Police

By Uzair Adam Imam  

An unimaginable tragedy occurred when 26-year-old Anosikwa Patrick was fatally stabbed by a police officer at Skymall in Ajah, Lagos, where he had gone to unwind with his girlfriend, Joy Ebere.  

Recounting the horrific ordeal, Ebere lamented, “Perhaps he would have survived the injury, had the hospital he was rushed to attended to him.” 

She described the harrowing sequence of events, stating, “Some minutes later, he was shouting for help… Upon hearing the commotion, I went outside and saw him in the pool of his blood.”  

Despite frantic efforts to save him, Patrick was denied treatment by four hospitals, ultimately succumbing to his injuries on the way to General Hospital Marina. 

In the midst of grief, questions lingered about the officer’s actions.

Ebere questioned, “Why would a policeman act that way?”

Meanwhile, Augustine, the deceased’s elder brother, expressed the family’s anguish and demand for justice. 

The Lagos State Police Command, through its spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, assured the public that an investigation was underway, with the arrested policeman in custody.

By Uzair Adam Imam  

The Police Command in Kano State clarified that the recall of police officers from the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) is solely for the purpose of conducting a staff audit, contrary to speculations of political vendetta. 

The Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel, explained to reporters in Kano that the recall aims to ascertain the precise number of police personnel seconded to the commission since 2015. 

Gumel noted that the move is a response to numerous complaints received through the Command’s Complaint Response Unit (CRU), alleging highhandedness and deviation from assigned duties by the police attached to the commission. 

“The exercise was simply a response to series of reports received through the Command’s Complaint Response Unit (CRU),” Gumel stated. 

“They portrayed policemen attached to the commission as being highhanded and deviating from the expected role of providing static guard and other duties at the commission.” 

Gumel further clarified, “For the purposes of clarity, members of the public are to note that the object of the ongoing staff audit is basically to address the litany of complaints as reported by sections of the media.” 

He expressed that the audit became necessary to rectify anomalies in the commission’s operations, where police officers were reportedly involved in arrests and investigations, deviating from their original mandate. 

“In summary the step is towards ensuring a better and effective service delivery by the policemen devoid of abuse of process in the interest of the people,” Gumel added. 

The Commissioner also revealed that similar audits were conducted in the past, with officers returning to their duty posts upon conclusion. 

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has approved the immediate return of some police officers providing guard duty at the commission who have undergone the audit process. 

“Should the commission require more policemen for other duties than what has been expressly approved by the IGP, it should apply to IGP for approval and deployment,” according Gumel.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

Joshua Rogers, a reporter for Channels Television, has been liberated after a harrowing abduction from his residence in Rumuosi, Obio/Akpor area of Rivers State.  

His release, occurring around 10 p.m. on Friday, came unscathed, less than 24 hours after his capture on Thursday. 

Confirming his freedom, his colleague Charles Oporum shared the relieving news late Friday, stating, “Yes, he has been released about an hour ago, and has reunited with his family.” 

The television station’s management also affirmed Rogers’ safe return in a succinct statement, expressing gratitude to viewers and well-wishers for their concern during the distressing incident. 

In a heartwarming video, Rogers can be seen celebrating with his loved ones following his regained freedom.  

However, the circumstances surrounding his release remain shrouded in uncertainty, as it’s unclear whether security forces intervened or if a ransom was paid for his liberation. 

Both the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) launched rescue operations during his abduction, underscoring the collaborative efforts to secure his safety.  

Rogers, known as Channels TV’s Government House Correspondent in Port Harcourt, can now breathe a sigh of relief as he reunites with his colleagues and resumes his journalistic endeavors.

By Uzair Adam Imam  

Lovelyn Onyekachi and her suspected lover, Uchenna Ekwenye, find themselves in police custody amid disturbing allegations of serial sexual attacks and defilement involving Lovelyn’s three children, aged 5, 7, and 9. 

The case, originating in Lagos, has been moved to Abuja as investigations intensify. According to police sources, the children, lacking proper attention from their mother, reportedly fell victim to the assaults facilitated by Lovelyn’s relationship with Ekwenye.  

Neighbours, troubled by the children’s distress, alerted authorities, leading to the arrests. 

Lovelyn, who returned to Nigeria from South Africa with her children after a reported dispute with her husband, Pastor Paul Onyekachi, allegedly entered into a relationship with Ekwenye, who frequently visited their home in Lagos.  

