The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS)

  • I have no link with murder suspects – Ogun lawmaker

    The majority leader of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Yinka Mafe, on Friday denied link with suspected political thugs  being detained by the Operatives  of the Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS) in Obada Oko, Abeokuta, in connection with murder.

    The Nation reported that four persons suspected to be political thugs were arrested and detained by ZIS in connection with bloody shooting and killing of one person in Sagamu, Ogun State.

    The suspects – Olushola, Olusegun, Azeez and Abolore were arrested a week ago when ZIS Operatives stormed their den in Sagamu, for allegedly killing a man popularly called Arsenal-Nice in the town.

    ZIS confirmed that some arms and ammunition were recovered from the suspects, who allegedly claimed to have links with Yinka Mafe, a member of the Ogun State House of Assembly (OGHS), representing Sagamu State Constituency 1 as their sponsor.

    Read also:Falana seeks Attorneys General’s probe for failing to arraign murder suspects

    But reacting, Mafe said he was shocked to see his name being linked with the suspects, adding that at no point was he invited by the police for questioning.

    The lawmaker challenged the police to produce four suspects they claimed to have arrested and charge them to court, even as he called on the Inspector General of Police to take over the case for proper investigation.

    He also challenged on the police to charge him to court where he would have opportunity to defend himself instead of dropping his name in the media for political reasons.

    Mafe said: “I was very shocked to read about the report because as an honourable man and the majority leader of Ogun State House of Assembly, I do not have a business sponsoring cultists especially at this moment when I have nothing to gain in sponsoring them.

    “I am more surprised because this is coming at a time when we all know that Ladi Adebutu is visiting Sagamu and it is in the public domain he’s the one sponsoring the fake news against my person.

    “We also know that he’s the one using the office of the AIG in Zone II and I have to put it on record that those names released by the police are not in the custody of police, it’s all lies and I know the police cannot produce the four persons.

    “I was aware of the person that was reportedly killed, he was killed about seven year ago and it is in the public domain that he was killed during an infighting between cult groups and both sides recorded casualties, he was one of them.

    “We have been working to have peace in Sagamu and that is what we are enjoying today and it saddens my hearth that Adebutu is bringing the name of Sagamu and Remo in the news for bad reasons because we’ve worked on these boys, counselled and re-orientated them and we are enjoying peace in Sagamu.

    “It’s a pity that a lawmaker from the area whose governorship ambition is dead on arrival is trying to muscle out opposition to his ambition in Remo because he believe he owns Remo, but at the appropriate time, we will let him know Remo is not for sale and he can’t buy Remo.”

     

     

  • I am addicted to robbery, says suspects 

    I am addicted to robbery, says suspects 

    A 31-year-old suspect arrested for alleged serial car theft Wednesday said he was a kleptomaniac, who had been stealing since his childhood.

    Joshua Tabiti, a driver and father of two, was arrested by operatives of the Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS) of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone II, Onikan.

    Tabiti was paraded Wednesday alongside his alleged accomplices Oluseye Arokoyo, 34, Ahmed Alli, 24 and the receiver of the stolen vehciles, Moses Ofoke, 31.

    It was gathered that the suspects were arrested after their mobile phones were tracked and told that they needed cars.

    A source said that the suspects stole three vehciles the day they were caught, adding that  26 vehciles including 11 traced to Ondo State and three gotten from Delta, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Nassarawa States had been recovered.

    Although the police claimed the gang had stolen over 26 Toyota Camry cars from Oworoshoki, Bariga and Somolu areas of Lagos, the suspect admitted to have taken part in the theft of about 11 since March.

    According to Tabiti, he had done everything possible to quit stealing without success, adding that his parents also tried their best to stop the vice.

    He said: “I am a driver with two children. I started doing this job after I was sacked where I worked in Victoria Island. My friend introduced me to car theft in March. I have stolen 11 vehicles from Oworonshoki, Bariga and Somolu.

    “What we do is to go out around 2am. A man cuts a master key for us to steal Toyota cars. We open the car and kick-start the ignition. We don’t rob at gunpoint. We got the key for N1000 or N2000.

    “After stealing it, we send the cars to Ondo to two buyers. The first car we took was a Nissan Salon car. We sold it for N100,000. The other one was a Toyota Camry which we sold for N200,000.

    “Others we sold for N300,000. We were four but three were arrested. The other man has fled. We usually share the money. I used my own money to rent a house and bought household items.
    “My wife does not know I steal cars. I have two kids. My wife just knew I was sacked and I was looking for a job. I was sacked after I stole my boss’ N200,000.”

    A barber turned robber, Ali said he knew Tabiti at his barbing saloon, adding that the latter lured him into the crime with promise to give him funds for his mother’s memorial.

    Ali said: “He came one day and said my shop was boring. I was thinking of how to raise money for my mum’s remembrance when Joshua said he would assist me. The first time he went alone. Other times I followed him. I followed him to Ondo State twice to deliver some of the stolen cars to the receiver.

    “He told me about the master key and how they steal the car. We go out around 2am. We always monitor streets to avoid security presence before going to rob.”

    A former guard, Ofoke, said he provided information to the gang on streets where vehicles werw parked and there were no security.

    He said: “This is my first time of following them. I worked as a security guard before. When the street were no longer paying me I stopped. The barber told me I was always wearing one clothe and he said he could help me out of my situation, He told me I should take them to streets without security. The very first day I followed them was the day we were caught.

    Arokoyo, a resident of Igbokoda in Ondo State, said he received seven vehicles from the suspects.

