Crime
Police parade 11 suspected kidnappers in Ibarapa,killers of Army Colonel
…arrests Landlady’s daughter for killing tenant
Akinlabi Afolabi, Ibadan and Tobi Adetunji, Lagos
The Oyo State Police Command has identified and paraded 48 suspected criminals and accomplices during a press conference held on Wednesday at the Eleyele Police Headquarters, Ibadan.
Among those paraded is a dreaded kidnap syndicate who were nabbed in connection with the kidnap of a local government chairman, Adeleke Olayiwola, along Iganna/Ado Awaye Road weeks ago.
The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, Mrs. Ngozi Onadeko, said the men of the Command arrested the kidnap syndicate, namely Babuga Mohammadu, 28; Rabiu Mohammadu, 37; Usman Mohammed, 30; and 26-year-old Aliyu Mohammed, said to have abducted the council chairman with AK-47 rifle.
The suspected kidnappers were said to have confessed to the crime after being identified by their victim.
The CP said, “The kidnap syndicate, who were armed with AK-47 rifle, confessed to the kidnapping of the chairman of Igangan LCDA, Adeleke Olayiwola, along Iganna/Ado-Awaye Road. They dispossessed him of all his personal effects and a ransom of N5.5million.”
Items that were recovered from the suspects include a double barrel gun and one cut-to-size gun with four cartridges.
Also arrested were 35-year-old Dahiru Usman, Muhammadu Ahmadu, 32 and Ibrahim Mamudu, 20, the suspected killers and masterminds of a farmer, Oluwole Agboola at Akinyele area of Ibadan.
The notorious kidnap syndicate, said to be armed with sophisticated weapons, invaded Agboola’s farm at Adegbede village via Aba -Odo area some weeks ago whisking away their victim to an unknown location.
The CP said, “They contacted his relatives and collected a ransom of N1,650,000, yet brutally murdered him in the bush where he had been held hostage for several days. Discreet investigation by the crack team of police detectives led to the arrest of three members of the kidnap syndicate who all confessed to the crime.
In another development, Onadeko said that a group of armed robbers numbering about eight, who invaded Ashley Apartment Hotel at number 11, Awolowo Way, Bodija Housing Estate, Ibadan, were also arrested. Investigation shows that they assaulted and dispossessed 22 lodgers of their personal belongings, including phones and laptops in different operations.
The CP said that Folorunso Hammed, 25-year-old man who was said to be in possession of an Itel 2160 phone proceeds of robbery operations was arrested. Investigation revealed that one Quadri alias Fele is the kingpin of the robbery syndicate. The police said further investigation showed that the bandits were responsible for the sack of Wetland Hotel, Olopomeji, Akobo, robbed on January 14 and K-Dream Hotel and Suits, Abegunde area, Orita Challenge, Ibadan around 4:54am on January 19.
Upon a complaint lodged to the Anti-kidnapping Squad of the state Command that one Col. Victor Abayomi was abducted by some unidentified gunmen, some police detectives combed the area of crime. In the course of the operation, they found the lifeless body of the victim tied with a rope and laid in the generator house in a pool of his own blood.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the two security guards employed by the deceased had eloped to unknown destinations. Sequel to this, one John Matim was arrested with a Samsung phone belonging to the deceased. The initial arrest later led to the arrest of one Zinjbti Nimtim, 24, who was alleged to be the principal suspect.
“Zinjbti made confessional statements of how they jointly killed the deceased and dispossessed him of his money and Samsung handset which was later sold to James Matim. The suspect has been arraigned in Magistrate Court 1, Iyaganku, Ibadan for conspiracy, stealing, receiving stolen property and murder while Matim was released on bail,” the CP said.
In all, the police said that 13 suspects were arrested in connection with the murder of two young girls namely, Babatunde Omowumi and Toriola Kudirat, who were said to have been hit by bullets fired by the hoodlums close to the scene of the kidnap of Alhaja Sherifat Adisa, proprietress of Subawah Filling Station, along Idere Road, Igboora around 7:55pm on January 2.
Adisa, who was whisked away into the forest was later murdered with bullet wounds seen at several points on her stomach. Onadeko said,
January 5, further investigation revealed that one of the prime suspects, Jare Mohammed, inserted his sim card number 07086824526, on the Nokia phone belonging to the deceased, which was carted away from her during the robbery operation that claimed her life.”
Other cases that were paraded by the Command included the arrest of armed bandits at Ajanla Farms junction, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in an operation on December 27, 2020; arrest of eight suspects who allegedly carted away AK 47 rifle from Sergeant Ola Semiu with Force Number 456624, at Akanran; and the arrest of a 56-year-old lawyer, Remi Oladoye, for sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl, Fatima Souwara, in May, year 2020 at Bodija area of Ibadan after giving her soft drink mixed with sedative.
Meanwhile, the Lagos state police command has arrested one Ms Tina Essi, for the allegedly beating her mother’s tenant to death.
The 49-year-old Christian Akparie was said to have lived with the alleged murderer at No 26 Orijamogun Street, Oreyo, Ikorodu, Lagos.