The situation escalated when Ekwenye allegedly moved in and took advantage of Lovelyn’s absence to abuse the children, warning them against disclosure. 

However, a petition from the accused’s legal representatives challenges these accusations, asserting them as tactics orchestrated by the children’s father to gain custody through coercion. 

In a twist, Lovelyn’s lawyers claim that she was detained unlawfully by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency after being summoned for questioning regarding the allegations. 

 By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Borno State Police apprehended a young man and woman for engaging in an inappropriate act within the premises of the All Saints Protestant Church on Monday, located in the Police College, Maiduguri, Borno State. 

The two defaulters involved have been identified as Kaka Ali Umar, a resident of Damboa Road, and Khadija Adam, who resides in the Ngomari area of Maiduguri.  

Rev. Danjuma Adamu, the pastor of the church, recounted how the couple was discovered engaging in an inappropriate act inside the sacred space.

Rev. Adamu expressed profound disappointment at the desecration of the church premises, describing the incident as deeply regrettable and unacceptable. 

Upon discovery, prompt action was taken, and the police were alerted immediately. They defaulters were subsequently arrested and detained at the Metro Division of the Police.

They did not deny the allegations and admitted to their involvement in the incident. 

The news of the duo’s behaviour has stirred widespread condemnation and disbelief among members of the community, who view such actions as a blatant disregard for the sanctity of the church.

Authorities are expected to conduct a thorough investigation and pursue appropriate legal measures against the individuals involved.

By Uzair Adam Imam

In Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Police Command has successfully raided a criminal hideout in Oderereke community, Ahoada-West Local Government Area, leading to the death of a notorious cultist and armed robber named Silas Oderereke.

The suspect, who had been on the police’s wanted list for four years, was taken down during a crossfire as he resisted arrest.

Superintendent of Police Grace Iringe-Koko, the Police Public Relations Officer, revealed that the police operatives encountered armed resistance from the criminals upon entering the den in Oderereke community.

The exchange of gunfire resulted in the death of Oderereke, known as ‘General,’ while two other suspects sustained injuries, and two managed to escape.

Oderereke, the leader of the Greenlanders’ cult group in the Ubie clan of Ahoada West, was notorious for various criminal activities, including armed robbery, land grabbing, unauthorized sales of buildings, and violent attacks on those opposing his gang.

The criminals were involved in terrorizing the community, seizing land, vandalizing property, and engaging in robbery and kidnapping.

The police received information about the gang’s robbery operation on January 11, 2024, prompting a swift response to chase the criminals out of town.

However, Oderereke and his gang retaliated by attacking a community-owned tank farm, aiming to loot its contents.

In the ensuing shootout, Oderereke and an accomplice were neutralized, while others sustained injuries.Among the seized items were a G3 rifle, nineteen 7.62x51mm ammunition, and various weapons and military camouflage.

Superintendent Iringe-Koko commended the officers for their exceptional work, and Commissioner of Police Olatunji Disu warned cultists in the state to renounce their criminal activities or face the full weight of the law.

 By Sabiu Abdullahi 

The Ogun Police Command has apprehended a 43-year-old pastor, Clinton John, for the alleged defilement of a 16-year-old girl whose identity is being withheld. 

The arrest was made following a report filed by the family at Giwa Agbado, who suspected their daughter’s involvement in sexual intercourse due to recurring infections and unsettling behavior. 

The Command’s spokesperson, SP Omolola Odutola, revealed in a statement that the family reported the case to the Agbado Divisional Police Station. 

The victim eventually confessed that Pastor Clinton John of Mega Healing Ministry had been engaging in unlawful carnal knowledge of her since November 2022. 

Disturbingly, she claimed that the pastor had threatened her life if she ever disclosed the illicit affair. 

Upon interrogation, the suspect, Clinton John, admitted to the crime, acknowledging multiple instances of unlawful carnal knowledge of the young girl. 

The police have issued medical forms to the survivor for necessary treatment and examination. 

SP Omolola Odutola further informed the public that Pastor Clinton John would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for a discreet investigation into the matter.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

The Kano State Police Command has apprehended two men, including a self-proclaimed doctor, for their involvement in a tragic incident that saw the death of a young girl after she was impregnated by her relative.

SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, the Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, revealed the details in a video seen by the Daily Reality on Thursday. 

