court through the legal process.”

    He further pointed out that the company, Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd has consistently engaged the legal judicial process to seek redress under previous administration.

    Read Also: Adoke has case to answer on Malabu Oil Block scandal, says EFCC

    “For example, Malabu went to court in suit no. FHC/ABJ/CS/420/2003 against the Federal Government of Nigeria over the revocation of the license of OPL 245 during the administration of President Obasanjo and which case ended in an out of court settlement at the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/A/99/M/06 in which OPL245 was restored to Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd by the administration of President Obasanjo.”

    “It was under the Administration of President Jonathan in which Adoke SAN served as the Attorney General and Minister of Justice that the said out of court settlement was actualized through the restoration of the license OPL245 to Malabu under the hand of the then Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources after the legal advice of Adoke SAN.”

    “The Abacha family and/or Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd has always engaged the constitutional legal process in seeking redress and does not need any political sympathizers or conducive political environment to seek justice. Malabu is presently in court not because of any sympathizer(s) in Government. It has no such sympathizers and does not need one like the Adoke’s sense of justice of influence peddling would want the world to believe.”

    “It is therefore unfortunate and totally false for Adoke SAN, a former Chief Law Officer of the Federation to have been quoted or credited as saying that:

    “For the eight years that president Obasanjo was in power, the Abacha’s never came out to make a claim to OPL245. They never tried it under President Yar’adua. Under President Jonathan, they never came out boldly to assert any claim.”

    The statement further added, “It will be recalled that in 2010 Alhaji Mohammed Sani Abacha instituted an action at the Federal High Court, Abuja in suit NO. FHC/ABJ/CS57/2010 before Hon. Justice Kolawole asserting his 50% ownership shares in Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd.

    “It was during the pendency of this action that the purported re-allocation of Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd to Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, and Nigeria Agip Exploration (NAE) was carried out under the watch of Mohammed Adoke (SAN) in 2011.

    “Also, Mohammed Sani Abacha asserted his ownership of 50% before the House of Representatives Committee on Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd in 2014. The report of the committee confirmed Mohammed Abacha’s 50% ownership in Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd.

    “It will also be recalled that when the report was challenged at the Federal High Court Abuja before Hon. Justice A. R. Mohammed, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Abacha instructed the law firm of R.O. Atabo & Co. to file an application for him and Pecos Energy Ltd to participate in the case as interveners in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/816/2014.

    “After the unauthorized alteration on the shareholding structure as well as Directors of Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd was carried out at the Corporate Affairs Commission, I instructed the law firm of R.O. Atabo & Co. to write a petition to Corporate Affairs Commission informing her of such alterations.

    “Again, when the shares of Mohammed Sani Abacha was completely wiped out by filing of form CO2 by Barrister Ademola at the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja during the pendency of his case before Hon. Justice Gabriel Kolawole (now a Justice of the Court of Appeal), Mohammed Sani Abacha through his Counsel wrote petition to the Director General of the Corporate Affairs Commission after which the share structure was reversed and the matter referred to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation. Notwithstanding the reversal of the share structure, Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd was purportedly sold and re-allocated to Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, Shell Nigeria Ultra Deep (SNUD) and Nigeria Agip Exploration (NAE) under questionable circumstances for a consideration of $1.3billion.

    “Furthermore, the sum of Eight Hundred and One Million Five Hundred and Forty Thousand US Dollars ($801,540,000) was transferred from the Federal Government Escrow Account to Key Stone Bank and First Bank of Nigeria Plc accounts controlled by Dan Etete who is neither a shareholder nor Director of Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd and without appropriation of the funds by the National Assembly – all these happened when Mohammed Adoke SAN was holding office as the Attorney General of the Federation – a legal practitioner who has been conferred with the highest honour in the legal profession by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee to uphold the rule of law and the ethics of the legal profession.

    “The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) provides that all monies accruing to the Government of the Federation shall be appropriated by the National Assembly,” the statement said adding that there is no shred of evidence that the sum of $801,540,000 was appropriated by the National Assembly with a directive that same be paid to a private account control by Dan Etete.

    “The sum was never considered during any of the budget proceedings of the National Assembly. It will be recalled that after the transfer of the funds, the money disappeared into various accounts of private individuals and companies to the knowledge and supervision of Mohammed Adoke SAN

    “From the above, it can be seen that Adoke (SAN) is allergic to the truth, which does not surprise us as this attitude appears to be in his makeup. Only truth heals and he needs that healing,” the statement added.

