The Nation Newspaper

Tag: vigilance

  • Vigilance group rescues missing children

    Two missing children, Jerome Onyekachi and Paul Chijioke, were yesterday reportedly found at Okija in Ihiala Local Government of Anambra State.

    The victims, aged eight and seven, were said to be wandering in the area when they were rescued by a vigilance group.

    The Nation gathered that the children, said to be from Enugu and Rivers states, were taken to the police station by the vigilance group.

    Police spokesman Haruna Mohammed confirmed the incident.

    He said: “A vigilance group attached to Okija brought to Okija Police Station, Jerome Oyechachi, male, aged eight from Rivers State and Paul Chijioke, male, aged seven from Enugu State.

    “The children were found wandering in the town and unable to locate their houses.

    “They are about three feet tall, dark in complexion and speak English and Igbo languages fluently.

    “Effort is on to trace their parents or guardians in order to reunite them with their families.”

    Mohammed urged people with information that could help to trace the children’s parents to report at Okija Police Division or call 08060970639.

  • Vigilance group leader, six others arrested

    The police in Ekiti State have arrested the leader of Vigilance Group of Nigeria (VGN), Mr. Femi Ogunleye, for allegedly torturing a man to death and attempting to secretly bury him.

    Ogunleye, 43, also known as Akilapa, was on Monday arrested with six members of the group, who allegedly participated in the arrest and torture of the victim, whose name was given as Oke.

    The police, acting on a tip-off, searched Ogunleye’s home and allegedly found Oke’s body being prepared for burial in a shallow grave in the compound.

    Other alleged accomplices in the crime are Simon Oluwagbohunmi, 35; Muhammadu Saradeen, 36; Ojo Muri, 30; Peace Okon, 44; Sola Sunday, 20 and Ogunleye Onaolapo, 20.

    The Nation learnt suspects accosted the victim at Post Office area on July 29 and took him to Ogunleye’s house where he (Oke) was allegedly tortured to death.

    Police spokesman Caleb Ikechukwu told reporters the suspects would be charged with murder, cultism and unlawful arrest of innocent persons.

    He said the body had been deposited at the mortuary of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti.

  • NAHCO chief urges workers on vigilance against prohibited goods

    Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (nahco aviance)   Acting Managing Director  Mrs. Folashade Ode, has urged the company’s workers on vigilance and dedication to duty.

    She spoke during a visit to some units of the company.

    She said the company appreciates  their work and that they should not rest on their oars.

    Mrs Ode, who took over on August 7, told the workers that they should adhere strictly to the guidelines on the  cargoes export through the warehouse.

    She reminded the workers that they should educate and update themselves on prohibited items on the export list to guard against taking them from shippers.

    These items include, maize, timber (rough or sawn), raw hides and skin (including wet blue and all unfinished leather) H.S. Codes 4101.2000.00 – 4108.9200.00, scrap metals and unprocessed rubber latex and rubber lumps.

    Others are artifacts and antiquities and wildlife animals classified as endangered species and their products e.g. crocodile; elephant, lizard, eagle, monkey, zebra, lion and all goods imported.

    Mrs Ode emphasised to the workers on the need to watch out especially for donkey skin which is prominent on the list of prohibited items and which had been the source of concerns between shippers and Customs.

     “NAHCO has never and will never accept to export any item on the list of prohibited items including donkey skin. You should always be on your guard”, she said.

  • Ekiti ‘murder’ trial: Families urge vigilance as hearing resumes today

    Families of slain World Bank consultant, Dr. Ayodeji Daramola, and the late Tunde Omojola have urged interest groups to pay attention to the murder trial which reopens today.

    The families urged reporters, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), lawyers, students’ bodies and the public to attend the continuation of the trial before Justice Adewale Fowe at the State High Court in Ado-Ekiti.

    Daramola was killed on August 14, 2006 at Ijan-Ekiti

    He planned to run for governor.

    Omojola was killed in 2005 during the councillorship poll at Ifaki-Ekiti.

    Both families, last week, petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Presidency, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and Chief Judge of Ekiti State.

