Commodore Nanmar Lakan, Commander Nigerian Navy Ship SOROH (NNS) said the command has arrested two persons for crude oil theft and seized a wooden boat laden with 12,000 litres of Automated Gas Oil (AGO).

Lakan disclosed this while parading the suspects at Okarki waterfront on Friday.

He said that the suspects were arrested at Okariki waterfront, in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers.

Lakan explained that the arrest was made in line with the mandate of Operation Delta Sanity, which includes anti-crude oil theft, anti-pipeline vandalism, and anti-illegal refining sites among others.

“Working with intelligence gathering from the good citizens of this country, we received credible information that some people want to move illegally refined AGO, popularly known as diesel from the Okarki River.

“We dispatched our men there, and they arrested two suspects.

“The quantity of the AGO is estimated to be 12,000 litres refined illegally,” he said.

He urged those involved in illegality to desist from such and look for a better way of livelihood, as such illegal business was harmful to the society, and the nation at large.

According to him, the nation is losing a lot economically, so I advise them to stop, if not we are determined to rid the entire area of this illegal business.

He appealed to members of the public and lawful citizens, to give relevant information to security agencies particularly the NNS SOROH to carry out its tasks.

The commander said that the suspects and the products would be handed over to the appropriate security agency because there was a standing procedure for handling such issues.

He expressed the commitment of the navy to rid the waterways of criminals and urged those involved in illegal oil bunkering to desist from it or face the wrath of the law.

Speaking to newsmen, one of the suspects, Mr Clement Fimeya, said that he was doing it to feed his four children because of lack of job opportunities.

He pleaded for forgiveness and promised never to indulge in such illegality if granted a pardon by the appropriate security agency.

The Supreme Court has discharged and acquitted a Nigerian Army sergeant, Akawu Bala, of the death sentence imposed on him by the General Court Martial of the Nigerian Army.

The respite came the way of the embattled army sergeant after spending 12 years in Kaduna prison waiting for ratification of the death sentence passed on him.

Delivering judgement in an appeal he lodged at the Supreme Court on March 16, 2017, a five-man panel of justices of the Supreme Court unanimously discharged him from the death penalty.

Sergeant Bala was accused by the Nigerian Army of shooting Isa Mohammed on December 9, 2012, when he was attached to the African Petroleum Station at Sabon Tasha, Kaduna, with an AK-47 gun.

The victim of the gunshot was said to have died on December 10, 2012, at Saint Gerald’s Catholic Hospital in Kaduna.

Following his indictment, he was put on trial for murder, which is punishable under Section 106 of the Armed Forces Act 2014, before the General Court Martial on a two-count charge and was found guilty of murder and subsequently sentenced to death by hanging.

On February 17, 2017, his appeal against the death penalty was upheld by the Court of Appeal, Kaduna Division, on the ground that the charge sheet upon which he was tried and convicted was not signed by a General Commanding Officer as required by law.

Justice Obietonbara Daniel Kalo, who read the Court of Appeal’s lead judgement, declared the process of the trial and conviction of the Sergeant a nullity but refused to discharge him from the nullified trial, promoting further appeal to the Supreme Court.

His lead counsel, Mr Reuben Okpanachi Atabo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, had argued on behalf of the convict that, having declared the trial of his client, a nullity, the Court of Appeal ought to have made a consequential order to discharge the accused person from the flawed trial.

He drew the attention of the apex court to Section 193 of the Armed Forces Act 2014, which prohibits the retrial of any military personnel after his trial has been voided and set aside.

The Nigerian Army, through its lead counsel, Isaac Udoka, vehemently objected to the arguments of the defence appellant and prayed that the apex court should order the retrial of the convict in the interest of justice.

In the Supreme Court judgement in the appeal marked SC/889/2017, Justice Helen Morenikeji Ogunwumiju, however, agreed with Atabo that the Court of Appeal ought to have discharged the accused person having voided his trial and declared it a nullity.

Justice Ogunwumiju subsequently invoked Section 193 of the Armed Forces Act 2014 and set the convict free, adding that the ordinary meaning of Section 193 of the Armed Forces Act 2014 is that the accused person can no longer stand another trial.

The apex court, while rejecting the arguments of the Army’s lawyer, thereafter ordered the immediate release of the convict from Kaduna prison, where he had been on remand since 2012.

Apart from Justice Ogunwumiju, the other justices on the panel were Uwani Musa Abba Aji, Chidiebere Nwaoma Uwa, Stephen Jonah Ada and Abubakar Sadiq Umar.

Sergeant Bala had in his defence claimed that he fired a gunshot at Isa Mohammed and one other person when they walked towards him in the dark at the African Petroleum Station and his order to them to go back was rebuffed, prompting him to fire at them before they could capture him.

The convict claimed that he fired the gun at the two men because it was during the peak of Boko Haram activity in Kaduna.

By Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna

Kaduna State Police Command said that they have arrested Nine Hundred and Eighty-five (985) suspected phone snatchers and 73 Armed Robbery suspects terrorising communities in the state in the last two months.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Ali Audu Dabigi disclosed this at a press conference held in Kaduna on Thursday, said that they also arrested seventy (70) Kidnapping suspects, nine (9) Bandits were neutralised and seven (7) locally made Arms were recovered.

According to him, “1,817 rounds of live ammunition were recovered, eight (8) Motor vehicles of different brands were recovered,eight (8) suspects arrested in connection with Car-theft and 7 Motorcycles of different brands were recovered.

“The CP said Five (5) AK47 Rifles were recovered, one (1) Tricycle was recovered, one (1) suspected Railway vandal was arrested, 29 rustled cattle were recovered.

“On 3rd May, 2024 at about 1330hrs, the arrest took place following a credible intelligence report. The suspect Naim Mikaila, a resident of Kajuru in Kaduna State was found in possession of One hundred (100) pieces of railway tracks. During interrogation, Mikaila was unable to provide satisfactory explanation for the possession of these items, leading to the suspicion that they were stolen property.

“Arrest of Eight (8) Notorious Armed Robbery Suspects, Three (3) Receivers and a Cyber Criminal who specialises in unlocking phones and alteration of I.M.E Numbers:On 9th May, 2024 around 0300hrs, a surveillance patrol team from Unguwan Rimi Division, Kaduna intercepted three (3) suspects – Khalid Lawal, Abdulhamid Zubairu and Musa Yusuf along Yakowa Expressway.

“Investigation further revealed that, the suspects who were armed with guns, knives and matchets conspired with their conspirators led the Police to the arrest of additional criminals namely – Aminu Aliyu (a.k.a Bosho), Idris Ibrahim, Musa Muhammed, Abubakar Lawal (a.k.a. Dan Master) and Alhassan Musa.

“They targeted several hotels in the metropolis which includes; ABELLO, Geometry, Harmony and Apple Gate Hotel, robbing lodgers and staff of valuable items like motor vehicles, mobile phones and computers. In one incident, they severed a victim’s right hand. During investigation, two (2) motor vehicles, one (1) Tricycle, one (1) motorcycle and twenty-two (22) mobile handsets were recovered.

“All the suspects have confessed to their crimes and the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Kaduna for further investigations.

“Arrest of an International Car Theft Suspect and Recovery of a Lexus Jeep and Car Anti-Tracker Jammer:On 27th May, 2024 Operatives received a tip-off from a Good Samaritan who suspected that a Lexus LX470 Jeep which he was asked to collect from a mechanic was stolen.

“The Operatives recovered the vehicle and discovered that it was robbed from the owner at gunpoint at Utako in Abuja. Surveillance led to the arrest of one Mubarak Kabiru in Kaduna, where search revealed an Anti-Tracking Jammer in his hotel room. Mubarak Kabiru confessed to transporting stolen vehicles under the directives of his boss, one Dauda from Niger Republic and selling them in Niger Republic. The suspect has been handed over to FCT Command, for further investigation.

“Arrest of a Seventy 70 Year old Suspected Armed Bandit and Recovery of an AK47 Rifle:On 29th May, 2024 at about 0130hrs, following credible intelligence about suspicious movement of an armed bandit, the Divisional Police Officer, Tudun Wada Zaria Division made a swift action resulting to the arrest of one Hussaini ‘m’ 70 years old from Tudun Wada Zaria.

“The arrest took place at about 0250hrs. During the operation, an AK47 Rifle, a locally made pistol and three (3) cartridges were recovered from the suspect. The suspect is helping the Police in investigations to apprehend his accomplice and will be charged to court as soon as the investigation is completed.

“On 29th May, 2024 acting on a tip-off from a concerned citizen, a joint patrol team comprising Officers from the Saminka Division and the Hunters Group in Lere Local Government Area, successfully arrested three (3) suspects involved in kidnapping and cattle rustling. The suspects are:-Isah Baffa Rabo ‘m’ 30 years old from Maibindiga Village, Lere LGA, implicated in kidnappings for ransom in Zangon Kataf LGA and Kachia LGA.Ja’afaru Sale ‘m’ 30 years old from Durumi Village, Lere LGA.Umar Musa ‘m’ 24 years old from Durumi Village, Lere LGA.

“The suspects confessed to be part of the kidnapping syndicate in Lere LGA and admitted to stealing two (2) cattle, which they sold to Idris Abubakar ‘m’ 47 years old from Dokan Lere, who was arrested. Recovered items include – a locally made single barrel gun, a cutlass and three (3) mobile phones. The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Kaduna for further investigation.

“Arrest of a Notorious Marabout linked to Kidnapper Buderi and Recovery of Nine (9) Suspected Rustled Cattle:On 20th June, 2024 at about 1400hrs, the Operation Yaki Tracking and Response Team acted promptly on intelligence.

“The team tracked and arrested the most wanted spiritual leader, identified as one Mallam Ali Bello ‘m’ 47 years old in his shrine located around Kidandan Forest. The team also arrested a confessed kidnapper, one Usman Ibrahim, 35 years old who was seeking spiritual assistance.”