Category: Crime

The Commissioner of Police (CP) in Cross River, Mr Aminu Alhassan has confirmed the abduction of a 24-year-old law student in Calabar.

The CP told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday that the incident occurred at about 1am on Wednesday at Ikot Ansa area of the city.

Alhassan said the girl, Miss Dora Effiom, was abducted at her residence where she lives with her parents and siblings.

He added that her father, Ntufam Effiom was beaten and injured in the process of her abduction.

The CP said he had directed the command’s Anti-Cultism and Kidnapping Squad to unmask and arrest those behind the abduction.

“I want to use this medium to again warn those who are only in Cross River for crime’s sake to leave the state immediately because no criminal will be spared.

“There is no more hiding place for any criminal in Cross River, we are now taking the fight to every known and unknown enclave.

“I want to assure law-abiding citizens to go about their lawful business without fear, we have already restrategize all our operations, and the girl will be rescued soon because we are on the kidnapper’s trail.
Daily Post

At least 49 Boko Haram terrorists, otherwise known as Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād, were killed when two Super Tucano fighter aircraft bombed three terrorist hideouts in Sambisa forest, Borno State.

It was gathered that multiple airstrikes were conducted by the Air Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai on August 30 and 31, 2022, at the terrorist camps of Gargash, Minna, and Gazuwa, in the Bama Local Government Area.Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in Lake Chad, said that the airstrikes targeted a moving truck of the terrorists in Gargash, killing all its occupants on Aug 30, 2022.

The sources noted that combat aircraft took another turn attacking targets at another location in Minna, scoring crucial hits on the hideouts leading to the neutralization of several Boko Haram fighters while others escaped with bullet wounds.

On August 31, another air strike was conducted in Gazuwa after intelligence surveillance revealed the the large presence of the fighters engaging in some sort of transactions.

The ATF, therefore, detailed its fighter jets to attack the two locations, killing scores of the terrorist and destroying their equipment, some of which was seen engulfed in flames.

The sources said that about 29 terrorists were neutralised in Gazuwa, one truck with four fighters killed in Gargash, while 16 other fighters met their waterloo in Minna.

The top Intelligence sources noted that the Air Force, operating in concert with surface forces, will sustain its offensives against the terrorists in the Northeast.

Recall that the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, charged Nigerian Air Force (NAF) operational commanders to ‘show no mercy’ and ensure they employ maximum firepower against terrorists posing security threats in the country.

The Ebonyi State Police Command yesterday confirmed the killing of One Henry Ezeani Chukwu, a 43 year old indigene of Anambra State purported to be a bodyguard to Dr Ifeanyichukwuma Odii, a People’s Democratic Party Governorship Aspirant in the shooting that erupted in Isu, Onicha Local government area of the state.

A statement signed by the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Chris Anyanwu and made available to Newsmen said that the incident occurred on the  24th of August 2022 at about 08: 50pm.

SP Anyanwu said that gunshot sounds were heard around Nkwoagu Isu Market square in Onicha LGA, Ebonyi State adding that the Division Police Officer DPO in charge of the area immediately despatched a team of Police operatives to to the area.

He said that the officers traced the direction of the suspected gunfire up to Home Galaxy Hotel Nkwoagu Isu  where it was eventually discovered that unknown armed men invaded the hotel and opened gunfire on people.

The PPRO noted that among the people found with suspected bullet injuries, littered about the premises

Augustine Ogbonnaya Nwadiba, the proprietor of the said hotel, an indigene of Mgbom Amanator Isu.

Others include, Henry Ezeani Chukwu, 43yrs, an indigene of Anambra State purported to be a bouncer to Dr Ifeanyi Chuks Odii a PDP Guber Aspirant and Alexander Ekwe Okorie, a 52 year old native of Uhuoke Amanator Isu.

SP Anyanwu said that what the officers recovered from the scene were eleven (11) shells of expended AK47 ammunition.

“The victims were quickly evacuated to Amagu Mgbom Health Center where they were confirmed dead and later deposited at the Morgue facility of the Health Center.

The Homicide Unit of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department has embarked on a scrupulous investigation of the incident.

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, rejected an application the Federal Government filed for permission to extradite the detained Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari, to the United States of America, USA, to face trial over his alleged involvement with a notorious internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi.

The court in a judgement delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo, held that the extradition application the Federal Government filed through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, was “incompetent and bereft of merit.”

Justice Ekwo held that Malami, being the Chief Law Officer of the country, ought to be aware that the Extradition Act forbade the surrendering of a defendant that is already facing trial before a competent court in the country.

The court wondered why the AGF approached the court with the extradition application when he was equally the one that issued FIAT (authority) to the National Drug Law Enforcement, NDLEA, to prosecute DCP Kyari on drug related charges.

“The AGF could not say that he was not aware of the pending proceeding against the defendant, which was entered against him by the NDLEA,” Justice Ekwo added.

He said the law was clear that Kyari, having been docked before a court of competent jurisdiction in the country, “shall not be surrendered until such case has been discharged either by his conviction or acquittal.”