  • Tribunal reaffirms Sanwo-Olu as Governor

    The Lagos State Gubernatorial Election Petition Tribunal on Monday reaffirmed the victory of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the Governor of Lagos state in the March 9 polls.

    The three-man tribunal led by Justice T. T Asua, in a unanimous decision, dismissed the Petition filed by the Labour Party (LP) and its Candidate, chief Ifagbemi Awamaridi, declaring that the petition failed.

    It held that its earlier decision to dismiss the Petition which was later appealed by the petitioners was still valid because the petition was not filed according to the laws governing the electoral laws.

    The tribunal further described the petition as a “futile and wasteful exercise”.
    It noted that the petitioners could not prove their allegations of mental incompetence against Sanwo-Olu in their evidence placed before the tribunal.

    The panel held that the petitioners failed to prove their allegations of election malpractices against Sanwo-Olu and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “The Petitioners have failed to meet the requirement of the law. The Petitioners have failed in our humble view to discharge the onus of proof which would have been placed on the Respondents.

    “We confirm the return of Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the duly elected Governor of the State,” Asua said.

    Earlier the tribunal had struck out the names of the fourth to seventh respondents from the petition.
    They are the Resident Commissioner for Lagos State INEC, the Returning Officer for Lagos State Governorship Election, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State and the Nigeria Army.

    It held that there were no ties linking them to the allegations contained in the petition.

    During the hearing of the petition, the petitioners had called six witnesses, including Awamaridi and three other witnesses who were subpoenaed by the tribunal.
    The respondents, on the other hand, did not call any witness.

    The tribunal held that there was no newspaper evidence nor medical evidence from the Gbagada General Hospital was presented by the petitioners to support their allegation of mental illness against Sanwo-Olu.

    Read Also: How Sanwo-Olu allegedly rescued Mike Dada’s AFRIMA

    ” PW5 openly stated in court that ‘the evidence does not exist’. That portion of the petition remains abandoned and I so hold,” Asua said.

    The Tribunal noted that Awamaridi, the LP gubernatorial candidate while testifying during the hearing of the petition had said that he did not cast a vote during the March 9 gubernatorial polls because he was certain his Permanent Voters Card (PVC) was cloned.

    The Tribunal said that Awamaridi in his testimony could not pinpoint where the alleged irregularities took place but rather asserted that he was informed of everything within his knowledge by his agents.

    “The journey of this Petition has been a futile and wasteful exercise.
    PW1 (Awamaridi) as a witness, dumped the evidence on the tribunal and expected it to go on a voyage of discovery.

    “Each document has to be related to the case, PW1 did not tie any of the evidence to the case.
    “Since the petitioners didn’t link exhibits P18 to P20 to their case, the evidence lacks probative value and are not relevant to their case.

    “The Petitioners have failed to structure the case within the parameters set by the apex courts. PW1, PW2 and PW4 testified in relation to polling units but could not ties their allegations to any specific polling unit,” the tribunal held.

    Mr Bola Aidi, the counsel to the petitioners, in his response, told the tribunal that they would study the judgment.

    “We are grateful for the time of the judge on the judgment, we shall look at it and do the needful,” Aidi said.

    The counsel to Sanwo-Olu, Mr Victor Okpara thanked the tribunal for the judgment.
    He described the doggedness of the petitioners as “the beauty of democracy”.

    Mr Tunde Falola the counsel to the APC also expressed appreciation to the panel members for the time spent putting the judgment together.

  • Report: 43% of Nigerians buy smartphone based on social media campaigns

    A new study by the Research and Intelligence Unit of the omni-media group, RED | For Africa, indicates that about 43 per cent of Nigerians with active social media accounts have been influenced to buy smartphones based on brand focused online marketing campaigns.

    The research study was undertaken by RED | For Africa to analyze and give insight into the impact and effectiveness of social media marketing campaigns in influencing consumer choices and driving sales of phone devices in Nigeria.

    Speaking on the study, Head of Research and Intelligence, Isime Esene, said, “People do not buy things by chance, and even for technology brands that provide both functional and social value, consumers need products that will not disappoint, fail, or crash when they are needed.