    He said: “I am a driver. I sold some of the cars and used others to work. I did not know they were stolen until we were arrested. They told me the vehicles were from customs. One of them said he was a soldier.  I bought some of the cars for  N100,000 and I sold for N250,000. The ones I bought N300,000, I sold for N400,000.

    “It was Joshua who called me that he wanted to sell a vehicle. The numbers he gave me were those of a policeman. And that was how we were arrested.”

    Parading the suspects at Obada-Oko in Ogun State, AIG Ibrahim Adamu commended the ZIS operatives for the feat, charging them to sustain the tempo in order to flush criminals off the zone.

  • Police to parade suspects who ‘kill humans, sell body parts’

    Police to parade suspects who ‘kill humans, sell body parts’

    …Arrest man in viral video attack on foreign national

    Four suspects who allegedly kill people and sell their body parts would be paraded Tuesday by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Zone II, Adamu Ibrahim.

    The suspects, according to the zonal spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police (SP), were arrested Tuesday by the Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS) and would be paraded by 12pm.

    This is just as the zonal command Tuesday said it has arrested the suspect behind the attack on a foreign national who was seen in a viral social media video begging for his life.

    In the video, which had vernacular speaking residents, it was alleged that the foreigner, whose identity has been given as Robert Wheelers, was attacked by a member of suspected ritual gang, Badoo at Ikorodu.

    Although the Lagos Police Command had denied any such incident occurred within its jurisdiction, Badmos Tuesday said the suspect, Leo Orabe, was arrested on September 8.

    She stated that he clubbed the victim thrice on the head at his Adeniyi Street, Ikorodu residence at the wee hours of August 25.

    It was gathered that the suspect, who worked with Wheelers at Tony Elumelu Foundation in 2015, picked him up at the airport and was to be his host till he returned to the United States.

    The Nation learnt that Orabe moved to kill the American for reneging on a promise to give him some money.

    According to the police, Orabe lured the American to Nigeria and picked him up at the airport. He was to be his host till he returned to his country but he attempted to murder him.

    While the victim was rushed to the hospital by detectives, who received a distress call, Orabe was said to have fled his residence but was arrested at his hideout on September 8, following a tip-off to police.

    Badmos said: “The suspect confessed to the AIG that he clubbed the victim’s head with pestle three times. He said he did it because the Whiteman reneged on his promise to give him an unspecified amount of money.

    “He claimed he has invested so much money in his effort to get the money from the American. That he even consulted a white garment church, where he was given a charm to use on the victim but it did not work. He said he was deeply angered when the victim did not obey his instructions.

    “Investigation is on-going on the matter. The AIG has directed that no stone be left unturned in unraveling the case.”

  • Two suspected ritualists arrested as police raid den

    Two suspected ritualists arrested as police raid den

    Operatives of the Assistant Inspector General of Police’ (AIG) Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS), Onikan, have arrested two suspected ritualists in Ogun State.

    Taiwo Adeleke, 47, and Kayode Oseni, 52, were apprehended at Abule Ifa, in Obafemi Owode after detectives uncovered the alleged ritualists’ den used by criminals to fleece people of their money.

    According to the zonal spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, a Superintendent of Police  (SP), policemen had mounted on surveillance on the activities of the culprits, following a tip off.
    Adejobi said that the den, a massive ediffice, had names of prominent persons who might have fallen victims to the suspects inscribed on it.

    Also seen at the place we’re fetish materials/structures, charms, figurines and shrines, said Adejobi.

    He said: “The AIG Abdulmajid Ali led a team of senior officers including the Commissioner of Police (CP) Ogun State, Ahmed Iliyasu, Deputy Commissioner Operations Zone II, Suleiman Balarabe, a DCP,  ZIS Commander, Gbenga Megbope, a Chief Superintendent  (CSP) and Commander 16 Police Mobile Force, among others to the scene for on-the-spot assessment.

    “They also designed possible legal means to take over the dangerous den and dislodge the syndicate.

    “The AIG reiterated his readiness to set all machineries in motion to tackle crimes and criminality within the zone, assuring resents of effective policing. He urged them to be more vigilant and to challenge people who come around for such deals, ordering that those arrested be prosecuted.”

  • Police arrest suspected armed robbers, recover items

    Police arrest suspected armed robbers, recover items

    Operatives of the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone II, Onikan, have arrested 10 suspected armed robbers who terrorised about 15 Lagos and Ogun communities.

    Lekan Akinola, Mutiu Oyekan, Akeem Sanusi, Olahusi Rasaq, Kazeem Oladipupo, Waheed Amusan and four others were arrested Tuesday after police tracked a mobile phone they stole from one of their victims at Arigbajo in Ogun several months ago.

    It was gathered that the unnamed victim had reported the case at the police and the Zonal Intervention Squad (ZIS) was deployed to fish out the hoodlums.

    The Nation gathered that the detectives with the corporation of police ICT experts arrested Akinola, who then led the team to his other accomplices.

    Contacted, the zonal spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, a Superintendent of Police (SP) said the suspects have confessed to have robbed residents of Ibafo, Ifo, Ewekoro, Mowe, Adigeb in Abeokuta, Iju Ota, Alakuko and Agege in Lagos.

    Adejobi said some of their robbery victims have been identified and their items recovered.

    He said: “Items recovered from them include refrigerators, laptops, plasma television sets, generators, wears, electrical appliances and their operational vehicle, a Mazda Bus marked Lagos BDG602XM.

    “AIG Abdulmajid Ali has directed that the suspects be charged to court without delay, and that fleeing members of the gang should be apprehended immediately.”