Consequently, the court held that the extradition request marked FHC/ABJ/CS/249/2022, was incompetent and deserved to be dismissed.

It will be recalled that the court had on June 3, reserved the matter for judgement after it heard from Federal Government’s lawyer, Mr. Pius Akutah, and that of the embattled DCP Kyari, Mr. Nureni Jimoh, SAN.

While Federal Government maintained that it had met all condition precedents for the suspended DCP to be sent to the US to answer to a criminal charge that is pending against him, on the other hand, Kyari challenged the legal competence of the extradition request against him.

A 17-year-old girl simply identified as Binla has alleged that a policeman stripped her and her friend, took their nude videos and raped them, after accusing them of stealing his N500,000 in Port Harcourt.

The teenager claimed that the officer, Salihu Kazeem, took her and her friend into a  room in his house and sprayed teargas before having carnal knowledge of them till the following morning.

Speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt, the girl said she was afraid for her life because the alleged rapist began trailing her after she reported the matter to the Rumokpakani police station, near the metropolis.

The teenager also disclosed that the cop had sex with them on three other occasions.

She explained that she was introduced to Kazeem through her friend while job-hunting sometime in March, 2022.

The teenager expressed surprise that the policeman accused her of stealing after they returned his Automated Teller Machine card  which he gave to them to go get something to eat.

She said, “He claimed that he was receiving many debit alerts and we asked him the amount. Recently he told us it was up to N500,000.

“He discharged my friend and kept me and the girl that went to buy food in his house. He called his boys and told them that we were thieves.

“He asked us to take off our dresses. He recorded (video) us as we were naked. He now told us that if we didn’t cooperate with him, he was going to spread the nude videos.

“Then he took us to a room and poured us teargas. He then slept with us till the next morning. After one month he has been coming, like three times now.”

The teenager explained how she met the policeman while job-hunting and how they got to his house.

“I was discussing with my friend that I was looking for a job. She told me that she was going to visit her friend and asked me to join her.

“When I saw the man, I talked with him. He asked about my age I told him I was 17 years old. He said okay, he would see what he could do.

“He asked if we have had something to eat, we said no. He gave us his ATM card, that we should go and get anything we wanted to eat.

“We bought food and came back and returned the ATM card to him,” she added.

But in his reaction, the policeman (Kazeem) denied the act, describing them as hook-up girls, and that the girls consented to the sexual act.

He, however, said the girls used his ATM card to make several withdrawals after one of the hook ups.

“They came to my house, I gave Elizabeth my ATM (card) that they should go and buy food. They left with the ATM card. I didn’t see them till 11pm to midnight.

“None of them called me. None of them said anything to me. The only thing i was receiving was debit alert.

“I tried to reach Elizabeth that her friend gave me her number for hook up. She now told me that she gave my ATM to Binla, that I should not be offended.

“That the following day she (Binla) would come and see me. Then, who is now using the ATM that I have been receiving alert?

“She said the lady that was together with them in my house. I asked how did my ATM get to Binla?”

Meanwhile, a lawyer with the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, Festus Bomwin, advised the policeman to submit himself to the authorities for questioning.

He called on the police led by the state police commissioner, Friday Eboka, to begin a thorough investigation of the complainant and the alleged rapist cop.

When contacted, spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she heard of the incident, saying the Commissioner of Police had invited both parties.

“The CP has invited the both parties. So we are expecting them at the command today.

“I am sure after hearing from them discreet investigation will begin and the outcome will be made known to the public.

“And whoever is found culpable will face the law,” Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, stated.

PUNCH

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a cleaner at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos, Ohiagu Sunday, who leads a drug syndicate at the international wing of the airport.

According to NDLEA, Ohiagu was nabbed on Tuesday, August 23, following the arrest of Obinna Jacob Osita, an intending passenger on Air Peace flight to Dubai, UAE.

Osita was arrested with three bags, two of which contained eight blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 4.25kg concealed in cassava product, gari and crayfish.

“One other member of the airport syndicate, who works with Ohiagu,” NDLEA noted, “has also been arrested while operatives are after another suspect.

“Investigations revealed that a Dubai-based drug dealer recruited Obinna, a 42-year-old native of Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State, to traffic the drugs and equally contracted Ohiagu, a 34-year-old airport cleaner from Orlu West Local Government Area of Imo State, to create access for the unhindered passage of the trafficker.

“The drug syndicate bust, which is the first drug arrest at the new terminal of the MMIA, comes on the heels of the seizure of a consignment of bottles of juice and beverages, used to conceal skunk for export to Dubai, UAE, through the NAHCO export shed on Monday, August 15.

“A freight agent has already been arrested in connection with the seizure.”

In the same vein, attempt by a syndicate to export illicit drugs through the Lagos airport on Wednesday, August 24, was foiled during an outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airline to Oman via Addis Ababa.

A suspect, Jonah Chukwuemeka, was arrested with a total of 1,995 Tramadol tablets with a gross weight of 900 grams hidden in locust beans in his luggage.

The bag containing the illicit substance was handed over to him at the airport by one Olagunju Abbas, who was promptly arrested.

Vanguard