    “As a rapidly growing sector in Nigeria, marketing technology devices and properties on social media is an important business activity for all major brands in the industry. But if it is to be done effectively, it is important to understand what exactly drives the choices and decisions for targeted consumers,” he added.

    Mr. Esene explained that the research data is designed to help smartphone brands position themselves to understand their customers better, and also improve their bottom-line. More research reports are expected to be released, covering contemporary issues and topics in media and communication, church culture, politics, and governance.

    Read Also: Five ways to increase your social media followership

    The research report is built on an extensive survey conducted with 1,007 respondents between ages 18 – 60 years across Nigeria, and further supported by three focus group discussions to assess buying decisions and major interests of smartphone product consumers.

    A sizeable number of the participants (83 percent) are resident in Lagos, with others covering Oyo, Kano, FCT Abuja, Enugu and Osun state. Also, the age division between participants is 18-25 years (61.07 percent); 26-35 years (26.42 percent); 36–40 years (8.15 percent); 41-50 years (2.78 percent) and 51-60 years (2.68 percent).

    Results from the research study indicate that while 78.57 per cent of respondents between ages 26 to 35 years have been exposed to communication materials from social media mobile phone campaigns, more than half (60.38 percent) of respondents, say they have never been influenced to buy a phone by a social media campaign.

    Likewise, only 42.7 percent of those aged 18–25 years have previously bought a mobile because they were convinced of its value by a social media campaign.

    The report said top three priorities for those looking to buy a smartphone are Features & Specifications, Price, and Brand Reputation. Although the price consideration is really high among those who earn less than N100,000 monthly.

    Also, about 52 per cent of the respondents say they “probably would” be influenced to buy a phone due to a social media campaign, 13.7 per cent say they “definitely would not”.

    “Social media campaigns appear to be effective for increasing awareness, but cannot be fully dependable in driving action for those who want to buy phones. This assertion was further supported by brand managers in surveyed phone wholesale stores. To drive action, messaging for phone campaigns on social media should focus more on the phone features and price indication, depending on the target customers and selected platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others),” the report added.

  • UPDATED: 17 days after celebrating birthday Oba Oniru dies at 82

    Lagos State Government mourned the passing away of a first-class monarch in the state, the Oniru of Iruland, Oba Idowu Abiodun Oniru.

    Oniru died in in the early hour of today in Lagos after a brief illness.

    He was 82.

    The monarch’s 82nd birthday was celebrated last September 6 at the palace.

    He was survived by wives, children among are former Lagos State Commissioner for Waterfront Adesegun Oniru, On-Air personality Tolu Demuren (a.k.a Toolz), grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

    Tweeting via his twitter handle @jidesanwoolu, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu commiserated with the royal family.

    He tweeted: “On behalf of the government and people of Lagos, I commiserate with the Oniru Royal Family on the transition of HRH Oba Idowu Oniru who joined his forebears. His service to the state and country at large will remain his enduring legacy. Adieu.”

    Former Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule described the late Oniru as a great monarch.

    Read Also: Oba Oniru celebrates 80th birthday in style

    Dr Adebule said he was a peace-loving monarch.

    “He was always bringing people together to live in peace and harmony. He demonstrated a great passion for the development of Lagos State. He was indeed a peace-maker,” she said.

    The Waziri Nupe, Senator Isa Mohammed also condoled with the royal family.

    Senator Mohammed prayed to God to grant the family of the late monarch the strength to bear the loss.

    “My family and I wish to commiserate with you and the entire Oniru Royal family on the passing away of Oba Abiodun Idowu Oniru, the 14th Oniru of Iruland, Victoria Island, Lagos. May Allah grant him peaceful repose, mercy, forgiveness, eternal rest and reward him with Al-Jannah Firdaus. May Allah also be with you and the children and grant you the strength and fortitude to bear this great loss,” he said.

    The Chairman of Iru-Victoria Island Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Princess Rasheedat Abiodun Adu described the late monarch as a great father.

    Princess Adu said the late Oba Oniru’s reign brought greater development to Iruland and environs.

    “Kabiyesi’s reign ushered in unprecedented political and socio-economic development to Iruland and beyond. The late monarch’s demonstration of integrity is matchless,” she said.