    They called their attention to an alleged manipulation of their sons’ murder trial in what they called a secret hearing where the families, who were the chief complainants, were kept in the dark.

    The petition also called the attention of NJC to a suspected fake list of defence and prosecution witnesses, all allegedly compiled to falsely testify in court to save some individuals indicted in the killings.

    According to the petition, none of the purported witnesses knew they were listed for either the prosecution or defence in the trial.

    The families said though the witnesses were members of the two deceased men’s families, but they were not aware of any trial.

    They added that their witnesses would be impersonated by another set of people allegedly paid to pose as witnesses.

    In a joint statement yesterday, representatives of the two families – Mrs Kehinde Olubunmi Daramola, Daramola’s widow, and Suleiman Bakare, Omojola’s brother-in-law – said they wanted reporters, lawyers, students and the public to attend the hearing to see out how the “witnesses” attained that status without the knowledge of the families of the victims.

    In the petition, Bakare, who was one of the purported witnesses in Omojola’s murder, confirmed that he was not aware of the trial; same with other 10 purported witnesses in Omojola’s case.

    At Ijan, two of the purported witnesses from Daramola’s family said they were not aware of any trial, while two other purported witnesses – Femi Kehinde and Edward Kehinde – never existed in the community.

    The families sought the support of Nigerians to insist on due process and open trial to ensure justice for their slain sons.

  • Vigilance group threatens to sue leader’s impostor

    The Southwest Command of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) has vowed to sue a former member, Usman Mohammed Jahun, who allegedly impersonated its Commander General, Ali Sokoto, at the Senate’s public hearing of the VGN bill.

    Seeking advice at the Falana and Falana Chamber in Lagos, the crime fighters were miffed because Jahun, who left in 2009, reportedly appeared at the public hearing of the VGN bill last year and tried to hijack it.

    The command vowed to resist every internal and external intrigue aimed at subverting Sokoto’s position and authority, saying every member must be loyal to the man who has provided enabling environment and good leadership for the security outfit over the years.

    They were led to the Chamber by the National Chief of Staff, Chief Jimoh Aliu.

    An address by the Ondo State Commandant, Pastor Akinwunmi Oluwole Gideon, sought legal advice from Barrister Femi Falana (SAN) towards bringing Jahun to book.

    The human rights lawyer collected their documents and promised to peruse them. He advised that the VGN should always publicise its worthwhile activities so that individuals and establishments would know the steps its strengths and steps taken and use their services.

    Falana said: “Nigeria is under-policed, you should take advantage of the security lapse and popularise your activities through adequate publicity.”

  • We won’t stop vigilance against Boko Haram, says Osinbajo

    We won’t stop vigilance against Boko Haram, says Osinbajo

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo said yesterday the Nigerian security agencies will keep up their vigilance against Boko Haram terrorists.

    Noting that the terrorists have been degraded, he said they still carry out suicide bomb attacks against soft targets.

    Fielding questions from reporters after receiving briefing from Service chiefs, Osinbajo said: “ As you know, the Boko Haram as a military force has been degraded. They are not holding territory at the moment. Our armed forces have been able to dislodge them from practically all territories they were holding in the past.

    “What is happening now is just once in a while attack by suicide bombers. By the nature of asymmetric warfare, we are not able to say it has ended now. But I think that militarily they have been contained. There is no question at all that Boko Haram as a fighting force has been degraded.

    “We are still vigilant because of their capacity to do damage with suicide bombers. I am very satisfied with what the military has done so far.   And the briefing has shown graphically that they are really on top of their game and that they are doing excellently well in the Northeast.”

    He explained the fact that he received the security briefing did not mean that President Muhammadu Buhari would not return soon.

    According to him, the security briefings are routine.

    “Besides, the President is a process person and certainly I am going to speak with him here on developments here. So, it is not an indication of anything. It is only an indication that we are committed  to the security of the nation.  The primary duty of government is to ensure lives and properties, and that is why we have to be regularly briefed.

    “The good thing is that our men are going extraordinarily well in the Northeast and that Southern Kaduna has also been contained. The peace building process is also going on very well.”