In statement by the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi made available to Nigerian NewsDirect.
“The Commissioner of Police Lagos State CP Hakeem Odumosu revealed that the unfortunate incident was traceable to fight between the deceased and Ms Tina Essi who had earlier engaged in argument regarding the payment of electricity bill late last month.”
“Police preliminary investigation revealed that on 31st January 2021, an argument, over the payment of electricity Bill, ensued between the Landladys daughter, Ms Tina Essi and the deceased, both of the same address, which led to a fight.
“After the fight, the deceased had continually suffered severe pains but unfortunately, on Saturday 6th February 2021 at about 7am while the deceased was being rushed to the General Hospital, Ikorodu, he gave up the ghost.
“The police operatives attached to Ikorodu Division of the command were contacted and arrested the suspect immediately.
“The Commissioner of Police has ordered that the suspect be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Departmet, SCIID, Panti for thorough investigation. The suspect is presently cooling her feet at the State CID, Panti, Yaba,” he said.
Odumosu has however urged the relatives of the deceased to remain calm as the command will do the needful to have justice done in the matter.
He also appealed to Lagosians to always manage their differences and conflicts with maturity and seek police intervention where necessary to avoid untimely deaths and running into trouble.
A 37-year-old businesswoman, Mary Okoro, was on Thursday arraigned in a Chief Magistrate’s Court, Kaduna, for an alleged N1.2m palm oil fraud.
The defendant, who resides in Narayi Kaduna, is standing trial on a three-count bordering on obtaining under false pretences, stealing and conduct likely to cause breach of public peace.
She, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Prosecutor, Insp Chidi Leo told the court that the complainant, Blessing Njoku of High Cost Narayi Kaduna, reported the matter at the Police Station on July 1.
According to Leo, sometime in November 2023, the accused bought palm oil worth N1.2m from Njoku and promised to pay in installments for four months.
The prosecutor said the accused however reneged on the agreement and resorted to violence when Njoku demanded for her money.
He said the offences contravened the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017.
The Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
Emmanuel directed that the sureties should be gainfully employed and must also show evidence of two years tax payment to the Kaduna State Government.
He adjourned the matter until Aug. 6, for hearing.
By Adeyanju Esther
At the Delabo junction along the Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode Expressway, the Ogun State Police Command has conducted a successful operation resulting in the rescue of four hostages and the elimination of two suspected kidnappers.
Commissioner of Police Abiodun Alamutu briefed the press on Wednesday at the Command’s headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, detailing the events of the operation. According to Alamutu, the suspects, who were hiding in a bush, initiated gunfire upon sighting the police team.
In response, the police anti-kidnapping squad engaged the suspects with superior firepower, resulting in the death of two kidnappers.
The remaining criminals escaped with injuries, abandoning their weapons at the scene. Among the recovered items were 109 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, five AK-47K rifles, eight AK-47 magazines, and two cell phones.
“The suspects were located through a covert operation in the bush where they were hiding. Upon encountering the police officers, they opened fire,” Alamutu stated during the press conference.
He further added, “The rescued victims, comprising one Nigerian and three Indian nationals, were safely freed without harm and reunited with their families.”
Alamutu urged the public to report individuals exhibiting gunshot wounds under suspicious circumstances. He also announced the deployment of a rapid response team to bolster security along the Sagamu-Benin road, emphasising the commitment of the police to maintaining public safety and combating crime in Ogun State.
Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday, July 1, 2024, adjourned till October 28, 2024 further hearing in the trial of one Alhaji Usman Abubakar and Young Alhaji Foundation over an alleged N950m forex fraud.
Abubakar, alongside Young Alhaji Foundation, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a five-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing to the tune of N950 million.
One of the counts reads: “Alhaji Usman Abubakar, Young Alhaji Foundation and Dr. Abu Omer Fawaz (at large), sometime in September 2022, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to obtain the sum of N950, 000,000 from Ano Farms Limited under the false pretence that you had the dollar equivalent of the said sum, which pretence you knew to be false.”
Another count reads: “Alhaji Usman Abubakar and Young Alhaji Foundation, on the 20th of September 2022, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, attempted to dishonestly convert the sum of N180,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Eighty Million Naira), property of Ano Farms Limited to the use of Abdullahi Mohammed.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when he was first arraigned on February 22, 2023.
Under cross-examination by counsel to the second defendant, G. C. Ugwunweze at Monday proceedings, the first prosecution witness, PW1, Niyi Oyewole, who is the nominal complainant and Managing Director of Ano Farms Limited, again reaffirmed his testimony that Fawaz linked him up with the defendant and that he, thereafter, transferred the money to him. He, however, stated that when the dollar equivalent was not forthcoming, Fawaz told him that Young Alhaji had been instructed to return the funds.
During the proceedings, Ugwunweze tendered some documents regarding a related case before the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ajah as well as a letter to the bank on payment instruction.
They were admitted as exhibits p4, p5 and p6, respectively.
Justice Dada adjourned the case till October 28 and 29, 2024 for continuation of trial.
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