    Wife of former Chairman of Iru-Victoria LCDA Chief. Funmilayo Daramola said the late Oniru was a great monarch.

    Chief Daramola, the Alaje Wura of Iruland said: “Kabiyesi was truly a great person. He was a nice man who was after the development of the community and Lagos state as a whole. He sacrificed a lot to ensure Iru-Victoria Island is developed,” she said.

    Oba Oniru succeeded his father in 1995.

    He was born on September 6, 1937, the 12th of the 15 children of the long-reigning Oba Yesufu Oniru, who died at the age 120.

    The late Oba Oniru attended St David’s Primary School and Araromi Baptist School on Lagos Island and then went to Eko Boys High School for his secondary education.

    In 1965, he left Nigeria to study civil engineering at the British Institute of Engineering Technology in Slough. He returned to Nigeria in 1968, to join his father run the family business.

  • The Best FIFA Awards: Klopp wins Men’s coach of the year

    Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on Monday night won the men’s coach of the year at the Best FIFA Football Awards in Milan.

    Klopp  was one of three Premier League bosses to be nominated for the award, alongside Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino.

    Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotsports in the UEFA Champions League final in June and came second in the Premier League in 2018/2019.

    The Reds have also won all six league matches at the start of 2019/2020.

    “It is great, nobody expected this 20, 10, five, four years ago that I would be standing here,” Klopp said upon receiving his award.

    Read Also: Klopp relieved to end Cup finals losing streak

    “We know what an incredible job you Mauricio Pochettino did and what Pep did. I have to say thank you to my outstanding club Liverpool FC.

    “To the owners thank you, they gave me an incredible team. I have to thank my team – as a coach you can only be as good as your team is. I’m really proud of being manager of such an incredible bunch of players.

    “This is an individual prize, I don’t 100% understand individual prizes, I’m here for a lot of people.”

    BBCSports

  • Photos: Buhari speaks at UNGA-74 climate change summit

    President Muhammadu Buhari speaking at the unga74 during the climate change summit in new york. photo; sunday aghaeze. sept 23rd, 2019.

     

    PRESIDENT BUHARI SPEAKS AT THE UNGA74 CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT 0A. R-L; Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Netherland Prime Minister, H.E Mark Rutte, Bank of England Governor, Mr Mark Joseph Carney and Chief Executive Officer of Wills Towers Waston, Mr. John Haley during the UNGA74 Climate Change Summit 2019 in New York. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. SEPT 23 2019.
    PRESIDENT BUHARI SPEAKS AT THE UNGA74 CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT 1. R-L; Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Netherland Prime Minister, H.E Mark Rutte, Bank of England Governor, Mr Mark Joseph Carney and Chief Executive Officer of Wills Towers Waston, Mr. John Haley during the UNGA74 Climate Change Summit 2019 in New York. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. SEPT 23 2019.
    PRESIDENT BUHARI SPEAKS AT THE UNGA74 CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT 3. R-L; Fiji Prime Minister, H.E. Frank Bainimarama, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and Netherland Prime Minister, H.E Mark Rutte during the UNGA74 Climate Change Summit 2019 in New York. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. SEPT 23 2019.
    PRESIDENT BUHARI SPEAKS AT THE UNGA74 CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT 4. R-L; Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Netherland Prime Minister, H.E Mark Rutte, Bank of England Governor, Mr Mark Joseph Carney during the UNGA74 Climate Change Summit 2019 in New York. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. SEPT 23 2019.
    PRESIDENT BUHARI SPEAKS AT THE UNGA74 CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT 6. R-L; Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Netherland Prime Minister, H.E Mark Rutte and Bank of England Governor, Mr Mark Joseph Carney during the UNGA74 Climate Change Summit 2019 in New York. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. SEPT 23 2019.
    PRESIDENT BUHARI SPEAKS AT THE UNGA74 CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT 6. R-L; Fiji Prime Minister, H.E. Frank Bainimarama, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Netherland Prime Minister, H.E Mark Rutte and Bank of England Governor, Mr Mark Joseph Carney during the UNGA74 Climate Change Summit 2019 in New York. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. SEPT 23 2019.

  • Free commercial activity begins on Lagos-Ibadan speed train

    Commercial activity may begin on the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge latest November, the  Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has said.