    Minister of Defence, Mansur Muhammad Dan Ali said: “We have trashed most of the security issues that concerns the country at the meeting, including the Southern Kaduna and the Northeast and other parts of the country.”

    On whether Nigeria is now safe, he said: “Nigeria is very safe and I believe with the concept of the security agencies, all the security challenges have been surmounted.”

  • We won’t relax vigilance against Boko Haram, says Osinbajo 

    We won’t relax vigilance against Boko Haram, says Osinbajo 

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday said that the Nigerian security agencies will keep up vigilance against Boko Haram terrorists.

    Noting that the terrorists have been degraded, he said that they still carry out suicide bomb attacks against soft targets.

    Fielding questions from journalists after receiving briefings from Service Chiefs, Osinbajo said “‎As you know the Boko Haram as a military force has been degraded, they are not holding territory at the moment; our armed forces have been able to dislodge them from practically all territories they were holding in the past.

    “What is happening now is just once in a while attacks by suicide bombers. By the nature of asymmetric warfare we are not able to say it has ended now. But I think that militarily they have been contained, there is no question at all that Boko Haram as a fighting force has been degraded.

    “We are still vigilant because of their capacity to do damage with suicide bombers. I am very satisfied with what the military has done so far.‎ And the briefing has shown graphically that they are really on top of their game and that they are doing excellently well in the north east.” he added

    He explained that the fact that he received the security briefing did not mean that President Muhammadu Buhari will not return soon.

    According to him, the security briefings are routine.

    He said; “No no no! Almost every month these briefings are held, it is routine and it is the president who puts in place this whole idea of regular briefing. It is even more important that we do so because of some of the issues arising like the cases of kidnappings and I wanted the IG to inform us fully.

    “Besides, the President is a process person and certainly I am going to speak with him here on developments here. So it is not an indication of anything. It is only an indication that we are committed ‎to the security of the nation.  The primary duty of government is to ensure lives and properties and that is why we have to be regularly briefed.

    “‎The good thing is that our men are going extraordinarily well in the north east and that Southern Kaduna has also been contained. The peace building process is also going on very well.” he added

    Minister of Defence said “We have trashed most of the security issues that concerns the country at the meeting including the Southern Kaduna and the North East and other parts of the country.

    On whether Nigeria is now safe, he said “Nigeria is very safe and I believe with the concept of the security agencies, all the security challenges have been surmounted.”

  • Eternal vigilance

    •With the reported arrest of some fleeing Boko Haram suspects in Lagos, only citizen vigilance can win the war against terror

    Eternal vigilance, goes that saying, is the price of liberty. That holds even more true of the Boko Haram menace, even with the serious military degrading of the terrorist sect.

    The Department of State Services (DSS) announced that it, on January 10, nabbed four fleeing Boko Haram cells in Lagos. Tony Opuiyo, DSS spokesperson, named the arrested suspects, three males, one female, as Fanayi Hassan, Butame Hassan, Kologoni Bukar and Amina Abubakar.

    Mr. Opuiyo said the suspects had fled to Lagos, to escape the increasing military heat on the North East, hitherto the Boko Haram vortex.

    On the same day, in Okene, Kogi State, the DSS also said it arrested one Abdullahi Mohammed, aka Huja, reported to be the boss of Boko Haram murderous operations in the Kogi sector, where its attacks were once most vicious, outside the North East.

    Earlier on New Year’s Day 2017, the DSS also announced the arrest of the pair of Bale Grema and Koloni Adba-Aji, in a mosque at Mutum Biyu, in the Gassol Local Government of Taraba State.  They were said to have fled from Marte, from where they had participated in many terrorist operations.

    The DSS dragnet, which has snared these suspected terrorists, has been impressive; and the secret police deserves the praise and gratitude of all. Logically, with every nabbed suspected terrorist, the war on terror would inch to being won. We can only encourage the DSS not to relent on its efforts until every terrorist in the land, complete with their sponsors, are where they belong: gaol.

