UPDATE: See photos of the officers sentenced to death over Apo Six killings

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Staff Reporter

An FCT High Court has convicted and sentenced two out of five policemen accused in the extrajudicial killings of six Apo traders in 2005 to death. The accused Ezekiel Acheneche and Emmanuel Baba were convicted of homicide punishable by death under section 22 1a of the penal code while others were absolved of wrongdoing and discharged.

Justice Ishaq Bello while delivering judgment on Thursday held that that the action of the convicted men was condemnable because there was no evidence that the traders did anything to constitute a threat to police at the time they were shot dead.

Omojuwa.Com published the story as it broke earlier today. However, we have been able to lay our hands on the pictures of the convicted policemen.

See photos below:

6 policemen dismissed for ‘using their firearms for Wike’ during election

Posted on January 6, 2017 by Staff Reporter

Six police officers attached to Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state, have been dismissed for “misusing their firearms” during the Rivers legislative rerun election of December 10, 2016.

The decision to dismiss and prosecute these officers was sequel to a report from a panel set up by Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police, on the incidents recorded during the legislative re-run election.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Don Awunah, force public relations officer, said the officers failed to abide by the instruction of not escorting their principals to polling units.

Awunah said these police officers were “overzealous, took laws into their hands and opened fire, causing panic in the crowd”.

“These police personnel while in the convoy of His Excellency, the executive governor of Rivers state Barr. Nyesom Wike on the date of election, 10th December, 2016 misused the firearms in their possession contrary to the provisions of Force Order 237,” he said.

“They joined in storming the Port Harcourt city council secretariat and prevented the movement of election results of Emouha polling unit to the appropriate collation centre designated by INEC, in flagrant disregard and disobedience to senior Police officers present at the venue.

“The six police officers, after the conclusion of investigation into this public mischief, were subjected to internal disciplinary measures, found guilty and consequently dismissed from the force. They will be prosecuted under the electoral Act to serve as a deterrent to others.”

He further assured Nigerians of “the commitment of the force to carry out its constitutional obligations in accordance to the law of the land before, during and after every election.”

The police officers are Eyong Victor, Peter Ekpo, Oguni Goodluck, Orji Nwoke, Okpe Ezekiel andTanko Akor.

Army: How we rescued 16 kidnapped corps members, policemen in Rivers

Posted on December 11, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Kasimu Abdulkarim, general officer commanding of the 6 division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, has denied the allegation that his men were partisan in Saturday’s election.

He narrated how soldiers rescued 16 abducted corps members and some policemen who were ambushed.

Abdulkarim said those behind the reports of partisanship were bent on tarnishing the image of the army.

Nyesom Wike, governor of the state, and other bigwigs in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had accused security operatives of collaborating with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig the election.

But Abdulkarim insisted that his men acted to prevent security breach.

“They acted swiftly in response to security breaches in order to enforce the law, provide aid to the police and other security agencies especially in areas like Abonema, Etche, Gokhana, Ikwere, Eleme, Tai, Khana and Omoku amongst others,” he said in a statement.

“Susceptibility of mentioned areas warranted providing security for the electoral officials, voters, international and local observers, in conjunction with other security agencies by soldiers for a peaceful election to thrive in the environment.

“In Gokhana, armed hoodlums engaged the soldiers providing outer perimeter defence for the electorate.

“In Abonema there were three explosions that created bedlam. Subsequently, 11 NYSC members were abducted along with electoral materials.

“However, 10 of them were rescued two hours later by the soldiers while one was rescued about eight hours later.

“At Emouha five NYSC members were abducted with election materials in a Siena bus. The corps members were rescued while the suspect was handed over to the police.

“Several shooting were recorded in some communities such as Bodo, the home town of the secretary to the state government, and Mogho in Gokhana local government area, including snatching of ballot boxes.

“The most brutal incidence occurred at Ujju Community near Omoku in Onelga where police patrol team was ambushed. In the ambush, 10 policemen scampered into the bush.

“These attacks are reasonable evidence of violations of breach of law and order which portray the area as a flash point.

“In spite these barbarism, soldiers acted with civility and professionalism in guaranteeing peaceful election.

“Some people allegedly accused soldiers of ballot box snatching, illegal escorts of some politicians, arrest and detention of voters during the general conduct of the elections.