    Amaechi spoke on Monday when he and the Minister of State for Transportation Gbemi Saraki, led other stakeholders on tour of the project.

    He said the federal government will also begin a free trial service between Lagos and Ibadan for commuters.

    He said: ”Our ambition is that by November we should begin trial of train services between Lagos and Ibadan for free.”

    He admitted however that the pace of the project had been slow, adding that there is need for the contractor to increase the pace of the project.

    ”They (Contractor) need to increase their speed. They reduce their speed within the period that the government dissolved the last cabinet.

    “Now, that we are back, my colleague, the Minister of State, and I resolve to decide to push back the pressure to ensure they stick to the completion timelines,” Amaechi said.

    Read Also: Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge: A spanner in the works?

    The minister disclosed that the double lane speed tracks had been laid up to kilometre 155, adding that where the project is recording challenge now is the completion of the stations, which according to him was impeded because the cabinet was not in place.

    “The tracks are no longer the problem, the problem now, is how to get them to finish the stations on time.

    According to him, CCECC had promised to complete all the minor stations in three months, but unfortunately, six months after they are yet to be completed.

    The minister added that  he will continue to put pressure on the contractor to ensure that all the minor stations were completed in due course.

    “We know that by January next year, they are going to finish both the minor and major stations so that we can move on,” Amaechi said.

    Speaking on the Railway University and the manufacturing factory projects, Amaechi said while the Ministry of Transportation has secured a date for the ground breaking ceremony for the factory, from the Vice President, it is waiting for the President to return from the UNGA to give a date for the ground breaking ceremony for the University of Transportation project.

    He also said the government is waiting on the Chinese government and the China Eximbank for the loan for Ibadan-Kano standard gauge line.

    He said the Federal Government is ready with its own counterpart funding, but will require the Chinaexim bank to grant the facility for the project to begin.

    Saraki expressed happiness that the Ministry of Transportation is delivering on the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari to make the train the backbone of the nation’s economy.

    She said once the speed train fully come on stream it would be able to unlock the huge potentials of the sector to create jobs for the teeming Nigerian youths.

    Saraki, who supervises the Maritime sector of the Transportation Ministry, said she is determined to work with other stakeholders to unlock the potentials and opportunities of the maritime sector.

  • Tight security as military interrogates suspected killers of Cdr. Ogundana

    Security has been tightened around the Jaji Military Cantonment, as the military authorities commenced interrogation of the suspected killers of Commander Olowayemisi Ogundana.

    Ogundana was the Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Secondary School until she was gruesomely murdered and her dismembered body dumped in a shallow well at Ungwan Loya, close to the cantonment.

    A source close to the military cantonment told The Nation that, hers was the second case of murder at the college in the last two months.

    Though, Kaduna State Police Command and AFCSC, where Commander worked have kept information on the incident away from the media, The Nation gathered authoritatively that the suspects held in connection to the murder were under serious interrogation.

    Read Also: Senior Naval Officer murdered in Kaduna military cantonment

    The serious handling of the interrogation and the tight security of the barracks, The Nation learnt was due to the fact that, Commander Ogundana’s murder was the second in the series.

    A source in the cantonment told our correspondent that the authorities were quizzing the suspected killers of Ogundana, one Simon Bernard who happened to be a staff of the college and his accomplice, as to whether they equally have hands in the murder of the other Officer too.

    According the source: “About two months ago, a Major who was on Senior Course at the AFCSC was also found dead in his room.

    “The Major was suspected to have been murdered the day they were supposed to proceed on a foreign study tour.

    “That is why they are interrogating them thoroughly to get to the root of the matter.

    “Presently, Simon Bernard who happened to be a staff of the college where Commander Ogundana was the Commandant has confessed killing her.”

    The suspect was said to have confessed that he killed the Commandant and took the body to Ungwan Loya village in Jaji at about 1:00am on 15 September 2019.

  • Ex-Zimbabwean President Mugabe died of cancer, says Mnangagwa

    Zimbabwen President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, said on Monday that former President Robert Mugabe died of advanced cancer and had already been taken off chemotherapy.

    Mnangagwa told supporters of the ruling party ZANU-PF in New York that Mugabe had to be taken off the chemotherapy because it was no longer effective.