The Kano State Police Command, under the leadership of CP Muhammad Usaini Gumel, acted swiftly to arrest two individuals involved in a disturbing case. 

The primary suspect, a fake doctor named Gugu Chidera, was taken into custody for allegedly attempting to perform an abortion that resulted in the unfortunate death of a young lady. 

According to SP Kiyawa’s disclosure in the video, the fake doctor injected the lady and administered drugs that made her unwell, ultimately leading to her demise.  

The victim had reportedly been brought to Chidera by her boyfriend, who impregnated her. The couple, for reasons undisclosed, did not want the child to be born. 

The boyfriend, explaining the sequence of events, stated that Chidera provided drugs and injections to the lady, leading to her untimely death three weeks later. 

He clarified that, although he accompanied his girlfriend to the fake doctor, it was she who paid for the drugs. Chidera, during police interrogation, confessed that he lacked any medical qualifications.

He claimed to have only attended primary and secondary school and is currently a chemist in Kano. The self-proclaimed doctor admitted that the boyfriend sought his assistance because his girlfriend was five months pregnant. 

The dubious procedure performed by Chidera involved a payment of N2000, and he administered a concoction of vitamin C and VCM injections. 

The tragic consequences of this unlicensed and unauthorised medical intervention have left the community in shock. 

As investigations continue, the Kano State Police Command is determined to bring justice to this distressing case.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

The Kano State Police Command outlined its commitment to fostering peace and security as the year 2023 approaches its final hours. 

This was announced in a statement released by the Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, via his official Facebook handle. 

According to Kiyawa, a community-based approach is needed to tackle criminal activities, especially violent and associated crimes in the state. 

CP Gumel stated that the new strategy aims to eliminate bottlenecks and encourages residents to provide timely information and intelligence on suspected individuals within their communities.

The command has actively engaged with traditional and religious leaders to mobilise support from residents, urging them to collaborate with the police in the fight against crime. 

“There is no more space for any form of criminality in our area of supervision as competent intelligence officers have been deployed in and out side the metropolis round the clock to build confidence of the people and beep up the desired security relentlessly,” revealed CP Gumel during the press briefing.

Emphasising a zero-tolerance stance on criminality, the CP urged the public to continue volunteering information to the nearest security outfits for prompt action.

Area commanders and Division Police Officers have been briefed on specific security measures to be implemented in their respective areas, ensuring a continued atmosphere of peace, especially during the Yuletide season and the transition into the new year. 

As a final note, CP Gumel extended heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to the people of Kano State, expressing optimism for a new year filled with hope, aspirations, and opportunities.

The CP conveyed a message of joy, peace, and prosperity, echoing the sentiments of the entire Officers and Men of the Kano State Police Command. 

The Kano State Police Command remains resolute in its commitment to safeguarding the well-being of residents and maintaining peace across the state. 

By Uzair Adam Imam 

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command has arrested 23 suspects in relation to rape, armed robbery, car theft, and other crimes in the territory. 

The suspects were apprehended following a crackdown by the police on crime in the FCT. 

The FCT Police Commissioner, Haruna Garba, announced this during a media briefing in Abuja.  

He said nine suspects were arrested for ‘one chance’ (a form of robbery), two suspects for rape, and 12 suspects for armed robbery.  

The briefing was held to address the FCT police’s efforts to combat crime and keep residents safe. 

According to Garba, based on the arrests and recoveries made in November, crime in the FCT had seen a significant decrease in December.  

This was evident from the data on arrests and recoveries from crime scenes. “I wish to bring to the attention of the general public that there are some mischief-makers out there posting items on social media that the FCT is not safe and that one-chance operators have taken over the FCT. 

“This is not true. I can say without any fear of contradiction that FCT is the safest city in Nigeria. 

“It is unfortunate that someone is leveraging social media to misinform the entire populace that FCT is not safe. 

“Those behind the fake news should be mindful of the fact that Nigeria is the only country that we call our own,” he said. 

He said the target of the mischief-makers was to create fear and apprehension in the minds of the people and, of course, investors who would want to come to Nigeria to invest. 

“Christmas was celebrated peacefully without any serious security breaches. The Millennium Park, Magic Land (Amusement Park), and other recreational facilities, places of worship, and other key/vulnerable points were adequately protected. 

“There was no single incident of any kind reported. The same strategies that were put in place during the Christmas period will be replicated during the New Year festival.