“The weighty nature of these allegations could cause members of the public to view soldiers negatively, hence the need to adequately inform the general public on the true perspective. The public thus need to consider them as mere farce to garner public sympathy.”

Soldiers, Policemen Arrested For ‘Raping, Sexually Exploiting’ Women Displaced By Boko Haram

Posted on December 6, 2016 by Staff Reporter

The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Ibrahim Idris, said two policemen, three army personnel, one prison official, one Air Force personnel, a staff of Borno Ministry for Agriculture and two members of the Civilian JTF have been arrested for sexually abusing women and girls displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency.

A report published in Human Rights Watch, in October, detailed how government officials abused and raped women living at IDP camps in Borno State.

The report documented sexual abuse, including rape and exploitation, of 43 women and girls living in seven internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Four of the victims told Human Rights Watch that they were drugged and raped, while 37 were coerced into sex through false marriage promises and material and financial assistance.

President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered the I-G and the affected state governors to investigate the allegation.

Police set up a special panel to investigate the alleged abuses.

Speaking Tuesday at the Inspector-General of Police Conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Mr Idris said police would liaise with the Army and Air Force to make their personnel available for a thorough investigation.

Mr. Idris said after the investigation, any suspects found guilty of the offence would be dismissed and taken to court for prosecution.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/217192-nigerian-soldiers-policemen-arrested-raping-sexually-exploiting-women-displaced-boko-haram.html

Soldiers, policemen arrested for ‘raping, sexually exploiting’ women in IDP camps

Posted on December 6, 2016 by Staff Reporter

A report published in Human Rights Watch, in October, detailed how government officials abused and raped women living at IDP camps in Borno State.

The report documented sexual abuse, including rape and exploitation, of 43 women and girls living in seven internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Four of the victims told Human Rights Watch that they were drugged and raped, while 37 were coerced into sex through false marriage promises and material and financial assistance.

President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered the I-G and the affected state governors to investigate the allegation.

Police set up a special panel to investigate the alleged abuses.

Mr. Idris said after the investigation, any suspects found guilty of the offence would be dismissed and taken to court for prosecution.

“We are going to conduct a thorough investigation and if anyone is found guilty we will dismiss him then take him to court,” he said.

He said the police had put in place some mechanisms, including the deployment of female police officers to IDPs camp, to check future occurrences.

On the Rivers re-run election, Mr. Idris said the police force had begun the deployment of personnel to the state for peaceful and fair election.

He said there was need for collaboration between the police and sister security agencies for the election.

Mr. Idris, who declined to comment on the alleged withdrawal of the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Gov. Nyisom Wike of Rivers, said the police had a good working relationship with all the 36 state governors.

He advised state commissioners of police to ensure that Nigerians were not subjected to hardships on the roads during the Yuletide.

“You should ensure that no hardship is created for citizens of Nigeria, try and ease movements on the roads,” he said.

Yuletide: AIG Warns Policemen Not To Mount Road Blocks

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Officers and men of Zone 6 Police Command have been ordered to conduct only stop and search on vehicles and not to mount road blocks on the highways at Yuletide.

Mr Abubakar Marafa, Assistant Inspector General of Police in-charge of Zone 6, Calabar, gave the directive on Wednesday during a familiarisation tour of the Cross River command.

Marafa said crime fighting was more effective through intelligence gathering and not by mounting road blocks which impede smooth flow of traffic and used to extort money from motorists.

He reiterated that mounting of road blocks by the police was illegal.

“We are in a digital era, and crime fighting has gone beyond the confines of blocking the road to collect money from drivers and also slowing movement on the road.

“Stop and Search is a more effective way of combating crime because it is based on intelligence report’’, he said.

Marafa said a lot of people would be on the road travelling to different locations during the Christmas period, hence the duty of the police was to safeguard their lives by providing them with appropriate security.

“We have to do our best to safeguard the lives of the people travelling during the Christmas period and not to slow down their movement by extorting money from them’’, he said.

He urged policemen not to act beggarly but to be courageous while confronting suspects during their stop and search operation.

Mr Jimoh Ozi-Obeh, Commissioner of Police in the state, said the command had put necessary measures in place to ensure a crime free Christmas in Calabar and also during carnival.

Credit: dailytrust

Full list of security agents, others arrested for collaborating with Boko Haram.