    Mnangagwa is in the U.S. for the 74th session of the UN General Assembly.

    Mugabe died in Singapore on Sept. 6, and his body was brought home on Sept. 11.

    A funeral service attended by regional leaders was held at the National Heroes Acre on Sept. 14, now lying in state at his home in Harare while a mausoleum was built for him at the national shrine.

    However, a family source said they were now in charge of the funeral.

  • Police arrest dismissed soldiers, 81 others for armed robbery, cultism

    No fewer than 88 suspects including seven dismissed soldiers have been arrested for armed robbery, murder and cultism by operatives of the Lagos State Command, Commissioner Zubairu Muazu said Monday.

    He said the command in the last few months apprehended 40 suspected armed robbers, 29 cultists and 19 murderers, adding that 31 armed robbery attempts were foiled, 19 firearms and 51 ammunition recovered.

    Briefing reporters on the activities of the command in recent times the police chief said among the arrested cultists were leaders of notorious Awawa Boys, appreciating residents for providing credible information to prevent and combat crimes.

    He assured that the police and sister agencies would in a few weeks commence robust operations ahead of the yuletide to ensure that criminals do not flood into the state before, during and after the celebrations.

    Giving details on the arrests, Muazu said seven dismissed soldiers, Ndidi Oluchukwu, 30; Owolabi Adeyemo ,42; David Olufemi, 47; Iseyin Samuel Isreal, 41; Emeka Ibeh, 29, Samuel Anochime, 36, and Ebedot Stephen, 27 were arrested for armed robbery and car snatching.

    The police chief said they were notorious for oppressing residents of Ijegun adding that an incident occurred around 4:35pm on February 19 where they snatched the Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) of a commuter travelling to Ibadan.

    “It is on the strength of those complaints that we tasked our Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) operatives to identify the gang and apprehend them.

    “Members of the robbery gang were arrested at Ijegun, Baruwa Estate, Ipaja, Iyana-Paja, Ishashi and Ikotun areas of Lagos. Investigation revealed that the suspects are dismissed soldiers and items recovered from them include 12 pairs of military camouflage uniforms, two cutlasses, ATM cards, military ID cards, jack knives, a female pant and a local ring. The suspects confessed to be responsible for series of robberies within Ijegun and its environs and they will be charged to court as soon as investigation has been concluded,” he said.

    CRIME NEWS IN NIGERIA

    However, the suspects told reporters they were not armed robbers, insisting that they were only involved in illegal excursion of vehicles.

    While three admitted to have been dismissed from the army for fleeing the war front in the northeast, two said they were of the Merchant Navy, the other two civilians and that got the camouflages through unnamed Commander.

    Also paraded were 11 suspected traffic robbers said to have been arrested at the wee hours of September 14 at Igando.

    READ ALSO: Police arrest wanted Port Harcourt serial killer

    Muazu said their arrest followed the report of an armed robbery case by one Atolagbe Oyindamola, a resident of 14, Alaka Street, Abule Oja in Yaba against one Ahmed Durojaiye, 23; Waheed Oseni, 24; Rilwan Moshood 27 and Taiwo Idowu, 32.

    He said the suspects were notorious for snatching phones, money and other valuables from unsuspecting members of the public in traffic, adding that the operated mostly on motorcycles.

    “When the four suspects were arrested, a locally made pistol was recovered from them and they confessed to be members of Eiye confraternity. A follow up investigation by the State CIID led to the arrest of additional seven suspects- Mosuru Mukaila, 20; Ahmed Oyebode, 29; Seyi Ogundele, 36; Ogunmola Akintayo, 30; Olatunji Segun ,28; Ayobami Olaniyi, 20 and Oladimeji Mustapha, 27.

    “They confessed to be responsible for series of robberies at traffic points, bus stops, around Yabatech, Yaba, Ejigbo, Igando-Ikotun, Ipaja and Isolo areas of the state. A tricycle, five Bajaj motorcycles, two cutlasses and two phones were recovered from them.

    “Investigation revealed that Ahmed Oyebode who is a cultist and motorcycle operator gave his bike out for robbery operations and received stolen phones, cash derived from the operations as reward. Meanwhile, Seyi Ogundele and Ogunmola Akintayo are well known leaders of Eiye cult group in Ejigbo. They will be charged to court,” he said.