Crime

Zamfara: Army chief rules out amnesty for bandits, terrorists

Published

10 months ago

July 12, 2023

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has described the amnesty programme for bandits and terrorists in Zamfara and others states as a failed programme.

Lagbaja said this when he hosted Gov. Dauda Lawal of Zamfara during a courtesy call on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said the amnesty programme had failed to achieve its purpose in the past, as it only gave criminals the opportunity to regroup, reorganise and attack defenceless citizens.

The COAS also noted that the amnesty programme in the state and other parts of the Northwest was a failure.

“We also have the issue of the amnesty programme that has been instituted, and which has failed not only in Zamfara, but so many other states of the North West.

“So, I think we need to look at this issue of the amnesty programme because the criminal elements have proven to be incorrigible.

“The issue of amnesty has created avenue for them to regroup and reorganise to launch attack on our defenceless citizens. So I think we need to look at that,” he said.

The COAS thanked the governor for feedback on the activities of troops deployed to restore peace in the state.

Lagbaja said he had directed the deployment of more platforms and release of funds to reactivate unserviceable platforms to boost troops operations in the state.

According to him, the Zamfara crisis is a mix of farmer-herder clashes, ethnic confrontations and the quest for economic empowerment driven by mining activities.

He assured that the Army was determined to tackle the security challenges in the state.

“We will not have a situation where some people constitute themselves into outlaws and just go into communities and kill children and defenceless women.

“By working on this with the state government and other critical stakeholders we can eliminate these outlaws and reduce the insecurities by a significant percentage.

“So I want to appeal to you Your Excellency that as we come up with this strategy to address the issue of the “Yan Sakai and other regional groups, the state government should be disposed to the implementation of the measures that we will recommend.

“So that together we will address the activities of these criminal elements.”

Earlier, Gov. Lawal, said Zamfara has been facing very challenging security threat and appealed for the support of the Nigerian army to address it.

Lawal however commended the efforts of the troops in restoring peace in the state and called for the deployment of more military wares to support military operations.

He said that at the moment, only few operational vehicles in the state were serviceable, while cases of kidnapping and killing of innocent people were rampant on daily basis.

“In fact, I will say without mincing words, that Zamfara is the state that is facing the most challenge in the area of insecurity today.

“Therefore, for me, being the number one citizen, part of my responsibility is protecting lives and properties, but I cannot do this alone.

“I therefore need the support of the Chief of Army Staff and his entire team in bringing peace to Zamfara, as well as Nigeria in general.”

The governor said though the troops were doing very well to secure the state, there was need for serious intervention in terms of the level of manpower.

“We need to have more people, especially the military to be deployed to Zamfara and complement the efforts security officers are making in combating crime.”

The governor lamented that insecurity had grounded development in the state, including education, farming and other economic activities.

He said children have been unable to go to school, thereby causing serious setback for the state.

Related Topics:Army Chief Bandits Terrorists

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Crime

Police admit officer shot man killed on Lagos fuel queue

Published

17 hours ago

May 4, 2024

NewsDirect

The Lagos State Police Command has admitted that one of its officers is responsible for the death of a young man, Toheeb Eniafe.

Toheeb was shot on Wednesday at a petrol station belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited at Obalende in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State.

Eniafe was reported to have been shot dead while he and some others were resisting the move by some security agents to buy fuel without joining the queue.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin disclosed this on Thursday.

He said, “The person behind the shooting has been identified as a police officer serving at Special Protection Unit (SPU) Base 17, Lion Building, Lagos.

“Investigation is still ongoing and further findings will be made available.

“Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command is working with the family of the deceased to ensure that there is no miscarriage of justice,” the PRO stated.

Crime

Internet fraudster bags seven years in Port Harcourt

Published

17 hours ago

May 4, 2024

NewsDirect

Justice P.M Ayua of the Federal High Court sitting in PortHarcourt, Rivers State has convicted and sentenced one Odinakachi Prince Onyeoziri to seven years imprisonment.

He was jailed after pleading guilty to three-count charges bordering on internet fraud contrary to Section 14 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Section.

One of the count charges reads: “That you, Odinakachi Prince Onyeoziri, and Solmyr (atlarge) between June, 2021 to November, 2022 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly caused your victims loss by inputting or suppressing data in computers thereby benefiting the aggregate sum of $3000 (Three thousand United States Dollars) and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 14(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Section.”

He pleaded “guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.

In view of his guilty pleas, prosecuting counsel, I. Agwu sought to review the facts of the case through the investigating officer, Abalaka Stephen, an operative of the Commission. While being led in evidence, he told the court that the defendant was arrested by operatives of the Commission following a written petition by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, against the defendant for alleged internet fraud activities. He was thereafter apprehended sometime in February, 2024 at Owerri, Imo State.

Testifying further, he told the court that the defendant in his voluntary statement to the EFCC, confessed to being into internet fraud, spreading of computer virus, spamming and also causing his victims losses by inputting data in computers. He confessed benefiting an aggregate sum of Three Thousand United States Dollars ($3,000) by representing himself to unsuspecting victims as different individuals

Agwu, thereafter, sought to tender in evidence, the statements, and all the items recovered from the defendant. The court thereafter admitted the evidence and were marked as exhibits.

Thereafter, the trial judge declared him guilty as charged.

Defence counsel, B. Onuoha, on the other hand prayed the court for leniency. He appealed to the court to temper justice with mercy, considering his status as a first-time offender, and remorse for his actions.

Justice Ayua sentenced him to seven years imprisonment cumulatively with Three Million Naira (3,000,000.00) as an option of fine payable into the Consolidated Revenue Account of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In addition, the judge ordered that, items recovered from the convict, two laptops, a mobile device, Toyota Highlander with Registration: NKR 736 AA, two story buildings containing six units of two bedroom flats should be forfeited to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Additionally, the convict shall depose an affidavit of good behaviour before the court.

Crime

Naira mutilation: Court adjourns Cubana’s trial till June 5

Published

19 hours ago

May 4, 2024

NewsDirect

Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the

Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Thursday, May 2, 2024 adjourned further hearing in the trial of Pascal Okechukwu, a.k.a. Cubana Chief till June 5, 2024.

Okejukwu was arraigned on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 by the EFCC on a three-count charge bordering on abuse of the Naira.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Okechukwu Pascal, on 13th February, 2024, at Eko Hotel Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500(Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”

Another count reads: “That you, Okechukwu Pascal, sometime in 2020, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, during a social event tampered with funds in the denomination of N500( Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.”

At the resumed sitting of the court on Thursday, Okechukwu through his lawyer, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, SAN, told the court about a plan of his client to enter a plea bargain with the EFCC.

Ojukwu also sought to withdraw his earlier preliminary objection filed on April 24, 2024, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the charge. “In the interest of justice, we are urging the court to strike out the motion because the prosecution has not responded to it,” he said.

The prosecution counsel did not oppose the withdrawal of the application.

Consequently, Justice Ogundare struck out the application, having been withdrawn by the defence, and also adjourned the case till June 5, 2024.