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Staff Reporter

PREMIUM TIMES has obtained an exclusive list of 30 people arrested by the Nigerian military for allegedly helping the Boko Haram to sell rustled cows.

The arrested people include at least four serving soldiers, two police officers, and some members of the civilian-JTF

The Theatre Commander of the Operation Lafiya Dole, Lucky Irabor, had confirmed the arrest of the 30 people at a press conference in Maiduguri on Wednesday.

According to General Irabor, “those who have been aiding and abetting Boko Haram by way of encouraging cattle rustling ; so far we have arrested 30 of them, many are civilians and we have among them four soldiers and two policemen. They are being investigated and the outcome of the investigation will be brought to your notice.”

What Mr. Irabor, a major general, did not say was that the Boko Haram rustled the cows in the territory they still hold and sneaked them into Maiduguri, the Borno capital, to sell and buy other goods.

The military has since suspected that the insurgents are able to do this and raise fund for their cause based on the active connivance of security operatives and relevant civilians. Subsequent investigation led to the arrest of the 30 people.

The four soldiers arrested include Captain A. A. Hussaini, the operations officer of 195 Battalion in charge of Mafa Local Government Area where Boko Haram still control some areas. The council is a major route into Maiduguri from the North and East.

Another suspect is Lieutenant I. H. Irro, a liaison with 152 Task Force battalion. The other two junior officers are Staff Sergeant Alexander Chiegwe, the guard commander of the main check point from Mafa into Maiduguri, and Lance Corporal Yakpon Dona.

The policemen arrested are Usman Mohammed and Stephen Odoh.

The suspects also include three members of the Civilian-JTF. They are Babakkura Ali, chairman of Kasuwan Shanu branch; Bashir Abbas, the chairman of Sector 2 and Modu 2Star, a member from Mafa town.

The arrested civilians include members of the Livestock Traders Association, some herdsmen and a representative of the Shehu of Borno.

All the suspects are accused of being involved in castle rustling.

Top members of the Civilian-JTF who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES confirmed the arrest of their colleagues. They, however, said they do not have the full details of their arrest.

In the past year, kidnapping and cattle rustling have become another major security threat, aside Boko Haram insurgency which the Nigerian Army has been tackling.

Nearly a hundred kidnappers and cattle rustlers were either killed in shootouts or arrested by soldiers. Over a thousand cows rustled from herdsmen were also recovered.

Fulani herdsmen, accused of attacking communities using assault rifles, have complained that some of them resort to using guns like AK47 to defend themselves because cattle rustlers use similar weapons to attack them and steal their livestock.

The rustling of cattle has since become a major source of revenue for the Boko Haram whose activities since 2009 have caused the death of over 20,000 people and displaced millions of others.

Soldier, Policemen Fight In Banking Hall

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Staff Reporter

There was pandemonium yesterday inside the banking hall of a popular bank, located at Calabar Road, in the heart of Calabar, the Cross River State capital, following a fight that pitted a soldier against four riot policemen.

The incident occurred at about 11 am, causing confusion among the numerous customers who had gone to the bank to transact business.

The fight forced many customers to flee from the bank when, a policeman discharged a canister of tear-gas inside the banking hall filled with customers.

As some armed soldiers and armed policemen arrived, obviously on the invitation of their feuding colleagues, customers ran helter-skelter to avoid being caught in a possible crossfire.

The immediate cause of the fight between the lone soldier and the four policemen could not be ascertained, but a handful of men and staff of the bank intervened and stopped the fight.
When the fisticuffs ended, the soldier and some of the policemen had sustained injuries while the soldier’s uniform was torn.

The policemen, who were seething with anger, left the banking hall and waited outside while the soldier remained inside the hall.
Before long, some armed riot policemen and regular policemen drove-in in pickup trucks to the bank and demanded to see the soldier who was still holed up inside.

However, while the policemen were busy demanding to reach the soldier, a detachment of soldiers also arrived the bank in trucks; a development that led to sporadic shooting into the air, and scampering for safety by passers-by and onlookers.
But after wise counsel by the superior officers in both camps prevailed, some of the policemen and soldiers entered the banking hall to settle the rift.

Credit: Thisday

2 Sons Of Policemen, 6 Others Killed For Robbery, Kidnap

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Two sons of two police officers and a kidnapper were among eight armed robbery suspects killed during an exchange of fire with the police at Nsukka on Good Friday, when Christians throughout the world were marking death of Jesus Christ on the cross. One of the armed robbers was the son of a retired Assistant Superintendent of Police, while the other was the son of a serving police inspector.