    Still, that Boko Haram cells are being arrested all over the country, outside the North East epicentre of their murderous campaign, is worrying. It is worrying because it shows how vulnerable other Nigerian communities are to the Boko Haram scourge, no matter how far — or protected — they might have felt, from the North East.

    With the wrong-footing of Boko Haram in the battlefield, it is not impossible that some lunatics among them are thinking of one last hurrah, the very last Armageddon, a last vicious slaughter to ingrain Boko Haram’s hateful memory, in the psyche of the traumatised citizens.

    That would be unfortunate and tragic. But it is not impossible. In any case, if the DSS can arrest four suspected Boko Haram cells in Lagos, how many are still running free  — in Lagos and throughout the country?

    The only way to arrest those terrorists still on the run is an alert, active and patriotic citizenry, whose ears are open and eyes are glued to the ground, monitoring any strange development in their environs.

    Not only that: they should also make the prompt reporting of such strange happenings to the authorities.

    To those who gave information which led to the arrest of the Boko Haram cells, therefore, we say bravo. Such a conduct should continue until every suspected terrorist is nabbed.

    It is only under the culture of prompt reporting to authorities that Boko Haram can finally be vanquished. This is because each DSS arrest is as good as its preceding intelligence.

    Indeed, eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

  • ‘Include vigilance groups in neighbourhood watch’

    ‘Include vigilance groups in neighbourhood watch’

    The Lagos State Commander of the Vigilance Group of Nigeria (VGN), Otumba James Udoma has called on the state government to include VGN in the security apparatus of the state, especially for community policing.

    While reacting to the recent disclosure by Ambode that the state government will soon recruit 5,000 neighbourhood watchers for community policing duties in the state, Udoma said: “If we are talking about 5,000 officers for community policing, involve VGN because our men are already trained for the job.”

    While commending Ambode for his interest and concern over security situation in Lagos State and recognising community policing as a major solution, Udoma said when VGN is incorporated into the state security apparatus, they will serve in gathering security information for the police to be more proactive in their policing efforts.

    “It will also involve the engagement of so many of our idle young men in various communities thus redirecting their energies positively and keep them away from idleness and criminality to more patriotic and productive endeavours such as security of lives and property in their communities,” he said.

    According to him, the state government should make VGN, a major stakeholder in community policing, as part of its planned arrangement for community policing which is VGN’s core area of operation.

    This, he said, is because VGN operatives are already on ground in the 20 local government areas and the 37 local council development areas, carrying out the duties and functions of community policing and assisting the police in checking crimes and criminality as well as apprehending criminals in various communities across the state.

    The security expert said: “The Lagos State Command of the Vigilance Group of Nigeria has about 100 men, well-trained and equipped, in each of the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas on community policing duties. With the total strength of 5,700 officers across several communities, we are better positioned to deliver community policing as a strategic means of curbing crimes.”

    He further revealed that all VGN operatives are domicile, i.e. living and working in their areas of operation as provided for in the bill sponsored by VGN Commander-General, Alhaji Ali Sokoto, which has gone through the second reading and now awaiting public hearing at the National Assembly.

    “While the management of VGN, Lagos  State command is made up of various security professionals such as ex-service men in the military and police force” and a number of specialised units to carry out specialised functions such as anti-robbery squad, hunter/fishermen squad, marine unit, surveillance unit, motorised patrol unit, traffic control unit and education corps,” he said.

  • Council recruits vigilance groups

    The Chairman of Kuje Area Council Alhaji Abdullahi Galadima has disclosed plans to recruit vigilance members that would collaborate with the security agents to checkmate any form of crime in the council.

    Galadima while addressing journalists in Kuje after a closed-door security meeting with traditional rulers and security agencies, urged the youth in the area to continue to remain law abiding to all constituted authorities.

    He however, called for the continued support to the council and noted that plans were underway to recruit vigilante members that would also collaborate with the security agents to checkmate any form of crime in the entire council. while urging residents to remain law abiding to all constituted authorities.

    Galadima said the issue of security was a collective responsibility of everybody, hence it had become necessary to rid the council of any form of crime and criminality.

    He advised residents to always partner with security agencies by giving them useful information.