Source told South East Voice that the eight suspects were killed at separate operations in the university town in Enugu State by the Police Anti- Robbery Squad, SARS. South East Voice gathered that one of the sons of the police officers identified simply as Arinze Ossai hailed from Igboeze North Local Government Area, stationed his robbery gang at a hotel in the area from where the gang terrorised the entire local government area and its environs for several months, robbing and kidnapping people in the area.

It was gathered that following information volunteered to the Police and members of the local vigilante group, the dare devil robbers were confronted in their hideouts, leading to exchange of fire between the Police and the suspects and the death of three of the suspects. The Igboeze North vigilante group working on a tip off had contacted SARS at the Area command, Nsukka which later accosted the gang which had earlier robbed a Toyota Venza vehicle belonging to a returnee from Malaysia.

Four other suspects, two of whom were identified as Ifeanyi Ogbu and Abuchi Ogbaje from Igboeze South Local Government Area were also reportedly killed while trying to rob their victims on Good Friday. A member of the Igboeze North vigilante group said that the gang members gave them a tough time as they knew all the entry and exit points of every community in the area, adding that the police officers sons were the executioners of the gang.

A senior police officer confirmed the incident at the Police Area Command, Nsukka, saying that there was heavy exchange of fire between the Police and the robbers.

Credit: vanguardngr

IGP Gives Automatic Promotion To 9 Policemen In Nasarawa

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Alhaji Lawal Shehu-Batsari, Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa State, on Wednesday decorated nine policemen offered special promotion by Mr Solomon Arase, the Inspector General of Police during his recent visit to the state.

The IGP was impressed by their display during a parade by the sentry guards of the command on March 4.

He directed that they be given automatic promotion to their next rank.

The policemen, seven corporals and two constables were decorated with their new ranks by the commissioner.

Those promoted to sergeant are Laraba Iliya, Dodo Philip, Mabel Philip, Raphael Agida, Tasala Edeh, Daniel Gabriel and Bamaiyi Adigiri, while Josiah Nmadu and Abel Nmadu were moved from the rank of constable to corporal.

The commissioner challenged them to rededicate themselves to the service of the nation through unwavering commitment to their job.

Shehu-Batsari thanked the IGP for the gesture, saying that it would spur other policemen to be more proactive in their assignment.

“To whom much is given, much is expected. You should be forthright, honest and dedicated in protecting the lives and properties of law-abiding citizens of this country.

You should be able to bring purposeful leadership to the force”, he said.

Shehu-Batsari warned policemen under the command against any act of corruption, saying anyone caught would be dealt with.

The commissioner stressed that as law enforcement officers, police personnel must always conduct themselves within the ambit of the law.

He commended the promoted officers and advised others to also aspire to excel.

“We believe that promotion is an incentive of encouraging officers to do more in terms of service to their father land.

“Those promoted have worked very hard in their respective fields and in their respective positions,” he said.

Sgt. Agida, who responded on behalf of the promoted policemen, thanked the IGP for the gestures, saying it would spur them to do more in the discharge of their responsibilities.

(NAN)

Policemen Fighting Boko Haram Lament Non-Payment Of Allowances

Posted on February 3, 2016 by Staff Reporter

Policemen on counter-insurgency operations in the north-east region have complained about the non-payment of their allowances by the state governments.

Specifically, some policemen serving in Borno State told our correspondent that they have not been paid for about three months, while others who had just concluded their tour of duty alleged that they were under-paid.

“Before now, policemen on counter-insurgency operations in Borno State were paid N30,000, but this was later reduced to N15,000 due to the economic situation. Our set was paid N7,000 instead of N15,000 and we don’t know if this was done by the state government or by the police command,” a policeman, who felt shortchanged stated.

Another police officer who had just returned from the battle front after spending three months engaging Boko Haram terrorists, explained that he and his colleagues were not paid, but were asked to hold on by the police authorities.

“We were not paid a dime, we were simply informed that the allowances have not been paid by the state government. I don’t know why the police were treated this way, because I am sure they would not ask members of the armed forces to be patient,” the police officer said.

But the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, who confirmed the delay in the payment of the policemen, noted that the police high command was holding discussions with the governors of the north-eastern states over the non-payment of allowances to police personnel on counter-insurgency operations.

Arase who said this in response to questions during his meeting with Commissioners of Police on Wednesday in Abuja, admitted that the policemen had complained to his office about the non-payment of their allowances for about four months now.

Credit: Punch

ABU Professor Murdered After Mob Mistook Him For Boko Haram

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Following the tragic death of a professor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Ahmed Falaki, The Assistant Inspector- General, Zone 1, Kano, Yabo Muhammad, told journalists on Wednesday that Mr. Falaki was not killed by a gunshot fired by the police but by mob action when he was mistaken for a terrorist.

Mr. Muhammad said the late scholar was coming back from Bauchi state on a trip and made a stop over to change a deflated tyre. He said Mr. Falaki’s Toyota Hilux van was then seized at gun point by fleeing insurgents. He added that the villagers chasing the insurgents had mistook Mr. Falaki for one of the terrorists and killed him.

The AIG said Mr. Falaki, his brother and a driver had headed to Fala village, a few metres from where their vehicle was snatched to seek assistance. He noted that the villagers initially assisted them and called residents of a neighbouring village, alerting them of the fleeing insurgents, and asking them to block the road.

Mr. Muhammad said, however, during the ensuing pandemonium Mr. Falaki had tried to identify himself to the special constabulary who had arrived the scene, displaying his identity card. But the police officer, unable to read the contents of the ID card, suggested that the late professor, his brother and a driver, were part of the insurgents.

According to Mr. Muhammad, Mr. Falaki’s driver, Tambari, had reported that it was the suspicions of the police officer that caused panic among the villagers, leading to the mob action and eventually Mr. Falaki’s death.

The corpse of the late professor was taken to the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital where an autopsy showed he had died of multiple scalp wounds stemming from the beating he received from the mob.

Source : Premiumtimes

Group Petitions Police Affairs Minister, Police IG Over Policemen Detained By Nigerian Army

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Following a PREMIUM TIMES exclusive report about the detention of 10 counter terrorism police officers since April 21, a rights group, Committee for Democracy and Rights of the People, has petitioned the Minister of Police Affairs and Inspector general of Police, requesting their intervention for the release of the detained police officers.

One of the detainees had earlier told PREMIUM TIMES that he and his colleagues were detained on the instruction of a Colonel Kalejaye, head of the army forward operation base, because they refused his directive to “impersonate” soldiers by wearing their uniforms for training in Kaduna State.

One of the detainees, on Wednesday, told PREMIUM TIMES that following reports on their plight, the military had started to give them food.

In its petition, signed by its national coordinator, Waheed Saka, the group demanded “immediate and unconditional release of the detainee officers; security synergy among military and paramilitary agency for effective security; and inquiry into the controversial deployment.”

The group also expressed hope that “this unnecessary institutional superiority among security agencies will be properly addressed and necessary reform for implementation will be done for the good of our national security”.

The CDRP said it is concerned about right to life of Nigerian citizen.

“We considered the detainee first as a citizen before they enlisted as policemen in the service of their fatherland,” the group said. “We subsequently condemned the detention as unlawful, unwarranted and totally unacceptable as carried by the online media and various media outlet on 26th April 2015.

“However, the request for your intervention is necessary as all our effort to free the detainees is not fruitful and our independent investigation revealed that the detained officers are still in army cell somewhere in Gwagwalada under a condition that we considered inhuman and filty.

“More so, it is definitely easy to secure the popular minority elite, but if our nation security will operate according to international best practice, we must strive to protect, defend and patriotically respect the rights of our rank and file officers who sworn to defend the green, white and green flag of our country against any internal uprising.”

Read More: premiumtimesng

Nigerian Army Detains Policemen Without Food For Refusing To Wear Military Uniforms

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Ten counter-terrorism police officers attached to the Nigeria army peacekeeping forward operation base in Abuja are currently unlawfully detained at a military barrack in Gwagwalada, Abuja.

The personnel were locked up since Tuesday without food and medical care for refusing to wear military fatigues for an operation they feared could be illegal.

According to the detainees, they were detained on the instruction of a Colonel Kalejaye, head of the army forward operation base, because they refused his directive to “impersonate” soldiers by wearing their uniforms for a training in Kaduna State.

Read More: premiumtimesng

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